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{{Short description|King of Burgundy from 993 to 1032}}
[[File:Rudolph III of Burgundy.jpg|thumb|170px|Rudolph III ]]
{{Infobox royalty
'''Rudolf III of [[Burgundy]]''' (called ''Rudolf der Faule'' in [[German language|German]], and ''Rodolphe le Fainéant'' in [[French language|French]], in both languages meaning "sluggard" or ''le Pieux'' "the Pious" in [[French language|French]]) (971 – September 6, 1032) was the last king of an independent [[Kingdom of Arles]], also called the ''Second Kingdom of Burgundy''. He was the son of King [[Conrad of Burgundy]] and Queen [[Matilda of France]]. He was the last male member of the ''Burgundian group'' of the [[Elder Welfs]] family.
| type = monarch
⚫
| name = Rudolph III
| image = Donation du roi de Bourgogne Rodolphe III à l'abbaye Saint-Maurice (15 février 1018) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Seal of Rudolph III
| succession = [[King of Burgundy]]
| reign = 19 October 993 – 6 September 1032
| predecessor = [[Conrad I of Burgundy|Conrad I]]
| successor = [[Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor|Conrad II]]
| house = [[Elder House of Welf]]
| spouse = Agiltrud<br>[[Ermengarde of Burgundy]]
| issue = Hugo, Bishop of Lausanne (illegitimate)
| father = [[Conrad I of Burgundy]]
| mother = [[Matilda of France]]
| birth_date = {{c.}} 970
| birth_place =
| death_date = 6 September 1032
| death_place =
| burial_place = [[Lausanne Cathedral]]
⚫
}}
'''Rudolph III''' ({{langx|fr|Rodolphe}}, {{langx|de|Rudolf}}; {{c.}} 970 – 6 September 1032), called '''the Idle''' or '''the Pious''', was the [[king of Burgundy]] from 993 until his death. He was the last ruler of an independent [[Kingdom of Burgundy]], and the last legitimate male member of the Burgundian line of the [[Elder House of Welf]].


==Life==
==Family==
Rudolph was the son and heir of King [[Conrad I of Burgundy]] (925–993).{{sfn|Bouchard|1999|p=342}} His mother, [[Matilda of France|Matilda]] (943–980), a member of the Frankish [[Carolingian dynasty]], was the daughter of King [[Louis IV of France]].{{sfn|Bouchard|1999|p=342}} Rudolph himself had four sisters: an elder full sister, [[Gisela of Burgundy|Gisela]], who married the [[Ottonian]] duke [[Henry II of Bavaria]] some time before 972,{{sfn|Bouchard|1999|p=342}} and became the mother of [[Emperor Henry II]], and three half-sisters: [[Bertha of Burgundy|Bertha]], who married, firstly, Count [[Odo I of Blois]] in 983,{{sfn|Bouchard|1999|p=342}} and, secondly, King [[Robert II of France]] in 996; Matilda, who possibly married Count [[Robert, Count of Geneva|Robert of Geneva]]; and [[Gerberga of Burgundy|Gerberga]], who married Duke [[Herman II of Swabia]] in about 988. He also had a half-brother, [[Burchard (archbishop of Lyon)|Burchard]], [[archbishop of Lyons]].{{sfn|Previte-Orton|1912|p=10}}
Rudolf's reign was marked with turbulence. Unable to placate the increasingly powerful nobility, he also had to deal with encroachments of power on the part of [[Otto-William, Count of Burgundy|Otto-William]], [[Count of Burgundy]], as well as by the Emperor [[Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry II]], as head of the [[Kingdom of Germany]]. Henry succeeded in negotiating Rudolf to name him as his successor in 1016.<ref>C.W. Previte-Orton, ''Early History of the House of Savoy'', (Cambridge University Press, 1912), 16.</ref>


==Reign==
When Henry died, his successor the Emperor [[Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor|Conrad II]], also negotiated with Rudolf to make him his heir.<ref name="Previte27-28">C.W. Previte-Orton, ''Early History of the House of Savoy'', 27-28.</ref> This was contested by Rudolf's nobles, [[Odo II, Count of Blois]] and [[Reginald I, Count of Burgundy]].<ref name="Previte27-28" />
[[File:Map of kingdom of Arles.jpg|thumb|upright|Map of the Kingdom of Burgundy by [[William Robert Shepherd|William R. Shepherd]] (1926)]]


Rudolph succeeded to the Burgundian throne upon his father's death on 19 October 993 and was crowned king in [[Lausanne]]. His reign was marked with turbulence when he made attempts to confiscate several Burgundian estates. Unable to placate the increasingly powerful nobility, he also had to deal with encroachments of power on the part of Count [[Otto-William of Burgundy]].


