Thietmar, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark
Encyclopedia
Thietmar (born ca. 990; died 10 January 1030) was the Count of the Schwabengau
and Nordthüringgau
from 1010 and the Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark from 1015 until his death. He was the son and successor of Margrave Gero II
. His mother was Adelaide.
In 1028, the Ostmark, with the rest of the eastern marches of the Duchy of Saxony
fell under attack from Mieszko II of Poland. The Emperor Conrad II rushed from central Saxony and trekked over very wild terrain to besiege the Poles in Bautzen
. Meanwhile, Bretislaus
, son of Oldrich of Bohemia
, invaded and conquered the March of Moravia
, which had been lost to Bohemia since 1003. Conrad, however, failed to take Bautzen (1029) and returned to the Rhineland
by wintertime, leaving the defences of the realm in the hands of Dietrich II of Wettin and Thietmar, who died early in January. On his death, Mieszko attacked and destroyed some hundred German villages. The setback was severe: the east of the Ostmark was lost.
He was buried in Helmarshausen
. Thietmar was succeeded by his son Odo II
. He left a daughter, Oda, who married William III of Weimar and then Dedo II of Wettin, who succeeded her brother Odo.
Schwabengau
The Schwabengau was an early medieval shire in the Eastphalia region of the Duchy of Saxony. It is located in present-day Saxony-Anhalt....
and Nordthüringgau
Nordthüringgau
The Nordthüringgau was an early medieval county in the Eastphalia region of the Duchy of Saxony. It was bounded by the River Elbe in the east, by the River Bode in the southwest, the Lappwald in the west, and the Drömling forest in the northwest...
from 1010 and the Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark from 1015 until his death. He was the son and successor of Margrave Gero II
Gero II, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark
Gero II was the eldest son of Thietmar, Margrave of Meissen, and Schwanehilde , daughter of Herman, Duke of Saxony. He was therefore probably a grandson of Hidda and Christian of Thuringia and named for his great uncle Gero the Great...
. His mother was Adelaide.
In 1028, the Ostmark, with the rest of the eastern marches of the Duchy of Saxony
Duchy of Saxony
The medieval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein...
fell under attack from Mieszko II of Poland. The Emperor Conrad II rushed from central Saxony and trekked over very wild terrain to besiege the Poles in Bautzen
Bautzen
Bautzen is a hill-top town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and administrative centre of the eponymous district. It is located on the Spree River. As of 2008, its population is 41,161...
. Meanwhile, Bretislaus
Bretislaus I of Bohemia
Bretislaus I , known as Bohemian Achilles, of the house of the Přemyslids, was the duke of Bohemia from 1035 till death.-Youth:...
, son of Oldrich of Bohemia
Oldrich of Bohemia
Ulrich was the duke of Bohemia from 1012 to 1033 and briefly in 1034. He was a son of Boleslaus II and brother of Boleslaus III and Jaromir....
, invaded and conquered the March of Moravia
March of Moravia
The March or Margraviate of Moravia, was a marcher state, sometimes de facto independent and varyingly within the power of the Duchy, later Kingdom of Bohemia...
, which had been lost to Bohemia since 1003. Conrad, however, failed to take Bautzen (1029) and returned to the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
by wintertime, leaving the defences of the realm in the hands of Dietrich II of Wettin and Thietmar, who died early in January. On his death, Mieszko attacked and destroyed some hundred German villages. The setback was severe: the east of the Ostmark was lost.
He was buried in Helmarshausen
Helmarshausen
Helmarshausen is a borough of the city of Bad Karlshafen in Hesse, central Germany. It was formerly the location of Helmarshausen Abbey, an Imperial abbey of the Holy Roman Empire....
. Thietmar was succeeded by his son Odo II
Odo II, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark
Odo II was the only son of Thietmar, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark. He succeeded his father in January 1030. All that is known of him is that he left no issue, dying most likely prior to achieving majority. He was succeeded by his brother-in-law, Dedo...
. He left a daughter, Oda, who married William III of Weimar and then Dedo II of Wettin, who succeeded her brother Odo.