Otto von Kerpen

Otto von Kerpen († 1208) was the second Grand Master of the Teutonic Order in the period 1200-1208.

Otto came from a poor Rhenish Ministerialengeschlecht based on the Burg Kerpen in the Eifel. He is mentioned as one of the 40 knights who founded the Teutonic Order. In older sources has therefore been speculated he came from Bremen. He was later than 1197 with the crusade of Henry VI. arrived in Outremer.

After the death of the Grand Master Heinrich Walpot of Bassenheim in 1200 Otto was elected Grand Master. During his tenure, he made ​​efforts to gain more independence to the Order and the same privileges as the older military orders, namely, the Templars and Hospitallers.

He died in 1208 and was buried in Acre.

With his death went the old dynasty of Kerpen in the male line. The castle and lordship Kerpen dropped to his sister Hildegard and her husband Winnemar, Herr von Manderscheid. Both great-grandson Richard later founded by inheritance, a new line of the von Kerpen.