Eilika of Saxony ( – 16 January 1142) was a daughter of

Magnus, Duke of Saxony Magnus ( – 23 August 1106) was the duke of Saxony from 1072 to 1106. Eldest son and successor of Ordulf and Wulfhild of Norway, he was the last member of the House of Billung. Rebellion In 1070, before he was duke, he joined Otto of Nordhei ...

and a member of the Billung dynasty. Through marriage to Otto of Ballenstedt, she was countess of Ballenstedt.

Life

Eilika was the younger daughter of

and

Sophia Sophia means "wisdom" in Greek. It may refer to: *Sophia (wisdom) *Sophia (Gnosticism) *Sophia (given name) Places *Niulakita or Sophia, an island of Tuvalu *Sophia, Georgetown, a ward of Georgetown, Guyana *Sophia, North Carolina, an unincorpor ...

, daughter of King Béla I of Hungary. Since Eilika had no brothers, after her father's death in 1106, Eilika and her sister, Wulfhilde of Saxony, inherited his property. Eilika received property in Bernburg, Weißenfels, Werben and perhaps also in Burgwerden and Kreichau, as well as the Palatinate of Saxony. In 1130 Eilika was in conflict with the

citizens Citizenship is a "relationship between an individual and a state to which the individual owes allegiance and in turn is entitled to its protection". Each state determines the conditions under which it will recognize persons as its citizens, and ...

of the city of Halle, probably because of her support for Archbishop Norbert of Magdeburg. Fighting broke out, during which Conrad of Eichstadt was killed, and from which Eilika only escaped with difficulty. Around 1131 Eilika wrested the

advocacy Advocacy is an Action (philosophy), activity by an individual or advocacy group, group that aims to influence decision making, decisions within political, economic, and social institutions. Advocacy includes activities and publications to infl ...

of the monastery of Goseck (monastery) from Louis of Thuringia, and took it for herself. In 1133 Eilika expelled Abbot Bertold from Goseck for incompetency. In 1134 she introduced his successor, Abbot Penther, to the abbey with a solemn address to the monks. In 1138 Eilika was accused of tyranny (''tyrannis''), and attacked at her castle of Bernburg.

Marriage and children

Eilika married Count Otto of Ballenstedt before 1095. With Otto, Eilika had two children: Albert the Bear and Adelaide of Ballenstedt, who married

Henry II, Margrave of the Nordmark Henry II (1102 – 4 December 1128), Margrave of the Nordmark, also Count of Stade (as Henry IV), son of Lothair Udo III, Margrave of the Nordmark, and Irmgard, daughter of Dietrich, Count of Plötzkau, and Mathilde von Walbeck. Henry assumed t ...

.''Annalisto Saxo'', a.1106, p. 744
Thiele, ''Erzählende genealogische Stammtafeln'', table 158.

References

Sources

* *A. Thiele, ''Erzählende genealogische Stammtafeln zur europäischen Geschichte" Band I, Teilband 1 Deutsche Kaiser-, Königs-, Herzogs- und Grafenhäuser I'' *H. Assing, ''Die frühen Askanier und ihre Frauen'' (Bernburg, 2002). *L. Partenheimer, ''Albrecht der Bär. Gründer der Mark Brandenburg und des Fürstentums Anhalt''. (Böhlau Verlag Köln Weimar Wien, 2001).

External links

(in German)

Deutsche Biographie (in German) 1080s births 1142 deaths Place of birth unknown Place of death unknown House of Billung 11th-century German women 11th-century Saxon people 12th-century German women 12th-century Saxon people German countesses {{Germany-countess-stub