Berthold I (c. 1060 – 18 May 1090), better known as Berthold of Rheinfelden, was the
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 duchy, stem duchies of the medieval German kingdom, and its dukes were thus among the most powerful magnates of Germany. The most no ...
from 1079 until his death. He was the eldest son 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 emperor Henry IV, his election as German anti-king in 1077 marked the outbreak of the Great Saxon Revolt a ...
, duke of Swabia, and
German anti-king (r.1077–1079) in opposition to
Henry IV of Germany.
The identity of Berthold's mother is disputed. She is sometimes said to be Rudolf's first wife,
Matilda of Germany (sister of Henry IV), and sometimes said to be Rudolf's second wife,
Adelaide of Savoy (if this were the case, then Berthold must have been born after c.1062), and sometimes said to be Rudolf's son by another, unknown, wife.
After the death of Rudolf's second wife Adelaide in 1079, Rudolf needed a new supervisor of the south German resistance, since he was himself confined to Saxony and cut off from his allies in Swabia. Rudolf therefore made his son, Berthold, Duke of Swabia. Henry, however, appointed
Frederick of Stauf, who had lands strategically located much to his advantage.
Throughout the civil war against Henry IV, Swabia was thrown into chaos. In 1084, Berthold was besieged by supporters of Henry IV. Although he had a larger power base, he was of lower rank. He eventually left the fight to his brother-in-law,
Berthold II, Duke of Swabia, and
Welf IV. When Berthold died without descendants in 1090 and was buried in the monastery of
Saint Blaise
Blaise of Sebaste (, ''Hágios Blásios''; martyred 316 AD) was a physician and bishop of Sivas, Sebastea in historical Lesser Armenia (modern Sivas, Turkey) who is venerated as a Christian saint and martyr. He is counted as one of the Fourteen ...
. Berthold II, who was married to his sister,
Agnes of Rheinfelden succeeded him as duke of Swabia.
[Schmid, ''Die Zähringer'', p. 60; Boshof, ''Die Salier'', p. 259.]
Notes
References
*
*G. Wunder, 'Beiträge zur Genealogie schwäbischer Herzogshäuser,' ''Zeitschrift für Württembergische Landesgeschichte'' 31 (1972), pp. 11-15
*A. Zettler, ''Geschichte des Herzogtums Schwaben'' (Stuttgart, 2003)
*A. Thiele, ''Genealogische Stammtafeln zur europäischen Geschichte Band I, Teilband 1'' (Frankfurt am Main, 1993).
*K. Schmid, ed., ''Die Zähringer'' (Sigmaringen, 1990)
*H. Frommer, ''Die Salier und das Herzogtum Schwaben'' (Karlsruhe, 1992)
*E. Boshof, ''Die Salier'' (Stuttgart, 1987).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berthold 1, Duke Of Swabia
1090 deaths
Dukes of Swabia
Year of birth uncertain
Sons of kings