otto iii s mother theophanu served regent 984 until death in 991.
the regency of theophanu, 984 until death in 991, largely spared internal revolt. struggled throughout reinstate diocese of merseburg, husband otto ii had absorbed archdiocese of magdeburg in 981. theophanu retained otto ii s court chaplains, in particular count bernward of hildesheim , archbishop willigis, who, archbishop of mainz, ex officio secular archchancellor of germany. though theophanu regent, willigis given considerable leeway in administering kingdom. 1 of empress s greatest achievements success in maintaining german supremacy on bohemia, boleslaus ii, duke of bohemia, forced accept authority of otto iii.
in 986 five-year-old otto iii celebrated easter @ quedlinburg. 4 major dukes of germany (henry ii of bavaria, conrad of swabia, henry iii of carinthia, , bernard of saxony) paid tribute child king. imitating similar ceremonies carried out under otto in 936 , otto ii in 961, dukes served otto iii ceremonial steward, chamberlain, cupbearer, , marshal, respectively. service symbolized loyalty of dukes otto iii , willingness serve him. significant submission of henry ii, demonstrated loyalty cousin despite failed rebellion 2 years earlier. next year, age of 6 onward, otto iii receive education , training bernward of hildesheim , gerbert d aurillac.
during regency of theophanu, great gandersheim conflict broke out, concerning control of gandersheim abbey , estates. both archbishop of mainz , bishop of hildesheim claimed authority on abbey, including authority anoint abbey s nuns. conflict began in 989 when otto iii s older sister sophia became nun in abbey. sophia refused accept authority of bishop of hildesheim, instead recognizing of archbishop of mainz. conflict escalated until brought before royal court of otto iii , theophanu. royal intervention eased tensions between parties providing both bishops anoint sophie, while anointing remaining nuns of abbey left bishop of hildesheim alone.
in 989 theophano , otto iii made royal expedition italy visit grave of otto ii in rome. after crossing alps , reaching pavia in northern italy, empress had longtime confidant john philagathos appointed archbishop of piacenza. after year in italy, royal court returned germany, theophanu died in nijmegen on 15 june 991, @ age of 31. buried in church of st. pantaleon in cologne.
because otto iii still child (only eleven when mother died), grandmother, dowager empress adelaide of italy, became regent, archbishop willigis of mainz, until became old enough rule on own in 994.
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