Eberhard I of Württemberg also known as Eberhard im Bart (Eberhard the bearded) (11 December 1445 – 24 February 1496) was the first Duke of Württemberg. After the death of his older brother in 1459 he became the Count of Württemberg-Urach as Eberhard V. In 1482 he signed the Treaty of Münsingen with his cousin Eberhard VI of Württemberg-Stuttgart reuniting Württemberg-Urach with Württemberg-Stuttgart under his rule. In exchange his cousin was designated as his heir. He moved the capital to Stuttgart and in July 1495 he was elevated to Duke of Württemberg by Emperor Maximilian I.
Eberhard was acquainted with a number of scholars and held education in high esteem. In 1477 he founded the University of Tübingen.
Eberhard died in 1496 and was succeeded by his cousin Duke Eberhard II (formerly Eberhard VI of Württemberg-Stuttgart).
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Early life
Born at Urach, he was the son of count Ludwig I and his wife Mechthild of the Palatinate, born as countess palatine by the Rhine.
Count Eberhard V officially took charge of the government of Württemberg-Urach when he was still underage; Württemberg had been divided since 1442. At first he had a legal guardian, a respected nobleman who had mentored his father as a youth, Rudolph von Ehingen of Kilchberg. However, in 1459, assisted by Frederick I, Elector Palatine, he threw off this restraint, and undertook the government of the district of Urach as Count Eberhard V. He neglected his duties as a ruler and lived a reckless life until 1468. During this time, a fencing manual was created for Eberhard in 1467 by Hans Talhoffer. The manuscript is currently held by the Bavarian State Library.
