Lutgard of Salzwedel
Encyclopedia
Lutgard of Salzwedel or Liutgard/Luitgard of Stade, (b. ca. 1110, murdered 1152) was a Danish Queen consort
, spouse of King Eric III of Denmark
.
-Lavanttal, and Count Rudolf I of Stade
and Ditmarsh (d. 1124), Margrave
of the Northern March
, seated in Salzwedel
. Lutgard's paternal grandfather was Margrave Lothair Udo II
(of the Udonids). After the death of her father she lived at her mother's estates near Jerichow
. Married to her uncle Frederick II, Count of Sommerschenburg (ca. 1095-19 May 1162), as Frederick VI Count Palatine of Saxony (since 1120), she had four children with him, but was forced to divorce
him - on the grounds of prohibited degree of relation - by 1142.
Her brother Hartwig, Count of Stade, provost at Bremen Cathedral
since 1143, married her to Eric of Denmark in 1143 or 1144. With the death of her elder, childless brother Count Rudolf II of Stade and Freckleben in 1144, Lutgard and her children became the eventual heirs of the County of Stade, since her younger, inheriting brother, Hartwig, was childless too. However, in 1148 Hartwig stipulated with the cathedral chapter his election as Archbishop of Bremen in return for his bequest of the county to the archdiocese on his death, thus disinheriting Lutgard's children. As queen, she was criticized for being promiscous and for influencing her spouse to waste money. She separated from her spouse after she was accused of adultery, and exile
d to the Holy Roman Empire
.
As a widow, she became the second wife of the widowed Count Hermann II of Winzenburg-Northeim
in 1148, and had three more daughters with him. Ministerialis
of Bernard of Rothenburg, Bishop of Hildesheim, eventually at his instigation, murdered Count Hermann, who was violent and ambitious to seize further territories, and the pregnant Lutgard in Winzenburg
in the night between 29 and 30 January 1152. The murderers further robbed their treasury of 6,000 pound in silver.
With Hermann II of Winzenburg-Northeim
she had the following three daughters:
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...
, spouse of King Eric III of Denmark
Eric III of Denmark
Eric III Lamb was the King of Denmark from 1137 until 1146. He was the grandson of Eric I of Denmark and the nephew of Eric II of Denmark, whom he succeeded on the throne. He abdicated in 1146, as the first and only Danish monarch to do so. His succession led to a period of civil war between...
.
Life
Lutgard was born to Richardis, Countess of SponheimCounty of Sponheim
The County of Sponheim was an independent territory in the Holy Roman Empire which lasted from the 11th century until the early 19th century...
-Lavanttal, and Count Rudolf I of Stade
Stade
Stade is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany and part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region . It is the seat of the district named after it...
and Ditmarsh (d. 1124), Margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
of the Northern March
Northern March
The Northern March or North March was created out of the division of the vast Marca Geronis in 965. It initially comprised the northern third of the Marca and was part of the territorial organisation of areas conquered from the Wends...
, seated in Salzwedel
Salzwedel
Salzwedel of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, and has a population of approximately 21,500. Salzwedel is located on the German Framework Road.-Geography:...
. Lutgard's paternal grandfather was Margrave Lothair Udo II
Lothair Udo II, Margrave of the Nordmark
Lothair Udo II was the Count of Stade and Margrave of the Nordmark from 1057 until his death. He was the only son of Lothair Udo I of the Udonids and Adelaide of Rheinfelden....
(of the Udonids). After the death of her father she lived at her mother's estates near Jerichow
Jerichow
Jerichow is a town in the Jerichower Land district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Elbe, northwest of Genthin....
. Married to her uncle Frederick II, Count of Sommerschenburg (ca. 1095-19 May 1162), as Frederick VI Count Palatine of Saxony (since 1120), she had four children with him, but was forced to divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
him - on the grounds of prohibited degree of relation - by 1142.
Her brother Hartwig, Count of Stade, provost at Bremen Cathedral
Bremen Cathedral
Bremen Cathedral , dedicated to St. Peter, is a church situated in the market square in the center of Bremen, in northern Germany. The cathedral belongs to the Bremian Evangelical Church, a member of the Protestant umbrella organisation named Evangelical Church in Germany...
since 1143, married her to Eric of Denmark in 1143 or 1144. With the death of her elder, childless brother Count Rudolf II of Stade and Freckleben in 1144, Lutgard and her children became the eventual heirs of the County of Stade, since her younger, inheriting brother, Hartwig, was childless too. However, in 1148 Hartwig stipulated with the cathedral chapter his election as Archbishop of Bremen in return for his bequest of the county to the archdiocese on his death, thus disinheriting Lutgard's children. As queen, she was criticized for being promiscous and for influencing her spouse to waste money. She separated from her spouse after she was accused of adultery, and exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
d to the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
.
