Beatrice of Reinhausen
Overview
Biography
Beatrice was a daughter of a noble Saxon family; her father was Elle of Reinhausen, her mother was from Katlenburg. They had four sons, Conrad, Heinrich, Hermann, and Udo, and three daughters, Beatrice, Mathilde, and Richenza. Udo, the addressee of Beatrice’s letter, became bishop of Hildesheim. Beatrice was presumably widowed by the time of the letter to her brother. She had two grown sons, Hermann and Conrad, two daughters, Sophia, who is the object of unwanted attention perhaps from the king (Henry IV)1, Burtgard, a nun, and some younger children still at home. Beatrice had apparently married outside of Saxony, 2, but her family supported the anti-king Rudolf of Swabia; they were part of the Saxon-Gregorian party and were involved in Saxon revolts against Henry. That was probably the cause of the exile of her sons and the loss of her property. Since Rudolf died as a result of battle wounds in 1080, there was a possibility of reconciliation, though Henry was not noted for mercy to his opponents.