Regesta Imperii workshop: Women doing dynasty? – Women in the formation of the Wittelsbach dynasty in the 14th century

Historians writing about medieval noble families often use the phrase ‘died out in the male line’. This gives the impression that a family, with all its members, rights and possessions, simply disappeared, while the remaining daughters, sisters, sisters-in-law or widows are often ignored.

However, the social groups that have been referred to as ‘dynasties’ since the 18th century consist of more than half women, whose role was by no means limited to bearing male heirs. Recent medieval research has made it clear that noblewomen often acted as mediators in marriage projects, advocates for their children in matters of inheritance law, representatives of their houses or shapers of the family memoria. In this way, they contributed significantly to the formation of rules and claims within their kinship groups and thus to the ‘formation of dynasties’. However, dynastic action by women has so far been the focus of research primarily in the early modern period.

In contrast, this aspect appears to have been less well researched for the late Middle Ages, especially the first half of the 14th century, although the family ties of the Roman-German rulers of this period are particularly relevant in this regard. The Luxembourgs, Habsburgs and Wittelsbachs are considered the defining dynasties of the 14th century, with the expansion of their ‘domestic power’ as the main driving force behind their policies. Especially for the members of the House of Bavaria – who were not referred to as ‘Wittelsbach’ until much later – this period, which was full of internal family conflicts, divisions, agreements and succession arrangements (such as the House Treaty of Pavia), seems to represent a significant phase in the formation of the dynasty. The role of women has hardly been studied to date, although, for example, Louis IV's rise to Roman Emperor is attributed not least to the support of his mother, Mechthild of Habsburg, against the claims of his older brother Rudolf I.

In order to gain a better understanding of the formation of the Bavarian dynasty and at the same time to adopt a new research perspective – away from the ‘male line’ and towards the female branches of a ‘dynasty’ – the Ludwig der Bayer Research Centre of the Regesta Imperii is organising a workshop at the Academy of Sciences and Literature in Mainz on 29 and 30 September 2026. The focus will be on women of the ‘House of Bavaria’ and its environment in the 14th century, whereby the question of where membership of the ‘Wittelsbachs’ begins or ends is deliberately left open: from daughters and sisters of the Bavarian dukes to wives, widows and sisters-in-law to servants or wives of loyal followers. Comparative examples from other temporal and spatial contexts are also welcome. In addition to studies based on documents and chronicle sources, investigations of tombs, seals, coats of arms and coins are also welcome.

We cordially invite historians and researchers from related disciplines to submit proposals for a 20-minute presentation (max. 300 words) by 31 March 2026.

Organisers:
Dr Doris Bulach (Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz)
Tobias Fischer M.A. (LMU Munich)
Sophie März M.A. (LMU Munich)
Prof. Dr Magdalena Weileder (TU Darmstadt); (Regesta Imperii, sub-project Ludwig the Bavarian)