245:
to a competition with the king, which in turn led to dissatisfaction among the Saxon princes. Henry's endeavours led to the desire for a ruler who was easier to control and to the king being blamed by the Saxons for his abuse of official authority. There was also a conflict due to the so-called "royal immediacy", the regular presence of the king in certain parts of the Empire. This situation was possibly overdramatized; for the king stayed in other parts of the Empire without similar complications. Among the Saxon princes, a certain
237:
20:
293:
501:, the Saxon leader finally capitulated to the king in public, i.e. in front of the whole army. Henry had no mercy, but savoured his triumph. The Saxon leader's submission was barefoot, according to Lambert, and the surrender, without exception, unconditional. Henry then held numerous Saxon princes in prison in various places and transferred their fiefs to others.
487:
The battle raged from midday until the ninth hour, and the armies of the two states, Swabia and
Bavaria, were on the brink of fleeing as messengers repeatedly reported to the King that their people were in danger, when suddenly Count Hermann of Gleiberg and the Bamberg troops launched an attack. Now
381:
As a result, on 27 January 1074, Henry stood at the head of what was only a small army compared to the much larger Saxon one at
Hersfeld. Both sides were afraid to join in battle, but for different reasons. Henry probably because of his obvious inferiority. The Saxon leaders, by contrast, were aware
211:
a knight in 1065, he was able to counter these ensuing developments. However, the course of events should not be seen as a recuperation, since the loss of royal lands in the Harz region may be regarded as of low importance and therefore not an essential motive. These areas had already been a bone of
397:
and a family grave containing Henry's dead son and brother. To protect the royal burial ground, Henry directed that only the towers and walls of the
Harzburg would be removed. This enraged the surrounding rural population who, in March 1074, razed the castle and its church to their foundation walls
244:
The motives of the Saxon nobles are now obvious, as they were hugely affected by Henry's actions and were consequently outraged. They did not want to give up so easily the influence that they had built up during the absence of a ruler. This independence, which the king himself tried to achieve, led
361:
on 29 June 1073 in order to highlight these abuses and demand improvements. Henry IV refused to enter discussions and then fled from the large, advancing Saxon army to the nearby castle of
Harzburg, where he was besieged by the Saxon rebels, again led by Count Otto of Nordheim together with Bishop
416:
Henry was once again bent on confrontation and this time gathered a much larger army, although he was not able to march against Saxony until 1075. In the First Battle of
Langensalza (known in Germany as the "Battle of Homburg on the Unstrut", Homburg being a former monastery near
697:
Matthias Becher: "Die
Auseinandersetzung Heinrichs IV. mit den Sachsen. Freiheitskampf oder Adelsrevolte?" In: Jörg Jarnut, Matthias Wemhoff (eds.), Vom Umbruch zur Erneuerung? Das 11. und beginnende 12. Jahrhundert. Positionen der Forschung, Munich, 2006, pp. 357–378, here: p.
167:. During this time, King Henry IV had been both captured and arrested. While Otto was pardoned, Magnus remained in custody at the Harzburg and was not released even after his father's death in 1072, as he showed no intention of renouncing the Saxon ducal dignity.
398:
and desecrated the royal tombs. This deed may have had a considerable personal effect on Henry, but politically it put all the trumps in his hand: the plunder of the church and the desecration of the royal tomb caused great outrage in his kingdom, and many
513:
took Henry's full attention in the years that followed. Unrest in Saxony also continuously flared up during this period, but did not reach the same level of political and military disruption as in the time from 1073 to 1075.
266:
had wider repercussions and continued even among the non-insurgents. The resulting fear of loss of power, resulted in the great princes of the Empire lending their passive support to the insurrection. For example,
253:
and his expansion of possessions in the Harz. Because of this dispute and the later loss of his estates, Otto takes a leading role in the insurrection during the course of the alleged murder plot against the king.
107:, which imposed a disproportionately high economic burden on the surrounding population. With the accession of Henry IV in 1065 this conflict intensified, as Henry made demands on numerous Imperial domains (
382:
that a victory by their army, consisting mainly of peasants, would have strengthened the position of the latter, something they were not in favour of. So it happened that on 2 February 1074
448:
and Count
Hermann II of Gleiberg. On the Saxon side, in addition to Count Otto of Northeim and Bishop Burchard II von Halberstadt, were Magnus Billung, meanwhile Duke of Saxony, Margrave
402:
returned to Henry's side. The Saxon nobility refused any blame for the actions of the rural population and immediately offered to restore the castle and church at their own expense.
