Adela from Hamaland

Adela von Hamaland (* around 955; † between 1021 and 1028 in Cologne ) was a Countess of Drenthe .

Adela von Hamaland was the younger daughter of Count Wichmann von Hamaland and the Luitgard. Her father founded the Elten Abbey , the first abbess of which was her older sister Luitgard. After the death of her father around 973, she claimed back part of the donated property, as the donation had been made without her consent as an heir. She relied on the Lex Saxonum . A violent argument developed between the two sisters. Otto II tried to mediate, but could not prevent the dispute from escalating. Luitgard had her sister's castle burn down while she was away. She herself died a little later from poisoning. Adela was suspected to be the instigator. Otto III. finally ended the dispute in 996. The monastery remained, but Adela received part of her inheritance back.

First wife Adela was the immedinger Count Immed IV. Married. From this connection came five children, including Emma von Lesum and Meinwerk , who later became the Bishop of Paderborn . In her second marriage, Adela lived with Balderich von Drenthe , with whom she founded the Zyfflich monastery . The couple's power and greed led to protracted territorial conflicts in Hamaland even after the inheritance dispute ended . She is said to have been involved in the murder of her son Dietrich in 1014. In 1016, the couple had Count Wichmann von Vreden from the Billunger family murdered in order to seize his property. His relatives besieged and destroyed Upladen Castle . Balderich was able to flee at first, but was captured for a short time in 1017. The following year he was convicted of Wichmann's murderer and lost all titles and lands. After the destruction of Upladen Castle, Adela fled to Cologne, where she died a few years later.

Her body was buried in the cathedral. Legend has it that it was later dug up and thrown into the Rhine to avert an impending storm allegedly caused by Adela.

swell

• Thietmar von Merseburg : Chronicle. New transfer and ext. by Werner Trillmich . 7th edition. Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 2002, ISBN 3-534-00173-7 (text in Latin and German)
• Franz Tenckhoff (ed.): Scriptores rerum Germanicarum in usum scholarum separately in editi 59: The life of Bishop Meinwerk of Paderborn (Vita Meinwerci episcopi Patherbrunnensis). Hanover 1921 ( Monumenta Germaniae Historica , digitized version ).
• Klaus Terstesse: The life of the bishop Meinwerk of Paderborn. First German translation of the Vita Meinwerci published by Franz Tenckhoff in 1921. MuNe, Paderborn 2001, ISBN 3-933425-15-8

literature

• WG van Dalen: Balderik en Adela: pleidooi voor rehabilitatie. In: Archief, orgaan van de Oudheidkundige vereniging "De Graafschap." 1977, pp. 121-128.
• Edith Ennen : Women in the Middle Ages. 5th edition. Beck, Munich 1994, ISBN 3-406-37799-8 .
• Robert Holtzmann : History of the Saxon Empire. 6th edition, Munich 1979.
• Wilhelm von Giesebrecht :  Adela . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 1, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1875, p. 49 f.
• Herbert Grundmann :  Adela. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 1, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1953, ISBN 3-428-00182-6 , p. 56 f. ( Digitized version ).

Web links

• Anton Kos: Adela van Hamaland. In: Digitaal Vrouwenlexicon van Nederland , April 15, 2012, as seen on June 7, 2012.