Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor

Henry II the Saint (Strasbourg Cathedral, France)

Henry II (973 – 1024), also known as Saint Henry, Obl. S. B., was Holy Roman Emperor (in Latin: Romanorum Imperator) from 1014. He died without an heir in 1024, and was the last ruler of the Ottonian line. As Duke of Bavaria, appointed in 995, Henry became King of the Romans following the sudden death of his second cousin, Emperor Otto III in 1002, was made King of Italy in 1004, and crowned emperor by Pope Benedict VIII in 1014.

Quotes about

• It is clear that while Arrigo [Henry II] was merely the King of Bishops, Arduin was the King of the People. These two powers were vying for supremacy in Italy, and the scattered fragments of the great feudal aristocracy, the few lay lords still in existence, changed sides from one to the other, intent more on providing for their own safety than on tipping the balance in favour of one party or the other.

• q:it:Antonio Gallenga,

• Henry II was a pious and sincerely devout emperor. He managed to remain so even after seeing for himself what had become of the Church of Rome, where he had come to be consecrated in 1013.

• Indro Montanelli and Roberto Gervaso, L'Italia dei Comuni, 7th edition, BUR Saggi, Rizzoli, Milano, 2004. ISBN 88-17-11809-5. Ch. 3, p. 38.

• He had been a curious mixture of piety, chastity and ferocity. He had killed with the same zeal with which he had prayed. The Church forgot the murders, remembered the prayers, and some twenty years after [his death] canonised him.

• Indro Montanelli and Roberto Gervaso, L'Italia dei Comuni, 7th edition, BUR Saggi, Rizzoli, Milano, 2004. ISBN 88-17-11809-5. Ch. 3, p. 39.