Welf I, Duke of Bavaria

Welf joined the discontented princes who supported the standard of Rudolph, at a time when any who refused to follow the pope's direction could expect to be excommunicated by the church—a potent and effective threat in the social and political conditions of the time. However, Gregory died in 1085 and his successors took a less intensive part in the affairs of Germany. Welf, though still adhering to the party of the church, began to relax in his exertions to support Rudolf of Rheinfelden.

After his divorce from his first wife in 1070, Welf married Judith of Flanders, daughter of Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders and widow of Tostig Godwinson, Earl of Northumbria.

In 1089, Welf's son Welf married Matilda of Tuscany, thus strengthening relationships with the pope. However, after the younger Welf divorced Matilda in 1095, Welf made amends with Henry IV and was reconfirmed in his position as Duke of Bavaria.

After the death of his father Azzo in 1097, Welf tried to acquire his father's property south of the Alps, but did not succeed against his younger half-brother Fulco.

In 1099, Welf joined what would become known as the Crusade of 1101, along with William IX of Aquitaine, Hugh of Vermandois and Ida of Austria. His main success was to prevent a clash between fellow Crusaders, who had been pillaging Byzantine territory on their way to Constantinople and the Byzantine emperor's Pecheneg mercenaries.

The Crusade itself, entering Anatolia, ended disastrously. After passing Heraclea in September, Welf's Bavarians—like other crusader contingents—were ambushed and massacred by the Turkish troops of Kilij Arslan I, the Seljuq Sultan of Rûm.

Welf himself escaped the fiasco, but died on his way back in Paphos, Cyprus, in 1101 and was buried in Weingarten Abbey. He was succeeded as Duke of Bavaria by his son Welf II.

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