Henry III, Count of Sayn

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Henry III, Count of Sayn, known as "the Great," ruled Sayn from 1202 until his death in 1246. Sayn was a small German county near the Sieg River in what is now Rhineland-Palatinate. He ruled together with his father, Eberhard II, at first, and in the first year with his uncle Henry II.

During his early years, Gottfried II of Sponheim acted as regent from 1181 to 1220, and later John of Sponheim-Starkenburg was regent from 1226 until Henry’s death in 1246.

In 1233, Conrad of Marburg, along with Conrad Dorso and John the One-Eyed, accused Henry of satanic orgies. He defended himself before bishops in Mainz and was acquitted. The accusers did not accept the verdict, but Conrad left Mainz. While traveling near Marburg, Conrad was ambushed and killed by knights; it is not known if they acted for Henry.

Henry died in 1246, and his county passed to his brother-in-law, Eberhard III of Sponheim-Eberstein.