• Born: Nov 1165, Nijmegen, Gelderland
• Married: 27 Jan 1185/6, Milano, Lombardy, Italy
• Died: 28 Sep 1197, Castilo Favara, near Messina, Sicily

  Research Notes:

William of Tyre (Continuator) names him as son of Emperor Friedrich. The Annales Stadenses name (in order) "Heinrici imperatoris et Conradi Suevi et Friderici ducis Sueviæ et Ottonis sine terra et Philippi" as sons of "Beatrix imperatrix" when recording her death.

He was crowned HEINRICH VI King of Germany at Aachen 15 Aug 1169. His father appointed him regent when he left on crusade in May 1189. He claimed his Sicilian inheritance, by right of his wife, on the death of Guillaume II King of Sicily in Nov 1189. His departure for Sicily was delayed by news of the death of his father, but in early 1191 he left for Rome where he was crowned Emperor HEINRICH V 15 Apr 1191, although he was obliged to return to Germany by illness. Emperor Heinrich's rival in Sicily, Tancredo Conte di Lecce, had gathered support, including that of Richard I King of England whose capture by Leopold V Duke of Austria removed an obstacle for the emperor. Tancredo's death in 1194 opened the way for Heinrich, who marched south again in an expedition funded by the ransom paid by England for the release of King Richard from his prison in Austria. He deposed his wife's great nephew in Oct 1194, and entered Palermo as ENRICO King of Sicily. He was crowned as king of Sicily at Palermo cathedral 25 Dec 1194, a brutal repression of Tancredo's supported followed. Heinrich proposed making the German succession hereditary, but this was turned down by a meeting of princes in Oct 1196. After the overthrow of Emperor Isaakios II in 1195, Emperor Heinrich V threatened to intervene to avenge him. Emperor Alexios III was unable to raise sufficient funds to buy him off through his special "German" tax, and Heinrich started preparing to attack but died of fever before the preparations were complete.

The Continuatio Admuntensis records the death "apud Messanam urbem Apulie 4 Kal Oct 1197" of "Heinricus imperator sextus". The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines records the death "IV Kal Oct in Sicilia" of "imperator Henricus", specifying that it was said that he was poisoned by his wife. ¹