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  • Princess of Normandy
  • Queen consort of France
  • Regent for grandson, Hugh Magnus
  • Founder of Capetian dynasty

Adelaide of Aquitaine was born circa 945 to William III of Aquitaine (c900-963) and Gerloc de Normandie (c912-962) and died 1004 of unspecified causes. She married Hugh Capet (c940-996) 966 JL in France.

Biography

Hugh Capet's first wife was Adelaide of Aquitaine, sometimes also called Adbelahide or Alice. She was born around 945 and was the daughter of William III, Duke of Aquitaine, and his wife, Adèle of Normandy. Adelaide was a wealthy and influential heiress, and her marriage to Hugh Capet was part of a strategy to strengthen the political and territorial power of the Capetian dynasty.

Hugh Capet and Adelaide were married in 970, when he was around 29 years old and she was around 25. They had three children together: Gisela, Hedwig, and Robert. Gisela married Hugh I, Count of Ponthieu, and Hedwig married Reginar IV, Count of Hainaut. Robert, their only son, succeeded Hugh Capet as King of France upon his death in 996.

On May 29, 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 with Adelaide as queen. The couple were proclaimed as the new monarchs at Senlis and blessed at Noyon on June 1, 987. As such, they had become the founders of the Capetian dynasty of France.[1] 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 realm,” demonstrates his apparent acclaim for Adelaide.[2]


Adelaide was known for her piety and devotion to religion, and she is believed to have played a significant role in the construction and patronage of several churches and monasteries throughout France. She was particularly associated with the abbey of Sainte-Croix in Poitiers, which she helped to rebuild and where she was eventually buried.

After Hugh Capet's death in 996, Adelaide continued to play an active role in the political and social life of France. She acted as regent for her young grandson, Hugh Magnus, during his minority, and she played a key role in securing his succession to the duchy of Aquitaine. Adelaide died in 1004 and was buried alongside her husband in the Saint Denis Basilica in Paris.

Overall, Adelaide of Aquitaine was a significant figure in the early history of the Capetian dynasty and played an important role in the consolidation and expansion of the family's political and territorial power. She was also known for her religious devotion and patronage of churches and monasteries, and her legacy has endured through the centuries.


Family

Overall, Hugh Capet's family played a significant role in the consolidation and expansion of the Capetian dynasty, which would go on to rule France for centuries to come.

1st Marriage: Hugh Capet, King of France

The first wife of Hugh Capet (c940-996), king of France was Adelaide of Aquitaine (c945-1004), whom he married in 970. Wife Adelaide was the daughter of William III, Duke of Aquitaine and Adele of Normandy, daughter of Rollo of Normandy (860-932). Her marriage brought a significant dowry. Hugh and Adelaide had several children together:

  1. Gisele Capet (c968-c1000), who married Hugh I, Count of Ponthieu
  2. Hedwig Capet (c969-1013), who married Reginar IV, Count of Hainaut
  3. Robert II of France (972-1031), Hugh's eldest son, Robert II, succeeded him as king in 996 and ruled until 1031. Robert had several children, including
    1. Hugh Magnus, who became Duke of the Franks, and
    2. Henry I, who succeeded his father as king.
  4. Adela Capet (c973-c1068) -
  5. A number of other daughters are less reliably attested.[3]




Children


Offspring of Hugh Capet (c940-996) and Adelaide of Aquitaine
Name Birth Death Joined with
Gisele Capet (c968-c1000) 968 France 1000 France Hugues de Ponthieu (c970-c1000)
Hedwig Capet (c969-1013) 969 1013 Regnier IV de Mons (?-1013)
Hugh de Dagsbourg (c970-)
Robert II of France (972-1031) 27 March 972 Orléans, Orléanais, Loiret, France 20 July 1031 Meulan, Ile-de-France, France Rosella of Italy (945-1003)
Bertha de Bourgogne (967-1016)
Constance of Arles (986-1034)
Adela Capet (c973-c1068)



Siblings


Offspring of William III of Aquitaine (c900-963) and Gerloc de Normandie (c912-962)
Name Birth Death Joined with
William IV of Aquitaine (937-994) 937 3 February 994 Emma de Blois (-1003)
Adelaide of Aquitaine (c945-1004) 945 1004 Hugh Capet (c940-996)
Unknown of Aquitaine (?-?) Gislebert de Roucy (c950-c1000)


See Also

References

  1. ^ "Women's Biography: Adelaide of Aquitaine, queen of the Franks". Epistolae: Medieval Women's Latin Letters. http://epistolae.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/woman/1.html. 
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Thus Gauvard, p. 531.

Contemporary Sources

The best contemporary sources about Hugh Capet's life are primarily from the 10th and 11th centuries. Overall, these contemporary sources offer a valuable glimpse into the life and reign of Hugh Capet, and they provide important insights into the political, social, and cultural context of medieval France. These include:

  1. The Annals of Flodoard - This is a chronicle written by the French bishop Flodoard of Reims, covering the period from 919 to 966. It provides valuable information about Hugh's father, Hugh the Great, and his rise to power.
  2. The Chronicle of Richer of Reims - This chronicle covers the period from 888 to 998 and provides an account of Hugh Capet's reign. Richer was a contemporary of Hugh Capet and his account is considered to be one of the most reliable and detailed sources about the early Capetian dynasty.
  3. The Chronicles of Adhemar of Chabannes - Adhemar was a French monk who wrote several historical works, including a chronicle covering the period from 814 to 1030. His account of Hugh Capet's reign provides valuable information about the political and cultural context of the time.
  4. The Life of St. Gerbert of Aurillac - Gerbert was a French monk and scholar who became Pope Sylvester II in 999. His life was written by his contemporary, the French monk Adalbert of Rheims, and it provides insights into the intellectual and cultural climate of Hugh Capet's reign.
  5. The Letters of Gerbert of Aurillac - Gerbert was a prolific letter writer, and his correspondence provides a valuable source of information about the political, social, and cultural developments of the time.


Footnotes (including sources)

Rtol, Afil, Phlox, MainTour

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