Hemma
Encyclopedia
Emma of Altdorf, also known as Hemma (808 – 31 January 876) was the wife of Louis the German
, and Queen consort
of Eastern Francia
.
Her father was Welf
, Count of Altorf; her mother was Heilwig of Saxony (born c. 775, died after 833), the daughter of Count Isanbart. Her sister was Judith
(sometimes called of Bavaria), who was the second wife of Emperor Louis the Pious
, and by marriage Queen and Empress of the Franks.
In 827 at Regensburg
, Emma married Louis the German
, son of the Carolingian Emperor Louis, and stepson of Emma's sister. She was thus from 817–843 Queen consort of Bavaria. She was given in 833, by her husband Louis, Obermünster Abbey
in Regensburg
.
She is described as having had great qualities: an uncommon courage and talent, deployed on more than one occasion. In particular, she led an army against Adelchis of Benevento
, when he revolted against Louis the German; it is said that, frightened by the arrival of the Queen, the traitor fled by boat to seek safety in Corsica
. The Annals of Saint-Bertin however reproach Emma for a pride which displeased the people of Italy.
With the Treaty of Verdun
in 843, she became Queen Consort of Eastern Francia
. She died on 31 January 876, and was buried in St. Emmeram's Abbey
, Regensburg.
By Louis, she had seven children:
Her sons became Kings; three of her daughters became nuns.
|-
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...
, and Queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Eastern Francia
Eastern Francia
East Francia , also known as the Kingdom of the East Franks or Francia Orientalis, was the realm allotted to Louis the German by the 843 Treaty of Verdun...
.
Her father was Welf
Welf (father of Judith)
Welf I of Altorf was the son of the 9th century Frankish count Rothard of Metz, to whom the sons of Charles Martel entrusted half of Alemannia. Welf was master of several counties in the southern Rhineland & Bavaria. His family became politically powerful when Louis the Pious chose his oldest...
, Count of Altorf; her mother was Heilwig of Saxony (born c. 775, died after 833), the daughter of Count Isanbart. Her sister was Judith
Judith, daughter of Welf
Queen Judith , also known as Judith of Bavaria, was the daughter of Count Welf and a Saxon noblewoman named Hedwig, Duchess of Bavaria...
(sometimes called of Bavaria), who was the second wife of Emperor Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious
Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
, and by marriage Queen and Empress of the Franks.
In 827 at Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
, Emma married 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...
, son of the Carolingian Emperor Louis, and stepson of Emma's sister. She was thus from 817–843 Queen consort of Bavaria. She was given in 833, by her husband Louis, Obermünster Abbey
Obermünster, Regensburg
The Obermünster, or Obermünster Abbey, Regensburg, was a collegiate house of canonesses in Regensburg, Bavaria, second only to Niedermünster in wealth and power.- History :...
in Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
.
She is described as having had great qualities: an uncommon courage and talent, deployed on more than one occasion. In particular, she led an army against Adelchis of Benevento
Adelchis of Benevento
Adelchis was the son of Radelchis I, Prince of Benevento, and successor of his brother Radelgar in 854.It was given to Adelchis to preserve the ancient principality and its independence in the face of repeated assaults by the Saracens from the south, the Emperor Louis II from the north, and...
, when he revolted against Louis the German; it is said that, frightened by the arrival of the Queen, the traitor fled by boat to seek safety in Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
. The Annals of Saint-Bertin however reproach Emma for a pride which displeased the people of Italy.
With the Treaty of Verdun
Treaty of Verdun
The Treaty of Verdun was a treaty between the three surviving sons of Louis the Pious, the son and successor of Charlemagne, which divided the Carolingian Empire into three kingdoms...
in 843, she became Queen Consort of Eastern Francia
Eastern Francia
East Francia , also known as the Kingdom of the East Franks or Francia Orientalis, was the realm allotted to Louis the German by the 843 Treaty of Verdun...
. She died on 31 January 876, and was buried in St. Emmeram's Abbey
St. Emmeram's Abbey
St. Emmeram's Abbey , now known as Schloss Thurn und Taxis, Schloss St. Emmeram, and St...
, Regensburg.
By Louis, she had seven children:
- Hildegard (828–856)
- Carloman (829–880)
- ErmengardIrmgard of ChiemseeIrmgard of Chiemsee was a daughter Louis the German, King of East Francia, and his wife Hemma. She was the first Abbess of Chiemsee from 857. During her reign the chapter for noble ladies developed into a Benedictine convent.Irmgard's cult was officially recognised only in 1928 by Pope Pius XI...
(died 866) - Gisela
- Louis the YoungerLouis the YoungerLouis the Younger , sometimes Louis III, was the second eldest of the three sons of Louis the German and Emma. He succeeded his father as the King of Saxony on 28 August 876 and his elder brother Carloman as King of Bavaria from 880...
(830–882) - Bertha (died 877)
- Charles the FatCharles the FatCharles the Fat was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, western Emperor from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. In 887, he was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy, where the records are not clear...
(839–888)
Her sons became Kings; three of her daughters became nuns.
|-
Sources
- http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~cousin/html/p131.htm#i8389
- http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.france-pittoresque.com/reines-france/emma.htm&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=8&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DEmma%2Bof%2BAltdorf%26start%3D10%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rls%3DGGLJ,GGLJ:2006-47,GGLJ:en-GB%26sa%3DN