Kaiser Otto der Große Otto I

Otto I, Kaiser Otto der Große (912-73, Memleben), succeeded his father Heinrich I in 936 as German King (see Deutscher König), and immediately faced dangerous revolts by sections of the nobility, including his own brothers. Within a few years Otto established his power, relying upon the bishops to provide an effective support against an ambitious aristocracy. Otto overcame a second crisis in 954; and in 955, by his victory on the Lechfeld, he permanently freed the empire from marauding Hungarian armies. In his later years he strengthened his hand in Italy, obtaining in 962, the year in which he was crowned emperor in Rome, the right of veto in the papal election. Otto further secured control of the Langobard kingdom in North Italy and had his son Otto II crowned emperor in 967. He is buried in Magdeburg. The predicate ‘the Great’ was used already in his lifetime.