Henry, Margrave of Frisia
Encyclopedia
Henry the Fat also known as Henry of Nordheim or Northeim, was from 1083 Count
in Rittigau and Eichsfeld
and from 1099 the Margrave of Frisia. He was the eldest son of Otto of Nordheim
and Richenza of Swabia.
He was, by his patrimony of Rittigau and Eichsfeld, one of the most influential Saxon princes of his age. In 1086 he married the widow Gertrude of Brunswick and united the lands of the counts of Katlenburg and the Brunonen
to the Nordheimer Länderei. From the counts of Bilstein he inherited parts of the Werra
valley, where he became the sole landholder. Further, he was the Vogt
of Helmarshausen
and founded a Benedictine
monastery at Bursfelde
in 1093.
During the civil wars of the early 1080s Henry sided with the anti-king Herman of Salm, to whom he was related by marriage. In 1086 he and his brothers changed sides to support the Emperor Henry IV.
Henry's wife, Gertrude, was the only sister of Egbert II, Margrave of Meissen
, whose own marriage remained childless. By the right of inheritance Henry stood to receive Egbert's counties in Frisia on the margrave's death in 1090, though Meissen was granted by the emperor to another Henry. These Frisian counties, however, had been annexed from Egbert during the latter's rebellion in 1089 and were being administered by Conrad, Bishop of Utrecht. When Conrad was assassinated in 1099 the Emperor finally bestowed the counties on Henry. He immediately tried to regulate Frisian shipping and ignored the privileges granted to the town of Staveren
. The Church, feeling threatened by Henry, allied with the merchant class and the townsmen. Though they received him on seeming friendly terms, he perceived their threat and tried to flee by boat. His ship was attacked at sea and sunk, though his wife escaped the assault. The day of his death is not known precisely, but he was buried in Bursfelde on 10 April 1101.
Henry's only son, Otto III of Nordheim inherited his patrimony, while his daughter Richenza inherited the Katlenburger and Brunonen territories and united them to the House of Welf by her marriage to the future Emperor Lothair II. Henry's youngest daughter, Gertrude (c. 1090 – bef. 1165), was heiress of Bentheim
and Rheineck
. She married first Siegfried I of Weimar-Orlamünde and then Otto I of Salm. Henry's widow, Gertrude, married the aforementioned Henry, Margrave of Meissen.
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...
in Rittigau and Eichsfeld
Eichsfeld
The Eichsfeld is a historical region in the southeast of Lower Saxony and northwest of Thuringia in the south of the Harz mountains...
and from 1099 the Margrave of Frisia. He was the eldest son of 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....
and Richenza of Swabia.
He was, by his patrimony of Rittigau and Eichsfeld, one of the most influential Saxon princes of his age. In 1086 he married the widow Gertrude of Brunswick and united the lands of the counts of Katlenburg and the Brunonen
Brunonen
The Brunonen were a Saxon noble family in the 10th and 11th centuries, who owned property in Eastphalia and Frisia....
to the Nordheimer Länderei. From the counts of Bilstein he inherited parts of the Werra
Werra
The Werra is a river in central Germany, the right-source river of the Weser. The Werra has its source near Eisfeld in southern Thuringia. After 293 km the Werra joins the river Fulda in the town of Hann. Münden, forming the Weser....
valley, where he became the sole landholder. Further, he was the Vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
of Helmarshausen
Helmarshausen
Helmarshausen is a borough of the city of Bad Karlshafen in Hesse, central Germany. It was formerly the location of Helmarshausen Abbey, an Imperial abbey of the Holy Roman Empire....
and founded a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery at Bursfelde
Bursfelde
Bursfelde is a village, now administratively joined with Hemeln as Bursfelde-Hemeln, in the northern part of Hann. Münden in the district of Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany.The village lies on the east side of the Weser River. It is best known for its...
in 1093.
During the civil wars of the early 1080s Henry sided with the anti-king Herman of Salm, to whom he was related by marriage. In 1086 he and his brothers changed sides to support the Emperor Henry IV.
Henry's wife, Gertrude, was the only sister of Egbert II, Margrave of Meissen
Egbert II, Margrave of Meissen
Egbert II was Count of Brunswick and Margrave of Meissen. He was the eldest son of the Margrave Egbert I of the Brunonen family.Still a minor, he succeeded his father on the latter's death 11 January 1068 in Brunswick and Meissen...
, whose own marriage remained childless. By the right of inheritance Henry stood to receive Egbert's counties in Frisia on the margrave's death in 1090, though Meissen was granted by the emperor to another Henry. These Frisian counties, however, had been annexed from Egbert during the latter's rebellion in 1089 and were being administered by Conrad, Bishop of Utrecht. When Conrad was assassinated in 1099 the Emperor finally bestowed the counties on Henry. He immediately tried to regulate Frisian shipping and ignored the privileges granted to the town of Staveren
Staveren
Staveren can refer to the following things:Persons:*Cornelis van Staveren , Olympic sailor from the Netherlands*Petra van Staveren , Olympic swimmer from the NetherlandsPlaces:*Staveren is an older name for the Dutch town of Stavoren...
. The Church, feeling threatened by Henry, allied with the merchant class and the townsmen. Though they received him on seeming friendly terms, he perceived their threat and tried to flee by boat. His ship was attacked at sea and sunk, though his wife escaped the assault. The day of his death is not known precisely, but he was buried in Bursfelde on 10 April 1101.
Henry's only son, Otto III of Nordheim inherited his patrimony, while his daughter Richenza inherited the Katlenburger and Brunonen territories and united them to the House of Welf by her marriage to the future Emperor Lothair II. Henry's youngest daughter, Gertrude (c. 1090 – bef. 1165), was heiress of Bentheim
Bentheim
County of Bentheim is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the Dutch provinces of Overijssel and Drenthe, the district of Emsland, and the districts of Steinfurt and Borken in North Rhine-Westphalia.- History :The District has roughly the same territory as the County of...
and Rheineck
Rheineck
Rheineck is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of Rheintal in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.-History:Rheineck is first mentioned about 1163 as castellum Rinegge. In 1218 it was mentioned as Rinegg...
. She married first Siegfried I of Weimar-Orlamünde and then Otto I of Salm. Henry's widow, Gertrude, married the aforementioned Henry, Margrave of Meissen.