Margaret of Bavaria (1363 – 23 January 1424, Dijon) was Duchess of Burgundy by marriage to John the Fearless. She was the regent of the Burgundian Low Countries during the absence of her spouse in 1404–1419 and the regent in French Burgundy during the absence of her son in 1419–1423. She became most known for her successful defense of the Duchy of Burgundy against Count John IV of Armagnac in 1419.

Life

Margaret was the fifth child of Albert I, Duke of Bavaria, Count of Hainault, Holland, and Zeeland and Lord of Frisia, and Margaret of Brieg.

Marriage

On 12 April 1385, at the Burgundian double wedding in Cambrai, Margaret married John, Count of Nevers, the son and heir of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, and Margaret of Dampierre, Countess of Flanders, Artois and Burgundy; at the same time her brother, William II, Duke of Bavaria, married Margaret of Burgundy.

Duchess regent

With the death of Philip the Bold in 1404, and Margaret of Dampierre in 1405, John inherited his parents' territories, and Margaret became duchess. In 1409, Margaret was named deputy regent of the Duchy of Burgundy, to rule whenever her spouse was absent from the Duchy to attend to other parts of his realm. In 1419, Margaret became a widow. Her son confirmed his father's appointment of Margaret as deputy regent of Burgundy, and she ruled Burgundy during the absence of her son in 1419–1423.

Children

Margaret and John had:

Ancestry

Sources