195:
and which had far-reaching consequences. The period after the coup was used by the imperial princes to further extend their power base within the Empire, since there was no overall
842:
Adelsopposition und kirchliche
Reformbewegung im östlichen Sachsen Entstehung und Wirkung des sächsischen Widerstandes gegen das salische Königtum während des Investiturstreites.
660:
Adelsopposition und kirchliche
Reformbewegung im östlichen Sachsen Entstehung und Wirkung des sächsischen Widerstandes gegen das salische Königtum während des Investiturstreites.
471:
One of the two leaders, Bishop
Burchard II of Halberstadt, was detained in Homburg by royal troops and finally handed over on 13 June to the Bishop of Bamberg as a prisoner.
815:
In: Vom Umbruch zu Erneuerung? - das 11. und beginnende 12. Jahrhundert – Positionen der Forschung, ed. Jörg Jarnut and Matthias Weinhoff, Munich, 2006, pp. 357–378.
366:. The king, however, was able to escape on the night of 10 August 1073, allegedly through the castle's well shaft. Henry fled across the Harz mountains reaching the
421:) on 9 June 1075 he dealt the Saxon army, which consisted mainly of simple peasants, a crushing defeat and then rampaged through Saxony and Thuringia laying waste.
378:
further into southern Germany. But he found hardly any support among the princes of the Empire, who were not willing to go to battle with him against the Saxons.
876:
In: Dieter Bauer, Matthias Becher (eds.): Welf IV. - Schlüsselfigur einer Wendezeit Regionale und europäische Perspektive, Munich, 2004, pp. 280–313.
769:
The two well-known authors, Bruno and Lambert of Hersfeld, describe the conflict from the perspective of the Saxons, while the unknown author of
741:, Darmstadt: 1968. (= selected sources about the German history of the Middle Ages. Freiherr vom Stein - memorial edition; 12), pp. 191–405.
755:, Darmstadt, 1968. (= selected sources about the German history of the Middle Ages. Freiherr vom Stein - memorial edition; 12), p. 142–189.
228:, who were dependent on his benevolence in order to free himself from the imperial princes. But this drew further displeasure from the princes.
314:
224:. The castle building programme should rather be seen as an expression of royal power, because Henry supported himself prominently through the
123:. To secure these estates he initiated a castle building programme, erecting numerous fortresses along the range, the most prominent being the
55:. The conflict reached its climax in the period from summer 1073 until the end of 1075, in a rebellion that involved several clashes of arms.
946:
647:
Die Reichsministerialität der Salier und Staufer. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des hochmittelalterlichen deutschen Volkes, Staates und Reiches.
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again aligned himself with the opposition. Although he was always a potential candidate, the princes did not choose him; instead, in 1077 in
827:
Die Reichsministerialität der Salier und Staufer. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des hochmittelalterlichen deutschen Volkes, Staates und Reiches
541:. Nevertheless, Otto had a significant influence on the opposition's politics. Militarily, he distinguished himself again in the battles of
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971:
859:
In: Stefan Weinfurter (ed.), Die Salier und das Reich. Band 1: Salier, Adel und Reichsverfassung, Sigmaringen, 1991, pp. 273–308.
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981:
903:
765:, Darmstadt 1957. (= selected sources about the German history of the Middle Ages. Freiherr vom Stein - memorial edition; 13)
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galloped with their cavalry to join the battle. The Saxons could not withstand this massive onslaught and slowly fell back.
862:
Johannes Laudage, Matthias Schrör (eds.): Der Investiturstreit – Quellen und Materialien, 2nd edn., Cologne, 2006, p. 87.
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took place, which resulted in a settlement between the warring parties. The main outcome was that Henry IV agreed to the
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Undercurrents of discord between the Salian royal family and the Saxons already existed under Henry's father, Emperor
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To grasp the reason for the outbreak of the uprising, it is important to deal with the persons and parties involved:
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castle. This was perceived as a threat by the Saxons. In addition, these castles were staffed with
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In Theodor Mayer (ed.): Lectures and Researches, Vol. VI, Stuttgart, 1961, pp. 9-95, here: p. 83.
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Henry's accession to the demolition of his Harz castles included the Harzburg, which included a
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origin, who frequently plundered the Saxon population to make up for their lack of income.
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herself was too weak and had fallen into disgrace, and the young king was in the hands of
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Königsabsetzungen im deutschen Mittelalter, Eine Studie zum Werden der Reichsverfassung.
