Why did Anno II gouge out the eyes of all his jurymen in Cologne, according to legend? In the second half of the 11th century, Anno II ruled over the city of Cologne. With a lively building activity in the city, he is immortalized in the cityscape to this day. Also art, culture and trade prospered under his rule. And the veneration of St. George gave Anno unprecedented greatness here on the Rhine.

A man from the lower nobility of southern Germany becomes Archbishop of Cologne, crushes the power of the Ezzones in the Rhineland and kidnaps the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire: Anno II. is a man that is truly not forgotten in Cologne to this day.

The noble family of the Ezzones was at the height of power in the 11th century. The namesake and Count Palatine of Lorraine named Ezzo had already attained an almost ducal position on the Rhine around the year 1000. How had he managed this? It was, as so often in life, the circumstance of having the right connections and the right nose. Ezzo had successfully married into the then still existing Ottonian imperial dynasty. He then used his proximity to the ruling family to successively expand his power in all parts of the Rhineland.

It's vacation time, hopefully for you too or that you get some time to rest. Have you ever asked yourself why some perfume is called Cologne in the English language? Well, you don't have to wait anymore. Just take a listen.

Cologne in the 11th century: We look around a bit in the area of Cologne Cathedral, where the Archbishop's palace is located, the monastery monastery and on the square itself, where court hearings took place.

Heribert is also one of the most important medieval archbishops in the history of Cologne and here you can find out why this 11th century imperial prince is so significant for Cologne's development

Cologne in the Year 1000 AD. This year was a year like many others. But let's take advantage of the beginning of the new millennium to discover the city on foot again.

How did the young Byzantine princess Theophanu become the richest woman in Europe at only 12 years old at the end of the 10th century? And how did she become the most powerful woman in Europe at the age of 24, with far-reaching effects on European history? In this episode, we will look at her breathtaking life and, of course, at the end, what all this actually has to do with Cologne itself.

Cologne in the middle of the 10th century. The largest city of medieval Germany just before the turn of the millennium. The city is experiencing a tremendous boom. Economic development, church building and a direct line to the emperor make this possible. Archbishop Bruno of Cologne, brother of Emperor Otto I, was behind this. We talk about his work in this episode.

Cologne's Frankish era is often overlooked. Yet this period was just as long as the Roman era. A whole 500 years! You can look back, but of course you can also look forward.