Otto the Great

Spencer NelsonZak Buller

Things to know

• Who is Otto?• What made him great?• How did he effect life?• What was the Ottonian system? • Why did he overthrow the Pope?• Where is he now?

Otto was…

• Duke of Saxony• King of Germany• King of Italy• And arguably the first Holy Roman

Emperor

How did he become great?

• He conquered much of Germany and Italy.

• He owned almost all of the religious leadership.

• He was crowned emperor by Pope John XII

• He then made it that people could not elect a pope without his approval.

How did he effect life?

• He unified Germany and Italy• He changed the way that religious

leaders were chosen• Monasteries had more power than

local dukes.• He brought more books and

literature

The Ottonian system

• Used to give more power to church leaders

• Otto often gave church positions to family members

• He also claimed monasteries as his own.

• Thus the dukes had less power• And Otto’s power grew.

CHURCH BATTLES

• After Otto was crowned emperor• Pope John XII feared his power.• John then conspired against Otto.• Otto came back and overthrew

John.

CHURCH BATTLES II

• He then place his own bishops.• They elected someone loyal to

Otto.• John fought back and became pope

again.• Otto came back and overthrew

Pope Benedict V• (because John died)

Where is he now?

• He is dead. (obviously)• He is buried in the Cathedral of

Magdeburg• Next to his wife.

Credits

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_the_Great

• blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com • www.uis.edu