Biography of Emma of Paris Duchess of Normandy 943-968

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy. After this, Duke Hugh, seeing that the boy Richard was growing strong in power, with the agreement of Bernard of Senlis and with oaths sworn on both sides, betrothed his daughter, named Emma (age 7), to him, so that when he came to the flower of youth he might unite with her in lawful marriage. This matter greatly terrified King Louis and many of the nobles of the Franks, but most of all Arnulf of Flanders, the instigator of all treachery. For when Louis learned that these two lords of great power were bound by a bond of alliance, he feared that through their combined effort he might be cast down from the height of his kingship. Therefore, he sent Arnulf of Flanders, acting on his own counsel, to Otto, King across the Rhine, bearing the message that if he would completely crush Hugh the Great and bring the land of the Northmen under his own rule, he would without doubt give him the kingdom of Lotharingia, which had been promised to his father, King Henry, because of the battle on the plain of Soissons in which Henry had aided Charles, Louis's father, against Robert with successful outcome.

Post hæc Hugo dux considerans puerum Richardum viribus convalescere, consensu Bernardi Silvanectensis, sacramentis ab utraque parte juratis, filiam suam nomine Emma illi despondit, ut pubescens flore juventutis jungeret eam sibi lege conjugali. Quæ res Ludovicum regem plurimosque Francorum proceres valde perterruit, sed maxime Arnulphum Flandrensem totius fraudis incentorem. Ludovicus siquidem ut hos magnarum virium duces amoris vinculo connexos esse didicit, timens ne eorum conatu deponeretur a culmine regni, misit Arnulphum Flandrensem consultu ejusdem ad Othonem Transrhenanum regem, mandans quoniam, si Hugonem Magnum omnino contereret, et Northmannicam terram suo dominio subigeret, procul dubio Lothariense regnum illi contraderet, quod patri suo Henrico regi videlicet Transrhenano fuerat promissum, propter prælium Suessico [Suessonico] campo ipsius adjutorio a Carolo patre ipsius Ludovici contra Robertum prospere gestum.

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy. Hugh, at last the duke, worn out with age, when he saw that the final day¹ of his life was drawing near, summoned the leading men of his duchy and, with their counsel, strove to commend to Duke Richard, then in the blossoming flower of youth, his own son, also named Hugh, so that, protected by Richard's patronage, he would not be ensnared by the treachery of enemies. After Hugh's death, his daughter Emma (age 17), who had been taken from her father's house, was brought with the greatest rejoicing and honour into the walls of Rouen by the same Duke Richard, as he had once betrothed her, and he joined her to himself in lawful marriage².

Hugo denique dux senio fessus, cum novissimum sui exitus diem cerneret imminere, ascitis principibus sui ducatus, eorum consulto flore juventutis vernanti Richardo duci filium suum nomine Hugonem commendare studuit, ut, ejus patrocinio tutus, inimicorum fraudibus non caperetur. Post cujus obitum, filiam ejus nomine Emmam a paterna domo sublatam, idem dux, ut olim desponderat, cum sibi maximo tripudio et honore Rothomagensibus intulit moenibus, sibi eam jungens jure conjugali.

Note 1. Hugh the Great died on 16th June 956. He married (1) 922, Judith, daughter of Roger, Count of Maine; no issue, (2) 926 Eadhild, daughter of King Edward the Elder of the Anglo-Saxons, no issue, (3) 937 Hedwig, daughter of King Henry the Fowler, by whom he was the father of Hugh Capet, around 941-996, the founder of the House of Capet, who was elected King of the Franks following the death of King Louis V, son of King Lothair, in 987. The House of Capet ended with the execution of King Louis XIV in 1793, or, arguably, with the abdication of King Charles X in 1830. The male line remains extant in the form of the King Felipe VI of Spain.

Note 2. Flodoard, Part 3, Page 149 for the year 960: "Richard, son of William, prince of the Normans, took as wife the daughter of Hugh, formerly prince beyond the Seine."

