In April 1144 Duke Ulrich I died, Herman's elder brother
Henry V succeeded him. He married Elizabeth, a daughter of Margrave
Leopold of Styria, and died childless on 12 October 1161, whereafter Herman succeeded him as Carinthian duke. Herman reached the confirmation of his rule by Emperor
Frederick Barbarossa. In December 1161 he was solemnly enthroned on the
Duke's Chair in the
Zollfeld plain, in the presence of Archbishop
Eberhard of Salzburg and Patriarch
Ulrich II of Aquileia. In 1162 he accompanied the emperor on his campaign to
Italy and the failed meeting with King
Louis VII of France. With varying degrees of success he tried to consolidate his position in Carinthia by achieving the office of a
Vogt protector over the
Diocese of Gurk as well as over the Carinthian possessions of the
Bishopric of Bamberg and the
Patriarchate of Aquileia. Like his brother, he was stuck in territorial disputes with the
Otakar margraves of
Styria and local nobles like the counts of
Heunburg and
Ortenburg. Upon the death of his uncle Margrave
Engelbert III of Istria in 1173, Herman could not assume the margravial title, but inherited his personal possessions around the town of
Sankt Veit which emerged as ducal residence. About 1173, Herman married
Agnes of Babenberg, daughter of Duke
Henry II of Austria and widow of King
Stephen III of Hungary. They had two known sons: •
Ulrich II, Duke of Carinthia (c. 1181–1202) •
Bernhard, Duke of Carinthia (c. 1181–1256). Herman was the first Sponheim duke to be buried in
St. Paul's Abbey in the Lavanttal, established by his great-grandfather Count Engelbert of Spanheim in 1091. He was succeeded by his eldest son Ulrich II. ==Notes==