Hunfridings
Encyclopedia
The Hunfridings or Burchardings (Bouchardids) were a family of probably Alemannic
origin who rose to prominence in their homeland, eventually becoming the first ducal dynasty of Swabia
. The first known member of the family was Hunfrid, Margrave of Istria and, according to some sources, last Duke of Friuli
under Charlemagne
from 799. The last member of the clan was Burchard III, Duke of Swabia
, who died in 973. Descendants of the dynasty lived on in the House of Wettin and through the female line.
The most common and oft-recurring names in the family were Hunfrid, Adalbert, Odalric/Ulric, and Burchard. During the rise of the jüngeres Stammesherzogtum, that is, the "younger" stem duchies, the Hunfridings, like the Conradines in Franconia
, were merely the most powerful among many well-entrenched ancient families vying for supremacy in Swabia. It took longer for them to establish their hereditary dukeship than either the Liudolfings in Saxony
or the Liutpoldings in Bavaria
.
When some Hunfridings, Odalric and Hunfrid III
, rebelled against Louis the German
in the 850s and fled to the court of Charles the Bald
in West Francia, they were enfeoffed in Gothia
and even given the title marchio, but though they successfully dealt with the Moorish threat from Iberia
, they failed to establish a dynasty there.
The Hunfriding genealogy is difficult to trace with certainty. That the later Swabian dukes were descendants of the margrave of Istria and relatives to the host of other counts whose names were common in the family is difficult to prove with certainty, but is nonetheless very likely.
Alamanni
The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Rhine river . One of the earliest references to them is the cognomen Alamannicus assumed by Roman Emperor Caracalla, who ruled the Roman Empire from 211 to 217 and claimed thereby to be...
origin who rose to prominence in their homeland, eventually becoming the first ducal dynasty of Swabia
Duchy of Swabia
Swabia was one of the five stem duchies of the medieval German kingdom, and its dukes were thus among the most powerful magnates of Germany.-History:...
. The first known member of the family was Hunfrid, Margrave of Istria and, according to some sources, last Duke of Friuli
Duke of Friuli
The dukes and margraves of Friuli were the rulers of the Duchy and March of Friuli in the Middle Ages.The dates given below, when contentious, are discussed in the articles of the respective dukes.-Lombard dukes:* 568–c.584 Grasulf I...
under Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
from 799. The last member of the clan was Burchard III, Duke of Swabia
Burchard III, Duke of Swabia
Burchard III was the count of Thurgau and Zürichgau, perhaps of Rhaetia, and then Duke of Swabia from 954 to his death....
, who died in 973. Descendants of the dynasty lived on in the House of Wettin and through the female line.
The most common and oft-recurring names in the family were Hunfrid, Adalbert, Odalric/Ulric, and Burchard. During the rise of the jüngeres Stammesherzogtum, that is, the "younger" stem duchies, the Hunfridings, like the Conradines in Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
, were merely the most powerful among many well-entrenched ancient families vying for supremacy in Swabia. It took longer for them to establish their hereditary dukeship than either the Liudolfings in Saxony
Duchy of Saxony
The medieval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein...
or the Liutpoldings in Bavaria
Duchy of Bavaria
The Duchy of Bavaria was the only one of the stem duchies from the earliest days of East Francia and the Kingdom of Germany to preserve both its name and most of its territorial extent....
.
When some Hunfridings, Odalric and Hunfrid III
Humfrid
Humfrid was the Count of Barcelona, Girona, Empúries, Roussillon, and Narbonne from 858 to 864. He also bore the title Margrave of Gothia , as he held several frontier counties....
, rebelled against Louis the German
Louis the German
Louis the German , also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian, was a grandson of Charlemagne and the third son of the succeeding Frankish Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye.He received the appellation 'Germanicus' shortly after his death in recognition of the fact...
in the 850s and fled to the court of Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
in West Francia, they were enfeoffed in Gothia
Septimania
Septimania was the western region of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis that passed under the control of the Visigoths in 462, when Septimania was ceded to their king, Theodoric II. Under the Visigoths it was known as simply Gallia or Narbonensis. It corresponded roughly with the modern...
and even given the title marchio, but though they successfully dealt with the Moorish threat from Iberia
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, they failed to establish a dynasty there.
The Hunfriding genealogy is difficult to trace with certainty. That the later Swabian dukes were descendants of the margrave of Istria and relatives to the host of other counts whose names were common in the family is difficult to prove with certainty, but is nonetheless very likely.