Gunzelin, Margrave of Meissen

Gunzelin of Kuckenburg (c. 965 – after 1017) was Margrave of Meissen from 1002 until 1009.

He was the second son of Margrave Gunther of Merseburg (c. 949 – 982), thereby the younger brother of Margrave Eckard I of Meissen, and possibly half-brother (or brother-in-law) of the Polish prince Bolesław I the Brave. Gunzelin held allods around Kuckenburg Castle (in present-day Obhausen) near Querfurt.

After the death of his father at the 982 Battle of Stilo, his elder brother was enfeoffed with the Margraviate of Meissen by King Otto III. In 1002, following Eckard's failed attempt at the throne in the German royal election and his subsequent assassination, Bolesław occupied Meissen, but the new king, Henry II forced him to leave it and accept the March of Lusatia with the adjacent Milceni lands instead. Lusatia was thus detached from Meissen, which was bestowed on Gunzelin at Bolesław' demand.

In Autumn 1004, Gunzelin took part in Henry's successful siege of Bautzen (Budusin), which had been occupied by the Poles in 1002. It is reported by Bishop Thietmar of Merseburg that the castle would have been razed if not for Gunzelin's insistence that the Poles be allowed to depart freely and the castle preserved. The retreating Poles, however, devastated parts of his march. Gunzelin thereafter resided in Budusin.

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