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During Henry's campaigns in Italy, he took Eupraxia-Adelaide with him and kept her imprisoned at [[Verona]].<ref>Robinson, ''Henry IV'', p. 289.</ref> She escaped in 1093 and fled to [[Canossa]], where she sought the aid of [[Matilda of Tuscany]], one of Henry's enemies. Eupraxia-Adelaide accused Henry of ill-treating her in a letter that was read at legatine synod held in Constance in April 1094.<ref>Robinson, ''Henry IV'', p. 290</ref> The following year, at the urging of [[Pope Urban&nbsp;II]], Eupraxia-Adelaide made a public confession before the church [[Council of Piacenza]].<ref>Althoff, ''Heinrich IV'', p. 213</ref> She accused Henry of holding her against her will, of forcing her to participate in orgies, and, according to some later accounts, of attempting a [[black mass]] on her naked body.<ref>Robinson, ''Henry IV'', pp. 289ff.; [http://bibliotekar.ru/polk-11/5.htm ''Women of Ancient Rus (In Russian)'']</ref> According to these later chroniclers, Henry became involved in a [[Nicolaism|Nicolaitan]] sect, and hosted the sect's orgies and obscene rituals in his palaces. Eupraxia-Adelaide was forced to participate in these orgies, and on one occasion Henry allegedly offered her to his son, [[Conrad of Italy|Conrad]]. Conrad refused indignantly, and then revolted against his father. He began to support the papal side in the Italian wars which formed part of the [[Investiture Controversy]]. This legend takes its origin from the hostility between Henry and Urban&nbsp;II during the [[Investiture Controversy]].
During Henry's campaigns in Italy, he took Eupraxia-Adelaide with him and kept her imprisoned at [[Verona]].<ref>Robinson, ''Henry IV'', p. 289.</ref> She escaped in 1093 and fled to [[Canossa]], where she sought the aid of [[Matilda of Tuscany]], one of Henry's enemies. Eupraxia-Adelaide accused Henry of ill-treating her in a letter that was read at legatine synod held in Constance in April 1094.<ref>Robinson, ''Henry IV'', p. 290</ref> The following year, at the urging of [[Pope Urban&nbsp;II]], Eupraxia-Adelaide made a public confession before the church [[Council of Piacenza]].<ref>Althoff, ''Heinrich IV'', p. 213</ref> She accused Henry of holding her against her will, of forcing her to participate in orgies, and, according to some later accounts, of attempting a [[black mass]] on her naked body.<ref>Robinson, ''Henry IV'', pp. 289ff.; [http://bibliotekar.ru/polk-11/5.htm ''Women of Ancient Rus (In Russian)'']</ref> According to these later chroniclers, Henry became involved in a [[Nicolaism|Nicolaitan]] sect, and hosted the sect's orgies and obscene rituals in his palaces. Eupraxia-Adelaide was forced to participate in these orgies, and on one occasion Henry allegedly offered her to his son, [[Conrad of Italy|Conrad]]. Conrad refused indignantly, and then revolted against his father. He began to support the papal side in the Italian wars which formed part of the [[Investiture Controversy]]. This legend takes its origin from the hostility between Henry and Urban&nbsp;II during the [[Investiture Controversy]].


According to an account written in the mid-twelfth century, because Henry forced Eupraxia-Adelaide to take part in orgies, when she became pregnant, she was unable to tell who the father of her child was. Eupraxia thus decided to leave Henry.<ref>Gerhoh of Reichersburg, ''De investigatione Antichristi'', MGH LdL 3, I.17, pp. 324f., accessible online at [http://www.dmgh.de/de/fs1/object/goToPage/bsb00000830.html?pageNo=324&sortIndex=010%3A090%3A0003%3A010%3A00%3A00 Monumenta Germaniae Historica] (in Latin)</ref>
According to her own testimony, Eupraxia-Adelaide decided to leave her husband after becoming pregnant. The child would seem to be the son of the emperor Henry mentioned in the ''vita'' of Matilda of Canossa; this child died young in 1092 <ref>Raffensperger, Christian. "The Missing Rusian Women: The Case of Evpraksia Vsevolodovna", in ''Writing Medieval Women's Lives'' (ed. Goldy, Livingstone), pub. 2012, pg. 83.</ref>
Christian Raffensperger has suggested that there might be some truth to this story, based on a reference to the death of one of Henry’s sons in [[Donizo|Donizo’s]] ''Vita Mathildis'' (written c.1115).<ref>Raffensperger, ‘Missing Russian Women,’ pp. 76, 83 n. 31, with reference to Donizo of Canossa, ''Vita Mathildis'', Book II, v.665.</ref> Since Henry’s children by his first wife Bertha are accounted for, according to Raffensperger this could be a child by Eupraxia (alternatively, it could be a reference to a child by a mistress, or simply a mistake.<ref>According to one of the editors of the ''Vita Mathildis'', this is a reference to one of Henry’s illegitimate children: ''Vita Mathildis, celeberrimae principis Italiae'', ed. L. Simeoni (Bologna, 1940), p. 77.</ref>


