On This Day
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Pope Gregory V crowns his cousin Otto III as Holy Roman Emperor in St Peter's Basilica in Rome

Otto III (June/July 980 – 23 January 1002) was the Holy Roman emperor and King of Italy from 996 until his death in 1002.

Otto III (June/July 980 – 23 January 1002) was the Holy Roman emperor and King of Italy from 996 until his death in 1002. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto III was the only son of Emperor Otto II and his wife Theophanu.

Otto III was crowned as King of Germany in 983 at the age of three, shortly after his father's death in Southern Italy while campaigning against the Byzantine Empire and the Emirate of Sicily. Though the nominal ruler of Germany, Otto III's minor status ensured his various regents held power over the Empire. His cousin Duke Henry II of Bavaria, initially claimed regency over the young king and attempted to seize the throne for himself in 984.

Historical Significance

Otto III (June/July 980 – 23 January 1002) was the Holy Roman emperor and King of Italy from 996 until his death in 1002.

Events Before

  1. Battle of Abydos: Byzantine Emperor Basil II defeats and kills rebel general Bardas Phokas, ending his rebellion

    Battle of Abydos: Byzantine Emperor Basil II defeats and kills rebel general Bardas Phokas, ending his rebellion

  2. Battle of Maldon: English, led by Earl Byrhtnoth, confront a band of inland-raiding Vikings near Maldon in Essex. The ba

    Battle of Maldon: English, led by Earl Byrhtnoth, confront a band of inland-raiding Vikings near Maldon in Essex. The battle and the English defeat are immortalized in the well-known Old English poem "The Battle of Maldon."

  3. Battle of Conquereuil won by the Count of Anjou, Fulk the Black, defeating Conan I, Count of Brittany, in western France

    Battle of Conquereuil won by the Count of Anjou, Fulk the Black, defeating Conan I, Count of Brittany, in western France

  4. Saint Ulrich of Augsburg is canonized

    Ulrich of Augsburg, sometimes spelled Uodalric or Odalrici, was Prince-Bishop of Augsburg in the Holy Roman Empire. He was the first saint to be canonised not by a local authority but by a pope.

  5. The Duchy of Bohemia's Slavník dynasty members Spytimír, Pobraslav, Pořej, and Čáslav are murdered by Boleslaus II the P

    The Duchy of Bohemia's Slavník dynasty members Spytimír, Pobraslav, Pořej, and Čáslav are murdered by Boleslaus II the Pious

Events After

  1. Gerbert of Aurillac is elected as the first French Pope

    Pope Sylvester II (Latin: Silvester II; c. 946 – 12 May 1003), originally known as Gerbert of Aurillac, was a scholar and teacher who served as the bishop of Rome and ruled the Papal States from 999...

  2. Heribertus becomes bishop of Cologne

    Heribertus becomes bishop of Cologne

  3. Battle of Svolder, Baltic Sea: King Olaf on board the Long Serpent is defeated in one of the greatest naval battles of t

    Battle of Svolder, Baltic Sea: King Olaf on board the Long Serpent is defeated in one of the greatest naval battles of the Viking Age and leaps to his death overboard

  4. Leif Erikson reaches "Vinland" (possibly L'Anse aux Meadows, Canada), reputedly becoming the first European to reach Nor

    Leif Erikson reaches "Vinland" (possibly L'Anse aux Meadows, Canada), reputedly becoming the first European to reach North America

  5. Hungary is established as a Christian kingdom by Stephen I of Hungary, celebrated today as State Foundation Day

    Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia...

More from the 990s

Gerbert of Aurillac is elected as the first French Pope

Pope Sylvester II (Latin: Silvester II; c. 946 – 12 May 1003), originally known as Gerbert of Aurillac, was a scholar and teacher who served as the bishop of Rome and ruled the Papal States from 999...

Battle of Conquereuil won by the Count of Anjou, Fulk the Black, defeating Conan I, Count of Brittany, in western France

Battle of Conquereuil won by the Count of Anjou, Fulk the Black, defeating Conan I, Count of Brittany, in western France

Saint Ulrich of Augsburg is canonized

Ulrich of Augsburg, sometimes spelled Uodalric or Odalrici, was Prince-Bishop of Augsburg in the Holy Roman Empire. He was the first saint to be canonised not by a local authority but by a pope.

Battle of Maldon: English, led by Earl Byrhtnoth, confront a band of inland-raiding Vikings near Maldon in Essex. The ba

Battle of Maldon: English, led by Earl Byrhtnoth, confront a band of inland-raiding Vikings near Maldon in Essex. The battle and the English defeat are immortalized in the well-known Old English poem "The Battle of Maldon."

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 21, 996?
Otto III (June/July 980 – 23 January 1002) was the Holy Roman emperor and King of Italy from 996 until his death in 1002. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto III was the only son of Emperor Otto II and his wife Theophanu. Otto III was crowned as King of Germany in 983 at the age of three, shortly after his father's death in Southern Italy while campaigning against the Byzantine Empire and the Emirate of Sicily.
Why is Pope Gregory V crowns his cousin Otto III as Holy Roman Emperor in St Peter's... significant?
Otto III (June/July 980 – 23 January 1002) was the Holy Roman emperor and King of Italy from 996 until his death in 1002.

Explore More

May 21 in HistoryYear 996