Otto the Great

Otto’s seal (968)

Otto I and Berengar

Otto I the Great (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), son of Henry I the Fowler, king of the Germans, and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of the Saxons, King of the Germans and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was succeeded by his son Otto II. He won a big war against the Magyars (Hungarians) and later conquered northern Italy.

Otto The Great Media

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  Genealogy of the Ottonians from the 13th century Chronica sancti Pantaleonis. Heinricus rex and Methildis regina can be seen in the double circle with Otto directly below them.

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  The confraternity book of the Abbey of Reichenau records the names of the Ottonian family and their most important helpers from 929. In the second column from the right Heinricus rex and his wife Mathild[e] reg[ina] are listed, then their eldest son Otto rex, already with the title of king.

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  Side view of the Throne of Charlemagne at Aachen Cathedral, where Otto was crowned King of Germany in 936

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  Central Europe, 919–1125. The Kingdom of Germany included the duchies of Saxony (yellow), Franconia (blue), Bavaria (green), Swabia (orange) and Lorraine (pink left). Various dukes rebelled against Otto's rule in 937 and again in 939.

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  12th-century stained glass depiction of Otto I, Strasbourg Cathedral

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  Statues of Otto I, right, and Adelaide in Meissen Cathedral. Otto and Adelaide were married after his annexation of Italy.

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  Manuscript depiction (c. 1200) of Otto accepting the surrender of Berengar II of Italy. The headline reads Otto I Theutonicorum rex ("Otto the First, King of the Germans").

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  A medieval king investing a bishop with the symbols of office. Otto centralized his control over Germany through the investiture of bishops and abbots.

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  Europe shortly after Otto's reign. The Hungarians (orange), located to the east of Otto's realm (blue), invaded Germany in 954 and 955.

Other websites

Media related to Otto I. at Wikimedia Commons