Ermengarde of Tours

Ermengarde of Tours (died 20 Mar 851) was daughter of Hugh of Tours[1] and Ava of Morvois.

Ermengarde of Tours
Empress of the Carolingian Empire
Tenure819 – 20 Mar 851
Queen consort of Italy
Tenure17 April 818 – 20 Mar 851
Queen consort of Middle Francia
TenureAugust 843 – 20 Mar 851
Died20 Mar 851
Erstein, France
SpouseLothair I
IssueLouis II of Italy
Helletrud
Bertha
Ermengarde
Gisla
Lothair II
Rotrud
Charles of Provence
HouseEtichonids
FatherHugh of Tours
MotherAva of Morvois

In October 821 in Thionville, Ermengarde married the Carolingian Emperor Lothair I of the Franks (795–855).[1]

Ermengarde used her bridal gift to found the abbey Erstein in the Elsass,[2] in which she is buried. Ermengarde died in 851.[3]

Lothair and Ermengarde had:

  • Louis II of Italy[1]
  • Helletrud (Hiltrud) (c. 826–after 865/866)[4] m. Count Berengar (d. before 865/866)
  • Bertha (c. 830–after 7 May 852, probably 877),[4] became before 847 Abbess of Avenay, perhaps Äbtissin of Faremoutiers
  • A daughter of unknown name (b. probably 826/830), called Ermengarde in later sources, kidnapped 846 by Gilbert, Count of the Maasgau, who then married her
  • Gisla (c. 830–860)[4] 851–860 Abbess of San Salvatore in Brescia
  • Lothair II[1]
  • Rotrud (baptized 835/840 in Pavia)[4] m. around 850/851 Lambert, Margrave of Brittany, Count of Nantes (Widonen), who died 1 May 852
  • Charles of Provence[3]

Appearance

"Her voice is as pure as gold and clear as the note of zither. Her skin is as roses mixed in snow. Her blonde hair circles her head like a chrysolith. Her eyes are lively, her white neck like milk, lillies, ivory. Her graceful hands are like the snow."[5]

References
  1. Riche 1993, p. 149.
  2. Heidecker 2010, p. 117.
  3. Heidecker 2010, p. 194.
  4. Bouchard 2001, p. 102.
  5. From Sedulius

Sources
  • Bouchard, Constance Brittain (2001). Those of My Blood: Creating Noble Families in Medieval Francia. University of Pennsylvania Press.102
  • Heidecker, Karl (2010). The Divorce of Lothar II: Christian Marriage and Political Power in the Carolingian World. Translated by Guest, Tanis M. Cornell University Press.
  • Riche, Pierre (1993). The Carolingians:A Family who forged Europe. Translated by Allen, Michael Idomir. University of Pennsylvania Press.
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