Agnes of Germany

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Agnes of Germany (1072 – September 24, 1143), was the daughter of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor and Bertha of Savoy. Her maternal grandparents were Otto, Count of Savoy, Aosta and Moriana and Adelaide, Marchioness of Turin and Susa.

Agnes married firstly, in 1089, Frederick I, Duke of Swabia. They had several sons and daughters, amongst whom were Frederick II of Swabia (1090 - 1147) (the father of Frederick Barbarossa) and Conrad III of Germany (1093 - 1152).

Following Frederick's death in 1105, Agnes married secondly, Leopold III (born 1073; died 15 Nov. 1136), Margrave of Austria from 1095 to 1136. Leopold was the son of Margrave Leopold II and Ida of Formbach-Ratelnberg. According to legend, a veil lost by Agnes and found by Leopold years later while hunting instigated him to found the monastery of Klosterneuburg.

Agnes and Leopold III were the parents of the chronicler Otto of Freising. Their daughters included Agnes of Babenberg (d. January 25, 1157), who married, in 1125, Ladislaus the Exile of Poland, High Duke of Poland from 1138 to 1146. Agnes is said to have been "one of the most famous beauties of her time." A leader of the Crusade of 1101, she may have been captured and placed in the harem of Sultan Kilidj Arslan.

Another daughter, Judith or Julitta, married Marquess William V of Montferrat c. 1133, and became the mother of an important Crusading dynasty.