Henry I the Fowler (German: "Heinrich der Finkler" or "Heinrich der Vogler"; Latin: "Henricius Auceps") (876–2 July 936) was the duke of Saxony from 912 and king of the Germans from 919 until his death. He was the first of the Ottonian Dynasty of German kings and emperors and therefore he is generally considered to be the founder and first king of the medieval German state, that was known until then as East Francia. As he was an eager hunter, he was called "the Fowler" (someone who hunts wildfowl) because it was said he was fixing birding nets when messengers arrived to inform him that he was to be king.