Adela of Meissen

Adela of Meissen
Queen consort of Denmark
Tenure1152–1157
Died(1181-10-23)23 October 1181
SpouseSweyn III of Denmark
Adalbert III, Count of Ballenstedt
HouseWettin
FatherConrad, Margrave of Meissen
MotherLuitgard of Ravenstein

Adela of Meissen (also Adelheid or Adele) (died 23 October 1181) was a Danish Queen consort, spouse of King Sweyn III of Denmark.

Life

Adela was born in Meissen, northwest of Dresden.[1] She was the second-youngest daughter of Conrad, Margrave of Meissen and Luitgard of Ravenstein.[2] Her siblings included Otto II, Margrave of Meissen; Theodoric I, Margrave of Lusatia; Dedi III, Margrave of Lusatia and Agnes II, Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg.[3]

Adela was married to Sweyn III of Denmark in 1152. As queen of Denmark, Adela was not popular and was criticized for influencing her spouse to abandon Danish customs in favour of German ones.[2]

Widowed in 1157, she remarried to count Adalbert III of Ballenstedt.[2]

Issue

Issue with Swein

Issue with Adalbert

  • Gertrudis, spouse of Walther of Arnstein[2]

References

  1. ^ "Adela of Meissen (fl. 12th century)". Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Gale Research Inc. p. 73. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Bricka, Carl Frederik. "Dansk biografisk Lexikon / I. Bind. Aaberg - Beaumelle". runeberg.org (in Danish). p. 97. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  3. ^ Lyon, Jonathan R. (15 January 2013). Princely Brothers and Sisters: The Sibling Bond in German Politics, 1100–1250. Cornell University Press. p. 247. ISBN 978-0-8014-6784-4.

Sources

  • Alf Henrikson: Dansk historia (Danish history) (1989) (Swedish)
  • Sven Rosborn (In Swedish): När hände vad i Nordens historia (1997)