Like his father, Rudolph approached to the German Ottonian dynasty to stabilise his rule. His aunt [[Adelaide of Italy|Adelaide]], widow of Emperor [[Otto I]], and her grandson [[Otto III]] actively intervened in Burgundian affairs to secure his accession to power. In turn, Rudolph in 1006 ceded the city of [[Basel]] to his nephew Henry II, elected [[king of Germany]] in 1002.
Rudolf married firstly Ageltrude, and secondly, {{circa|1016}}, Ermengard, widow of [[Rotbold III, Count of Provence]].<ref>Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band I (Marburg, Germany: Verlag von J. A. Stargardt, 1980), Tafel 57</ref> Rudolf died in 1032, at the age of 61, with no surviving [[child|issue]]. Conrad then claimed the [[Kingdom of Arles]] and incorporated it in the [[Holy Roman Empire]].

Rudolph's first marriage with one Agiltrud (died 1011) remained childless.{{sfn|Previte-Orton|1912|p=13–14}} On 28 June 1011, he married [[Ermengarde of Burgundy|Ermengarde]], a relative of Count [[Humbert I of Savoy]] and widow of Count [[Rotbold II of Provence]].{{sfn|Previte-Orton|1912|p=13–14}} Rudolph vested her with the [[County of Vienne]]{{sfn|Previte-Orton|1912|p=13–14}} and Sermorens and further large estates up to [[Lake Geneva]]. However, no children were born from his second marriage too.

In 1016 King Rudolph entered into another conflict with Count Otto-William over the investiture of the [[archbishop of Besançon]]. He and Emperor Henry II met in [[Strasbourg]] where Henry succeeded in negotiating Rudolph to name him as his successor.{{sfn|Previte-Orton|1912|p=16}} Henry marched against Otto-William and the Burgundian nobles quickly submitted. Henry's right of succession was confirmed at a 1018 diet in [[Mainz]]; however, upon his death in 1024, the question appeared again unsettled. Henry's [[Salian dynasty|Salian]] successor, King [[Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor|Conrad II]] occupied Basel and also began to negotiate with Rudolph to become his heir.{{sfn|Previte-Orton|1912|p=27–28}} Rudolph was present at Conrad's [[Coronation of the Holy Roman emperor|imperial coronation]] at Easter 1027 and in August an inheritance contract was concluded. This agreement was contested by Rudolph's nobles, Counts [[Odo II of Blois]] and [[Reginald I of Burgundy]].{{sfn|Previte-Orton|1912|p=27–28}}

Rudolph died in 1032, at the age of 61, with no surviving legitimate issue. He was buried in [[Lausanne Cathedral]]. Conrad II then claimed the Kingdom of Burgundy and incorporated it in the [[Holy Roman Empire]].

Rudolph's only attested illegitimate offspring, [[Hugues of Bourgogne|Hugo]], was elected [[Bishop of Lausanne]] in 1018 or 1019 and served in this capacity until his death on 31 August 1037. He does not seem to have aspired to succeed his father in the kingship, and had attended on Emperor Henry II in 1019. On his death, Bishop Hugo was buried in Lausanne Cathedral next to his father, King Rudolph.<ref>Planta 2011; Dessemontet 1968: 37, 53.</ref>

==Legacy==
As the last legitimate member of the Burgundian Welfs, Rudolph was considered a weak ruler by his contemporaries. The chronicler [[Wipo of Burgundy]] called him effete; according to [[Hermann of Reichenau]], his rule was marked by idleness and chaos. [[Thietmar of Merseburg]] named the Burgundian counts the actual rulers, while Rudolph only held the royal title.

