![Hermann-Ida-Kreuz Detail](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Hermann-Ida-Kreuz_Detail.jpg)
Herman II ( – 11 February 1056), a member of the
Ezzonid
The Ezzonids (, ) were a dynasty of Lotharingian stock dating back as far as the ninth century. They attained prominence only in the eleventh century, through marriage with the Ottonian dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors. Named after Ezzo, Count P ...
dynasty, was
Archbishop of Cologne
The Archbishop of Cologne is an archbishop governing the Archdiocese of Cologne of the Catholic Church in western North Rhine-Westphalia and is also a historical state in the Rhine holding the birthplace of Beethoven and northern Rhineland-Palati ...
from 1036 until his death.
Life
![Mechtila dceraOty2 syni](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Mechtila_dceraOty2_syni.jpg)
He was the son of the
Lotharingian
Lotharingia ( la, regnum Lotharii regnum Lothariense Lotharingia; french: Lotharingie; german: Reich des Lothar Lotharingien Mittelreich; nl, Lotharingen) was a short-lived medieval successor kingdom of the Carolingian Empire. As a more durable ...
Count Palatine
A count palatine (Latin ''comes palatinus''), also count of the palace or palsgrave (from German ''Pfalzgraf''), was originally an official attached to a royal or imperial palace or household and later a nobleman of a rank above that of an ord ...
Ezzo (955–1043) and his wife
Matilda of Germany, Countess Palatine of Lotharingia
Matilda (Summer 979 – November 1025), Countess Palatine of Lotharingia, was a member of the Ottonian dynasty.
Early life
Matilda was the third daughter of Emperor Otto II and Empress Theophanu. Shortly after her birth, Matilda was sent to Ess ...
(979–1025), a daughter of Emperor
Otto II
Otto II (955 – 7 December 983), called the Red (''der Rote''), was Holy Roman Emperor from 973 until his death in 983. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto II was the youngest and sole surviving son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy. ...
and his consort
Theophanu
Theophanu (; also ''Theophania'', ''Theophana'', or ''Theophano''; Medieval Greek ; AD 955 15 June 991) was empress of the Holy Roman Empire by marriage to Emperor Otto II, and regent of the Empire during the minority of their son, Emperor Ott ...
. He was a member of the
Ezzonian dynasty. Herman's younger brother
Otto
Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants ''Audo'', ''Odo'', ''Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity".
The name is recorded fro ...
became
Duke of Swabia
The Dukes of Swabia were the rulers of the Duchy of Swabia during the Middle Ages. Swabia was one of the five stem duchies of the medieval German kingdom, and its dukes were thus among the most powerful magnates of Germany. The most notable family ...
in 1045; among his sisters were
Richeza, who married the
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 ...
King
Mieszko II Lambert
Mieszko II Lambert (; c. 990 – 10/11 May 1034) was King of Poland from 1025 to 1031, and Duke from 1032 until his death.
He was the second son of Bolesław I the Brave, but the eldest born from his third wife Emnilda of Lusatia. He was pro ...
, and
Theophanu, Abbess of Essen
Theophanu was the abbess of the convents of Essen and Gerresheim from 1039 until her death in 1058. She was the daughter of Matilda of Germany and a granddaughter of the Byzantine princess Theophanu and the Holy Roman Emperor Otto II.
During ...
.
Pope Benedict IX
Pope Benedict IX ( la, Benedictus IX; c. 1012 – c. 1056), born Theophylactus of Tusculum in Rome, was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States on three occasions between October 1032 and July 1048. Aged approximately 20 at his first ele ...
elevated him to the
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals, or more formally the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. its current membership is , of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Cardinals are appoi ...
around 1036, at the same time the
Salian
The Salian dynasty or Salic dynasty (german: Salier) was a dynasty in the High Middle Ages. The dynasty provided four kings of Germany (1024–1125), all of whom went on to be crowned Holy Roman emperors (1027–1125).
After the death of the l ...
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 ...
appointed him Archbishop and granted important privileges to the Church in Cologne. Herman accompanied Conrad on his
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
campaign and remained loyal to his successor
Henry III. In 1049 he received
Pope Leo IX
Pope Leo IX (21 June 1002 – 19 April 1054), born Bruno von Egisheim-Dagsburg, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 February 1049 to his death in 1054. Leo IX is considered to be one of the most historically ...
in Cologne and in 1051 consecrated
Goslar Cathedral
The church known as Goslar Cathedral (german: Goslarer Dom) was a collegiate church dedicated to St. Simon and St. Jude in the town of Goslar, Germany. It was built between 1040 and 1050 as part of the Imperial Palace district. The church building ...
. His ''claritas generis'' allowed him to baptise and crown the emperor's newborn son
Henry IV, a privilege that was disputed by Archbishop
Luitpold I of
Mainz
Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main (river), Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-we ...
. Herman also supported the emperor during the revolt led by his own nephew Duke
Conrad I of Bavaria Conrad I ( 1020 – 5 December 1055), also known as Cuno or Kuno, was the duke of Bavaria from 1049 to 1053. He was of the Ezzonen family, his parents being Liudolf, Count of Zütphen and eldest son of Ezzo, Count Palatine of Lorraine, and Matil ...
.
As Cologne archbishop he served as
Archchancellor
An archchancellor ( la, archicancellarius, german: Erzkanzler) or chief chancellor was a title given to the highest dignitary of the Holy Roman Empire, and also used occasionally during the Middle Ages to denote an official who supervised the wo ...
of the Italian kingdom (''Regnum Italicum'') and is also mentioned as protector of
Brauweiler Abbey
Brauweiler Abbey (german: Abtei Brauweiler) is a former Rule of St. Benedict, Benedictine monastery located at Brauweiler, now in Pulheim near Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, in Germany.
History
The monastery was founded and endowed in 1024 by ...
(1053). He evolved plans to rebuild
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral (german: Kölner Dom, officially ', English: Cathedral Church of Saint Peter) is a Catholic cathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archdiocese of ...
modelled on
St. Peter's in Rome. He and his sister Ida had the Romanesque
St. Maria im Kapitol church built from about 1040 onwards, following the example of the
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
The Basilica of Saint Mary Major ( it, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, ; la, Basilica Sanctae Mariae Maioris), or church of Santa Maria Maggiore, is a Major papal basilica as well as one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome and the larges ...
.
Archbishop Herman II died in Cologne and is buried in Cologne Cathedral. In the 13th century, the present-day
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
n city of
Sibiu
Sibiu ( , , german: link=no, Hermannstadt , la, Cibinium, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Härmeschtat'', hu, Nagyszeben ) is a city in Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Ci ...
received its German name ''Hermannstadt'' in his honour.
References
Literature
* Lewald, Ursula, 'Die Ezzonen. Das Schicksal eines rheinischen Fürstengeschlechts', in ''Rheinische Vierteljahrsblätter'' 43 (1979) pp. 120–168
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herman 02
990s births
1056 deaths
Year of birth uncertain
Ezzonids
House of Limburg-Stirum
Archbishops of Cologne
11th-century German cardinals
Burials at Cologne Cathedral
People of Byzantine descent