Adelaide of Italy

Adelaide of Italy, also known as Adelaide of Burgundy, (931-999) was a Roman Empress by marriage to Emperor Otto the Great. She was crowned with him by Pope John XII on 2nd February 962. She was regent of the Holy Roman Empire as the guardian of her grandson from 1991-995.

Adelaide was born in Orbe Castle in modern day Switzerland. She was the daughter of Rudolf II of Burgundy.

She became involved in the beginning of the complicated fight to control Burgundy and Lombardy. In the battle between the two areas Berengar I died and Rudolf II became king.

When Rudolf 11 died in 937 Hugh of Provence succeeded him. His son Lothair II, the nominal king of Italy, married the 15 year old Adelaide In 947. Adelaide became queen of Western France. In 948 she gave birth to Emma.

On 22 November 950 Lothair was poisoned. by his successor Berengar II of Italy.
He attempted to cement his power by forcing the widowed Adelaide to marry his son Adalbert. She refused and fled to the castle of Como. She was tracked down and imprisoned at Garda for 4 months. She escaped and was rescued by a priest who probably took her to Canossa Castle near Reggio. While theer she sent an emissary to Otto I, the East Frankish king for his protection. They met at Pavia, the old Lombard capital, and were married on 23rd September 951.

Adelaide accompanied her husband on his second expedition to Italy. In Rome, on 2nd February 967, Pope John XII, crowned Otto the Great as Holy Roman Emperor and breaking from tradition Adelaide was named Holy Roman Empress.

4 years later they returned to Rome, with their son 11 year old Otto II, to restore the newly elected Pope John XIII to his throne and to execute some of the Roman rioters who had deposed him.

For the next 6 years they stayed in Rome, Otto ruled his German kingdom from there. 967 their son Otto II was crowned co-emperor and married Theophanu, a Byzantine princess, in April 972. This solved the conflict between the 2 Italian empires in southern Italy.

They returned to Germany and Otto I died in May 973. Adelaide return to Italy where she had a powerful influence at court. In 978 expelled from court - jealous daughter-in-law to blame. In exile for 5 years. Reconciled to son in 983 before he died. Grandson Otto III now emperor. On death of his mother in 990 Adelaide assumed regency for next 4 years. In 995 he was declared of ‘legal majority’,

Adelaide. now in her 60’s, devoted herself exclusively yo her works of charity -
foundation and restoration of religious houses - monasteries, churches and abbeys.
She retired to a nunnery she had founded in c.991 at Seiz in Alsace,

She died at the Seiz Abbey on 16th December 999, She was buried at the abbey and Pope Urban II canonized her in 1097.

Adelaide had devoted herself to the service of the church and peace, and to the empire as a guardian of both.