Wigeric of Lotharingia

Who is Wigeric of Lotharingia?

Wigeric or Wideric was the count of the Bidgau and held the rights of a count within the city of Trier. He received also the advocacy of the Abbey of Saint Rumbold at Mechelen from Charles III of France. From 915 or 916, he was the count palatine of Lotharingia. He was the founder of the House of Ardennes.

At the death of Louis the Child, the Lotharingians rejected the suzerainty of Conrad I and elected Charles of France as their king. At the time, the military authority in Lotharingia was assigned to Count Reginar I of Hainaut, but at his death it fell to Wigeric, who became count palatine, exercising as such the military authority in Lotharingia.

Wigeric founded the monastery of Hastière, of which he also assumed the advocacy. He married Cunigunda, daughter of Ermentrude and granddaughter of Louis II of France. Their children were:

⁕Frederick, count of Bar, the duke of Upper Lorraine from 959

⁕Adalberon, bishop of Metz

⁕Gilbert, count in the Ardennes

⁕Sigebert

⁕Gozlin, count of Bidgau, married Uda of Metz, father of:

⁕Godfrey the Prisoner

⁕Adalberon, Archbishop of Reims