Charlemagne HRE and Hildegarde of Vinzgau my 35th Great Grandparents

January 27, 2019

Relationship to Charlemagne 

Citation Information

Article Title:Charlemagne

Website Name:Encyclopaedia Britannica

Publisher:Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Date Published:24 January 2019

Access Date:January 27, 2019

Hildegard(ca. 754[1]– 30 April 783 at Thionville,[2]Moselle), was the second[3]wife of Charlemagneand mother of Louis the Pious. Little is known about her life, because, like all women of Charlemagne, she became important only from a political background, recording her parentage, wedding, death, and her role as a mother.[4]

Origins

She was the daughter of the GermanicCount Gerold of Kraichgau(founder of the Udalriching family) and his wife Emma, in turn daughter of DukeNebe (Hnabi)of Alemannia and Hereswintha vom Bodensee (of Lake Constance).[5]Hildegard’s father had extensive possessions in the dominion of Charlemagne’s younger brother Carloman, so this union was of significant importance for Charlemagne, because he could strengthen its position in the east of the Rhine and also could bind the Alemannian nobility to his side.[6]

Life

It is unknown if Charlemagne planned his marriage before the sudden death of Carloman or was just a part of the purposeful incorporation of his younger brother’s Kingdom, in detriment of the claims of his nephews.[7]In any event, the wedding between Charlemagne and Hildegard took place at Aix-la-Chapellecertainly before 30 April 771, after the repudiation of the Lombardian princess Desiderata, Charlemagne’s previous wife.

As no exact date of birth of Hildegard was recorded, it was assumed that at the time of her wedding she could be around 17 years old, giving her a birthdate of 754. A marriage at this age is not unusual for that time, since the age of marriage was set at puberty. In Roman law, which was very well received by the Church, the minimum age for marriage for girls of 12 years has been established.[8]

An intense physical relationship between the spouses was demonstrated by the fact that, during her 12 years of marriage, Hildegard had 8 pregnancies (including one set of twins) and remarkably chronicles never mentioned either miscarriages or stillbirths. She accompanied Charlemagne on many of his military campaigns: she gave birth to her second child and first daughter, Adelaide, during the siege of Pavia, capital of the Kingdom of the Lombards(September 773/June 774), but the child died during the return journey to France. In 778, Hildegard accompanied her husband as far as Aquitaine, where she gave birth to twins Louis and Lothair.[9]In 780/781 she traveled with Charlemagne and four of their children to Rome, where the sons Louis and Carloman (renamed Pepin after his baptism by Pope Adrian I) were appointed sub-kings of Aquitaine and Italy, respectively. This contributed to the strengthening of the alliance between the Carolingians and the Papacy.[10]Because of her frequent pregnancies, it can be presumed that Hildegard accompanied her husband on further campaigns, at least temporarily.

Hildegard died on 30 April 783, according to Paul the Deacon, from the after effects of her last childbirth.[11]She was buried on 1 May in the Abbey of Saint-Arnouldin Metz. Following the wishes of Charlemagne, near her grave were burning candles and daily prayers were said for her soul.[12]

Interaction with the Church and Donations

Hildegard made several donations to the monasteries of St. Denisand St. Martin of Tours.[13]She was a friend of Saint Leoba, who reportedly lived some time with her at court. She intervened in Hildegard’s religious education and also offered her spiritual advice.[14]Together with her husband she commissioned the Godescalc Evangelistary,[15]where for the first time she was explicitly mentioned as Queen -also of the Lombards- through the joint signature of documents with her husband.[16]

Hildegard enjoyed in her own lifetime from a high reputation, as was demonstrated in her obituary written by Paul the Deacon.[17]However, these compliments are to be regarded with some skepticism. In her Epitaphwere included phrases that may have been introduced to flatter Charlemagne: for example, the reference to the fact that Hildegard was the epitome of beauty, wisdom and virtue. This were common words used by medieval writers to their rulers.[18]Pope Adrian I, in a letter to Charlemagne, expressed his condolences over the untimely death of Hildegard.

Hildegard used her position as Queen consort to obtain for her siblings several territorial and monetary benefits; as far was known, she was the only of Charlemagne’s wives or concubines who managed to obtain for a relative an office after her marriage.[14]In addition, was also assumed that she, like other medieval queens, held several roles, such as ruling the court or being the representative (or regent) of the sovereign during his absence. This could mean that she was in close contact with all the government decision of her husband.[19]

Together with her husband, she was the main benefactress of the Monastery of Kempten(founded in 752), who received financial and political support. From Italy they brought after the conquest of the Kingdom of the Lombards in 773/774 the relics of the Roman martyrsSaints Gordianus and Epimachusto Kempten, whom, along with the Virgin Mary, are the patrons of the monastery.

