Henry the Lion
Henry the Lion (German: Heinrich der Löwe; 1129/1131 – 6 August 1195), also known as Henry III, Duke of Saxony (ruled 1142-1180) and Henry XII, Duke of Bavaria (ruled 1156-1180), was a member of the Welf dynasty.
| Henry the Lion | |
|---|---|
Depiction in the Gospels of Henry the Lion | |
| Duke of Saxony | |
| Reign | 1142–1180 |
| Predecessor | Albert the Bear |
| Successor | Bernard III |
| Duke of Bavaria | |
| Reign | 1156–1180 |
| Predecessor | Henry XI |
| Successor | Otto I |
| Born | c. 1129 Ravensburg |
| Died | 6 August 1195 (aged 65–66) Brunswick |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | |
| Issue |
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| House | Welf |
| Father | Henry X, Duke of Bavaria |
| Mother | Gertrude of Süpplingenburg |
Henry was one of the most powerful German princes of his time, until the rival Hohenstaufen dynasty succeeded in isolating him and eventually deprived him of his duchies of Bavaria and Saxony during the reign of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and of Frederick's son and successor Henry VI.
At the height of his reign, Henry ruled over a vast territory stretching from the coast of the North and Baltic seas to the Alps, and from Westphalia to Pomerania. Henry achieved this great power in part by his political and military acumen and in part through the legacies of his four grandparents.