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105-540: Tegernsee Abbey, officially known as St. Quirinus Abbey for its patron saint St.Quirinus , was first built in the 8th century. Until 1803, it was the most important Benedictine community in Bavaria. Today, the monastery buildings are known as Tegernsee Castle ( Schloss Tegernsee ) and are in the possession of Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria , a member of the Wittelsbach family. The local Catholic parish church of Saint Quirinus

210-615: A disastrous defeat by the Muslims. While he was preparing to counterattack Muslim forces, a major uprising by the Slavs broke out in 983, forcing the Empire to abandon its major territorial holdings east of the Elbe river . Otto II died suddenly in 983 at the age of 28 after a ten-year reign. He was succeeded as Emperor by his three-year-old son Otto III , plunging the Empire into a political crisis. Otto II

315-459: A trade embargo against the island republic. When the initial embargo showed little effect on Venice, Otto II imposed a second embargo in 983 which dealt considerable damage to the Venetian economy. The effects were disastrous enough to cause the ruling Venetian families to surrender to Otto II, but Otto II's untimely death that year prevented him from capitalizing on his victory. The Chronicle of John

420-600: A two-year revolt against Otto II's rule . The defeat at Stilo cost the Empire many nobles, forcing Otto II to end Henry's banishment in order to stabilize domestic affairs in Germany while he campaigned against the Muslims and Byzantines in southern Italy. Also, the appointment of Conrad I allowed the House of the Conradines to return to power in Swabia for the first time since 948. Otto II and

525-643: A Holy War ( jihad ) against Otto, retreated when he noticed the unexpected strength of Otto II's troops when the latter was not far from Rossano Calabro . Informed of the Muslim retreat, Otto II left his wife Theophanu and young son Otto III (along with the Imperial treasury) in the city and marched his army to pursue the Muslim force. Unable to flee back to his stronghold in Sicily due to an Ottonian naval blockade, al-Qasim faced Otto's army in what has been come to be known as

630-482: A Roman martyr, from Pope St. Paul I (757-67), not from Pope Zacharias (741-52), and that these relics were translated from Rome to Tegernsee in the second half of the eighth century and were placed in the Church of Our Saviour, the first church of Tegernsee." His feast is celebrated on March 25. Perhaps this Quirinus is meant by the expression "Romæ sancti Cyri". Quirinus' cult flourished from its center at Tegernsee, and

735-578: A fleet from the city of Pisa to help him carry out his war in southern Italy, and in September 981 he marched into southern Italy. Needing allies in his campaign against the Muslims and the Byzantine Empire, Otto II reconciled with Amalfian Duke Manso I, granting Imperial recognition of his rule over Salerno. Otto II's troops marched on Byzantine-controlled Apulia in January 982 with the purpose of annexing

840-569: A focus of the Reforms of Melk Abbey , which opened Benedictine houses hitherto restricted to the nobility to a wider range of social classes. In 1455, monks of Tegernsee settled Andechs Abbey and were appointed abbots at Benediktbeuern , Oberalteich , Wessobrunn and others. In 1446, a Passion altar was dedicated. Johannes Keck (who was the Tegernsee delegate at the Council of Basle and died in 1450) wrote

945-468: A larger stone church was built in 1450 to house his coffin. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). " Sts. Quirinus ". Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company. This article about a German saint is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor Otto II (955 – 7 December 983), called

1050-609: A march south across the Alps. Otto II appointed Willigis , the Archbishop of Mainz , to serve as his regent over Germany. In October 980 the Imperial court arrived in Chiavenna and received its first Italian delegations. Otto II arrived in Italy at Pavia on December 5, 980. In Pavia, Otto II and his mother, the dowager empress Adelaide of Italy , were reconciled after years of being apart. Before

1155-685: A noble family. Otto the Great also failed to clarify affairs in Italy prior to his death. Otto died soon after the appointment of Pope Benedict VI in 973. In 974 Benedict was imprisoned in the Castel Sant'Angelo , the stronghold of the Crescentii family. When Otto II sent an imperial representative, Count Sicco, to secure his release, Crescentius I and Cardinal-Deacon Franco Ferrucci, who would subsequently become Boniface VII , an antipope , had Benedict murdered while still in prison. Following his coronation,

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1260-534: A peaceful outcome was not achieved, forcing Adelaide to retire to Burgundy and to the protection of her brother King Conrad of Burgundy . Otto II sought continued peace between himself and the descendants of his uncle Henry I, Duke of Bavaria . To ensure domestic tranquillity, Otto II, on 27 June 973, granted control over the imperial castles in Bamberg and Stegaurach to his cousin Duke Henry II of Bavaria . This

1365-550: A result, it declined during the 13th and 14th centuries into little more than a private monastery dependent on a small number of noble families. To make matters worse, it burnt down in 1410. However, in 1426, Tegernsee received a Visitation from the Vicar-General, Johannes Grünwalder, which marked a new beginning. Over the next decades, with the support of the Papal Legate Cardinal Nikolaus von Kues , it became

1470-628: A revolt broke out in Bavaria . The bishop of Augsburg and the newly appointed Carinthian duke joined Henry in rebellion, forcing Otto to return from Bohemia. The emperor, aided by the duke of Swabia and Bavaria, met the rebels at Passau and, after a long siege, forced them into submission. Otto then brought the rebels before the Imperial Diet in Quedlinburg on March 31, 978. Boleslaus was treated with honors and swore loyalty to Otto. Mieszko recognized Otto's royal authority. Otto imprisoned Henry under

