Henry the Proud definition of Henry the Proud in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Henry the Proud, c.1108–1139, duke of Bavaria (1126–38) and of Saxony (1137–38). A member of the Guelph Guelph (gwĕlf), city (1991 pop. 87,976), S Ont., Canada, on the Speed River.
..... Click the link for more information. family, he inherited the duchy of Bavaria and enormous private wealth. By his marriage (1127) with Gertrude, only child of German King Lothair II Lothair II, also called Lothair III, 1075–1137, Holy Roman emperor (1133–37) and German king (1125–37); successor of Holy Roman Emperor Henry V.
..... Click the link for more information. (later Holy Roman emperor), he became the most powerful German noble. He fought with Lothair against the Hohenstaufen Hohenstaufen (hō'ənshtou`fən)
..... Click the link for more information. dukes, Frederick of Swabia and his brother Conrad, who refused to recognize Lothair's election. In 1136 he accompanied Lothair to Italy, where the pope invested Henry with lands in Tuscany. Although he was Lothair's intended successor to the German kingship, Henry was defeated in the election of 1138 by Conrad of Hohenstaufen (Conrad III Conrad III, c.1093–1152, German king (1138–52), son of Frederick, duke of Swabia, and Agnes, daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV; first of the Hohenstaufen dynasty.
..... Click the link for more information. ), who shortly afterward deprived Henry of his duchies. Henry, however, retained the loyalty of his subjects. He succeeded in expelling Albert the Bear Albert the Bear, c.1100–1170, first margrave of Brandenburg (1150–70). He was a loyal vassal of Holy Roman Emperor Lothair II, who, as duke of Saxony, helped him take (1123) Lower Lusatia and the eastern march of Saxony. Albert lost these lands in 1131.
..... Click the link for more information. from Saxony and was preparing to attack Bavaria when he suddenly died, leaving as his heir his young son Henry the Lion Henry the Lion, 1129–95, duke of Saxony (1142–80) and of Bavaria (1156–80); son of Henry the Proud . His father died (1139) while engaged in a war to regain his duchies, and it was not until 1142 that Henry the Lion became duke of Saxony.
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