As a widow, she became the second wife of the widowed Count Hermann II of Winzenburg-Northeim
Northeim
Northeim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, seat of the district of Northeim, with, as of 2002, a population of 31 000. It's located on the German Half-Timbered House Road.-History:...
in 1148, and had three more daughters with him. Ministerialis
Ministerialis
Ministerialis ; a post-classical Latin word, used in English, meaning originally servitor, agent, in a broad range of senses...
of Bernard of Rothenburg, Bishop of Hildesheim, eventually at his instigation, murdered Count Hermann, who was violent and ambitious to seize further territories, and the pregnant Lutgard in Winzenburg
Winzenburg
Winzenburg is a municipality in the district of Hildesheim in Lower Saxony, Germany. It comprises four smaller communities, including the village of Winzenburg, which dates from the Middle Ages. Winzenburg is located in the Leinebergland to the north of Bad Gandersheim, between the national parks...
in the night between 29 and 30 January 1152. The murderers further robbed their treasury of 6,000 pound in silver.
Issue
With Frederick II of Sommerschenburg she had four children:- Albert (Adalbert), Count Palatine of Sommerschenburg (ca. 1130–15 January or 17 March 1179)
- Adelheid (d. 1 May 1184), Princess-Abbess of Gandersheim AbbeyGandersheim AbbeyGandersheim Abbey is a former house of secular canonesses in the present town of Bad Gandersheim in Lower Saxony, Germany. It was founded in 852 by Duke Liudolf of Saxony, progenitor of the Liudolfing or Ottonian dynasty, whose rich endowments ensured its stability and prosperity.The "Imperial...
(1152/53-1184) and Quedlinburg AbbeyQuedlinburg AbbeyQuedlinburg Abbey was a house of secular canonesses in Quedlinburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was founded in 936 on the initiative of Saint Mathilda, the widow of Henry the Fowler, as his memorial...
(1161–1184) - Sophia (d. 1189 or 1190), married (1) with Henry I, Count of Wettin (27 February 1142–30 August 1181), brother of the next Danish queen consort Adela of MeissenAdela of MeissenAdela of Meissen was a Danish Queen consort, spouse of King Sweyn III of Denmark. She was the daughter of Conrad, Margrave of Meissen, and Luitgard of Ravenstein.She was married to Sweyn in 1152...
and son of their father Margrave Conrad the GreatConrad, Margrave of MeissenConrad the Great was the Margrave of Meissen from 1123 until his retirement in 1156. He was the son of Thimo, Count of Brehna, of the House of Wettin and Ida, daughter of Otto of Nordheim. He was also Count of Wettin, Brehna, and Camburg from before 1116.In 1123, he became Count of Eilenburg...
; (2) with Hermann I, Landgrave of Thuringia - Dietrich, Count Palatine of Sommerschenburg, guardian of his nephew Henry II, Count of Wettin, son of Sophia and Henry I of Wettin
With Hermann II of Winzenburg-Northeim
Northeim
Northeim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, seat of the district of Northeim, with, as of 2002, a population of 31 000. It's located on the German Half-Timbered House Road.-History:...
she had the following three daughters:
- Daughter (1149– before 1204), married (1) in 1170 Henry III, Count of Schwarzburg (d. 26 July 1184), and (2) Ulrich I, Count of Wettin (ca. 1170–28 September 1206), son of Sophia and Henry I of Wettin
- Daughter (b. 1150), in 1166 married Buris/Burits Henriksen (likely 1130–1167, murdered), Earl of JutlandJutlandJutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
(since 1162), a son of Ingrid RagnvaldsdotterIngrid RagnvaldsdotterIngrid Ragnvaldsdotter was born a member of the Swedish royal family, became a member of Danish royalty by marriage and later was Queen Consort of Norway as the spouse of Harald IV of Norway...
and Henry Sweynson (Henrik Skadelår) - Hedwig (b. 1151), Provostress of Gandersheim AbbeyGandersheim AbbeyGandersheim Abbey is a former house of secular canonesses in the present town of Bad Gandersheim in Lower Saxony, Germany. It was founded in 852 by Duke Liudolf of Saxony, progenitor of the Liudolfing or Ottonian dynasty, whose rich endowments ensured its stability and prosperity.The "Imperial...