List of Frankish queens consort
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/MarketaProv.jpg/155px-MarketaProv.jpg)
This is a list of the women who have been queens consort of the Frankish people. As all kings of the Franks have been male, there has never been a queen regnant of the Franks (although some women have governed as regents).
A timeline of consorts Frankish rulers is difficult since the realm was frequently divided among the sons of a king upon his death and then eventually reunited. Also, polygamy and concubinage complicate matters. Of most Merovingian queens almost nothing but the name is known.
This list starts from the earliest known queens until the three-way split up of the Frankish Empire in the Treaty of Verdun in 843.
Merovingian dynasty (450–751)
[edit]Clovis I united all the Frankish petty kingdoms as well as most of Roman Gaul under his rule, conquering the Domain of Soissons of the Roman general Syagrius as well as the Visigothic Kingdom of Toulouse. He took his seat at Paris, which along with Soissons, Reims, Metz, and Orléans became the chief residences. Upon his death, the kingdom was split among his four sons.
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Basina of Thuringia | Basin, King of the Thuringii | 438 | ? | 481 husband's death |
491 | Childeric I | |
![]() |
Clotilde of Burgundy | Chilperic II of Burgundy | 475 | 493 | 27 November 511 husband's death |
545 | Clovis I |
Queens at Soissons (511–558)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guntheuc | around 495 [1] |
after 523 | 524/540 [1] |
Chlothar I | ||||
![]() |
Radegund of Thuringia | Bertachar of Thuringia | 486-516 | 525/545 [1] |
after 531 repudiated |
13 August 586 | ||
Ingund | Baderic of Thuringia | 490-510 | 526/550 [1] |
unknown, maybe 546 or after [1] | ||||
Waldrada | Wacho, King of the Lombards (Lethings) |
521-542 | 555/559 | 555/61 given in marriage to Garibald I, Duke of Bavaria under the advice of the bishops |
unknown, after 526 [1] |
Queens at Paris (511–558)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Ultrogotha | ? | 497 | ? | 27 November 511 husband's accession |
23 December 558 husband's death |
566 | Childebert I |
Kingdom passed to Soissons | ||||||||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Queens at Orléans (511–524)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guntheuc | 495 | 514 or 521 | 21 June 524 husband's death |
532 | Chlodomer | |||
Kingdom passed to Soissons, Paris, and Rheims | ||||||||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Queens at Reims (511–555)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eustere of the Visigoths | Alaric II, King of the Visigoths | 488 | 511 | ? | 521 | Theuderic I | ||
Suavegotha of Burgundy | Sigismund, King of the Burgundians | 495/96/504 | 516/7 | 534 husband's death |
554 | |||
Wisigard | Wacho, King of the Lombards | ? | ? | 534 husband's ascession |
? | ? | Theudebert I | |
Deuteria | Gallo-Roman descent | ? | ? | ? | 548 husband's death |
? | ||
Waldrada | Wacho, King of the Lombards | 531 | ? | 548? husband's ascession |
555? husband's death |
572 | Theodobald | |
Kingdom passed to Soissons |
Queen of the Franks (558–561)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Aregund | Baderic of Thuringia | 515 | ? | 558 husband's ascession |
561 husband's death |
573 | Chlothar I |
Chunsina | ? | ? | ? | 558? husband's ascession |
561? husband's death |
? |
Queens in Neustria (Soissons, 561–613)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Audovera | ? | 525? | 549-558 | 561 husband's ascession |
~567 repudiated |
October/November 580 | Chilperic I |
![]() |
Galswintha | Athanagild, King of Visigoths | 540 | 567 | 568 | |||
![]() |
Fredegund | 539-553 | ? | 568 | September 584 husband's death - became queen regent |
8 December 597 | ||
Haldetrude | ? | 575/594 | ? | ? | ? | 604/629 | Chlothar II | |
![]() |
Bertrude | Wagon II, Count of Vermandois | 582 | ?613? | 618/619 | |||
Sichilde | count Brunulphe II of the Ardennes | 590 | ?618? | 627 |
Queens at Paris (561–567)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ingoberga | 519? | ? | ? | ? repudiated |
589 | Charibert I | ||
Merofleda | a wool-carder | ? | after 561 | ? | ? | |||
Marcovefa | ? | after 561 | ? | before 567 | ||||
Theudechild | a cowherd | ? | after 561 | ? | 567 |
Queens at Orléans/Burgundy (561–613)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vénérande | a slave | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Guntram | |
Marcatrude | Magnar (Magnacaire d'Outre-Jura) | ? | ? | 565? | ||||
Austregilde | ? | 548[2] | 565[2] | 580[2] | ||||
Faileube | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Childebert II | |
Ermenberga | Witteric, King of the Visigoths | ? | 606 | 607 repudiated |
? | Theuderic II |
Queen at Reims/Metz (Austrasia, 561–613)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Brunhilda | Athanagild, King of the Visigoths | 543? | 567 | December 575 husband's death |
613 | Sigebert I | |
Faileube | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Childebert II | |
Bilichild | ? | ? | 608 | 610 | Theudebert II | |||
Théoudehilde | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
Passed to Burgundy in 612. |
Queen of the Franks (613–629)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Bertrude | Wagon II, Count of Vermandois | 582 | ?613? | 618/619 | Chlothar II | ||
Sichilde | ? | c. 590 | 618 | 18 October 629 husband's death |
