Emnilda of Lusatia
Encyclopedia
Emnilda of Lusatia was a Slavic
princess and by marriage Duchess of Poland. She was a daughter of certain Dobromir, a Slavic leader ruler of Lusatia
and Milsko, who was named venerable by Thietmar of Merseburg
.
, were repudiated after few years or marriages, but both produced offspring to Bolesław, a daughter and a son, Bezprym
. During her marriage, Emnilda bore her husband five children, two sons (the future Mieszko II Lambert
and Otto
) and three daughters, one of them a nun and the other two, Regelinda and another whose name is unknown, became Margravine of Meissen
and Grand Princess of Kiev
, respectively.
It's claimed that Emnilda had a great influence on her husband, and perhaps also in the state affairs. She probably accompanied Bolesław I to the meeting of Merseburg
on 23 May 1013 and perhaps she actively promoted the recognition of his son Mieszko as a vassal of the Emperor for his government over Moravia
, a fact who put in jeopardy the succession rights of Bolesław I's eldest son Bezprym, who at the end was excluded in favor of his younger half-brother.
She was mentioned by Gallus Anonymus
and Thietmar of Merseburg; both chroniclers noted she was a wise and charming person.
The exact date of Emnilda's death is unknown, but is assumed that this happened in 1017 at the latest, or, more likely, at the end of 1016, because on 3 February 1018 Bolesław I married with his fourth and last wife, Oda of Meissen
.
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
princess and by marriage Duchess of Poland. She was a daughter of certain Dobromir, a Slavic leader ruler of Lusatia
Lusatia
Lusatia is a historical region in Central Europe. It stretches from the Bóbr and Kwisa rivers in the east to the Elbe valley in the west, today located within the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg as well as in the Lower Silesian and Lubusz voivodeships of western Poland...
and Milsko, who was named venerable by Thietmar of Merseburg
Thietmar of Merseburg
Thietmar of Merseburg was a German chronicler who was also bishop of Merseburg.-Life:...
.
Life
The wedding between Emnilda and the heir of the Polish throne, Bolesław, took place around 987. This was the third marriage for the young prince: his previous two wives, the daughter of Margrave Rikdag of Meissen (perhaps called Hunilda or Oda) and the Hungarian princess JudithJudith of Hungary
Judith of Hungary was a Hungarian princess member of the House of Arpad and by marriage member of the House of Piast, who ruled Poland at that time....
, were repudiated after few years or marriages, but both produced offspring to Bolesław, a daughter and a son, Bezprym
Bezprym
Bezprym was a Duke of Poland during 1031–1032.He was the eldest son of Bolesław I the Brave, King of Poland, but was deprived of the succession by his father, who around 1001 sent him to Italy, in order to became a monk at one of Saint Romuald's hermitages in Ravenna.Expelled by his half-brother...
. During her marriage, Emnilda bore her husband five children, two sons (the future Mieszko II Lambert
Mieszko II Lambert
Mieszko II Lambert was King of Poland during 1025–1031, and Duke from 1032 until his death.He was the second son of Bolesław I the Brave, but the eldest born from his third wife Emmilda, daughter of Dobromir, possible ruler of Lusatia. He was probably named after his paternal grandfather, Mieszko I...
and Otto
Otto Bolesławowic
Otto Bolesławowic was a Polish prince member of the House of Piast.He was the third son of Bolesław I the Brave but the second born from his third marriage with Emnilda, daughter of Dobromir, a Slavic prince of Lusatia.-Life:...
) and three daughters, one of them a nun and the other two, Regelinda and another whose name is unknown, became Margravine of Meissen
Meissen
Meissen is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meissen Cathedral and the Meissen Frauenkirche...
and Grand Princess of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, respectively.
It's claimed that Emnilda had a great influence on her husband, and perhaps also in the state affairs. She probably accompanied Bolesław I to the meeting of Merseburg
Merseburg
Merseburg is a town in the south of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on the river Saale, approx. 14 km south of Halle . It is the capital of the Saalekreis district. It had a diocese founded by Archbishop Adalbert of Magdeburg....
on 23 May 1013 and perhaps she actively promoted the recognition of his son Mieszko as a vassal of the Emperor for his government over Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
, a fact who put in jeopardy the succession rights of Bolesław I's eldest son Bezprym, who at the end was excluded in favor of his younger half-brother.
She was mentioned by Gallus Anonymus
Gallus Anonymus
Gallus Anonymus is the name traditionally given to the anonymous author of Gesta principum Polonorum , composed in Latin about 1115....
and Thietmar of Merseburg; both chroniclers noted she was a wise and charming person.
The exact date of Emnilda's death is unknown, but is assumed that this happened in 1017 at the latest, or, more likely, at the end of 1016, because on 3 February 1018 Bolesław I married with his fourth and last wife, Oda of Meissen
Oda of Meissen
Oda of Meissen , was a German noblewoman member of the Ekkehardiner dynasty and by marriage firstly Duchess and later the first Queen of Poland....
.