Siegfried (Luxembourg) Ardennes

Ancestors

Husband of Hedwig (Nordgau) of Nordgau — married before 0963 in Luxembourg, Belgium

Descendants

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Biography

Sigefried and Siegfried are two common modern spellings, while Latin typical spellings were Sigefridus or Sigifridus. This could be shortened to Sicco. The modern French version is Sigefroid, and this has also influenced many modern historians.

There is no clear record of when he was born. All estimates are based on speculation.

He died 27 or 28 October, but the year is not known. It was approximately 998. Many medieval death records were intended to help remember which day to pray for a dead person's soul, so that often don't name the year of death. The Henry project and MEDLANDS project both explain the records in detail.^[1][2]

Sigefried was a count, but in this period this does not necessarily mean that he was connected to any specific geographical counties. We know his original jurisdictions lay in the Ardennes region between the Meuse and Moselle rivers near modern Luxembourg.^[1][3]

• In about 950 he was given the important position of lay abbot of Echternach monastery, which today lies in the north of Luxembourg.
• In 973 he obtained possession of Luxembourg castle itself, which would become an important base for his descendants.

Note: While Sigefrid established the family's powerbase his descendant Conrad I (d. 1086) is probably the first person referred to in his own lifetime as a "Count of Luxembourg".

Parents

Mother:

• Cunigonde is known to be the name of his mother, and she was a granddaughter of Louis II, king of France. She is generally believed to be the same Cunigonde who was the mother of Adalbero I the bishop of Metz, Count Gozlin, and Frederick I, the Duke of Upper Lorraine. The main reason for doubt is that it means Siegfried lived reasonably long and had children late. See below.

His father was probably one of the known husbands of the mother of Adalbero, Gozlin and Frederick, who were both dead by 923:

• Wigeric of Lotharingia (d. 916/19)[1]
• Richwin (d. 923/4)[2]

Other theories:^[4]

• Eberhard II of Hamaland
• Siegbert
• Giselbert, Duke of Lotharingia (Lorraine)[3]

Research notes

During the 1500s, Richard de Wassebourg, Archdeacon of the cathedral of Verdun (1567), came up with the idea that Cunigonde's second husband, Richwin ("Richizo; Ricuin" (d. 923), fathered Sigefroid. In 1900 AD, Jean Schotter and Nicholas van Werke, started promoting Wigeric as Sigefroid's father. But some genealogists and historians, do not accept either of Cunigonde's men. Péporté (2011), explains that the issue has never been cut and dry, due to the fact that no medieval source identifies Sigefroid's father.^[4]

Documentation only tells us that Sigefroid's mother was named Cunigonde and her grandfather was King Louis II of France. Most historians, believe that this Cunigonde was the same as the Cunigonde who had children with Wigeric and Richwin, but this is not certain. For instance, Cawley (2006), points out problems with dating. He claims that since:

1. Sigefroid was probably born around 930 or 940 AD, by his estimate;[4]
2. and Wigeric and Richwin died by 923AD[5];

Therefore, according to some, Cunigonde of France, needs an unknown and undocumented third husband (or lover) ... to make the parentage fit.[6]

But that's not the only issue. Why assume that Cunigunda of France was Sigefroid's mother .... at all?

A detailed explanation of all evidence and most arguments is found the "Henry project" page for Cunigond.^[5] Points include:

• "An eleventh century genealogical table, existing also in several later versions, identifies the empress Cunégonde, the wife of emperor Heinrich II, as a daughter of count Sigefroid, son of Cunégonde, daughter of Ermentrude, daughter of Louis II of France [see, e.g., MGH SS 2: 314; 6: 32, 176; more recently, see Schmid (1994), which includes plates of the various versions of this source...]"
• "Gerbert of Aurillac (later pope Sylvester II), in a letter of 985 to the empress Theophano (wife of Otto II), mentions a count Sigefridus as patruus of Godefridus, the latter clearly count Godefroid of Verdun (son of Gozlin, son of Wigeric and Cunégonde), both captives at the time ["Nam II kal. apr. captos comites allocutus, Godefridum, patruumque ejus Sigefridum, ..." Gerbert, Letters, 48 (#52)]. According to the usual definition of patruus (paternal uncle), this would make this count Sigefridus a brother of Gozlin. Although this Sigefroid is not explicitly identified with the count who held Luxemburg, this is the obvious identification."
• "The onomastic evidence suggests a connection, since in addition to a daughter named Cunégonde, Sigefroid had children named Adalbero, Frédéric, Giselbert, and Liutgarde, the same names as four of the known children of Cunégonde, wife of Wigeric."
• "Since Sigefroid's mother Cunégonde was a niece of Charles the Simple, the above reference of Adalbero as a nepos of Charles fits very well with him being a brother of Sigefroid, which would make Adalbero a grandnephew of Charles, well within the definitions of the sometimes ambiguous term nepos. Although "nephew" or "grandson" would be a more common meaning of the word nepos, Charles is not known to have had any sister or daughter named Cunégonde, making those interpretations unlikely."
• "It is possible that Sigefroid was identical with Sigebert, brother of Gozlin. This identification, which has been widely accepted, is discussed on Sigefroid's page. Even if Sigebert and Sigefroid were distinct individuals [e.g., as argued by Parisse (1981), 23], they could still have been brothers."

