Gerberga of Saxony
Encyclopedia
Gerberga of Saxony was a daughter of Henry the Fowler, King of Germany, and Matilda of Ringelheim
.
. They had four children:
She married secondly Louis IV of France
in 939. They were parents to eight children:
Louis IV died on 10 September 954. As a widow
, Gerberga became a nun
and served as the abbess of Notre Dame
in Laon
. She died in Reims
, Champagne
.
Matilda of Ringelheim
Saint Mathilda was the wife of King Henry I of Germany, the first ruler of the Saxon Ottonian dynasty, thereby Duchess consort of Saxony from 912 and German Queen from 919 until 936. Their eldest son Otto succeeded his father as German King and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 962...
.
Marriages
She married first Gilbert, Duke of LorraineGilbert, Duke of Lorraine
Gilbert was the duke of Lotharingia until 939.The beginning of the reign of Gilbert is not clear. A dux Lotharingiae is mentioned in 910 and this may have been Gilbert...
. They had four children:
- Alberade of Lorraine b. about 929. Married Renaud (originally as Ragenold), a Viking chieftain who became the Count of Roucy
- Henry, Duke of Lorraine b. about 932
- Gerberge of Lorraine b. about 935. Married Adalbert I of Vermandois.
- Wiltrude, b. about 937.
She married secondly Louis IV of France
Louis IV of France
Louis IV , called d'Outremer or Transmarinus , reigned as King of Western Francia from 936 to 954...
in 939. They were parents to eight children:
- Lothair of FranceLothair of FranceLothair , sometimes called Lothair IV, was the Carolingian king of West Francia , son of Louis IV and Gerberga of Saxony.-Regency:...
(941–986) - MatildaMatilda of FranceMatilda 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....
b. about 943; married Conrad of BurgundyConrad of BurgundyConrad 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... - Hildegarde b. about 944
- Carloman b. about 945
- Louis b. about 948
- Charles, Duke of Lower LorraineCharles, Duke of Lower LorraineCharles of Lorraine was the son of Louis IV of France and Gerberga of Saxony and younger brother of King Lothair. He was a sixth generation descendant of Charlemagne...
(953–993) - Alberade b. before 953
- Henry b. about 953
Education and later life
Contemporary sources describe her as a highly educated, intelligent and forceful player in the political game of the time.Louis IV died on 10 September 954. As a widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
, Gerberga became a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
and served as the abbess of Notre Dame
Notre-Dame of Laon
Laon Cathedral is one of the most important examples of the Gothic architecture of the 12th and 13th centuries, earlier than the cathedrals of Sens and Notre Dame of Paris and ranking with them in importance. It is located in Laon, Picardy, France, and is the seat of the Bishop of Laon...
in Laon
Laon
Laon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
. She died in Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, Champagne
Champagne (province)
The Champagne wine region is a historic province within the Champagne administrative province in the northeast of France. The area is best known for the production of the sparkling white wine that bears the region's name...
.
Sources
- Bouchard, Constance Brittain. (2001) Those of My Blood: Constructing Noble Families in Medieval Francia. University of Pennsylvania Press.
- "Women in power 750-1000" from Guide2womenleaders.com, last accessed January 13, 2007