Rudolf I, Margrave of Baden Baden

Rudolf I, Margrave of Baden (1230 – November 19, 1288) served as Regent to Margrave Frederick I from 1250 until 1267, then as Margrave of Baden from 1268 until his death in 1288.

He was the son of Herman V and Irmengard, Countess Palatine of the Rhine. She was the daughter of Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine. Rudolf inherited Baden, together with his brother Herman VI, until Herman VI married into the Austrian ducal family. Rudolf I then became the sole ruler of Baden-Baden.

Rudolf I married Kunigunde of Eberstein in 1257. The Eberstein family were in a position to raise money for Rudolf, and they bequeathed half their castle to the margrave. In 1283, Otto II of Eberstein sold the other half of Old Eberstein Castle to Rudolf I. In the 14th century, the castle was the place of residence for the Margraves of Baden. In 1250 Rudolf I began the construction of Hohenbaden Castle.

On August 23, 1258, King Richard of Cornwall gave the city of Steinbach its charter. Rudolf I had asked the king to do this. The Lords of Weissenstein bought their castle Liebeneck and the village of Würm from the margrave. Rudolf I quarreled with the Counts of Württemberg and the Bishops of Straßburg over the tolls on the Rhine. The quarrel with Württemberg ended in later years because of the marriage of one of Rudolf's sons into the Württemberg dynasty.

Rudolf I built many churches and abbeys. Because of his love of art and Minnesang, Rudolf was lauded by Beppo of Basel as a pious and benevolent man. He is buried in Lichtenthal Abbey.