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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_the_IllustriousOtto or
Oddo , called
the Illustrious by later authors, was the
Duke of Saxony from 880 to his death. He was the younger son of
Liudolf, Duke of Saxony, and his wife Oda, and succeeded his brother
Bruno as duke after the latter's death in battle in 880. His dynasty, named after his father, is called the
Liudolfing.
By a charter of
Louis the Younger to
Gandersheim Abbey dated
26 January 877, the pago Suththuringa is described as in comitatu Ottonis . In a charter of
28 January 897, Otto is described as marchio and the pago Eichesfelden is now found to be within his county . He was also the
lay abbot of
Hersfeld Abbey in 908. He was described as magni ducis Oddonis by
Widukind of Corvey when describing the marriage of his sister,
Liutgard, to King Louis.
Otto rarely left Saxony. He was a regional prince and his overlords, Louis the Younger and
Arnulf, with both of whom he was on good terms, rarely interfered in Saxony. In Saxony, Otto was king in practice and he established himself as tributary ruler over the neighbouring Slav tribes, such as the
Daleminzi.
According to Widukind of Corvey, Otto was offered the
kingship of East Francia after the death of
Louis the Child in 911, but did not accept it on account of his advanced age, instead suggesting
Conrad of Franconia. The truthfulness of this report is considered doubtful.
[1]Otto's wife was Hathui , daughter of
Henry of Franconia. Otto was and is buried in the church of Gandersheim Abbey. He had two sons, Thankmar and Liudolf, who predeceased him, but his third son
Henry succeeded him as duke of Saxony and was later elected king. His daughter Oda married
Zwentibold,
King of Lotharingia.