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William V

Type Figure Region Bavaria Time 1548–1626 Also known as William V of Bavaria

William V (1548–1626), Wittelsbach Duke of Bavaria (1579–1597), a devout Catholic who vigorously promoted the Counter-Reformation in the 1580s.

Timeline

  1. 1581–1590Munich · BavariaIn the 1580s William V systematically pursued Catholic revival policies, expelling Protestant preachers, strengthening church discipline, and working closely with the Jesuits. He represented Catholic princes' interests in the Imperial Diet, standing in sharp contrast to Protestant electors such as Saxony.
  2. 1583–1590Munich Residenz · BavariaDuring this period William V expanded the Munich Residenz and the Frauenkirche among other buildings, engaging architects and craftsmen, and made Munich a symbolic center of South German Catholic culture. The enormous expenditure also strained the duchy's finances, laying the groundwork for his later abdication.

Sources