1575-441: A rift developed between Otto II and his mother, Empress Adelaide. From the death of Otto the Great until Easter 974, the dowager empress accompanied the emperor at all times, traveling throughout the Empire with him. However, Adelaide and Theophanu each mistrusted the influence the other held over Otto, causing friction within the household. A final meeting between Otto II and Adelaide was arranged shortly before Pentecost in 978, but

1680-541: A severe defeat upon the Emperor. According to the Muslim historian Ibn al-Athir , Imperial casualties numbered around 4,000. Landulf IV of Benevento and Pandulf II of Salerno , Bishop Henry I of Augsburg , Margrave Gunther of Merseburg , the Abbot of Fulda , and numerous other Imperial officials were among the battle's casualties. The Imperial defeat shocked the political makeup of Southern Italy . With two Lombard princes dead,

1785-455: A supporting and stabilizing factor in the Empire's structure. To fulfill these tasks, Otto II strengthened the legal integrity and economic independence of the bishops from the secular nobility. The Ottonians had a particular religious interest in Memleben as both Otto II's father Otto I and grandfather Henry I had died there. Otto II and his wife Theophanu enhanced the spiritual importance of

1890-545: A third. From the excised Bavarian territory, Otto established the Duchy of Carinthia in southern Germany. By depriving Bavaria of the March of Verona , Otto considerably reduced the influence of the Bavarian dukes in northern Italy and in general Imperial policy regarding Italy. Otto gave the diminished Duchy of Bavaria to his nephew Otto, the duke of Swabia, and appointed Henry III , son of

1995-531: A vast treasure with him. In October 974, under the direction of Count Sicco, the bishop of Sutri was elected Pope as Pope Benedict VII . Boniface VII was then summarily excommunicated for his unsuccessful attempt to take the papacy. In 979 Benedict VII's position as ruler of Rome was threatened, forcing the Pope to withdraw from and seek the aid of the Emperor. Accepting the Pope's call for aid, Otto II and Theophanu, along with their infant son Otto III , prepared for

2100-498: A work on music, and the Prior of Tegernsee, Bernhard von Waging (d. 1472) composed his mystical writings, including a defense of Cusanus' writings on "learned ignorance." The pilgrim and illustrator Anton Pelchinger taught music at Tegernsee. Around 1500 scribes of the monastery, including its librarian Konrad Sartori (died 1531), collated the Liber illuministarum - with 1.500 recipes one of

2205-738: Is Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria . The building is home to the Ducal Bavarian Brewery of Tegernsee but also to the Tegernsee Grammar School, the church of St. Quirinus and a restaurant called Bräustüberl . The brewery is owned by Duchess Maria Anna Henriette Gabrielle Julie in Bavaria, youngest daughter of the duke. 47°42′27″N 11°45′24″E  /  47.70750°N 11.75667°E  / 47.70750; 11.75667 Quirinus of Tegernsee Quirinus of Tegernsee , or Quirinus of Rome (not to be confused with Quirinus of Neuss , also sometimes called Quirinus of Rome ),

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2310-471: Is in the former abbey church. In addition to the private quarters of the ducal couple, the former abbey premises now accommodate the Tegernsee Grammar School ( Gymnasium Tegernsee ) and the well-known Ducal Bavarian Brewery of Tegernsee , with a brew pub and a restaurant. On account of the disorders caused by the incursions of the Magyars at the beginning of the tenth century the founding of Tegernsee itself and

2415-500: Is not known for certain. Upon his return, Henry openly rebelled against Otto, claiming rulership over the Empire for himself. Henry mobilized the Saxon nobility against Otto. In particular, Henry had strong connections to Margrave Gunther of Merseburg , Count Egbert the One-Eyed , and Dietrich I of Wettin , who were all displeased with Otto's lack of adherence to Saxon tradition. In response to

2520-499: Is venerated as a martyr and saint of the third century. According to one tradition, he was beheaded during the reign of Claudius Gothicus (268-70). His corpse was thrown into the Tiber and later found at Tiber Island . According to the legendary Acts of the martyrs Saint Maris and Saint Martha , a Roman martyr Quirinus (Cyrinus) was buried in the Catacomb of Pontian . However,

2625-543: The Archdiocese of Magdeburg located along the Empire's eastern border. Though established by Otto I, the exact details of the diocese's boundaries were left to Otto II and his aides. Otto II's marriage Theophanu proved to be to his disadvantage because the Saxon nobles felt it distanced the emperor from their interests. Among Otto II's chief advisors, only the Saxon Bishop Dietrich I of Metz had close connections with

2730-508: The Battle of Stilo south of Crotone at Cape Colonna on July 14, 982. After a violent clash, a corps of Otto II's heavy cavalry destroyed the Muslim center and pushed towards al-Qasim's guards, with the Emir killed during the charge. Despite the Emir's death, the Muslim troops did not flee the battlefield but regrouped and managed to surround the Imperial soldiers, slaughtering many of them and inflicting

