Otto II, Duke of Swabia

Otto II (died 1047) was Count Palatine of Lotharingia (1034–1045), then Duke of Swabia (1045–1047), and all the while Count in Deutz and Auelgau (1025–1047). He was the son of Ezzo and Matilda (a daughter of the Emperor Otto II),^[1] and a member of the Ezzonian dynasty. He was also the protector (Vogt) of Brauweiler Abbey, which had been founded by his parents.

In 1034, Otto's father, the Count Palatine Ezzo, died. As Otto's older brother Liudolf had died in 1031, he succeeded his father as Count Palatine. On 7 April 1045, Henry III, King of Germany and also Duke of Swabia, offered the latter title to Otto. In exchange, Otto gave up the County Palatine, which was bestowed on his cousin Henry. Also, his territories in Kaiserswerth and Duisburg devolved onto the crown.

Marriage and children

Otto married a daughter of Hugh VI, Count of Egisheim. He had a daughter, Richeza (Holland, 1020–1083), who married firstly Herman, Count of Werl, and secondly Otto of Nordheim. Another daughter, Hildegarde, married Frederick von Büren, and they were the parents of Frederick I.^[2]

In 1047, Otto died unexpectedly at his castle, the Tomburg, while preparing an imperial campaign against an invasion of Baldwin V of Flanders. He is buried in Brauweiler Abbey. In 1048, the Emperor elected Otto III to succeed him as Duke of Swabia.

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