Gerberga of Saxony

Gerberga of Saxony
Image of Gerberga taken from a miniature depicting the genealogy of the Ottonian dynasty in the Chronica St. Pantaleonis, 2nd half of 12th century (Herzog August Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel, Cod. Guelf. 74.3 Aug., pag. 226)
Queen consort of France
Tenure	939–954
Born	913
Died	984
Spouse	Gilbert, Duke of Lorraine Louis IV of France
Issue more...	Lothair of France Matilda, Queen of Burgundy Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine
House	Ottonian
Father	Henry the Fowler
Mother	Matilda of Ringelheim (Saint)

Gerberga of Saxony (also Gerberga of France) (c. 913 – 5 May 968/9 or 984?) was Regent of France during the minority of her son in 954-959. She was a member of the Ottonian dynasty and a descendant of Charlemagne. Her first husband was Gilbert, Duke of Lorraine. Her second husband was Louis IV of France. Contemporary sources describe her as a highly educated, intelligent and forceful political player.

Gerberga was born c.913. She was the oldest daughter of Henry the Fowler, King of Germany, and his second wife, Matilda. Her older brother was Otto I of Germany.

In 928, Gerberga married her first husband, Gilbert, Duke of Lorraine. They had four children:

Jocundus, a Lotharingia chronicler writing in the 1070s, recorded that Gerberga was the driving force behind Gilbert's decision to support her younger brother Henry when he rebelled against her older brother Otto I c.936. Giselbert was defeated by Otto I in 939 at the Battle of Andernach and, while trying to escape, drowned in the Rhine.

When Gilbert died, Gerberga was about 26 years old. She married secondly Louis IV of France in 939. They were parents to eight children:

Louis IV died on 10 September 954. At this time, his son and heir with Gerberga, Lothair of France, was only thirteen. Gerberga took action to ensure that Lothar could succeed his father. She reached an agreement with her brother-in-law Hugh the Great, who had been an adversary to Lothair's father. In exchange for supporting Lothair's rule Hugh was given rule over Aquitaine and much of Burgundy Gerberga did not seek the support of her brother, Emperor Otto I, because the interference of the East-Frankish emperor in West-Frankish affairs would have placed the West-Frankish kingdom in a weak position politically, and angered the West-Frankish nobles.