Henry, Margrave of Frisia
Henry the Fat (* 1055, † before 10 April 1101) was Count in Rittigau and in the calibration field and Margrave of Friesland. He was the eldest son of Otto of Northeim and his wife Richenza of Swabia. In contemporary sources he is referred to as henricus crassus, which crassus may have the meaning fat or rich.
Henry took over in 1083, the paternal home counties in Rittigau and in the calibration field and was one of the most influential Saxon princes. Around the year 1086 he married the wealthy widow Gertrude the Younger of Brunswick, thereby add to the Northeim the lands of the Count of Katlenburg and the Brunonen and its influence could further expand. From the Earl of Bilstein he inherited parts of the Werra Valley, which he became its sole master. He was also bailiff of the convent Helmarshausen and the Benedictine monastery founded by him in 1093 Bursfelde.
Henry belonged first to the supporters of the anti-king Hermann of Salm, with whom he was related. 1086 he changed and his brothers but on the side of Henry IV
His wife Gertrude of Brunswick was the only sister Ekbert II, whose marriage remained childless. You would be so according to the law of succession the heiress of the county of Friesland was when her brother died in 1090. However, the county came under the administration of Bishop Conrad of Utrecht. Konrad was murdered in 1099, and Henry succeeded in 1101 by the grace of the Emperor, to win the county. The ministeriales of Utrecht, who saw a threat to their position by Heinrich, the Frisian Schiffer, wanted to govern their new duties Heinrich, and the city Staveren, whose privileges he did not recognize, allied against him. You received Heinrich friendly, but with guile. When he realized this, he tried to escape to the sea, but was drowned by navigators. Gertrude escaped the attack scarce. Henry's death date is not known, only the day of his funeral in Bursfeld monastery on 10 April 1101.
The katlenburgische and bruno African ownership came about Henry's daughter Richenza, who was married to Lothar of Süpplingenburg, to the Guelphs.
Progeny
From the marriage with Gertrude had three children:
- Otto III. of Northeim, 1086/88-1117
- Richenza, heiress of Brunswick- Northeim, 1086/87-1141
- Gertrude, heiress of Bentheim and Rheineck to 1090 - before 1165 ∞ 1 ) Siegfried I. (Weimar - Orlamünde ) and 2 ) Otto I of Salm