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Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2001-12 > 1008050809


From: "Todd A. Farmerie" <>
Subject: Re: Hugh king of Italy and his wives
Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2001 23:06:49 -0700
References: <83b02775.0111301547.7d6fcbb@posting.google.com>, <3.0.6.32.20011129211623.00979c50@ishipress.com>, <83b02775.0112010016.3ee0c6a9@posting.google.com>


Nichol wrote:
>
> >4. oo 926/930 Perozia mother of Boson (bp. Piazenza) and Bertha
> >(oo Romanos II. of Byzanz)
>
> Was Bertha-Eudokia really Hugo's illegitimate daughter? I've seen it
> suggested that she was really his niece, Theodora Berta of Lucca,
> daughter of his half-brother Guido, Marchese of Tuscany, and the
> notorious Marozia. Theodora Berta is usually said to never have
> married, but it seems strange that the Imperial Byzantine court would
> accept a bastard daughter of the Italian king as a wife for a son born
> in the royal purple (Romanos II, in case you weren't paying
> attention), over the half-sister of the self-proclaimed "Lord of Rome"
> (Alberic II), who was also a legitimate daughter of the Marchese of
> Tuscany, descended from the Carolingians, and strategically related to
> several Popes (John XI, John XII, John XIII, but who's counting?).


This was a political decision, and the Byzantines were rather,
well, Byzantine about their politics. They also did not seem to
have as big of a hangup about whether someone's parents were
legally married when it came to forming such alliances.

taf

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