Adolf of Germany
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Adolf or Adolph (c. 1255 – 2 July 1298) was the King of Germany from 1292 until 1298. His title in his lifetime was rex Romanorum, but he is usually known as Adolf of Nassau.
Adolf of Nassau was a member of the minor nobility, born about 1255 as son of count Walram II of Nassau and Adelheid of Katzenelnbogen.
He had neither influence nor power, and was elected to become Holy Roman Emperor because of the electors' preference for a weak emperor. His election was largely secured through the influence of the elector-archbishops of Mainz and Cologne. He was crowned King of the Germans (Emperor-Elect) on June 2, 1292, at Aachen. He was never crowned by the pope in Rome, which would have secured him the title of Emperor.
He founded the convent of Clarenthal near Wiesbaden in 1296.
His pursuit of territorial claims in Thüringen turned his supporters against him, and they elected Albert I of Habsburg in his place in 1298. Adolf refused to accept this decision but was killed in the Battle of Göllheim (near Speyer) against Albert I of Habsburg on July 2, 1298.
"A stalwart but necessitous Herr" Carlyle calls him. He seems to have been under the pay of Edward Longshanks.
[edit] Family and children
He married Imagina of Isenburg-Limburg, daughter of Gerlach I of Isenburg and Imagina of Blieskastel. Their children were:
- Heinrich, died young.
- Ruprecht, died 2 December 1304
- Gerlach I of Nassau-Wiesbaden.
- Adolf (1292 – 1294).
- Walram III of Nassau-Wiesbaden.
- Adelheid, Abbess of Klarenthal, died 26 May 1338.
- Imagina, died young.
- Matilde (before 1280 – 19 June 1323, Heidelberg), married Rudolf I "der Stammler", Duke of Upper-Bavaria.
[edit] See also
- Kings of Germany family tree. He was related to every other king of Germany.
[edit] References
- Alois Gerlich: Adolf von Nassau (1292 - 1298). Aufstieg und Sturz eines Königs, Herrscheramt und Kurfürstenfronde, in: Nassauische Annalen 105, 1994, S. 17 - 78.
- Bernd Schneidmüller/Stefan Weinfurter (Hrsg.): Die deutschen Herrscher des Mittelalters, Historische Porträts von Heinrich I. bis Maximilian I., Verlag C.H. Beck : München 2003, 624 S., 5. Abb., 3 Karten und 7 Stammtafeln.
| Preceded by Rudolph I |
King of Germany (formally King of the Romans) 1292–1298 |
Succeeded by Albert I |
| Preceded by Walram II |
Count of Nassau 1276–1298 |
Succeeded by Gerlach I & Walram III |
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