The Ottonian dynasty was a Saxon dynasty of German monarchs (919–1024), named after three of its kings and Holy Roman Emperors named Otto, especially its first Emperor Otto I. It is also known as the Saxon dynasty after the family's origin in the German stem duchy of Saxony. The family itself is also sometimes known as the Liudolfings, after its earliest known member Count Liudolf and one of its most common given names. The Ottonian rulers were successors of the Germanic king Conrad I, who was the only Germanic king to rule in East Francia after the Carolingian dynasty and before this dynasty.
Liudolf was a Carolingian office bearer and count in the Duchy of Saxony from about 844. The ruling Liudolfing house, also known as the Ottonian dynasty, is named after him; he is its oldest verified member.
Henry V of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, called the Younger,, a member of the House of Welf, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruling Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1514 until his death. The last Catholic of the Welf princes, he was known for the large number of wars in which he was involved and for the long-standing affair with his mistress Eva von Trott.
The House of Griffin or Griffin dynasty was a dynasty ruling the Duchy of Pomerania from the 12th century until 1637. The name "Griffins" was used by the dynasty after the 15th century and had been taken from the ducal coat of arms. Duke Wartislaw I was the first historical ruler of the Duchy of Pomerania and the founder of the Griffin dynasty. The most prominent Griffin was Eric of Pomerania, who became king of the Kalmar Union in 1397, thus ruling Denmark, Sweden and Norway. The last Griffin duke of Pomerania was Bogislaw XIV, who died during the Thirty Years' War, which led to the division of Pomerania between Brandenburg-Prussia and Sweden. Duchess Anna von Croy, daughter of Duke Bogislaw XIII and the last Griffin, died in 1660.
Essen Abbey was a community of secular canonesses for women of high nobility that formed the nucleus of modern-day Essen, Germany.
Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, called the Admirable, a member of the House of Welf, was the first ruler of the Principality of Grubenhagen from 1291 until his death.
Gernrode Abbey was a house of secular canonesses (Frauenstift) in Gernrode in what is now Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Gernrode was founded in 959 and was disestablished in the seventeenth century. In the Middle Ages the abbey was an Imperial abbey, which had the status of imperial immediacy, and an Imperial State. In the early modern period, the abbey was part of the Upper Saxon Circle.
Herford Abbey was the oldest women's religious house in the Duchy of Saxony. It was founded as a house of secular canonesses in 789, initially in Müdehorst by a nobleman called Waltger, who moved it in about 800 onto the lands of his estate Herivurth which stood at the crossing of a number of important roads and fords over the Aa and the Werre. The present city of Herford grew up on this site around the abbey.
Lutgard of Salzwedel or Liutgard/Luitgard of Stade, was Queen of Denmark as the wife of King Eric III.
Sophia I, a member of the royal Ottonian dynasty, was Abbess of Gandersheim from 1002, and from 1011 also Abbess of Essen. The daughter of Emperor Otto II and his consort Theophanu, she was an important kingmaker in medieval Germany.
Matilda, Countess Palatine of Lotharingia, was a member of the Ottonian dynasty.
Eric I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen nicknamed the winner, ruled the Principality of Grubenhagen, a part of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
Agnes of Brunswick-Grubenhagen was, from 1412 to 1439, abbess of Gandersheim Abbey as Agnes II.
Clara of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, was a princess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel by birth. She was abbess of the secular Gandersheim Abbey and later Duchess of Brunswick-Grubenhagen by marriage.
Hedwig of Brandenburg, a member of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1568 to 1589, by her marriage with the Welf duke Julius.
Elisabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was a German noblewoman. She was princess of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel by birth and by her first marriage Countess of Holstein-Schauenburg and then by her second marriage Duchess of Brunswick-Harburg.
Princess Therese Natalie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern was a German noblewoman. She was a member of the House of Welf and was princess-abbess of the Imperial Free secular Abbey in Gandersheim.
Mathilde was Abbess of Essen Abbey from 973 to her death. She was one of the most important abbesses in the history of Essen. She was responsible for the abbey, for its buildings, its precious relics, liturgical vessels and manuscripts, its political contacts, and for commissioning translations and overseeing education. In the unreliable list of Essen Abbesses from 1672, she is listed as the second Abbess Mathilde and as a result, she is sometimes called "Mathilde II" to distinguish her from the earlier abbess of the same name, who is meant to have governed Essen Abbey from 907 to 910 but whose existence is disputed.
Augusta Dorothea of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel (1749–1810), was Princess Abbess of Gandersheim Abbey from 1778 until 1810. She was the last sovereign Princess Abbess of Gandersheim.
Christina, Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a princess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Between 1681 and 1693 she served as the Abbess at Gandersheim. She was also a Princess of the Empire (Reichsfürstin).
