Gertrude of Bavaria

Who was Gertrude of Bavaria?

Gertrude of Bavaria and Saxony was a German noble, a duchess of Swabia as the spouse of Frederick IV, Duke of Swabia, and a Danish Queen consort as the spouse of King Canute VI of Denmark.

Born to Henry the Lion of Bavaria and Saxony and Clementia of Zähringen. She was married to Frederick IV, Duke of Swabia, on 1166, and became a widow in 1167. In 1171 she was engaged and in February 1177 married to Prince Canute of Denmark in Lund. The couple lived the first years in Skåne. On 12 May 1182, she became queen. She did not have any children. During her second marriage, she chose to live in chastity and celibacy with her husband. Arnold of Lübeck remarked of their marriage, that her spouse was : "The most chaste one, living thusly his days with his chaste spouse" in eternal chastity.