Clementia of Zähringen
Encyclopedia
Clementia of Zähringen (unknown–1175), was a daughter of Conrad I, Duke of Zähringen and his wife Clementia of Namur. By her first marriage, Clementia was Duchess consort of Bavaria
and Saxony
. By her second marriage she was Countess Consort of Savoy
.
. She was a great-granddaughter of Conrad I, Count of Luxembourg
and his wife Clementia of Aquitaine, herself daughter of William VII, Duke of Aquitaine.
Clementia was firstly married in 1147 to Henry the Lion
, Duke of Saxony, he later inherited Bavaria. The marriage was arranged to confirm her father's alliance with the Welf party in Southern Germany. She was heiress of Badenweiler, although her husband sold these Swabian estates to Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
in 1158, receiving in exchange Herzberg, Scharzfels and Pöhlde south of the Harz.
Clementia and Henry had three children:
Henry repudiated Clementia because of the growing difficulties between her brother Duke Berthold IV and Emperor Frederick, the latter with whom Duke Henry was by then in close alliance with. Frederick did not cherish Guelphish possessions in his home area and offered Henry several fortresses in Saxony in exchange. The couple were officially divorced at Constance
on 23 November 1162.
Clementia and Humbert had two daughters:
Clementia died in 1175, predecessing both her husbands and three of her four daughters. After her death, Umberto attempted to return to the monastic life yet again but was forced to remarry a forth and final time to Beatrice of Viennois
who bore him the long-awaited son and heir, Thomas.
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
and Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
. By her second marriage she was Countess Consort of Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
.
Duchess of Saxony and Bavaria
Clementia was the youngest of six children, her family owned territory in SwabiaSwabia
Swabia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany.-Geography:Like many cultural regions of Europe, Swabia's borders are not clearly defined...
. She was a great-granddaughter of Conrad I, Count of Luxembourg
Conrad I, Count of Luxembourg
Conrad I, Count of Luxembourg was count of Luxembourg , succeeding his father Giselbert of Luxembourg.He was embroiled in an argument with the archbishop of Trier as to the abbaye Saint-Maximin in Trier which he had avowed. The archbishop excommunicated him Conrad had to make honourable amends and...
and his wife Clementia of Aquitaine, herself daughter of William VII, Duke of Aquitaine.
Clementia was firstly married in 1147 to Henry the Lion
Henry the Lion
Henry the Lion was a member of the Welf dynasty and Duke of Saxony, as Henry III, from 1142, and Duke of Bavaria, as Henry XII, from 1156, which duchies he held until 1180....
, Duke of Saxony, he later inherited Bavaria. The marriage was arranged to confirm her father's alliance with the Welf party in Southern Germany. She was heiress of Badenweiler, although her husband sold these Swabian estates to Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...
in 1158, receiving in exchange Herzberg, Scharzfels and Pöhlde south of the Harz.
Clementia and Henry had three children:
- Henry, died young
- GertrudeGertrude of BavariaGertrude of Bavaria and Saxony was a German noble, a duchess of Swabia as the spouse of Frederick IV, Duke of Swabia, and a Danish Queen consort as the spouse of King Canute VI of Denmark....
(1155–1197), married first Frederick IV, Duke of SwabiaFrederick IV, Duke of SwabiaFrederick IV of Hohenstaufen was duke of Swabia, succeeding his cousin, Frederick Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1152.He was the son of Conrad III of Germany and his second wife Gertrude von Sulzbach and thus the direct heir of the crown, had there been true heredity...
, and then King Canute VI of DenmarkCanute VI of DenmarkCanute VI was King of Denmark . Canute VI was the eldest son of King Valdemar I and Sophia of Polotsk.-Life:... - Richenza (c. 1157 – 1167), died young
Henry repudiated Clementia because of the growing difficulties between her brother Duke Berthold IV and Emperor Frederick, the latter with whom Duke Henry was by then in close alliance with. Frederick did not cherish Guelphish possessions in his home area and offered Henry several fortresses in Saxony in exchange. The couple were officially divorced at Constance
Constance
Constance is a female given name that derives from Latin and means "constant." Variations of the name include Connie, Constancia, Constanze, Constanza, Stanzy, and Konstanze.Constance may refer to:-People:*Constance Bennett , American actress...
on 23 November 1162.
Countess of Savoy
Clementia remained unwed for two years before she married her second husband, Umberto III, Count of Savoy, she was his third wife. Umberto's first two marriages were not successful, his first wife died young; his second marriage ended in divorce. Umberto gave up and became a Carthusian monk. However, the nobles and common people of Savoy begged him to marry yet again, which he reluctantly did to Clementia.Clementia and Humbert had two daughters:
- Sophia (1165–1202), married Azzo VI of EsteAzzo VI of EsteAzzo VI , known as Azzolino, was the Marquis of Este from the death of his father, Azzo V, in 1190 until his death...
- Alicia (1166–1178), betrothed to John of EnglandJohn of EnglandJohn , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
Clementia died in 1175, predecessing both her husbands and three of her four daughters. After her death, Umberto attempted to return to the monastic life yet again but was forced to remarry a forth and final time to Beatrice of Viennois
Beatrice of Viennois
Beatrice of Viennois , was a Countess Consort of Savoy; married in 1176 to Humbert III, Count of Savoy.-References:...
who bore him the long-awaited son and heir, Thomas.