Henry II of the Holy Roman Empire

Henry II of the Holy Roman Empire, called Henry The Saint (973-1024), German king and Holy Roman Emperor (1002-1024), last of the Saxon rulers, born in Abbach, Bavaria. When Henry's cousin Emperor Otto III died without any heirs, Henry was elected by the German nobles to succeed him. From 1004 until 1018 he carried on intermittent warfare with Boleslav I, King of Poland, regaining Bohemia, one of the German territories taken by Poland. In 1004 Henry invaded Italy and was crowned King of the Lombards. Returning to Germany, he persuaded Rudolf III, King of Burgundy, to agree that Burgundy should be united with Germany upon Rudolf's death. In 1014 Henry went to Rome, where he was crowned Emperor by Pope Benedict VIII. In 1021, at the request of Pope Benedict, Henry undertook a third expedition to Italy, where he campaigned against the Byzantines in the south, subjugating Capua and Salerno. Renowned for his piety, Henry was active in Church reform and established a number of monasteries and schools. He was canonized in 1146. He was succeeded as Emperor by Conrad II, founder of the Salian dynasty.