Adela of Flanders (also Ala and Alana in southern Italian sources) (c. 1064 – April 1115), was Queen consort of

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

by marriage to King

Canute IV Canute IV ( – 10 July 1086), later known as Canute the Holy ( da, Knud IV den Hellige) or Saint Canute (''Sankt Knud''), was King of Denmark from 1080 until 1086. Canute was an ambitious king who sought to strengthen the Danish monarchy ...

and duchess of

Apulia it, Pugliese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographic ...

by marriage to Duke

Roger Borsa Roger Borsa (1060/1061 – 22 February 1111) was the Norman Duke of Apulia and Calabria and effective ruler of southern Italy from 1085 until his death. Life Roger was the son of Robert Guiscard and Sikelgaita, a Lombard noblewoman. His ambiti ...

, and then regent of

from 1111 to 1115 as mother and guardian of Duke William II.

Life

Adela was born the daughter of

Robert I, Count of Flanders Robert I ( – 13 October 1093), known as ''Robert the Frisian'', was count of Flanders from 1071 to his death in 1093. He was a son of Baldwin V, Count of Flanders and the younger brother of Baldwin VI, Count of Flanders. He usurped the countsh ...

, and Gertrude of Saxony. In 1080 she married King

Canute IV of Denmark Canute IV ( – 10 July 1086), later known as Canute the Holy ( da, Knud IV den Hellige) or Saint Canute (''Sankt Knud''), was King of Denmark from 1080 until 1086. Canute was an ambitious king who sought to strengthen the Danish monarchy, ...

. The marriage was arranged as a part of an alliance between Flanders and Denmark against

William the Conqueror William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 10 ...

. During this marriage, she had three children: a son, later Count

Charles the Good Charles the Good (10842 March 1127) was Count of Flanders from 1119 to 1127. His murder and its aftermath were chronicled by Galbert of Bruges. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1882 through ''cultus'' ''confirmation''. Early life Charles w ...

(born in 1084), and twin daughters,

Cecilia Cecilia is a personal name originating in the name of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. The name has been popularly used in Europe (particularly the United Kingdom and Italy, where in 2018 it was the 43rd most popular name for girls born ...

and Ingegerd (born ca. 1085/86). When Canute was assassinated in 1086, she fled with her son to Flanders, leaving her daughters behind in Denmark. She stayed in the court of her father and brother Robert II until 1092, when she left for Italy to marry

, Duke of Apulia. She bore her second husband three sons: Louis (who died in infancy in 1094), the future Duke William II (born ca. 1096/97) and Guiscard (who died in boyhood in 1108). Romuald of Salerno, ''Chronicon'', ed. C.A. Garufi, p. 200. She acted as a regent for her son William II at the death of Roger Borsa from 1111 until he came of age in 1114.

References

Sources

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External links

Adela von Flandern
(in German) {{DEFAULTSORT:Adela of Flanders House of Flanders 1060s births 1115 deaths Danish royal consorts Hauteville family 12th-century women rulers 12th-century Danish people 12th-century Danish women 11th-century Danish people 11th-century Danish women Remarried royal consorts Duchesses of Apulia