Count Hermann von Salm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_of_Salm

Herman(n) of Salm (ca. 1035 – 28 September 1088), also known as Herman(n) of Luxembourg, was a count of Salm and German anti-king of the Holy Roman Empire who ruled from 1081 until his death. From the 10th century, the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire were elected German kings, who expected to be crowned by the Pope as Holy Roman Emperor.

Hermann was a son of Count Giselbert of Luxembourg. While Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, King of the Romans, was campaigning in Northern Italy during the Great Saxon Revolt civil war, Hermann was elected as the second anti-King of Germany opposed to the emperor-elect in Ochsenfurt on 6 August 1081, by the nobility of Saxony and Swabia. Siegfried I, Archbishop of Mainz, crowned Hermann in Goslar on 26 December. Hermann's predecessor, Rudolph of Swabia, had died from wounds received in the battle of in October of 1080. Because Henry believed the papacy should submit to the crown, Pope Gregory VII had excommunicated him and declared that he was unworthy of being the Holy Roman Emperor. The civil war eventually ended and Henry was crowned Emperor by Pope Gregory VII in 1084, leaving Hermann in a very awkward position.

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http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/GERMANY,%20Kings.htm#HermannSalmdie...

ANTI-KING of GERMANY 1081-1088, LUXEMBOURG, WIGERICHER

The election of Hermann Graf von Salm to succeed Rudolf von Rheinfelden as anti-king of Germany in 1081 constituted an even more graphic demonstration of the increase in power of the nobility, who were anxious to choose a candidate with little territorial influence in Germany and who would therefore not be strong enough to exercise political authority. The difficulty was that Hermann was unable to wield any influence at all and after his death no further anti-king was elected.

1. HERMANN [Graf von Salm], son of --- [von Gleiberg] & his wife --- ([1040/55]-Salm 28 Sep 1088, bur Metz).

• He was elected as HERMANN King of Germany by the German nobility opposed to Heinrich IV King of Germany in 1081 after the death of Rudolf von Rheinfelden. Bruno´s De Bello Saxonico records the election of “Herimannum regem”, dated to early 1081 from the context[484].
• Two sources have been identified which indicate the family origin of Hermann [anti] King of Germany. The Chronicon of Marianus Scottus records the election by “Suevi in autumno” of “Cuonradi fratrem Herimannum, Heinrici de Lacha fratris filium” to replace “Rodulfo” as king and his installation “in nativitate Domini in Saxonia”[485], and the Casus Monasterii Petrihusensis records the appointment of “Herimannum...genere Francum de Glicberg” as king in 1081[486].
• Hermann is widely called “Graf von Salm” in various modern secondary sources and shown as the son of Giselbert Comte [de Luxembourg]. However, reconciling these two sources quoted above suggests that this normally accepted family origin should be reconsidered for two reasons.

1. Firstly, looking at the Chronicon, if King Hermann shared both parents with Conrad Comte [de Luxembourg], how could he also have been the son of the brother of Heinrich von Laach?
2. Secondly, looking at the Casus, how could King Hermann be “genere Francum [indicating Franconia] de Glicberg” if he was an agnatic member of the Lotharingian Luxembourg family?

• Assuming that all this speculation is correct, it is possible that King Hermann was the same person as Hermann Graf von Gleiberg. One factor which points against this hypothesis is that the father of the two sons of Hermann Graf von Gleiberg, Hermann and Dietrich, is referred to as “comitis” not “regis” in the 1095 charter which is quoted in the document FRANCONIA NOBILITY. A less powerful magnate, he was forced for a time to flee to Denmark[487]. He defeated the troops of Heinrich IV at Bleichfelt, near Wurzburg 11 Aug 1086.
• It should be noted that the theory of Hermann´s supposed Franconian origin is contradicted by Burchard´s History of St Gallen which records that "Hermannus...Rex" retired “in nativam terram suam Lotoringiam” where he died[488].
• Sigebert´s Chronicle records that "Hermannus rex" retired “Lotoringiam” and was killed by stones falling from a castle wall which he approached too closely[489].

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/LOTHARINGIAN%20(LOWER)%20NOBILITY.h...

Married SOPHIA, daughter of --- (-after 23 Sep 1088).

• “Domina Sophya Herimanni regis relicta” donated property to Göttweig by charter dated 23 Sep 1088, witnessed by “Otto filius eiusdem regine...”[232]. Other donations in the same collection were made by the family of the Markgrafen im Nordgau in Bavaria, which suggests that Sophia may have belonged to the same family or at least was of Bavarian/Austrian origin.

Graf Hermann & his wife had two children:

1. HERMANN [II] von Salm ([1070/75]-[1135]).
2. OTTO ([1070/75]- 1150 murdered Burg Schönburg before 12 Nov).