Poppo, Duke of Thuringia
Encyclopedia
Poppo II or Boppo II was the Duke of Thuringia from 880 until his deposition in 892. His title was dux Sorabici (limitis) or dux Thuringorum, sometimes marchio (margrave
). Before that his title was comes (count).
Poppo, a Babenberg
, was the younger brother of Henry of Franconia
. They also had a younger brother named Egino
. All three may have been the sons or grandsons of Poppo (I) of Grapfeld
.
Poppo replaced Radulf II
in the Sorbian March
no later than 880. In that year, the Daleminzi, Bohemians, and Sorbs
threatened to invade Thuringia
and burn the German-allied Slav districts. Poppo's subsequent expedition against them is recorded in three different variations in the three different manuscript traditions of the Annales Fuldenses
. He may or may not have led the Thuringii
in this campaign, but he was certainly victorious.
The reasons behind Poppo's battles in 882, 883, and 884 are unknown. In the former year, he and the Thuringii had instigated a war with Saxons
under Egino and had been defeated. In 883, he again fought his brother Egino, who was recorded as a co-duke of the Thuringii, and was defeated savagely and forced to retreat with only a few men.
Poppo was deprived of his offices and titles in 892. According to Regino of Prüm
, Poppo had advised Arn, Bishop of Würzburg
, to undertake the expedition against the Slavs on which he was killed earlier that year. Because Poppo was replaced in Thuringia by Conrad
and Arn was replaced by Rudolf
, both Conradines, it has been supposed that King Arnulf
was merely patronising one family over another: the Conradines and Babenbergers were feuding shortly afterwards. On the other hand, Poppo may have been punished for the ill-advised campaign of Arn. He was restored to his lands in 899 and made Count of the Bavarian Nordgau in 903. He was Count of the Volkfeld in 906. He died sometime after.
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
). Before that his title was comes (count).
Poppo, a Babenberg
Babenberg
Originally from Bamberg in Franconia, now northern Bavaria, an apparent branch of the Babenbergs or Babenberger went on to rule Austria as counts of the march and dukes from 976–1248, before the rise of the house of Habsburg.-One or two families:...
, was the younger brother of Henry of Franconia
Henry of Franconia
Henry , a son of Count Poppo of Grapfeld, one of the first Babenbergs, was the most important East Frankish general during the reign of Charles the Fat. He was variously titled Count or Margrave of Saxony and Duke of Franconia....
. They also had a younger brother named Egino
Egino, Duke of Thuringia
Egino was a count in East Franconia and Duke of Thuringia in the late 9th century. He was a Babenberg, the younger brother of Henry of Franconia and Poppo of Thuringia. All three may have been the sons or grandsons of Poppo of Grapfeld....
. All three may have been the sons or grandsons of Poppo (I) of Grapfeld
Poppo of Grapfeld
Poppo I was a Frankish count in the Grapfeld from 819–839. Probably a descendant of the Robertian count Cancor, he became the ancestor of the Frankish House of Babenberg ....
.
Poppo replaced Radulf II
Radulf II, Duke of Thuringia
Radulf or Ratolf was the Duke of Thuringia from 874 until his death. Radulf was the successor and possibly son of Thachulf.On Thachulf's death in August 873, the Sorbs, Siusli, and their neighbours revolted...
in the Sorbian March
Sorbian March
The Sorb March was a frontier district on the eastern border of East Francia in the 9th through 11th centuries. It was composed of several counties bordering the Sorbs. The Sorbian march seems to have comprised the eastern part of Thuringia....
no later than 880. In that year, the Daleminzi, Bohemians, and Sorbs
Sorbs
Sorbs are a Western Slavic people of Central Europe living predominantly in Lusatia, a region on the territory of Germany and Poland. In Germany they live in the states of Brandenburg and Saxony. They speak the Sorbian languages - closely related to Polish and Czech - officially recognized and...
threatened to invade Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
and burn the German-allied Slav districts. Poppo's subsequent expedition against them is recorded in three different variations in the three different manuscript traditions of the Annales Fuldenses
Annales Fuldenses
The Annales Fuldenses or Annals of Fulda are East Frankish chronicles that cover independently the period from the last years of Louis the Pious to shortly after the end of effective Carolingian rule in East Francia with the accession of the child-king, Louis III, in 900...
. He may or may not have led the Thuringii
Thuringii
The Thuringii or Toringi were a Germanic tribe which appeared late during the Völkerwanderung in the Harz Mountains of central Germania around 280, in a region which still bears their name to this day — Thuringia. They evidently filled a void left when the previous inhabitants — the...
in this campaign, but he was certainly victorious.
The reasons behind Poppo's battles in 882, 883, and 884 are unknown. In the former year, he and the Thuringii had instigated a war with Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
under Egino and had been defeated. In 883, he again fought his brother Egino, who was recorded as a co-duke of the Thuringii, and was defeated savagely and forced to retreat with only a few men.
Poppo was deprived of his offices and titles in 892. According to Regino of Prüm
Regino of Prüm
Reginon or Regino of Prüm was a Benedictine abbot and medieval chronicler.-Biography:According to the statements of a later era, Regino was the son of noble parents and was born at the stronghold of Altrip on the Rhine near Speyer at an unknown date...
, Poppo had advised Arn, Bishop of Würzburg
Arn, Bishop of Würzburg
Saint Arn or Arno von Endsee was the Bishop of Würzburg from 855 until his death. He was a pupil of Bishop Gozbald, who died on 20 September 855; Arn was elected bishop in his place...
, to undertake the expedition against the Slavs on which he was killed earlier that year. Because Poppo was replaced in Thuringia by Conrad
Conrad, Duke of Thuringia
Conrad , called the Old or the Elder, was the Duke of Thuringia from 892 until his death. He was the namesake of the Conradiner family and son of Udo of Neustria. His mother was a daughter of Conrad I of Logenahe . He was the count of the Oberlahngau , Hessengau , Gotzfeldgau , Wetterau , and...
and Arn was replaced by Rudolf
Rudolf I, Bishop of Würzburg
Rudolf I was the Bishop of Würzburg from 892 until his death. He was the youngest son of Udo of Neustria.In 892, he was appointed as bishop to replace Arno, who had been killed during a campaign against Great Moravia. At the same time, his brother Conrad the Elder became Margrave of Thuringia,...
, both Conradines, it has been supposed that King Arnulf
Arnulf of Carinthia
Arnulf of Carinthia was the Carolingian King of East Francia from 887, the disputed King of Italy from 894 and the disputed Holy Roman Emperor from February 22, 896 until his death.-Birth and Illegitimacy:...
was merely patronising one family over another: the Conradines and Babenbergers were feuding shortly afterwards. On the other hand, Poppo may have been punished for the ill-advised campaign of Arn. He was restored to his lands in 899 and made Count of the Bavarian Nordgau in 903. He was Count of the Volkfeld in 906. He died sometime after.
Sources
- Reuter, TimothyTimothy ReuterTimothy Alan Reuter , grandson of the former mayor of Berlin Ernst Reuter, was a German-British historian who specialized in the study of medieval Germany, particularly the social, military and ecclesiastical institutions of the Ottonian and Salian periods .Reuter received his D.phil from Oxford in...
. Germany in the Early Middle Ages 800–1056. New York: Longman, 1991. - Reuter, Timothy (trans.) The Annals of Fulda. (Manchester Medieval series, Ninth-Century Histories, Volume II.) Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1992.