Esico of Ballenstedt (died around 1060) is the

progenitor In genealogy, the progenitor (rarer: primogenitor; german: Stammvater or ''Ahnherr'') is the – sometimes legendary – founder of a family, line of descent, clan or tribe, noble house, or ethnic group.. Ebenda''Ahnherr:''"Stammvater eines G ...

of the

House of Ascania The House of Ascania (german: Askanier) was a dynasty of German rulers. It is also known as the House of Anhalt, which refers to its longest-held possession, Anhalt. The Ascanians are named after Ascania (or Ascaria) Castle, known as ''Schloss ...

, (i.e., the oldest known member of his dynasty). Esico was the count of Ballenstedt (r. 1036-1060), and his possessions became the nucleus of the later

Principality of Anhalt The Principality of Anhalt (german: Fürstentum Anhalt) was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, located in Central Germany, in what is today part of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. Under the rule of the House of Ascania, the Anhalt territory ...

Life

Parents and siblings

Esico is also known as Esiko and Hesicho.Schlenker 2012 p29-30 His father is sometimes assumed to have been one Adalbert of Ballenstedt, who had married Hidda, a daughter of Margrave Odo I of the Saxon Eastern March, but there is no hard evidence for this.Feicker 2012, p16 Thereby, Esico would have been a brother of

Uta von Ballenstedt Uta von Ballenstedt ( — 23 October before 1046), a member of the House of Ascania, was Margravine of Meissen from 1038 until 1046, the wife of Margrave Eckard II. She is also called Uta of Naumburg as the subject of a famous donor portrait by ...

, the consort of Margrave Eckard II of Meissen, and of Hacheza, abbess of

Gernrode Gernrode () is a historic town and former municipality in the Harz District, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2014, it has been part of Quedlinburg.

Career

Little is known about him, but he is assumed to have been count of the Saxon

Schwabengau The Schwabengau (modernized name; originally: Suavia, Suevon, Nordosquavi) was an early medieval shire ('' Gau'') in the Eastphalia region of the medieval Duchy of Saxony. Ruled by the House of Ascania, it became the nucleus of the later Princip ...

Harzgau The Harzgau was a medieval shire ('' Gau'') in the northeastern foorhils of the Harz mountains, part of the Eastphalia region of Saxony. It included the towns of Halberstadt, Quedlinburg, and Osterwieck, and was bounded by the Oker in the west, b ...

and

Nordthüringgau The Nordthüringgau was a medieval county (german: Gau) in the Eastphalian region of the German stem duchy of Saxony. Geography The county was located on both sides of the upper Aller river in present-day Saxony-Anhalt. It was bounded by the Lap ...

with his seat at

Ballenstedt Ballenstedt is a town in the Harz district, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Geography It is situated at the northern rim of the Harz mountain range, about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Quedlinburg. The municipal area comprises the vi ...

Castle. Esico was first mentioned in a 1036 deed issued by Emperor

Conrad II Conrad II ( – 4 June 1039), also known as and , was the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1027 until his death in 1039. The first of a succession of four Salian emperors, who reigned for one century until 1125, Conrad ruled the kingdoms ...

, and then until eight further charters issued up to 1059. He is also referred to in the 13th century chronicle, the ''

Annalista Saxo The Annalista Saxo ("Saxon annalist") is the anonymous author of an important imperial chronicle, believed to have originated in the mid-12th century at Nienburg Abbey in the Duchy of Saxony. General The chronicle of the "Annalista Saxo" is a c ...

'', as ''Esicus de Ballenstide''. He is assumed to have inherited large properties in the

Saxon Eastern March The Saxon Eastern March (german: Sächsische Ostmark) was a march of the Holy Roman Empire from the 10th until the 12th century. The term "eastern march" stems from the Latin term ''marchia Orientalis'' and originally could refer to either a march ...

from his maternal grandfather Margrave Odo I. He was the count of Ballenstedt from at least about 1036 until his death in about 1060. In about 1043, he likely founded a collegiate church dedicated to

Pancras of Rome Pancras (Latin: ''Sanctus Pancratius'') was a Roman citizen who converted to Christianity and was beheaded for his faith at the age of fourteen, around the year 304. His name is Greek (Παγκράτιος) and means "the one that holds everythin ...

and

Abundius Abundius (also Abondius, Abundias, or Abbondio; early fifth century – 469), venerated in the Catholic Church as Saint Abundius, was a bishop of Como, Northern Italy. Biography Abundius was born at Thessalonica. Around 448 Abundius became the ...

near his castle, castle Ballenstedt. He was among the founders of

Naumburg Cathedral Naumburg Cathedral (german: Naumburger Dom St. Peter und St. Paul, ), located in Naumburg, Germany, is the former cathedral of the Bishopric of Naumburg-Zeitz. The church building, most of which dates back to the 13th century, is a renowned landmark ...