2835-723: The Byzantine Emperor John I Tzimisces as Venice controlled all sea trade between Western Europe and the Byzantine Levant in the East. Otto I's military protection of Pietro IV ensured his hold over power in Venice despite his autocratic tendencies over the republican city. In 973, however, Otto I died. With Otto II busy suppressing revolts in Germany , the Venetians opposed to Pietro IV found their opportunity to depose him. Imprisoning

2940-546: The Byzantine Princess Theophanu , who would be his wife until his death. When his father died after a 37-year reign, the eighteen-year-old Otto II became absolute ruler of the Holy Roman Empire in a peaceful succession. Otto II spent his reign continuing his father's policy of strengthening Imperial rule in Germany and extending the borders of the Empire deeper into Southern Italy . Otto II also continued

3045-476: The Carolingian Renaissance . The community was greatly weakened by Hungarian raids and by repeated attempts at secularisation during the reign of Arnulf, Duke of Bavaria (907-937). Besieged by frequent Hungarian raids and desperate to raise funds to finance a re-organized defense, Arnulf strengthened his power through confiscation of church lands and the secularization of numerous monastery estates. In

3150-530: The Eastern March , taught the young Otto the art of war and the kingdom's legal customs. Needing to put his affairs in order prior to his descent into Italy , Otto I summoned a Diet at Worms and had Otto II elected, at the age of six, co-regent in May 961. Otto II was later crowned by his uncle Bruno the Great , archbishop of Cologne , at Aachen Cathedral , probably on Pentecost (26 May). While Otto I had secured

3255-687: The Holy Roman Empire . As vassal of Otto II, Pandulf ruled a large bloc of territories stretching as far north as Tuscany and as far south as the Gulf of Taranto . Pandulf's death in 981 deprived Otto II of one of his primary lieutenants. Pandulf's lands were partitioned among his sons, though further quarrels between the local Lombard princes soon followed. Pandulf's older son Landulf IV received Capua and Benevento while his younger son Pandulf II received Salerno. Upon hearing of Pandulf's death, Otto II, ruling from Rome, traveled south to install Thrasimund IV as Duke of Spoleto. Then, Pandulf's nephew Pandulf II

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3360-621: The Lombard leader Pandulf Ironhead . Originally appointed by Otto I as Prince of Benevento and Capua in 961, Pandulf waged war against the Byzantines and expanded Ottonian control to include the Duchy of Spoleto in 967. The following year, under Otto II, Pandulf added the Principality of Salerno to the Empire. His campaigns under Otto I and Otto II incorporated all three of the southern Lombard principalities - Benevento, Capua, and Salerno - into

3465-589: The Principalities of Capua and the Benevento passed to younger branches of the Landulfid family. Though the Muslim troops were forced to retreat to Sicily after their victory, the Muslims remained a presence in southern Italy, harassing the Byzantines and Lombards. This Ottonian defeat, the worst in the history of the Empire at the time, greatly weakened Imperial power in southern Italy. The Byzantines joined forces with

3570-509: The bishop of Piacenza , and would send him to Constantinople to arrange for a marriage between Otto III and a Byzantine princess. In regard to his Italian policy, Otto II went beyond the goals of his father. Not satisfied with the territorial gains made under Otto I, Otto II's policy was based not only on securing his power in Rome and cooperating with the Papacy, but also on gaining absolute dominion over

3675-478: The cathedral of Mainz were cast at Tegernsee in 1014. In 1083 Abbot Gozbert established a bell foundry which, after Freising, was the oldest in Bavaria. This golden age of the abbey lasted almost to the end of the 12th century. Among the literary and scientific works produced at that time were: " Ruodlieb " (considered the first German novel; last third of the 11th century); the Quirinals (12th century); " Play about

3780-414: The duke of Bohemia , Boleslaus II , against Otto II in 974. While the historical sources do not describe the goals of the conspirators, Henry II likely intended to restore his honor and to ensure his position as the second most influential man in the Empire. Upon hearing of the conspiracy, Poppo, the bishop of Würzburg , demanded that Henry and his followers submit to Otto II or face excommunication . Otto

3885-560: The Alps was chaotic. Pope Benedict VI , who had been appointed by Otto I, had been imprisoned by the Romans in Castel Sant'Angelo . When Otto II sent an imperial representative, Count Sicco, to secure his release, Crescentius I and Cardinal Franco Ferrucci had Benedict VI murdered while still in prison in 974. Cardinal Franco Ferrucci then crowned himself as Benedict VI's successor, becoming Antipope Boniface VII . A popular revolt, however, forced Boniface VII to flee to Constantinople , taking

3990-713: The Antichrist " (1155?); and the Tegernsee Letter Collection (1178 to 1186). The well-known Tegernseespruch of Walther von der Vogelweide dates either from a little before 1206 or from c. 1212, and thus belongs, not to this period, but to the beginning of the period of decline that followed. Tegernsee was largely spared the political and ecclesiastical confusions arising from the conflict between Pope Alexander III (1159-1177) and Emperor Frederick I "Barbarossa," Holy Roman Emperor, and even managed to acquire substantial privileges from both pope and emperor. The shape of