Eupraxia-Adelaide left Italy for [[Hungary]], where she lived until 1099, when she returned to [[Kiev]].{{fact|date=January 2014}} After Henry's death in 1106 she became a nun until her own death in&nbsp;1109.<ref>Rüß, ‘Eupraxia,’ pp. 511-514.</ref>
Eupraxia-Adelaide left Italy for [[Hungary]], where she lived until 1099, when she returned to [[Kiev]].<ref>Raffensperger, 'Missing Russian Women,' pp. 78f.</ref> After Henry's death in 1106 she became a nun until her own death in&nbsp;1109.<ref>Rüß, ‘Eupraxia,’ pp. 511-514.</ref>


==References==
==References==
*G. Vernadsky, ''Kievan Rus'' (New Haven, 1976).
*G. Vernadsky, ''Kievan Rus'' (New Haven, 1976).
*C. Raffensperger, ‘Evpraksia Vsevolodovna between East and West,’ Russian History/Histoire Russe 30:1–2 (2003), 23-34.
*C. Raffensperger, ‘Evpraksia Vsevolodovna between East and West,’ Russian History/Histoire Russe 30:1–2 (2003), 23-34.
*C. Raffensperger, 'The Missing Russian Women: The Case of Evpraksia Vsevolodovna,' in ''Writing Medieval Women's Lives'' (ed. Goldy, Livingstone) (2012), pp.
*H. Rüß, ‘Eupraxia-Adelheid. Eine biographische Annäherung,‘ Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas 54 (2006), 481–518
*H. Rüß, ‘Eupraxia-Adelheid. Eine biographische Annäherung,‘ Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas 54 (2006), 481–518
*I.S. Robinson, ''Henry IV of Germany, 1056-1106'' (Cambridge, 2003).
*I.S. Robinson, ''Henry IV of Germany, 1056-1106'' (Cambridge, 2003).

Revision as of 02:40, 27 March 2014

Adelheid
Holy Roman Empress
Reign1088–1105
PredecessorBertha of Savoy
SuccessorEmpress Matilda
Born1071
DiedError: Need valid birth date (second date): year, month, day
Kiev
SpouseHenry IV
FatherVsevolod I of Kiev
MotherCuman princess

Eupraxia of Kiev (c.1067/1070 – July 10, 1109 AD[1]) (sometimes westernised as Praxedis; in Ukrainian/Russian, Евпраксия[2]) was the daughter of Vsevolod I, Prince of Kiev. She married Henry IV of Germany and took the name Adelaide (or Adelheid).[1]

Life

Family

Eupraxia was born after 1067. She was the daughter of Vsevolod I, Prince of Kiev and his second wife, a Kypchak princess, who adopted the name Anna after their marriage. Eupraxia's brother was Vladimir Monomakh and her paternal aunt, Anne of Kiev, was married to Henry I of France.

First marriage

Eupraxia was first married to Henry I the Long, count of Stade and margrave of the Saxon Northern March, who was the son of Lothair Udo II.[3] Eupraxia and Henry had no children before his death in 1087.

