Otto I, Landgrave of Hesse

Otto I (c. 1272; † January 17, 1328 in Kassel ) was a son of Count Henry I of Hesse and his wife Adelheid of Brunswick.

Government

After the death of his father Otto first ruled from 1308 the "Land of the Lahn " (the " Upper lant " and later Upper Hesse), which included the area around Marburg, Giessen, Grünberg and Alsfeld. His half- brother John received the " Nider lant " (later Lower Hesse ), the area on the lower Fulda, Eder, Schwalm, Werra and the upper reaches of the Weser River with the residence Kassel. After John's death in 1311 Otto also inherited the part of the county and country united, thus returning them in one hand. He resided alternately in Marburg and Kassel.

Otto had a long feud with the Archbishop of Mainz, Matthias von Buchegg, the contest gave him the legacy of his late half-brother Johann in 1311, the part - Landgraviate Lower Hesse, as fallen main home zisches fief. 1324 won Mainz, with the help of troops from the main hiss Amoeneburg, the battle in the Lahnbergen. 1327 took Mainz using Trierischer troops, the city of Giessen one, but uprisings of citizens made ​​it possible for Otto to bring the city quickly back under his control. Only after Otto's death and the victory of his son Henry II in Wetzlar and the mediation of King John of Bohemia in 1328 the feud was settled.

Several documents Otto are obtained for the city of Kassel, where he is the city's various rights and freedoms affirmed.

Against the staple right of the city Munden, the adverse consequences for Kassel, Otto went on with determination. When the Duke of Brunswick- Lüneburg happened staple rights for half of all the salt that Munden, demanded that Otto was on the same legal goods from Munden, which should happen Kassel.

According to some sources, Otto I tried to introduce primogeniture for his sons and the house of Hesse. So his son, Louis received the Grebe Steinburg and his son Hermann Castle Nordeck as Paragium. Both committed themselves to celibacy, but what Ludwig did not notice. To prevent the division of the state by a second marriage, Otto I to have recommended his followers not to marry befitting. After Wilhelm Dilich it was about literally: " This Otto made ​​accordingly to several prevention dispute a constitution and arrangement that meet henceforth alzeit the eltist son under his alone reigning prince and daheer a Landgraf and Mr. Hesse country and gene -ended Lord. But the other brothers called Landgrave of Hesse and gene -ended Junkers, which should not be getheilet alone made ​​an entertaining with friends after the rat occasion of the nation and the country. "

Otto died on January 17, 1328 in Kassel. He was buried in the monastery Ahnaberg.

Family

With his wife, Adelaide of Ravens mountain ( † 1335/39 ), daughter of Otto III. Ravens of the mountain, he had five children:

  • Henry II, " the Iron " ( * before 1302, † 1376 ), 1328-1376, Landgrave of Hesse
  • Otto ( * 1301, † 1361 ), from 1331 Archbishop of Magdeburg
  • Ludwig ( * 1305, † 1345 ), was named after the primogeniture of his brother's castle Grebestein as Paragium. He married around 1340 Elise ( Elisabeth Margaretha or ), daughter of Count Eberhard of Sponheim - Neef. They had three children: Otto ( * 1338, † 1357 ) was intended for the clergy, and was educated in Magdeburg, where he was to be the successor of his uncle Otto Archbishop of Magdeburg. He died young. Supposedly he fell a victim to poison attack, which was led by the Abbot Henry VII of Kranlucken the monastery of Fulda.
  • Hermann II, " the scholar " ( * ca 1342, † 1413 ), succeeded his uncle Henry II as Landgrave of Hesse.
  • Agnes (* 1342, † December 25, 1394 ), was abbess at St. Catherine's monastery in Eisenach, where she also died.
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