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Birth:          11 Nov  990 of Schwaben, Bavaria
Death:          14 Feb 1043 
Burial:         16 Feb 1043 

Notes
Gisela of Swabia (11 November 990 – 14 February 1043), a member of the Conradiner 
dynasty, was Queen consort of Germany from 1024 to 1039 and Empress consort of 
the Holy Roman Empire from 1027 to 1039 by her third marriage with Emperor Conrad 
II. She was the mother of Emperor Henry III. She was regent of Swavia for her minor 
son Duke Ernest II of Swabia in 1015.
Life[edit]
Gisela was the daughter of Duke Herman II of Swabia and Gerberga of Burgundy, 
daughter of King Conrad the Peaceful. Both her parents were descendants of 
Charlemagne.[1]

She first married the Saxon count Brun I of Brunswick, about 1002. Upon Brun's 
death, her second marriage was ca. 1012 with the Babenberg scion Ernest, who had 
been enfeoffed with the Duchy of Swabia by King Henry II at the death of Gisela's 
brother, Duke Herman III and aimed at legitimising himself as his heir. After Ernest's 
early death in 1015, Gisela became regent for their minor son Duke Ernest II of 
Swabia (Herzog Ernst). She was then removed from the regency by her third husband 
on grounds of her being too closely related to the late Babenberg duke, an incident 
which later led to a major conflict between Ernest II and his stepfather.

Her third marriage, who took place before January 1017, was to Conrad II, who was 
elected King of the Romans in 1024 and became Holy Roman Emperor in 1027. 
According to Thietmar of Merseburg, Archbishop Aribo of Mainz refused to crown her 
Queen of Germany, as he stated Gisela and Conrad were too closely related. 
Nevertheless, thirteen days after his coronation, Archbishop Pilgrim of Cologne 
crowned her instead.[2]

Gisela played an active part in politics, attending Imperial councils and having her 
uncle King Rudolph III of Burgundy transfer the succession of his Arelat realm to her 
husband Conrad. Also, she participated in several synods of the church. She took 
care of her sister Matilda's daughters Sophie and Beatrice,[3] who would both go on 
to play political roles as Countess of Bar and regent in the Italian March of Tuscany 
respectively. After Conrad's death in 1039, she and her son Henry III led the mourning 
progression.[4]

The empress died of dysentery at the Imperial Palace of Goslar in 1043. She is 
interred in the grotto of Speyer Cathedral, Germany along with several emperors and 
other members of the imperial family. Her tomb was opened in 1900 and Gisela's 
mummified body was found to be 172 cm (5' 8") tall, with long blond hair.

Children[edit]

Gisela and Brun I, Count of Brunswick had:
Liudolf, Margrave of Frisia (c. 1003 – 24 January 1038)
Daughter (c. 1004 – ?), married Count Thiemo II of Formbach
Gisela (c. 1005 – c. 1052), married Count Berthold of Sangerhausen

Gisela and Ernest I, Duke of Swabia had:
Ernest II, Duke of Swabia (c. 1013 – 17 August 1030)
Herman IV, Duke of Swabia (c. 1015 – 28 July 1038)

Gisela and Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor had:
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor (28 October 1017 – 5 October 1056)
Matilda (1027 – January 1034), betrothed to Henry I of France
Beatrix (c. 1030 – 26 September 1036)

Parents
VON OENINGEN Hermann II (ABT  966 - 4 May 1003)
OF BURGUNDY Gerberga (ABT  965 - 7 Jul 1018)

Siblings
OF SWABIA Gisela (Gisele) (11 Nov  990 - 14 Feb 1043)
DE SWABIA Matilda (Mathilde) (ABT  998 - ABT 1034)

Marriage To VON BRAUNSCHWEIG Bruno (ABT  975 - ABT 1010)
    m. ABT 1002 

Notes

Parents
____ Ekbert "One Eyed" (ABT  930 - 5 Apr  994)
____ Frederuna (ABT  934 - )

Children by VON BRAUNSCHWEIG Bruno ABT  975 - ABT 1010
VON BRAUNSCHWEIG Liudolf (Ludwig) (ABT 1006 - 23 Apr 1038)

Marriage To OF FRANCONIA Conrad (Konrad) II "the Salic" ( 989 - 4 Jun 1039)
    m. BEF Jan 1017 

Notes
his 3d her 3d

Parents
OF FRANCONIA Henry (Heinrich) (ABT  969 - 28 May  989)
OF METZ Adelaide (Adelheid) (ABT  970 - 19 May 1040)

Children by OF FRANCONIA Conrad (Konrad) II "the Salic"  989 - 4 Jun 1039
____ Henry (Heinrich) III "the Black" (28 Oct 1017 - 5 Oct 1056)

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