He was born in Wolfratshausen, the son of Rudolf I, Duke of Bavaria, and Mechtild of Nassau, daughter of King Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg.

After the death of his father, his family was placed under the guardianship of Duke Johann von Nassau, who was a partisan of the Austrian cause.

His uncle, Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor had taken the Palatinate by force of arms.

His sons inherited Bavaria and Rudolf I's sons inherited the Upper Palatinate and the Palatinate in line with the Treaty of Pavia.

Rudolph married twice: They had one daughter: Anne of the Palatinate (26 September 1329 – 2 February 1353) who married in 1349 the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV He died in Neustadt.