Richilde of Provence

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Richilde of the Ardennes or Richilde of Provence (c.845-2 June 910) was the second wife of Charles the Bald, King and Emperor of the Franks. By her marriage, she became Queen of the West Franks, and then Empress of the Franks.

Richilde was the daughter of Bivin de Gorze, Count of the Ardennes, and the sister of Boso of Provence (of the Bosonid dynasty). Originally the concubine of Charles the Bald, she married him in 870 after the death of his first wife, Ermentrude of Orléans. She bore him one surviving daughter, Rothilde (c.871-c.928) who married first Hugues of Bourges and secondly Roger of Maine.

Whenever Charles went to war, Richilde managed the realm, and acted as head of state after the death of Charles in 877.

She planned to place her brother Boso, Duke of Burgundy, on the throne, after Louis the Stammerer (son of Charles the Bald and Ermentrude of Orléans) died shortly after his father while his children were too young to rule on their own. However, she was accused of incest with her brother and the lords of the kingdom refuse to subject themselves to her authority. She then helped Boso to become King of Provence.

She attempted to assume a position of authority upon the death of Louis III of France in 882, and of Carloman of France in 884; however, the empire was agitated and under threat by the Normans, and the grandees of the realm forced her to withdraw to Provence, where she died on 2 June 910.

Preceded by Engelberga	Empress of the Holy Roman Empire 875– 877	Succeeded by Richardis
Preceded by Ermentrude of Orléans	Queen of Western Francia 870–877	Succeeded by Adelaide of Paris