Gerberga I. (Gandersheim)

Gerberga (* around 840 ; † September 5, 896 or 897) was the daughter of the Saxon "dux" Liudolf , the progenitor of the Liudolfinger , and Oda, whose father is a Billung from the Billunger family . Gerberga's life dates are uncertain, the date of birth is assumed to be between 840 and 850, she died on September 5th either 896 or 897. From 874 until her death, she was the successor of her older sister Hathumod abbess of the Gandersheim monastery .

Gerberga is mentioned both in Hrotsvits Primordia coenobii Gandeshemensis , the history of the monastery up to approx. 919, and in the Vita obitus Hathumodae , the vita of her sister Agius, the date of her death is recorded in the Gandersheim necrology . After Agius she was very familiar with her predecessor and sister, from which it is concluded that Gerberga had already entered the monastery during her lifetime. Hroswith reports that Gerberga was initially engaged to a nobleman named Bernrad, but broke off this engagement due to an internal vocation. After he was unable to change his bride's mind, Bernrad sought death in battle. Due to the time lag between Hroswith's work and Gerberga's life, this report can, however, be a reshaping that emphasizes Gerberga's piety.

literature

• Winfrid Glocker: The relatives of the Ottonians and their importance in politics. Studies on family policy and the genealogy of the Saxon imperial family (= dissertations on medieval history. Vol. 5). Böhlau, Cologne et al. 1989, ISBN 3-412-12788-4 (also: Munich, university, dissertation, 1986/87).