Hildegard was extensively mentioned in Kempten as one of the founders; her bust graced the pin crest and some coins of the later Imperial Abbey. In the late Middle Ages it was alleged that Hildegard was buried in Kempten, as well as her son Louis the Pious; there was built the called Hildegard Chapel (Hildegardkapelle), who quickly became in a place of pilgrimage and were several miracles are reported. This explains that the Queen was revered as a saint in the Allgäuand always presented with an aureola. In the 17th century the building of another Hildegard Chapel at the Fürstäbtlicheof Kempten was projected, but this was abandoned after the secularization.

Even in modern times, the memory of Hildegard and her importance in the urban development at Kempten is still very noticeable: The central square in front of St. Lorenz Basilicawas named the Hildegard Square(Hildegardplatz) in her honor. In 1862 a Neo-Gothic Hildegard fountain (Hildegardsbrunnen) was erected in the square, which was closed in the 1950s. At the facade of the local Landhaus, appeared her idealized portrait painted by Franz Weiß. Also, in 1874 was founded the originally exclusive for girl Hildegardis-Gymnasium KemptenLyceum. At the Lindau Road, close to the school, was also located another Hildegard Fountain. On the facades of some houses were shown the image of the Queen, and on the edge of the Kempten forest there was the Hildegard Oak (Hildegardseiche) for several years until was replaced by a new plantation. Until the 1950s, many girls born in Kempten were named after Hildegard.

Children

Although Charlemagne already had an older son (Pepin the Hunchback) from his first union with Himiltrude, he was not considered an heir after the rebellion in which he participated in 792. In his will of 806 (the called Divisio Regnorum), he divided his domains between the three surviving sons of Hildegard. Because her son Louis the Pious succeeded Charlemagne as Emperor, Hildegard is often called “mother of Kings and Emperors”.

  • Charles(772/73 – 4 December 811 in Bavaria[20]), the eldest son according to Paul the Deacon, who recorded his parentage.[21]His father associated him in the government of Francia and Saxony in 790, and crowned joint King of the Franks at Rome on 25 December 800, but died before his father.[16]

  • Rotrude(775 – 6 June 810[22]), named after her paternal great-grandmother. “Hruodrudem et Bertham et Gislam” are named daughters of King Charles and Hildegard by Einhard.[23]Angilbert’s poem Ad Pippinum Italiæ regumnames (in order) “Chrodthrudis…Berta…Gisla et Theodrada” as daughters of King Charles.[24]She was betrothed in 781 with Constantine VI, Emperor of Byzantium, and received the name Erythroin preparation for her future wedding. The betrothal was broken in 787,[25]and she, like all her sisters, remained unmarried. From a liaison with Rorgo of Rennesshe had one son, the latter Louis, Abbot of Saint-Denis.

  • Carloman(777 – 8 July 810 in Milan, buried Verona, San Zeno Maggiore), renamed Pepinin Rome on 15 April 781 by Pope Adrian I, and crowned King of Italythat day. He also predeceased his father.

  • Louis(Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, Vienne, 16 April/September 778 – 20 June 840 in Ingelheim, buried Metz, Abbey of Saint-Arnould). He is named, and his parentage recorded, by Paul the Deacon, which specifies that he was his parents’ third son, born a twin with Lothair.[21]Crowned King of Aquitainein Rome on 15 April 781 by Pope Adrian I, his father named him as his successor at Aix-la-Chapelle, crowning him as joint Holy Roman Emperoron 11 September 813.

  • Bertha(779/80 – after 11 March 824), named after her paternal grandmother. An offer by Offa of Merciato arrange a marriage between her and his son, Ecgfrith, led to Charlemagne breaking off diplomatic relations with Britain in 790, and banning British ships from his ports.[26]Like her sisters, she never married, but from her liaison with Angilbert, a court official, she had two sons: Hartnid (about whom little is known) and the historian Nithard, Abbott of St. Riquier.

  • Gisela(before May 781 – after 800, maybe after 814). Named after her surviving paternal aunt, she was baptized in Milan in May 781.[27]

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