Hemma
Emma of Altdorf | |
---|---|
Tomb effigy at St. Emmeram's Abbey | |
Queen consort of the Franks East Frankish queen | |
Tenure | 843–876 |
Born | c. 803 |
Died | (876-01-31)31 January 876 Regensburg |
Spouse | Louis the German (m. 827) |
Issue more... | Louis the Younger Irmgard of Chiemsee Carloman of Bavaria Charles the Fat |
House | Welf |
Father | Welf of Altdorf |
Mother | Hedwig of Saxony |
Emma of Altdorf, also known as Hemma (c. 803 – 31 January 876), a member of the Elder House of Welf, was Queen consort of East Francia by marriage to King Louis the German, from 843 until her death.[1]
Life
Her father was Welf I (d. 825), Count of Altorf in Alamannia; her mother was Hedwig (Heilwig; c. 775 – after 833), a daughter of the Saxon count Isambart. Emma's elder sister was Judith, who in February 819 married the Carolingian emperor Louis the Pious, and thereby became Queen consort of the Franks and Holy Roman Empress. The marriage marked a crucial step forward in the rise of the Welf dynasty.
In 827, probably at the instigation of Judith, Hemma married Louis the German, the youngest son of Emperor Louis the Pious from his first marriage with Ermengarde of Hesbaye, and stepson of Hemma's sister Judith. The wedding ceremony possibly[clarification needed] took place in Regensburg, where Louis the German resided as King of Bavaria subordinate to his father. In 833, Hemma received Obermünster Abbey in Regensburg from her husband.
Emperor Louis died in 840. After severe innerdynastic struggles, the Carolingian Empire eventually was divided according to the Treaty of Verdun in 843. The Kingdom of Bavaria was merged with Louis the German's Kingdom of East Francia (the predecessor of the Kingdom of Germany), and his wife Hemma became the first East Frankish queen.
Hemma is rarely mentioned in contemporary sources; she does not seem to have had much influence on her husband's rule. The Annales Bertiniani written by Archbishop Hincmar of Reims however reproach her for a pride which displeased the people of Italy. She is also said to have inordinately favoured her son Carloman, designated heir of his father in Bavaria, which led to a revolt by his brothers.
Hemma suffered a stroke in 874 and subsequently became paralyzed and speechless; King Louis visited her the last time in 875. She died on 31 January 876, a few months before her husband, and was buried in St. Emmeram's Abbey, Regensburg. Her tomb, erected around 1300, is considered a masterpiece of medieval sculpture.[2]
Family
By Louis, she had eight children:
- Hildegard (827–856)
- Carloman (828–880)
- Ermengard ( c. 830-866)
- Gisela, married to Berctolf, Count of Swabia. Grandmother of Cunigunde of Swabia, wife of Conrad I.
- Emma
- Louis the Younger (830–882)
- Bertha (died 877)
- Charles the Fat (839–888)
Her sons became Kings; three of her daughters became nuns.
References
- ^ Für eine Bestattung in Obermünster: Peter Schmid: Königin Hemma und Obermünster in Regensburg. In: Beiträge zur Geschichte des Bistums Regensburg 42 (2008)
- ^ Weiler, Björn; MacLean, Simon (2006). Representations of Power in Medieval Germany 800-1500. Turnhout: Brepols. p. 94. ISBN 978-2-50351-815-2.
External links
- http://www.france-pittoresque.com/reines-france/emma.htm
Preceded by vacant | Queen consort of Bavaria 827–843 | Vacant Title next held by herselfas Queen consort of East Francia |
Preceded by herself as Queen consort of Bavaria | Queen consort of East Francia (Germany) 843–876 | Succeeded by |
Succeeded by |
- v
- t
- e
Carolingian dynasty (843–911)
- Hemma
- Liutgard of Saxony
- Richardis
- Ota
Kingdom of Germany (919–962)
Holy Roman Empire (962–1806)
- Adelaide of Italy
- Theophanu
- Cunigunde of Luxembourg
- Gisela of Swabia
- Gunhilda of Denmark
- Agnes of Poitou
- Bertha of Savoy
- Eupraxia of Kiev
- Constance of Sicily
- Matilda of England
- Richenza of Northeim
- Gertrude of Comburg
- Gertrude of Sulzbach
- Adelaide of Vohburg
- Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy
- Constance, Queen of Sicily
- Irene Angelina
- Beatrice of Swabia
- Constance of Aragon
- Margaret of Austria
- Isabella II of Jerusalem
- Isabella of England
- Bianca Lancia
- Elisabeth of Bavaria
- Gertrude of Hohenberg
- Isabella of Burgundy
- Imagina of Isenburg-Limburg
- Elisabeth of Carinthia
- Margaret of Brabant
- Beatrice of Silesia
- Isabella of Aragon
- Margaret II, Countess of Hainaut
- Blanche of Valois
- Anne of Bavaria
- Anna von Schweidnitz
- Elizabeth of Pomerania
- Joanna of Bavaria
- Sophia of Bavaria
- Elisabeth of Nuremberg
- Barbara of Cilli
- Elizabeth of Luxembourg
- Eleanor of Portugal
- Bianca Maria Sforza
- Isabella of Portugal
- Anne of Bohemia and Hungary
- Maria of Austria
- Anna of Tyrol
- Eleonora Gonzaga
- Maria Anna of Spain
- Maria Leopoldine of Austria
- Eleonora Gonzaga
- Margaret Theresa of Spain
- Claudia Felicitas of Austria
- Eleonore Magdalene of Neuburg
- Wilhelmine Amalie of Brunswick
- Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
- Maria Amalia
- Maria Theresa
- Maria Josepha of Bavaria
- Maria Luisa of Spain
- Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily