Egbert II, Margrave of Meissen
Encyclopedia
Egbert II (c. 1060 – 3 July 1090) was Count of Brunswick
and Margrave of Meissen. He was the eldest son of the Margrave Egbert I
of the Brunonen
family.
Still a minor, he succeeded his father on the latter's death 11 January 1068 in Brunswick and Meissen. He was married to Oda, daughter of Count Otto of Meissen
-Orlamünde
, whose lands he inherited, including the castle of Wanderslebener Gleichen
.
In 1073, the Saxons, led by Duke Magnus
and Otto of Nordheim
, rebelled against King Henry IV
. The insurrection was crushed by Duke Vratislaus II of Bohemia
in the First Battle of Langensalza
on 9 June 1075. Whether Egbert had participated in the Saxon rebellion remains unclear based on extant sources, but since he had nonetheless proved himself an opponent of the king, he was deprived of Meissen, which was given to Vratislaus. However, Egbert drove Vratislaus from Meissen the next year and was condemned. A Frisian county then in his possession was confiscated and given to the Bishop of Utrecht.
Egbert originally supported anti-king Rudolf of Rheinfeld
, but eventually he and many other Saxon nobles withdrew their support and remained neutral.
After the death of Otto of Nordheim in 1083, Egbert was the most important, but also inconsistent, Saxon opponent of Henry IV. In 1085, the two were briefly reconciled and Egbert entertained Henry in Saxony in July. In September, the conflict was resumed, but in 1087, Egbert and Henry made peace.
Some sources report that after the death of anti-king Herman of Salm, the bishops Hartwig of Magdeburg and Burchard of Halberstadt persuaded Egbert to turn against the king and himself aim for the crown. Whatever the case, Egbert soon broke with his new allies, probably because of unkept promises. Bishop Hartwig's submission to the king isolated Egbert completely.
In 1088, Egbert was besieged in his castle of Gleichen for four months by Henry, but on Christmas Eve
he managed to escape, during the confusion of battle, with a relief army. He was outlawed and deprived of Meissen and his Frisian possessions by a court of princes in Quedlinburg
, and later again at Ratisbon in the same year. The fleeing Egbert, undefeated but isolated, fell in combat in 1090.
His remaining possessions fell to his sister Gertrude and her husband Henry the Fat, Margrave of Frisia, whose daughter Richenza married Lothair of Supplinburg
, the later Duke and Emperor.
County of Brunswick
The County of Brunswick was a county in the medieval Duchy of Saxony. It existed from about the 9th century until 1235, when it was raised to a duchy, the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg....
and Margrave of Meissen. He was the eldest son of the Margrave Egbert I
Egbert I, Margrave of Meissen
Egbert I was the Margrave of Meissen from 1067 until his early death the next year. Egbert was the Count of Brunswick from about 1038, when his father, Liudolf, Margrave of Frisia, died. His mother was Gertrude, the sister of Pope Leo IX.Egbert was the scion of the influential Eastphalian family...
of the Brunonen
Brunonen
The Brunonen were a Saxon noble family in the 10th and 11th centuries, who owned property in Eastphalia and Frisia....
family.
Still a minor, he succeeded his father on the latter's death 11 January 1068 in Brunswick and Meissen. He was married to Oda, daughter of Count Otto of Meissen
Meissen
Meissen is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche...
-Orlamünde
Orlamünde
Orlamünde is a town in the Saale-Holzland district, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated at the confluence of the rivers Saale and Orla, 17 km south of Jena. It was the centre of a county, often united to Weimar, in the Early Middle Ages....
, whose lands he inherited, including the castle of Wanderslebener Gleichen
Gleichen
Gleichen is the name of two groups of castles in Germany, thus named from their resemblance to each other .- Castles in Thuringia between Gotha and Erfurt :...
.
In 1073, the Saxons, led by Duke Magnus
Magnus, Duke of Saxony
Magnus was the duke of Saxony from 1072 to 1106. Eldest son and successor of Ordulf and Wulfhild of Norway, he was the last member of the House of Billung.-Rebellion:...
and Otto of Nordheim
Otto of Nordheim
Otto of Northeim was Duke of Bavaria from 1061 until 1070. He was one of the leaders of the Saxon revolt against Emperor Henry IV....
, rebelled against King 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...
. The insurrection was crushed by Duke Vratislaus II of Bohemia
Vratislaus II of Bohemia
-Literature:*Vratislav Vaníček: Vratislav II. . První český král. Vyšehrad 2004, ISBN 80-7021-655-7*Hans Patze: Die Pegauer Annalen, die Königserhebung Wratislaws v. Böhmen und die Anfänge der Stadt Pegau. JGMODtl 12, 1963, 1-62...
in the First Battle of Langensalza
First Battle of Langensalza
The First Battle of Langensalza was fought on 9 June 1075 between forces of German King Henry IV and several rebellious Saxon noblemen on the River Unstrut near Langensalza. The battle was a complete success for Henry, resulting in the subjugation of Saxony shortly before the Investiture...
on 9 June 1075. Whether Egbert had participated in the Saxon rebellion remains unclear based on extant sources, but since he had nonetheless proved himself an opponent of the king, he was deprived of Meissen, which was given to Vratislaus. However, Egbert drove Vratislaus from Meissen the next year and was condemned. A Frisian county then in his possession was confiscated and given to the Bishop of Utrecht.
Egbert originally supported anti-king Rudolf of Rheinfeld
Rudolf of Rheinfeld
Rudolf of Rheinfelden was Duke of Swabia and German antiking . He was the son of Count Kuno of Rheinfelden and eventually became the alternative king or antiking for the politically oriented anti-Henry German aristocrats, whose rebellion became known as the Great Saxon Revolt...
, but eventually he and many other Saxon nobles withdrew their support and remained neutral.
After the death of Otto of Nordheim in 1083, Egbert was the most important, but also inconsistent, Saxon opponent of Henry IV. In 1085, the two were briefly reconciled and Egbert entertained Henry in Saxony in July. In September, the conflict was resumed, but in 1087, Egbert and Henry made peace.
Some sources report that after the death of anti-king Herman of Salm, the bishops Hartwig of Magdeburg and Burchard of Halberstadt persuaded Egbert to turn against the king and himself aim for the crown. Whatever the case, Egbert soon broke with his new allies, probably because of unkept promises. Bishop Hartwig's submission to the king isolated Egbert completely.
In 1088, Egbert was besieged in his castle of Gleichen for four months by Henry, but on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
he managed to escape, during the confusion of battle, with a relief army. He was outlawed and deprived of Meissen and his Frisian possessions by a court of princes in Quedlinburg
Quedlinburg
Quedlinburg is a town located north of the Harz mountains, in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. In 1994 the medieval court and the old town was set on the UNESCO world heritage list....
, and later again at Ratisbon in the same year. The fleeing Egbert, undefeated but isolated, fell in combat in 1090.
His remaining possessions fell to his sister Gertrude and her husband Henry the Fat, Margrave of Frisia, whose daughter Richenza married Lothair of Supplinburg
Lothair III, Holy Roman Emperor
Lothair III of Supplinburg , was Duke of Saxony , King of Germany , and Holy Roman Emperor from 1133 to 1137. The son of Count Gebhard of Supplinburg, his reign was troubled by the constant intriguing of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia and Duke Conrad of Franconia...
, the later Duke and Emperor.