Judith of Bavaria, Duchess of Swabia
Encyclopedia
Judith of Bavaria, Duchess of Swabia (1103 – 22 February 1131) was a member of the powerful German House of Welf, being the eldest daughter of Henry IX of Bavaria and Wulfhild of Saxony. Sometime between 1119 and 1121, she married Frederick II, Duke of Swabia
. She was the mother of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor
, known to history as Barbarossa.
and Sophia of Hungary. She had three brothers Henry X, Duke of Bavaria
, Conrad, and Welf; and three sisters, Sophia, Matilda, and Wulfhild. The Historia Welforum names in order Iuditham, Mahtildem, Sophium, and Wulfildem as the four daughters of Henricus dux ex Wulfilde. This is evidence that Judith was the eldest daughter. She had in addition to her seven legitimate siblings, one half-brother, Adalbert, born of her father's relationship with an unnamed mistress.
Together they had two children:
In 1125, her father initially supported the candidacy of her husband to succeed Emperor Henry V
as King of Germany, however he eventually switched his support to Lothar III, Holy Roman Emperor. The defection of Judith's father created an enmity between the Welfs and the Swabians that would have far-reaching consequences in Germany which would last throughout the 12th century. It is not known how this affected relations between Judith and her husband. It is curious to note that no further children were born to the couple after the birth of their daughter Bertha in 1123.
. Shortly after Judith's death Frederick married as his second wife, Agnes of Saarbrücken.
Frederick II, Duke of Swabia
Frederick II , called the One-Eyed, was the second Hohenstaufen duke of Swabia from 1105. He was the eldest son of Frederick I and Agnes....
. She was the mother of 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...
, known to history as Barbarossa.
Family
Judith was born in 1103, the eldest daughter of Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria and Wulfhild of Saxony, daughter of Magnus, Duke of SaxonyMagnus, Duke of Saxony
Magnus was the duke of Saxony from 1072 to 1106. Eldest son and successor of Ordulf and Wulfhild of Norway, he was the last member of the House of Billung.-Rebellion:...
and Sophia of Hungary. She had three brothers Henry X, Duke of Bavaria
Henry X, Duke of Bavaria
thumb|right|Henry X in a much later engraving.Henry the Proud was the Duke of Bavaria , Duke of Saxony , and Margrave of Tuscany .-Life and reign:...
, Conrad, and Welf; and three sisters, Sophia, Matilda, and Wulfhild. The Historia Welforum names in order Iuditham, Mahtildem, Sophium, and Wulfildem as the four daughters of Henricus dux ex Wulfilde. This is evidence that Judith was the eldest daughter. She had in addition to her seven legitimate siblings, one half-brother, Adalbert, born of her father's relationship with an unnamed mistress.
Marriage and issue
On an unknown date between 1119 and 1121, she married as his first wife, Frederick II, Duke of Swabia (1090 – 6 April 1147); this dynastic marriage united the House of Welf and the House of Hohenstaufen, the two most powerful and influential families in Germany. The Historia Welforum specified that Judith married Friderico Suevorum duci, but did not mention the date.Together they had two children:
- Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor (1122 – 10 June 1190), married on 9 June 1156 Beatrice I, Countess of BurgundyBeatrice I, Countess of BurgundyBeatrice of Burgundy was the only daughter of Renaud III, Count of Burgundy and Agatha of Lorraine. She was the second wife and Empress of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor. Her maternal grandparents were Simon I, Duke of Lorraine and his wife Adelaide of Leuven. Beatrice was active at the...
, by whom he had 12 children. - Bertha (Judith) of Swabia (1123 – 18 October 1194/25 March 1195), married in 1138 Matthias I, Duke of LorraineMatthias I, Duke of LorraineMatthias I was the duke of Lorraine from 1138 to his death as the eldest son and successor of Simon I and Adelaide. Like his forefathers going back to Thierry II and even to Adalbert, he was a stern supporter of the king of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor...
, by whom she had seven children.
In 1125, her father initially supported the candidacy of her husband to succeed Emperor Henry V
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor...
as King of Germany, however he eventually switched his support to Lothar III, Holy Roman Emperor. The defection of Judith's father created an enmity between the Welfs and the Swabians that would have far-reaching consequences in Germany which would last throughout the 12th century. It is not known how this affected relations between Judith and her husband. It is curious to note that no further children were born to the couple after the birth of their daughter Bertha in 1123.
Death
She died on 22 February 1131 and was buried at Waldburg in Heiligen Forst, AlsaceAlsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. Shortly after Judith's death Frederick married as his second wife, Agnes of Saarbrücken.