Willa of Tuscany
Willa of Tuscany | |
---|---|
Countess of Ivrea | |
Tenure | 930–963 |
Queen consort of Italy | |
Tenure | 950–963 |
Born | 911 or 912 Arles |
Died | 970 Bamberg |
Spouses | Berengar II of Italy |
Issue |
|
House | Boso |
Father | Boso, Margrave of Tuscany |
Mother | Willa of Burgundy |
Religion | Catholic Church |
Willa, known as Willa of Tuscany (911/912–970), was a medieval noblewoman. By birth, she was a member of the
Life
Willa was the daughter of
Around 930 Willa married
In 950 when Berengar was crowned king of Italy, Willa became his queen consort.[7] Berengar held Willa in high regard and designated her his consors regni (partner in rule).[8]
The contemporary chronicler Liutprand of Cremona, raised at the court at Pavia, wrote about both Berengar and Willa in negative terms. He included several particularly vivid accounts of Willa's character in his Antapodosis, including that she supposedly committed adultery with her chaplain Dominic, "a small priest, puny in height, soot-coloured, rustic, hairy, intractable, rough, shaggy, wild, uncouth, crazy; rebellious, iniquitous, with a tail-like appendage".[9] In order to avoid discovery, Willa apparently cast spells upon her husband.[10] When Berengar held Adelaide of Italy captive in 951 Willa supposedly mistreated her.
When Berengar was fighting against
Marriage and issue
With Berengar, Willa had several children, including:
- Adalbert[14]
- Guy[15]
- Conrad[16]
- Rozala[17]
- Gerberga,Aleram of Montferrat
- Gisela,[19] a nun
- Bertha, abbess of San Sisto in Piacenza
Notes
- ^ Liutprand of Cremona, Antapodosis in Squatriti, Complete Works, IV.8, p. 145; Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln Tafel 59.
- ^ Keller, 'Bosone'.
- ^ Liudprand of Cremona, Antapodosis, IV.10, p. 318.
- ^ Skinner Women, p. 100.
- ^ Liutprand of Cremona, Antapodosis, IV.7, p. 317.
- ^ [Liutprand of Cremona, Antapodosis, IV.9, p. 136]
- ^ Delogu, 'Berengario II'.
- ^ Skinner, Women, pp. 103, 108; Buc, 'Italian Hussies,' p. 215.
- ^ Liutprand, Antapodosis, in Squatriti, Complete Works, V.32, pp. 193-4.
- ^ Liutprand, Antapodosis, in Squatriti, Complete Works, V.32, pp. 193-4.
- ^ Continuator Reginonis, a.961, p. 624; a.962, p. 625.
- ^ Continuator Reginonis, a.964, p. 626.
- ^ Continuator Reginonis, a.966, p. 628.
- ^ Regum Italiæ et Imperatorum Catalogi, ex codice Ambrosiano, p. 217.
- ^ Arnulf of Milan, Gesta Archiepiscoporum Mediolanensium, p. 8.
- ^ Arnulf of Milan, Gesta Archiepiscoporum Mediolanensium, p. 8.
- ^ Continuator Reginonis, a.965, p. 627.
- ^ Liutprand of Cremona, Antapodosis, V.32, p. 336.
- ^ Liutprand of Cremona, Antapodosis, V.32, p. 336.
References
- H. Keller, 'Bosone di Toscana' Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 13 (1971).
- P. Delogu, 'Berengario II, marchese d'Ivrea, re d'Italia' Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Vol. 9 (1967).
- P. Skinner, Women in Medieval Italian Society, 500-1200 (Harlow, 2001).
- P. Squatriti, trans., The Complete Works of Liutprand of Cremona (Washington DC, 2007).
- Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A. Stargardt, 1984).
- P. Buc, ‘Italian Hussies and German Matrons. Liutprand of Cremona on Dynastic Legitimacy,’ Frühmittelalterliche Studien 29 (1995), 207-225.