Egeno I of Konradsburg

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Egeno I of Konradsburg (also Conradsburg) was one of the free knights ( Edelfrei ) of Konradsburg, in the northeast of the Harz region of Germany, near Ermsleben.

The term edelfrei or hochfrei was originally used to designate and distinguish those Germanic noblemen from the Second Estate, who were legally entitled to atonement reparation of three times their "Weregild" (Wergeld) value from a guilty person or party. Such knights were known as Edelfreie or Edelinge. This distinguished them from those other free men or free knights who came from the Third Estate social hierarchy, and whose atonement reparation value was the standard "Weregild" (Wergeld) amount set according to regional laws. In the Holy Roman Empire, the "high nobility" emerged from the Edelfreie during the course of the 12th century, in contrast to the so-called ministeriales, most of whom were originally unfree knights or Dienstadel.

Konradsburg

The Konradsburg is a former castle, monastery and manor house near Ermsleben in the German federal state of Saxony-Anhalt.

In 1070, Egeno I claimed publicly that he knew of a conspiracy by the Saxon counts and the Duke of Bavaria, Otto II of Northeim, against King Henry IV and, as part of this, had even received an order to murder the king. The aim of this ploy was apparently the complete disempowerment of the Duke of Bavaria and expropriation of his estates, giving Henry IV easy access to the Saxon and Thuringian lands. As Otto himself refused the consequent ordeal - a duel with Egeno who was of much lower standing in the social order and of bad reputation - the imperial ban was imposed on him. Otto took up arms in alliance with Magnus Billung but was defeated in 1071 and was imprisoned for a time.

Reputation or image of a social entity is an opinion about that entity, typically as a result of social evaluation on a set of criteria.

The imperial ban was a form of outlawry in the Holy Roman Empire. At different times, it could be declared by the Holy Roman Emperor, by the Imperial Diet, or by courts like the League of the Holy Court (Vehmgericht) or the Reichskammergericht.

Count Giso II of the House of Giso and Count Adalbert of Schauenburg were named as the instigator and author of the conspiracy. They were supposed to have concocted the plan, probably with the knowledge of Henry IV, drawn up the indictment and publicised it through Egeno, whom they had bribed. Giso and Adalbert were killed in 1073 by Otto's henchmen at the Giso Castle of Hollende.

Egeno was blinded in 1073 as a punishment for robbery and then travelled through the land as a beggar.

Probable family tree

Egeno II of Konradsburg was a free knight of Konradsburg, in the northeast of the Harz region in Central Germany, near Ermsleben.

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