Motto of Otto III (983-1002), A child of three when his father died, his mother Theophano, and after her death his grandmother Adelheid and Archbishop Willingis of Mainz ruled over the empire until 995.
Otto III, who was considered to be highly talented and educated, tried to revive the glory of ancient Rome. During his first expedition to Rome, he designated his 24-year old cousin Bruno Pope (Gregory V) and on his second expedition his teacher Gerbert, Archibishop of Reims, as Pope Sylvester II.
He sought to establish a universal theocratic empire but his dreams of reform collapsed, when during his third expedition to Rome, rebellious Romans defeated him. He died of malaria at the age of 22 during an attempt to reconquer that city. He is buried in the cathedral of Aachen, Germany.