Otto
Otto, or Otho, the name of four Holy Roman emperors:
Otto I(912–973), known as Otto the Great, king of Germany, 936–73, and Holy Roman Emperor, 962–73. He was the son and successor of Henry I and the founder of the Holy Roman Empire. Otto greatly extended German influence and political domination in Europe. He accomplished this by strengthening the monarchy, using the church as an instrument of political authority, and waging a number of successful wars. He also expanded Christianity in eastern Europe.
During the early years of his reign. Otto subdued the powerful duchies of Bavaria, Lorraine, Saxony, and Franconia. In 955 he defeated the Magyars at Lechfeld. Otto invaded Lombardy (northern Italy) in 951 and imposed his overlordship on the king of the Lombards, Berengar II. In 961 a dispute arose between Berengar and Pope John XII. The following year, Otto, at the pope's request, again invaded Lombardy and Berengar fled to the south. Otto was crowned emperor by the pope, marking the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire. Otto deposed John in 963 and established the emperor's right of approval over papal elections.
Otto II(955–983), king of Germany, 961–83, and Holy Roman Emperor, 973–83. In 972 he married Theophano, daughter of the Byzantine emperor, Romanus II. Otto attempted to strengthen the empire and extend German rule, but confrontations with hostile factions within the empire and with powerful neighbors made expansion impossible.
Otto defeated the Danes in 974 and put down the insurrection of his cousin, Henry II of Bavaria, in 976. In 977 he subdued the Bohemians. He drove the French out of Lorraine, but was unable to take Paris after a long siege in 980. Otto's campaign in southern Italy, 981–82, ended when he was defeated by the Saracens and the Greeks near Stilo.
Otto III(980–1002), king of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor, 983–1002. Because Otto was only three when he became emperor, the affairs of the empire were conducted by regents until 996, when he was declared of age. (Theophano, his mother, was regent 983–91; and Adelaide, his grandmother, 991–96.) Otto installed his cousin Bruno as Pope Gregory V in 996 and traveled to Rome to be crowned. Under Otto, Rome was made the capital of the empire and the emperor dominated the papacy. Otto's tutor, Gerbert of Aurillac, became the next pope as Sylvester II. Roman resentment against German rule increased, and in 1001 a revolt drove Otto from Rome. He died while preparing to suppress the revolt.
Otto IV,of Brunswick (1174?–1218), king of Germany, 1198–1215, and Holy Roman Emperor, 1209–15. When Emperor Henry VI died, many German nobles supported Otto for the throne. However, a rival claim by Philip of Swabia plunged Germany into civil war. Philip was killed in 1208, and in 1209 Otto was crowned emperor by Pope Innocent III.
Otto invaded southern Italy in an attempt to regain this area for the empire. Because of Otto's imperialistic policy, Innocent excommunicated him in 1210 and supported Frederick II, son of Henry VI, for the crown in 1212. Civil war again broke out in Germany. Otto was supported by King John of England, the count of Flanders, and the Guelph faction. Frederick received the support of the pope, King Philip II of France, and the Ghibelline faction. At the battle of Bouvines in 1214, Otto was decisively defeated by the French. He was forced to retire to Brunswick in 1215.