Editing Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor (section)

==Early years==

===Birth and youth===
Otto II was born in 955, the third son of King [[Otto the Great]] of Germany and his second wife, [[Adelaide of Italy]]. By 957, Otto II's older brothers, Henry (born 952) and Bruno (born 953), had died, as well as [[Liudolf, Duke of Swabia|Liudolf]], Otto I's son from his first wife, [[Eadgyth]]. With his older brothers dead, the two-year-old Otto became Otto I's [[heir apparent]]. Otto I entrusted his illegitimate son, [[William (Archbishop of Mainz)|Archbishop William of Mainz]], with Otto II's literary and cultural education. [[Odo I, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark|Odo]], margrave of the [[Saxon Eastern March|Eastern March]], taught the young Otto the art of war and the kingdom's legal customs.

Needing to put his affairs in order prior to his descent into [[Italy]], Otto I summoned a [[Imperial Diet (Holy Roman Empire)|Diet]] at Worms and had Otto II elected, at the age of six, co-regent in May 961. Otto II was later crowned by his uncle [[Bruno the Great]], [[archbishop of Cologne]], at [[Aachen Cathedral]], probably on [[Pentecost]] (26 May).<ref>{{Cite book|last=Van Houts|first=Elisabeth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W7AyCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA84|title=Anglo-Norman Studies|publisher=[[Boydell & Brewer]]|year=2014|volume=XXXVII|page=84|isbn=978-1783270248 |author-link=Elisabeth van Houts}}</ref> While Otto I had secured the succession of the throne, he had violated the kingdom's [[common law|unwritten law]] that succession rights could only be granted to a child who has reached the [[age of majority]]. He was likely motivated by the high risk associated with his expedition into Italy to claim the imperial title from the pope. Otto I crossed the Alps into Italy, while Otto II remained in Germany, and the two archbishops, Bruno and William, were appointed as his [[regents]]. After three-and-a-half years in Italy, Otto I returned to Germany early in 965 as [[Holy Roman emperor]]. In order to give the hope of dynastic continuity after his death, Otto I again confirmed Otto II as his heir on 2 February 965, the third anniversary of Otto I's coronation as emperor.

===Heir apparent===
[[Image:Otton II et Théophano.JPG|thumb|right|220px|Otto II (left) and Theophano anointed as Emperor and Empress]]
Though Otto I was crowned emperor in 962 and returned to Germany in 965, the political situation in Italy remained unstable. After almost two years in Germany, Otto I made a third expedition to Italy in 966. Bruno was again appointed regent over the eleven-year-old Otto II during Otto I's absence.

With his power over northern and central Italy secured, Otto I sought to clarify his relationship with the [[Byzantine Empire]] in the East. The [[Byzantine Emperor]] objected to Otto's use of the title "emperor". The situation between East and West was finally resolved to share sovereignty over southern Italy. Otto I sought a marriage alliance between [[Ottonian dynasty|his house]] and the Eastern [[Macedonian dynasty]]. A prerequisite for the marriage alliance was the coronation of Otto II as co-emperor. Otto I then sent word for Otto II to join him in Italy. In October 967, father and son met in [[Verona]] and together marched through [[Ravenna]] to Rome. On 25 December 967, Otto II was crowned co-emperor by [[Pope John XIII]], securing Otto II's succession to the Imperial crown following his father's death.<ref name="Duckett, pg. 90">Duckett, p. 90</ref>

Otto II's coronation allowed marriage negotiations to begin with the East. Only in 972, six years later, under the new Byzantine Emperor [[John I Tzimiskes]], was a marriage and peace agreement concluded, however. Though Otto I preferred [[Anna Porphyrogenita]], daughter of former Byzantine Emperor [[Romanos II]], as she was [[born in the purple]], her age (then only five years old) prevented serious consideration by the East. The choice of Emperor John I Tzimisces was his niece [[Theophanu]], who was the soldier-emperor's niece by marriage. On 14 April 972, the sixteen-year-old Otto II was [[Marriage of Empress Theophanu|married]] to the fourteen-year-old Eastern princess, and Theophanu was crowned empress by the pope.{{sfn|Reuter|2000|p=254}}

Even after his coronation, Otto II remained in the shadow of his overbearing father. Though the nominal co-ruler of the Empire, he was denied any role in its administration. Unlike his earlier son [[Liudolf, Duke of Swabia|Liudolf]], whom Otto I named [[duke of Swabia]] in 950, Otto II was granted no area of responsibility. Otto II was confined primarily to northern Italy during his father's time south of the Alps. After five years away, the imperial family returned to [[Saxony]] in August 972.

On 7 May 973, Otto died of fever, and Otto II succeeded his father as sole emperor without meeting any opposition.{{sfn|Reuter|2000|p=254}}  Otto II spent his reign continuing his father's policy of strengthening Imperial rule in Germany and extending it deeper into Italy.