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Welf I (c. 1035/10406 November 1101) was
Duke of Bavaria The following is a list of rulers during the history of Bavaria. Bavaria was ruled by several dukes and Monarch, kings, partitioned and reunited, under several dynasties. Since 1949, Bavaria has been a democratic States of Germany, state in th ...
from 1070 to 1077 and from 1096 to his death. He was the first member of the
Welf Welf is a Germanic first name that may refer to: *Welf (father of Judith), 9th century Frankish count, father-in-law of Louis the Pious *Welf I, d. bef. 876, count of Alpgau and Linzgau *Welf II, Count of Swabia, died 1030, supposed descendant of W ...
branch of the
House of Este The House of Este ( , , ) is a European dynasty of North Italian origin whose members ruled parts of Italy and Germany for many centuries. The original House of Este's elder branch, which is known as the House of Welf, included dukes of Bavaria ...
. In the genealogy of the
Elder House of Welf An elder is someone with a degree of seniority or authority. Elder or elders may refer to: Positions Administrative * Elder (administrative title), a position of authority Cultural * North American Indigenous elder, a person who has and tr ...
, he is counted as Welf IV.


Biography

Welf was the son of
Albert Azzo II, Margrave of Milan Alberto Azzo II (997 or July 10, 1009, in Modena – August 20, 1097, in Modena), Margrave of Milan, and Liguria, Count of Gavello, Padua, Rovigo, Lunigiana, Monselice, and Montagnana, was a powerful nobleman in the Holy Roman Empire. He is consi ...
, and
Kunigunde of Altdorf Kunigunde of Altdorf (also known as ''Cunegonde'' or ''Chuniza''; – 31 August 1054) was a member of the Swabian line of the Elder House of Welf. She was also the ancestress of the younger House of Guelph, a cadet branch of the House of Este ...
. When Welf's maternal uncle,
Welf, Duke of Carinthia Welf III (13 November 1055), the last male member of the Duchy of Swabia, Swabian line of the Elder House of Welf, was Duchy of Carinthia, Duke of Carinthia and March of Verona, Margrave of Verona from 1047 until his death. Life Welf III was the ...
(also known as Welf III), died childless in 1055, Welf inherited his property. In 1062 Welf married
Ethelinde of Northeim Ethelinde of Northeim (born 1050/1060, died after 1075) was the daughter of Otto of Northeim and the wife of Welf I, Duke of Bavaria, and Herman of Calvelage. Family Ethelinde was the oldest daughter of Otto of Northeim, duke of Bavaria (r.1060- ...
, daughter of Otto, Duke of Bavaria. Although Azzo II of Este continued firm in the interests of
Pope Gregory VII Pope Gregory VII ( la, Gregorius VII; 1015 – 25 May 1085), born Hildebrand of Sovana ( it, Ildebrando di Soana), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 April 1073 to his death in 1085. He is venerated as a saint ...
, Welf's marriage, and his inheritance of property in Germany, meant that he was more concerned with German affairs and he supported
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 ...
. When his father-in-law, Duke Otto, had become an enemy of Emperor Henry IV and forfeited his duchy, Welf remained loyal to Henry IV. In compliance with Henry's commands, he repudiated and divorced his wife, Ethelinde, and soon thereafter (in 1070) he was rewarded for his fidelity by being appointed Duke of Bavaria in Otto's stead.Schneidmüller, ''Die Welfen'', pp. 132f. This event took place at
Goslar Goslar (; Eastphalian: ''Goslär'') is a historic town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Goslar and located on the northwestern slopes of the Harz mountain range. The Old Town of Goslar and the Mines ...
in 1070, when the
Duchy of Bavaria The Duchy of Bavaria (German: ''Herzogtum Bayern'') was a frontier region in the southeastern part of the Merovingian kingdom from the sixth through the eighth century. It was settled by Bavarian tribes and ruled by dukes (''duces'') under Fr ...
submitted quietly to the newly made duke, who was the representative of one of the most ancient families in the province. His repudiation of Ethelinde, which could have been considered an act of injustice, does not seem to have been held against him. However, during the
Investiture Controversy The Investiture Controversy, also called Investiture Contest (German: ''Investiturstreit''; ), was a conflict between the Church and the state in medieval Europe over the ability to choose and install bishops (investiture) and abbots of monast ...
, Welf changed sides turning against the Emperor, supporting
Pope Gregory VII Pope Gregory VII ( la, Gregorius VII; 1015 – 25 May 1085), born Hildebrand of Sovana ( it, Ildebrando di Soana), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 April 1073 to his death in 1085. He is venerated as a saint ...
as well as lending his support for the election of
Rudolf of Rheinfelden Rudolf of Rheinfelden ( – 15 October 1080) was Duke of Swabia from 1057 to 1079. Initially a follower of his brother-in-law, the Salian dynasty, Salian emperor Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV, his election as German anti-king in 1077 mar ...
in March 1077. Pope and Emperor were superficially reconciled in 1076, but the following year saw them again engaged in active hostilities. Henry, in consequence of these repeated acts of rebellion, declared Welf deposed in his newly acquired duchy. However, supported by his faithful Bavarians and aided by his father in
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, Welf was able to maintain his place, and openly defy the ban of the Empire in May 1077. Welf joined the discontented princes who supported the standard of Rudolph, at a time when any who refused to follow the pope's direction could expect to be excommunicated by the church—a potent and effective threat in the social and political conditions of the time. However, Gregory died in 1085 and his successors took a less intensive part in the affairs of Germany. Welf, though still adhering to the party of the church, began to relax in his exertions to support Rudolf of Rheinfelden. After his divorce from his first wife in 1070, Welf married
Judith of Flanders Judith of Flanders (circa 843 – circa 870) was a Carolingian princess as the daughter of Charles II, Emperor of the Romans ("Charles the Bald"), who became Queen (consort) of Wessex by two successive marriages and later Margravine (consor ...
, daughter of Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders and widow of
Tostig Godwinson Tostig Godwinson ( 102925 September 1066) was an Anglo-Saxon Earl of Northumbria and brother of King Harold Godwinson. After being exiled by his brother, Tostig supported the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada's invasion of England, and was killed ...
,
Earl of Northumbria Earl of Northumbria or Ealdorman of Northumbria was a title in the late Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Scandinavian and early Anglo-Norman period in England. The ealdordom was a successor of the Norse Kingdom of York. In the seventh century, the Anglo-Saxo ...
. In 1089, Welf's son
Welf Welf is a Germanic first name that may refer to: *Welf (father of Judith), 9th century Frankish count, father-in-law of Louis the Pious *Welf I, d. bef. 876, count of Alpgau and Linzgau *Welf II, Count of Swabia, died 1030, supposed descendant of W ...
married
Matilda of Tuscany Matilda of Tuscany ( it, Matilde di Canossa , la, Matilda, ; 1046 – 24 July 1115 or Matilda of Canossa after her ancestral castle of Canossa), also referred to as ("the Great Countess"), was a member of the House of Canossa (also known as th ...
, thus strengthening relationships with the pope. However, after the younger Welf divorced Matilda in 1095, Welf made amends with Henry IV and was reconfirmed in his position as Duke of Bavaria. After the death of his father Azzo in 1097, Welf tried to acquire his father's property south of the Alps, but did not succeed against his younger half-brother Fulco. In 1099, Welf joined what would become known as the
Crusade of 1101 The Crusade of 1101 was a minor crusade of three separate movements, organized in 1100 and 1101 in the successful aftermath of the First Crusade. It is also called the Crusade of the Faint-Hearted due to the number of participants who joined this ...
, along with
William IX of Aquitaine William IX ( oc, Guilhèm de Peitieus; ''Guilhem de Poitou'' french: Guillaume de Poitiers) (22 October 1071 – 10 February 1126), called the Troubadour, was the Duke of Aquitaine and Gascony and Count of Poitou (as William VII) between 1086 and ...
, Hugh of Vermandois and Ida of Austria. His main success was to prevent a clash between fellow Crusaders, who had been pillaging Byzantine territory on their way to
Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
and the Byzantine emperor's Pecheneg mercenaries. The Crusade itself, entering Anatolia, ended disastrously; after passing Heraclea in September, Welf's Bavarians—like other crusader contingents—were ambushed and massacred by the Turkish troops of
Kilij Arslan I Kilij Arslan ibn Suleiman ( 1ca, قِلِج اَرسلان; fa, , Qilij Arslān; tr, I. Kılıç Arslan or ''Kılıcarslan'', "Sword Lion") (‎1079–1107) was the Seljuq Sultan of Rum from 1092 until his death in 1107. He ruled the Sultan ...
, the Seljuq Sultan of Rûm. Welf himself escaped the fiasco, but died on his way back in
Paphos Paphos ( el, Πάφος ; tr, Baf) is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos, today known as Kouklia, and New Paphos. The current city of Pap ...
,
Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
, in 1101 and was buried in
Weingarten Abbey Weingarten Abbey or St. Martin's Abbey (german: Reichsabtei Weingarten until 1803, then merely ) is a Benedictine monastery on the Martinsberg (''St. Martin's Mount'') in Weingarten near Ravensburg in Baden-Württemberg (Germany). First founda ...
. He was succeeded as Duke of Bavaria by his son Welf II.


