Hemma (Eastern France)

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Hemma's tomb

Hemma (also called Emma von Altdorf or Selige Hemma von Regensburg , * 808 ; † January 31, 876 ) was from 827 the wife of Ludwig the German and thus East Franconian queen. She was a daughter of Count Welf I and his wife Heilwig from Saxony († after 835) and thus the sister of Empress Judith . Since she married her father-in-law Ludwig the Pious , Hemma was not only Judith's sister, but also her step-daughter-in-law.

Hemma and Ludwig had seven children, three sons, Karlmann , Ludwig , called the younger, and Karl III. , also called the fat one, and four daughters named Hildegard , Irmgard and Bertha , who entered church service, and Gisla, of whom nothing more is known.

The sources on Hemma emphasize her virtue and beauty as well as the mutual exemplary nature of married life. While she is only mentioned very rarely in the documents and therefore does not seem to have had any particular influence on the government, the historian Hinkmar accuses her of favoring her eldest son Karlmann too much. Since the king - allegedly through this influence - greatly enlarged the sub-kingdom of Karlmann at the expense of the domains of his other sons, a rebellion broke out under the leadership of Charles III. and Ludwig III. but it ended with a reconciliation.

Towards the end of 874 Hemma became paralyzed and died in January 876 in the absence of her husband, who had last visited her the previous year.

The burial place of Hemmas is controversial. Contradictory information in medieval sources as well as a source situation made difficult by forgeries led to conflicts between the monastery of St. Emmeram and the monastery of Obermünster in Regensburg , both of which claimed the grave of Hemma for themselves. To date, no clear statement can be made. Both St. Emmeram and Obermünster have good arguments on their side (see literature list). Due to the close relationship that existed between Hemma and Obermünster, however, it is more likely that this connection should not end with Hemma's death, but rather that corresponding sources prove the actual place of the burial.

Nevertheless, her tomb in St. Emmeram is considered one of the most important German monuments of the 13th century.

literature

The first two titles summarize the current state of research on the burial place:

  • For a burial in St. Emmeram: Franz Fuchs : The grave of Queen Hemma at St. Emmeram in Regensburg. In: Franz Karg (Ed.): Regensburg and East Bavaria. Max Piendl in memory. Kallmünz 1991, pp. 1-12.
  • For a burial in Obermünster: Peter Schmid: Queen Hemma and Obermünster in Regensburg. In: Contributions to the history of the Diocese of Regensburg 42 (2008), pp. 23–40, esp. 36–40.
  • Ernst Dümmler : History of the East Franconian Empire, Vol. 2: Ludwig the German from the Peace of Koblenz to his death (860-876) ( Yearbooks of German History ). Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1887.
  • Gerhard Hartmann, Karl Schnith (ed.): The emperors. 1200 years of European history. Marixverlag, Wiesbaden 2006, ISBN 3-86539-074-9 , p. 61.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Gerhard Hartmann, Karl Schnith (ed.): The emperors. 1200 years of European history. Marixverlag, Wiesbaden 2006, p. 61.
  2. ↑ Ernst Dümmler : History of the East Franconian Empire, Vol. 2: Ludwig the German from the Peace of Koblenz to his death (860–876) ( Yearbooks of German History ). Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1887, p. 424.
  3. ^ Hinkmar von Reims: Annalen von St. Bertin , 870, p. 114.
  4. ^ Annales Fuldenses , entries for the years 874 and 875
  5. ↑ Ernst Dümmler : History of the East Franconian Empire, Vol. 2: Ludwig the German from the Peace of Koblenz to his death (860–876) ( Yearbooks of German History ). Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1887, p. 425.
personal data
SURNAME Hemma
BRIEF DESCRIPTION East Franconian Queen
DATE OF BIRTH 808
DATE OF DEATH January 31, 876