Gero II (c. 975 – 1 September 1015 at
Krosno Odrzańskie
Krosno Odrzańskie (german: Crossen an der Oder) is a city on the east bank of Oder River, at the confluence with the Bóbr. The town in Western Poland with 11,319 inhabitants (2019) is the capital of Krosno Odrzańskie County, Krosno County. I ...
) was the eldest son of
Thietmar, Margrave of Meissen
Thietmar (II) ( – 3 August 979) was Margrave of Meissen from about 976 until his death.
Life
Thietmar was the eldest of three brothers, all sons of Margrave Christian, count in the Saxon Eastern March, and his wife Hidda, sister of Margrave Ge ...
, and
Schwanehilde (Suanhild), daughter of
Herman, Duke of Saxony
Hermann Billung (900 or 912 – 27 March 973) was the margrave of the Billung March from 936 until his death. The first of the Saxon House of Billung, Hermann was a trusted lieutenant of Emperor Otto I.
Though never Duke of Saxony himself, w ...
. He was therefore probably a grandson of
Hidda and
Christian of Thuringia and named for his great uncle
Gero the Great. He succeeded his probable uncle,
Hodo, as
Margrave
Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the Emp ...
of the
Saxon Ostmark
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 ...
including Mark Lausitz (Lusatia) in 993 upon the death of margrave of Lusatia Hodo or
Odo I, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark
Odo (or Hodo) I (also ''Huodo'' or ''Huoto'') (c. 930 – 13 March 993) was margrave in the Saxon Eastern March of the Holy Roman Empire from 965 until his death.
Odo was, if the onomastics are correct, a son (or maybe a nephew) of Christian (d. ...
.
Gero was created Count of
Hassegau
The Hassegau was a medieval shire ('' Gau'') in the Eastphalia region of the Duchy of Saxony. It was located in the duchy's southeastern corner; confined by the Saale
The Saale (), also known as the Saxon Saale (german: Sächsische Saale) and ...
in 992, just a year before becoming margrave. He died in his territory in battle with a
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
army of
Boleslaw I in
Gau Diadesi and was buried in his family's monastery of
Nienburg. He was survived by his wife Adelaide (Athelheidhe) and one son,
Thietmar, who succeeded him.
References
*Medieval Lands Project
Nobility of Meissen.
{{Authority control
970s births
1015 deaths
Margraves of the Saxon Ostmark