Rudolf IV, Margrave of Baden-Pforzheim

Who is Rudolf IV, Margrave of Baden-Pforzheim?

Rudolf IV, Margrave of Baden-Pforzheim was a son of Margrave Herman VII of Baden and his wife, Agnes of Truhendingen.

As a younger son, he was initially destined for an eccesiastical career. He became canon at Speyer. When his father died in 1291, Baden was divided and he received Baden-Pforzheim. Initially, he ruled Baden-Pforzheim jointly with his brother, Herman VIII. From 1300 until his death, he ruled alone.

In the conflict between Duke Leopold I of Austria and Emperor Louis IV, he initially sided with Leopold. After a while he changed sides and sided with Louis IV, who in 1334 mortgaged Ortenburg Castle, the cities of Offenburg, Gengenbach and Zell am Harmersbach and the imperial possessions in the Ortenau area to Rudolf IV.

In 1335, he inherited Baden-Baden from his first cousin Rudolf Hesso.

Rudolf IV died on 25 June 1348. His sons divided the inheritance, with Frederick III taking Baden-Baden and Rudolf V taking Baden-Pforzheim.