Bertha of Burgundy
Encyclopedia
Bertha of Burgundy was the daughter of Conrad the Peaceful
, King of Burgundy
and his wife Matilda
, daughter of Louis IV, King of France
and Gerberga of Saxony
. She was named for her father's mother, Bertha of Swabia
.
She first married Odo I
, Count of Blois
in about 983. They had several children, including Odo II
.
After the death of her husband in 996, Bertha's cousin Robert
, co-King of France wished to marry her, in place of his repudiated first wife Rozala
, who was many years his senior. The union was opposed by Robert's father, Hugh Capet, due to the close relation of husband and wife. However, the marriage went ahead after Hugh's death in October 996, which left Robert as sole king.
The closeness of Robert and Bertha by blood was such that Church authorities considered the marriage illegal. Accordingly, Pope Gregory V
declared the pair excommunicate. This, and the lack of children (save one, who lived and died in 999), caused Robert to agree with Pope Silvester II
to have the marriage annulled in 1000.
Robert went on to marry Constance of Arles
. Bertha remained unmarried.
Conrad of Burgundy
Conrad the Peaceful was the king of Burgundy from 937 until his death. He was the son of King Rudolph II, the first king of a united Burgundy and Bertha of Swabia...
, King of Burgundy
King of Burgundy
The following is a list of the Kings of the two Kingdoms of Burgundy, and a number of related political entities devolving from Carolingian machinations over family relations.- Kings of the Burgundians :...
and his wife Matilda
Matilda of France
Matilda of France was Queen of Burgundy as the wife of King Conrad. A Carolingian, she was born in 943 to King Louis IV of France and his wife, Gerberga of Saxony....
, daughter of Louis IV, King of France
Louis IV of France
Louis IV , called d'Outremer or Transmarinus , reigned as King of Western Francia from 936 to 954...
and Gerberga of Saxony
Gerberga of Saxony
Gerberga of Saxony was a daughter of Henry the Fowler, King of Germany, and Matilda of Ringelheim.-Marriages:She married first Gilbert, Duke of Lorraine. They had four children:...
. She was named for her father's mother, Bertha of Swabia
Bertha of Swabia
Bertha of Swabia was Queen consort of Burgundy. She was the daughter of Burchard II, Duke of Swabia and his wife Regelinda.In 922, she was married to Rudolph II of Burgundy. Adelaide of Italy was their common daughter...
.
She first married Odo I
Odo I, Count of Blois
Odo I , Count of Blois, Chartres, Reims, Provins, Châteaudun, and Omois, was the son of Theobald I of Blois and Luitgard, daughter of Herbert II of Vermandois...
, Count of Blois
Count of Blois
The County of Blois was originally centred on Blois, south of Paris, France. One of the chief cities, along with Blois itself, was Chartres. Blois was associated with Champagne, Châtillon , and later with the French royal family, to whom the county passed in 1391...
in about 983. They had several children, including Odo II
Odo II, Count of Blois
Odo II , Count of Blois, Chartres, Châteaudun, Provins, Rheims, and Tours from 1004 and Count of Troyes and Meaux from 1022, was the son of Odo I of Blois and Bertha, daughter of Conrad of Burgundy...
.
After the death of her husband in 996, Bertha's cousin Robert
Robert II of France
Robert II , called the Pious or the Wise , was King of France from 996 until his death. The second reigning member of the House of Capet, he was born in Orléans to Hugh Capet and Adelaide of Aquitaine....
, co-King of France wished to marry her, in place of his repudiated first wife Rozala
Rozala of Italy
Rozala of Italy was the daughter of King Berengar II of Italy. By her first marriage, she was Countess of Flanders; by her second, she was Queen of France. She was a seventh generation descendant of Charlemagne.Her first marriage was to Count Arnulf II of Flanders...
, who was many years his senior. The union was opposed by Robert's father, Hugh Capet, due to the close relation of husband and wife. However, the marriage went ahead after Hugh's death in October 996, which left Robert as sole king.
The closeness of Robert and Bertha by blood was such that Church authorities considered the marriage illegal. Accordingly, Pope Gregory V
Pope Gregory V
Pope Gregory V, né Bruno of Carinthia , Pope from May 3, 996 to February 18, 999, son of the Salian Otto I, Duke of Carinthia, who was a grandson of the Emperor Otto I the Great . Gregory V succeeded Pope John XV , when only twenty-four years of age...
declared the pair excommunicate. This, and the lack of children (save one, who lived and died in 999), caused Robert to agree with Pope Silvester II
Pope Silvester II
Pope Sylvester II , born Gerbert d'Aurillac, was a prolific scholar, teacher, and Pope. He endorsed and promoted study of Arab/Greco-Roman arithmetic, mathematics, and astronomy, reintroducing to Europe the abacus and armillary sphere, which had been lost to Europe since the end of the Greco-Roman...
to have the marriage annulled in 1000.
Robert went on to marry Constance of Arles
Constance of Arles
Constance of Arles , also known as Constance of Provence, was the third wife and queen of King Robert II of France. She was the daughter of William I, count of Provence and Adelais of Anjou, daughter of Fulk II of Anjou...
. Bertha remained unmarried.