Hildegard of the Vinzgau

Hildegard (c. 754^[2] – 30 April 783), was a Frankish queen consort who was the second^[3] wife of Charlemagne and mother of Louis the Pious. Little is known about her life because like all other women related to Charlemagne, she became notable only from a political background with records on her parentage, wedding, death and role as a mother.^[4]

Hildegard
Queen Hildegard, second wife of Charlemagne, in an illustration from about 1499
Queen of the Franks
Reign	771 – 30 April 783
Born	754
Died	(783-04-30)30 April 783 (aged 29) Thionville^[1]
Burial	Abbey of Saint-Arnould, Metz
Spouse	Charlemagne (m. 771)
Issue	Charles the Younger Pepin of Italy Adalhaid Rotrude Louis the Pious Lothair Bertha Gisela Hildegarde
Dynasty	Udalriching
Father	Gerold of Vinzgau
Mother	Emma of Alemannia

Blessed Hildegard
Died	Thionville
Honored in	Catholic Church
Major shrine	Abbey of Saint-Arnould, Abbey of Kempten
Feast	30 April

Origins

She was the daughter of the Germanic Count Gerold of Vinzgau (founder of the Udalriching family) and his wife Emma, in turn daughter of Duke Nebe (Hnabi) of Alemannia and Hereswintha vom Bodensee (of Lake Constance).^[5] Hildegard's father had extensive possessions in the dominion of Charlemagne's younger brother Carloman, so this union was of significant importance for Charlemagne, because he could strengthen its position in the east of the Rhine and also could bind the Alemannian nobility to his side.^[6]

Life

It is unknown if Charlemagne planned his marriage before the sudden death of Carloman or was just a part of the purposeful incorporation of his younger brother's Kingdom, in detriment of the claims of his nephews.^[7] In any event, the wedding between Charlemagne and Hildegard took place at Aix-la-Chapelle certainly before 30 April 771, after the repudiation of the Lombardian princess Desiderata, Charlemagne's previous wife.

It is generally accepted that she was either 12 or 13 upon her marriage to Charlemagne.^[8][9], though her nominal date of birth would place her at 17. Girls could be married at any time after puberty, and in Roman law, which the Church upheld, the age of 12 was well established as being adequate.^[10] An intense physical relationship between the spouses was demonstrated by the fact that, during her 12 years of marriage, Hildegard had 8 pregnancies (including one set of twins). Quite remarkably, the chronicles never mention either miscarriages or stillbirths, indicating that she was of sturdy health despite her young age at the time of the wedding. Some children she had died, though as babies soon after birth.^[11]

Hildegard accompanied Charlemagne on many of his military campaigns. She gave birth to her second child and first daughter, Adelaide, during the siege of Pavia, capital of the Kingdom of the Lombards (September 773/June 774), but the child died during the return journey to France. In 778, Hildegard accompanied her husband as far as Aquitaine, where she gave birth to twin boys Louis and Lothair.^[12] In 780/781, she traveled with Charlemagne and four of their children to Rome, where the sons Louis and Carloman (the latter renamed Pepin after his baptism by Pope Adrian I) were appointed sub-kings of Aquitaine and Italy respectively. This contributed to the strengthening of the alliance between the Carolingians and the Papacy.^[13] Because of her frequent pregnancies, it can be presumed that Hildegard accompanied her husband on further campaigns, at least temporarily. As a mother, Hildegard was a very big influence on her children religiously. She helped mold her family into the Christian family that Charlemagne wanted while he was off on campaigns.^[14]

Hildegard died on 30 April 783, according to Paul the Deacon, in the wake of her last childbirth.^[15] She was buried the following day (1 May 783) in the Abbey of Saint-Arnould in Metz. Following the wishes of Charlemagne, near her grave were burning candles and daily prayers were said for her soul.^[16]

