CHAPTER IX.
OTTO II AND OTTO III.
The stability of the Saxon dynasty is shewn in a marked degree by the way in which son succeeded father almost without question until the direct line breaks off for lack of an heir with Otto III. Otto II, who was born towards the end of 955, had been elected and twice crowned (at Aix-la-Chapelle in May 961 and at Rome on Christmas Day 967) during his father's lifetime. When Otto the Great died in 973, he was universally accepted as his successor. It was not that there was no opposition, but the people of Germany as a whole were satisfied with the ruling family and, in cases of rebellion, were prepared to give their support to the hereditary sovereign. This fact is proved not only in the frequent Bavarian revolts in the reign of Otto II, but also and more remarkably in the attempt of the Duke of Bavaria to wrest the crown from its rightful possessor, the infant Otto III. Otto the Red is described by the chronicler Thietmar as being possessed of fine physical powers; and though at first, through lack of experience, he shunned wise counsel, chastened by troubles he set a rein upon himself and lived nobly for the rest of his days.
During the first seven years of his reign his energies were directed towards Bavaria and Lorraine. Bavaria enjoyed a position of greater independence than any of the other duchies. Its traditions were more deeply rooted; the influence of the old ducal family was stronger. It had ties closely binding it with the other southern duchy, Swabia. Burchard, Duke of Swabia, had died the year of Otto's accession and the new king filled the vacancy by appointing Otto, the son of his half brother Liudolf, former Duke of Swabia. Duke Burchard's widow, Hedwig, was the daughter of Judith, the widow of Henry I of Bavaria, who was always anxious to advance the interests of her family. She and her son Henry, the ruling Duke of Bavaria, resented the favour shewn to Otto, son of Liudolf, and broke into open revolt. In the first struggles we may see an arrangement of parties which remained unchanged throughout the reign. On the one side stand the sons of the children of Otto the Great by his first marriage with Edith, both named Otto, the one just elected to the duchy of Swabia, the other shortly after appointed Duke of Carinthia; to this party the Emperor first turned
