Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen
Otto the Tarentines (* 1319 or 1320, † 1399 in Foggia ) from the family of the Guelphs was Duke of Brunswick- Grubenhagen and after his marriage to Joanna I of Naples in 1376, Prince of Taranto and Count of Acerra.
Life
Otto was the eldest son of Henry II of Brunswick- called Grubenhagen Henry of Greece and his first wife Jutta, born Margravine of Brandenburg. Henry of Greece was the third son of Henry the strange ones, the founder of the Principality of Brunswick- Grubenhagen. Due to the large inheritances of Welf dynasty Otto himself received a sufficient legacy that would have been enough his thirst for action and as he moved, as was his father, in a foreign land. He is described as the type of a brave, ballsy Condottiere, who struggled early for different men.
In the service of the Margrave of Montferrat Johann he took in 1339 at the fighting around Asti in part. 1352 resigned from the Teutonic Order and in the service of King John II of France. Around this time he married, probably through the mediation of the King, Yolande, the daughter of Berengar of Villaragut and widow of Jacob III. of Mallorca. This Otto acquired a well-known property and was considered the wealthiest member of the otherwise quite poor house Grubenhagen. Shortly thereafter, he returned to Italy. He was guardian of the three sons of John of Montferrat. 1354 he took part in the coronation of Charles IV in part in Rome.
After the death of his first wife, Otto, who was now as a commander in various campaigns in Italy was held in high esteem by Pope Gregory XI. as a husband for the widowed Queen Marie of Armenia recommended. However, this plan was not carried out. Otto married in 1376 instead of Queen Joan I of Naples, whose fourth husband he should be. This Otto did not get though the title of king, but he has won both the Principality of Taranto, the county Acerra and some castles in Provence.
The Principality of Naples came after the death of Pope Gregory XI. in the clashes between his successor Urban VI. and the anti-pope Clement VII. Otto and Johanna were partisans of Clement and initially took him to Naples. Later had to Clemens, who was primarily supported by France, but then escape to Avignon. Because of their support for Clemens Johanna Urban was threatened with dismissal and Crusade. Urban conferred the kingdom of Naples to Charles of Durazzo and crowned him in 1380 in Rome. Charles succeeded to occupy 1381 Naples and include Johanna. Although Otto tried jointly with his brother Balthasar to free them, but failed and it also came with his brother in captivity. Johanna, who did not want to waive their rights, was strangled in 1382, before Louis of Anjou, to whom she had entrusted her heritage, her could come to your aid with his army.
Otto were kept in a mild adhesive and already came in 1384 again in freedom. He went to a trip to Sicily to Avignon, where, after the death of Louis the supreme command of the army of his heirs, Ludwig II took over. With this army he won in the summer of 1387 back to the Kingdom of Naples Louis II of Anjou. There he was, however, used contrary to his expectation not of Pope Clement VII as captain-general of the kingdom, he stepped out of indignation in the service of the enemy, and declared himself the heir of Charles, Ladislaus of Durazzo. He tried in vain to recapture that party Naples. 1392 he got repeated in captivity and had to free to buy, put the county Accera. The last years of his life he spent withdrawn in the Principality of Taranto and died at the beginning of the year 1399 in Foggia, where he is also buried. His pit Hagen home he saw after he had left her at a young age, barely.