Adelaide of Aquitaine

Adelaide of Aquitaine
Adelaide of Aquitaine
Queen consort of the Franks
Tenure	987–996
Born	c. 945/952
Died	1004
Spouse	Hugh Capet; (m. 969; died 996)
Issue	Hedwig, Countess of Mons; Robert II of France; Gisèle, Countess of Ponthieu
House	Poitiers
Father	William III of Aquitaine
Mother	Adele of Normandy

Adbelahide, Adele, Adela or Adelaide of Aquitaine (also known as Adelaide of Poitiers; c. 945 or 952 – 1004),^[1] was Queen of France by marriage to Hugh Capet, King of the Franks (c. 939 – 14 October 996). Adelaide and Hugh were the founders of the Capetian dynasty of France, which would rule France until the 18th and 19th centuries. As queen consort, Adelaide had some extent of influence over her husband's governance of France. Adelaide is typically only briefly mentioned in connection to her husband, Hugh, and her son Robert II.

Life

Adelaide was the daughter of William III, Duke of Aquitaine and Adele of Normandy, daughter of Rollo of Normandy.^[a]

On 29 May 987, after the death of Louis V, the last Carolingian king of France, Hugh was elected the new king by an assembly of Frankish magnates at Senlis. The couple were proclaimed king and queen at Senlis and blessed at Noyon on 1 June 987. They became the founders of the Capetian dynasty of France.^[3] Apparently, Hugh trusted in Adelaide's judgement and allowed her to take part in government. Hugh's recognition of Adelaide as socia et particeps nostril regni, roughly translated to "associate and participator in our kingdom", demonstrates his apparent acclaim for Adelaide.^[4]

Adelaide's son Robert's tutor Gerbert of Aurillac came into conflict in the late 990's with Arnulf, the archbishop of Reims.^[5] Gerbert took refuge with Otto III, the new Holy Roman emperor, and Adelaide attempted to recall the former to Reims, but Gerbert reluctantly resisted this command in a letter dated to the spring of 997, citing concerns for his personal safety and the stability of the French kingdom had he returned to challenge Arnulf for the archbishopric.^[6]

Children

Adelaide and Hugh had at least three children that lived to adulthood:

Hedwig, Countess of Mons (or Hadevide, or Avoise) (c. 969–after 1013), wife of Reginar IV, Count of Mons
Robert II (972–1031), the future king of France. Crowned co-king in 987, in order to consolidate the new dynasty.
Gisèle, Countess of Ponthieu (c. 970–1002), wife of Hugh I, Count of Ponthieu.

Notes

^ According to Bouchard, Adelaide was not from Aquitaine. A document from 982, used as "proof" of Adelaide's origins, indicates a sister (Adela) of William IV of Aquitaine marrying a Duke Eblo, which was later altered to mean Duke Hugh Capet. Bouchard states the document seems disorganized and that both Duke Eblo and his wife Adela were already dead by 982. She concludes Adelaide's ancestry is unknown.^[2] However Bouchard overlooked other evidences: Richerus' Historiae or the Translatio sancti Maglorii.

References

^ "Women's Biography: Adelaide of Aquitaine, queen of the Franks". Epistolae: Medieval Women's Latin Letters. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
^ Bouchard 2001, p. 114.
^ "Women's Biography: Adelaide of Aquitaine, queen of the Franks". Epistolae: Medieval Women's Latin Letters. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
^ Andrew W. Lewis, Royal Succession in Capetian France, Studies on Familial Order and the State (London: 1981), quoted in Jim Bradbury, The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328. (London, UK: Hambledon Continuum, 2007), 69.
^ Bradbury, Jim. The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328. London, UK: Hambledon Continuum, 2007, 76, 80-1.
^ "A letter from Gerbert of Aurillac, archbishop of Reims (spring 997) | Epistolae". epistolae.ctl.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2020-05-11.

Sources

Bouchard, Constance Brittain (2001). Those of My Blood: Creating Noble Families in Medieval Francia. University of Pennsylvania Press.