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Die Auseinandersetzung Heinrichs IV. mit den Sachsen. Freiheitskampf oder Adelsrevolte?
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In: Theodor Mayer (ed.): Vorträge und Forschungen, Vol. VI, Stuttgart, 1961, pp. 9–95.
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Herzog Otto von Northeim (um 1025–1083) – Reichspolitik und personelles Umfeld.
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Amongst the followers of King Henry who fought with him were the Swabian duke
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Königtum, Burgen und Königsfreie. Studien zu ihrer Geschichte in Ostsachsen.
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Königtum, Burgen und Königsfreie. Studien zu ihrer Geschichte in Ostsachsen.
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of planning an assault on the king's life. Even though Otto was deposed and
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588:, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Cambridge University Press, London.
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Rebellion am Vorabend von Canossa: Der Sachsenaufstand gegen Heinrich IV.
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Reichsstrukturprobleme unter den Saliern – der Adel in Ostsachsen.
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560:, still had to fight the Saxons. He lost, for example, the 1115
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The king had his own rationales, which were also based on the
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Beginning almost simultaneously with the surrender, the
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Welf IV. und die Kirchenreform des 11. Jahrhunderts.
357:, the Saxon princes came to the Imperial Palace of
159:, he nevertheless gained the support of the son of
111:) in the centre of the Saxon heartland around the
686:Europa entdeckt seine Vielfalt, 1050–1250 n. Chr.
456:, who was killed in battle, as well as the Saxon
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564:to the Saxons led by his later successor, King
599:Der Investiturstreit – Quellen und Materialien
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103:origin as well as his numerous stays in the
867:Die Salier – Das erste deutsche Königshaus.
497:On 27 October at the village of Spier near
321:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
881:Hegemoniales Kaisertum: Ottonen und Salier
753:Quellen zur Geschichte Kaiser Heinrichs IV
739:Quellen zur Geschichte Kaiser Heinrichs IV
597:Johannes Laudage, Matthias Schrör (eds.):
99:. This may have been primarily due to his
751:, translated by Franz-Josef Schmale. In:
353:According to the contemporary chronicler
341:Learn how and when to remove this message
279:dissociated themselves from the Emperor.
390:of his castles on the edge of the Harz.
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179:, the Saxon nobility and the remaining
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488:the Duke of Bohemia, followed by Duke
374:first and then moved on to Franconian
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947:Wars involving the Holy Roman Empire
911:Canossa – Die Entzauberung der Welt.
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319:adding citations to reliable sources
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148:since 1061, had been accused by the
707:Lampert von Hersfeld, Annals, 1070.
621:Canossa – Die Entzauberung der Welt
610:Lambert von Hersfeld, Annals, 1063.
87:, also called the Saxon Uprising).
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262:The quarrels surrounding the
83:(not to be confused with the
982:Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
789:Darmstadt, 2006, pp. 86ff.,
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478:described the battle in his
412:Battle of Langensalza (1075)
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406:First Battle of Langensalza
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517:At the diet of princes in
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283:Beginning of the rebellion
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23:Duchy of Saxony 919–1125,
879:Schulze, Hans K. (1991).
773:was a partisan of Henry.
749:Das Lied vom Sachsenkrieg
464:and Count Dietrich II of
368:Landgraviate of Thuringia
115:mountains—especially the
105:Imperial Palace of Goslar
745:Carmen de bello saxonico
675:Gottingen, 2005, p. 117.
649:Stuttgart, 1950, p. 621.
430:Vratislaus II of Bohemia
140:In 1070 the Saxon count
942:11th-century rebellions
688:Stuttgart, 2002, p. 45.
556:Even Henry's son, King
511:Investiture Controversy
240:Central Europe 919–1125
69:Rebellion of the Saxons
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662:Gottingen, 1977, p.34.
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258:The Imperial Princes
251:Coup of Kaiserswerth
193:Coup of Kaiserswerth
51:during the reign of
909:Stefan Weinfurter:
829:. Stuttgart, 1950,
759:Lambert of Hersfeld
619:Stefan Weinfurter:
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355:Lambert of Hersfeld
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232:The Saxon nobility
101:Rhenish Franconian
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967:Conflicts in 1075
962:Conflicts in 1074
957:Conflicts in 1073
904:978-3-8288-2355-6
844:Gottingen, 1977,
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442:Ernest of Austria
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763:Annalen
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323:removed
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338:(
333:)
329:(
325:.
311:.
71:(
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