Wichmann the Younger

Politician

– 0967

37

Who was Wichmann the Younger?

Wichmann II the Younger was a member of the Saxon House of Billung. He was a son of Count Wichmann the Elder and his wife Frederuna, probably a sister of Queen Matilda. The cousin of Emperor Otto I became known as a fierce enemy of the ruling Ottonian dynasty.

Wichmann was perhaps born at present-day Wichmannsburg, part of Bienenbüttel, at the residence of his father. Wichmann I the Elder, though the first-born of three Billung brothers and by his marriage related to King Otto I, was ignored at the enfeoffment with the Saxon Billung March, which in 936 fell to his younger brother Hermann. Wichmann the Elder at first rebelled against the king, joining the uprising of Duke Eberhard of Franconia, but gave up soon afterwards. Upon his father's death in 944, Wichmann the Younger remained under the tutelage of his uncle Hermann. When he came of age, he was only able to succeed to the rank of a count in Angria, though his county is unknown.

Raised at the court of King Otto I upon the early death of their mother, Wichmann made friends with the king's son Liudolf, duke of Swabia since 950. In 953 he participated in Liudolf's rebellion against King Otto, fighting the Saxon troops during the king's siege of Mainz, whereby he re-opened his father's feud with Hermann, his uncle, who meanwhile had been appointed princeps of Saxony. Wichmann was captured; Otto prevented him from being punished more severely, contrary to Hermann's wishes. He was released in 954, though he was not included in the general settlement that followed the revolt.

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Parents
Siblings
Nationality
  • Germany
Died
Sep 22, 0967

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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