Otto "'der Reiche"' von Ballenstedt, Count von Ballenstedt

• Eldest son of Count Adalbert II von Ballenstedt and Adelheid von Orlamünde , daughter of Margrave Otto I von Meißen

Project MedLands, SAXON NOBILITY

ADALBERT von Ballenstedt, son of ESIKO von Ballenstedt & his wife Mathilde of Swabia (-murdered [1076/83]). "Adalbertum seniorem" is named, and his parentage given, in the Annalista Saxo[1082]. Graf im Nordthuringgau 1063. Graf von Ballenstedt. The Annalista Saxo records that he was killed by "Egeno iunior de Conradesburch, filius Burchardi, nepos Egenonis senioris"[1083]. married (before 28 Oct 1074) as her first husband, ADELHEID von Weimar, daughter of OTTO Graf von Weimar Markgraf of Meissen & his wife Adela de Louvain ([1060/65]-28 Mar 1100). The Annalista Saxo names (in order) "Odam, Cunigundam, Adelheidam" as the three daughters of Markgraf Otto & his wife, specifying that Adelheid married "Adalberto comiti de Ballenstide"[1084]. Heiress of Orlamünde. The primary source which confirms her second and third marriages has not yet been identified. She married secondly Hermann Pfalzgraf von Lotharingen and thirdly ([1089]%29 [as his second wife,] Heinrich von Laach Pfalzgraf von Lotharingen. In a later passage, the Annalista Saxo records the death of "Adhela sive Adelheit palatina" in 1100 en route to Rome, repeating her parentage[1085].

Graf Adalbert & his wife ADELHEID von Weimar had two children:

• 1. OTTO von Ballenstedt (-9 Feb 1123). "Adalbertum seniorem" is named as father of "comitis Ottonis" in the Annalista Saxo, which in a later passage also names his mother[1086]. His father is also named in the charter dated 13 Apr 1083 under which "Herimannus…rex" donated property "quod Thiedericus hereditario iure possedit et eo sine heredibus defuncto in regium potestam iuste devenit…in villa Hathisleuo in pago Sueuico in comitatu Ottonis filii Adalberti comitis" to the church of Halberstadt[1087]. He succeeded his father in [1078] as OTTO "der Reiche" Graf von Ballenstedt. He acquired the county of Ascania in [1100][1088]. He was appointed Duke of Saxony in 1112 by Emperor Heinrich V in opposition to Lothar von Süpplingenberg, who had rebelled against the emperor. He and his son Albrecht converted the abbey of Ballenstedt into a Benedictine monastery in 1123[1089]. The Annales Rosenveldenses records the death in 1123 of "Otto comes…pater Adalberti marchione"[1090]. married (before [1096/1100]%29 EILIKA of Saxony, daughter of MAGNUS Duke of Saxony & his wife Zsófia of Hungary ([1075/80]-16 Jan 1143). The Annalista Saxo names "Wifhildem et Eilicam" as the two daughters of Duke Magnus & his wife, specifying in a later passage that Eilika married "Ottoni comiti de Ballenstide"[1091]. The necrology of Lüneburg records the death "16 Jan" of "Eilika Magni ducis filia"[1092].

Graf Otto & his wife EILIKA of Saxony had two children:

• a) ALBRECHT von Ballenstedt ([1096/1100]-18 Nov 1170, bur Ballenstedt). The Annalista Saxo names "Adelbertum marchionem et filiam Adelheidem" as children of "Ottoni comiti de Ballenstidi" and his wife Eilika[1093]. He succeeded his father as ALBRECHT "der Bäre" Graf von Ballenstedt. He was installed in 1138 as ALBRECHT Duke of Saxony and in 1140 as ALBRECHT Markgraf von Brandenburg.
  
• b) ADELHEID von Ballenstedt ([1100]-). The Annalista Saxo names "Adelbertum marchionem et filiam Adelheidem" as children of "Ottoni comiti de Ballenstidi" and his wife Eilika, specifying that Adelheid married "Heinrico marchioni de Stathen"[1094]. The Annales Stadenses name "Adelheithem sororem marchionis Alberti" as wife of "Heinricum" and specify that she married secondly "vasallus suus Wernerus de Velthem" by whom she had "Albertum de Asterburg et reliquam prolem"[1095]. married firstly HEINRICH Graf von Stade Markgraf der Nordmark, son of LOTHAR UDO [III] Graf von Stade, Markgraf der Nordmark & his wife Irmgard von Plötzkau ([1102]-4 Dec 1128). married secondly WERNER [III] Graf von Veltheim, son of WERNER [II] von Veltheim & his wife Mathilde von Krosigk (-1170 or after).
  

• 2. SIEGFRIED von Ballenstedt ([1075]-killed in battle 3 Sep 1113, bur Springirsbach). The Annalista Saxo names "Ottonem comitem et Sigefridum palatinum comitem" as sons of Adalbert and his wife Adelheid[1096]. He was adopted by his stepfather Pfalzgraf Heinrich von Laach[1097], whom he succeeded in 1095 as SIEGFRIED Pfalzgraf von Lothringen. "Sygefridus privignus meus…" subscribed the charter dated 1093 under which "Heinricus…comes palatinus Rheni et dominus de Lacu…uxore mei Adleide" founded the abbey of Laach[1098]. Vogt of Trier Cathedral in 1097. Vogt of Springirsbach and Maria Laach. He founded Kloster Herrenbreitungen in 1112[1099]. He succeeded as Graf von Orlamünde, presumably on the death of his mother in 1100. The Annales Corbeienses record that "Sifridus palatinus" was killed in 1113[1100]. The Annales Rodenses record the death in 1113 of “Sigefridus comes palatinus” and the succession of “Wilhelmus”[1101].

Links:

• The Peerage
• Geneall
• Wikipedia English Deutsch Svenska Tysk Wikipedia: "Stammliste der Askanier"

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Saxon Annals refer to him as Otto "The Great", Otto "the Red", or Otto "the Rich" as well.

First Prince of Ascania to call himself Count of Anhalt.

Briefly Duke of Saxony.

Marries around 1095.

Hertug af Sachsen 1112.

1. http://www.roskildehistorie.dk/stamtavler/konger/3_Valdemarer/askan...
2. http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SAXON%20NOBILITY.htm#_Toc509136483