See also
Husband: | Ezzo + (955-1034) | |
Wife: | Mathilde + of GERMANY (979-1025) | |
Children: | Richeza + of LOTHARINGIA (994-1063) | |
Hermann II (995-1056) | ||
Otto I (c. 997-1047) | ||
Theophanu (c. 999-1056) | ||
Ludolph + of LORRAINE (1001-1031) | ||
Adelheid (c. 1001-1030) | ||
Heylwig (c. 1003- ) | ||
Mathilde (c. 1005- ) | ||
Sophie (1008-1045) | ||
Ida (c. 1009-1060) | ||
Marriage | 0992 |
Name: | Ezzo + | |
Sex: | Male | |
Father: | Herman I + (929-996) | |
Mother: | Heilwigis + of DILLINGEN (931-974) | |
Birth | 0955 | Saxony, Germany |
Occupation | Count Patatine of Lotharingia | |
Title | Count of Palatine | |
Death | 21 Mar 1034 (age 78-79) | Saalfeld, Mulhausen, Thuringa |
Burial | Brauweiler |
Name: | Mathilde + of GERMANY | |
Sex: | Female | |
Father: | Otto II + (955-983) | |
Mother: | Theophana + (957-991) | |
Birth | 0979 | Saxony, Germany |
Occupation | Countess Palatine of Lotharingia | |
Title | Princess of Saxony | |
Title | Countess Palatine of Lotharingia | |
Death | 4 Nov 1025 (age 45-46) | |
Burial | Brauweiler Abbey |
Name: | Richeza + of LOTHARINGIA | |
Sex: | Female | |
Spouse: | Mieszko II + (990-1034) | |
Birth | 0994 | Lorraine, Moselle, France |
Occupation | Queen Consort of Poland | |
Title | Queen Consort of Poland | |
Religion | Roman Catholic | |
Death | 21 Mar 1063 (age 68-69) | Saalfeld, Mulhausen, Thuringa |
Burial | Koln Cathedral | |
Koln (Cologne) Germany |
Name: | Hermann II | |
Sex: | Male | |
Birth | 0995 | |
Occupation | Archibishop of Cologne | |
Death | 1056 (age 60-61) |
Name: | Otto I | |
Sex: | Male | |
Birth | 0997 (est) | |
Occupation | Count Patatine of Lotharingia | |
Death | 1047 (age 49-50) |
Name: | Theophanu | |
Sex: | Female | |
Birth | 0999 (est) | |
Occupation | Abbess of Essen and Gerresheim | |
Death | 1056 (age 56-57) |
Name: | Ludolph + of LORRAINE | |
Sex: | Male | |
Spouse: | Mathilde + of ZUTPHEN (1000- ) | |
Birth | 1001 | Lorraine, Moselle, France |
Occupation | Governor of Braweiler | |
Death | 10 Apr 1031 (age 29-30) | France1 |
Burial | Abbey of Brauweiler |
Name: | Adelheid | |
Sex: | Female | |
Birth | 1001 (est) | |
Occupation | Abbess of Nievelles | |
Death | 1030 (age 28-29) |
Name: | Heylwig | |
Sex: | Female | |
Birth | 1003 (est) | |
Occupation | Abbess of Neuss |
Name: | Mathilde | |
Sex: | Female | |
Birth | 1005 (est) | |
Occupation | Abbess of Dietkirchen and Villich |
Name: | Sophie | |
Sex: | Female | |
Birth | 1008 | Lorraine, Moselle, France |
Occupation | Abbess of St. Maria | |
Death | 1045 (age 36-37) |
Name: | Ida | |
Sex: | Female | |
Birth | 1009 (est) | |
Occupation | Abbess of Cologne and Gandersheim Abbey | |
Death | 1060 (age 50-51) |
Ezzo (c. 955 – 21 March 1034), sometimes called Erenfried, Count Palatine of Lotharingia of the Ezzonen dynasty, was the son of Herman I.
Having married Matilda of Germany (died 1025), a daughter of Emperor Otto II and Theophanu, Ezzo became prominent during the reign of his brother-in-law, Emperor Otto III. His power was increased due to the liberal grant of lands in Thuringia and Franconia which his wife received out of Ottonian possessions. Candidate to the imperial throne at the death of Otto III, he received huge territories (Kaiserswerth, Duisburg, and Saalfeld) for renouncing to the throne, making him the most powerful man in the empire after the emperor. Otto's successor, Emperor Henry II, was less friendly towards the powerful count, although there was no serious trouble between them until 1011. Some disturbances in Lotharingia quickly forced the emperor to come to terms, and Ezzo's assistance was purchased with additional imperial fiefs.
