Bertha of Turin

Notes:

Also called Bertha of Maurienne, Berta de Savoie.

Bertha married Heinrich IV, Holy Roman Emperor on 13 Jul 1066. Heinrich (son of Heinrich III, Holy Roman Emperor and Agnes of Poitou) was born on 11 Nov 1050 in Goslar, Lower Saxony, Germany; died on 7 Aug 1106 in Liège, Belgium; was buried in Speyer Cathedral, Speyer, Germany. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Agnes of Germany was born in 1073; died on 24 Sep 1143; was buried in Klosterneuberg, Austria.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 1060

Notes:

Count of Maurienne (Savoy) and Chablis. Margrave of Susa. Margrave of Turin.

Otto married Adelaide of Susa about 1046. Adelaide (daughter of Olderich II Manfredo and Berta of Este) was born about 1015; died on 27 Dec 1091 in Canischio, Turino, Piedmont, Italy. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also called Alix.

Marchioness (Duchess) of Turin. Kick-ass eleventh-century woman who took no crap from anybody, evidently.

From Wikipedia:

Since the margravial title primarily had a military purpose at the time, it was thus was not considered suitable for a woman. Emperor Conrad II therefore arranged a marriage between Adelaide and his stepson, Herman IV, in January 1037. Herman was then invested as margrave of Turin. Herman died of the plague while fighting for Conrad II at Naples in July 1038.

Adelaide remarried in order to secure her vast march. Probably in 1041, and certainly before 19 January 1042, Adelaide married Henry, Marquess of Montferrat. Henry died c. 1045 and left Adelaide a widow for the second time. Immediately, a third marriage was undertaken, this time to Otto of Savoy (1046). With Otto she had three sons, Peter I, Amadeus II, and Otto. The couple also had two daughters, Bertha, who married Henry IV of Germany, and Adelaide, who married Rudolf of Rheinfelden (who later opposed Henry as King of Germany). [...]

In 1070 Adelaide captured and burned the city of Asti, which had rebelled against her.

In 1069 Henry IV tried to repudiate Adelaide's daughter, Bertha, which caused Adelaide's relationship with the imperial family to cool. However, through the intervention of Bertha, Henry received Adelaide's support when he came to Italy to submit to Pope Gregory VII and Matilda of Tuscany at Canossa. In return for allowing him to travel through her lands, Henry gave Bugey to Adelaide. Adelaide and her son Amadeus then accompanied Henry IV and Bertha to Canossa, where Adelaide acted as an oath-helper, alongside Matilda and Albert Azzo II, Margrave of Milan, among others. Bishop Benzo of Alba sent several letters to Adelaide between 1080 and 1082, encouraging her to support Henry IV in the Italian wars which formed part of the Investiture Controversy. Adelaide's dealings with Henry IV became closer after this. She offered to mediate between him and Matilda and Tuscany, and may even have joined him on campaign.

Adelaide made many donations to monasteries in the march of Turin. In 1064 she founded the monastery of Santa Maria at Pinerolo.

Adelaide received letters from many of the leading churchmen of the day, including Pope Alexander II, Peter Damian, and Pope Gregory VII. These letters indicate that Adelaide sometimes supported Gregorian reform, but that at other times she did not. Peter Damian (writing in 1064) and Gregory VII (writing in 1073), relied upon Adelaide to enforce clerical celibacy and protect the monasteries of Fruttuaria and San Michele della Chiusa. By contrast, Alexander II (writing c. 1066/7) reproached Adelaide for her dealings with Guido da Velate the simoniac Archbishop of Milan. [...]

Adelaide is a featured figure on Judy Chicago's installation piece The Dinner Party, being represented as one of the 999 names on the Heritage Floor.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 1 Jul 1051

Notes:

Count of Savoy.

Also called Umberto, also Humbert aux blanches-mains and Umberto Biancamano -- Umberto White-hands.

Humbert married Ancilla before 1020. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

"Umberto married Ancilla (Auxilia or Ancilia). She may have been Ancilla of Lenzburg, the daughter of the master of ceremonies of Burgundy. Alternatively, Ancilla may have been a daughter of Anselm and Aldiud, and thus a member of a northern Italian dynasty known as the Anselmids." [Wikipedia]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 1035

Notes:

Also called Ulric Manfredo. Count of Susa. Margrave of Turin.

Olderich married Berta of Este before 1014. Berta (daughter of Oberto Obizzo II of Este and Railende du Como) died in 1029. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: Aft 4 Nov 1037
• Alternate death: Aft 29 Dec 1037

Notes:

From Wikipedia:

Bertha of Milan or Bertha of Luni (c. 997-c. 1040), was a member of the Obertenghi dynasty. Bertha was married to Ulric Manfred II of Turin. She is sometimes identified with the Bertha who was married to Arduin of Ivrea.

Although it is known that Bertha was a member of the Otbertenghi dynasty, there is some debate about who her parents were. Her father is often said to be Oberto II, but others argue that Bertha's father was in fact Otbert III of Milan.

By 1014 at the latest, Bertha had married Ulric Manfred (that year, Emperor Henry II confirmed their joint donation to the abbey of Fruttuaria). Her dowry included lands in the counties of Tortona, Parma and Piacenza.

In May 1028 with her husband, Ulric Manfred, Bertha founded the convent of Santa Maria at Caramagna. The following year, in July 1029, along with her husband and his brother, Bishop Alric of Asti, Bertha founded the Benedictine abbey in of S. Giusto in Susa, which housed the relics of Saint Justus of Novalesa. The church of the Abbey of San Giusto is now Susa Cathedral.

After Ulric Manfred's death (in December 1033 or 1034), Bertha briefly acted as regent for their daughter, Adelaide of Susa.

In 1037 Bertha captured envoys who wished to cross the Alps from Piedmont to Champagne, thus foiling a conspiracy against Emperor Conrad II. Conrad II rewarded Bertha for her part in suppressing the rebellion against him by issuing an imperial diploma which confirmed her donations to the abbey of S. Giusto in Susa.

Notes:

Second Arduinici Marquess of Susa from 977 to his death. Sometimes called Manfred of Susa.

Manfred married Prangardia di Canossa after 962. Prangardia (daughter of Adalbert Atto di Canossa and Hildegard) was born in of Canossa, Italy. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: Aft 1014
• Alternate death: Abt 1017
• Alternate death: 1021

Notes:

Margrave of Este, 975; Count of Genoa; Margrave of Milan.

Oberto married Railende du Como. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]