Rozala of Italy

Countess of Flanders (968–987) and Queen of the Franks (996)

Rozala of Italy

Countess consort of Flanders
Tenure| 968–987
Queen consort of the Franks
Tenure| 996

Born| c. 950–960
Died| 1003
Ghent
Spouse| Arnulf II of Flanders
Robert II of France
Issue| Baldwin IV of Flanders
Mathilda
House| Ivrea
Father| Berengar II of Italy
Mother| Willa of Tuscany

Rozala of Italy (also known as Rozala of Lombardy, Rozala of Ivrea or Susanna of Ivrea; c. 950–960 – 1003) was countess consort of Flanders by marriage to Arnulf II of Flanders, and queen of the Franks by marriage to Robert II of France. She was regent of Flanders in 987–988 during the minority of her son Baldwin IV of Flanders.

## Biography

[edit]

Rozala (Susanna), born sometime between 950 and 960, was the daughter of King Berengar of Ivrea, King of Italy (c. 900 – 966).[1] Her mother was Willa of Tuscany, the daughter of Boso, Margrave of Tuscany and his wife Willa.[2]

In 976, she married Arnulf II, Count of Flanders (d. 987).[3] On her husband's death in 987, she became regent for her young son. She lost the regency the following year, when she married again. Flanders were under threat from France, and to avoid this threat, she arranged a marriage with the son of the king of France. Upon marriage, her regency was turned over to her mother-in-law, her son's paternal grandmother, Matilda of Saxony, countess of Flanders.[4]

On c. 1 April 988, she married, secondly, the much-younger Robert the Pious (972–1031), the Rex Filius of France; the marriage had been arranged by his father Hugh Capet.[5][3] According to disputed account, she brought her husband Montreuil[3] and Ponthieu as a dowry, others assert that she was bequeathed her right to that territory. Upon her marriage, she took the name of Susannah, and was the queen consort of the co-ruling king Robert, under senior King Hugh.

From 991/992, the couple lived basically separated, because they did not have a good relationship, and because Rozala had become too old[3] (at around 38) to have more children. When her father-in-law died in 996, Robert repudiated her completely, desiring to marry Bertha of Burgundy in her place.[6] That marriage was not lawful because of too close kinship so Robert married a third time, in 1003, with Constance of Arles, who bore him seven children.

Rozala retired back to Flanders, where she died and was buried. Robert retained control of her "dowry",[3] or the rights to the mentioned territory.

## Marriages

[edit]

Rozala was firstly (976–987) married to Arnulf II, Count of Flanders.[7] They had the following children:

* Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders (980–1035)[7]
* Mathilda (d. 995).[1]

Her second marriage (988–996) with Robert II of France did not produce any children.[3]

## Notes

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1. ^ a b Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 5
2. ^ Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 59
3. ^ a b c d e f Vasiliev 1951, p. 233-234.
4. ^ Histoire des comtes de Flandre jusqu'à l'avènement de la maison de Bourgogne - Edward Le Glay \- 1843
5. ^ Poppe 1976, p. 232.
6. ^ Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984), Tafel 11
7. ^ a b Nicholas 1992, p. 44.

## References

[edit]

* Nicholas, David (1992). Medieval Flanders. Longman.
* Poppe, Andrzej (1976). "The Political Background to the Baptism of Rus': Byzantine-Russian Relations between 986-89". Dumbarton Oaks Papers. 30: 195–244\. doi:10.2307/1291395. JSTOR 1291395.
* Vasiliev, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich (1951). "Hugh Capet of France and Byzantium". Dumbarton Oaks Papers. 6: 227–251\. doi:10.2307/1291087. JSTOR 1291087.

Royal titles

Vacant

Title last held by

Adelaide of Aquitaine |  Queen consort of the Franks
996  | Succeeded by

Bertha of Burgundy

* v
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Royal consorts of France

* List of Frankish queens
* List of French royal consorts

Merovingians (509–751)|

* Clotilde
* Ultragotha
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* Radegund
* Ingund
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* Ingoberga
* Merofleda
* Marcovefa
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* Galswintha
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* Bertrude
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* Gomentrude
* Nanthild
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* Bertechildis
* Balthild of Chelles
* Bilichild
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Carolingians,
Robertians and Bosonids (751–987)|

* Bertrada of Laon
* Gerberga
* Desiderata of the Lombards
* Hildegard
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* Luitgard
* Ermengarde of Hesbaye
* Judith of Bavaria
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* Richardis
* Théodrate of TroyesR
* Frederuna
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* Beatrice of VermandoisR
* Emma of FranceB
* 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
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* Blanche of Castile
* Margaret of Provence
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* Marie of Brabant
* Joan I of Navarre
* Margaret of Burgundy
* Clementia of Hungary
* Joan II of Burgundy
* Blanche of Burgundy
* Marie of Luxembourg
* Joan of Évreux

House of Valois (1328–1589)|

* Joan of Burgundy
* Blanche of Navarre
* Joan I of Auvergne
* Joanna of Bourbon
* Isabeau of Bavaria
* Marie of Anjou
* Charlotte of Savoy
* Anne of Brittany
* Joan of France
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* Claude of France
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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

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