Adalbert (died 723) was the

Duke of Alsace The Duchy of Alsace ( la, Ducatus Alsacensi, ''Ducatum Elisatium''; german: Herzogtum Elsaß) was a large political subdivision of the Frankish Empire during the last century and a half of Merovingian rule. It corresponded to the territory of Alsac ...

beginning after 683 and probably until his death. He was the second duke of the family of the

Etichonids The Etichonids were an important noble family, probably of Frankish, Burgundian or Visigothic origin, who ruled the Duchy of Alsace in the Early Middle Ages (7th–10th centuries). The dynasty is named for Eticho (also known as Aldarich), who r ...

and the first to inherit the duchy from his father. The son of Adalrich and Berswinda, Adalbert was created Count of the Sundgau by his father circa 683. It is unknown if Adalbert appointed another count to succeed him after taking over the ducal office, exercised the comital powers himself, or left the office vacant. Under Adalbert, Etichonid control of the offices of the duchy of Alsace and of the monasteries of the region became entrenched. Adalbert seems to have concentrated his power in northern Alsace (the later Nordgau) around the

Diocese of Strasbourg The Archdiocese of Strasbourg ( la, Archidioecesis Argentoratensis o Argentinensis; french: Archidiocèse de Strasbourg; german: Erzbistum Straßburg; gsw-FR, Ärzbischofsìtz Strossburi(g)) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdi ...

. He founded the convent of Saint Stephen at

Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label= Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label= Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the ...

and installed his daughter Attala as its first abbess. In 722 he established a monastery in honour of the

Saint Michael the Archangel Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), a ...

on an island in the

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , source ...

north of Strasbourg. This last establishment was co-founded by a group of monks from

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

led by the first abbot, Benedict. Honau passed to King Theuderic IV on Adalbert's death. Adalbert's first wife was Gerlinda (perhaps of Aquitaine); his second wife was Ingina, a wealthy woman of Alsace. Adalbert had three daughters:

Eugenia ''Eugenia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It has a worldwide, although highly uneven, distribution in tropical and subtropical regions. The bulk of the approximately 1,100 species occur in the New World tropics, ...

Gundlinda Gundelina (or Gundlinda) (c. 692 – c. 740), abbess, she was the third daughter of Duke Adalbert of Alsace and his first wife Gerlinda. She was the younger sister to saints Attala and Eugenia, both nuns and abbess An abbess (Latin: ''abbat ...

and Attala. The first two entered the nunnery of their aunt

Odilia Odile of Alsace, also known as Odilia and Ottilia, born c. 662 - c. 720 at Mont Sainte-Odile), is a saint venerated in the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. She is a patroness saint of good eyesight and of the region of Alsac ...

at Hohenburg, where Eugenia eventually succeeded as abbess. Gundlinda was later abbess of Niedermünster. In 845 the

Emperor Lothair I Lothair I or Lothar I (Dutch and Medieval Latin: ''Lotharius''; German: ''Lothar''; French: ''Lothaire''; Italian: ''Lotario'') (795 – 29 September 855) was emperor (817–855, co-ruling with his father until 840), and the governor of Bavar ...

confirmed all the charters which Adalbert had granted to his foundation at Strasbourg. Some attribute the daughters to Gerlinda while others attribute them to Ingina. Adalbert had two sons: Liutfrid and Eberhard. Liutfrid made Eberhard a count as early as the 720s. The sons are consistently attributed to Ingina.

References

Sources

* *Hummer, Hans J. ''Politics and Power in Early Medieval Europe: Alsace and the Frankish Realm 600 – 1000''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. See mainly pp 46–55. *Dunbar, A. P. C. ''A Dictionary of Saintly Women'', vol 1. London: 1904. {{Authority control Etichonid dynasty Dukes of Alsace 723 deaths Year of birth unknown