ap. 627 |
Queens of Neustria and Burgundy (629–691)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gomentrude | ? | 598 | 628 | 629 répudiée |
after 630 | Dagobert I | ||
![]() |
Nanthild the Saxon | ? | c. 610 | c. 629 | 19 January 639 husband's death |
642 | ||
![]() |
Ragintrudis | ? | 610? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
Wulfefundis | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
Bertechildis | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
![]() |
Balthild | Anglo-Saxon aristocrat | 626 or 627 | 649 | 27 November 655 or 658 husband's death |
30 January 680 | Clovis II | |
Amatilda | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Chlothar III | |
Bilichild | Sigebert III of Austrasia | 654 | 668 | 673 invasion of Neustria and Burgundy |
675 | Childeric II | ||
Chrothildis | Ansegisel | 650 | 675 | 3 June 699 | Theuderic III | |||
United with Austrasia to form a single Frankish state |
Queen of Austrasia (623–679)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gomentrude | ? | 598 | 628 | 629 répudiée |
after 630 | Dagobert I | ||
![]() |
Nanthild | ? | c. 610 | c. 629 | c. 629 kingdom went to stepson |
642 | ||
![]() |
Ragintrudis | ? | 610? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
Wulfefundis | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
Bertechildis | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
Chimnechild of Burgundy | ? | ? | 647 | ? | ? | Sigebert III | ||
Amatilda | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Chlothar III | |
Bilichild | Sigebert III of Austrasia | 654 | 668 | 675 | Childeric II | |||
Chrothildis | Ansegisel | 650 | 675 | 3 June 699 | Theuderic III | |||
United with Neustria and Burgundy |
Queen of Aquitaine (629–632)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gisela of Gascony? | Amand of Gascony | ? | ? | 18 October 629 husband's ascession |
8 April 632 husband's death |
? | Charibert II | |
Fulberte? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
Kingdom passed to Neustria and Burgundy in 632; dukes were appointed to Aquitaine |
Queen of the Franks (629–751)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gomentrude | ? | 598 | 628 | 629 répudiée |
after 630 | Dagobert I | ||
![]() |
Nanthild | ? | c. 610 | c. 629 | 642 | |||
![]() |
Ragintrudis | ? | 610? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
Wulfefundis | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
Bertechildis | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
Amatilda | ? | ? | ? | 661 husband's ascession |
662 husband loses Austrasia |
? | Chlothar III | |
Bilichild | Sigebert III of Austrasia | 654 | 668 | 673 husband's ascession |
675 | Childeric II | ||
Chrothildis | Ansegisel | 650 | 675 | 679 husband's ascession |
690 husband's death |
3 June 699 | Theuderic III | |
Gisela | ? | 715 | ? | 743 husband's ascession |
751 husband deposed |
755 | Childeric III |
Carolingian dynasty (751–987)
[edit]Queen of the Franks (751–843)
[edit]Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Bertrada of Laon | Caribert, Count of Laon | 710/27 | 740 | November 751 as sole-Queen consort of the Franks |
24 September 768 husband's death |
12 July 783 | Pepin I |
Gerberga | ? | ? | ? | 24 September 768 as co-Queen consort of the Franks |
4 December 771 husband's death |
? | Carloman I | |
Desiderata of the Lombards | Desiderius, King of the Lombards | ? | 770 as co-Queen consort of the Franks |
771 repuditated |
? | Charles I | ||
![]() |
Hildegard | Gerold of Vinzgouw | 758 | 771 as sole-Queen consort of the Franks 774 as Queen consort the Lombards 781 as co-Queen consort the Lombards |
30 April 783 | |||
Fastrada de Franconie | Raoul III de Franconie et d'Aéda de Bavière | 765 | 784 as sole-Queen consort of the Franks and co-Queen consort the Lombards |
10 October 794 | ||||
Luitgard de Sundgau | Luitfrid II, Count of Sundgau | 776 | 794 as sole-Queen consort of the Franks and co-Queen consort the Lombards |
4 June 800 | ||||
Ermengarde of Hesbaye | Ingerman, Count of Hesbaye | 778 | 794/5 | 813 as Holy Roman Empress and Queen consort of the Franks 817 as senior Holy Roman Empress |
3 October 818 | Louis I | ||
![]() |
Judith of Bavaria | Welf I, Count of Altdorf | 805 | 819 as senior Holy Roman Empress and Queen consort of the Franks |
20 June 840 husband's death |
19/23 April 843 | ||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
After the Treaty of Verdun
[edit]The Frankish kingdom was then divided by the Treaty of Verdun in 843. Lothair I was allowed to keep his imperial title and his kingdom of Italy, and granted the newly created Kingdom of Middle Francia, a corridor of land stretching from Italy to the North Sea, and including the Low Countries, the Rhineland (including Aachen), Burgundy, and Provence. Charles the Bald was confirmed in Aquitaine, where Pepin I's son Pepin II was opposing him, and granted West Francia (modern France), the lands west of Lothair's Kingdom. Louis the German was confirmed in Bavaria and granted East Francia (modern Germany), the lands east of Lothair's kingdom. Ermentrude of Orléans (first wife of Charles II) became the Queen of Western Francia (eventually France); Emma of Altdorf (wife of Louis II) became the Queen of Eastern Francia (eventually Germany); and Ermengarde of Tours (wife of Lothair I) became the Queen of Middle Francia (eventually Lotharingia). The title of Queen of the Franks continued on to the 12th and 13th century in France.
