Hedwig of Gudensberg

Who is Hedwig of Gudensberg?

Hedwig of Gudensberg, also known as Hedwig of Hesse was a member of the Gisones family. She was the daughter and heiress of Giso IV, Count of Gudensberg, Count of Gudensberg and Hesse and his wife, Kunigunde of Bilstein.

Hedwig married in 1110 to Louis, the son of Count Louis the Springer of Thuringia. Her husband was elevated to Landgrave of Thuringia in 1131. After her brother Giso V, Count of Gudensberg, the County of Hesse and the other vast possessions of the Gisones dynasty fell to her and her husband and thus fell to the Thuringian branch of the Ludowingians dynasty.

In 1122, Hedwig's mother, Kunigunde of Bilstein remarried to Henry Raspe I, who was Louis I's younger brother. Kunigunde thus became her daughter's sister-in-law. Via these two marriages, the Thuringian counts inherited an extensive triple heritage:

⁕The possessions of the Gisones dynasty to the North of Marburg, including the bailiwick of Wetter

⁕A large part of the Lordship of Bilstein south of Marburg, plus the bailiff of Hersfeld Abbey

⁕The possessions of the Counts of Werner. This family had died out in 1121 and Hedwig's parents had inherited their possessions. These include the County of Maden-Gudensberg and the post of bailiff of the Fritzlar Cathedral, Hasungen Abbey and Breitenau Abbey