Ecclesiastical Patron

Hildegard made several donations to the monasteries of St. Denis and St. Martin of Tours.^[17] She was a friend of Saint Leoba, who reportedly lived some time with her at court. She intervened in Hildegard's religious education and also offered her spiritual advice.^[18] Together with her husband she commissioned the Godescalc Evangelistary,^[19] where for the first time she was explicitly mentioned as Queen -also of the Lombards- through the joint signature of documents with her husband.^[20]

Hildegard enjoyed in her own lifetime from a high reputation, as was demonstrated in her obituary written by Paul the Deacon.^[21] However, these compliments are to be regarded with some skepticism. In her Epitaph were included phrases that may have been introduced to flatter Charlemagne: for example, the reference to the fact that Hildegard was the epitome of beauty, wisdom and virtue. This were common words used by medieval writers to their rulers.^[22] Pope Adrian I, in a letter to Charlemagne, expressed his condolences over the untimely death of Hildegard.

Together with her husband, she was the main benefactress of the Monastery of Kempten (founded in 752), who received financial and political support. From Italy they brought after the conquest of the Kingdom of the Lombards in 773/774 the relics of the Roman martyrs Saints Gordianus and Epimachus to Kempten, whom, along with the Virgin Mary, are the patrons of the monastery.

Hildegard was extensively mentioned in Kempten as one of the founders; her bust graced the pin crest and some coins of the later Imperial Abbey. In the late Middle Ages it was alleged that Hildegard was buried in Kempten, as well as her son Louis the Pious; there was built the so-called Hildegard Chapel (Hildegardkapelle), which quickly became a place of pilgrimage and where several miracles are reported. This explains why the Queen was revered as a saint in the Allgäu and always presented with an aureola. In the 17th century the building of another Hildegard Chapel at the Fürstäbtliche of Kempten was projected, but this was abandoned after the secularization.

Even in modern times, the memory of Hildegard and her importance in the urban development at Kempten is still very noticeable: The central square in front of St. Lorenz Basilica was named the Hildegard Square (Hildegardplatz) in her honor. In 1862 a Neo-Gothic Hildegard fountain (Hildegardsbrunnen) was erected in the square, which was closed in the 1950s. An idealized portrait painted by Franz Weiß was part of the facade of the local Landhaus. Also, in 1874 was founded the Hildegardis-Gymnasium Kempten Lyceum, originally exclusively for girls. At the Lindau Road, close to the school, was also located another Hildegard Fountain. On the facades of some houses were shown the image of the Queen, and on the edge of the Kempten forest there was the Hildegard Oak (Hildegardseiche) for several years until it was replaced by a new plantation. Until the 1950s, many girls born in Kempten were named after Hildegard.

Political Life

Hildegard used her position as Queen consort to obtain for her siblings several territorial and monetary benefits; as far was known, she was the only of Charlemagne's wives or concubines who managed to obtain for a relative an office after her marriage.^[23] In addition, was also assumed that she, like other medieval queens, held several roles, such as ruling the court or being the representative (or regent) of the sovereign during his absence. This could mean that she was in close contact with all the government decision of her husband.^[24]

Contextualization

In a time when polygamy was very common, Hildegard was married to Charlemagne as a monogamous wife until her death. She has mostly been looked upon as only a wife and mother and nothing more, much like the women who lived at this time no matter the class. But she was more than that. Her life was more defined by what she did rather than what she was. When Charlemagne married her, he was coming out of his second divorce. She was his first wife that he stayed with till she died. This started a trend of Charlemagne staying with whoever he was married to for his last three wives.^[25]

Children

Although Charlemagne already had an older son (Pepin the Hunchback) from his first union with Himiltrude, he was not considered an heir after the rebellion in which he participated in 792. In his will of 806 (the called Divisio Regnorum), he divided his domains between the three surviving sons of Hildegard. Because her son, Louis the Pious , succeeded Charlemagne as Emperor, Hildegard is often called "mother of Kings and Emperors".

