Ermengarde of Tours

Ermengarde of Tours ( 810 – 20 March 851) was a Carolingian Empress consort and queen of Italy. She was the daughter of Hugh of Tours and Ava of Morvois.

Marriage and issue In October 821 in Thionville, Ermengarde married the Carolingian Emperor Lothair I of the Franks (795–855).

Ermengarde used her bridal gift to found the abbey Erstein in the Elsass, in which she is buried. Ermengarde died in 851.

Lothair and Ermengarde had: Louis II of Italy Helletrud (Hiltrud) (c. 826–after 865/866) m. Count Berengar (d. before 865/866) Bertha (c. 830–after 7 May 852, probably 877), became before 847 Abbess of Avenay, perhaps Äbtissin of Faremoutiers A daughter of unknown name (b. probably 826/830), called Ermengarde in later sources, kidnapped 846 by Gilbert, Count of the Maasgau, who then married her Gisla (c. 830–860) 851–860 Abbess of San Salvatore in Brescia Lothair II Rotrud (baptized 835/840 in Pavia) m. around 850/851 Lambert, Margrave of Brittany, Count of Nantes (Widonen), who died 1 May 852 Charles of Provence

Appearance The contemporary poet Sedulius Scottus wrote "Men despise the zither's harmonious music whenever they hear your angelic and golden voice... Your face shines like ivory and blushes like a rose, and excels the beauty of Venus and the nymphs. A dazzling crown of golden hair adorns you, and splendid topaz, as a glittering diadem... Your milk-white neck glistens with beauty, shining with the lustre of lilies or ivory. Your soft white hands dispense myriad gifts, whence they sow on earth to reap in heaven.