enry II, German emperor (1002-24), great-grandson
of Henry I, was born in 973. He was Duke of Bavaria when he was
chosen to succeed Otto III. In 1004 he became king of Italy, and
in 1014 was crowned emperor at Rome. His reign was occupied with
wars both at home and abroad, in which he was finally successful.
See Cohn’s Kaiser Heinrich II (1867). [World Wide
Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1935]
Henry II (Holy Roman Empire), called Henry The Saint (973-1024), German king and Holy Roman emperor (1002-24), last of the Saxon rulers, born in Abbach, Bavaria. When Henry's cousin Emperor Otto III died without any heirs, Henry was elected by the German nobles to succeed him. From 1004 until 1018 he carried on intermittent warfare with Boleslaw I, king of Poland, regaining Bohemia, one of the German territories taken by Poland. In 1004 Henry invaded Italy and was crowned king of the Lombards. Returning to Germany, he persuaded Rudolf III, king of Bourgogne, to agree that Bourgogne should be united with Germany upon Rudolf's death. In 1014 Henry went to Rome, where he was crowned emperor by Pope Benedict VIII. In 1021, at the request of Pope Benedict, Henry undertook a third expedition to Italy, where he campaigned against the Byzantines in the south, subjugating Capua and Salerno. Famed for his piety, Henry was active in church reform and established a number of monasteries and schools. He was canonized in 1146. He was succeeded as emperor by Conrad II, founder of the Salian dynasty. [Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia]