• Charles (772/773 – 4 December 811 in Bavaria^[26]), the eldest son according to Paul the Deacon, who recorded his parentage.^[27] His father associated him in the government of Francia and Saxony in 790, and crowned joint King of the Franks at Rome on 25 December 800, but died before his father.^[20]
• Adelaide (September 773/June 774 in Italy – July/August 774, buried Metz, Abbey of Saint-Arnould). Born during the siege of Pavia, she was named after an early deceased sister of Charlemagne.^[28] She died during the return journey to France.^[29] She is named daughter of King Charles by Paul the Deacon, when recording her place of burial,^[27] who also wrote an epitaph to "Adeleidis filia Karoli regis" specifying that she was born in Italy.^[30]
• Rotrude (775 – 6 June 810^[31]), named after her paternal great-grandmother. "Hruodrudem et Bertham et Gislam" are named daughters of King Charles and Hildegard by Einhard.^[32] Angilbert's poem Ad Pippinum Italiæ regum names (in order) "Chrodthrudis...Berta...Gisla et Theodrada" as daughters of King Charles.^[33] She was betrothed in 781 with Constantine VI, Emperor of Byzantium, and received the name Erythro in preparation for her future wedding. The betrothal was broken in 787,^[34] and she, like all her sisters, remained unmarried. From a liaison with Rorgo of Rennes she had one son, the latter Louis, Abbot of Saint-Denis.
• Carloman (777 – 8 July 810 in Milan, buried Verona, San Zeno Maggiore), renamed Pepin in Rome on 15 April 781 by Pope Adrian I, and crowned King of Italy that day. He also predeceased his father.
• Louis (Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, Vienne, 16 April/September 778 – 20 June 840 in Ingelheim, buried Metz, Abbey of Saint-Arnould). He is named, and his parentage recorded, by Paul the Deacon, which specifies that he was his parents' third son, born a twin with Lothair.^[27] Crowned King of Aquitaine in Rome on 15 April 781 by Pope Adrian I, his father named him as his successor at Aix-la-Chapelle, crowning him as joint Holy Roman Emperor on 11 September 813.
• Lothair (Chasseneuil-du-Poitou, Vienne, 16 April/September 778 – 779/80). He is named, and his parentage recorded, by Paul the Deacon, which specifies that he was his parents' fourth son "qui biennis occubuit", born a twin with Louis,^[27] and also wrote an epitaph to "Chlodarii pueri regis" naming "Karolus...rex genitorque tuus, genitrix regina...Hildigarda" and specifying that he was a twin.^[35]
• Bertha (779/80 – after 11 March 824), named after her paternal grandmother. An offer by Offa of Mercia to arrange a marriage between her and his son, Ecgfrith, led to Charlemagne breaking off diplomatic relations with Britain in 790, and banning British ships from his ports.^[36] Like her sisters, she never married, but from her liaison with Angilbert, a court official, she had two sons: Hartnid (about whom little is known) and the historian Nithard, Abbott of St. Riquier.
• Gisela (before May 781 – after 800, maybe after 814). Named after her surviving paternal aunt, she was baptized in Milan in May 781.^[37]
• Hildegard (March/April 783 in Thionville – 1/8 June 783, buried Metz, Abbey of Saint-Arnould), named after her mother (an unusual practice at that time), she is named daughter of King Charles by Paul the Deacon, when recording her place of burial,^[27] and also wrote an epitaph to "Hildegardis filiæ [Karoli regis]" specifying that she lived 40 days and her mother died after giving birth to her.^[38]

Veneration

 

Saint Hildegard and her husband Charlemagne

Hildegard of the Vinzgau is honored in the Catholic Church on 30 April.^[39][40][41]

Sources

• Einhard: Vita Karoli Magni (Chapter 18).
• Notker the Stammerer: Gesta Karoli Magni (Book I, Chapter 4)
• Paul the Deacon: Epitaphium Hildegardis reginae
• Royal Frankish Annals (years 780, 781 and 783)
• Thegan of Trier: Vita Hludowici (Chapter 2)
• Annales Mettenses priores (years 780 and 783)
• Annales mosellani

