Otto of Nordheim

Otto Of Nordheim

Otto of Northeim (German: Otto von Northeim) (c. 1020 – 11 January 1083) was Duke of Bavaria from 1061 until 1070. He was one of the leaders of the Saxon revolt against Emperor Henry IV.

Otto belonged to the rich and influential Saxon family of the counts of Northeim, and having distinguished himself in war and peace alike, in 1061 received the Stem Duchy of Bavaria from the Dowager Empress Agnes of Poitou, widow of Emperor Henry III and mother of the child Emperor Henry IV. In spite of that one year later he conspired with Archbishop Anno II of Cologne to seize Henry IV at Kaiserswerth in order to deprive his mother of power. The coup succeeded, Otto led a successful expedition into Hungary in 1063 and took a prominent part in the Empire's government during the king's minority. In 1064 he went to Italy to settle a papal schism and was largely instrumental in securing the banishment from court of Archbishop Adalbert of Bremen-Hamburg. He crossed the Alps in the royal interests on two other occasions and in 1069 shared in two expeditions to the eastern Wend lands.

Otto neglected his duchy, but added to his personal possessions in the southern Harz region, which ultimately led into conflict with Henry IV. In 1070 he was accused by a certain Egeno von Konradsburg of being privy to a plot to murder the king, and it was decided he should submit to the ordeal of battle with his accuser at Goslar. The duke smelled treason and asked for a safe-conduct to and from the place of meeting. When this was refused he declined to appear and was consequently placed under the imperial ban and deprived of Bavaria, while his Saxon estates were plundered. He obtained no support in Bavaria, but raised an army among the Saxons and carried on a campaign of plunder against Henry until 1071, when he submitted. In the following year he received back his private estates though not the ducal title.

When the Saxon revolt broke out in summer 1073 Otto is represented by Bruno, the author of De bello Saxonico, as delivering an inspiring speech to the assembled Saxons at Wormsleben, after which he took command of the insurgents. By the peace of Gerstungen on 2 February 1074 Bavaria was formally restored to him, which however met strong opposition with the result that Otto's former son-in-law Welf I de facto remained duke. He also participated in the second rising of 1075 following the demolition of Harzburg Castle, after which he was again pardoned by Henry and made administrator of Saxony.

After the excommunication of Henry IV by Pope Gregory VII in 1076, Otto attempted to mediate between Henry and the Saxons at Trebur, but when these efforts failed he again placed himself at their head. He assented to the election of Count Rudolf of Rheinfelden as King of the Romans, when his restoration to Bavaria was assured, and by his skill and bravery inflicted defeats on Henry's forces at Mellrichstadt, Flarchheim and Hohenmolsen.

Otto is described as a noble, prudent and warlike man, and he possessed great abilities. His repeated pardons showed that Henry could not afford to neglect such a powerful personality, and his military talents were repeatedly displayed. He remained in arms against the king until his death on 11 January 1083. Otto is buried in the Nicolai Chapel in Northeim.