Adelais of Amboise (sometimes called Aelinde) (fl. 865), came from an influential

Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages * Francia, a post-Roman state in France and Germany * East Francia, the successor state to Francia in Germany ...

family in the Loire Valley. Through her mother, whose name is unknown, she was the niece of Adelard,

Archbishop of Tours The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tours (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Turonensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Tours'') is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The archdiocese has roots that go back to the 3rd centu ...

, and Raino,

Bishop of Angers The Roman Catholic Diocese of Angers ( Latin: ''Dioecesis Andegavensis''; French: ''Diocèse d'Angers'') is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The episcopal see is located in Angers Cathedral in the city of A ...

. In 865, her uncles arranged a marriage for her to a Frankish man named

Ingelger Ingelger (died 888), also called Ingelgarius, was a Frankish nobleman, who was the founder of the County of Anjou and of the original House of Anjou. Later generations of his family believed that he was the son of Tertullus (Tertulle) and Petron ...

, described as a ''miles optimus'', whose devotion to

Charles the Bald Charles the Bald (french: Charles le Chauve; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as Charles II, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), king of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a se ...

had been rewarded with land and military commands. Adelais’ dowry included Buzençais,

Châtillon-sur-Indre Châtillon-sur-Indre (, literally ''Châtillon on Indre'') is a commune in the Indre department, central France. Population See also *Communes of the Indre department The following is a list of the 241 communes of the Indre department of F ...

, and the fortress of

Amboise Amboise (; ) is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Today a small market town, it was once home of the French royal court. Geography Amboise lies on the banks of the river Loire, east of Tours. It is also about away ...

, which ultimately grew to be the royal residence known as the

Château d'Amboise The Château d'Amboise is a château in Amboise, located in the Indre-et-Loire ''département'' of the Loire Valley in France. Confiscated by the monarchy in the 15th century, it became a favoured royal residence and was extensively rebuilt. Kin ...

. Adelais and Ingelger, who has been identified as either a

viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicia ...

or the first

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York ...

Anjou Anjou may refer to: Geography and titles France *County of Anjou, a historical county in France and predecessor of the Duchy of Anjou **Count of Anjou, title of nobility *Duchy of Anjou, a historical duchy and later a province of France **Duke ...

, were the parents of

Fulk the Red Fulk I of Anjou ( 870 – 942) — ("Fulk the Red", i.e., "Red Falcon") — held the county of Anjou first as viscount, then count, until his death. Life Born about 870, Fulk was the son of Ingelger of Anjou and Adelais of Amboise. He was th ...

, who became the first hereditary count of Anjou. According to the ''

Gesta consulum Andegavorum The ''Chronica de gestis consulum Andegavorum'' ("Chronicle of the deeds of the consuls of Anjou"), or simply ''Gesta consulum Andegavorum'', is a Latin history of the Ingelgerian dynasty of the county of Anjou written in the early 12th century, ...

'', “after the death of her husband, Adelais was unjustly accused of

adultery Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...

by a group of nobles led by ‘''Guntrannus parens Ingelgerii''’ but later exonerated.”

References

9th-century French people 9th-century French women House of Ingelger {{Women-hist-stub