Queen of the Franks (843–987)
[edit]West Francia | Middle Francia | East Francia | Spouse | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Ermentrude of Orléans |
Ermengarde of Tours Queen of Italy: 818–844 Queen of the Middle Franks: 843–851 Holy Roman Empress: 821–851 |
![]() Emma of Altdorf Queen of Bavaria: 817–843 Queen of the East Franks: 843–876 |
Charles II Lothair I Louis II | |||||||
Engelberga of Parma Queen of Italy: 851–875 Holy Roman Empress: 850–875 |
Teutberga Queen of Lotharingia: 855–869 |
Charles II Louis II Lothair II Louis II | ||||||||
![]() Richilde of Provence Queen of the West Franks: 870–877 Queen of Italy: 875–877 Holy Roman Empress: 875–877 |
![]() Emma of Altdorf Queen of Bavaria: 817–843 Queen of the East Franks: 843–876 |
Charles II Louis II | ||||||||
![]() Adelaide of Paris Queen of the West Franks: 877–879 |
![]() Liutgard of Saxony Queen of Saxony: 879–882 Queen of Bavaria: 880–882 Queen of the East Franks: 880–882 |
Louis II Louis III | ||||||||
![]() Richardis of Swabia Holy Roman Empress: 881–888 Queen of the East Franks: 882–887 Queen of the West Franks: 884–888 |
Charles III | |||||||||
Théodrate of Troyes Queen of the West Franks: 888–898 |
Ota Queen of the East Franks: 888–899 Queen of Italy: 896–899 Holy Roman Empress: 896–899 |
Odo Arnulf | ||||||||
Frederuna Queen of the West Franks: 907–917 |
Cunigunde of Swabia Queen of the East Franks: 913–918 Duchess of Franconia: 913–918 |
Charles III Conrad I | ||||||||
![]() Eadgifu of England Queen of the West Franks: 919–922 |
![]() Matilda Queen of the East Franks: 919–936 Duchess of Saxony: 912–936 |
Charles III Robert I Rudolph Henry I | ||||||||
Béatrice of Vermandois Queen of the West Franks: 922–923 | ||||||||||
Emma of France Queen of the West Franks: 923–934 | ||||||||||
![]() Gerberga of Saxony Queen of the (West) Franks: 939–954 |
After the death of Henry, the last King of the East Franks, the only remaining Frankish kings were in Western Francia, which would become the modern state of France. |
Louis IV | ||||||||
Emma of Italy Queen of the (West) Franks: 965–986 |
Lothair | |||||||||
Adelaide of Anjou Queen of Aquitaine: 980–982 |
Louis V | |||||||||
Queens of West Francia | Queens of Middle Francia | Queens of East Francia | Spouse |
After the death of Louis V of France, the last male line Carolingian king of the Franks, in 987, the Capetians succeeded to the Frankish titles and their consorts bore the title Queen consort of the Franks until 1227, although history knows them better as Queen consorts of France.
Although some of these Frankish queens held titles such as Holy Roman Empress, Queen consort of Italy, Aquitaine, Saxony, Burgundy, Orléans, Paris, Bavaria, Provence, Soissons, Lotharingia, Swabia, and Alamannia; this is not a complete list of those consorts.
See also
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Kings of France family tree
- List of French monarchs
- List of French consorts
- List of Frankish kings
- List of Holy Roman Empresses
- List of German queens