Concerning the chronology they remark:

"even if Siegfried was born as early as 915, we would only have to assume that Siegfried was married at at an older than average age, say 40, to a much younger woman, that he was still having children in his sixties, that he lived until his early eighties, and that a number of his children also had long lives. While it may be unusual, these are all perfectly reasonable possibilities which happened from time to time, even in medieval times when life expectancy was much lower than it is now. Given that the supporting evidence is otherwise good (if not ideal), there does not seem to be any good reason to reject the commonly accepted identification of Wigeric's wife Cunégonde with Sigefroid's mother. "

Marriage and children

m. (ante 963) Hedwig of Nordgau (d. 13 Dec after 993;[7] p. UNKNOWN).^[6] Issue:

• Henry I of Luxembourg (ante 17 Sep 964 - 27 Feb 1026)^[7]

• Siegfried (d. after Apr 985)

• Frederick (d. 06 Oct 1019).[8] Count of Salm and Luxembourg[9]

m. _____ von Hammerstein (b. 970/85)

(p. HERIBERT Graf im Kinziggau Pfalzgraf [Konradiner] and Imiza "Ermentrude or Irmintrudis"; widow of ____ von Gleiberg)

• Dietrich II (bishop of Metz, 1006-1047)

• Adalberon (canon of Trier)

• Gislebert (d.1004), count in the Moselgau

• Kunigunde (Cunigunda) of Luxembourg (d.1039)[10]

m. Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor; Duke of Bavaria; King of Italy (d.1017)[11]

• Eve

m. Gerard, Count of Metz

• Ermentrude, abbess

• Luitgarde (965/70 - 14 May after 1005; bur Egmond)[12]

m. Arnulf, Count of Holland (950 - 18 Sep 993 Winckel; bur. Egmond)

(p. Dirk II, Count of Holland and Hildegarde de Flandre)

• dau. _____^[8]

m. Thietmar (d. 29 Mar ____; p. Unknown)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} https://fasg.org/projects/henryproject/data/siegf000.htm
2. ↑ MEDLANDS
3. ↑ Wikipedia article; Medieval Germany: An Encyclopedia p.478
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Péporté, 2011, p.27
5. ↑ http://home.earthlink.net/~henryproject/hproject/prov/kunig000.htm
6. ↑ Wikipedia claims that Hedwig married Eberhardt IV, but Cawley (2006), states that her parents are unknown.
7. ↑ Annalista Saxo; Herimannus; Historia Episcoporum Pataviensium et Ducum Bavariæ; necrology of Ranshofen (Cawley, 2006)
8. ↑ necrology of Ranshofen (Cawley, 2006)

• Royal Ancestry, Vol. V, page 503
• Cawley, C. (2006). "Luxembourg." Medieval Lands v.3. fmg.ac
• Henry Project: http://home.earthlink.net/~henryproject/hproject/prov/siegf000.htm
• Jackman, D. (2012). Studia Luxembourgensia. Enlaplage. Google Books.Jackman (2012), is a controversial secondary source.
• Jeep, J.M. (2001). "Luxemberger." Medieval Germany: An Encyclopedia. Psychology Press, (pp. 478-479). Google Books. Jeep (2005), cites his title, but gets the heritage wrong.
• Péporté, P. (2011). Constructing the Middle Ages: Historiography, Collective Memory and Nation-Building in Luxembourg. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-21067-7.[13]
• Reid, A. (2005). "Siegfried and the Luxembourg dynasty." Luxembourg: The Clog-Shaped Duchy: A Chronological History of Luxembourg from the Celts to the Present Day. AuthorHouse. Google Books.
• Wikipedia: Sigfried, Count of the Ardennes

//** MARRIAGE NOTES FROM CAWLEY (2006)

HEDWIG and Siegfried had 11 kids:

i) [SIEGFRIED (-after [Apr 985]).

