Archbishop Anno of Cologne's Coup and Assumption of the Regency in 1060

Timeline

1. 1060Cologne · RhinelandAround 1060, Anno II assembled in Cologne the German princes and bishops opposed to Agnes's regency, criticizing the queen mother for cronyism and for weakening the traditional imperial nobility. The opposition, in the name of protecting the young ruler and imperial order, gradually built the political and military alliance needed to seize power.
2. 1061–1062Kaizerswerth · RhinelandBetween 1061 and 1062, Anno's faction and Agnes's regency circle clashed repeatedly during court progresses. In April 1062, at Kaizerswerth, Anno seized the young Henry IV as he was crossing the river, using force to cut the queen mother's personal control over the emperor—the decisive act that shaped the coup.
3. 1062Cologne · RhinelandAfter the abduction succeeded, Anno and notables such as Ekbert of Brunswick formed a new regency council that took practical control of Henry IV's education and government affairs. Agnes was forced out of the core of the regency; though she retained the title of queen mother, her political influence declined sharply, and Germany entered a new phase of joint rule by bishops and princes.