French royalty
Preceded by Emma of Italy	Queen consort of the Franks 987–996	Succeeded by Rozala of Lombardy

[3] According to Bouchard, Adelaide was not from Aquitaine. A document from 982, used as "proof" of Adelaide's origins, indicates a sister (Adela) of William IV of Aquitaine marrying a Duke Eblo, which was later altered to mean Duke Hugh Capet. Bouchard states the document seems disorganized and that both Duke Eblo and his wife Adela were already dead by 982. She concludes Adelaide's ancestry is unknown.^[2] However Bouchard overlooked other evidences: Richerus' Historiae or the Translatio sancti Maglorii.

[Epistolae2-1] "Women's Biography: Adelaide of Aquitaine, queen of the Franks". Epistolae: Medieval Women's Latin Letters. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2011.

[FOOTNOTEBouchard2001114-2] Bouchard 2001, p. 114.

[Epistolae22-4] "Women's Biography: Adelaide of Aquitaine, queen of the Franks". Epistolae: Medieval Women's Latin Letters. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2011.

[5] Andrew W. Lewis, Royal Succession in Capetian France, Studies on Familial Order and the State (London: 1981), quoted in Jim Bradbury, The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328. (London, UK: Hambledon Continuum, 2007), 69.

[6] Bradbury, Jim. The Capetians: Kings of France, 987-1328. London, UK: Hambledon Continuum, 2007, 76, 80-1.

[7] "A letter from Gerbert of Aurillac, archbishop of Reims (spring 997) | Epistolae". epistolae.ctl.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2020-05-11.

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v t e Royal consorts of France
List of Frankish queens List of French royal consorts
Merovingians (509–751)	Clotilde Ultragotha Guntheuc Radegund Ingund Aregund Ingoberga Merofleda Marcovefa Theudechild Austregilde Audovera Galswintha Fredegund Brunhilda of Austrasia Bertrude Sichilde Gomentrude Nanthild Ragintrudis Wulfefundis Bertechildis Balthild of Chelles Bilichild Chrothildis
Carolingians, Robertians and Bosonids (751–987)	Bertrada of Laon Gerberga Desiderata of the Lombards Hildegard Fastrada Luitgard Ermengarde of Hesbaye Judith of Bavaria Ermentrude of Orléans Richilde of Provence Adelaide of Paris Richardis Théodrate of Troyes^R Frederuna Eadgifu of Wessex Beatrice of Vermandois^R Emma of France^B Gerberga of Saxony Emma of Italy
House of Capet (987–1328)	Adelaide of Aquitaine Rozala of Italy Bertha of Burgundy Constance of Arles Matilda of Frisia Anne of Kiev Bertha of Holland Bertrade of Montfort Adelaide of Maurienne Eleanor of Aquitaine Constance of Castile Adela of Champagne Isabella of Hainault Ingeborg of Denmark Agnes of Merania Blanche of Castile Margaret of Provence Isabella of Aragon Marie of Brabant Joan I of Navarre Margaret of Burgundy Clementia of Hungary Joan II, Countess of Burgundy Blanche of Burgundy Marie of Luxembourg Joan of Évreux
House of Valois (1328–1589)	Joan of Burgundy Blanche of Navarre Joan I, Countess of Auvergne Joanna of Bourbon Isabeau of Bavaria Marie of Anjou Charlotte of Savoy Anne of Brittany Joan of France Mary Tudor Claude of France Eleanor of Austria Catherine de' Medici Mary Stuart Elisabeth of Austria Louise of Lorraine
House of Lancaster (1422–1453)	Margaret of Anjou
House of Bourbon (1589–1792)	Margaret of Valois Marie de' Medici Anne of Austria Maria Theresa of Spain Marie Leszczyńska Marie Antoinette
House of Bonaparte (1804–1814; 1815)	Joséphine de Beauharnais Marie Louise
House of Bourbon (1814–1815; 1815–1830)	Marie Joséphine of Savoy Marie-Thérèse
House of Orléans (1830–1848)	Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily
House of Bonaparte (1852–1870)	Eugénie de Montijo
Consorts to debatable or disputed rulers are in italics.

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