, of which his sister, Uta was a major donor. It is occasionally stated that Esico built the first buildings of Anhalt Castle in 1050, but other sources consider that castle to have been built by Esico's grandson,

Otto, Count of Ballenstedt Otto, Count of Ballenstedt, called Otto the Rich ( – 9 February 1123), was the first Ascanian prince to call himself count of Anhalt, and was also briefly named duke of Saxony. He was the father of Albert the Bear, who later conquered Brand ...

, in about 1123. When Uta and Eckard died childless in 1045 and 1046 respectively, their property was to revert to

Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor Henry III (28 October 1016 – 5 October 1056), called the Black or the Pious, was Holy Roman Emperor from 1046 until his death in 1056. A member of the Salian dynasty, he was the eldest son of Conrad II and Gisela of Swabia. Henry was raised by ...

, but Esico ensured that major parts of their inheritance were given to the control of the Gernrode Abby, where their sister, Hazecha, had been abbess since 1043. Esico's possessions became the nucleus of the later

Marriage and Children

Esico was married to a woman named Matilda. Following an entry in the ''

'', Esico is sometimes said to have married

Matilda of Swabia Matilda of Swabia (german: Mathilde von Schwaben; – 29 July 1032), a member of the Conradine dynasty, was Duchess of Carinthia by her first marriage with Duke Conrad I and Duchess of Upper Lorraine by her second marriage to Duke Frederic ...

, daughter of

Herman II of Swabia Herman II (also ''Hermann'') (died 4 May 1003) was a member of the Conradine dynasty. He was Duke of Swabia from 997 to his death. In 1002, Herman unsuccessfully attempted to become king of Germany. Life Herman II was the son of Conrad I, Duke of ...

, and sister-in-law of Emperor

, around 1026. This is possible, as Matilda's second husband, Frederick of Bar, is thought to have died c.1026 (although he may have lived until 1033). Alternatively, his wife may have been Matilda of Werl.Trillmich, ''Kaiser Konrad II'', p. 79. With his wife, Esico had three children: *

Adalbert II, Count of Ballenstedt Adalbert II of Ballenstedt ( – 1076/1083), an early member of the House of Ascania, was ''Graf'' (count) in Saxony and ''Vogt'' of Nienburg Abbey. Life Adelbert, first mentioned in a 1033 deed, was born at Ballenstedt Castle in the Saxon Schwab ...

, who succeeded Esico as count of Ballenstedt. *Adelaide of Ballenstadt, wife of Thiemo of Schraplau. *Otto

References

Sources

*Schlenker, Gerlinde, ''Kloster Ballenstedt - das Hauskloster der aelteren Grafen von Anhalt'', in Harz-Zeitschrift für den Harz-Verein für Geschichte und Altertumskunde e.V., Lukas Verlag (2012) *Feicker, Bernd, ''Das Vorwek des Reichsstiftes Gernrode und das Kuechengut der Blankenburger'', in Harz-Zeitschrift für den Harz-Verein für Geschichte und Altertumskunde e.V., Lukas Verlag (2012) *W. Mohr, ''Geschichte des Herzogtums Lothringen'', vol. 1 (1974). *''Annalista Saxo'', in ''Die Reichschronik des Annalista Saxo'', ed. K. Nass, MGH SS 37 (Munich, 2006), accessible online at
Monumenta Germaniae Historica
*Helmut Assing, ''Die frühen Askanier und ihre Frauen.'' Kulturstiftung Bernburg 2002. *Lutz Partenheimer, ''Albrecht der Bär. Gründer der Mark Brandenburg und des Fürstentums Anhalt.'' Böhlau, Köln, Weimar, Wien 2001. . *W. Trillmich, ''Kaiser Konrad II. und seine Zeit'' (Bonn, 1991). *A. Thiele, ''Erzählende genealogische Stammtafeln zur europäischen Geschichte'', vol. I, ''Teilband 1 Deutsche Kaiser-, Königs-, Herzogs- und Grafenhäuser I''. {{DEFAULTSORT:Esico of Ballenstedt House of Ascania People from the Duchy of Saxony Year of birth unknown 1060s deaths Year of death uncertain