4095-678: The Bavarian Ottonians' secular control of Bavaria. Under a new duke, Bavaria remained a remote area of the Empire. Otto only visited the duchy three times during his reign, in all cases accompanied by the military. In 950, Otto the Great had subdued the Kingdom of Denmark and forced the Danish King Gorm the Old to accept him as his overlord. Otto the Great also forced the king and his heir apparent Harald Bluetooth to convert to Christianity . Under

4200-544: The Byzantines to make inroads further north. Otto II attempted on several occasions to reunify the Lombard principalities politically and ecclesiastically into his Empire after Pandulf's death. Though he unsuccessfully besieged Manso I in Salerno, Otto II ultimately obtained the recognition of his authority from all the Lombard principalities. With his authority reestablished over the Lombard princes, Otto II turned his attention towards

4305-531: The Deacon claims that the early death is the punishment for persecuting the Venetians, as There is no doubt that, as a monk blessed with the prophetic spirit had revealed to him on the instructions of an angel, he ran into sudden death because he had persecuted the Venetians . Otto II followed the policy of his father in expanding the importance of the Church in his Empire, in particular the importance of monasticism and monasteries . The Church and its organs served as

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4410-504: The Doge within his palace, the Venetian nobles set fire to the building. However, the fire soon spread to Saint Mark's Basilica , resulting in the greater part of the city being burnt. The Doge and his son, also named Pietro, were killed in the blaze, but their bodies were later recovered and respectfully buried. Pietro IV's son by the first marriage, Vitale Candiano Patriarch of Grado survived, as well as his namesake Vitale Candiano , presumably

4515-427: The East. Only in 972, six years later, under the new Byzantine Emperor John I Tzimiskes , was a marriage and peace agreement concluded, however. Though Otto I preferred Anna Porphyrogenita , daughter of former Byzantine Emperor Romanos II , as she was born in the purple , her age (then only five years old) prevented serious consideration by the East. The choice of Emperor John I Tzimisces was his niece Theophanu , who

4620-601: The Eastern Macedonian dynasty . A prerequisite for the marriage alliance was the coronation of Otto II as co-emperor. Otto I then sent word for Otto II to join him in Italy. In October 967, father and son met in Verona and together marched through Ravenna to Rome. On 25 December 967, Otto II was crowned co-emperor by Pope John XIII , securing Otto II's succession to the Imperial crown following his father's death. Otto II's coronation allowed marriage negotiations to begin with

4725-539: The Empire and the Republic of Venice was readdressed during Otto II's reign. In 966, The Doge of Venice Pietro IV married a relative of Otto I. The marriage brought the Empire and Venice into close relationship, with Otto I, in 967, granting a series of commercial agreements to Venice in general and to Pietro IV's family in particular. These agreements strengthened Venice's tie to the Western Empire, which greatly angered

4830-582: The Empire's monasteries as the location for the treason trials. While his father had founded only one monastery (Otto I later replaced the abbey with the Cathedral of Magdeburg ) during his 37-year reign, Otto II established at least four monasteries: Memleben , Tegernsee , Bergen , and Arneburg . Monasticism became a key part of Otto II's Imperial policy, entrusting the abbots with key political functions. Otto II employed monks among his top political advisers, including Ekkehard I and Majolus of Cluny . One of

4935-399: The Empire. However, Vitale's reign was short (less than two years) and he too abdicated to become a monk. With the position vacant, the pro-Byzantine Tribuno Memmo became the new Doge in 979. With the change in leadership, Otto II was reluctant to renew the city's commercial agreements which his father had previously granted to the city. It was only after the intervention of Otto II's mother,

5040-407: The Empire. This appointment elevated the descendants of Otto the Great above other kin in the selection process, further dividing Otto II and Henry II. The appointment of the young Otto as duke of Swabia was taken by Henry as an assault on his claim to the Imperial throne and a slight to his honor. He and his advisor, Bishop Abraham of Freising , conspired with the duke of Poland , Mieszko I , and

5145-510: The French king, who claimed the Duchy as his own territory. Charles and Lothair were also feuding, with Charles being exiled from France over an infidelity allegation he had made against Lothair's wife. Charles fled to Otto II's court and paid homage to Otto II. In return, Otto II appointed Charles as Duke and promised to support his claim to the French throne. Soon after Otto II crushed Henry II's revolt in

5250-554: The Great and Count Reginar III dead, it appears Otto II desired a fresh start with the two sons. Lambert I and Reginar IV returned to Lorraine in 973 to reclaim their land by force. After an initial failure, the brothers attempted again in 976, this time with the support of King Lothar of France . To help calm the situation in the west, Otto II appointed Charles , his cousin and brother of Lothar, as Duke of Lower Lorraine . The same year, Otto II appointed Egbert as his Imperial Chancellor. Otto II's support of Charles, however, infuriated

5355-559: The Great died, the smooth succession to the imperial throne of Otto II had long been guaranteed. Otto II had been king of Germany for twelve years and emperor for five at the time of Otto the Great's death. Unlike his father, Otto II did not have any brothers to contest his claims to the throne. On May 8, the nobles of the Empire assembled before Otto II and, according to the Saxon Chronicler Widukind of Corvey , "elected" Otto II as his father's successor. One of Otto II's first acts

