Bertha of Swabia
| Bertha of Swabia | |
|---|---|
 Queen Bertha and the Spinners, painting by Albert Anker (1888) | |
| Queen consort of Upper Burgundy | |
| Reign | 922 – 11 July 937 |
| Predecessor | Guilla of Provence |
| Successor | Adelaide of Bellay |
| Queen consort of Italy | |
| Reign | 922 – 926 12 December 937 – 10 April 948 |
| Predecessor | Anna of Constantinople |
| Successor | Adelaide of Italy |
| Born | c. 907 |
| Died | after January 2, 966 |
| Burial | |
| Consort | Rudolph II of Burgundy Hugh of Italy |
| Issue | Adelaide of Italy Conrad I of Burgundy |
| House | Hunfridings |
| Father | Burchard II, Duke of Swabia |
| Mother | Regelinda of Zürich |
| Religion | Catholic Church |
Bertha of Swabia (French: Berthe de Souabe; German: Berta von Schwaben; c. 907 AD – after January 2, 966), a member of the Alemannic Hunfriding dynasty, was Queen consort of Upper Burgundy from 922 until 937 and Queen consort of Italy from 922 until 926, by her marriage with King Rudolph II. She again became Italian queen by her second marriage with King Hugh in 937 and ceased to be consort upon her husband's death in 948.
Life
Bertha was the daughter of Duke Burchard II of Swabia and his wife Regelinda. In 922, she was married to the Burgundian king Rudolph II.[1] The Welf rulers of Upper Burgundy had campaigned the adjacent Swabian Thurgau region several times, and the marriage was meant as a gesture of reconciliation. With her husband Rudolph, Bertha founded the church of Amseltingen/Amsoltingen.[2]
Rudolph died in 937,[3] whereupon Bertha married King Hugh of Italy in what is today Colombier on 12 December 937.[4] This marriage was not a happy one; when Hugh died in 947, Bertha returned to Burgundy.[3]
Between 950 and 960, Bertha founded Payerne Priory, where she was buried.[3] Up to today she is venerated as "Good Queen Bertha" (La reine Berthe) in the Swiss Romandy region, mainly in Vaud, and numerous myths and legends have evolved about her life.[5]
Issue
Bertha and Rudolph had:
- Adelaide of Italy, who became Holy Roman Empress as consort of Emperor Otto I[3]
- Conrad succeeded as King of Burgundy upon his father's death in 937[1]
References
- ^ a b Reuter & McKitterick 1999, p. 699.
- ^ Rumpf 1977, p. 182.
- ^ a b c d Rumpf 1977, p. 187.
- ^ Reuter & McKitterick 1999, p. 353.
- ^ Rumpf, p. 181-195.
Sources
- Reuter, Timothy; McKitterick, Rosamond, eds. (1999). "Appendix". The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 3, c.900-c.1024. Cambridge University Press.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Rumpf, Marianne (1977). "The Legends of Bertha in Switzerland". Journal of the Folklore Institute. Vol. 14 No. 3. Translated by Hellenberg, Anthony; Tucker, Elizabeth.
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