I57218: OTTO II Holy Roman Emporer (0955

Notes

"Otto II King of the Germans and Emperor of Rome, son of Otto I and Adelaide, b. 955; d. in Rome, 7 Dec., 983. In 961 he was elected king at Worms, and was crowned at Aix, 26 May.

Frail in body, he possessed an intrepid and arbitrary spirit. With him began that extravagant policy of imperialism, which aimed at restoring the world boundaries of the ancients, and to encompass the Ancient Sea (the Mediterranean). Germany and Italy were to wield the balance of power. Reacting against this imperialistic policy was the revived strength of particularism. The conflict with the ducal House of Bavaria gave a dangerous aspect to affairs. In Bavaria (with Otto's approval) the duchess dowager Judith acted as regent for her son Henry. Upon coming of age he was given the Duchy of Bavaria in fee by Otto II, who, at the same time, invested Ludolph's son Otto with Swabia on the death of Duke Burchard, ignoring the latter's widow, Hedwig, a daughter of Judith. Henry, named the "Quarrelsome", supported by Abraham of Friesing, Boleslaw of Bohemia, and Mesislav of Poland, opposed this. The war finally ended by Judith being immured in a cloister and Henry declared to have forfeited his duchy. Ludolph's son Otto received the vacant ducal throne. The Eastmark was separated from Bavaria and given in fee to Luitpold of Babenberg, who laid the foundation of the future renown of his family.

In 978 Lothair, who aspired to the acquisition of Western Germany, invaded Lorraine, and pillaged Aix where Otto narrowly escaped capture. But Lothair did not advance further. In Dortmund a war of reprisal was at once decided upon; with 60,000 men, Otto marched upon Paris, which he failed to take. Lothair, however, was obliged to come to terms, and in 980 the two kings met near Sedan, where Otto obtained an agreement securing the former boundaries.

In Rome, Crescentius, a son of Theodora, headed a disorderly factional government and sought to settle the affairs of the Holy See by coercion. Otto crossed the Alps and freed the papacy. While in Rome his mind became imbued with dreams of ancient imperialism; he would give his imperialistic policy a firm foundation by bringing all Italy under subjection.

In Southern Italy the Byzantines and Saracens united against the German pretensions, and in 982 the war with these ancient powers commenced. Tarentum fell into the hands of the German king, but 15 July, 982, he was defeated near Capo Colonne, not far from Cotrone. This battle resulted in the surrender of Apulia and Calabria and destroyed the prestige of the imperial authority throughout Italy. The effect spread to the people of the North and the turbulent Slavs on the East, and shortly after the Danes and Wends rose up in arms. But Otto was victorious.

The Christian mission, under the leadership of pilgrims of Passau, had made great progress in the territory of the Magyars. Then came the defeat in Calabria, whereupon all of Slavonia, particularly the heathen part, revolted against German sovereignty. The promising beginnings of German and Christian culture east of the Elbe, inaugurated by Otto, were destroyed.

In Bohemia the ecclesiastical organization was thorougly established, but the emperor was unable to support the bishop whom he had placed there. On the Havel and the Spree Christianity was almost annihilated. Affairs were in equally bad condition among the Wends.

The reign of Otto II has been justly called the period of martyrdom for the German Church. The missions which had been organized by Otto I were, with few exceptions, destroyed. Otto II now renewed the despotic policy towards the Saxonian border nobles and incited open discontent.

In 983 he held an Imperial Diet where his son was elected king as Otto III and where the assembled nobles pledged their support. He departed with high hopes for Southern Italy. Fortune seemed to favour the imperial leaders, who expected to wipe out the disgrace suffered in the south. He chose a new pope, Peter of Pavia (John XIV). While in Rome he was stricken with malaria and was buried in St. Peter's. At the time of his death the relations of the empire towards the papacy were still undefined. He had been unable to maintain his political ascendency in Rome. His imperialistic policy had placed the restraints of progressive and pacific Christianity and Germanization on the borders; and he, pursuing fanciful dreams, believed that he might dare to transfer the goal of his policy to the south."

GIESEBRECHT, Jahrbücher des deutschen Reiches unter Otto II (Berlin, 1840); UHLIRZ, Jahrbücher des deutschen reiches unter Otto II u. Otto III (Leipzig, 1902); DETMER, Otto II bis zum Tode seines Vaters (Leipzig, 1878); MÜLLER-MANN, Die auswärtige Politik Kaiser Ottos II (Basle, 1898); MOLTMANN, Theophano, die Gemahlin Ottos II in ihrer Bedeutung für die Politik Otto I u. Otto II (Göttingen, 1873).

F. KAMPERS
Transcribed by Gerald Rossi

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001. Otto II, Holy Roman emperor 955–83, Holy Roman emperor (973–83) and German king (961–83), son and successor of Otto I. He was crowned joint emperor in 967. Shortly after his father died Otto faced a rebellion by his cousin, Henry the Wrangler, duke of Bavaria, who coveted the crown. Otto defeated and deposed Henry (976), at the same time making Austria, Carinthia, and the Nordgau virtually independent of Bavaria. During this period he also repulsed a Danish attack. In 978, Otto invaded France in retaliation for the French king Lothair’s attempt to conquer Lorraine; the inconclusive war ended in 980.

Campaigning in Italy (981–82), Otto was, after some initial success, disastrously defeated by the Arabs in S Italy. In 983 he held a diet of German and Italian nobles at Verona, where he had his son Otto III elected German king.

Meanwhile, the Danes and the Slavs were again attacking his German lands, but Otto died suddenly before he could act. Regarding Germany and Italy as a united realm, Otto II felt his position as emperor more keenly than his role as German king. His failure in Italy greatly weakened the imperial prestige.

"Ancestral File #: 8HR7-V4; Sources: Kraentzler 1517; RC 237; A. Roots; AF. Emperor of the West (Holy Roman Empire), 973-983. King of Italy, 973. Descendants, including Polish line, in Roots Line 147."

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My Southern Family

OTTO II Holy Roman Emporer

0955 - 7 Dec 0983

ID Number: I57218

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1647 - 1677

ID Number: I44614

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Mamie Jewell BRATCHER

Royce CANTRELL

Robert Wilson DILLARD

19 Sep 1861 - 6 Jun 1948

ID Number: I61134

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WILLIAM FERNFOLD of Stenning

ABT 1500 - 1567

ID Number: I94963

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Elizabeth Lowrey MORGAN

23 Jun 1821 - 26 Nov 1902

ID Number: I98284

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Martha SMITH

ABT 1740 - ____

ID Number: I19410

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Adaline M. WARE

ABT 1840 - ____

ID Number: I59588

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