At least from 1018, Rudolph actually ruled as a mock king in the shadow of his designated successor, Emperor Henry II, who also interfered in domestic conflicts. Emperor Conrad II likewise had to defend his right of succession against the embittered resistance of the Burgundian nobility.


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

*[[H. M. Gwatkin|Gwatkin, H.M.]], [[J. P. Whitney|Whitney, J.P.]] (ed) et al. ''The Cambridge Medieval History: Volume III''. [[Cambridge University Press]], 1926.
==Sources==
*{{cite book |chapter=Burgundy and Provence, 879–1032 |first=Constance Brittain |last=Bouchard |title=The New Cambridge Medieval History |volume=3, c.900-c.1024 |editor-first1=Rosamond |editor-last1=McKitterick |editor-first2=Timothy |editor-last2=Reuter |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1999 }}
*Dessemontet, Olivier, "La Trêve de Dieu proclamée à Montriond sous Lausanne: état actuel de la question," ''Revue historique vaudoise'' 76 (1968) 35-54, [https://www.e-periodica.ch/cntmng?pid=rhv-001%3A1968%3A76%3A%3A273 online].
*Planta, Peter Conradin von, "Hugues de Bourgogne," in: ''Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse,'' version 2011, [https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/fr/articles/018456/2011-05-26/ online] (consulted 4 August 2024).
*{{cite book |first=C.W. |last=Previte-Orton |authorlink=Charles Previté-Orton |title=The Early History of the House of Savoy |url=https://archive.org/details/earlyhistoryofh00prev |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1912}}


{{s-start}}
{{s-start}}
{{S-hou|[[Elder House of Welf]]||{{c.}} 970|6 September|1032}}
{{s-reg}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Conrad I of Burgundy|Conrad I]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Conrad I of Burgundy|Conrad I]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[King of Burgundy]] |years=993&ndash;1032}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[King of Burgundy]] |years=993–1032}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor|Conrad II]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor|Conrad II]]}}
{{end}}
{{s-end}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Persondata
⚫
| name = Rudolph III of Burgundy
| alternative names =
⚫
| short description = King of Burgundy
| date of birth = 993
| place of birth =
| date of death = September&nbsp;6, 1032
| place of death =
⚫
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rudolph 03 Of Burgundy}}


[[Category:Kings of Burgundy]]
[[Category:Kings of Burgundy]]
[[Category:10th-century rulers in Europe]]
[[Category:10th-century monarchs in Europe]]
[[Category:11th-century rulers in Europe]]
[[Category:11th-century monarchs in Europe]]
[[Category:971 births]]
[[Category:970s births]]
[[Category:1032 deaths]]
[[Category:1032 deaths]]
[[Category:Elder House of Welf]]
[[Category:Elder House of Welf]]

Latest revision as of 14:29, 23 October 2024

Rudolph III
Seal of Rudolph III
King of Burgundy
Reign19 October 993 – 6 September 1032
PredecessorConrad I
SuccessorConrad II
Bornc. 970
Died6 September 1032
Burial
Lausanne Cathedral
ConsortAgiltrud
Ermengarde of Burgundy
IssueHugo, Bishop of Lausanne (illegitimate)
HouseElder House of Welf
FatherConrad I of Burgundy
MotherMatilda of France

Rudolph III (French: Rodolphe, German: Rudolf; c. 970 – 6 September 1032), called the Idle or the Pious, was the king of Burgundy from 993 until his death. He was the last ruler of an independent Kingdom of Burgundy, and the last legitimate male member of the Burgundian line of the Elder House of Welf.

Family

[edit]

Rudolph was the son and heir of King Conrad I of Burgundy (925–993).[1] His mother, Matilda (943–980), a member of the Frankish Carolingian dynasty, was the daughter of King Louis IV of France.[1] Rudolph himself had four sisters: an elder full sister, Gisela, who married the Ottonian duke Henry II of Bavaria some time before 972,[1] and became the mother of Emperor Henry II, and three half-sisters: Bertha, who married, firstly, Count Odo I of Blois in 983,[1] and, secondly, King Robert II of France in 996; Matilda, who possibly married Count Robert of Geneva; and Gerberga, who married Duke Herman II of Swabia in about 988. He also had a half-brother, Burchard, archbishop of Lyons.[2]

Reign

[edit]
Map of the Kingdom of Burgundy by William R. Shepherd (1926)

Rudolph succeeded to the Burgundian throne upon his father's death on 19 October 993 and was crowned king in Lausanne. His reign was marked with turbulence when he made attempts to confiscate several Burgundian estates. Unable to placate the increasingly powerful nobility, he also had to deal with encroachments of power on the part of Count Otto-William of Burgundy.

