Ansgarde of Burgundy
Encyclopedia
Ansgarde of Burgundy was a French
queen of Aquitaine, but never of West Francia, the daughter of Hardouin of Burgundy. She secretly married Louis II of France before he was king; 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 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 to 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.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
queen of Aquitaine, but never of West Francia, the daughter of Hardouin of Burgundy. She secretly married Louis II of France before he was king; her sons became Louis III
Louis III of France
Louis III was the King of France, still then called West Francia, from 879 until his death. The second son of Louis the Stammerer and his first wife, Ansgarde, he succeeded his father to reign jointly with his younger brother Carloman II, who became sole ruler on Louis's death...
and Carloman II of France.
At the time of the marriage, Ansgarde was 36 years old; Louis was only 16. Because Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
wished to marry his son to Adélaïde de Frioul
Adelaide of Paris
Adélaïde de Paris was the second wife of Louis the Stammerer, King of Western Francia, and was the mother of Charles the Simple.- Life :...
, he had to seek a papal annulment
Annulment
Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost as if it had never taken place...
; 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
Throne
A throne is the official chair or seat upon which a monarch is seated on state or ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monarchy or the Crown itself, an instance of metonymy, and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the...
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 to 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
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
; 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.