Hello and welcome to the history of the Germans.

Episode 26, Henry III, coming in smooth.

Last week we discussed the remaining few years of Conrad II's reign, which despite some

setback in the trials of Adalbero of Corinthia and a pretty pointless

Italian expedition still counts as one of the most successful rules of the Middle Ages.

Not only does Conrad leave an empire behind whose central authority is undisputed, but he also

managed to live long enough for his heir and successor Henry III to grow up to adulthood

before taking power.

The transition from Conrad II to Henry III in 1039 is the first smooth handover of power

since the transition from Otto I to Otto II in 972, so that's 67 years earlier. With these two exceptions, the death of a king or emperor had always been a period of

huge uncertainty and upheaval.

Henry the Fowler, Otto the Great, Otto the 3rd, Henry the 2nd and Conrad the 2nd

all had to fight opponents for the throne, forcing the magnates to take sides. Once one side had won, the deck of

cards was reshuffled, and previously powerful men lose their positions, like the kingmaker

Aribo of Mines did in 1039. The transition to Henry III had been entirely smooth, allowing

his magnates to breathe the sigh of relief.

He had already been elected and crowned king in 1028.

Beyond his royal title, he had already become Duke of Bavaria in 1027, Duke of Swabia in

1038, and in the same year it became King of Burgundy.

In 1041, two years after taking over, he also became

Duke of Corinthia. On top of that he controlled his family estates that accounted to almost

a duchy in Franconia, as well as the Royal Dimeen which comprised the private

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