Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen

Berchtold V of Zähringen (1160 – February 18, 1218 in Freiburg im Breisgau) was Duke of Zähringen until his death, succeeding his father Berchtold IV in 1186.

History and legacy

At the beginning of his reign, he reduced the power of the Burgundian nobles and settled the Bernese Oberland and the area of Lucerne. As a result, he enlarged Thun and founded Bern in 1191, which became the focus of his expansionism. At the Battle of Ulrichen in 1221, however, he failed to gain access to the Valais.

In the Imperial election of 1198 in Cologne, he was elected King of the Romans, to become Holy Roman Emperor to succeed Henry VI, but renounced the title in favour of the Hohenstaufen Philip of Swabia (antiking to Welf Emperor Otto IV of Brunswick). In exchange for this renunciation, Berthold gained territorial concessions in what is now southern Germany and northern Switzerland, consolidating Zähringer hold over the Ortenau, the Breisgau, Schaffhausen, Breisach and All Saints' Abbey.

In 1200, Berthold began extending the city-parish church of Freiburg which, after the second extension, starting half a century later, became the monastery now known as Freiburg Münster.

The Zähringer dynasty ended with Berthold's death in 1218. Amongst other things, he is commemorated by fountains in Berne and his tomb in Freiburg Münster.

References and external links

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* [http://www.genealogie-mittelalter.de/zaehringer_schwaebisches_herzogsgeschlecht/berthold_5_herzog_von_zaehringen_%2B_1218.html Berthold V., Herzog von Zähringen (1186–1218)] on "Genealogie Mittelalter"

Persondata
NAME= Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Duke of Zähringen
DATE OF BIRTH=1160
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=February 18, 1218
PLACE OF DEATH=Freiburg im Breisgau