Liutgard of Saxony (died 885)

Liutgard of Saxony
Queen of the Franks
Liutgard in the pedigree of the Ottonian dynasty, Chronica sancti Pantaleonis, Cologne, 12th century
Queen consort of the Franks East Frankish queen
Tenure	876–882
Predecessor	Hemma
Successor	Richardis
Queen consort of Lotharingia
Tenure	876/80–882
Predecessor	Adelaide of Paris
Successor	Richardis
Queen consort of Bavaria
Tenure	880–882
Predecessor	Hemma
Successor	Richardis
Born	c.  845
Died	17 November 885 (aged 39–40)
Burial	Aschaffenburg, Franconia
Spouse	Louis the Younger Burchard I, Duke of Swabia
Issue	Louis Hildegard Burchard II, Duke of Swabia Udalrich Dietpirch
House	House of Brunonen (by birth) Carolingian dynasty (by first marriage) Hunfridings (by second marriage)
Father	Liudolf, Duke of Saxony
Mother	Oda Billung

Liutgard of Saxony (c. 845 – 17 November 885) was Queen of the Franks (East Frankish queen) from 876 until 882 by her marriage with King Louis the Younger.

Biography

She was born between 840 and 850, the daughter of the Saxon count Liudolf (805/20–866), a progenitor of the Ottonian dynasty (Liudolfings), and his wife Oda of Billung (805/06–913).

Liutgard was especially noted for her strong will and political ambition, a reliable supporter of her husband. She is seen as a driving force behind King Louis' struggle with the West Frankish king Charles the Bald around the possession of Lotharingia, culminating in the 876 Battle of Andernach and ending in the final acquisition of the Lotharingian realm by the 880 Treaty of Ribemont.

Marriages and issue

Before 29 November 874, Liutgard married the Carolingian ruler Louis the Younger (830/835–882), second son of King Louis the German, at Aschaffenburg, Franconia.^[1] They had two children:

• Louis (877–879), reportedly died after a fall from a window of the Imperial palace in Frankfurt
• Hildegard (c. 879 – after 899), became a nun in Frauenchiemsee Abbey, Bavaria.

After Louis' death, she married in 882 the Hunfriding duke Burchard I of Swabia (855/60–911). They had three children:

• Burchard II (883/84–926), Duke of Swabia from 917
• Udalrich (884/85–885)
• Dietpirch of Swabia (also known as Theoberga), married the Swabian count Hupald of Dillingen (d. 909), mother of Bishop Ulrich of Augsburg.

References

Sources

• Widukind of Corvey (2014). Deeds of the Saxons. Translated by Bachrach, Bernard S.; Bachrach, David S. Catholic University of America Press.