ABSTRACT
Lothar had Henry V to thank for making him a duke in 1106, but this did prevent Lothar from spending most of Henry’s reign building up his own power in Saxony and fighting against him, and when control over the succession process was seized by Archbishop Adalbert of Mainz, another of Henry’s long-standing critics, the late emperor’s plans for the succession were ruined. Frederick of Swabia, denied the throne Henry V had promised him, became the implacable enemy of the Welfs, and the rivalry between these two families would have a significant impact on the course of German politics for the rest of the twelfth century and beyond. Emperor Lothar’s most long-lasting contribution to Germany came from his actions in the north and east. Being a Saxon, he gave more attention to the region than recent emperors.
