Gerberga (Geldern)

Gerberga was the mother of Adelheid von Vilich , daughter of the Lorraine Count Palatine Gottfried von Jülich and granddaughter of the West Franconian Karl III.

Career

Not much is known about Gerberga's birthplace and year of birth. Gerberga was the daughter of the Lorraine Count Palatine Gottfried and had four brothers. Gerberga Megingoz von Geldern must have married before 960, as her first of five children was born in 960. Their first child was their only son.

children

• Gottfried (* at the latest 960; † 976/977 in Bohemia)
• Irmtrud
• Alvera
• Bertrada († before 1002 in Cologne); Abbess of St. Maria in the Capitol Cologne
• Adelheid (* between 965 and 970 in Geldern; † 1015 Cologne); Abbess St. Adelheidis Stift

Foundation of the monastery in Vilich

After the death of their son, Gerberga and her husband Megingoz founded a monastery in Vilich. Both surrendered to church service and renounced their conjugal duties. Megingoz stayed in Geldern until his death and went about his duties there. Gerberga stayed in Vilich and attended the construction of the new church there. She ensured order and quick work in the construction phase. After completing the monastery, she hired her daughter Adelheid to head the monastery. The piety of Gerberga wanted the pen to be built according to the Rule of St. Benedict is led. Her daughter Adelheid refused. Only after Gerberga's death did Adelheid reshape the monastery according to the Benedictine Rule and turn it into a monastery.

literature

• Severin Corsten : Megingoz and Gerberga. Founder of the Vilich Abbey. In: Bonner Geschichtsblätter. 30, 1978, pp. 7-25.
• Vita Adelheidis. = The life of St. Adelheid von Vilich. Latin and German. Introduced and translated by Heinz Piesik. City of Bonn - City Archives, Bonn 2003, ISBN 3-922832-33-4 .