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy. At that time his wife Emma, daughter of Hugh the Great, died [on 19th March 968] without children. He himself not long after took to wife a certain maiden named Gunnor, born of a most noble lineage of the Danes, and he espoused her according to Christian custom. From her he begot sons: namely Richard¹ and Robert and Mauger, and two others, and three daughters. Of these, one named Emma² married King Æthelred of the English, and from her that king begot Edward³ and Alfred, of whom Godwine later, by treacheries, caused the death of one [Alfred]. The second, called Hawise, was joined to Geoffrey, Count of the Bretons, and she brought forth Alan and Eudo, both dukes. The third, Matilda, to Count Odo, of whom mention will be made later. He also begot two sons and two daughters by concubines. One of these sons was called Geoffrey⁴, and the other was called William. The former was Count of Eu. When he died, his brother took that same county, which his heirs still hold by right of succession; although Count Gilbert, son of Count Godfrey, held that county for a time before he was killed. This Gilbert begot Richard, a most valiant knight, who, both he and his sons, Gilbert, Roger, Walter, and Robert, greatly loved the church of Bec, and enriched it with great possessions; imitating their grandfather, Count Gilbert, who, in founding the aforesaid church, aided the venerable Herluin, its first abbot and builder, both with counsel and with resources. Concerning that church and the said abbot we shall make mention in its proper place in a preceding account, as is fitting. For now, let it be enough to have spoken these things briefly by anticipation.

Qua tempestate Emma uxor ejus, filia Hugonis Magni, absque liberis moritur. Ipse vero non multo post quamdam virginem nomine Gunnor, ex nobilissima Danorum prosapia ortam sibi in matrimonium christiano more desponsavit. Ex qua filios genuit, Richardum videlicet et Robertum atque Malgerium, aliosque duos atque filias tres. Quarum una nomine Emma, Edelrodo regi Anglorum nupsit, de qua idem rex Edwardum et Aluredum. Godwini longo post dolis interemptum procreavit. Secunda vero Hadvis vocata Goiffredo Brittannorum comiti juncta, Alanum et Eudonem duces progenuit. Tertia quidem Mathildis Odoni comiti, de qua sermo in posteris orietur. Genuit etiam duos filios et totidem filias ex concubinis. Quorum unus Godefridus, alter vero dicebatur Willelmus. Horum prior comes fuit Aucensis. Quo defuncto, accepit frater ejus eumdem comitatum quem adhuc hæredes ejusjure successionis possident; licet comes Gislebertus filius Godefredi comitis ipsum comitatum parumper tenuerit, antequam occideretur. Hic Gislebertus genuit Richardum strenuissimum militem, qui tam ipse quam filii ejus, Gislebertus, Rogerius, Walterius, Robertus, ecclesiam Beccensem magno affectu dilexerunt et magnis possessionibus ditaverunt; imitantes comitem Gislebertum avum suum, qui in fundanda prædicta ecclesia venerabilem Herluinum primum abbatem et constructorem ipsius et consilio et rebus juvit. De qua ecclesia et prædicto ejus abbate, pracedenti tractatu, loco competenti prout decet, mentionem faciemus. Hic vero ista per anticipationem breviter dixisse sufficiat.

Note 1. Richard, around 980-1026, II Duke of Normandy. He married 1. Judith, 982-1017, daughter of Conan I of Brittany and Ermengarde, daughter of Geoffrey Count of Anjou, and 2. Poppa, daughter of Richeldis of Envermeu. Richard is the subject of Book 5.

Note 2. Emma of Normandy, around 984-1052. She married (1) 1002, King Æthelred the Unready and (2) 1017 King Cnut. With King Æthelred the Unready she has issue King Edward the Confessor, Godgifu, who married three times, and Alfred Ætheling, who died soon after being blinded by Earl Godwin of Wessex, father of King Harold. With King Cnut she had issue King Harthacnut, and Gunhilda, who married Henry III, King of East Francia and Holy Roman Emperor.

Note 3. King Edward "The Confessor" of England, 1003-1066, and Ælfred Ætheling Wessex, 1005-1036. Both sons of King Æthelred II of England and Emma aka Ælfgyfu of Normandy, Queen Consort England, daughter of Richard, Ist Duke of Normandy and Gunnora, and sister of Richard, 2nd Duke of Normandy.

Note 4. Geoffrey, 1st Count of Eu. Progenitor of the de Clare family, subsequently Earls of Pembroke.