Notes |
- "The Great." Margrave of Meissen.
From the site of Leo van de Pas:
Konrad is often considered the founder of the greatness of the Wettin dynasty. In 1123 he became count of Eilenburg. That same year, Lothar von Supplinburg, duke of Saxony, appointed him margrave of Meissen in opposition to Wiprecht von Groitzsch, the appointee of Emperor Heinrich V. Lothar also named Albrecht 'the Bear' margrave of Lusatia (Lausitz), while Heinrich named Wiprecht to that march also. Wiprecht was unable to hold his own against his two opponents and in 1124 Konrad was securely in power in Meissen. In 1136 Lothar, then emperor, appointed him to Lusatia as well. Thereafter, Upper Lusatia remained a part of Meissen and the march of Lusatia was reduced to Lower Lusatia (Nieder-Lausitz) alone.
In 1143 Konrad became count of Groitzsch and Rochlitz and Vogt (guardian) of Chemnitz and Naumburg. In 1147, while Konrad III of Germany was away on the Second Crusade, Konrad of Meissen joined Heinrich 'the Lion', Adalbert of Salzwedel, Albrecht 'the Bear', and the archbishop of Magdeburg and Bremen to organise a Crusade against the Obotrites and the Wagri. In August, Konrad and Albrecht, with the bishops of Magdeburg, Havelburg and Brandenburg, massed their forces at Magdeburg. The Obotrite prince Niklot and his fortresses of Dubin and Dimin were besieged. Both he and Pribislav, another Obotrite prince, were forced to accept Christianity and make peace.
In the following years, Konrad founded the abbey of St. Petrus auf dem Lauterberg (Petersberg) near Halle, to which he retired on 30 November 1156. He died on 5 February 1157 and was buried there next to his wife Liutgart who had died in 1145. His eldest surviving son Otto II succeeded him in Meissen, while he second surviving son Dedo succeeded him in Lower Lusatia (Nieder-Lausitz).
|