HENRY III, Emperor. - Son of Conrad II the Salian and of Gisela, b. 28 Oct. 1017, d. at Bodfeld in the Harz on 5 Oct. 1056. Educated in Bavaria under the direction of two bishops, he took part in military enterprises from his youth. Having succeeded his father on 4 June 1039, he immediately set about enlarging his domains and consolidating the authority of his kingdom, taking no interest in the affairs of Italy until 1046. In that year the Roman nobles summoned him to Italy to put an end to the scandal of three personages who were contending for the papacy, Benedict IX, Sylvester III and Gregory VI. But H. seized the occasion to strengthen his political authority there. In Oct. 1046 he crossed the Alps and convened a synod at Pavia; in the following Nov. he met at Piacenza with Gregory VI, whom he received with honor, and together they resolved to hold a synod at Sutri. There on 20 Dec. he had Sylvester III and Gregory VI deposed; shortly afterwards, at Rome (24 Dec.), in another synod he had Benedict IX declared deposed as well. A pope devoted to him was then appointed in the person of Suidger, bishop of Bamberg, under the name Clement II. The new elect was enthroned on Christmas Day, and as his first act he imposed the imperial crown upon H. and his wife Agnes.
The Roman people in turn conferred upon him the title of Roman patrician, which gave him the right to intervene in the elections of the pope, a right of which H. made ample use, designating no fewer than four German popes to the apostolic see. In compensation he showed himself solicitous for the reform of the Church; on 5 Jan. 1047 he presided over a synod in which penalties were established against simoniacs. Immediately after the synod of Jan., H. went to southern Italy to re-establish his authority there, threatened by the Norman dukes, then returned to Germany, bringing with him as a prisoner the deposed Gregory VI. On the death of Clement II, which occurred near Pesaro on 9 Oct. 1047, although Wazo of Liège suggested restoring Gregory to the pontifical throne, H. designated as pope the bishop of Bressanone, Poppo (Damasus II). When Damasus died on 9 Aug. 1048, H. in a great assembly held at Worms at Christmas of the same year designated as his successor Bruno, bishop of Toul (Leo IX), and on the latter's death (19 Apr. 1054) chose Gebhard of Eichstätt (Victor II). In March 1055 H. came to Italy together with his designated pope and took part in the Synod of Florence and attended the coronation by Victor (13 April 1055). He then returned to Germany, taking with him as hostages Countess Beatrice of Tuscany with her daughter Matilda, since he had been unable to subdue the latter's husband, Godfrey of Lorraine, who had become dangerous to his authority in Italy.
E. was praised by his contemporaries for having supported the reform of the Church and for his disinterestedness, free from all simony, in conferring ecclesiastical dignities.
Bibliography7 works
Agostino Amore