Ludwik I the Fair

Louis I the Fair
Duke Louis praying, Hedwig Codex (1353)
Spouse(s)	Agnes of Głogów-Żagań
Noble family	Silesian Piasts
Father	Bolesław III the Generous
Mother	Margaret of Bohemia
Born	c.  1321
Died	Between 6 and 23 December 1398

Louis I the Fair, also known as the Wise or the Right (Polish: Ludwik I Sprawiedliwy, Roztropny, or Prawy) or Louis I of Brzeg (Ludwik I brzeski; c. 1321 – 6/23 December 1398), a member of the Silesian Piasts, was a Silesian duke of Legnica from 1342 to 1346 (jointly with his elder brother Wenceslaus I until 1345) and of Brzeg from 1358 until his death. Also, he was regent of Legnica during 1364–1373.

Louis was the second son of the Silesian duke Bolesław III the Generous, then ruling over Legnica and Brzeg, by his first wife, the Přemyslid princess Margaret, a daughter of King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia. Louis was the youngest son of the ducal couple who survived adulthood. The third and last son, Nikolaus was born and died in 1322, shortly before their mother.

Like his elder brother, little was known of Louis I's early years; his first formal appearance was in 1329 on the occasion of the renewal of his father's homage to the Luxembourg king John of Bohemia. In the following years Louis spent much of his time at the royal court in Prague. It was there where he probably learned about politics and government.

In 1342 Bolesław III's huge debts forced him to cede the Duchy of Legnica to his sons Wenceslaus and Louis, while he retired with his second wife Katarina Šubić to the Duchy of Brzeg (which also included Oława as well as Namysłów, returned to him by his eldest son Wenceslaus). During the first three years, both brothers ruled jointly without major problems until Wenceslaus, after years of childless marriage, lost all his hopes to have children and decided to give most of the Legnica territory to Louis. The formal divisionary treaty took place on 9 August 1345 in the Silesian capital Wroclaw and was personally signed by King John of Bohemia. Louis I received the richest part of the Duchy and the residence in Legnica.