Conrad I of Burgundy
Conrad I, called the Peaceful (French: Conrad le Pacifique; German: Konrad der Friedfertige; Latin: Conradus; c. 925 – 19 October 993), a member of the Elder House of Welf, was King of Burgundy from 937 until his death.
| Conrad I | |
|---|---|
 Denier minted in the name of Conrad I | |
| King of Burgundy | |
| Reign | 11 July 937 – 19 October 993 |
| Predecessor | Rudolph II |
| Successor | Rudolph III |
| Born | c. 925 |
| Died | 19 October 993 (age approx. 68) |
| Burial | |
| Consort |
|
| Issue | |
| House | Elder House of Welf |
| Father | Rudolph II of Burgundy |
| Mother | Bertha of Swabia |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Life
He was the son of King Rudolph II, the first ruler over the united kingdom of Upper and Lower Burgundy since 933, and his consort Bertha, a daughter of Duke Burchard II of Swabia.[1] Some sources call him Conrad III, since he was the third Conrad in his family: his great-grandfather was Duke Conrad II, whose father was Count Conrad I.
According to the chronicler Ekkehard IV, in a story that is probably apocryphal, when Conrad learned that both the Magyars and the Saracens of Fraxinetum were marching against him, he sent envoys to both armies warning them of the other. The envoys offered Burgundian aid to each invader against the other and then informed them of the other's whereabouts. When the Magyars and Saracens met, the Burgundians held back and only attacked when the opposing forces were spent. In this way, both invading armies were destroyed and the captives sold into slavery.[2][3]
He married firstly, Adelaide of Bellay. They were parents to at least one daughter:[4]
- Gisela (d. 21 July 1006), married Henry II, Duke of Bavaria[5]
He married Matilda by 966,[4] daughter of Louis IV of France and Gerberga of Saxony.[5] They had at least four children:
- Bertha (964 – 16 January 1016), married Odo I, Count of Blois, and then Robert II of France[5]
- Matilda (born 969), possibly married Robert, Count of Geneva
- Rudolph III, King of Burgundy (971 – 6 September 1032)[5]
- Gerberga (born 965), married Herman II, Duke of Swabia[5]
By his concubine, Aldiud, he had a son:
- Burchard, Archbishop of Lyons[6]
References
- Reuter & McKitterick 1999, p. 699.
- Fichtenau 1991, p. 407.
- Cope 1987, p. 67.
- Poole 1911, p. 314-315.
- Bourchard 1999, p. 342.
- Previté-Orton 1912, p. 10.
Sources
- Bourchard, Constance Brittain (1999). "Burgundy and Provence, 879–1032". In Reuter, Timothy; McKitterick, Rosamond (eds.). The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 3, c.900-c.1024. Cambridge University Press.
- Cope, Christopher (1987). Phoenix Frustrated: The Lost Kingdom of Burgundy. Constable.
- Fichtenau, Heinrich (1991). Living in the Tenth Century: Mentalities and Social Orders. Translated by Geary, Patrick J. University of Chicago Press.
- Poole, Reginald L. (1911). "Burgundian Notes". The English Historical Review. 26 (102).
- Previté-Orton, C. W. (1912). Early History of the House of Savoy. Cambridge University Press.
- Reuter, Timothy; McKitterick, Rosamond, eds. (1999). "Appendix". The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 3, c.900-c.1024. Cambridge University Press.