Louis the German
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| Louis the German | |
|---|---|
| King of East Francia | |
 Louis's seal with an effigy of the Roman emperor Hadrian. The inscription reads "XPE PROTEGE HLUDOICUM REGEM" meaning – "O Christ, protect King Louis!" | |
| King of East Francia (King of Germany) | |
| Reign | 10 August 843 – 28 August 876 |
| Predecessor | Louis the Pious |
| Successor | Carloman of Bavaria (Bavaria) Louis the Younger (Saxony) Charles the Fat (Swabia) |
| Born | 806 |
| Died | 28 August 876 |
| Spouse | Emma of Altdorf |
| House | Carolingian |
| Father | Louis the Pious |
| Mother | Ermengarde of Hesbaye |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Louis the German (German: Ludwig der Deutsche; c. 806 – 28 August 876) was the first king of East Francia and one of the grandchildren of Charlemagne. He ruled from 843 to 876. He was the third son of Louis the Pious. After a series of conflicts with his father and brothers, he received the East Frankish kingdom through the Treaty of Verdun in 843.
Louis tried but failed to conquer his half-brother Charles the Bald's kingdom in 858-59. He acquired Lotharingia in the Treaty of Meerssen in 870 but couldn't claim the title of Emperor of Italy. He managed to reach a peace agreement with the Moravians in 874 after decades of conflict.
Louis ruled Bavaria from Regensburg. He married Hemma in 827. His rule saw a decline in the creation of written administration and government documents.