Majority and Rebellion Against His Father
In 1228, he had a falling-out with Duke Louis of Bavaria, who was suspected of plotting with the Pope against Emperor Frederick II. Around Christmas of that year, Henry took over the rule for himself, forced Louis to submit, and then turned against the Bishop of Strassburg. The nobles, angered by his city-friendly policies, forced him however to issue in Worms on May 1, 1231 the Statutum in favorem principum, in favour of the princes and directed against the cities, and by their complaints turned Frederick II against his son — the Emperor was dependent on the support of the princes for his Italian policies. Among other things who augmented the discord between father and son, Frederick lifted several regulations on Henry during his minority years who reduce his authority, and on the other side, the action of Count Egeno V of Freiburg, a staunch enemy of the Emperor, who became in the most important of Henry's advisers.
In 1232, Henry swore obedience to his father in Cividale. In the same year, Henry renewed the league between the Hohenstaufen and the French royal house of Capet, and in the following year, subdued Otto II of the Palatinate, the son of Duke Louis of Bavaria. In 1233/34, however, he made his father angry again, when he intervened against the inquisitor Conrad of Marburg, while his father was trying to bring Pope Gregory IX into an alliance against the Lombards.
Frederick II reacted strongly and outlawed his son on 5 July 1234. Henry revolted and formed an alliance with the Lombards in December. However, he was forced to submit to his father on 2 July 1235 in Wimpfen, forsaken by most of his followers. Frederick II and the nobles tried Henry on 4 July 1235 in Worms and dethroned him. His younger brother Conrad was appointed Duke of Swabia and also elected King.
Henry's allies were pardoned as far as possible. Frederick II reacted to the weakening of the royal power originated by his dispute with his son, among other things, with the Imperial Meeting (German: Reichsversammlung) in Mainz on 25 August 1235, on which for first time a Country Peace Law (German: Landfriedensgesetz) was remitted and the Regalia right was reformed fundamentally.
Read more about this topic: Henry (VII) Of Germany
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