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5460-411: The Great's efforts to consolidate the Church under Imperial control had made this type of action normal. Henry and his followers complied and submitted to Otto II before armed conflict broke out. Otto II, however, severely punished the conspirators: Henry was imprisoned at Ingelheim and Bishop Abraham at Corvey . By 976, Henry had returned to Bavaria. Whether Otto released him from prison or he escaped

5565-572: The Itineraries to the graves of the Roman martyrs do not mention him. His legend was later connected with Tegernsee Abbey in Bavaria , where his relics had been translated in the eighth century, during the reign of King Pippin and Pope Zacharias . However, German scholar Ulrich Schmid says "... it is a perfectly well established fact that the founders of the abbey obtained the relics of St. Quirinus,

5670-506: The Muslims and regained possession of Apulia from Ottonian forces. The defeat at Stilo forced Otto II to flee north to Rome. He then held an Imperial Diet at Verona on Pentecost 983. He sent his nephew Otto I, Duke of Swabia and Bavaria , back to Germany with news of the defeat and to call the German nobles to the assembly, but his emissary died en route on November 1, 982, in Lucca . News of

5775-513: The Red ( German : der Rote ), was Holy Roman Emperor from 973 until his death in 983. A member of the Ottonian dynasty , Otto II was the youngest and sole surviving son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy . Otto II was made joint-ruler of Germany in 961, at an early age, and his father named him co-Emperor in 967 to secure his succession to the throne. His father also arranged for Otto II to marry

5880-452: The abbacy of Abbot Benedikt Schwarz (to 1787), the first signs began to show of the secularisation which eventually took place on 17 March 1803, thus bringing the abbey to an end. Gregor Rottenkolber, the last Abbot of Tegernsee, died on 13 February 1810. The greater part of the site was bought by Baron Drechsel for his brewery, but he later sold a small part back to an unofficial monastic community, which remained until 1861. The buildings of

5985-404: The assembled nobles agreed on a strategy of naval blockade and economic warfare until reinforcements from Germany could arrive. Otto II then prepared for a new campaign against the Muslims and obtained a settlement with the Republic of Venice , whose assistance he needed following the destruction of his army at Stilo. However, the death of Otto II the next year and the resulting civil war prevented

6090-484: The battle did cross the Alps, however, reaching as far as Wessex in England , signifying the magnitude of the defeat. Duke Bernard I of Saxony was heading south for the assembly when Danish Viking raids forced him to return to face the threat. At the assembly, Otto II appointed Conrad (a distant relative of Otto II) and Henry III as the new Dukes of Swabia and Bavaria respectively. Henry III had previously been exiled by Otto II following his defeat as part of

6195-422: The city by establishing a Benedictine Imperial abbey there: the Memleben Abbey . Within a short time, the Memleben Abbey had become one of the richest and most influential of the Imperial abbeys . These measures and the unusual size of the abbey perhaps suggest that Memleben may have been intended as an Imperial Mausoleum for the Ottonians. Following the suppression of Henry II's rebellion , Otto II used

6300-437: The course of the 10th century suffered a sustained decline, culminating in the fire of around 970. Restored and re-founded, however, under Emperor Otto II (973-983) as an Imperial Abbey in 978, and re-settled by monks from St. Maximin's Abbey, Trier , Tegernsee entered a new period of growth. A charter of 10 June, 979 contains a grant from the emperor of the right of free election of the abbot, as well as freedom from taxes and

6405-465: The court of her brother King Conrad of Burgundy . After occupying Aachen for five days, Lothair returned to France after symbolically disgracing the city. Otto II convened the Imperial Diet in mid-July at Dortmund . There, Otto II declared war against France and prepared his army to march west. In September 978, Otto II retaliated against Lothair by invading France with the aid of Charles. He met with little resistance on French territory, devastating

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6510-424: The custody of the bishop of Utrecht where he remained until Otto's death in 983. While Otto the Great had pardoned rebellious family members for their crimes, Otto followed a different policy. Instead, Otto hoped to subordinate the Bavarian line of Ottonians to his authority. Henry's four-year-old son, also named Henry , was sent to Hildesheim to study for an ecclesiastical career. It appears Otto intended to end

6615-409: The death of Otkar's son. The brothers, bound by their own judgment, were unable to take up arms and found themselves forced to accept the homicide. Instead, they decided to turn their backs on the world. They returned to their homeland in the south of Bavaria and founded a monastery on an unusually beautiful site by the shores of the Tegernsee, into which they withdrew. For many centuries a large panel in

6720-414: The dowager empress Adelaide of Italy , that the Emperor renewed the agreements. Violence erupted in Venice during 980 due to tensions between the pro-Ottonian Coloprini family and the pro-Byzantine Morosini family . The Coloprini pleaded with the Emperor for support. Seeing an opportunity to fully incorporate Venice into the Empire, Otto II agreed. Upon arriving in Italy in 981, Otto II immediately imposed

6825-421: The eleven-year-old Otto II during Otto I's absence. With his power over northern and central Italy secured, Otto I sought to clarify his relationship with the Byzantine Empire in the East. The Byzantine Emperor objected to Otto's use of the title "emperor". The situation between East and West was finally resolved to share sovereignty over southern Italy. Otto I sought a marriage alliance between his house and

