Ermengarde of Tours (c. 810 – 20 March 851) was a Carolingian Empress consort and queen of Italy. She was the daughter of Hugh of Tours[1] and Ava of Morvois.
Marriage and issue
In October 821 in Thionville, Ermengarde married the Carolingian Emperor Lothair I of the Franks (795–855).[1]
Ermengarde used her bridal gift to found the abbey Erstein in the Elsass,[2] in which she is buried. Ermengarde died in 851.[3]
Lothair and Ermengarde had:
- Louis II of Italy[1]
- Helletrud (Hiltrud) (c. 826–after 865/866)[4] m. Count Berengar (d. before 865/866)
- Bertha (c. 830–after 7 May 852, probably 877),[4] became before 847 Abbess of Avenay, perhaps Äbtissin of Faremoutiers
- A daughter of unknown name (b. probably 826/830), called Ermengarde in later sources, kidnapped 846 by Gilbert, Count of the Maasgau, who then married her
- Gisla (c. 830–860)[4] 851–860 Abbess of San Salvatore in Brescia
- Lothair II[1]
- Rotrud (baptized 835/840 in Pavia)[4] m. around 850/851 Lambert, Margrave of Brittany, Count of Nantes (Widonen), who died 1 May 852
- Charles of Provence[3]
Appearance
The contemporary poet Sedulius Scottus wrote "Men despise the zither's harmonious music whenever they hear your angelic and golden voice... Your face shines like ivory and blushes like a rose, and excels the beauty of Venus and the nymphs. A dazzling crown of golden hair adorns you, and splendid topaz, as a glittering diadem... Your milk-white neck glistens with beauty, shining with the lustre of lilies or ivory. Your soft white hands dispense myriad gifts, whence they sow on earth to reap in heaven.[5]