09 works, Today, December 16th, is Saint Adelaide of Italy's, day, her story, illustrated #349

Tracy L. Christianson

St. Adelaide
I have no further description, at this time

Tracy L. Christianson: "I’m a self taught artist who has loved drawing people for as long as I can remember. While working as a graphic artist /designer, I did portraiture on the side. My future lead me to combining my beautiful Catholic faith and love of portraiture to drawing portraits of the saints. Each saint has a fascinating story to tell and I love creating their portrait and spreading devotion to them. There are over 10,000 canonized saints in the Catholic Church so I should never run out of subject matter.

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I have over 430 saints currently in my collection and new ones are added every month. All are available for sale online at PortraitsofSaints.com

Adelaide of Italy (931 – 16 December 999 AD), also called Adelaide of Burgundy,
was born in the Kingdom of Upper Burgundy (Switzerland), she was the daughter of Rudolf II of Burgundy.

Unknown artist

Rudolf II of Burgundy, c. between 1799 and 1800

Chronicles of the Habsburgs, the Zähringer and the city of Freiburg

She became involved from the beginning in the complicated fight to control not only Burgundy but also Lombardy. The battle between her father Rudolf II and Berengar I to control northern Italy ended with Berengar's death, and Rudolf could claimed the throne.

However, the inhabitants of Lombardy weren't happy with this decision and called for help of another ally, Hugh of Provence, who considered Rudolf an enemy for a long time. Although Hugh challenged Rudolf for the Burgundian throne, he only succeeded when Adelaide's father died in 937, and in order to be able to control Upper Burgundy he decided to marry his son Lothair II, the nominal King of Italy, with Adelaide who was 15 years old.

Unknown artist

Emperor Lothair II and his wife, Adelaide of Italy

Emperor Lothair II and his wife, Richenza of Northeim

I have no further description, at this time

The marriage produced a daughter, Emma of Italy, born about 948. She became Queen of Western France by marrying King Lothair of France.

Lothair II was poisoned, on 22 November 950 in Turin, by his successor, Berengar II of Italy.

Berengar attempted to cement his political power by forcing her to marry his son, Adalbert. The young widow refused and fled, taking refuge in the castle of Como. Nevertheless, she was quickly tracked down and imprisoned for four months at Garda.

She managed to escape from captivity. After a time spent in the marshes nearby, she was rescued by a priest. She managed to send an emissary to Otto I, and asked the East Frankish king for his protection. The widow met Otto at the old Lombard capital of Pavia and they married on 23 September 951.

Unknown artist

Otto the First, King of the Germans

Otto accepting the surrender of Berengar II of Italy, c. 1200

Manuscript

I have no further description, at this time

A few years later, in 953, Liudolf, Otto's son by his first marriage, made a big revolt against his father that was quelled by the latter. On account of this episode, Otto decided to dispossess Liudolf of his ducal title. This decision favoured the position of Adelaide and her descendants at court. 

Unknown artist

Otto and Adelaide

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After returning to Germany with his new wife, Otto cemented the existence of the Holy Roman Empire by defeating the Hungarian invaders. In addition, he extended the boundaries of East Francia beyond the Elbe River, defeating the Obrodites and other Slavs of the Elbe at the battle of Recknitz.

Unknown artist

Emperor Otto d. I. meets Pope John XII, c. 1450

Drawing pen & colored, watercolor & body color

Workshop of Diebold Lauber,

Heidelberg University Library

Emperor Otto I runs with open arms on Pope Johannes XII. to who also receives him. Behind the emperor stands a courtier who grabs his hat, behind the pope a cardinal.

Adelaide accompanied her husband on his second expedition to Italy, destined to subdue the revolt of Berengar II and to protect Pope John XII. In Rome, Otto the Great was crowned Holy Roman Emperor on 2 February 962 by Pope John XII and breaking tradition, also crowned Adelaide as Holy Roman Empress. Four years later, Adelaide and their eleven-year-old son, Otto II, traveled again with Otto in 966 on his third expedition to Italy.

Unknown iconographer

Saint Adelaide crowned as Holy Roman Empress

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Adelaide remained in Rome for six years while Otto ruled his kingdom from Italy. Their son Otto II was crowned co-emperor in 967, then married the Byzantine princess Theophanu in April 972, resolving the conflict between the two empires in southern Italy, as well as ensuring the imperial succession. Adelaide and her husband then returned to Germany, where Otto died in May 973.

Goldie Sakel

Byzantine princess Theophanu

I have no further description, at this time

Goldie Sakel: "My love for art started from a very young age. I started with traditional art and I'm slowly moving to digital creations. Currently I'm trying to be more active on my social media accounts and dive into the world of art by posting tutorials and getting my work out there". More on Goldie Sakel

In the years following Otto's death, Adelaide exerted a powerful influence at court. However, her daughter-in-law, the Byzantine princess Theophanu, turned her husband against her and Adelaide was expelled from court in 978. During her exile, she divided her time living partly in Italy and partly in Arles with her brother Conrad of Burgundy, King of Burgundy, through whom she was finally reconciled with her son; in 983. Otto II appointed her his viceroy in Italy.

Master of the Reichenau School

Kaiser Otto III., The ruler enthroned, c. 1000, Munich

Otto III's Gospel Book

Bavarian State Library.

Master of the Reichenau School: A fine example of the Reichenau school of illumination, this manuscript contains readings for major liturgical feasts drawn from St Paul’s letters, the Acts of the Apostles and the Old Testament. It is among the most important witnesses for the early history of the Western liturgy. The decoration is typical of volumes produced at the courts of the late Roman and Byzantine Emperors, and of manuscripts made in imitation of these during the cultural revival fostered by Charlemagne. This type of decoration had an enduring appeal. More on Master of the Reichenau School

In 983, her son Otto II died and was succeeded by her grandson Otto III under the regency of his mother, Theophanu, while Adelaide remained in Italy. When Theophanu died in 990, Adelaide assumed regency on behalf of her grandson the Emperor until he reached legal majority four years later. Adelaide resigned as regent when Otto III was declared of legal majority in 995 and from then on devoted herself exclusively to her works of charity. She retired to a nunnery she had founded in c. 991 at Selz in Alsace.

On her way to Burgundy to support her nephew Rudolf III against a rebellion, she died at Selz Abbey on 16 December 999, days short of the millennium she thought would bring the Second Coming of Christ. More on Adelaide of Italy 

Please visit my other blogs: Art Collector, Mythology, Marine Art, Portrait of a Lady, The Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The Canals of Venice, Middle East Artists, 365 Saints and 365 Days, also visit my Boards on Pinterest

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