Ermenberga

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Ermenberga
Queen consort of Burgundy
Tenure606 - 607
Spouse Theuderic II
Father Witteric

Ermenberga (fl. 6th/7th centuries CE) was a Visigoth princess, a daughter of the king of Spain, Witteric [1] [2]

In 606 she married Theuderic II, the Frankish king of Burgundy. [3]

Soon after the marriage, she was repudiated by Theuderic, supposedly at the insistence of Brunhild, Theuderic's grandmother, who may have seen Ermenberga as a challenge to her power. [1] [4] [5] Brunhild, who wielded significant control over the kingdom and grandson, was even accused by some chroniclers - such as Aimoin - of using magic to sway Theuderic away from Ermenberga. [6]

Some chronicles claim that Theuderic kept Ermenberga's dowry when he sent her back to Spain. [7] [8] Her eventual fate is uncertain. Her father Witteric, furious at this repudiation, attempted to form a military alliance against his former son-in-law, but failed. [9]

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References

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  2. Cudorge, Justine (2022). "Women's quarters, an influential and political pole: a study of the Frankish inner-court (6th -7th century)". Royal Studies Journal. 9 (1): 18–32. doi: 10.21039/rsj.345 .
  3. Bouyer, Christian Bouyer, Dictionnaire des Reines de France, Librairie Académique Perrin, 1992 ( ISBN   2-262-00789-6), p. 73
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  9. Halfond, Gregory I. (January 2015). "The Endorsement of Royal-Episcopal Collaboration in the Fredegar Chronica". Traditio. 70: 1–28. doi:10.1017/S0362152900012320. ISSN   0362-1529. S2CID   147271594.