OTTO
356
OTTO
was crowned at Aix, 26 May. Frail in body, ho pos-
sessed an intrepid and arbitrary spirit. With him be-
gan that extravagant policy of imperialism, which
aimed at restoring the world bounclaries of the an-
cients, and to encompass the Ancient Sea (the Medi-
terranean). Germany and Italy wore to wield the
balance of power. Reacting against this imperialis-
tic policy was the revived strength of particularism.
The conflict with the ducal House of Bavaria gave a
dangerous aspect to affairs. In Bavaria (with Otto's
approval) the duchess dowager Judith acted as regent
for her son Henry. Upon coming of ago he was given
the Duchy of Bavaria in foe by Otto II, who, at the
same time, invested Ludolph's son Otto with Swabia
on the tloath of Duke Burchard, ignoring the latter's
widow, Hodwig, a daughter of Judith. Henry, named
the "QuLirrclsorao", supported by Abraham of Frie-
sing, Boloslaw of Bo-
hemia, and Mcsishiv
of Poland, oppDsid
this. The war fiiiull\
ended by Judith bi-
ing immured in :i
cloister and Henry
declared to have for-
feited his duchy. Lu-
dolph's son Otto re-
ceived the vacant
ducal throne. The
Eastmark was sepa-
rated from Bavaria
and given in fee to
Luitpold of Babon-
berg, who laid tlio
foundation of the fu-
ture renown of In-
family. In 97S I.n-
thair, who aspin-d
to the acquisition of
Western Germany,
invaded Lorraine,
and pillaged Aix
where Otto narrowly
escaped capture. But Lothair did not advance fur-
ther. In Dortmtmd a war of reprisal was at once
decided upon; with 00,000 men. Otto marched upon
Paris, which he failed to take. Lothair, however, was
obhged to come to terms, and in 980 the two kings
met near Sedan, where Otto obtained an agreement
securing the former boundaries.
In Rome, Crescentius, a son of Theodora, headed a disorderly factional government and sought to settle the affairs of the Holy See by coercion. Otto cros.sed the Alps and freed the papacy. While in Rome his mind became imbued with dreams of ancient impe- riaUsm ; he would give his imperialistic policy a firm foundation by bringing all Italy under subjection. In Southern Italy the Byzantines and Saracens united against the German pretensions, and in 982 the war with these ancient powers commenced. Tarentum fell into the hands of the German king, but 1.5 July, 982, he was defeated near Capo Colonne, not far from Cotrone. This battle resulted in the surrender of Apulia and Calabria and destroyed the prestige of the impe- rial authority throughout Italy. The effect spread to the people of the North and the turbulent Slavs on the East, and .shortly after the Danes and Wends rose up inarms. But Otto was victorious. The Christian mis- sion, under the leadership of pilgrims of Passau, had made great progress in the territory of the Magyars. Then came the defeat in Calabria, whereupon all of Slavonia, particularly the heathen part, revolted against German sovereignty. The promising begin- nings of German and Christian culture east of the Elbe, inaugurated by Otto, were destroyed. In Bo- hemia the ecclesiastical organization was thoroughly established, but the emperor was unable to support
the bishop whom he had placed there. On the Havel
and the Spree Christianity was almost annihilated.
Affairs wore in equally bad condition among the
Wends. The reign of Otto II has been justly called
the period of martyrdom for the German Church. The
missions which had been organized by Otto I wore,
with few exceptions, destroyed. Otto II now renewed
the despotic policy towards the Saxonian border
nobles and incited open discontent. In 9s:5 ho hold an
Imperial Diet where his son was elected king as Otto
III and where the assembled nobles pledged their sup-
jjort. He departed with high hopes for Southern Italy.
Fortune seemed to favour the imperial Icailcr, who ex-
pected to wipe out the disgrace suffered in the south.
He chose a new pope, Peter of Pavia (John XIV).
While in Rome he was stricken with malaria and was
buried in St. Peter's. At the time of his death the rela-
tions of the empire
towards the papacy
were still undefined.
He had been unable
to maintain his polit-
ical ascendency in
Rome. His imperi-
alistic policy had
placed the restraints
of progressive and
liacific Christianity
and Germanization
on the borders; and
ho, pursuing fanciful
il roams, believed
that he might dare to
transfer the goal of
his policy to the
south.
GlESEBRECHT, Jahr- hticher des deutschen Kriches unler Otto II (H(-rlin, 1840); Uhler, Jiilirhiirher des deutschen rtiches unler Otto II u. Otto III (Leipzig, 1902); Detmer, Otto II bis turn Tode seines Voters (Leip- zig, 1878); Mt)LLER-M.\NN, Die auswdrtige Politik Kaiser Ottos II (Basle, 1898); Moltmann. Theophano. die Gemahlin Ottos II in ihrer Bedeulung fur die Politik Otto I u. Otto II (Gottingen,
1873). F. Kampers.
otto III, German king and Roman emperor, b. 980; d. at Paterno, 24 Jan., 1002. At the age of three he was elected king at Verona, in very restless times. Henry the Quarrelsome, the deposed Duke of Bavaria, claimed his guardianship. This nobleman wished for the imperial crown. To further his object he made an alliance with Lothair of France. Williger, Archbishop of Mainz, the leader of Otto's party, improved the situation. He induced Henry to release the impris- oned king, for which his Duchy of Bavaria was re- stored. Otto's mother, Theophano, now assumed the regency. She abandoned her husband's imperial- istic policy and devoted herself entirely to furthering an alliance between Church and State. Her policy bore a broad national stamp. On her husband's death, this princess styled herself simply "Emperor" in Italy, though she was obliged for political reasons to acknowledge Crescentius as Patrician by her personal presence in Rome in 989. In France Louis V had died without heirs, and Hugh Capet was elected. This was the work of the French episcopate. Theophano was not able to prevent France from speedily freeing her- self from German influence. The regent endeavoured to watch over the national questions of the Empii-e in the East. One of the greatest achievements of this empress Wiis her success in maintaining feudal suprem- acy over Bohemia.
After her death, the less capable Adelaide assumed the regency. Unlike her predecessor, hers was not a nature fitted to rule; the Slavs rose on the eastern
Rome
