Agnes of Poitou
Agnes of Poitou (c. 1025 – 14 December 1077) was the queen of Germany from 1043 and empress of the Holy Roman Empire from 1046 until 1056 as the wife of Emperor Henry III. From 1056 to 1061, she ruled the Holy Roman Empire as regent during the minority of their son Henry IV.
For other people named Agnes of Aquitaine, see Agnes of Aquitaine (disambiguation).Agnes of Poitou
Early life[edit]
Agnes was the daughter of the Ramnulfid Duke William V of Aquitaine (d. 1030)[3] and Agnes of Burgundy and as such a member of the Ramnulfid family.[4]
Empress[edit]
Agnes married King Henry III of Germany in November 1043[Note 1] at the Imperial Palace Ingelheim.[5] She was his second wife[3] after Gunhilda of Denmark, who had died, possibly from malaria, in 1038.[6] This marriage helped to solidify the Empire's relationships with the princely houses in the west.[3] King Henry was able to improve his position versus the French royal dynasty and to exert his influence in the Duchy of Burgundy. Agnes, like her husband, was of profound piety; her family had founded Cluny Abbey and Abbot Hugh the Great was godfather of her son Henry IV.
Later life[edit]
According to Frutolf of Michelsberg, Agnes retired to Fruttuaria Abbey after the coup. When Henry IV reached the age of majority, Agnes moved to Rome, where her arrival in 1065 is documented by Peter Damian. Agnes went on to act as a mediator and peacemaker between her son and the papacy.[3] She died in Rome on 14 December 1077 and is buried at St. Peter's Basilica.
Legacy[edit]
Agnes is a featured figure on Judy Chicago's installation piece The Dinner Party, being represented as one of the 999 names on the Heritage Floor.[12][13]
Agnes and Henry's children were:
