St Henry 2nd healing oil

Description

The Healing oil dedicated to St Henry 2nd. A Holy Roman Emperor from 1014 until his death in 1024. And the last member of the Ottonian dynasty of Emperors as he had no children. The Duke of Bavaria from 995. Henry became King of Germany following the sudden death of his second cousin, Emperor Otto III in 1002. Crowned King of Italy in 1004 and crowned by the Pope as Emperor in 1014.

His Early Life

After the death of King Otto III in January 1002, Henry, aware of strong opposition to his succession. Captured the royal insignia that in the keeping of the dead king’s companions. At Otto’s funeral the majority of the princes declared against Henry, and only in June. With the assistance of Archbishop Willigis of Mainz did Henry secure both election and coronation. It took another year before his recognition was final.

Henry first turned his attention to the east and made war against the Polish king Bolesław I the Brave. After a successful campaign, he marched into northern Italy to subdue Arduin of Ivrea. Who had styled himself king of Italy.

His greatest achievement was the foundation of the new bishopric of Bamberg. The upper region of the Main River poorly populated. And Henry set aside large tracts of personal property to establish the new bishopric. Much against the wishes of the bishop of Würzburg in the middle Main region. He obtained the consent of other bishops at a synod in Frankfurt in late 1007. The new bishop was consecrated on Henry’s birthday in 1012. In 1020 Bamberg was visited by the pope. And it quickly developed into a splendid cathedral town where contemporary scholastic culture and art. As well as piety, found the support of Henry and his queen, Cunegunda.

Henry’s Death

During the last years of his reign Henry planned, in concert with Pope Benedict VIII, an ecclesiastical reform council at Pavia to seal the system of ecclesiastico-political order he had perfected in Germany. But he died suddenly in July 1024, before this could be done.