The strongest ties of affection and friendship united these three brothers, who however, seem to have borne little resemblance to each other.
Stephan of Ingolstadt was short in stature, but good-looking, high-spirited, and full of romance, his chief delight being in love-making and warlike adventures. Friederich of Landshut, a brave, wise, able prince, was by far the most capable member of the family, while Johann, a rough and fearless sportsman, led a wild, jovial life in his own court and castles, which he filled with huntsmen, hawks, dogs, and horses.[86] From him descends the Munich line of Bavarian princes.[87] Johann took a German wife, but Stephan and Friederich married Taddea and Maddalena, daughters of Bernabo Visconti, one of the chiefs of that family so renowned for splendour, power, and cruelty, then ruling in Milan. After a few years Taddea died, and left Stephan with a son and daughter named Ludwig and Isabeau, or Elizabeth. The latter was born at Ingolstadt 1370 or 1371. By his second marriage he had no children.
In all Germany, and perhaps in all Europe, there is not a more beautiful country than Bavaria, with its lakes, mountains, forests, and ancient castles. Here Isabeau spent her short childhood, idolized by her father and brother, flattered and spoiled by all around her, for her extraordinary beauty was the admiration of the court. It was a brief childhood, for she was only about twelve years old when the first negotiations for her marriage with the King of France were begun. Her uncle, Friederich of Landshut, was serving in Flanders with the French against the English army in the year 1383, just at the time when the uncles and guardians of the young Charles VI. were looking for a wife for him, and as his father, the late King Charles V., had desired that he should be married to a German, and thus secure an ally to France against England, they were hesitating between the daughters of Austria, Lorraine, and one or two others that had been suggested, and inquired of Duke Friederich whether there were any marriageable princess of his family who would be suitable.
Friederich was naturally anxious not to let slip the chance of the crown of France for one of his house; so he explained that, although he had no children of the right age, his brother, Stephan, had a daughter in all respects suitable, being extremely beautiful and about two years younger than the King, and he lost no time in writing to inform his brother of the splendid prospect which seemed to be opening before them. But Duke Stephan, less ambitious than his brother, was in no way elated by this proposal. He replied that, in the first place, he did not like unequal alliances, and between himself and the King of France the difference was too great; neither did he wish his daughter to go so far away, but would prefer to marry her to some noble of his own country; besides which objections, there existed a custom that a prospective Queen of France should, like candidates for the army in our own days, pass a sort of medical examination which was conducted by certain matrons chosen from among the ladies of highest rank at the French court; and to this the Duke refused to consent. He declared that he was not going to allow either himself or his daughter to be made ridiculous by sending her to France on an uncertainty, or to risk the affront of her being rejected. She should stay in her own country and marry some one nearer home. So, for the time, the negotiations were broken off.