Gilbert, Duke of Lorraine

Gilbert
Duke of Lotharingia
Died	2 October 939 (aged 49)
Noble family	House of Reginar
Spouse(s)	Gerberga of Saxony
Issue	Henry Alberade Hedwige Gerberge
Father	Reginar, Duke of Lorraine
Mother	Alberada

Gilbert(orGiselbert) (c. 890 – 2 October 939) was son ofReginarand the brother-in-law of theOttonianemperor,OttoI. He wasduke of Lotharingia(orLorraine) until 939. Gilbert was also lay abbot of Echternach, Stablo-Malmedy, St Servatius of Maastricht, and St Maximin of Trier.

The beginning of the reign of Gilbert is not clear. Adux Lotharingiaeis mentioned in 910 and this may have been Gilbert. Lotharingia sided withCharles IIIin 911, who was deposed inWest Franciain 922 byRobertbut remained king in Lotharingia, from where he tried to reconquer West Francia until being imprisoned in 923. In 923, Gilbert and Archbishop Ruotger of Trier invited the Ottonian kingHenryI to invade Lotharingia. In 924, Gilbert changed his allegiance over to the West Frankish kingRudolf.After Henry managed to occupy Lotharingia in 925, Gilbert swore fealty to him and Henry transferred the abbey of St Servatius of Maastricht (which had been taken from him and given to the church of Trier in 919) to Gilbert. To secure their relationship, Gilbert was also married to Henry's daughter,Gerberga of Saxony.

Following Henry's death in 936, Gilbert rebelled against the former's son,OttoI in 939, changing his allegiance to the West Frankish king,Louis IV.Gilbert managed to be practically independent for three years until he was defeated by the army of Otto I in 939 at theBattle of Andernach.Gilbert was made prisoner, but managed to escape; while fleeing, he drowned trying to cross theRhine.Lorraine was given toHenry I, Duke of Bavaria.

External links

• Ernst Ludwig Dümmler (1879), "Giselbert von Lothringen",Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie(in German), vol. 9, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 196–198
• Eduard Hlawitschka (1964),"Giselbert",Neue Deutsche Biographie(in German), vol. 6, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 414–415;(full text online)