Otton Ier of the Holy roman Empire

See also: Othon Ier

Otton Ier , called Otton Large the , was born it (November 23rd 912 with Wallhausen and died the May 7th 973). Wire of Henri {{Ier}} of Germanic and Mathilde de Ringelheim, it reigns of 936 with 973.

During its long reign, it gives to the Germanic royalty a bright prestige, as well by its political direction as by its military victories. He manages to restore imperial dignity and becomes emperor of the Romans of 962 with 973. He is thus the founder of the Saint Germanic Roman Empire even if this denomination appears only at the 15th century.

The Germanic world and Western Europe at the time of Otton 1st

Decomposition of the world caroligien

The frank empire, divided into three at the time of the Partage of Verdun of 843 crumbled definitively in 887. This year there, the emperor Charles the Large is relieved at the time of the diet of Tribur and the elective system is established. The Carolingians lose the throne of Germanie after the death of Louis IV of Germanic in 911. As for the imperial title, it is not allotted any more starting from 924.

Like the Vikings one makes since more than one century in the west, the Magyars, ancestors of the Hungarian, break on the east of Europe starting from 900. Délitement of the imperial capacity that of the franque Church involved which lives under the influence of the laic ones. In the various kingdoms of Occident, the kings and the princes name the bishops. But for them, a good bishop is laic which has a fortune, which has noble blood, and whose spirit is that of a Vassal. The Simonie develops, and it east frêquent that the bishop S and the priest S have women and children, in spite of the prohibition which is made to them marry after the Ordination. Papacy is with the hands of the Roman aristocratic big families. Its political power became non-existent under the blows of the invasions. Poor and immoral popes succeed during most of Xe century. In 954, Jean XII becomes pope at the 18 years age. He only thinks of making the court with the women, of feasting and of taking part in the shooting parties.

Birth of a new Germanic dynasty, the house of Saxony

Henri the Bird-catcher, duke of Saxony since 912 is crowned king of (Germanie) in 919. The Germanic one is composed at this time of part of the territories formerly gathered by Charlemagne, the Francia orientalis . Henri the Bird-catcher acquires a considerable prestige thanks to its victories gained over the Slavic ones, the Danes and the Magyars. It carries the borders of its kingdom on the Elba. Before its death, it obtains the promise of the Germanic princes that his/her son Othon (or Otton) will be selected like his successor.

Following this victories vis-a-vis the Hungarians, Otton 1st restores the steps Ostmark, future Austria, in the south of Germanic whose Babenberg will become the marquis until the 13th century. It reconstitutes also the walk of Carinthie, and thus seems the defender of Christendom.

This victory also enables him to exploit an important role the European plan. Otton intervenes in France to regulate the conflicts between the last Carolingiens and the Robertiens, the ancestors of the Capétiens. It obtains the allegiance kings de Bourgogne. Vis-a-vis the Slavic ones, it leads a true policy of expansion towards the east. It establishes steps in the east of the Elba: Walk of Billung around évêché of Oldenbourg, Nordmark (old name of the Brandebourg) and three small steps at the Sorb. In Germanic, it returns the tributary Bohemia and overcomes the dukes of Franconie and Lorraine.

In Italy, the situation is very confused. As of 951, Otton becomes king d' Italie at the expense of Bérenger d' Ivrée. However, it must leave this one to deal with its Germanic businesses letting Bérenger threaten the integrity of the inheritance of Saint Pierre. Haloed its victory over the Hungarians, in 961, it turns over to Italy where it is again proclaimed king, title that Bérenger had disputed to him, then crowned emperor with Rome in 962. By this marriage, Otton 1st hopes to obtain the recognition by the Byzantine emperor of the title of Emperor and Auguste that the pope conferred to him. But at the Byzantine court, Otton is simply called Rex . The new empire, too septentrional, cannot incarnate the Roman revival.

