Ermengarde of Tours (c. 810 - 20 Mar 851) was daughter of Hugh of Tours[1] and Ava of Morvois.

Ermengarde of Tours
Empress of the Carolingian Empire
TenureOctober 821 – 20 Mar 851
Queen consort of Italy
TenureOctober 821 – 20 Mar 851
Queen consort of Middle Francia
TenureAugust 843 – 20 Mar 851
Bornc. 810
Died20 March 851 (aged 40- 41)
Erstein, France
SpouseLothair I
IssueLouis II of Italy
Helletrud
Bertha
Ermengarde
Gisla
Lothair II
Rotrud
Charles of Provence
HouseEtichonids
FatherHugh of Tours
MotherAva

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

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The contemporary poet Sedulius Scottus wrote "Men despise the zither's harmonious music whenever they hear your angelic and golden voice... Your face shines like ivory and blushes like a rose, and excels the beauty of Venus and the nymphs. A dazzling crown of golden hair adorns you, and splendid topaz, as a glittering diadem... Your milk-white neck glistens with beauty, shining with the lustre of lilies or ivory. Your soft white hands dispense myriad gifts, whence they sow on earth to reap in heaven.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Riche 1993, p. 149.
  2. ^ Heidecker 2010, p. 117.
  3. ^ a b Heidecker 2010, p. 194.
  4. ^ a b c d Bouchard 2001, p. 102.
  5. ^ From Sedulius Scottus, Poem 20, in E. Doyle, Sedulius Scottus: On Christian Rulers and the Poems (Binghamton 1983)

Sources

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  • 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.
Royal titles
Preceded by Queen consort of Italy
821–851
Succeeded by
Preceded by Queen of Middle Francia
843–851
Carolingian empress
821–851