Ep. 14 - Otto III The End of a Dream

Listen to this episode from History of the Germans on Spotify. After part one of Otto III's "Restoration of the Empire of the Romans" had been a bloody affair, he now embarks on a strenuous display of religious devotion. That includes a trip to Gniezno, the grave of his friend and mentor Saint Adalbert, a trip that has huge consequences for the development of Poland as an independent nation. His excessive ascetism, long periods of prayer and devotion may look incomprehensible to us today, but are they part of an overall concept of a new "Empire of the Romans", one led by an emperor who is both secular and spiritual ruler? And, did it work?The music for the show is Flute Sonata in E-flat major, H.545 by Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (or some claim it as BWV 1031 Johann Sebastian Bach) performed and arranged by Michel Rondeau under Common Creative Licence 3.0.As always:Homepage with maps, photos, transcripts and blog: www.historyofthegermans.comIf you wish to support the show go to: Support • History of the Germans PodcastFacebook: @HOTGPod Threads: @history_of_the_germans_podcastBluesky: @hotgpod.bsky.socialInstagram: history_of_the_germansTwitter: @germanshistoryTo make it easier for you to share the podcast, I have created separate playlists for some of the seasons that are set up as individual podcasts. they have the exact same episodes as in the History of the Germans, but they may be a helpful device for those who want to concentrate on only one season. So far I have:The OttoniansSalian Emperors and Investiture ControversyFredrick Barbarossa and Early HohenstaufenFrederick II Stupor MundiSaxony and Eastward ExpansionThe Hanseatic LeagueThe Teutonic KnightsThe Holy Roman Empire 1250-1356The Reformation before the Reformation