Ludwig I, Count of Württemberg-Urach

Ludwig I (before 31 October 1412 – 23/24 September 1450) was Count of Württemberg from 1419 and then count of Württemberg-Urach until his death in 1450.

Life
Ludwig was born before 31 October 1412, the eldest son of Count Eberhard IV and his wife Henriette, Countess of Mömpelgard. Eberhard died unexpectedly of illness on 2 July 1419, while Ludwig and his younger brother Ulrich were both minors. Consequently, Henriette became their guardian, together with a regency council of 32 Württembergers.

After his coming of age, Ludwig reigned in Württemberg since 1426. He first reigned alone and later, starting in 1433, together with his brother Ulrich V. Ludwig was married to Mechthild of the Palatinate. The wedding was celebrated on 21 October 1436 in Stuttgart. After Ulrich's wedding with Margarethe von Cleve, the two brothers agreed on the partition of Württemberg. This was first limited to four years, but was made permanent by the Treaty of Nürtingen, signed on 25 January 1442.

Ludwig received the part of Urach with the territories in the south and the west of the county, including the territories in Alsace. After the death of Henriette of Montbéliard in 1444, Ludwig also obtained Montbéliard. Ludwig remodeled Urach into his residence and implemented an active policy to strengthen the monasteries in his realm of power.

He tried to align Württemberg more with the Wittelsbach and Habsburg dynasties. For example he supported duke Albert VI of Austria in his fight against the Old Swiss Confederacy.

Ludwig died of the plague on 23 or 24 September 1450 in Bad Urach.

Children
Ludwig I and Mechthild of the Palatinate had the following children:
 * Mechthild (aft 1436 – 6 June 1495), married since 1454 with Louis II, Landgrave of Hesse (1438–1471)
 * Ludwig II (3 April 1439 – 3 November 1457), since 1450 Count of Württemberg-Urach
 * Andreas (* 11.4 und † 19.5.1443)
 * Eberhard V (11 December 1445 – 24 February 1496), since 1457 count of Württemberg-Urach, since 1495 Duke Eberhard I. of Württemberg
 * Elisabeth (4 October 1447 – 3 June 1505), married since 1470 with Johann II of Nassau-Saarbrücken in Saarbrücken (1423–1472), and since 1474 with Heinrich dem Älteren, Count zu Stolberg (1436–1511)