St. Adelaide
931 - 999
Feastday: December 16
Adelaide was born in the year 931, the daughter of Rudolph II, King of Burgundy. At the time of his daughter’s birth, Rudolph was at war with Hugh of Provence for the crown of Italy. When Adelaide was only two years old, as part of a peace agreement between Rudolph and Hugh, her father promised her in marriage to Hugh’s son, Lothaire. At the tender age of 16, Adelaide was wed to Lothaire, and her mother, who was now widowed, married his father, Hugh.
The peace did not last long after this, however, as a man named Berengarius, the Marquis of Ivrea, tried to claim the Kingdom of Italy for himself. He forced Hugh to abdicate the throne to his son, Lothaire. He then supposedly poisoned Lothaire and tried to get Adelaide to marry his son, Adalbert. Adelaide refused, however, and was imprisoned for her refusal. Most of her time was spent in solitary confinement in a small room in the Castle of Garda, on the Lake of Garda.
It is said that a priest came and dug a tunnel to where she was being kept and helped her escape. She remained hidden in the woods until the Duke of Canossa, Alberto Uzzo, who had found out about her escape, came and carried her to his castle. During this time the Italians had turned against Berengarius and had compelled Otho to invade Italy. His invasion was successful and while in Canossa he met Adelaide and ended up marrying her on Christmas Day, 951 at Pavia.
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