Coins of Bavaria.pdf - numismatas.com

In 1070, King Henry IV deposed duke Otto, granting the duchy instead to Count Welf, a member of the Italo-Bavarian family
of Este. Welf subsequently quarreled with King Henry and was deprived of his duchy for nineteen years, during which
it was directly administered by the German crown. Welf recovered the duchy in 1096, and was succeeded by his sons
Welf (II) and Henry (IX); the latter was succeeded by his son, Henry (X), who also became Duke of Saxony.
Welf I 1070-1077, 1096-1101
Welf was the son of Azzo II of Este and his wife Chuniza of Altdorf. When Welf's maternal uncle, Welf, Duke of Carinthia (also
known as Welf III), died childless, Welf inherited his property. Welf married Ethelinde, daughter of Otto II, Duke of Bavaria.
Although the Marquis of Este, guided by his cousin Matilda, continued firm in the Pope's interests, his son Welf, who had succeeded
to the Bavarian states, and whose views were more immediately directed to Germany, supported the emperor. For his fidelity
he was rewarded with the duchy of Bavaria, which had been forfeited by Otto, his father-in-law. When Duke Otto had become an
enemy of King Henry IV, Welf divorced Ethelinde, and soon thereafter (in 1070) was appointed duke of Bavaria in Otto's stead.
This event took place at Goslar in 1070, when the states of Bavaria submitted quietly to the new made duke, who was the representative
of one of the most ancient families in the province; and although, in compliance with the commands of the emperor, he
afterwards repudiated his duchess, the daughter of Otho, we do toot find that his influence was at all affected by such an act,
which savored somewhat of injustice.
During the Investiture Controversy, Welf sided with Pope Gregory VII, and in March 1077 supported the election of Rudolf of
Rheinfelden as anti-king. They were reconciled in 1076, but the following year saw them again engaged in active hostilities. Henry,
in consequence of these repeated acts of rebellion, deprived him of his newly-acquired sovereignty; but, supported by his faithful
Bavarians, and aided by his father in Italy, he was able to maintain his place, and to set the ban of the empire at defiance in May
1077.
Welf joined the discontented princes who supported the standard of Rudolph, when all were put without the pale of the church who
refused to obey the mandate of that Pope; and in that age of ignorance and superstition, many were obliged to comply with a
Pope's mandate, who otherwise would have supported the sovereign of their own choice. Fortunately for the peace of Germany,
Gregory died in 1085, and Welf , though he still adhered to the party of the church, began to relax in his exertions to maintain the
usurper. In 1089, Welf's son Welf married Matilda of Tuscany, thus strengthening relationships with the pope. After the younger
Welf divorced Matilda in 1095, Welf made amends with King Henry IV and was reappointed as duke of Bavaria.
On the divorce of his first wife, Welf married a princess of Flanders, the widow of Tostig Godwinson, Earl of Northumbria, in
England, and the sister of the queen of William I of England, the conqueror of that kingdom.
After the death of his father Azzo in 1097, Welf tried to acquire his father's property south of the Alps, but did not succeed against
his younger half-brother Fulco.
In 1099, Welf joined the Crusade of 1101. He died while returning from the crusade in Cyprus in 1101 and was buried in
Weingarten Abbey. He was succeeded as duke of Bavaria by his son Welf.
Welf II 1101-1120
Welf II (1072 – 24 September 1120, Kaufering), or Welfhard, called Welf the Fat, was duke of Bavaria from 1101 until his death. In
the Welf genealogy, he is counted as Welf V.
Welf was the oldest son of Welf I, Duke of Bavaria, and his wife Judith of Flanders. In 1089, he was married to Matilda of Tuscany,
who was 26 years older, in order to strengthen the relation between his family and the pope during the Investiture Controversy
between king and pope. During King Henry IV's Italian campaign of 1090, Welf and Matilda fought against the King.
Since Matilda had secretly transferred her property to the Church before her marriage, Welf left her in 1095 and, together with his
father, changed sides to King Henry IV, possibly in exchange for a promise of succeeding his father as duke of Bavaria.
After his father's death in 1101 Welf indeed inherited the office of duke of Bavaria. He continued his alliance with the kings; he did
not remarry and died childless in 1120. Welf was buried at Weingarten Abbey.