6930-427: The first decades of its history are hidden in deep obscurity. A fire in about 970 destroyed earlier evidence. The monastic community at Tegernsee was founded in 746 near the little Church of Our Saviour that was already in existence. The founders were the brothers Otkar (or Otocar), and Adalbert, of the family of the Huosi , one of the five old ruling clans of Bavaria. This abbey was consecrated and occupied in 754. It

7035-443: The former Bavarian Duke Berthold , as duke of Carinthia. These appointments continued his policy of appointing individuals who had no political links to Otto the Great, including those who had even rebelled against him. With matters in southern Germany settled, Otto II turned his attention to defeating and capturing Henry. After a failed first invasion into Bohemia, Otto marched to Bohemia a second time in August 977. While in Bohemia,

7140-407: The future was made plain with the appointment of Abbot Manegold of Berg , son of the Count of Berg, to this Bavarian abbey in 1189, as the result of political intrigue by the Counts of Andechs , Vögte ( lords protectors ) of Tegernsee, and Bishop Otto of Freising . The political and economic interests of the noble families of Berg, Andechs and Hohenstaufen , now came to dominate the abbey and as

7245-415: The hope of dynastic continuity after his death, Otto I again confirmed Otto II as his heir on 2 February 965, the third anniversary of Otto I's coronation as emperor. Though Otto I was crowned emperor in 962 and returned to Germany in 965, the political situation in Italy remained unstable. After almost two years in Germany, Otto I made a third expedition to Italy in 966. Bruno was again appointed regent over

7350-410: The imperial family celebrated Christmas together in Ravenna , Otto II received the Iron Crown of Lombardy as the King of Italy . Following the New Year, Otto II led his Imperial court to Rome, reaching the city on February 9, 981, where the Emperor restored Pope Benedict VII to his papal throne without difficulty. In Rome, Otto II held a magnificent court ceremony to mark Easter. The imperial family

7455-574: The imperial protection, by which the abbey was withdrawn from the suzerainty of the rulers of Bavaria. With the activities of the monk Froumund (1006-1012) and Abbot Ellinger (1017-1026 and 1031-1041), the abbey became a centre of literature, manuscript production and learning, and was also active in the resettlement of other Benedictine houses in Bavaria, including the newly founded abbey of Saints Ulrich and Afra in Augsburg in c. 1012. Glass works were established at Tegernsee to make stained-glass windows for Bishop Gottschalk of Freising. The double doors of

7560-496: The journey back to Germany, Otto's rearguard was attacked and destroyed by French forces, with their supplies being captured. Despite neither side obtaining a clear victory, Otto II felt his honor was sufficiently restored and opened peace negotiations with the French King. Peace was finally concluded between Otto II and Lothair in 980: in return for renouncing his claims on Lorraine, Otto II would recognize Lothair's son Louis V as

7665-464: The land around Rheims , Soissons , and Laon . Otto II then had Charles crowned as King of the Franks by Theodoric I, Bishop of Metz . Lothair then fled to the French capital of Paris and was there besieged by Otto II and Charles. Sickness among his troops brought on by winter and a French relief army under Hugh Capet forced Otto II and Charles to lift the siege on November 30, and to return to Germany. On

7770-580: The largest technical recipe manuals in Europe. This second flowering continued into the Early Modern period. From 1573, the monastery had its own printing press , which thanks to Imperial privileges was allowed to print many books on theology, liturgy and the theory of music. The community survived the confusion of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), when the abbey was raided by Swedish soldiers. Tegernsee Abbey

7875-518: The message of Christianity as far as Tyrol and Lower Austria . A well-known and detailed (but nevertheless entirely unverifiable) tradition about the foundation has developed. According to this tradition, Otkar and Adelbert were princes of the Huosi . They and their families lived at the court of Pippin the Younger , King of the Franks (714-768), whose son fell into a rage during a game of chess and killed

7980-450: The monastery itself were acquired in 1817 by king Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and later became a possession of the Dukes in Bavaria (a side branch of the ruling Wittelsbach family, the kings of Bavaria), attracted by the unusually beautiful location, and turned it into their summer residence. Known since then as Schloss Tegernsee , it is still the property of that family, the present owner

8085-493: The most important such monks was John Philagathus (the future Antipope John XVI ). Of Greek descent, John was the personal chaplain of Otto II's wife Theophanu , accompanying her when she traveled from Constantinople to marry Otto II. Otto II appointed him as his Imperial Chancellor from 980 to 982, as well as abbot of Nonantola Abbey . Following Otto II's death in 983, Theophanu, as her son Otto III 's regent, would name John as Otto III's tutor. She would later appoint John as

8190-563: The nearby church of Egern depicted the scene of the princes playing chess. The first abbot was Adalbert who took part in the Synod of Dingolfing in 770. Adalbert and his representative Zacho were present at the synod of St. Emmeram in Ratisbon (before 798). They were in the possession of Tegernsee which had been claimed by Bishop Atto of Freising. This demand was a result of the efforts of the episcopate of Bavaria of that era to limit as much as possible

8295-484: The new duke of Swabia . The emperor sensed the far-reaching ambitions of his cousin and denied his request. Instead, Otto named as duke his nephew Otto , son of his half-brother, Liudolf, who had once been duke of Swabia. Prior to this appointment, Otto had been a long-time opponent of Henry's expanding influence in Swabia. By naming the son of his half-brother instead of his cousin, Otto reinforced his father's policy of appointing close family members to key posts throughout

