Adbelahide, Adele, Adela or Adelaide of Aquitaine (also known as Adelaide of
Poitiers
Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomerat ...
; c. 945 or 952 – 1004),
was
Queen of France
This is a list of the women who were queens or empresses as wives of French monarchs from the 843 Treaty of Verdun, which gave rise to West Francia, until 1870, when the Third Republic was declared.
Living wives of reigning monarchs technica ...
by marriage to
Hugh Capet
Hugh Capet (; french: Hugues Capet ; c. 939 – 14 October 996) was the King of the Franks from 987 to 996. He is the founder and first king from the House of Capet. The son of the powerful duke Hugh the Great and his wife Hedwige of Saxony, ...
, King of the Franks (c. 939 – 14 October 996). Adelaide and Hugh were the founders of the
Capetian dynasty
The Capetian dynasty (; french: Capétiens), also known as the House of France, is a dynasty of Frankish origin, and a branch of the Robertians. It is among the largest and oldest royal houses in Europe and the world, and consists of Hugh Cape ...
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
Hugh may refer to:
*Hugh (given name)
Noblemen and clergy French
* Hugh the Great (died 956), Duke of the Franks
* Hugh Magnus of France (1007–1025), co-King of France under his father, Robert II
* Hugh, Duke of Alsace (died 895), modern-day ...
, and her son
Robert II.
Life
Adelaide was the daughter of
William III, Duke of Aquitaine
William III (913 – 3 April 963), called Towhead (french: Tête d'étoupe, la, Caput Stupe) from the colour of his hair, was the "Count of the Duchy of Aquitaine" from 959 and Duke of Aquitaine from 962 to his death. He was also the Count o ...
and
Adele of Normandy, daughter of
Rollo of Normandy
Rollo ( nrf, Rou, ''Rolloun''; non, Hrólfr; french: Rollon; died between 928 and 933) was a Viking who became the first ruler of Normandy, today a region in northern France. He emerged as the outstanding warrior among the Norsemen who had se ...
.
On May 29, 987, after the death of
Louis V Louis V may refer to:
* Louis V of France (967–987)
* Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor and V of Germany (1282–1347)
* Louis V, Duke of Bavaria (1315–1361)
* Louis V, Elector Palatine (ruled 1508–1544)
* Louis V, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt (r ...
, the last
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty (; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charlemagne, grandson of mayor Charles Martel and a descendant of the Arnulfing and Pippin ...
king of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, 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
Senlis () is a commune in the northern French department of Oise, Hautes de France.
The monarchs of the early French dynasties lived in Senlis, attracted by the proximity of the Chantilly forest. It is known for its Gothic cathedral and other h ...
and blessed at
Noyon
Noyon (; pcd, Noéyon; la, Noviomagus Veromanduorum, Noviomagus of the Veromandui, then ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Oise Departments of France, department, northern France.
Geography
Noyon lies on the river Oise (river), Oise, a ...
on June 1, 987. As such, they had become the founders of the
Capetian dynasty
The Capetian dynasty (; french: Capétiens), also known as the House of France, is a dynasty of Frankish origin, and a branch of the Robertians. It is among the largest and oldest royal houses in Europe and the world, and consists of Hugh Cape ...
of France.
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.
Adelaide's son
Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
's tutor
Gerbert of Aurillac
Pope Sylvester II ( – 12 May 1003), originally known as Gerbert of Aurillac, was a French-born scholar and teacher who served as the bishop of Rome and ruled the Papal States from 999 to his death. He endorsed and promoted study of Arab and Gre ...
came into conflict in the late 990's with
Arnulf, the Archbishop of Reims. Gerbert took refuge with
Otto III
Otto III (June/July 980 – 23 January 1002) was Holy Roman Emperor from 996 until his death in 1002. A member of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto III was the only son of the Emperor Otto II and his wife Theophanu.
Otto III was crowned as King of ...
,
Theophanu
Theophanu (; also ''Theophania'', ''Theophana'', or ''Theophano''; Medieval Greek ; AD 955 15 June 991) was empress of the Holy Roman Empire by marriage to Emperor Otto II, and regent of the Empire during the minority of their son, Emperor Ott ...
's son and 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.
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
Reginar IV, Count of Mons, in Hainaut, (c. 950–1013) was the son of Reginar III, Count of Hainaut, Reginar III who died in exile in Bohemia in 973. Lambert I of Leuven was his brother.
History
His father Reginar III was exiled in 958 as a rebel ...
*
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
Hugh I of Ponthieu, died circa 1000. He was also known as Hugo Miles.
He was chosen by Hugh Capet, duke of France (not yet king), to be "advocate of the abbey of Saint-Riquier and castellan of Abbeville". He also received Hugh Capet's daughter ...
.
Notes
References
Sources
*
10th-century births
1004 deaths
French queens consort
Countesses of Paris
House of Poitiers
10th-century French people
10th-century French women
11th-century French people
11th-century French women
Queen mothers
{{France-noble-stub