The Reign of Otto I (936–973)

Before Henry died he had designated his son Otto as his successor. ¹ Though Otto lived scarcely, longer than his father (Henry lived to the age of sixty, Otto to sixty-two), he had a much longer reign, coming to power at the age of twenty-four. Unlike his father, Otto arranged an impressive coronation at Aachen, the church built by Charles the Great, which Widukind calls ‘the place of universal election’ (Doc. 3). The ceremony was attended by four dukes and three archbishops, together with a large crowd of spectators.