March 27, 2014

Saint Adelaide of Italy


December 16 

Country: Italy 

Date: c 999

Family: 
Parents: Father-Rudolph II of Burgundy 
Mother- Bertha of Swabia
Husband: Otto I the Great Holy Roman Emperor 
Children: Otto II Holy Roman Empire Emperor

Ancestry: Saint Adelaide ancestors include Zerah, traceable thru the Frankish line. Also the Kings of Burgundy trace to Saint Adelaide. Also King David of Judah and Israel is an ancestor thru Nathan his son. King Solomon of Israel and Judah is also an ancestor. Sainted Ancestors include Saint Arnulf, Saint Itta, Saint Sigebert, Saint Dagobert, Saint Beggue, Saint Luithwin, Saint Bathildis, Blessed Pepin, Saint Clodulf,

Descendents: Descendents include King Edward I Longshanks of England and Joan of Acre of England. Also King Edward III of England and King Casimir of Poland.

Biography: When Saint Adelaide was two her father engaged her to Lothair of Italy and at 15 or 16 she was married to Lothair. Lothair died three years later. Saint Adelaide was imprisoned by successor and usurper to Lothair Berengar of Ivrea and he attempted to force her to marry his son. There is a legend that Adelaide escaped to Canossa, where she appealed to Otto of Germany for help. Otto conquered Italy and married Adelaide in 951. John XII crowned both Adelaide and Otto rulers of the Holy Roman Empire the following year. Adelaide quarreled with Otto II after Otto’s death in 973, possibly at the instigation of her daughter-in-law Theophano, and lived with her brother in Burgundy. She became interested in evangelism and established many monasteries and churches. She became reconciled with her son before his death in 983, and she became regent for her grandson Otto III. At the convent at Seltz which she had founded Adelaide died in 999. Cluny became the center of her cult. She was canonized in 1097.


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