Epitaphium Hildegardis reginae

Latin

English

[1] Aurea quae fulvis rutilant elementa figuris, Quam clara extiterint membra sepulta docent. Hic regina iacet regi praecelsa potenti Hildegard Karolo quae bene nupta fuit. [5] Quae tantum clarae transcendit stirpis alumnos, Quantum, quo genita est, Indica gemma solum. Huic tam clara fuit florentis gratia formae, Qua nec in occiduo pulchrior ulla foret. Cuius haut tenerum possint aequare decorem [10] Sardonix Pario, lilia mixta rosis. Attamen hanc speciem superabant lumina cordis, Simplicitasque animae interiorque decor. Tu mitis, sapiens, solers, iocunda fuisti, Dapsilis et cunctis condecorata bonis. [15] Sed quid plura feram cum non sit grandior ulla Laus tibi, quain tanto complacuisse viro? Cumque vir armipotens sceptris iunxisset avitis Cigniferumque Padum Romuleumque Tybrim, Tu sola inventa es, fueris quae digna tenere [20] Multiplicis regni aurea sceptra manu. Alter ab undecimo iam te susceperat annus, Cum vos mellifluus consotiavit amor Alter ab undecimo rursum te sustulit annus, Heu genitrix regum, heu decus atque dolor! [25] Te Francus, Suevus, Germanus et ipse Britannus. Cumque Getis duris plangit Hibera cohors. Accola te Ligeris, te deflet et Itala tellus, Ipsaque morte tua anxia Roma gemit. Movisti ad fletus et fortia corda virorum, [30] Et lacrimae clipeos inter et arma cadunt. Heu, quantis sapiens et firmum robore semper Ussisti flammis pectus herile viri. Solatur cunctos spes haec sed certa dolentes, Pro dignis factis quod sacra regna tenes. [35] Iesum nunc precibus, Arnulfe, exores eorum Participem fieri hanc, pater alme, tuis

These simple golden figures glow in red and yellow, to clearly explain whose body lies herein. Here lies the Queen of that King of most high power, Hildegard that to Charles was happily wed. [5] That her renown surpasses the lineage which reared her where she was born, merely proves what a gem she was . Hers was a figure of such flowering bright beauty, that none more beautiful was to be found in the West. Whose tender beauty could never be matched [10] by Parian marble, lilies and roses mixed. Yet such beauty was surpassed by the simplicity of that shining heart which adorned the soul within. Thou mild, wise, clever, and cheerful wert, bounteous and with goodness all adorned. [15] But whose words could bring thee greater praise than he whose affections you did capture? When this warrior-man united the ancestral kingdoms or the savage Po and the Tiber of Romulus, thou alone wert found worthy of his tenderness. [20] He held the golden scepters of many kingdoms in his hand. With the other he lifted his admiration up to thee, from thy eleventh year until now, and during which time you shared honey-sweet love. From the other wert thou taken away again after eleven years, Alas, Mother of Kings, alas, virtue and sorrow! [25] Thou Franks, Swabians, the Germans as the Britons, if ever the hardened Getae weep with their Spanish cohorts. Thy neighbors in the Loire, and all the lands of Italy lament. Rome itself weeps in anguish at thy death. The hearts of the brave too are moved to weeping, [30] and tears fall in the midst of their arms and shields. Oh, how wisdom and steadfast strength are ever consumed by the flames of ardor within the hero's breast. But all grief be consoled by this certain hope: That worthy is she held within this sacred vessel. [35] Pray now unto Jesus, Arnulf, and entreat him that she be made to share, kind father, in thy home.

Note: translated with help from the footnotes recorded in Karl Neff: Critical and explanatory edition of the poems of Paul the Deacon in: Sources and Studies on Latin Philology of the Middle Ages, Ludwig Traube, 3rd volume, 4th book, Munich 1908 (ed.)