After this, the relations between Henry and his vassal appear to have been satisfactory. Very little is known about Ezzo's later life, but we are told that he died at a great age at Saalfeld on 21 March 1034.
Ezzo founded Brauweiler Abbey near Cologne, the place where his marriage had been celebrated. It was dedicated in 1028 by Piligrim, archbishop of Cologne. Ezzo and his wife were buried at Brauweiler.
He and Mathilda left three sons and seven daughters:
Liudolf (c. 1000–10 April 1031), Count of Zütphen.
Otto I (died 1047), Count Palatine of Lotharingia and later Duke of Swabia as Otto II.
Hermann II (995–1056), Archbishop of Cologne.
Theophanu (died 1056), Abbess of Essen and Gerresheim.
Richeza of Lotharingia (died 21 March 1063), Queen of Poland, married with King Mieszko II of Poland.
Adelheid (died c. 1030), Abbess of Nivelles (Nijvel).
Heylwig, Abbess of Neuss.
Mathilde, Abbess of Dietkirchen and Villich.
Sophie, Abbess of St. Maria, Mainz.
Ida (died 1060), Abbess of Cologne and Gandersheim Abbey (founded in 852 by her ancestor Liudolf, Duke of Saxony).
Matilda of Germany or Matilde of Saxony (Summer 979-November 1025 Echtz[1]) Was the third daughter of Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor and his wife Empress Theophanu.
[edit] Life
Shortly after her birth, Matilda was sent to Essen Abbey, where her older cousin Matilde was Abbess, Matilda was educated here. It was presumed that Matilda would stay in the Abbey and become an Abbess like here older sisters Adelheid I, Abbess of Quedlinburg and Sophia I, Abbess of Gandersheim.
However, Matilda lived a different life than her two sisters, she was to marry Ezzo, Count Palatine of Lotharingia. According to the Historian Thietmar of Merseburg Matilda's brother Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor did not like the idea of the marriage at first. The family gave the couple large gifts to secure the adequate standard of living. The Empress Theophanu had consented to the marriage. Ezzo then took Matilda out of the Abbey where she had lived. However, Abbess Mathilde had vainly refused to surrender the girl. Later romantic embellishments even claimed Ezzo had previously been secretly in love with the young Matilda. Ezzo took Matilda from the Abbey to marry her.
Matilda's mother Theophanu had always agreed to the wedding but Matilda's cousin and teacher Abbess Matilde did not agree to the marriage. Without the consent of Matilda's mother the marriage would not happen with certainty, it is even likely that this marriage was to ensure the power of Otto III. The family had extensive estates in the Lower Rhine and Mosel. Ezzo's mother came from the House of Swabia and so Ezzo laid claims to these lands. Matilda received them out of Ottonian possessions and gave them to her husband.
Ezzo and Matilda had married for love and their marriage was very happy. In any case, it was extremely fruitful, with ten children:
Liudolf (c. 1000–10 April 1031), Count of Zütphen.
Otto I (died 1047), Count Palatine of Lotharingia and later Duke of Swabia as Otto II.
Hermann II (995–1056), Archbishop of Cologne.
Theophanu (died 1056), Abbess of Essen and Gerresheim.
Richeza of Lotharingia (died 21 March 1063), Queen of Poland, married King Mieszko II of Poland.
Adelheid (died c. 1030), Abbess of Nijvel (Nivelles).
Heylwig, Abbess of Neuss.
Mathilde, Abbess of Dietkirchen and Villich.
Sophie, Abbess of St. Maria, Mainz.
Ida (died 1060), Abbess of Cologne and Gandersheim Abbey (founded in 852 by her ancestor Liudolf, Duke of Saxony).
Matilda apparently died unexpectedly during a visit to Ezzo's brother Hermann, while Ezzo was held in Aachen, at a meeting of the nobility of Lorraine. Matilda was buried at Brauweiler Abbey.[2]
Matilda was the mother of the famous Richeza of Lotharingia who became Queen of Poland and was later beatified.
1 | "Royalty for Commoners". |