Herman I, Duke of Swabia
Encyclopedia
Herman I was the first Conradine Duke of Swabia
(from 926), the son of Gebhard, Duke of Lorraine
, and a cousin of King Conrad I of Germany
.
When duke Burchard II
died at Novara
, while campaigning in Italy, King Henry the Fowler gave the duchy to Herman. By investing the duke at a reichstag
at Worms
, the king clearly demonstrated that he, not the tribal noblesse, had the right to appoint the duke. Herman married Regilinda, the widow of Burchard.
Only once during his reign did Herman face a rebellion of his own vassals, but he was also forced several times to make concessions in Switzerland
. Sankt Gallen
was given over to the direct protection of the king and the duke lost the use of its lands and incomes. By his control over the Alpine passes into Burgundy and Italy, he dutifully served Ottonian interests in these realms. At Worms in 950, after Herman's death, Otto the Great appointed his son Liudolf
, who had, in 947 or 948, married Herman's daughter Ida (died 17 May 986), duke.
Aside from being duke, Herman was from 939 count in Langau
, from 948 count in Auelgau, and from 947 lay abbot of Echternach
. He founded the church of St Florin in Coblenz
and was buried on Reichenau Island
.
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 926), the son of Gebhard, Duke of Lorraine
Gebhard, Duke of Lorraine
Gebhard of Lahngau , of the Conradine dynasty, son of Odo , count of Lahngau, and Judith, was himself count of Wetterau and Rheingau and then duke of Lotharingia ....
, and a cousin of King Conrad I of Germany
Conrad I of Germany
Conrad I , called the Younger, was Duke of Franconia from 906 and King of Germany from 911 to 918, the only king of the Conradine dynasty...
.
When duke Burchard II
Burchard II, Duke of Swabia
Burchard II was the Hunfriding Duke of Swabia and Count of Raetia. He was the son of Burchard I and Liutgard of Saxony....
died at Novara
Novara
Novara is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With c. 105,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin...
, while campaigning in Italy, King Henry the Fowler gave the duchy to Herman. By investing the duke at a 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...
at Worms
Worms, Germany
Worms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...
, the king clearly demonstrated that he, not the tribal noblesse, had the right to appoint the duke. Herman married Regilinda, the widow of Burchard.
Only once during his reign did Herman face a rebellion of his own vassals, but he was also forced several times to make concessions in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Sankt Gallen
Sankt Gallen
Sankt Gallen may refer to:* St. Gallen, town in Switzerland* Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland* Sankt Gallen, Austria, town* St. Gall...
was given over to the direct protection of the king and the duke lost the use of its lands and incomes. By his control over the Alpine passes into Burgundy and Italy, he dutifully served Ottonian interests in these realms. At Worms in 950, after Herman's death, Otto the Great appointed his son Liudolf
Liudolf, Duke of Swabia
Liudolf was the duke of Swabia from 950 until 954. He was the only son of Otto I, king of Germany, from his wife Eadgyth, daughter of Edward the Elder, king of England....
, who had, in 947 or 948, married Herman's daughter Ida (died 17 May 986), duke.
Aside from being duke, Herman was from 939 count in Langau
Langau
Langau is a town in the district of Horn in Lower Austria, Austria....
, from 948 count in Auelgau, and from 947 lay abbot of Echternach
Echternach
Echternach is a commune with city status in the canton of Echternach, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher, in eastern Luxembourg. Echternach lies near the border with Germany, and is the oldest town in Luxembourg....
. He founded the church of St Florin in Coblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
and was buried on Reichenau Island
Reichenau Island
Reichenau Island lies in Lake Constance in southern Germany, at approximately . It lies between Gnadensee and Untersee, two parts of Lake Constance, almost due west of the city of Konstanz. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway that was completed in 1838...
.