Like his father, Rudolph approached to the German Ottonian dynasty to stabilise his rule. His aunt Adelaide, widow of Emperor Otto I, and her grandson Otto III actively intervened in Burgundian affairs to secure his accession to power. In turn, Rudolph in 1006 ceded the city of Basel to his nephew Henry II, elected king of Germany in 1002.

Rudolph's first marriage with one Agiltrud (died 1011) remained childless.[3] On 28 June 1011, he married Ermengarde, a relative of Count Humbert I of Savoy and widow of Count Rotbold II of Provence.[3] Rudolph vested her with the County of Vienne[3] and Sermorens and further large estates up to Lake Geneva. However, no children were born from his second marriage too.

In 1016 King Rudolph entered into another conflict with Count Otto-William over the investiture of the archbishop of Besançon. He and Emperor Henry II met in Strasbourg where Henry succeeded in negotiating Rudolph to name him as his successor.[4] Henry marched against Otto-William and the Burgundian nobles quickly submitted. Henry's right of succession was confirmed at a 1018 diet in Mainz; however, upon his death in 1024, the question appeared again unsettled. Henry's Salian successor, King Conrad II occupied Basel and also began to negotiate with Rudolph to become his heir.[5] Rudolph was present at Conrad's imperial coronation at Easter 1027 and in August an inheritance contract was concluded. This agreement was contested by Rudolph's nobles, Counts Odo II of Blois and Reginald I of Burgundy.[5]

Rudolph died in 1032, at the age of 61, with no surviving legitimate issue. He was buried in Lausanne Cathedral. Conrad II then claimed the Kingdom of Burgundy and incorporated it in the Holy Roman Empire.

Rudolph's only attested illegitimate offspring, Hugo, was elected Bishop of Lausanne in 1018 or 1019 and served in this capacity until his death on 31 August 1037. He does not seem to have aspired to succeed his father in the kingship, and had attended on Emperor Henry II in 1019. On his death, Bishop Hugo was buried in Lausanne Cathedral next to his father, King Rudolph.[6]

Legacy

[edit]

As the last legitimate member of the Burgundian Welfs, Rudolph was considered a weak ruler by his contemporaries. The chronicler Wipo of Burgundy called him effete; according to Hermann of Reichenau, his rule was marked by idleness and chaos. Thietmar of Merseburg named the Burgundian counts the actual rulers, while Rudolph only held the royal title.

At least from 1018, Rudolph actually ruled as a mock king in the shadow of his designated successor, Emperor Henry II, who also interfered in domestic conflicts. Emperor Conrad II likewise had to defend his right of succession against the embittered resistance of the Burgundian nobility.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Bouchard 1999, p. 342.
  2. ^ Previte-Orton 1912, p. 10.
  3. ^ a b c Previte-Orton 1912, p. 13–14.
  4. ^ Previte-Orton 1912, p. 16.
  5. ^ a b Previte-Orton 1912, p. 27–28.
  6. ^ Planta 2011; Dessemontet 1968: 37, 53.

Sources

[edit]
  • Bouchard, Constance Brittain (1999). "Burgundy and Provence, 879–1032". In McKitterick, Rosamond; Reuter, Timothy (eds.). The New Cambridge Medieval History. Vol. 3, c.900 – c.1024. Cambridge University Press.
  • Dessemontet, Olivier, "La Trêve de Dieu proclamée à Montriond sous Lausanne: état actuel de la question," Revue historique vaudoise 76 (1968) 35-54, online.
  • Planta, Peter Conradin von, "Hugues de Bourgogne," in: Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, version 2011, online (consulted 4 August 2024).
  • Previte-Orton, C.W. (1912). The Early History of the House of Savoy. Cambridge University Press.
Rudolph III of Burgundy
Born: c. 970 Died: 6 September 1032
Preceded by King of Burgundy
993–1032 		Succeeded by
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