Gertrud of Brunswick
Encyclopedia
Gertrud of Brunswick was a member of the Brunonen
dynasty and the Margravine
of Meissen.
Gertrude was the daughter of Egbert I, Margrave of Meissen
, and Irmgard of Susa. She was married to Count Dietrich II of Katlenburg (d. 1085). In 1090, after the childless death of her older brother Ekbert
, last of the male Brunonen, she inherited the Brunonen seat of Brunswick. When her husband died, she acted as regent for their son Dietrich III.
Gertrude later married again, this time to Count Henry the Fat of Northeim
(d. 1101). Their daughter Richenza of Northeim
(d. 1142) married Lothar of Süpplingenburg
, Duke of Saxony and future Holy Roman Emperor. He received the Brunonen's seat at Brunswick. After his death, she again acted as regent, this time for her second son Otto III of Northeim.
Gertrude's third husband was the Wettin
Henry I of Eilenburg
(d. 1103), the Margrave of Meissen. Their son, Henry II
was born after his death in 1103. She was one of the leaders of the insurrections against Henry IV
, the Holy Roman emperor, and his son Henry V
. She protected the interests of her sons and Henry II later secured the family's authority over the Margraviate of Meissen.
Brunonen
The Brunonen were a Saxon noble family in the 10th and 11th centuries, who owned property in Eastphalia and Frisia....
dynasty and the Margravine
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
of Meissen.
Gertrude was the daughter of Egbert I, Margrave of Meissen
Egbert I, Margrave of Meissen
Egbert I was the Margrave of Meissen from 1067 until his early death the next year. Egbert was the Count of Brunswick from about 1038, when his father, Liudolf, Margrave of Frisia, died. His mother was Gertrude, the sister of Pope Leo IX.Egbert was the scion of the influential Eastphalian family...
, and Irmgard of Susa. She was married to Count Dietrich II of Katlenburg (d. 1085). In 1090, after the childless death of her older brother Ekbert
Egbert II, Margrave of Meissen
Egbert II was Count of Brunswick and Margrave of Meissen. He was the eldest son of the Margrave Egbert I of the Brunonen family.Still a minor, he succeeded his father on the latter's death 11 January 1068 in Brunswick and Meissen...
, last of the male Brunonen, she inherited the Brunonen seat of Brunswick. When her husband died, she acted as regent for their son Dietrich III.
Gertrude later married again, this time to Count Henry the Fat of Northeim
Northeim
Northeim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, seat of the district of Northeim, with, as of 2002, a population of 31 000. It's located on the German Half-Timbered House Road.-History:...
(d. 1101). Their daughter Richenza of Northeim
Richenza of Northeim
Richenza of Northeim was a member of the dynasty of the Counts of Northeim, and a German Empress.She was the daughter of Henry the Fat of Northeim and Gertrud of Brunswick of the Brunonen dynasty....
(d. 1142) married Lothar of Süpplingenburg
Lothair III, Holy Roman Emperor
Lothair III of Supplinburg , was Duke of Saxony , King of Germany , and Holy Roman Emperor from 1133 to 1137. The son of Count Gebhard of Supplinburg, his reign was troubled by the constant intriguing of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia and Duke Conrad of Franconia...
, Duke of Saxony and future Holy Roman Emperor. He received the Brunonen's seat at Brunswick. After his death, she again acted as regent, this time for her second son Otto III of Northeim.
Gertrude's third husband was the Wettin
Wettin
Wettin is:*House of Wettin, a German Royal House*Wettin Castle, near Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, ancestral seat of the House of Wettin*Asteroid 90709 Wettin, named in the castle's and House's honour...
Henry I of Eilenburg
Eilenburg
Eilenburg is a town in Germany. It lies in the district of Nordsachsen in the Free State of Saxony, approximately 20 km northeast of the city of Leipzig.- Geography :...
(d. 1103), the Margrave of Meissen. Their son, Henry II
Henry II, Margrave of Meissen
Henry II was the Margrave of Meissen and the Saxon Ostmark from his birth until his death. He was the posthumous son of Margrave Henry I and Gertrude of Brunswick, daughter of Egbert I of Meissen. He was by inheritance also Count of Eilenburg...
was born after his death in 1103. She was one of the leaders of the insurrections against Henry IV
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
, the Holy Roman emperor, and his son Henry V
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor...
. She protected the interests of her sons and Henry II later secured the family's authority over the Margraviate of Meissen.