Henry VI 1165-97
King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor

The son of Frederick I, Barbarossa, he was born in Nmegen, the Netherlands, and married Constance, aunt and heiress of William II of Sicily (1186). He succeeded his father as King of Germany and emperor in 1190. He was opposed by the papacy, the Guelfs, Richard I of England and Constance's illegitimate brother Tancred, who had succeeded William in Sicily. This hostile coalition collapsed when Richard fell into the hands of Leopold V of Austria, who turned his captive over to Henry. When Tancred died (1194) Henry overran Sicily, where Constance bore him a son, Frederick II. Emperor (from 1191) and King of Sicily, Henry was extremely powerful, but failed to make the empire hereditary. He died young, of malaria, while preparing for a crusade.