| Hedwig of Babenberg | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Duchess consort of Saxony | |
| Tenure | 880 - 903 |
| Died | 24 December 903 |
| Spouse | Otto I, Duke of Saxony |
| Issue | Thankmar Liudolf Henry the Fowler Oda of Saxony |
| Father | Henry, Margrave of the Franks |
| Mother | Ingeltrude |
Hedwig (also known asHadewig orHathui; died 24 December 903),[1] wasDuchess of Saxony (from about 880 until her death) by her marriage with theLiudolfing dukeOtto the Illustrious. She was the mother of KingHenry the Fowler.
Her parentage is not clearly stated in contemporary sources, but she was probably the daughter ofHenry of Franconia (d. 886), documented as aprinceps militiae of theEast Frankish kingLouis the Younger anddux ofAustrasia under emperorCharles the Fat.Dux Henry died fighting against theVikings during theSiege of Paris inWest Francia.[2]
Hedwig married Otto (d. 912), a younger son of lateSaxon countLiudolf. Her husband's family had already achieved a dominating position in thestem duchy of Saxony; Otto's sisterLiutgard was married to King Louis the Younger about the same time. With the support of his brother-in-law King Louis the Younger, Otto succeeded as head of the Liudolfing dynasty and heir of the Saxon estates, when his elder brotherBruno was killed fighting against the Vikings in the 880Battle of Lüneburg Heath. Hedwig's husband remained a loyal supporter of the Carolingian dynasty, while he rose to the position of aSaxon duke (Herzog).
Hedwig and Otto had three sons: Henry the Fowler (who succeeded his father in 912) and his elder brothers Thankmar and Liudolf, who both died young; as well as a daughter,Oda who married KingZwentibold of Lotharingia, an illegitimate son of EmperorArnulf, in 897.[1]
Hedwig of Babenberg ElderHouse of Babenberg Born:c. 850/55 Died: 24 December 903 | ||
| Preceded by Oda of Billung | Duchess consort of Saxony 880–903 | Succeeded by |