Hatto II

Hatto, Archbishop of Mainz. From the Nuremberg Chronicle (1493). Hatto is depicted being eaten alive by mice, as described in the Mouse Tower legend.

Hatto II (died 18 January 970) was the archbishop of Mainz from 968 to 970.

While in office, he built the church of St George on the island of Reichenau, donated heavily to the abbeys of Fulda and Reichenau, and was a patron of the chronicler Regino of Prüm.

A well known folk tale describes Hatto as a cruel and oppressive ruler, who was finally punished in being eaten alive by mice - an event which supposedly happened in the Mouse Tower (see details on that page). There is, however, no indication of the tale being historically true, and similar tales were attached to various other rulers as well.

See also

• Mouse Tower - legend about the cruelty of Hatto II.
• Popiel, for a similar legend