References

1. Reinhard Barth: Karl der Große, Munich 2000, p. 97.
2. The exact date of her birth is unknown, as the queen's consorts were only considered notable when they became part of the ruling family. Historically, they were barely mentioned in the chronicles. See Achim Thomas Hack: Alter, Krankheit, Tod und Herrschaft im frühen Mittelalter, (= Monographien zur Geschichte des Mittelalters 56), Stuttgart 2009, p. 42.
3. As described by historians such as Pierre Riché (The Carolingians, p.86.), Lewis Thorpe (Two Lives of Charlemagne, p.216) and others. Other historians list Himiltrude, described by Einhard as a concubine, as Charlemagne's first wife and reorder his subsequent wives; accordingly, Hildegard is sometimes numbered as his third wife. See Dieter Hägemann (Karl der Große. Herrscher des Abendlands, Ullstein 2003, p. 82f.), Collins (Charlemagne, p. 40.).
4. Ingrid Heidrich: Von Plectrud zu Hildegard. Beobachtungen zum Besitzrecht adliger Frauen im Frankenreich des 7. und 8. Jahrhunderts und zur politischen Rolle der Frauen, in: Rheinische Vierteljahresblätter 52 (1988), p. 10.
5. Reinhard Barth: Karl der Große, Munich 2000, pp. 97–98.
6. Matthias Becher: Karl der Große, München 1999, p. 108.
7. Martina Hartmann: Die Königin im frühen Mittelalter, Stuttgart 2009, p. 97.
8. Johannes Fried: "Charlemagne", Harvard University Press 2016, p. 96
9. Rosamond McKitterick: "Charlemagne: The Formation of a European Identity", Cambridge University Press 2008, p. 90
10. Achim Thomas Hack: Alter, Krankheit, Tod und Herrschaft im frühen Mittelalter, (= Monographien zur Geschichte des Mittelalters 56), Stuttgart 2009, p. 51.
11. Thorpe, Lewis (1970). The Life of Charlemagne. Great Britain: Jarold & Sons Ltd.
12. Martina Hartmann: Die Königin im frühen Mittelalter, Stuttgart 2009, p. 100.
13. Wilfried Hartmann: Karl der Große, Stuttgart 2010, pp. 50–51.
14. Nelson, Janet (2019). King and Emperor: A New Life of Charlemagne. United Kingdom: Allen Lane. p. 168.
15. Pauli Gesta Episcop. Mettensium, Monumenta Germaniæ Historica Scriptorum II, p. 267.
16. Klaus Schreiner: "Hildegardis regina". Wirklichkeit und Legende einer karolingischen Herrscherin, in: Archiv für Kulturgeschichte 57 (1975), p. 10.
17. Klaus Schreiner: "Hildegardis regina". Wirklichkeit und Legende einer karolingischen Herrscherin, in: Archiv für Kulturgeschichte 57 (1975), p. 8.
18. Rosamond McKitterick: Karl der Grosse, Darmstadt 2008, p. 91.
19. Klaus Schreiner: "Hildegardis regina". Wirklichkeit und Legende einer karolingischen Herrscherin, in: Archiv für Kulturgeschichte 57 (1975), pp. 9–10.
20. Silvia Konecny: Die Frauen des karolingischen Königshauses. Die politische Bedeutung der Ehe und die Stellung der Frau in der fränkischen Herrscherfamilie vom 7. bis zum 10. Jahrhundert, Vienna 1976, p. 65.
21. Klaus Schreiner: "Hildegardis regina". Wirklichkeit und Legende einer karolingischen Herrscherin, in: Archiv für Kulturgeschichte 57 (1975), pp. 4–5. The "Epitaphium Hildegardis reginae" is printed in MGH poat. lat. aevi Carolini I, pp. 58–59. Cf. Franz Bittner: Studien zum Herrscherlob in der mittelalterlichen Dichtung, Dissertation Würzburg 1962, pp. 43–44.
22. Klaus Schreiner: "Hildegardis regina". Wirklichkeit und Legende einer karolingischen Herrscherin, in: Archiv für Kulturgeschichte 57 (1975), pp. 4–5.
23. Rosamond McKitterick: Karl der Grosse, Darmstadt 2008, p. 91.
24. Matthias Becher: Karl der Große, Munich 1999, p. 111.
25. Wemple, Suzanne (1981). Women in Frankish Society. The Publications Program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. ISBN 0-8122-7798-8.
26. Scholz, B. W. with Rogers, B. (2000) Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories (University of Michigan Press) (RFA) 811, p. 94.
27. Pauli Gesta Episcop. Mettensium, Monumenta Germaniæ Historica Scriptorum II, p. 265.
28. Wilfried Hartmann: Karl der Große, Stuttgart 2010, p. 50.
29. Christian Settipani: La préhistoire des Capétiens 481–987, 1ère partie, Mérovingiens, Carolingiens et Robertiens, Villeneuve d'Ascq 1993, p. 203.
30. Pauli Diaconi Carmina, XXIII Epitaphium Adeleidis filia Karoli regis quæ in Italia nata est, MGH Poetæ Latini ævi Carolini I, p. 59.
31. RFA 810, p. 91.
32. Einhardi Vita Karoli Imperator 18, 'Monumenta Germaniæ Historica Scriptorum II, p. 453.
33. Angilberti (Homeri) Carmina, I, MGH Poetæ Latini ævi Carolini I, pp. 359–60.
34. RFA 787, p. 64.
35. Pauli Diaconi Carmina, XXXIX Epitaphium Chlodarii pueri regis, MGH Poetæ Latini ævi Carolini I, p. 71.
36. Wilfried Hartmann: Karl der Große, p. 50.
37. RFA 781, p. 59.
38. Pauli Diaconi Carmina, XXIV Epitaphium Hildegardis filiæ cuius supra, MGH Poetæ Latini ævi Carolini I, p. 59.
39. Zeno. "Lexikoneintrag zu »Hildegarda«. Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon, Band 2. Augsburg ..." www.zeno.org (in German). Retrieved 2021-06-12.
40. "Beata Ildegarda su santiebeati.it". Santiebeati.it. Retrieved 2021-06-12.
41. "Hildegarda". DEON.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-06-12.

