A royal German victory over the Welf dynasty near Nördlingen that temporarily checked Welf expansion in Swabia during the Hohenstaufen–Welf conflict.
Key Facts
- Date
- 8 February 1150
- Location
- Flochberg (Vlochperch), near Nördlingen
- Royal force size
- A few hundred men
- Victor
- Henry (VI) of Germany (Hohenstaufen)
- Defeated party
- Welf VI and his son Welf VII
- Conflict resolved
- Frozen at Conrad III's death in 1152
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
After returning from the Second Crusade, Welf VI allied with Roger II of Sicily—an enemy of Conrad III—and agreed to stir unrest in Germany. He revived the Welf claim to the Duchy of Bavaria for his nephew Henry the Lion, and in early 1150 the Welfs raided Hohenstaufen holdings in the Duchy of Swabia, prompting Conrad to send his son Henry to intercept them.
Henry (VI)'s forward reconnaissance troops surprised the Welf force at the royal castle of Flochberg as it retreated from Swabia and pinned it down. When the main royal army arrived, the smaller Welf force was routed. Only the onset of night allowed Welf VI, Welf VII, and some of their men to escape.
The victory demonstrated Henry (VI)'s military capability, which was highlighted in letters to the Byzantine emperor Manuel I. However, Conrad III simultaneously failed to take Brunswick when confronted by Henry the Lion, leaving the broader Hohenstaufen–Welf conflict unresolved. Conrad's death in 1152 and the young Henry (VI)'s own death later in 1150 froze the conflict before any definitive settlement.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Henry (VI) of Germany.
Side B
1 belligerent
Welf VI, Welf VII.