Second marriage

After her first husband's death, Eupraxia went to live in the convent of Quedlinburg, where she met Henry IV, who was then the Saxon king. He was greatly impressed by her beauty. After his first wife Bertha of Savoy died in December 1087, Henry became betrothed to Eupraxia in 1088. The couple married the following year on 18th August 1089 at Cologne. Immediately after the wedding, Eupraxia was crowned and assumed the name Adelaide (or Adelheid).[4]

During Henry's campaigns in Italy, he took Eupraxia-Adelaide with him and kept her imprisoned at Verona.[5] She escaped in 1093 and fled to Canossa, where she sought the aid of Matilda of Tuscany, one of Henry's enemies. Eupraxia-Adelaide accused Henry of ill-treating her in a letter that was read at legatine synod held in Constance in April 1094.[6] The following year, at the urging of Pope Urban II, Eupraxia-Adelaide made a public confession before the church Council of Piacenza.[7] She accused Henry of holding her against her will, of forcing her to participate in orgies, and, according to some later accounts, of attempting a black mass on her naked body.[8] According to these later chroniclers, Henry became involved in a Nicolaitan sect, and hosted the sect's orgies and obscene rituals in his palaces. Eupraxia-Adelaide was forced to participate in these orgies, and on one occasion Henry allegedly offered her to his son, Conrad. Conrad refused indignantly, and then revolted against his father. He began to support the papal side in the Italian wars which formed part of the Investiture Controversy. This legend takes its origin from the hostility between Henry and Urban II during the Investiture Controversy.

According to an account written in the mid-twelfth century, because Henry forced Eupraxia-Adelaide to take part in orgies, when she became pregnant, she was unable to tell who the father of her child was. Eupraxia thus decided to leave Henry.[9] Christian Raffensperger has suggested that there might be some truth to this story, based on a reference to the death of one of Henry’s sons in Donizo’s Vita Mathildis (written c.1115).[10] Since Henry’s children by his first wife Bertha are accounted for, according to Raffensperger this could be a child by Eupraxia (alternatively, it could be a reference to a child by a mistress, or simply a mistake.[11]

Eupraxia-Adelaide left Italy for Hungary, where she lived until 1099, when she returned to Kiev.[12] After Henry's death in 1106 she became a nun until her own death in 1109.[13]

References

  • G. Vernadsky, Kievan Rus (New Haven, 1976).
  • C. Raffensperger, ‘Evpraksia Vsevolodovna between East and West,’ Russian History/Histoire Russe 30:1–2 (2003), 23-34.
  • C. Raffensperger, 'The Missing Russian Women: The Case of Evpraksia Vsevolodovna,' in Writing Medieval Women's Lives (ed. Goldy, Livingstone) (2012), pp.
  • H. Rüß, ‘Eupraxia-Adelheid. Eine biographische Annäherung,‘ Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas 54 (2006), 481–518
  • I.S. Robinson, Henry IV of Germany, 1056-1106 (Cambridge, 2003).
  • G. Althoff, Heinrich IV (Darmstadt, 2006).

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Adelaide of Kiev (c. 1070–1109)". Gale Research Inc. Retrieved 8 January 2013.(subscription required)
  2. ^ Women of Ancient Rus (In Russian)
  3. ^ Rüß, ‘Eupraxia,’ pp. 487f.
  4. ^ Althoff, Heinrich IV., pp. 207f.
  5. ^ Robinson, Henry IV, p. 289.
  6. ^ Robinson, Henry IV, p. 290
  7. ^ Althoff, Heinrich IV, p. 213
  8. ^ Robinson, Henry IV, pp. 289ff.; Women of Ancient Rus (In Russian)
  9. ^ Gerhoh of Reichersburg, De investigatione Antichristi, MGH LdL 3, I.17, pp. 324f., accessible online at Monumenta Germaniae Historica (in Latin)
  10. ^ Raffensperger, ‘Missing Russian Women,’ pp. 76, 83 n. 31, with reference to Donizo of Canossa, Vita Mathildis, Book II, v.665.
  11. ^ According to one of the editors of the Vita Mathildis, this is a reference to one of Henry’s illegitimate children: Vita Mathildis, celeberrimae principis Italiae, ed. L. Simeoni (Bologna, 1940), p. 77.
  12. ^ Raffensperger, 'Missing Russian Women,' pp. 78f.
  13. ^ Rüß, ‘Eupraxia,’ pp. 511-514.

Template:Translation/Ref Template:Translation/Ref

Eupraxia of Kiev
Rurikovich
Born: 1071 Died: 1109
Regnal titles
Preceded by Holy Roman Empress
1089–1093 		Succeeded by

Template:Persondata

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