 

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Bibliography

• Reinhard Barth: Karl der Große, Munich 2000.
• Matthias Becher: Karl der Große, Munich 1999.
• Hans-Werner Goetz: Frauen im frühen Mittelalter. Frauenbild und Frauenleben im Frankenreich, Weimar (u.a.) 1995.
• Achim Thomas Hack: Alter, Krankheit, Tod und Herrschaft im frühen Mittelalter, (= Monographien zur Geschichte des Mittelalters 56), Stuttgart 2009.
• Martina Hartmann: Die Königin im frühen Mittelalter, Stuttgart 2009.
• Wilfried Hartmannd [de]: Karl der Große, Stuttgart 2010.
• Ingrid Heidrich: Von Plectrud zu Hildegard. Beobachtungen zum Besitzrecht adliger Frauen im Frankenreich des 7. und 8. Jahrhunderts und zur politischen Rolle der Frauen, in: Rheinische Vierteljahresblätter 52 (1988), pp. 1–15.
• Silvia Konecny: Die Frauen des karolingischen Königshauses. Die politische Bedeutung der Ehe und die Stellung der Frau in der fränkischen Herrscherfamilie vom 7. bis zum 10. Jahrhundert, Vienna 1976.
• Rosamond McKitterick: Karl der Grosse, Darmstadt 2008.
• Michael Richter: Karl der Große und seine Ehefrauen. Zu einigen dunkleren Seiten Karls des Großen anhand von Quellen des ausgehenden achten und beginnenden neunten Jahrhunderts. pp 17–24, in: Franz-Reiner Erkens (ed.): Karl der Große und das Erbe der Kulturen, Berlin 2001.
• Rudolf Schieffer: Die Karolinger, 3rd revised Edition, Stuttgart 2000.
• Klaus Schreiner: „Hildegardis regina“. Wirklichkeit und Legende einer karolingischen Herrscherin, in: Archiv für Kulturgeschichte 57 (1975), pp. 1–70.

Hildegard of the Vinzgau Udalriching dynasty Born: 754 Died: 783
Royal titles
Preceded by Desiderata and Gerberge	Queen of the Franks c. 771–783	Succeeded by Fastrada