Conrad II, Duke of Swabia
Encyclopedia
Conrad II (February/March 1173 – August 15, 1196) was duke of Swabia
from 1191 to his death and Duke of Rothenburg (1188–1191). He was the fourth son of Frederick III Barbarossa
and Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy
, and brother of Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
. He was engaged to Berengaria of Castile but died before they could be married.
In 1191, Conrad was present in Rome for the coronation of his brother, Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
. He then joined the Norman campaigns in Sicily in 1191 and 1194. A chronicler described Conrad as "a man thoroughly given to adultery, fornication, defilement, and every foulness; nevertheless, he was vigorous and brave in battle and generous to his friends."
Conrad was murdered in Durlach
in 1196, allegedly by the husband of a woman he had raped. Another story says that Conrad was bitten in the eye by a virgin he was attempting to rape, and that he died of the resulting infection.
Duke of Swabia
The following is a list of Dukes of Swabia in southwest Germany.Swabia was one of the five stem duchies of the medieval German kingdom, and its dukes were thus among the most powerful magnates of Germany. The most notable family to hold Swabia were the Hohenstaufen, who held it, with a brief...
from 1191 to his death and Duke of Rothenburg (1188–1191). He was the fourth son of Frederick III Barbarossa
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
and Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy
Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy
Beatrice of Burgundy was the only daughter of Renaud III, Count of Burgundy and Agatha of Lorraine. She was the second wife and Empress of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor. Her maternal grandparents were Simon I, Duke of Lorraine and his wife Adelaide of Leuven. Beatrice was active at the...
, and brother of Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VI was King of Germany from 1190 to 1197, Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 to 1197 and King of Sicily from 1194 to 1197.-Early years:Born in Nijmegen,...
. He was engaged to Berengaria of Castile but died before they could be married.
In 1191, Conrad was present in Rome for the coronation of his brother, Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VI was King of Germany from 1190 to 1197, Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 to 1197 and King of Sicily from 1194 to 1197.-Early years:Born in Nijmegen,...
. He then joined the Norman campaigns in Sicily in 1191 and 1194. A chronicler described Conrad as "a man thoroughly given to adultery, fornication, defilement, and every foulness; nevertheless, he was vigorous and brave in battle and generous to his friends."
Conrad was murdered in Durlach
Durlach
Durlach is a borough of the German city of Karlsruhe with a population of roughly 30,000.-History:Durlach was bestowed by emperor Frederick II on the margrave Hermann V of Zähringen as an allodial possession, but afterwards came into the hands of Rudolph of Habsburg.It was chosen by the margrave...
in 1196, allegedly by the husband of a woman he had raped. Another story says that Conrad was bitten in the eye by a virgin he was attempting to rape, and that he died of the resulting infection.