Imperial restoration

Admitting to be protected from the expansionist projects of Berenger II, the pope makes of Otton the successor of the emperor Charlemagne, who, in his time, had protected papacy against the Lombards. At this time, it is not a question of the foundation of a new empire but of the restoration of the Carolingian empire. The emperor then controls completely the election of the pope, and capacity to count on the collaboration of the pontiff guarantees the imperial authority on the local Churches of the Saint Worsens. Like Charlemagne, Otton receives from Rome the mission of defending the order and the peace of Christendom.

The organization of the empire

A limited capacity

The authority of Otton 1st extends on immense territories which go from the Meuse to the Elba and from the the North Sea to the the Mediterranean. However, of the interior forces are very active there. The German ones are divided into duchies corresponding to different the Ethnie S from these people in Saxony, in Franconie, Souabe and Bavaria. The new empire integrates also Latin and the Slavic ones. Otton 1st cannot count any more on the Carolingian administration; the Count S and Missi dominici disappeared. The royal financial resources are reduced to the incomes of the clean field of the sovereign and to the exploitation of sound Droit of lodging. To sit its authority on the large ones, Otton manages to make of the duke vassal under the whole authority of the king. One can also quote Thierry {{Ier}}, first cousin of Otton, bishop of Metz from 965 to 984; a close relation to Otton, the margrave of Saxony Gero, which founds the abbey of Gernrode towards 960-961, in Saxony; Gerberge, niece of the emperor, abbess of Notre-Dame of Gandersheim.

Margraves

The margraves (marquis) direct the steps. They have of the castles and the military command of their walk. They can in the name of the emperor give goods to the Church. They perceive, for the king initially, then in the second time for their own account, the Wozot , a royalty in grain had by the peasants. They perceive also the Tonlieu X, royalty on the markets and the movement of the goods. To develop the steps, it is called upon German come from the west of the Empire, mainly of the peasants of the Netherlands, Franconie and of Thuringe attracted by larger pieces and lighter feudal rights. The first boroughs appear.

The religious revival

The clerks celebrate in Otton new a Charlemagne

The religious revival also appears by the construction of churches or cathedrals like that of the Magdeburg. In 937, a first church had been founded and devoted to Saint Maurice. The work, financed by Otton 1st, respects the Roman fashion. This first building, imposing and balanced, probably had a Nef with four sides, a width of 41 meters, a 80 meters length, and a height estimated at approximately 60 meters. This church was increased in 955 when it obtained the statute of Cathédrale. It, at the time, was decorated by plates of Orfévrerie carried out with Milan and telling scenes with the New Testament. Destroyed in 1207 by a fire, it was then rebuilt.

Beginnings of art ottonien

Art ottonien recovers one period going of the middle of 10th century at the end of the 11th century inside the Germanic empire. It is thus under the reign of Otton 1st that this art starts to develop. The imperial family and the large laic characters or monks give an impulse determining to Article art ottonien borrows some characteristics of the Carolingian period but it is also influenced by the art of the late Antiquité and the Byzantine Art. It allows the expression of a new spirituality. The Basilique Saint-Pierre-with-Nonnains the of Metz in is an good example.

The letters are not forgotten. The proper brother of Otton, Brunon of Cologne, cultivates the letters and encourages the studies. The monk Widukind de Corvey writes famous a Histoire of Saxon the ( Rerum Gestarum Saxonicarum libri III ) addressed to Mathilde, girl of the emperor Otton 1st. An anonymous monk of Saint-Gall writes the ancestor of the chanson de geste, the Waltharius .

The interest of Otton for the letters is found in the choice of the Précepteur of his son. It is impressed by knowledge of Gerbert d' Aurillac, future pope, who were introduced to him by Borell II, count de Barcelone. He entrusts to him the education of Othon II.

Descent

Of a premièe wife whose name remained unknown:
  • Guillaume (v.929 - † March 2nd, 968), archbishop of Mainz
With Edith de Wessex, (910 - † 29 janv. 946), girl of Edouard Old the
  • Liudolf, (930 - † 957), duke of Souabe
  • Liutgarde (931 - † 953), wife of Conrad the Russet-red, duke of Lotharingie
With Adelaide of Burgundy, girl of Rodolphe II of Burgundy
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