Henry II of Saxony

At the death of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto III in 1002, Henry of Saxony, the Duke of Bavaria and Otto's second cousin, ascended the imperial throne. His election was heavily contested, and it was not until 1014 that Henry was actually crowned. Between 1004 and 1014, Henry ruled as King of the Lombards, a secondary title of the Emperor following a tradition begun under the Carolingians.

Henry spent the early part of his reign fighting in Bohemia, where he drove back the forces of Boleslaw I Chrobry and, eventually, accepted Boleslaw as an Imperial vassal. After 1014, Henry focused much of his attention on Italy, where there was a great deal of unrest and rebellion against both pope and emperor. Henry restored the peace there, and continued to solidify his rule throughout the empire.

Henry's most significant contributions as emperor come in the realm of Church-State relations and Church administration within the Empire. Henry took part in church synods, most notably the Synod of Pavia. His support of the bishops against the regular clergy helped to ensure their allegiance to the Emperor. Henry also founded the diocese of Bamberg?. Henry's interest in the Church had as much to do with piety as political savvy. He and his wife, [Cunigunde of Luxemburg]?, were childless, reportedly because they had taken a mutual vow of chastity. Both Henry and Cunigunde were canonized after their deaths.

/Talk