Frederick II, Duke of Swabia
Encyclopedia
Frederick II called the One-Eyed, was the second Hohenstaufen
duke of Swabia
from 1105. He was the eldest son of Frederick I
and Agnes
.
He succeeded his father in 1105. In 1121 he married Judith of Bavaria
, a member of the powerful House of Guelph. On the death of Emperor Henry V
, his uncle, Frederick stood for election as King of the Romans
with the support of his younger brother Conrad
, duke of Franconia
and several houses. However, he lost this election of 1125 to Lothar III, crowned Emperor later in 1133.
A conflict erupted between Frederick and his supporters, and Lothar. Encouraged by Adalbert of Mainz
, who loathed the supporters of the late Emperor Henry V, Lothar besieged Nuremberg in 1127. Frederick relieved the siege of Nuremberg in 1127 and occupied Speyer in 1128. The attempt of Henry the Proud, duke of Bavaria, to capture Frederick during negotiations failed (1129). However, afterwards supporters of Lothar won a number of victories both in Germany and in Italy. Speyer (1129), Nuremberg (1130) and Ulm (1134) were captured and in October 1134 Frederick submitted to the emperor. In 1135 both Frederick and Conrad were finally reconciled with Lothar. After Lothar's death (1137) and election of Conrad
as King of the Romans
(1138) Frederick supported his brother in the struggle with Guelphs. According to Otto of Freising
, Frederick was "so faithful a knight to his sovereign and so helpful a friend to his uncle that by valor he supported the tottering honor of the realm, fighting manfully against its foes..."
Frederick's second wife, Agnes, was the niece of his old enemy Albert of Mainz.
(1103- 22 February 1131), daughter of Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria
:
With Agnes of Saarbrücken (d.~1147):
Hohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
duke of Swabia
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 1105. He was the eldest son of Frederick I
Frederick I, Duke of Swabia
Frederick I von Staufen was Duke of Swabia from 1079 to his death. He was the first ruler of Swabia from the House of Hohenstaufen, and was the builder of dynasty's ancestral Hohenstaufen Castle near Göppingen.-Parents:...
and Agnes
Agnes of Germany
Agnes of Germany was the daughter of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor and Bertha of Savoy. Her maternal grandparents were Otto, Count of Savoy, Aosta and Moriana and Adelaide, Marchioness of Turin and Susa....
.
He succeeded his father in 1105. In 1121 he married Judith of Bavaria
Judith of Bavaria, Duchess of Swabia
Judith of Bavaria, Duchess of Swabia was a member of the powerful German House of Welf, being the eldest daughter of Henry IX of Bavaria and Wulfhild of Saxony. Sometime between 1119 and 1121, she married Frederick II, Duke of Swabia...
, a member of the powerful House of Guelph. On the death of Emperor Henry V
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...
, his uncle, Frederick stood for election as King of the Romans
King of the Romans
King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
with the support of his younger brother Conrad
Conrad III of Germany
Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:...
, duke of Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
and several houses. However, he lost this election of 1125 to Lothar III, crowned Emperor later in 1133.
A conflict erupted between Frederick and his supporters, and Lothar. Encouraged by Adalbert of Mainz
Adalbert of Mainz
Adalbert I von Saarbrücken , Archbishop of Mainz , played a key role in opposing Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor and in securing the election of Lothar III, Holy Roman Emperor.-Life:...
, who loathed the supporters of the late Emperor Henry V, Lothar besieged Nuremberg in 1127. Frederick relieved the siege of Nuremberg in 1127 and occupied Speyer in 1128. The attempt of Henry the Proud, duke of Bavaria, to capture Frederick during negotiations failed (1129). However, afterwards supporters of Lothar won a number of victories both in Germany and in Italy. Speyer (1129), Nuremberg (1130) and Ulm (1134) were captured and in October 1134 Frederick submitted to the emperor. In 1135 both Frederick and Conrad were finally reconciled with Lothar. After Lothar's death (1137) and election of Conrad
Conrad III of Germany
Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:...
as King of the Romans
King of the Romans
King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
(1138) Frederick supported his brother in the struggle with Guelphs. According to Otto of Freising
Otto of Freising
Otto von Freising was a German bishop and chronicler.-Life:He was the fifth son of Leopold III, margrave of Austria, by his wife Agnes, daughter of the emperor Henry IV...
, Frederick was "so faithful a knight to his sovereign and so helpful a friend to his uncle that by valor he supported the tottering honor of the realm, fighting manfully against its foes..."
Frederick's second wife, Agnes, was the niece of his old enemy Albert of Mainz.
Children
With Judith of BavariaJudith of Bavaria, Duchess of Swabia
Judith of Bavaria, Duchess of Swabia was a member of the powerful German House of Welf, being the eldest daughter of Henry IX of Bavaria and Wulfhild of Saxony. Sometime between 1119 and 1121, she married Frederick II, Duke of Swabia...
(1103- 22 February 1131), daughter of Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria
Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria
Henry IX , called the Black, a member of the House of Welf, was duke of Bavaria from 1120 to 1126.-Life and reign:...
:
- Frederick III BarbarossaFrederick I, Holy Roman EmperorFrederick 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...
(1122–1190), duke of Swabia and Holy Roman EmperorHoly Roman EmperorThe 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...
as Frederick I - Bertha (Judith) (1123–1195), married Matthias I, Duke of LorraineMatthias I, Duke of LorraineMatthias I was the duke of Lorraine from 1138 to his death as the eldest son and successor of Simon I and Adelaide. Like his forefathers going back to Thierry II and even to Adalbert, he was a stern supporter of the king of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor...
With Agnes of Saarbrücken (d.~1147):
- Conrad of HohenstaufenConrad of HohenstaufenConrad of Hohenstaufen was the first hereditary Count Palatine of the Rhine.His parents were Frederick II of Swabia , Duke of Swabia, and his second wife Agnes of Saarbrücken...
(also called Konrad) (1134/1136-1195), Count Palatine of the Rhine - Jutta (1135–1191), married Louis II, Landgrave of Thuringia