Duke Eberhard of Franconia, a scion of the Conradine dynasty, had been a loyal supporter of the Liudolfing king Henry I of Germany (919-936). After the king's death however, he soon entered into conflict with his son and successor, Otto I, who did not see himself, as his father did, as `primus inter pares`. After Eberhard and other princes refused to pay homage to Otto in 937 his opponents joined Eberhard. In 938 he rebelled together with Otto’s elder half-brother Thankmar and the duke Eberhard of Bavaria. However, Thankmar would be slain by Otto’s followers in the church of Eresburg (938), and Eberhard of Bavaria would be replaced by his uncle Berthold. After a short reconciliation with Otto, Eberhard allied himself in 939 with Gilbert of Lorraine and Otto’s younger brother Henry of Bavar