Henry I, Count Palatine of Lotharingia

Who is Henry I, Count Palatine of Lotharingia?

Heinrich I, Count Palatine of Lotharingia from 1045 until 1060, son of Hezzelin I. Historians have given several nicknames to Heinrich: Furiosus, because he murdered his wife; Monachus, because he was confined into an abbey for treating his insanity.

He married about 1048 Mathilde of Verdun daughter of Duke Gozelo of Lotharingia, and sister of pope Stephen IX.

He received the Mosellan castle of Cochem from his niece, Queen Richeza of Poland. He was elected as successor for the German kingdom during Emperor Heinrich III's illness.

Shortly after 1058, Heinrich began to show signs of insanity, for which he was confined to the abbey of Gorze. He escaped however, when he heard that his wife Mathilde had a love-affair with one of his relatives, and killed her with an axe. Heinrich then was definitely enclosed into the abbey of Echternach, where he died in 1061. His office and counties were confiscated by Anno II, archbishop of Cologne, who became the guardian of their only son, the later count palatine Hermann II.