ii) HEINRICH (before 17 Sep 964-27 Feb 1026).

iii) LIUTGARD

iv) ______ daughter m. Theitmar

v) FRIEDRICH (-6 Oct 1019).

vi) DIETRICH [Theoderic] (-2 May 1047). The Annalista Saxo names "Teoderici Metensi episcopi et Heinrich postmodum ducis Bawarici" as brothers of "domnam Cunigundam, felicis memorie virginem", wife of Emperor Heinrich II[55]. Herimannus names "Theoderico Metense episcopo et Heinrico Baioriæ duce Fridericoque comite" as brothers of "Adalbero clericus, reginæ Cunigundis germanus", when recording their rebellion against Emperor Heinrich II in 1008[56]. Bishop of Metz 1006. As "Theodoric Bishop of Metz", brother of Empress Kunigunde, he is recorded as the latter's adviser in Wipo's description of the election of Konrad II King of Germany in 1024[57]. The necrology of Ranshofen records the death "VI Non May" of "Theodericus Metensis eps frater Chunigundis imperatricis et Ermindrud abba soror eius"[58]. Sigebert's Chronica records the death in 1046 of "Deoderico Mettensium episcopo" and the succession of “Adelbero fratruelis eius”[59].

vii) KUNIGUNDE

viii) GISELBERT ([980/85]-killed in battle Pavia 18 May 1004). Thietmar names a "youth…Giselbert, the queen's brother", recording his death in battle outside Pavia[67]. The epithet suggests that Giselbert must have been one of the younger children of Siegfried, maybe born in [980/85], although no other corroboration for this statement has been found. "Domna Berta, viri illustris Volcmari comitis relicta" donated property "in pago Moselensi in comitatu Waldeleuinga cui Gisilbertus comes…villa Mudenfert" to St Maximin, Trier by charter dated 996 witnessed by "Friderich comes"[68]. The necrology of Merseburg records the death "18 May" of "Gisilbertus frater imperatricis Chunigunde"[69]. The necrology of Ranshofen records the death "XV Kal Jun" of "Gisilbertus frater Chunigundis imperatricis Papie occisus"[70].

ix) ADALBERO (-after 1037). Herimannus names "Adalbero clericus, reginæ Cunigundis germanus" when recording his appointment as provost at Trier[71]. Thietmar records the election in 1008 of "Adalbero…the queen's brother and still an immature youth" as Archbishop of Trier to succeed Liudolf who died 6/7 Apr 1008 and the cancellation of the election by his brother-in-law King Heinrich II[72], which triggered his rebellion against the king60. The Vita Meinwerci names "Athelbero præpositus monasterii sancti Paulini Treveris" and "soror eius Cunigunda [regina]" in a paragraph dated 1017[73]. Provost of St Paul in Trier. "Adalbero…prepositus S Paulini Treuerensis, dominus de Ruscheio, de Serico, de Sarburch et de Berincastel" left a testament dated 12 Nov 1036, witnessed by "Godefrido duce, Gerardo comite, Arnolfo comite, Bertholfo comite, Friderico comite eiusque fratribus, Gisilberto et Theoderico, Hartmanno comite…"[74]. Another testament dated 1037 of "Adalbero…prepositus S Paulini Treuerensis" is witnessed by "Adelberti avunculi nostri marchionis et ducis Lothoringie et Iuditte amicte nostre uxoris sue"[75].

x) EVA (-19 Apr after 18 Jun 1040). "Comes Gerardus" donated property to the monastery of Fruttuaria, at the request of "conjuge Eva" for the soul of "filii sui Sigifredi defuncti", by charter dated 1020, witnessed by "Girardi, Giselberti, Folmarii comitum…"[76]. Her parentage is deduced from Thietmar naming her son Siegfried, son of Count Gerhard, "the empress's nephew"[77]. This is confirmed by "Henricus…rex" granting property "in villa Morlinga in pago Musiligeauue in comitatu Uirad" to "Abenze…ex parte sue sororis contectalis Heinrici imperatoris" by charter dated 18 Jun 1040[78]. m GERHARD Graf von Metz, son of [RICHARD Graf von Metz/GERHARD Graf von Metz] & his wife --- (-[28 Dec 1021/23]).

xi) ERMENTRUDE (-2 May ----). The necrology of Ranshofen records the death "VI Non May" of "Theodericus Metensis eps frater Chunigundis imperatricis et Ermindrud abba soror eius"[79]. Abbess. No record has yet been found which identifies the abbey of which Ermentrude was abbess.