Ansgard of Burgundy, Queen of Aquitaine

French: "Ansgarde de Bourgogne" English: "Ansgarde de Burgondy"

Ansgarde de Bourgogne (826 -880/882) ( 14 novembre 879 du calendrier Julien). Elle est la fille d'Hardouin de Bourgogne. Elle s'unit secrètement au prince Louis Le Bègue, et fut la mère des rois de France Louis III et Carloman II.

Lors de son mariage secret en 862 avec Louis le Bègue, elle était âgée de 36 ans alors qu'il n'en avait que 16. Lorsque le roi Charles II le Chauve voulut marier son fils avec Adélaïde de Frioul, il dut auparavant parvenir à faire casser le premier mariage par le pape, avant de pouvoir faire célébrer celui Adélaïde et de Louis en février 878.

Ansgarde est répudiée, mais à la mort du roi Louis Le Bègue, le 11 avril 879 à Compiègne, alors qu'il préparait une expédition punitive contre les comtes de Poitiers et du Mans, elle travaille pour que ses fils puissent monter sur le trône, et fait réviser son divorce par l'archevêque de Reims, mais la reine Adélaïde est enceinte, et donne la vie à un enfant mâle le 17 septembre 879, remettant en cause l'héritage des fils d'Ansgarde.

Le mariage d'Adélaïde est attaqué, par Ansgarde et ses deux fils, qui n'hésitent pas à l'accuser d'adultère. En 879, Louis III et Carloman II montent conjointement sur le trône de France, mais meurent tous deux sans postérité. Au terme d'un long et difficile procès, Adélaïde finit par l'emporter et son fils Charles le Simple est confirmé comme enfant légitime et seul héritier de la couronne de France.

Ansgarde of Burgundy (826-880/882) was a French queen of Aquitaine, but never of West Francia, the daughter of Hardouin of Burgundy. She secretly married Louis II of France when he was still a prince; her sons became Louis III and Carloman II of France.

At the time of the marriage, Ansgarde was 36 years old; Louis was only 16. Because Charles the Bald wished to marry his son off to Adélaïde de Frioul, he had to seek a papal annulment; this he did, and Adélaïde married Louis in February of 878.

Ansgarde was thus repudiated, but at the death of Louis II in 879 she worked to ensure that her sons could mount the throne of France themselves. To that end, she sought to revisit the subject of her divorce with the archbishop of Reims. Adélaïde, however, was pregnant, and gave birth too a son on September 17 of that year, which thus called into doubt the inheritance of Ansgarde's own sons.

Ansgarde and her sons attacked Adélaïde's marriage, accusing her of adultery; consequently, Louis and Carloman mounted the throne together. However, both died without issue, and after a long and difficult process Adélaïde finally saw her son confirmed as Charles III, the only legitimate heir to the throne.

Ansgarde passes into obscurity after this episode, and the date of her death is not conclusively known.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansgarde_of_Burgundy

Ansgarde of Burgundy (826-880/882) was a French queen of Aquitaine, but never of West Francia, the daughter of Hardouin of Burgundy. She secretly married Louis II of France when he was still a prince; her sons became Louis III and Carloman II of France.

At the time of the marriage, Ansgarde was 36 years old; Louis was only 16. Because Charles the Bald wished to marry his son off to Adélaïde de Frioul, he had to seek a papal annulment; this he did, and Adélaïde married Louis in February of 878.

Ansgarde was thus repudiated, but at the death of Louis II in 879 she worked to ensure that her sons could mount the throne of France themselves. To that end, she sought to revisit the subject of her divorce with the archbishop of Reims. Adélaïde, however, was pregnant, and gave birth too a son on September 17 of that year, which thus called into doubt the inheritance of Ansgarde's own sons.

Ansgarde and her sons attacked Adélaïde's marriage, accusing her of adultery; consequently, Louis and Carloman mounted the throne together. However, both died without issue, and after a long and difficult process Adélaïde finally saw her son confirmed as Charles III, the only legitimate heir to the throne.

Ansgarde passes into obscurity after this episode, and the date of her death is not conclusively known.

[edit] References

This article incorporates information from the equivalent article on the French Wikipedia.

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Categories: 826 births | 880s deaths | People from Bourgogne | Women of medieval France | Aquitainian queens consort