Children

Welf had the following children from his marriage with
Judith of Flanders Judith of Flanders (circa 843 – circa 870) was a Carolingian princess as the daughter of Charles II, Emperor of the Romans ("Charles the Bald"), who became Queen (consort) of Wessex by two successive marriages and later Margravine (consor ...
, daughter of Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders: *
Welf II, Duke of Bavaria Welf II (1072 – 24 September 1120, Kaufering), or Welfhard, called Welf the Fat (''pinguis''), was Duke of Bavaria from 1101 until his death. In the Welf genealogy, he is counted as Welf V. Life Welf was the oldest son of Welf I, Duke of ...
, born 1072 *
Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria Henry IX (107513 December 1126), called the Black, a member of the House of Welf, was Duke of Bavaria from 1120 to 1126. Life and reign Henry was the second son of Duke Welf I of Bavaria (died 1101) from his marriage with Judith, daughter of C ...
(died 13 December 1126) * Kunizza, died 6 March 1120, married Frederick Rocho, Count of Dießen


See also

*
Great Saxon Revolt The Great Saxon Revolt was a civil war fought between 1077 and 1088, early in the history of the Holy Roman Empire. The revolt was led by a group of opportunistic German princes who elected as their figurehead the duke of Swabia, Rudolf of Rhei ...


References


Sources

* * * *B. Schneidmüller, ''Die Welfen. Herrschaft und Erinnerung'' (Stuttgart, 2000). *


External links


Welf I / Welf IV Herzog von Bayern
(in German) * Sir Andrew Halliday ''Annals of the House of Hannover'', v.1, London, 1826
at Google Books
* ''Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700'' by Frederick Lewis Weis, Line 166-23 * ''The Plantagenet Ancestry'' by William Henry Turton, Page 40 {{DEFAULTSORT:Welf 01, Duke of Bavaria 11th-century births 1101 deaths Year of birth uncertain 11th-century dukes of Bavaria 12th-century dukes of Bavaria Christians of the Crusade of 1101 House of Welf Burials at Weingarten Abbey