Otto I, the Great (912-973), a German king, was the first emperor of what became known as the Holy Roman Empire. He followed his father, Henry I, as king of Germany in 936. Otto’s father had actually ruled only his own duchy of Saxony, but Otto tried to rule all Germany.
In 951, Otto crossed the Alps and declared himself the king of Italy. He was forced to return to Germany when the other German princes began a series of revolts. At the same time, the Slavs in Poland and Bohemia revolted, and the Magyars, or Hungarians, invaded Germany. Otto crushed the Magyars in the Battle of Lechfeld in 955. The Poles and Bohemians were forced to accept his rule. Otto was able to replace most of the rebellious German princes with members of his own family. The young king of Arles, or Burgundy, also had to accept German rule. Otto then turned his attention toward Italy. He married the widow of an earlier Italian king and defeated a rival for the throne. In 961, Otto crossed the Alps to put down an uprising in Rome. For this service, Pope John XII crowned him emperor of what was later known as the Holy Roman Empire.
Otto was born on Nov. 23, 912, in Quedlinburg. He died on May 7, 973.
