Hermann II, Count of Celje facts for kids

Hermann II (born in the early 1360s – died October 13, 1435) was a powerful prince from Styria. He was known as the Count of Celje. Hermann was a very loyal supporter and father-in-law of Sigismund of Luxembourg, who was both the King of Hungary and the Holy Roman Emperor.

Because of his strong loyalty, Hermann received many lands and special rights. This made him one of the biggest landowners in Slavonia. He also served as the governor of Carniola. Twice, he was the ban (a high official) for the regions of Slavonia, Croatia, and Dalmatia. In 1427, a special agreement recognized him as the future ruler of the Kingdom of Bosnia. The Celje family became very important, eventually earning the title of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. At his most powerful, Hermann controlled a large part of Carniola and Lower Styria. He also had influence over all of medieval Croatia. Hermann II was a key figure for the House of Celje. He helped his family grow from being locally important to being a major force in Central European politics.

Hermann's Family and Early Life

Hermann II was the younger son of Count Hermann I of Celje. His mother was Catherine of Bosnia. The House of Celje was a noble family from Styria. They were loyal to the Habsburg dukes. Their lands were mainly along the Savinja river in what is now Slovenia. They also owned land in Carniola and parts of Carinthia.

Hermann's mother, Catherine, was from the House of Kotromanić. She was the daughter of Ban Stephen II of Bosnia. This made her a cousin of Tvrtko I, the first King of Bosnia. Hermann's older brother, Hans, died young. So, when their father passed away in 1385, Hermann became the only heir. His cousin, William, died in 1392 without any children. This meant Hermann inherited all the family titles and lands, making him the sole head of the Celje family.

Hermann II married Anna of Schaunberg around 1377. They had six children together. These included Frederick (born 1379), Hermann (born 1380), Elizabeth (born 1382), Anne (born around 1384), Louis (born 1387), and Barbara (born 1392). Hermann also had an illegitimate son, Hermann (born 1383). This son was later officially recognized and became the Bishop of Freising.

Hermann arranged important marriages for his legitimate children. However, he faced big problems with his oldest son, Frederick. Frederick was married to Elizabeth of Krk, who died in 1422. Frederick then quickly married Veronika of Desenice. Hermann did not approve of Veronika because she was from a less noble family. He made serious accusations against her, and she was sadly drowned. Frederick rebelled against his father but was later imprisoned.

How the Celje Family Grew Stronger

A painting showing the Battle of Nicopolis, with Count Hermann helping King Sigismund escape.

In 1396, Hermann fought bravely alongside King Sigismund of Hungary. This was during a major battle against the Ottoman Turks in Nicopolis. The Christian army was badly defeated. Hermann saved Sigismund's life during the battle. They both escaped together on a fishing boat and traveled a long way back to Hungary.

King Sigismund rewarded Hermann for his bravery and loyalty. In 1397, Hermann received the district of Varaždin. In 1399, he received more lands in Zagorje, near the border of Croatia and the Holy Roman Empire. These lands were given to Hermann and his family forever. This made the Celje counts the biggest landowners in Slavonia. From then on, they called themselves "counts of Celje and Zagorje."

Hermann remained loyal to Sigismund during a civil war in Hungary. Some nobles supported King Ladislaus of Naples against Sigismund. In 1401, the rebels captured and imprisoned Sigismund. Hermann and Nicholas II Garay, a high official, helped free Sigismund later that year. Hermann even threatened to invade Hungary to rescue the king. After this, their friendship became even stronger.

In 1405, Sigismund married Hermann's youngest daughter, Barbara. He also gave Hermann even more land in Slavonia. Another of Hermann's daughters, Anne, married Nicholas II Garay. This created strong family ties between the three powerful families. In 1406, Sigismund made Hermann the Ban of Dalmatia and Croatia and the Ban of Slavonia. He held these important positions for several years. This made the House of Celje the most powerful family in the Kingdom of Croatia. Hermann was also one of the first members of Sigismund's special group, the Order of the Dragon, created in 1408.

When Count Frederick III of Ortenburg died in 1418, Hermann inherited his lands. This meant Hermann now controlled a large part of Carinthia. This helped him achieve a long-term goal for his family: becoming directly linked to the Holy Roman Emperor. His son Louis married Beatrix, the daughter of Duke Ernest of Bavaria. This gave Hermann a strong ally against the Habsburg rulers.

In 1423, Hermann's goal was finally achieved. Duke Ernest of Styria and Carinthia gave up his feudal power over the counts of Celje. This was a reward from Sigismund, who was also King of Germany. Hermann had successfully negotiated with unhappy Croatian nobles. This new status gave Hermann the right to make his own coins. He could also collect tolls and taxes from various mines. Now, Hermann could focus on his next big goal: becoming a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire. He was very close to achieving this in 1430. However, the official document granting him this honor was never fully published, possibly due to objections from the Habsburgs.

Bosnian Succession Plans

In 1426, the Kingdom of Bosnia was often attacked by the Ottomans. Its king, Tvrtko II, desperately needed help from Hungary. King Sigismund agreed to help, but with a condition. Tvrtko had no children, so he had to agree that Hermann would be his heir. Hermann was Tvrtko's second cousin and Sigismund's father-in-law.

The Bosnian nobles were very angry about this demand. They did not want Hungary to have more influence over Bosnia. They also believed it was their right to choose their own kings. They worried that Hermann, whose lands surrounded Bosnia, would help King Tvrtko limit their power. Despite their anger, a treaty was signed on September 2, 1427. It stated that Hermann would become king if Tvrtko died without a male heir.

Hermann's Death and Legacy

Skulls of the counts of Celje.

Hermann died in Pressburg on October 13, 1435. King Tvrtko of Bosnia did die without children, but this happened eight years later. So, Hermann never became King of Bosnia. The Bosnian crown never passed to the House of Celje. Hermann was buried in the Pleterje Charterhouse. This was a monastery he had founded in 1403. It was the last Carthusian monastery in the Slovene lands.

The Celje family was officially recognized as princes of the Holy Roman Empire a year after Hermann's death. Some evidence suggests this might have happened just before he died, on September 27, 1435. All of Hermann's personal lands and titles went to his oldest son, Frederick II, who was 56 years old. Frederick was the only son who outlived him.

Hermann II was the most important of the counts of Celje. He took a family that was only important locally and made it one of the most famous noble families in Central Europe. Hermann worked to help King Sigismund make the royal government stronger. This sometimes made him unpopular with Hungarian nobles in the past. They sometimes saw him as someone who used a weak king for his own benefit.

Images for kids

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  Skulls of the counts of Celje.