Egbert II, Margrave of Meissen, had succeeded his father on the latter's death January 11, 1068 in Brunswick and Meissen when still a minor.
He is married to Oda, daughter of Count Otto of Meissen-Orlamünde, whose lands he has inherited, including the castle of Wanderslebener Gleichen.
In 1073, the Saxons, led by Duke Magnus and Otto of Nordheim, had rebelled against King Henry IV.
The insurrection had been crushed by Duke Vratislaus II of Bohemia in the First Battle of Langensalza on June 9, 1075.
Whether Egbert had participated in the Saxon rebellion remains unclear based on extant sources, but since he had nonetheless proved himself an opponent of the king, he had been deprived of Meissen, which was then given to Vratislaus.
However, Egbert had driven Vratislaus from Meissen the next year and was condemned.
A Frisian county then in his possession was confiscated and given to the Bishop of Utrecht.
Egbert had originally supported anti-king Rudolf of Rheinfeld, but eventually he and many other Saxon nobles withdrew their support and remained neutral.
Following the death of Otto of Nordheim in 1083, Egbert has become the most important, but also inconsistent, Saxon opponent of Henry IV.
In 1085, the two had been briefly reconciled and Egbert had entertained Henry in Saxony in July.
In September, the conflict had been resumed, but in 1087, Egbert and Henry made peace.
When Hermann of Salm dies in 1088, Egbert II, a longtime enemy of the Emperor, proclaims himself the successor of the antiking.
Henry has him condemned by a Saxon diet and then a national one at Quedlinburg and Regensburg respectively, but he is defeated by Egbert when a relief army comes to the margrave's rescue during the four-month siege of Gleichen; Egbert manages to escape during the confusion of battle on Christmas Eve, 1088.
