The New International Encyclopædia/Henry III. (emperor)

​HENRY III. (1017–56). Holy Roman Emperor from 1039 to 1056. He belonged to the Franconian or Salic line, and was the son of Conrad II. He was crowned Duke of Bavaria in 1027, King of the Germans as successor presumptive to his father, 1028, Duke of Swabia and King of Burgundy in 1038, and became King of Germany at his father’s death, in 1039. Henry possessed great natural abilities, had been educated with the utmost care, and succeeded to an exceptionally strong dominion. The four duchies of Franconia, Swabia, Bavaria, and Carinthia were at first in his own hands, and two only, Saxony and Lorraine, had semi-independent dukes. Under him the German Empire attained to very great power. Poland was a subject principality, the Bohemian Duke was compelled to become Henry’s vassal in 1041, and for a time the King of Hungary acknowledged his overlordship. In Italy Drogo, the Norman, became his vassal for Apulia. In 1046 Henry made his first expedition to Italy, summoned to end the troubles caused by the three rival popes, Benedict IX., Gregory VI., and Sylvester III. All three were deposed. Henry was asked to appoint a new Pope, and during the remainder of his reign the occupants of the Papal chair were nominated by him. He was crowned Emperor at Christmas, 1046. From this time on, however, Henry was compelled constantly to face revolts in different parts of his dominions. The revolt of Godfrey in Lorraine proved exceedingly formidable, but Henry ultimately triumphed. He died on October 5, 1056. Henry was deeply devoted to the Church, and earnestly endeavored to reform the clergy. He aided the Papacy in securing the power which was to be so dangerous to his son; but during his life the popes and the Emperor worked in harmony to check the abuses in the Church. Consult: Steindorff, Jahrbücher des deutschen Reichs unter Heinrich III. (Leipzig, 1874–81); Giesebrecht, Geschichte der deutschen Kaiserzeit, vol. ii. (5th ed., Leipzig, 1885).