Conrad IV of Germany facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Conrad IV |
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| King of Germany (King of the Romans) King of Italy |
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| Reign | May 1237 – 21 May 1254 |
| Predecessor | Henry (VII) |
| Successor | William |
| King of Sicily | |
| Reign | 13 December 1250 – 21 May 1254 |
| Predecessor | Frederick I |
| Successor | Conrad II |
| King of Jerusalem | |
| Reign | 25 April 1228 – 21 May 1254 |
| Predecessor | Isabella II and Frederick I |
| Successor | Conrad III |
| Duke of Swabia | |
| Reign | 12 February 1235 – 21 May 1254 |
| Predecessor | Henry |
| Successor | Conrad IV |
| King of Italy | |
| Reign | May 1237 – 21 May 1254 |
| Predecessor | Henry |
| Successor | William |
| Born | 25 April 1228 Andria, Kingdom of Sicily |
| Died | 21 May 1254 (aged 26) Lavello, Basilicata |
| Burial | Messina Cathedral |
| Spouse | Elisabeth of Bavaria |
| Issue | Conradin |
| House | Hohenstaufen |
| Father | Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor |
| Mother | Isabella II of Jerusalem |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Conrad (born April 25, 1228 – died May 21, 1254) was an important ruler from the Hohenstaufen family. He was the only son of Emperor Frederick II and Queen Isabella II of Jerusalem.
Conrad became King of Jerusalem (as Conrad II) when his mother died shortly after he was born. In 1235, he also became the Duke of Swabia. Two years later, in 1237, his father arranged for him to be elected King of Germany (also called King of the Romans) and crowned King of Italy (as Conrad IV). After his father died in 1250, Conrad became King of Sicily (as Conrad I) and ruled until his own death.
Contents
Early Life and Royal Titles
Conrad was born in Andria, a city in the Kingdom of Sicily. His mother, Isabella II, was the ruling queen of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. She passed away soon after he was born. This meant Conrad became the new monarch of the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem.
Conrad was the grandson of Emperor Henry VI and the great-grandson of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. He lived in Southern Italy until 1235. During this time, his father ruled the Kingdom of Jerusalem for him. However, a civil war, called the War of the Lombards, caused problems in the kingdom. When Conrad became old enough to rule on his own, his father's control ended.
Becoming King of Germany
In 1235, Conrad's older half-brother, Henry (VII), rebelled against their father, Emperor Frederick II. Because of this, Henry was removed from his position. Conrad then took his place as the Duke of Swabia.
The emperor wanted Conrad to become the next Holy Roman Emperor. So, in 1237, at a big meeting in Vienna, Conrad was elected King of the Romans. This title meant he was expected to become the Holy Roman Emperor in the future. Important leaders like archbishops and dukes voted for him.
Even though the Pope did not agree with this election, Conrad was still seen as the future emperor. A powerful archbishop, Siegfried III of Mainz, helped rule Germany for Conrad until 1242. After that, other important leaders took over this role. Conrad started to get involved in German politics around 1240. He even led a short military campaign against the Mongols in 1241.
Challenges and Conflicts
In 1245, Pope Innocent IV took a strong action. He removed Emperor Frederick II from his power and declared Conrad also removed from his titles. One of the leaders who had been helping Conrad, Henry Raspe, then supported the Pope. Henry Raspe was elected as an "anti-king" of Germany in May 1246.
Henry Raspe defeated Conrad in a battle near Nidda in August 1246. However, Henry Raspe died a few months later. Another anti-king, William of Holland, took his place.
This period showed how much power the Pope had over the Holy Roman Empire. Many German princes and nobles used this time to gain more power and independence for themselves. The monarchy was not as strong, so local rulers became more influential.
In 1246, Conrad married Elisabeth of Bavaria. She was the daughter of Otto II Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria. They had a son named Conradin in 1252. In 1250, Conrad managed to improve the situation in Germany. He defeated William of Holland and his allies.
Campaign in Italy
When Emperor Frederick II died in 1250, he left his kingdoms of Sicily and Germany, along with the title of Jerusalem, to Conrad. But the fight with the Pope continued. After being defeated by William in 1251, Conrad decided to go to Italy. He hoped to take back the rich lands his father had ruled there. His half-brother, Manfred, was ruling Italy for him.
In January 1252, Conrad arrived in Apulia with a fleet from Venice. He successfully took control of the region and managed Manfred. That year, Conrad also created new laws for his kingdom in Foggia. These laws were based on older, well-known rules. Conrad also tried to make peace with the Pope, but they could not agree.
After his father's death, some parts of the Kingdom of Sicily had become rebellious. Several cities tried to break away from royal control. Conrad had to use his army to stop these revolts. In October 1253, his troops captured the city of Naples.
However, Conrad could not fully defeat the Pope's supporters. The Pope even offered the Kingdom of Sicily to Edmund Crouchback, the son of Henry III of England. In 1254, Conrad was excommunicated by the Pope. This meant he was officially removed from the Catholic Church. He died of malaria in the same year in Lavello, Italy.
After Conrad's death, his half-brother Manfred and later his son Conradin continued the fight against the Pope. However, they were not successful.
Conrad's wife, Elisabeth, later married Meinhard II, Count of Tirol. He became the Duke of Carinthia in 1286.
Conrad's death in 1254 marked the beginning of a period called the Interregnum. During this time, no single ruler had full control of Germany. This period ended in 1273, when Rudolph of Habsburg was elected King of the Romans.
See also
In Spanish: Conrado IV para niños