8400-416: The old Saxon nobility. His other advisers lacked support from the Empire's various dukes. The archbishop of Mainz , Willigis , appointed in 975, who had been Otto II's advisor since Otto the Great's second expedition into Italy in the 960s, had not been born into a noble family. Hildebald of Worms , who had been appointed as Otto II's chancellor in 977 and then as bishop of Worms in 979, was also not from

8505-454: The parochial labours of the monasteries. The matter was adjusted by a settlement made at Tegernsee on 16 June, 804, on the occasion of the dedication of the Church of St. Peter at Tegernsee and the translation to it of the relics of Quirinus from the Basilica of St. Saviour. After the fall of Tassilo III, Duke of Bavaria (748-788), Tegernsee became a Carolingian Empire royal monastery during

8610-482: The rebellion, Otto stripped Henry of his duchy and had him excommunicated. Otto then marched his army south to Bavaria and laid siege to Regensburg , Henry's stronghold. Otto's army eventually broke through the city's defenses, forcing Henry to flee to Bohemia. With Henry deposed, in July 976 Otto issued far-reaching edicts on the reorganization of the southern German duchies. He reduced the size of Duchy of Bavaria by almost

8715-481: The reign of Otto the Great, Denmark fulfilled all its obligations and regularly paid tribute to the Germans. When Harald became king in 958, he expanded the control of his kingdom into Norway , becoming king there in 970. With his newly obtained power, the young ruler was no longer willing to accept German supremacy over his kingdom. In summer 974, Harald rebelled against Otto II. With the support of Norwegian troops, Harald

8820-477: The rightful heir to the French throne. With peace concluded, Otto II returned to Aachen to celebrate Pentecost , and then moved towards Nijmegen . During the journey, in late June or early July 980, the Empress Theophanu gave birth to the Imperial couple's only son: Otto III . With his rule north of the Alps secured and with the birth of his heir, Otto II shifted his focus to Italy. The situation south of

8925-441: The son of Otkar with the chessboard . Pippin, fearing the revenge of such a powerful family, he summoned Otkar and Adalbert before they could hear of the killing, and asked them for their advice: "How would you deal with a terrible evil if there were no way to change it?" The brothers replied: "All one could do in such a case would be to accept the evil with humility and submission to the will of God." Only then did Pippin tell them of

9030-462: The son of Petro, fled to Otto II's court in Saxony with plans to depose the new pro-Byzantine Doge, Pietro I Orseolo . Pietro I Orselo's conciliating policy towards the Empire was ineffective. After having ruled Venice for about two years, Pietro I voluntarily abdicated to become a monk , allowing the pro-Ottonian Vitale to return to Venice as Doge in 978, restoring the city's friendly relationship with

9135-513: The south, the Emperor and his wife Theophanu returned to the old capital of Aachen in Lorraine . With the Imperial family near the French border, Lothair invaded Lorraine and marched on Aachen. With the French army in sight, Otto II and Theophanu fled to Cologne and then to the Duchy of Saxony . Upon hearing of the French invasion, Otto II’s mother Adelaide of Italy , who was Lothair's mother-in-law, sided with Lothair over her own son and moved to

9240-719: The succession of his own son to the Imperial throne. With domestic affairs settled, Otto II would focus his attention from 980 onward to annexing the whole of Italy into the Empire. His conquests brought him into conflict with the Byzantine Empire and with the Muslims of the Fatimid Caliphate , who both held territories in southern Italy. After initial successes in unifying the southern Lombard principalities under his authority and in conquering Byzantine-controlled territory, Otto II's campaigns in southern Italy ended in 982 following

9345-565: The succession of the throne, he had violated the kingdom's unwritten law that succession rights could only be granted to a child who has reached the age of majority . He was likely motivated by the high risk associated with his expedition into Italy to claim the imperial title from the pope. Otto I crossed the Alps into Italy, while Otto II remained in Germany, and the two archbishops, Bruno and William, were appointed as his regents . After three-and-a-half years in Italy, Otto I returned to Germany early in 965 as Holy Roman emperor . In order to give

9450-591: The territory into his Empire. Otto II's march caused the Byzantine Empire to seek an alliance with Muslim Sicily in order to hold on to its southern Italian possessions. Otto's army besieged and captured the Byzantine city of Taranto , the administrative center of Apulia, in March 982. After celebrating Easter in Taranto, Otto II moved his army westward, defeating a Muslim army in early July. Emir Abu al-Qasim, who had declared

9555-471: The territory of Henry's brother-in-law Duke Burchard III of Swabia . Henry's actions in naming a bishop in a duchy not his own and without Imperial direction brought him into conflict with both Otto and Burchard. Not desiring civil war, Otto, on 22 September 973, invested Henry as bishop. On 12 November 973, Burchard died with no heir: his union to Hedwig , sister of Henry, had produced no children. With no clear successor, Henry demanded that Otto name him as

9660-571: The threat from Muslim Sicily. Since the 960s the island had been under Muslim rule as the Emirate of Sicily , a state of the Fatimid Caliphate . The ruling Kalbid dynasty had conducted raids against Imperial territories in southern Italy. The death of Pandulf in 981 allowed the Sicilian Emir Abu al-Qasim to increase his raids, hitting targets in Apulia and Calabria . As early as 980 Otto II demanded

