Henry Raspe

Heinrich Raspe (1204 - 1247)

In 1227 Heirich Raspe became Landgraf of Thuringia and in 1246/47 king in opposition to Konrad IV. First in Thuringia, Heinrich ruled for his under age nephew Hermann II, whom he had expelled from the government as he had also done with his nephew´s mother. Around 1231 Heinrich became the successor of his brother Ludwig IV who had died on a crusade. As reward he received the county Thuringia.

In 1242 Heinrich, together with Wenzel I, was elected by Friedrich II to be the trustee of the empire for his under age son Konrad IV. After the deposition of Friedrich through Pope Innozenz IV in 1245, he changed his mind and on the 22nd of May in 1246 he was elected to be the king in opposite "Pfaffenkönig". In the battle of Nidda, Heinrich won over Konrad in August 1246 and he died several months after on the 16th of February on the Wartburg.