Battle of Mellrichstadt was fought between
Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV
Henry IV (german: Heinrich IV; 11 November 1050 – 7 August 1106) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 to 1105, King of Germany from 1054 to 1105, King of Italy and Burgundy from 1056 to 1105, and Duke of Bavaria from 1052 to 1054. He was the son o ...
and the German anti-king
Rudolf of Swabia
Rudolf of Rheinfelden ( – 15 October 1080) was Duke of Swabia from 1057 to 1079. Initially a follower of his brother-in-law, the Salian emperor Henry IV, his election as German anti-king in 1077 marked the outbreak of the Great Saxon Revolt an ...
on 7 August 1078 near
Mellrichstadt
Mellrichstadt is a town in the district Rhön-Grabfeld, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 17 km southwest of Meiningen, and 13 km northeast of Bad Neustadt
Bad Neustadt an der Saale, officially Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale and often simp ...
.
Henry's army met the army of Rudolf's Saxon allies before they could meet up with the Swabians. In the confusion, one Saxon force including the bishops
Werner of Magdeburg Werner of Steusslingen (died 7 August 1078) was the archbishop of Magdeburg from 1063 until his death. His episcopate was dominated by the Investiture Contest. He was an ally of King Henry IV of Germany until 1073, when he joined the first Saxon r ...
and
Werner of Merseburg and Rudolf fled as soon as the armies met. They were harassed by the local people of the district while they fled home. Elsewhere, the Saxons under
Otto of Nordheim
Otto of Nordheim (c. 1020 – 11 January 1083) was Duke of Bavaria from 1061 until 1070. He was one of the leaders of the Saxon Rebellion in 1073-75 and the Great Saxon Revolt of 1077-88 against King Henry IV of Germany.
Life
Family
Otto was bor ...
and
Frederick of Sommerschenburg bested their opponents and chased them in the direction of
Würzburg
Würzburg (; Main-Franconian: ) is a city in the region of Franconia in the north of the German state of Bavaria. Würzburg is the administrative seat of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' Lower Franconia. It spans the banks of the Main River.
Würzburg is ...
. On his return, he found another army occupying the field. When his scouts did not return, he assumed it was the enemy and returned home, not knowing that it was a Saxon contingent.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Of Mellrichstadt
Mellrichstadt
Mellrichstadt is a town in the district Rhön-Grabfeld, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 17 km southwest of Meiningen, and 13 km northeast of Bad Neustadt
Bad Neustadt an der Saale, officially Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale and often simp ...
Mellrichstadt
Mellrichstadt is a town in the district Rhön-Grabfeld, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 17 km southwest of Meiningen, and 13 km northeast of Bad Neustadt
Bad Neustadt an der Saale, officially Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale and often simp ...
Mellrichstadt
Mellrichstadt is a town in the district Rhön-Grabfeld, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 17 km southwest of Meiningen, and 13 km northeast of Bad Neustadt
Bad Neustadt an der Saale, officially Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale and often simp ...
Conflicts in 1078
1078 in Europe
Mellrichstadt
Mellrichstadt is a town in the district Rhön-Grabfeld, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 17 km southwest of Meiningen, and 13 km northeast of Bad Neustadt
Bad Neustadt an der Saale, officially Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale and often simp ...
Great Saxon Revolt