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Otto III was a member of the Ottonian dynasty. He was the Roman-German king from A.D. 983 and Holy Roman Emperor from 996 to 1002. He was elected as the German king when he was only three years old. During his minority the empire was managed by the empresses, Theophanu and Adelaide of Italy. During his reign the focus of the royal and imperial rule shifted to Italy and was characterised by very individual decisions. For example, Otto appointed his own candidates to the papacy in opposition to the rebellious Roman nobility: his trusted cousin, Bruno of Carinthia, as Pope Gregory V and Gerbert of Aurillac as Pope Sylvester II. In Poland, a church organization independent of the kingdom was established. Otto had to flee in 1001 after a revolt by Rome. His attempt at reconquest failed owing to his untimely death. His body was buried in Aachen.

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