General Notes

RELI Sources: Microsoft Encarta 1994 ed.Henry the Lion (circa 1129-95), duke of Saxony (1139-80) andduke of Bavaria (1156-80), a powerful German prince, who becamea rival of the Holy Roman emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa. Theonly son of Henry the Proud, duke of Bavaria and Saxony(1108-39), Henry was probably born in Ravensburg. At the age often he succeeded his father to the duchy of Saxony,
which hismother and grandmother administered for him until 1146. In 1147Henry demanded that the Diet of Frankfort restore to him theduchy of Bavaria, which had been taken from his father.
Whenrefused, Henry began an unsuccessful war against Holy RomanEmperor Conrad III. After Conrad's death, however, Henry's duchywas restored to him by the imperial successor, FrederickBarbarossa.
Henry subsequently aided Frederick in wars in Polandand Italy between 1157 and 1159. Possessing both German andItalian territories, Henry was a formidable figure within theHoly Roman Empire. To curb
him, a league of nobles and prelateswas formed in 1166; after two years of war, Henry wastriumphant. In 1168 he took as his second wife Matilda(1156-89), the daughter of Henry II, king of England.
In 1172-73he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. By refusing to aid FrederickI in an Italian expedition, Henry instigated a quarrel (1175-76)between himself and the emperor. As a result, he was
placedunder the ban of the empire. He was deprived of most of hispossessions in 1180 and twice forced into exile, in 1182 and1189, spending most of his time in England. When he returned toGermany
shortly after the second exile, Henry took part in arebellion of German nobles against Frederick's successor,Emperor Henry VI. He made peace with the emperor, however, atFulda in 1190. Henry was a
capable ruler, one of his greatestaccomplishments being the colonization of previously Slavicterritories east of the Elbe River. He died at Brunswick, August6, 1195.
DATE 1 APR 1999