Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Heinrich der Zaenker

Since 1007, when Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich II (Henry II) made Bamberg the seat of a diocese, the Bamberg Cathedral ("Bamberger Dom St. Peter und St. Georg") is the seat of the Archbishop of Bamberg. The first cathedral on this place, founded in 1004 by Heinrich II and named "Heinrichsdom", got consecrated already in 1012. This building got destroyed by fire in 1085. Around 1215 the construction of the building seen here started. It was commisioned by Bishop Eckbert von Andechs-Meranien, brother of Hedwig von Andechs (aka Hedwig of Silesia). The new cathedral consecrated in 1237. The tomb of Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich II and Empress Kunigunde is one of the main attractions for the visitors. It was created around 1500 by Tilman Riemenschneider, the most gifted and prolific German sculptor of his time. Heinrich II was the last of the Ottonians on the throne. He was the son of Heinrich der Zaenker ("Henry the Wrangler"), following his second cousin Emperor Otto III, Theophanu´s son. As there were more hopeful aspirants, after Otto III sudden death (only 21 years old!), Heinrich travelled to Bavaria, where he stopped the funeral procession on the way to Aachen. In the village of Polling Heinrich forced Archbishop Heribert of Cologne to hand out the imperial regalia. But Heribert, favoring his relative Herman II of Swabia as the next king, had sent the Holy Lance, most important part of the regalia, ahead. So Heinrich imprisoned the Archbishop and later as well his brother, the Bishop of Wuerzburg. It took months for them to come free, but finally in July 1002, Bernard I, Duke of Saxony, handed the Holy Lance over to Heinrich II, who had been anointed and crowned a month before in Mainz. His wife Kunigunde was crowned as Queen in Paderborn in August 1002. In 1146 Heinrich II was canonized and since then was known as "Sankt Heinrich". A legend tells, that he felt very lonely and was very happy, when in 1200 his wife Kunigunde was canonised as well - and since then is "Sankt Kunigunde".

The western facade of the Stephansdom (St. Stephan's Cathedral) is under renovation. The large baroque cathedral was erected between 1668 and 1693, after a fire had destroyed its predecessor in 1662. The cathedral seen today is the fifth erected on the highest point of a peninsula between the rivers Danube and Inn. A christian church, dedicated to St. Severin, existed already around 450, when Passau was still known under the Roman name of Batavia. A pre-Romanesque church, dedicated to St. Stephanus, was built around 720. When Saint Bonifatius founded the diocese of Passau in 739, this church became a cathedral. It got destroyed, when Emperor Otto II (husband of Theophanu) conquered Passau after a siege during the wars he fought against his cousin Henry II, Duke of Bavaria (aka "Henry the Wrangler"). A three nave Romanesque church was consecrated in 985, followed by an early Gothic cathedral, built between 1280 and 1325. This got rebuilt over a long period between 1407 and 1598, before it burnt down and so gave room for the Baroque cathedral seen here.

The western facade of the Stephansdom (St. Stephan's Cathedral) is under renovation. The large baroque cathedral was erected between 1668 and 1693, after a fire had destroyed its predecessor in 1662. The cathedral seen today is the fifth erected on the highest point of a peninsula between the rivers Danube and Inn. A christian church, dedicated to St. Severin, existed already around 450, when Passau was still known under the Roman name of Batavia. A pre-Romanesque church, dedicated to St. Stephanus, was built around 720. When Saint Bonifatius founded the diocese of Passau in 739, this church became a cathedral. It got destroyed, when Emperor Otto II (husband of Theophanu) conquered Passau after a siege during the wars he fought against his cousin Henry II, Duke of Bavaria (aka "Henry the Wrangler"). A three nave Romanesque church was consecrated in 985, followed by an early Gothic cathedral, built between 1280 and 1325. This got rebuilt over a long period between 1407 and 1598, before it burnt down and so gave room for the Baroque cathedral seen here. The nave is about 100 meters long.

