Ezzo was the son of the
Lotharingian count palatine
Herman I and his wife Heylwig of
Dillingen. He was sent as a child to be educated by Bishop
Ulrich of Augsburg (episcopate 923–973), a relative of his mother. Nothing is known about his youth. Having married
Matilda of Germany (died 1025), a daughter of Emperor
Otto II and his consort
Theophanu, Ezzo became prominent during the reign of his brother-in-law, Emperor
Otto III. The marriage was expressly consented by the Dowager Empress Theophanu, probably to rally the powerful family of Ezzo to the throne. Matilda received as dowry out of
Ottonian possessions lands in
Thuringia and in the
Duchy of Franconia (
Orlamünde and the East Franconian territories of
Coburg and
Salz), while her husband gave her as dowry the family estate of
Brauweiler near
Cologne. At the death of his father in 996, Herman's rich allodial property was shared between his sons. Ezzo received lands in
Cochem on the
Mosel river, in Maifeld, the Flamersheimer Wald and estates around
Tomburg Castle near
Rheinbach, as well as half the usufruct of Villewaldin. About the same time, he must have received the Palatinate and previous comital rights, as he is referred as count in the
Auelgau in 1015 and as
Count Palatine in the
Bonngau in 1020. He also received the county of
Ruhrgau with tutelage of
Essen Abbey. Unsuccessful candidate to the imperial throne upon the death of Emperor
Otto III in 1002, his relation with the new Ottonian king
Henry II was immediately very tense. Henry disputed Ezzo's ownership of territories, that he defended as his wife's inheritance of late Otto III. The conflict dragged on for years and reached its peak in 1011. Facing disturbances in Lotharingia, and in need for Ezzo's military support, Henry was forced to come to terms. Ezzo's victory led the king to make concessions and to a complete transformation of its policy. He reconciled with Ezzo, recognized its rights of inheritance and gave him the royal territories of
Kaiserswerth,
Duisburg as well as
Saalfeld in Thuringia for renouncing to the throne. He also associated the Ezzonid dynasty to his Eastern policies, and mediated the marriage of Ezzo's daughter Richeza with the heir to the
Polish throne
Mieszko II Lambert. These huge territorial concessions made Ezzo one of the most powerful princes in the Empire. Ezzo's growing power and the increased prestige of his house were reflected in the founding of the family,
Brauweiler Abbey, the place where his marriage had been celebrated and whose construction begun after a trip to
Rome of the couple in 1024. The
Benedictine monastery, which was consecrated in 1028 by Archbishop
Pilgrim of Cologne, was to be the grave and spiritual centre of the Ezzonid dynasty. Henry II died in July 1024 without an heir.
Conrad, a great-grandson of
Liutgard of Saxony, daughter of
Otto I, was elected
King of the Romans. In November 1025, Ezzo, who was a supporter of Conrad, invited the Lotharingian nobles to Aachen where they paid homage to the new king, included some, such as
Pilgrim, (archbishop of Cologne), who had previously withheld their support. Ezzo's wife Matilda died unexpectedly during a visit to Ezzo's brother Hermann in Echtz, while Ezzo was in Aachen. She was buried at Brauweiler Abbey. Very little is known about Ezzo's later life, but we are told that he died at a great age at Saalfeld on 21 March 1034, and was buried in Brauweiler. Ezzo life and offices are described in the
Fundatio monasterii Brunwilarensis. He was mostly active in political affairs when it came to his own interests and the standing of his house, and where he could increase his territories and authority. His management of the favours of Empress Theophano, Emperor Otto III and later Henry II, testify of his personal ambition and political dexterity. ==Children==