Born: 860 (circa), Italy
Died: 27 August 923
Country most active: Italy
Also known as: Agiltrude, Ageltrude di Benevento or Ageltrude of Benevento
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Ageltrude: an Empress and Queen of Italy who wed to Guy (reigned 891–94). As a devoted regent, she championed her son Lambert’s reign (894–98), actively opposing the Carolingians and influencing pivotal papal elections in their favor.
Ageltrude hailed from a noble lineage, daughter of Prince Adelchis of Benevento and Adeltrude. Her story with Guy began around 875 when he held the titles of Duke and Margrave of Spoleto and Camerino. By 889, Guy ascended to King of Italy, crowning her queen. In 891, he achieved imperial status. Tragedy struck in 894 with Guy’s passing, thrusting Ageltrude into the role of regent, fiercely safeguarding her son’s rightful succession against the opposition.
In 894, she embarked on a historic journey to Rome alongside her 14-year-old son, Lambert. Their destination: confirmation as emperor by Pope Formosus, a supporter of Carolingian claimant Arnulf of Carinthia.️ In 896, Rome’s political landscape forced Ageltrude and Lambert to flee to Spoleto, as Arnulf’s opposition escalated to a coronation. The tide turned when Arnulf was paralyzed by a stroke and Formosus passed away.
️Seizing the moment, Ageltrude demonstrated her prowess, asserting authority in Rome and securing the election of her preferred candidate, Pope Stephen VI. A defining moment arrived with the Cadaver Synod, where Formosus’s remains were exhumed, tried, convicted, and cast into the Tiber, solidifying Lambert as Lambert II of Spoleto.
Tragedy struck anew in 898 with Lambert’s passing. Ageltrude retreated from politics, finding solace in the tranquility of the Camerino and Salsomaggiore convents. Her legacy echoes through history, a testament to her strategic brilliance and unwavering dedication to her son’s legacy.