Richilde of Provence
Richildis of Provence (also Richildis of the Ardennes; * 845, † June 2 910) was the second wife of Emperor Charles the Bald.
Richildis was born around 845, the daughter of Count Buvinus of Metz, Ardenne and Richeut of Arles. Boso of Vienne, later King of Lower Burgundy, was her older brother. Theutberga, one of her mother's sister, was the wife of King Lothar II of Lotharingia.
Richildis ' relatives would support the West Frankish king Charles the Bald, as this is the Germans fought after the death of Lothair II in August 869 the East Frankish king Louis for the division of its territory. In October of the same year, just days after the death of his first wife Irmentrud of Orléans, Richildis was the concubine of Charlemagne, whose legitimate wife they climb on January 22, 870. From this marriage several children were born, of which only the daughter Rothild reached adulthood.
When her husband 875 for the first time moved to Italy to be crowned by Pope John VIII to the emperor, Richildis took over important government business. They organized the defense against Louis the German, who took advantage of his absence for incursions into the West Frankish kingdom, and dismissed the eunuch Engelramnus, who had secretly collaborated with Ludwig. At the Synod of Ponthion in summer 876 she received with her husband the ambassador of Pope and settled homage along with it by the Assembly.
Richildis accompanied Charles on his second expedition to Italy in September 877 and was anointed by Pope John Empress. When Carloman, the son and successor of Louis the German, invaded Italy, they brought Charles treasure in the controlled by her brother Boso Abbey of Saint -Maurice in Valais in safety. Then she returned to her husband, who died in early October in Avrieux in Savoy. Richildis first tried to prevent her stepson Louis the Stammerer succeeded his father, however, was then on negotiations, eventually handing Ludwig Compiegne Charles Testament and the insignia of power.
When Louis the Stammerer died in April 879, Richildis tried her brother Boso to secure the West Frankish throne. Their plans were not supported by the West Frankish nobility. She helped her brother eventually to become king of Lower Burgundy, and lived until her death on June 2, 910 in the UK. She lived to see how Bosos son, Louis the Blind, her nephew, was crowned emperor in 901 and 905 blinded by Berengar of Friuli and overthrown.
Progeny
- Rothild ( probably * 871, † 928/929 ), ∞ to 890 Count Roger of Maine ( † 900)
- Uncertain: Drogo (* 872/873, † 873/874 )
- Uncertain: Pippin (* 872/873, † 873/874 )
- A child ( born March 23, 875; † soon after birth)
- Karl ( born October 10, 876; † before April 7 877)