SACHSEN Heilwich

Abt 0780 - 0833  (53 years)

• Name	SACHSEN Heilwich
  Birth	Abt 0780	Kingdom of Saxony, Frankish Empire
  Gender	Female
  Death	0833	Holy Roman Empire
  Notes	In the Vita Hludowici imperatoris (Life of Emperor Louis I the Pious), written by Thegan of Trier in about 836-837, Heilwig, is mentioned as a noblewoman of Saxon descent (Eigilwi, noblissimi generis Saxonici); the wife of Welf, and the mother of Judith, the second wife of Louis, married in 819.[1] Probably as a widow, Heilwig was appointed as Abbess of Chelles, about 825.[2] Her birth date is unknown but as Judith, her eldest daughter, and possibly eldest child is thought to have been born about 800-805, a birth date for Heilwig of about 780 seems reasonable. Ancestry Although she is of Saxon descent, her parents are never named and remain Unknown. It is possible she is related in some way to Ekbert, a Saxon Count. "A statement of Translatio S. Pusinnæ that abbess Haduwy (a granddaughter of Egbert) and Charles the Bald (grandson of Heilwig) were related in the third and fourth degree, and have suggested that this was due to a relationship between Heilwig and Egbert"[3] Isanbard, a count in Alemannia, who is attested from 774-806 is also proposed as her father, but there are no primary sources and it seems unlikely. Thiedrada/Theodrada, the daughter of Bernard, and grand daughter of Charles Martel is supposed to be the wife of Isanbard and mother of Heilwig, but this is impossible on chronological grounds. Thiedrada must have been born after about 772-773, which would make her a contemporary of Heilwig.[4] Isanbard is also proposed as the father of Heilwig's husband Welf.[5] Some later genealogies have Wittikind (Widukind) the Saxon leader defeated by Charlemagne as her father,[6] but again there are no primary sources for this relationship and it seems to be extremely doubtful. Family She was married to Welf, perhaps in about 800 and had 4 or possibly 5 children. (Only Judith is confirmed by sources as her daughter, other sources confirm the other children as Judith's siblings and it is thought that Heilwig is their mother as well.)[7] Judith (c.800-805 - 19 Apr 843), Empress and Queen of the Franks m. (819) Louis I, King of the Franks, Emperor Conrad "l'Ancien" (d. after 862), Count in Argengau and Linzgau m. Adelais of Tours Raoul/Rudolf I (d. 6 January 866), Count, Lay Abbot of Saint-Riquier and Jumièges m. Roduna/Hruodun Hemma/Emma (d. 31 January 876) m. (827), Louis, King the Eastern Franks (Possibly) Hrodroh/Ruadroh, who appears in a list of names after Heilwig, Konrad (Chuonrat) and Rudolf (Ruadolf) and before Hemma,[8]and is thought to be another son, died 1 February, year unknown.[9] Later life She was appointed as Abbess of Chelles about 825,[10] most likely through the influence of her daughter Judith, and probably after the death of Welf.[11] The Abbey of Chelles was renowned for its learning and "the monastery housed an important scriptorium" and the nuns were both "skilled copyists and authors of manuscripts".[12] Some important works were completed while Heilwig was Abbess.[13] The Ex Transtlatione S. Baltechildis, written in 833, confirms that Heilwig was still Abbess, and had been for 8 years. (venerabilis abbatissa Hegilwich, genetrix Iudith imperatricis ... predictae Hegilwich abbatissae, quae tunc octavo anno ipsum sanctum locum)[14] She died on the 5 November in a year unknown, but definitely 833 or later, [15] and probably at the Abbey of Chelles. Sources ↑ Thegani, p. 596; see also Baldwin 2012B ↑ Baldwin 2012B ↑ see Baldwin for more info ↑ Baldwin 2012B; Settipani, p. 358, note 1139 ↑ Baldwin, 2012A ↑ Saillot, p. 137 ↑ see Baldwin 2012A; Cawley, for details ↑ Confraternitates Augienses, p. 262 (col. 383); see also Baldwin 2012A ↑ Baldwin, 2012A, citing MGH Poet. Lat. 2: 579 (line 55n.) ↑ Holder-Egger, p. 284 ↑ Baldwin, 2012B ↑ Chelles Abbey - Wikipedia ↑ Nelson, p. 194 ↑ Holder-Egger, p. 284 ↑ Baldwin, 2012B Baldwin, S. (2012A, 16 August). 'Welf: Duke or count. Ancestor of the Welfs.' in The Henry Project, Stewart Baldwin & Todd Farmerie (Eds). Retrieved 29 December from https://fasg.org/projects/henryproject/data/welf0000.htm Baldwin, S. (2012B, 16 August). 'Heilwig (Eigilwi, Hegilwich).' in The Henry Project, Stewart Baldwin & Todd Farmerie (Eds). Retrieved 31 December 2015 from https://fasg.org/projects/henryproject/data/heilw000.htm Cawley, C. (2015, 31 August). 'Chapter 9A: Grafen im Linzgau, Grafen von Altdorf (Welf)' in Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families. Retrieved 29 December 2015 from http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SWABIAN%20NOBILITY.htm#_Toc428785911 'Chelles Abbey'. (2015, 21 April). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 31 December2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chelles_Abbey&oldid=657453379 Holder-Egger, O. (Ed.). Ex Translatione S. Baltechildis, in Scriptores (in Folio) 15: 1 Supplementa tomorum 1-XII, part 3, Hanover, 1887, pp. 284-285. (Monumenta Germaniae Historica, digitalised). Confraternitates Augienses, in Piper, P. (ed.). Necrologia Germaniae Supplement: Libri confraternitatum Sancti Galli, Augiensis, Fabariensis, Berlin, 1884, pp. 145-352. (Monumenta Germaniae Historica, digitalised) Nelson, J.L. (1996). The Frankish World, 750-900. A&C Black. Retrieved from Google Books Saillot, J. (1977). Les seize quariers des Reines et Impératrices Francaises (420-1920), France, Angers: SETIG. Settipani, C. & Van Kerrebrouck, P. (1993). La préhistoire des Capétiens 481-987: Première partie - Mérovingiens, Carolingiens et Robertiens, being volume 1 of Nouvelle histoire généalogique de l'auguste Maison de France, P. Van Kerrebrouck (Ed.); Villeneuve d'Ascq, France. 'Thegan of Trier'. (2015, 1 May). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 29 December 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thegan_of_Trier&oldid=660159819 Thegani Vita Hludowici imperatoris, in Pertz, G.H. (ed.), Scriptores (in Folio) 2: Annales et chronica aevi Carolinia, Hanover, 1829, pp. 585-603 (Monumenta Germaniae Historica, digitalised)
  Person ID	I57973	Freeman-Smith
  Last Modified	27 Jan 2026

  
  

  Family	WELF Welf,   b. Abt 0770   d. Bef 0825 (Age < 54 years)
  Marriage	0805
  Children	1. WELF Konrad,   b. Abt 0805, Bourgogne, Francia d. 22 Mar 0862, Auxerre, Bourgogne, Francia (Age 57 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F25866	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Jan 2026