The descriptions of the female aristocracy in the age of Lothar I differ somewhat from those of the preceding and following age: in general, women do not appear on the scene as a source of conflict or scandal, but instead seem to hide behind a stereotyped and aseptic image. This seems to apply especially to Lothar I’s bride, Ermengard. However, a broader analysis shows that, in practice, the empress’s political interventions greatly contributed to the acceptance of Lothar in the vast imperial space. Conversely, the control of women’s behaviour was a very important issue in defining Lothar’s imperial authority. This is shown by his decision to punish the nun Gerberga of Chalon-sur-Saône and to increase the protection around the royal nunnery of Santa Maria Teodota in Pavia. In the age of Lothar, the imperial power over women underlines his ability to potentially avoid the problems linked to the impurity of women’s bodies, their sexuality and the political turmoil.
University of Padua, Italy - ORCID: 0000-0001-8634-9809
Chapter Title
Lothar I and the visibility of the female aristocracy
Authors
Maria Cristina La Rocca
Language
English
DOI
10.36253/979-12-215-0771-3.05
Peer Reviewed
Publication Year
2025
Copyright Information
© 2025 Author(s)
Content License
Metadata License
Book Title
Aristocratic networks. Elites and social dynamics in Italy in the age of Lothar I
Editors
Giuseppe Albertoni, Manuel Fauliri, Leonardo Sernagiotto
Peer Reviewed
Number of Pages
350
Publication Year
2025
Copyright Information
© 2025 Author(s)
Content License
Metadata License
Publisher Name
Firenze University Press
DOI
10.36253/979-12-215-0771-3
ISBN Print
979-12-215-0770-6
eISBN (pdf)
979-12-215-0771-3
eISBN (xml)
979-12-215-0773-7
Series Title
Reti Medievali E-Book
Series ISSN
2704-6362
Series E-ISSN
2704-6079