Otto II
Otto II, known as 'the Red' for his ruddy complexion, was the son and successor of Otto I the Great. Crowned co-emperor by his father in 967, he became sole ruler upon Otto I's death in 973. His southern campaign ended in catastrophe at the Battle of Stilo in 982, where a combined Arab and Byzantine force inflicted a devastating defeat on the imperial army. He had married the Byzantine princess Theophanu in 972, a union that brought Byzantine cultural influences into the Ottonian court and produced the future Otto III. Otto II died suddenly in Rome in 983 at only 28 years of age.
- Lived: 955 CE – 983 CE
- Nationality: german
- Roles: emperor, head_of_state, military_leader
