Conrad I (King of Germany)

Seal of Conrad I.

In 906, Conrad succeeded his father in the Duchy of Franconia , expelling the Popponids (also known as Franconian Babenbergs), who claimed power in Franconia.

On November 10, 911 at the congress in Forchheim , after the death of the last Caroling Louis IV Child , Conrad was elected king of Germany. His reign is characterized by an unsuccessful fight against the Hungarians and a steady increase in the influence and independence of the “ tribal duchies ” ( Bavaria , Saxony , Swabia ). The dukes of Bavaria, Saxony and Swabia rebelled against the king and became independent.

The Duke of Swabia Erhanger, along with his brother Bertold, sought to expand his power in Swabia, but came up against the resistance of Bishop Constance Solomon III , Chancellor of King Conrad, who spoke on the side of the bishop, trying to weaken the position of the tribal nobility. This led to a conflict between the king and Erhanger.

Initially, the conflict did not develop into an open struggle. In 913, Erhanger reconciled with the king, which was fixed by the marriage of Konrad and Kunigunda of Swabia , the sister of Erhanger, widow of the Margrave of Bavaria Luitpold (d. July 4, 907 ), and the mother of Arnulf the Evil , Duke of Bavaria. In the same year, Erhanger teamed up with Arnulf and was able to repel the attack of the Hungarians , while the king remained inactive.

In 914, Erhanger’s confrontation with the king resumed. Erhanger captured Bishop Solomon III, as a result of which the conflict escalated into a military clash between the Palatine and Conrad. As a result, Bishop Solomon was released, Erhanger was captured and sent to the king, who sent him from the country.

Soon the king had a new adversary - Burchard II , the son of the executed Duke of Burchard I. In the fall of 915, Erhanger , who returned from exile, together with his brother Berthold joined with Burchard. They defeated the army of King Conrad at the Battle of Valvis and again captured Bishop Solomon. After that, Erhanger was proclaimed the Duke of Swabia.

Soon a fierce feud began between the king and the sovereign Swabian and Bavarian princes, whose side was taken by the Duke of Saxony Henry . The king, seeking support against the rebellious dukes, turned to the church for help. In September 916, at the initiative of King Conrad, a synod was convened in Hohenaltheim , in which the high clergy of Franconia, Swabia and Bavaria, as well as the papal legate, took part. The synod supported the king and condemned Erhanger and Berthold to life imprisonment. Trying to reconcile with the king, the brothers arrived at the royal court, but Conrad, contrary to the decision of the synod, ordered Erhanger, Bertold, and their nephew Liufried to be executed on January 21, 917 .

Dying in December 918 , Conrad ordered his brother and successor in Franconia, Eberhard and other German nobles to elect his adversary, the Duke of Saxony, Heinrich Ptitselov, as the new king of Germany.

Ancestors

• Conrad I // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.