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Bavarian revolts
205

for support. The Bavarian family, Duke Henry and his cousin Henry, son of Duke Berthold, were the leaders of the opposite faction. Later, it was openly favoured by the Empress Adelaide the queen-mother, who had a somewhat natural aversion to the sons of her stepchildren, for it was these men who had headed the revolt against her husband in 955 just after and largely in consequence of her marriage[1]. In the first rebellion in Bavaria Henry's ambition seems to have aspired to the throne. It was the more serious as he was allied with Boleslav, Duke of the Bohemians, and with Mesco, Duke of the Poles. The plot was however discovered in time; Henry and his chief adviser, Abraham, Bishop of Freising, were summoned under pain of the ban to appear before the Emperor and were imprisoned, Henry at Ingelheim, Bishop Abraham at Corvey; Judith, who was also deeply involved in the conspiracy, entered a convent at Ratisbon.

It was not until the autumn of 975 that Otto was able to take the field against Boleslav of Bohemia to punish him for his share in the Bavarian revolt. In the interval he had been called away to deal with a dangerous incursion of the Danes under Harold Bluetooth who, having crossed the frontier wall, was ravaging the country beyond the Elbe. Otto hurriedly collected an army, marched against the invaders, and drove them back to the wall. He could not pursue his success further for a formidable army of Norwegians under Jarl Hákon blocked his way. But his object was achieved. Harold opened negotiations offering all his treasure; this Otto declined and withdrew to collect a larger army, but when Harold offered not only treasure, but also a tribute and his son as a hostage, his terms were accepted. To strengthen the frontier Otto established a new fortress on the east coast of Schleswig.

Before two years had elapsed, Henry, who well merited his name "the Wrangler," had escaped from his imprisonment at Ingelheim and again broke into revolt. Two brothers, Berthold and Liutpold, of the house of Babenberg, hurriedly mustered the local levies and held him in check until, at the approach of Otto himself, the rebellious duke fled

1 A table will make the relationships clear: Henry the Fowler Henry, Duke of Otto II Theophano Bavaria CH. II. Edith Otto I=Adelaide Liudolf 1 Otto, Duke of Swabia and Bavaria Otto, Duke of Carinthia Liut- Otto III gard-Conrad, Duke of Lorraine Arnulf, Duke of Bavaria Burchard, Hedwig Duke of Swabia " 1 Judith Henry (the Wrangler), Duke of Bavaria 205 Henry II, Duke of Bavaria and later Emperor Berthold, Duke of Bavaria Henry, Duke of Carinthia

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