Conrad of Italy
Encyclopedia
Conrad II was the second son of Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV
. As such, he was King of Germany from 1087 to 1098 and also King of Italy
from 1093 to 1098.
Conrad was born in Hersfeld Abbey
in 1074 to Henry and Bertha of Savoy
. His elder brother Henry had been born and died in August 1071. As his father's heir, he was appointed Duke of Lower Lorraine and Margrave of Turin in 1076, at the age of two. In the same year he accompanied his father on his way to Canossa
. Conrad was given to the care of Tedald, Archbishop of Milan, and stayed in Italy. In 1087, he was elected King of Germany and crowned on 30 May in Aachen
, which officially made him his father's heir. In 1093 he was crowned King of Italy in Milan
by Archbishop Anselm III
. According to Landulf Iuniore, historian of Milan, he was also crowned at Monza
, where the Iron Crown
was being kept.
Under the influence of Marchioness Matilda of Tuscany
and his stepmother Eupraxia
, who escaped Henry IV
exile and fled to Canossa
, Conrad in 1093 joined the papal camp and thus turned against his father.
In 1095 he attained the Council of Piacenza
and confirmed Eupraxia's
accusations that Henry IV
was a member of Nicolaitan sect, participated in orgies, and offered Eupraxia to Conrad, stating this being the reason for his turning against his father. Shortly after the Council
, he swore an oath of loyalty to Pope Urban II
in Cremona
and served as the Pope's strator
, leading the Pope's horse as a symbolic gesture of humility. In turn, Urban promised Conrad the Imperial crown. In the same year, the Pope arranged a marriage of Conrad to Constanze of Sicily
, daughter of Count Roger I of Sicily
.
His father reacted at the Reichstag
of Mainz
in April 1098 by deposing Conrad and designating his younger son Henry
as successor. After this, Conrad could hardly influence the political events in Italy and in 1101 he died at the age of twenty seven in Florence
. He was buried in Santa Reparata, now superseded by Santa Maria del Fiore
.
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Henry IV
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
. As such, he was King of Germany from 1087 to 1098 and also King of Italy
King of Italy
King of Italy is a title adopted by many rulers of the Italian peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire...
from 1093 to 1098.
Conrad was born in Hersfeld Abbey
Hersfeld Abbey
Hersfeld Abbey was an important Benedictine imperial abbey in the town of Bad Hersfeld in Hesse , Germany, at the confluence of the rivers Geisa, Haune and Fulda.-History:...
in 1074 to Henry and Bertha of Savoy
Bertha of Savoy
Bertha of Savoy , also called Bertha of Turin, was the first wife of Emperor Henry IV, and was German Queen and Holy Roman Empress. She is buried in the cathedral of Speyer.-Life:...
. His elder brother Henry had been born and died in August 1071. As his father's heir, he was appointed Duke of Lower Lorraine and Margrave of Turin in 1076, at the age of two. In the same year he accompanied his father on his way to Canossa
Canossa
Canossa is a comune and castle town in Emilia-Romagna, famous as the site where Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV did penance in 1077, standing three days bare-headed in the snow, in order to reverse his excommunication by Pope Gregory VII...
. Conrad was given to the care of Tedald, Archbishop of Milan, and stayed in Italy. In 1087, he was elected King of Germany and crowned on 30 May in Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, which officially made him his father's heir. In 1093 he was crowned King of Italy in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
by Archbishop Anselm III
Anselm III, Archbishop of Milan
Anselm III was the archbishop of Milan from his consecration on 1 July 1086 to his death on 4 December 1093. He reestablished order in the Ambrosian see after more than a decade of fighting between the pataria and the religious authorities and confusion over the succession to the bishopric.Anslem...
. According to Landulf Iuniore, historian of Milan, he was also crowned at Monza
Monza
Monza is a city and comune on the river Lambro, a tributary of the Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy some 15 km north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the Province of Monza and Brianza. It is best known for its Grand Prix motor racing circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.On June...
, where the Iron Crown
Iron Crown of Lombardy
The Iron Crown of Lombardy is both a reliquary and one of the most ancient royal insignia of Europe. The crown became one of the symbols of the Kingdom of Lombards and later of the medieval Kingdom of Italy...
was being kept.
Under the influence of Marchioness Matilda of Tuscany
Matilda of Tuscany
Matilda of Tuscany was an Italian noblewoman, the principal Italian supporter of Pope Gregory VII during the Investiture Controversy. She is one of the few medieval women to be remembered for her military accomplishments...
and his stepmother Eupraxia
Eupraxia of Kiev
Eupraxia of Kiev was the daughter of Vsevolod I, Prince of Kiev and second wife of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor. She was the sister of Vladimir Monomakh....
, who escaped Henry IV
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
exile and fled to Canossa
Canossa
Canossa is a comune and castle town in Emilia-Romagna, famous as the site where Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV did penance in 1077, standing three days bare-headed in the snow, in order to reverse his excommunication by Pope Gregory VII...
, Conrad in 1093 joined the papal camp and thus turned against his father.
In 1095 he attained the Council of Piacenza
Council of Piacenza
The Council of Piacenza was a mixed synod of ecclesiastics and laymen of the Roman Catholic Church, which took place from March 1 to March 5, 1095, at Piacenza....
and confirmed Eupraxia's
Eupraxia of Kiev
Eupraxia of Kiev was the daughter of Vsevolod I, Prince of Kiev and second wife of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor. She was the sister of Vladimir Monomakh....
accusations that Henry IV
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
was a member of Nicolaitan sect, participated in orgies, and offered Eupraxia to Conrad, stating this being the reason for his turning against his father. Shortly after the Council
Council of Piacenza
The Council of Piacenza was a mixed synod of ecclesiastics and laymen of the Roman Catholic Church, which took place from March 1 to March 5, 1095, at Piacenza....
, he swore an oath of loyalty to Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II , born Otho de Lagery , was Pope from 12 March 1088 until his death on July 29 1099...
in Cremona
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
and served as the Pope's strator
Strator
Ancient: strator: an officer on the staff of a legatus, a Roman provincial governor. His precise duties are uncertain, but must have had something to do with the procurement and supply of horses, as the word is derived from Lat. sternere . He may thus have been in charge of a mansio, a Roman...
, leading the Pope's horse as a symbolic gesture of humility. In turn, Urban promised Conrad the Imperial crown. In the same year, the Pope arranged a marriage of Conrad to Constanze of Sicily
Constanze of Sicily
Constance of Sicily was the Queen consort of Conrad II of Italy.-Family:She was a daughter of Roger I of Sicily and Eremburga of Mortain. Her maternal grandfather was "William, Count of Mortain" ....
, daughter of Count Roger I of Sicily
Roger I of Sicily
Roger I , called Bosso and the Great Count, was the Norman Count of Sicily from 1071 to 1101. He was the last great leader of the Norman conquest of southern Italy.-Conquest of Calabria and Sicily:...
.
His father reacted at the Reichstag
Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)
The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm...
of Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
in April 1098 by deposing Conrad and designating his younger son Henry
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor...
as successor. After this, Conrad could hardly influence the political events in Italy and in 1101 he died at the age of twenty seven in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. He was buried in Santa Reparata, now superseded by Santa Maria del Fiore
Santa Maria del Fiore
The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral church of Florence, Italy. The Duomo, as it is ordinarily called, was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi...
.