Grand Duke Louis IV of Hesse was a German nobleman born on June 12, 1837. He ruled as the Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine from 1877 until his death in 1892. Louis IV was known for his efforts to modernize the Grand Duchy and improve its economy, infrastructure, and education. He was a member of the House of Hesse, a prominent German dynasty. Louis IV was also related to various European royal families, including the House of Battenberg and the House of Windsor, through his marriage to Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, the second daughter of Queen Victoria.