Holy Roman Emperor. Born in 912 in Wallhausen, his parents where Henry I, King of the Romans (The Fowler) and Matilda of Ringelheim. He married Edith, the daughter of Edward I. (the Elder) in 930. They had a happy marriage and had six children. He succeeded his father as King in July 936, and was crowned in Aachen on August 7. He had to defend his kingship mainly against relatives that thought they had better reasons to be Henry’s successor. The fighting stopped in 954 when the Hungarians started to threaten the kingdom. In 951 he went to Italy and rescued Adelheid of Burgundy, the widow of King Lothar of Italy, who was imprisoned by Berengar II of Ivrea. He married Adelheid later that year. In August 955 he defeated the Hungarians near Augsburg. Pope John XII called for Otto's help when Berengar II threatened the papal state. Otto secured his sons succession to the throne and went to Italy. On February 2, 962 he and his wife were crowned Emperor and Empress. He was the first to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the hand of a Pope. He returned to Germany but was again called to Italy, this time by Pope John XIII, for help. To settle the conflict with Byzantium he crowned his son co-regent in 967 and upon his return to Germany married him to the Byzantium princess Theophano in 972. He died in 973 in the Palatinate of Memleben.
Holy Roman Emperor. Born in 912 in Wallhausen, his parents where Henry I, King of the Romans (The Fowler) and Matilda of Ringelheim. He married Edith, the daughter of Edward I. (the Elder) in 930. They had a happy marriage and had six children. He succeeded his father as King in July 936, and was crowned in Aachen on August 7. He had to defend his kingship mainly against relatives that thought they had better reasons to be Henry’s successor. The fighting stopped in 954 when the Hungarians started to threaten the kingdom. In 951 he went to Italy and rescued Adelheid of Burgundy, the widow of King Lothar of Italy, who was imprisoned by Berengar II of Ivrea. He married Adelheid later that year. In August 955 he defeated the Hungarians near Augsburg. Pope John XII called for Otto's help when Berengar II threatened the papal state. Otto secured his sons succession to the throne and went to Italy. On February 2, 962 he and his wife were crowned Emperor and Empress. He was the first to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the hand of a Pope. He returned to Germany but was again called to Italy, this time by Pope John XIII, for help. To settle the conflict with Byzantium he crowned his son co-regent in 967 and upon his return to Germany married him to the Byzantium princess Theophano in 972. He died in 973 in the Palatinate of Memleben.
Bio by: Lutetia
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