Henry of Laach was the first count palatine of the Rhine (1085/1087–1095). Henry was the son of Herman I, count of Gleiberg. Henry was a follower of 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...

. He had lands in the southeastern Eifel

Eifel

The Eifel is a low mountain range in western Germany and eastern Belgium. It occupies parts of southwestern North Rhine-Westphalia, northwestern Rhineland-Palatinate and the south of the German-speaking Community of Belgium....

 and on the Moselle River

Moselle River

The Moselle is a river flowing through France, Luxembourg, and Germany. It is a left tributary of the Rhine, joining the Rhine at Koblenz. A small part of Belgium is also drained by the Mosel through the Our....

.

Promotion to count palatine

Most of the holdings of Hermann II, Count Palatine

Hermann II, Count Palatine

Hermann II , Count Palatine of Lotharingia from 1064 when reaching majority, until 1085. He was count in the Ruhrgau and the Zulpichgau, as well as count of Brabant...

 fell back to the emperor, when Hermann died without successor. The emperor named Henry count palatine of the Rhine. Henry married Herman's widow, Adelheid von Orlamünde-Weimar (d.1100). From this marriage, Henry may have taken control over some of her holdings along the Moselle. As a consequence, the geographic center of the palatinate moved towards the south.

Henry founded the Maria Laach Abbey

Maria Laach Abbey

Maria Laach Abbey is a Benedictine abbey situated on the southwestern shore of the Laacher See , near Andernach, in the Eifel region of the Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. It is a member of the Beuronese Congregation within the Benedictine Confederation...

. He was succeeded by his stepson, Siegfried of Ballenstedt.