Richelida

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Richelida or Richilda (died between 1034 and 1037) was the first wife of Boniface III of Tuscany. They were married sometime probably before 1015.

Richilda was the daughter of Giselbert II, Count of Bergamo, Her father was a count palatine in Rogeneto and imperial vicar first in Reggio nell'Emilia (1021) and then Verona.

Richilda received a grant of land in the county of Ferrara from the Emperor Henry II in 1016. In 1017, she made a grant of land to the abbey of Nonantula with her husband. Though he at that time was styling himself marchio (margrave), in both documents she bore only the title "countess." The first document bears a signum manus pro Richilde Comitissa.

Richilda was reputed a great benefactor of the poor according to Domnizo, the biographer of her stepdaughter Matilda of Canossa. Richilda had one daughter who predeceased her. She died sometime after 1034, but before her widower's second marriage to Beatrice of Bar. She was buried in Nogara, in a church she had endowed well.

[edit] References

  • Duff, Nora (1909). Matilda of Tuscany: La Gran Donna d'Italia. London: Methuen & Co.