Individual Details

Richildis D'Ardennes

(Ca 830 - 2 Jun 910)

Richilde of the Ardennes, or Richilde of Provence (c. 845-2 June 910), was the second wife of Charles the Bald, King and Emperor of the Franks. By her marriage, she became Queen of the West Franks, and then Empress of the Franks.
Richilde was the daughter of Bivin of Gorze, Count of the Ardennes, and the sister of Boso of Provence (of the Bosonid dynasty). Originally the concubine of Charles the Bald, she married him in 870 after the death of his first wife, Ermentrude of Orléans. She bore him five children, but only the eldest daughter, Rothilde (c. 871-c. 928), who married first Hugues of Bourges and secondly Roger of Maine, survived to adulthood. Boso was a Frankish noblemen, related to the Carolingian dynasty, and rose to be King of Provence. ...
Whenever Charles went to war, Richilde managed the realm, and acted as head of state after the death of Charles in 877.
She planned to place her brother Boso, Duke of Burgundy, on the throne, after Louis the Stammerer (son of Charles the Bald and Ermentrude of Orléans) died shortly after his father while his children were too young to rule on their own. However, she was accused of incest with her brother and the lords of the kingdom refused to subject themselves to her authority. She then helped Boso to become King of Provence.
She attempted to assume a position of authority upon the death of Louis III of France in 882, and of Carloman of France in 884; however, the empire was agitated and under threat by the Normans, and the grandees of the realm forced her to withdraw to Provence, where she died on 2 June 910.

Events

BirthCa 830Moselle, France
Death2 Jun 910Bourgogne, France
MarriageCharles "The Bald" Western Emperor II

Families

SpouseCharles "The Bald" Western Emperor II (823 - 877)
ChildRothilde Of The Franks (871 - 927)
FatherBouin Of Vienne (810 - 863)
MotherRichilde D'Arles ( - 883)