Henry of Kalden
Encyclopedia
Henry of Kalden or Henry Testa of Bappenheim was a ministerialis
in the service of the German kings Henry VI
, Philip
, Otto IV
, and Frederick II.
He served Henry as marshal
while the latter was yet just King of the Romans
in his campaign of 1189–1190 to capture the Sicilian kingdom as his right by marriage to Constance
. Henry of Kalden invaded the Abruzzi, sacking Amiterno and Chieti before joining up with Roger, Count of Andria, and Richard, Count of Carinola, and entered Apulia
. After several plundering expeditions, they took Corneto, but their rival, Tancred of Lecce, holed up in fortified Ariano. Intense summer heat and supply shortages caused the Germans under Henry of Kalden to leave the siege early, returning to Germany.
As marshal of the empire, Henry of Kalden was one of the leaders of the Third Crusade
of Frederick Barbarossa.
In 1194, when Henry VI finally subdued the peninsula and could invade Sicily, his marshal was with him. Henry of Kalden was sent to Catania
, where he defeated a large resistance army, and sacked the city and took captive its bishop.
On 8 June 1208, Henry VI's brother and successor in Germany, Duke Philip of Swabia
, was murdered out of rage by Otto, Count of Wittelsbach
. Henry of Kalden received permission from Pope Innocent III
to track down and kill Otto to avenge his master's death. Granted, Henry killed Otto at Oberndorf
, on the Danube
, near Regensburg
, and cut of his head. He then joined the side of the newly-crowned Emperor Otto IV, whose closest advisor he became, moulding an aggressive Sicilian policy. After the December 1212 coronation of Henry VI's son Frederick, however, the marshal returned to the Hohenstaufen
fold.
Ministerialis
Ministerialis ; a post-classical Latin word, used in English, meaning originally servitor, agent, in a broad range of senses...
in the service of the German kings Henry VI
Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VI was King of Germany from 1190 to 1197, Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 to 1197 and King of Sicily from 1194 to 1197.-Early years:Born in Nijmegen,...
, Philip
Philip of Swabia
Philip of Swabia was king of Germany and duke of Swabia, the rival of the emperor Otto IV.-Biography:Philip was the fifth and youngest son of Emperor Frederick I and Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy, daughter of Renaud III, count of Burgundy, and brother of the emperor Henry VI...
, Otto IV
Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto IV of Brunswick was one of two rival kings of the Holy Roman Empire from 1198 on, sole king from 1208 on, and emperor from 1209 on. The only king of the Welf dynasty, he incurred the wrath of Pope Innocent III and was excommunicated in 1215.-Early life:Otto was the third son of Henry the...
, and Frederick II.
He served Henry as marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
while the latter was yet just 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...
in his campaign of 1189–1190 to capture the Sicilian kingdom as his right by marriage to Constance
Constance of Sicily
Constance of Hauteville was the heiress of the Norman kings of Sicily and the wife of Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor...
. Henry of Kalden invaded the Abruzzi, sacking Amiterno and Chieti before joining up with Roger, Count of Andria, and Richard, Count of Carinola, and entered Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
. After several plundering expeditions, they took Corneto, but their rival, Tancred of Lecce, holed up in fortified Ariano. Intense summer heat and supply shortages caused the Germans under Henry of Kalden to leave the siege early, returning to Germany.
As marshal of the empire, Henry of Kalden was one of the leaders of the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
of Frederick Barbarossa.
In 1194, when Henry VI finally subdued the peninsula and could invade Sicily, his marshal was with him. Henry of Kalden was sent to Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
, where he defeated a large resistance army, and sacked the city and took captive its bishop.
On 8 June 1208, Henry VI's brother and successor in Germany, Duke Philip of Swabia
Philip of Swabia
Philip of Swabia was king of Germany and duke of Swabia, the rival of the emperor Otto IV.-Biography:Philip was the fifth and youngest son of Emperor Frederick I and Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy, daughter of Renaud III, count of Burgundy, and brother of the emperor Henry VI...
, was murdered out of rage by Otto, Count of Wittelsbach
Wittelsbach
The Wittelsbach family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria.Members of the family served as Dukes, Electors and Kings of Bavaria , Counts Palatine of the Rhine , Margraves of Brandenburg , Counts of Holland, Hainaut and Zeeland , Elector-Archbishops of Cologne , Dukes of...
. Henry of Kalden received permission from Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
to track down and kill Otto to avenge his master's death. Granted, Henry killed Otto at Oberndorf
Oberndorf
Oberndorf may refer to the following places:*in Germany:**Oberndorf am Neckar, in the district of Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg** Oberndorf , a suburb of Rottenburg am Neckar in the district of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg...
, on the Danube
Danube
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....
, near Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
, and cut of his head. He then joined the side of the newly-crowned Emperor Otto IV, whose closest advisor he became, moulding an aggressive Sicilian policy. After the December 1212 coronation of Henry VI's son Frederick, however, the marshal returned to 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...
fold.
Sources
- Annales Casinenses. Translated by G. A. Loud.
- Ottonis de Sancto Blasio Chronica. Translated by G. A. Loud.
- Ryccardi di Sancto Germano Notarii Chronicon. Translated by G. A. Loud.
- Norwich, John JuliusJohn Julius NorwichJohn Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich CVO — known as John Julius Norwich — is an English historian, travel writer and television personality.-Early life:...
. The Kingdom in the Sun 1130-1194. Longman: LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 1970. - Matthew, Donald. The Norman Kingdom of Sicily. Cambridge University PressCambridge University PressCambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
: 1992.