Research Notes:

The Genealogica comitum Buloniensium records that "Karolus dux" was father of "Ermengardem et Gerbergam". The Gesta Abbatem Trudonensium, on the other hand, names "Hermegardam Namursi cometissam" as only daughter of "Ottoni duci Lotharingiæ", son of Duke Charles. The latter appears chronologically impossible [inasmuch as source documents] attest Ermengarde as the mother of at least three of her husband's children. The Fundatio Ecclesiæ S Albani Namucensis is less specific on Ermengarde's origin when it names her son "comes Albertus secundus, ortus ex patre Lothariensi" referring to his mother as "matre vero Francigena Ermengarde, nobilissimam Francorum regum prosapiam trahente". The birth date range of Ermengarde is estimated on the basis of her having been the mother of all Comte Albert's recorded children. Her marriage date is suggested by Richer, who does not name her among the children of her father when the family was imprisoned in 991: "Karolum…cum uxore Adelaide et filio Ludovico, et filiabus duabus, quarum altera Gerberga, altera Adelaidis dicebatur, necnon et Arnulfo nepote". This presumably indicates that her marriage predated this imprisonment. It has been suggested that Ermengarde was Albert [I]'s second wife, considering the likely difference in their ages. If this is correct, it is unlikely that there were any surviving children from his earlier marriage as Albert's successor (presumably his eldest son) was the son of his surviving wife, presumably Ermengarde, as shown by the Gesta Episcoporum Cameracensium which records that "Rotberdo Namurcensi comite" betrayed Lambert Comte de Louvain after the battle of Hougaerde (dated to 1013) and that Lambert, captured by "Herimannum…comitem", was released after the intervention of "Rotbodi…comitis mater". ²