9765-655: The whole of Italy. Influenced by his wife, who was hostile to the return of the Macedonian Dynasty in the shape of Byzantine Emperor Basil II after the assassination of John I Tzimisces , Otto II was persuaded to annex Byzantine-controlled southern Italy. However, this policy necessarily meant war not only with the Byzantine Empire but with the Muslim Fatimid Caliphate , which claimed southern Italy as within its sphere of influence. The Ottonians' chief lieutenant in central and southern Italy had long been

9870-559: The work of Otto I in subordinating the Catholic Church to Imperial control. Early in his reign, Otto II defeated a major revolt against his rule from other members of the Ottonian dynasty who claimed the throne for themselves. His victory allowed him to exclude the Bavarian line of the Ottonians from the line of Imperial succession. This strengthened his authority as Emperor and secured

9975-562: Was able to cross the Danish border into Germany, defeating the German forces stationed in the north. Otto II attacked Harald's forces, but the joint Danish-Norwegian army repelled the German army. In autumn, however, when the Norwegian allies sailed north to return to Norway, Otto II was able to counter Harald's advances at the Danevirke . Before Henry II's civil war in southern Germany erupted, Otto II

10080-559: Was also a prominent member of the Benedictine Bavarian Congregation , established in 1684. The former Carolingian style abbey church built at the end of the 10th century had been converted in the 11th to a Romanesque basilica , which in its turn had been re-fashioned between 1455 and 1460 into a Gothic church. The monastic buildings and the church were refurbished in the Baroque style between 1684 and 1688. During

10185-480: Was born in 955, the third son of King Otto the Great of Germany and his second wife, Adelaide of Italy . By 957, Otto II's older brothers, Henry (born 952) and Bruno (born 953), had died, as well as Liudolf , Otto I's son from his first wife, Eadgyth . With his older brothers dead, the two-year-old Otto became Otto I's heir apparent . Otto I entrusted his illegitimate son, Archbishop William of Mainz , with Otto II's literary and cultural education. Odo , margrave of

10290-408: Was faced with disputes in western Germany. The brothers Reginar IV, Count of Mons , and Lambert I, Count of Louvain , demanded that the Emperor restore their confiscated inheritance in the Duchy of Lorraine . Years earlier in 958, Otto the Great banished their father Reginar III, Count of Hainaut , to Bohemia after he attempted a failed revolt. In 973, Otto II granted their request. With both Otto

10395-449: Was given Benevento when Otto II partitioned Landulf IV's territory, with Landulf IV keeping Capua. Finally, Duke Manso I of Amalfi deposed Pandulf II of Salerno in 982. By 982 the entire area once ruled by Pandulf had collapsed, weakening Otto II's position against the Byzantines. The Byzantines still claimed sovereignty over the Lombard principalities, and the lack of a single leader to prevent their advances into Lombard territory allowed

10500-523: Was granted no area of responsibility. Otto II was confined primarily to northern Italy during his father's time south of the Alps. After five years away, the imperial family returned to Saxony in August 972. On 7 May 973, Otto died of fever, and Otto II succeeded his father as sole emperor without meeting any opposition. Otto II spent his reign continuing his father's policy of strengthening Imperial rule in Germany and extending it deeper into Italy. When Otto

10605-447: Was joined by Otto II's sister Matilda, Abbess of Quedlinburg , King Conrad of Burgundy and his wife Matilda of France , Duke Hugh Capet of France, Duke Otto of Swabia and Bavaria , and other high secular and religious officials from Germany, Italy and France. Otto II proceeded to hold court in Rome, making the city his Imperial capital, where he received princes and nobles from all parts of western Europe. The relationship between

10710-513: Was not enough for the young Bavarian duke, who wished to extend his influence in the Duchy of Swabia as his father had under Otto the Great. The death of Bishop Ulrich of Augsburg on 4 July, brought the conflict between the cousins to a head. Without consulting Otto, Henry named his cousin Henry as the new bishop of Augsburg. Augsburg was located on the western side of the Swabian-Bavarian border,

10815-407: Was settled by monks from St. Gall and dedicated to Saint Quirinus a Roman martyr. It is well established that the founders of the abbey obtained the relics of Quirinus from Pope Paul I (757-67), and that these relics were translated from Rome to Tegernsee in the second half of the eighth century and were placed in the Church of Our Saviour, the first church of Tegernsee. Soon the monastery spread

10920-456: Was the soldier-emperor's niece by marriage. On 14 April 972, the sixteen-year-old Otto II was married to the fourteen-year-old Eastern princess, and Theophanu was crowned empress by the pope. Even after his coronation, Otto II remained in the shadow of his overbearing father. Though the nominal co-ruler of the Empire, he was denied any role in its administration. Unlike his earlier son Liudolf , whom Otto I named duke of Swabia in 950, Otto II

11025-474: Was to confirm the rights and possessions of the archbishop of Magdeburg . Although Otto II had succeeded peacefully to the throne, internal divisions of power still remained unaddressed. During his first seven years as emperor, he was constantly occupied with maintaining Imperial power against internal rivals and external enemies. The domestic problems Otto the Great faced between 963 and 972 had not been resolved by his death. The Saxon nobility continued to resist

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