End of the 8th century a monastery existed here, owning the relics of Saint Kastulus, that had been "translated" to Moosburg from Rome. This monastery was converted into a collegiate, after the last Benedictian monks had moved to Weihenstephan Abbey in 1021. After the old abbey church had collapsed the erection of a new church started in 1170. This was done under the guidance of Albert I. (aka Adalbert I.), the Bishop of Freising and so there are many parallels between these two large structures. The Freising Cathedral was the first large brick building in Bavaria (after the Romans had left) - and St. Kastulus in Moosburg was the second. The western portal of St. Kastulus, known as "Adalbert-Portal", was carved before 1212. It was made from the same sandstones as the little older portal of the Scots Monastery in Regensburg - and the carvers probably knew that masterpiece. According to Gottfried Weber ("Die Romanik in Oberbayern") this portal in Moosburg is one of the greatest works of Romanesque art in Bavaria. A "Christ in Majesty" seated on a throne in a blessing gesture between Alpha and Omega. He is flanked by four persons, that are "named". From left - HAINRICUS IMP(er)ATOR = Henry II (Heinrich II), Holy Roman Emperor. His father was Henry II, Duke of Bavaria, called "the wrangler". Henry II enabled the conversion from a Benedictian monastery to a noble Collegiate in 1021, so what he is holding is probably the charter. - SCA (SAN) THEOTOKOS (Greek letters) = God-Bearer = Virgin Mary. - CASTVLVS MARTYR = Saint Castulus, martyred in the 3. century. His relics are in this church, he is the patron saint of Moosbach. As a martyr he holds a palm leaf. - ADELBERTVS EP(iscopu)C = Bishop of Freising Adalbert I, he is on his knees offering a model of this church. I could not decipher/translate the two long lines below. Have a try!

Kloster St. Emmeram (St. Emmeram's Abbey) was founded in about 739. The church was erected over the tomb of St. Emmeram. Emmeram was one of the early wandering missionaries in Bavaria. He came from Poitiers, where he had been bishop, and was martyred in 652. Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg (924 - 994) was abbot here, before he became bishop of Regensburg. Wolfgang and his successor Blessed Ramwod connected the abbey to the monastic reforms of Gorze. A century later St. Emmeram´s Abbey was one of the centers of the Cluniac Reforms in Southern Germany. William of Hirsau and (his friend) Ulrich of Zell "aka "Ulrich of Cluny") were both educated here. During that years, St. Emmeram´s was an intellectual hub. The scriptorium was a centre of book production and illumination ("Uta Codex"). The importance declined, but during the 16th century the abbey enjoyed a resurgence particularly in the natural sciences. In 1731, the abbots were raised to the status of Reichsfuersten ("Princes of the Empire"), what triggered a Baroque refurbishment od the buildings, lead by the Asam brothers. The secularisation ended the monastic life and in 1812 the buildings were granted to the Princes of Thurn and Taxis, who had St. Emmeram's Abbey converted as a residence, known as "Schloss Thurn und Taxis". The family of Thurn und Taxis still lives in the former monastery, while the former abbey church now is the parish church St. Emmeram, . The golden shrine, integrated into the altar of the crypt, holds the relics of St. Wolfgang of Regensburg, the patron Saint of Bavaria. He was abbot of St. Emmeram, later Bishop of Regensburg and as such, the founder of the Cathedral School, to which the reknown "Regensburger Domspatzen" can be traced back.

Kloster St. Emmeram (St. Emmeram's Abbey) was founded in about 739. The church was erected over the tomb of St. Emmeram. Emmeram was one of the early wandering missionaries in Bavaria. He came from Poitiers, where he had been bishop, and was martyred in 652. Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg (924 - 994) was abbot here, before he became bishop of Regensburg. Wolfgang and his successor Blessed Ramwod connected the abbey to the monastic reforms of Gorze. A century later St. Emmeram´s Abbey was one of the centers of the Cluniac Reforms in Southern Germany. William of Hirsau and (his friend) Ulrich of Zell "aka "Ulrich of Cluny") were both educated here. During that years, St. Emmeram´s was an intellectual hub. The scriptorium was a centre of book production and illumination ("Uta Codex"). The importance declined, but during the 16th century the abbey enjoyed a resurgence particularly in the natural sciences. In 1731, the abbots were raised to the status of Reichsfuersten ("Princes of the Empire"), what triggered a Baroque refurbishment od the buildings, lead by the Asam brothers. The secularisation ended the monastic life and in 1812 the buildings were granted to the Princes of Thurn and Taxis, who had St. Emmeram's Abbey converted as a residence, known as "Schloss Thurn und Taxis". The family of Thurn und Taxis still lives in the former monastery, while the former abbey church now is the parish church St. Emmeram, . This throne is placed in the crypt of St. Wolfgang, just opposite St. Wolfgang´s shrine. The throne, dated to the 10th century, may have been the "bishop´s seat" of Wolfgang. The two lions make very clear, that the person, seated on the "cathedra" above them is of a very high rank. The throne may be even a older and used by Arnulf von Kaernten (Arnulf of Carinthia) the last Carolingian emperor, who had a palace next to the monastery. It is actually named "Heinrichstuhl", what may be connected to Duke Heinrich II of Bavaria (aka "Heinrich der Zaenker", "Henry the Wrangler"), whose grave is in St. Emmeram, or to three of the local burgraves named Heinrich who may have (re)used the throne within the 12th /13th century. It may well be, that all mentioned persons (and many more) have used this throne.