Hermann of Salm
Encyclopedia
Herman of Salm (ca. 1035 – 28 September 1088), also known as Herman(n) of Luxembourg, was a count
of Salm
and German anti-king of the Holy Roman Empire
who ruled from 1081 until his death. From the 10th century, the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire were elected German kings, who expected to be crowned by the Pope
as Holy Roman Emperor.
. While Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
, King of the Romans
, was campaigning in Northern Italy during the Great Saxon Revolt
civil war, Hermann was elected as the second anti-King of Germany opposed to the emperor-elect in Ochsenfurt
on 6 August 1081, by the nobility of Saxony
and Swabia
. Siegfried I, Archbishop of Mainz
, crowned Hermann in Goslar
on 26 December. Hermann's predecessor, Rudolph of Swabia, had died from wounds received in the battle
of in October of 1080. Because Henry believed the papacy should submit to the crown, Pope Gregory VII
had excommunicated
him and declared that he was unworthy of being the Holy Roman Emperor. The civil war eventually ended and Henry was crowned Emperor in 1084, leaving Hermann in a very awkward position.
.
Because of this, the church broke off from Henry and appointed Rudolph of Swabia and later Hermann of Salm. Unfortunately for Gregory, Hermann was nowhere near as strong a leader as Rudolph and this caused Henry’s power to grow. Little is known of what happened to Hermann after this other than he served as an anti-king under Gregory’s rule until 1093, which is assumed to be his year of death. Conrad of Franconia began his rule after Hermann’s death.
and march into Italy was dashed by the death of his main retainer, Otto of Nordheim
. When Henry came into Saxony with an army in 1085, Hermann fled to Denmark
. He returned, however, in alliance with Welf I, Duke of Bavaria
, and defeated the emperor at the Battle of Bleichfeld on the River Main, taking Würzburg
. Soon after his victory, however, he tired of being a pawn in the hands of the grandees and retired to his familial estates. He died near Cochem
later that year of 1088, ending the Great Saxon revolt
civil war.
His wife, Sophia of Formbach, left him a son, Otto, who succeeded him in Salm.
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of Salm
Salm (state)
Salm is the name of several historic countships and principalities in present Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and France.-Origins:The County of Salm arose in the 10th century in Vielsalm, in the Ardennes region of present Belgium...
and German anti-king of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
who ruled from 1081 until his death. From the 10th century, the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire were elected German kings, who expected to be crowned by the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
as Holy Roman Emperor.
Election
Hermann was a son of Count Giselbert of LuxembourgGiselbert of Luxembourg
Giselbert of Luxembourg was count of Salm and of Longwy, then count of Luxembourg from 1047 to 1059. He was the son of Frederick of Luxembourg, count of Moselgau, and perhaps of Ermentrude of Gleiberg....
. While Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
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...
, 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...
, was campaigning in Northern Italy during the Great Saxon Revolt
Great Saxon Revolt
The Great Saxon Revolt was a civil war between 1077 and 1088 early in the history of the Holy Roman Empire led by a group of opportunistic German princes who elected as their figurehead the duke of Swabia and anti-king Rudolf of Rheinfeld, a two-way brother-in-law of the young Henry IV, Holy Roman...
civil war, Hermann was elected as the second anti-King of Germany opposed to the emperor-elect in Ochsenfurt
Ochsenfurt
Ochsenfurt is a town in the district of Würzburg, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the left bank of the River Main, here crossed by a stone bridge, 13 miles south from Würzburg by the railway to Munich, and at the junction of a line to Röttingen. Pop. 11,600...
on 6 August 1081, by the nobility 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...
and Swabia
Duchy of Swabia
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.-History:...
. Siegfried I, Archbishop of Mainz
Siegfried I, Archbishop of Mainz
Siegfried I was the Abbot of Fulda from 25 December 1058 until he became Archbishop of Mainz in 6 January 1060.Siegfried was a member of the Frankish Reginbodonen family of the Rhineland. His family furnished counts in the Königssondergau and burgraves and vogts of Mainz. Siegfried was educated in...
, crowned Hermann in Goslar
Goslar
Goslar is a historic town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Goslar and located on the northwestern slopes of the Harz mountain range. The Old Town of Goslar and the Mines of Rammelsberg are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.-Geography:Goslar is situated at the...
on 26 December. Hermann's predecessor, Rudolph of Swabia, had died from wounds received in the battle
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
of in October of 1080. Because Henry believed the papacy should submit to the crown, Pope Gregory VII
Pope Gregory VII
Pope St. Gregory VII , born Hildebrand of Sovana , was Pope from April 22, 1073, until his death. One of the great reforming popes, he is perhaps best known for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy, his dispute with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor affirming the primacy of the papal...
had excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
him and declared that he was unworthy of being the Holy Roman Emperor. The civil war eventually ended and Henry was crowned Emperor in 1084, leaving Hermann in a very awkward position.
Supporting the Pope
The major issue between the Pope and Henry was the appointment of bishops. It was a custom that if a bishop was to die, the emperor would appoint a new bishop based on his ecclesiastical qualifications. Henry, on the other hand, was appointing bishops for political reasons which made Gregory furious and thus prohibited the appointments of investiture by any lay person, including the emperor. This was known as the Investiture ControversyInvestiture Controversy
The Investiture Controversy or Investiture Contest was the most significant conflict between Church and state in medieval Europe. In the 11th and 12th centuries, a series of Popes challenged the authority of European monarchies over control of appointments, or investitures, of church officials such...
.
Because of this, the church broke off from Henry and appointed Rudolph of Swabia and later Hermann of Salm. Unfortunately for Gregory, Hermann was nowhere near as strong a leader as Rudolph and this caused Henry’s power to grow. Little is known of what happened to Hermann after this other than he served as an anti-king under Gregory’s rule until 1093, which is assumed to be his year of death. Conrad of Franconia began his rule after Hermann’s death.
Military campaigning
Hermann's plan to gather an army on the banks of the DanubeDanube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
and march into Italy was dashed by the death of his main retainer, 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....
. When Henry came into Saxony with an army in 1085, Hermann fled to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. He returned, however, in alliance with Welf I, Duke of Bavaria
Welf I, Duke of Bavaria
Welf I was duke of Bavaria from 1070 to 1077 and from 1096 to his death. He was the first member of the Welf branch of the House of Este. In the Welf genealogy he is counted as Welf IV.-Life and reign:...
, and defeated the emperor at the Battle of Bleichfeld on the River Main, taking Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
. Soon after his victory, however, he tired of being a pawn in the hands of the grandees and retired to his familial estates. He died near Cochem
Cochem
Cochem is the seat of and the biggest place in the Cochem-Zell district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With just under 5,000 inhabitants, Cochem falls just behind Kusel, in the like-named district, as Germany's second smallest district seat...
later that year of 1088, ending the Great Saxon revolt
Great Saxon Revolt
The Great Saxon Revolt was a civil war between 1077 and 1088 early in the history of the Holy Roman Empire led by a group of opportunistic German princes who elected as their figurehead the duke of Swabia and anti-king Rudolf of Rheinfeld, a two-way brother-in-law of the young Henry IV, Holy Roman...
civil war.
His wife, Sophia of Formbach, left him a son, Otto, who succeeded him in Salm.