Adolf II of Holstein ( – 6 July 1164) was the
Count of Schauenburg and
Holstein from 1130 until his death, though he was briefly out of Holstein from 1137 until 1142. He succeeded his father
Adolf I under the regency of his mother, Hildewa.
After the death of the
Emperor Lothair II (1137), the new king,
Conrad III
Conrad III (german: Konrad; it, Corrado; 1093 or 1094 – 15 February 1152) of the Hohenstaufen dynasty was from 1116 to 1120 Duke of Franconia, from 1127 to 1135 anti-king of his predecessor Lothair III and from 1138 until his death in 1152 k ...
, granted the
Duchy of Saxony to
Albert the Bear. Adolf was consequently deprived of Holstein because he was a
Welf supporter and refused to recognise Albert as duke. He only received it back in 1142 when Conrad and
Henry the Lion were reconciled.
In 1143 as a result of the
Wendish Crusade, Henry and Adolf divided the rule of the conquered
Slavic lands to their east. Adolf received
Wagria with its chief city, the castle of
Sigberg, built by Lothair, and Henry received
Polabia
:''"Polabian Slavs" is often used as a general term for the West Slavs of Germany. This article is about the specific tribe called "Polabians".''
The Polabians (german: Polaben; la, Polabi) were a constituent Lechitic tribe of the Obotrites who ...
with
Ratzeburg as its capital. Sigberg became Adolf's chief fortress and most regular seat. Adolf promoted Christianity in his new lands, especially through the missionary work of
Vicelinus. Adolf, encouraged by Lothair, promoted German colonisation of his Slavic territories, especially with colonists from not only his own lands but also from
Westphalia,
Flanders,
Holland,
Utrecht, and
Frisia
Frisia is a cross-border cultural region in Northwestern Europe. Stretching along the Wadden Sea, it encompasses the north of the Netherlands and parts of northwestern Germany. The region is traditionally inhabited by the Frisians, a West Ger ...
.
In 1143 or 1144, Adolf built
Lübeck, the first German port on the
Baltic Sea. Adolf also built the first castle (1143) in Lübeck: a
wood and earth construction. In 1157, Lübeck was burned and rebuilt by Henry the Lion, to whom Adolf transferred it in 1159.
Adolf supported
Sweyn III of Denmark
Sweyn III GratheFor the significance of the epithet, see Tripartition ( da, Svend III Grathe) ( – 23 October 1157) was the King of Denmark between 1146 and 1157, in shifting alliances with Canute V and his own cousin Valdemar I. In 1157 ...
against the claimant
Canute V
Canute V Magnussen ( da, Knud V Magnussen) ( – 9 August 1157) was a King of Denmark from 1146 to 1157, as co-regent in shifting alliances with Sweyn III and Valdemar I. Canute was killed at the so-called ''Bloodfeast of Roskilde'' in 1157. Noth ...
in a dispute over the
Danish throne. Canute, with the help of
Etheler von Dithmarschen, attacked Holstein and burned
Oldenburg in Holstein, devastating the German north coast.
In 1159, Adolf accompanied the
Emperor Frederick I into Italy and in 1164 he aided Henry the Lion against the
Obotrites, dying in the
Battle of Verchen. He was buried in
Minden
Minden () is a middle-sized town in the very north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the greatest town between Bielefeld and Hanover. It is the capital of the district (''Kreis'') of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detm ...
. He was succeeded by his son,
Adolf III, under the regency of his widow, Mechtild of Schwarzburg-Käfernburg.
Sources
*
Manuel Talaván (2010). Relaciones germano eslavas en el contexto de cruzada: la cruzada venda. Intus-Legere Historia. Vol. 4, Nº 2; pp. 19-44
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adolf 02 of Holstein
1120s births
Year of birth uncertain
Place of birth unknown
1164 deaths
Counts of Holstein
House of Schauenburg
Military personnel killed in action
Christians of the Wendish Crusade