Esico of Ballenstedt (died around 1060) is the

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

of the

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

, (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 () was a Imperial State, State of the Holy Roman Empire, located in Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany, in what is today part of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. Under the rule of the House of Ascania, ...

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

Gernrode Gernrode () is a historic town and former municipality in the Harz (district), 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 Princi ...

, Harzgau and Nordthüringgau 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, 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 ...

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

Saxon Eastern March The Saxon Eastern March () 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 created on the eastern fr ...

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 and Abundius near his castle, castle Ballenstedt. He was among the founders of Naumburg Cathedral, 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, 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 rais ...

, 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 or Mathilda may refer to: Animals * Matilda (chicken) (1990–2006), World's Oldest Living Chicken record holder * ''Mathilda'' (gastropod), a genus of gastropods in the family Mathildidae * Matilda (horse) (1824–1846), British Thorou ...

, daughter of Herman II of Swabia, and sister-in-law of Emperor Conrad II, 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 Sch ...

, 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