Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor

Holy Roman Emperor from 996 to 1002

Fame57.9
Momentum2.0
Wikipedia22.1K

Source-basedFalling

Lived 980–1002, aged 22Germany

Germany Historical Figures

Wikipedia
58 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
980–1002
Aged 22

Summary

Updated 2026-06-10

Crowned emperor at twenty-one, dead by twenty-one, having crushed revolts in Rome, installed three popes, and lost most of the empire's eastern frontier — a reign measured in fever dreams and quick executions.

Biography

About

Otto III became King of Germany at three in 983, after his father Otto II died campaigning in southern Italy. His cousin Henry II tried to seize the throne in 984, failed to win the aristocracy, and stepped back. Otto's mother Theophanu ruled as regent until 991, then his grandmother Adelaide of Italy until 994. In 996 he marched south to claim the imperial crown and crush Crescentius II's Roman revolt, installing his cousin as Pope Gregory V. Crescentius rebelled again after Otto left, deposing Gregory and installing a rival pope; Otto returned in 998, reinstalled Gregory, and executed both C…

Gallery