Conrad II of Teck
Encyclopedia
Conrad II of Teck was Duke of Teck
.
Conrad was a descendant of the Zähringen
family and a close follower of the Hohenstaufen
dynasty. He served the Hohenstaufen claimant Conradin
until the latter was executed in 1268.
A decade later he appears in the service of King Rudolf of Habsburg
, negotiating with Pope Gregory X
about the Imperial coronation.
After Rudolf's death in 1291, Conrad initially supported the king's son Albert
in his bid for the kingship, but the princes of the realm opposed this succession.
German historian Armin Wolf argues that several sixteenth century sources and tombstones of the Teck family refer to Cornad as electus in regem and concludes that Conrad was elected King by Albert's partisans on 30 April 1292 in Weinheim
. However, according to Wolf, this election was kept secret in order not to prejudice negotiations with the opposing party. Conrad travelled to Frankfurt
, where the electors had assembled, but was killed there on the eve of 2 May 1292, probably by agents of the Archbishop of Cologne. Conrad's skull indeed indicates that he was murdered.
However, other historians doubt the validity and conclusiveness of the cited sources and point out that Conrad's kingship is absent from the sources before the sixteenth century.
Conrad was buried in Saint Martin's Church in the town of Owen
, near the Teck castle. His grave is decorated with a coat of arms
showing a crowned eagle. Historians who accept the historicity of Conrad's kingship point to this as evidence, whereas those of the opposing view point to the uncertain date of the decoration's construction.
Duke of Teck
Duke of Teck was, in medieval times, a title borne by the head of a principality named Teck in the Holy Roman Empire, centered around Teck castle in Germany. That territory was held by a branch line of the Zähringen dynasty from 1187 to 1439, known historically as the first House of Teck...
.
Conrad was a descendant of the Zähringen
Zähringen
Zähringen is the name of an old German family that founded a large number of cities in what are today Switzerland and Baden-Württemberg. While the junior line that first assumed the title Duke of Zähringen, a cadet branch of the House of Baden, became extinct in 1218, the senior line persists and...
family and a close follower of the Hohenstaufen
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...
dynasty. He served the Hohenstaufen claimant Conradin
Conradin
Conrad , called the Younger or the Boy, but usually known by the diminutive Conradin , was the Duke of Swabia , King of Jerusalem , and King of Sicily .-Early childhood:Conradin was born in Wolfstein, Bavaria, to Conrad...
until the latter was executed in 1268.
A decade later he appears in the service of King Rudolf of Habsburg
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
, negotiating with Pope Gregory X
Pope Gregory X
Pope Blessed Gregory X , born Tebaldo Visconti, was Pope from 1271 to 1276. He was elected by the papal election, 1268–1271, the longest papal election in the history of the Roman Catholic Church....
about the Imperial coronation.
After Rudolf's death in 1291, Conrad initially supported the king's son Albert
Albert I of Germany
Albert I of Habsburg was King of the Romans and Duke of Austria, the eldest son of German King Rudolph I of Habsburg and his first wife Gertrude of Hohenburg.-Life:...
in his bid for the kingship, but the princes of the realm opposed this succession.
German historian Armin Wolf argues that several sixteenth century sources and tombstones of the Teck family refer to Cornad as electus in regem and concludes that Conrad was elected King by Albert's partisans on 30 April 1292 in Weinheim
Weinheim
Weinheim is a town in the north west of the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany with 43 000 inhabitants, approximately 15 km north of Heidelberg and 10 km northeast of Mannheim. Together with these cities, it makes up the Rhine-Neckar triangle...
. However, according to Wolf, this election was kept secret in order not to prejudice negotiations with the opposing party. Conrad travelled to Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, where the electors had assembled, but was killed there on the eve of 2 May 1292, probably by agents of the Archbishop of Cologne. Conrad's skull indeed indicates that he was murdered.
However, other historians doubt the validity and conclusiveness of the cited sources and point out that Conrad's kingship is absent from the sources before the sixteenth century.
Conrad was buried in Saint Martin's Church in the town of Owen
Owen, Germany
Owen is a town in the district of Esslingen in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.-Geography:It is located 29 km southeast of Stuttgart and 7 km south of Kirchheim unter Teck.-Pronunciation:...
, near the Teck castle. His grave is decorated with a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
showing a crowned eagle. Historians who accept the historicity of Conrad's kingship point to this as evidence, whereas those of the opposing view point to the uncertain date of the decoration's construction.