Henry III, Holy Roman Emporer

Henry III, known as the Black or the Pious, was born on 28 October 1016. He was the eldest son of Conrad II and Gisela of Swabia, and a member of the Salian dynasty. Raised by his father, Henry was made Duke of Bavaria in 1026 and co-ruler in 1028. He was later granted the duchy of Swabia and the Kingdom of Burgundy in 1038.

Henry became Holy Roman Emperor in 1046, following his father's death. He ended the papal schism and was crowned by Pope Clement II, strengthening the Vatican's authority. He enforced royal control in the duchies and emerged victorious in conflicts in Lorraine.

In his later years, Henry engaged in campaigns in southern Germany and Hungary, including a major defeat at the Battle of Vértes in 1051. He continued to assert his influence, but modern historians identify the final years of his reign as the beginning of a crisis in the Salian monarchy.

Henry III died on 5 October 1056 at the age of 39 and was buried at Speyer Cathedral. He was succeeded by his son, Henry IV.