"Hludowicus…imperator augustus" names "sponsam nostram Angilbergam" in a charter dated 5 Oct [860] by which he granted Campo Miliacio in the county of Modena to her. Engelberga´s origins are unknown. According to some secondary sources, she was the daughter of Adalgis [I] Count of Parma, Duke of Spoleto [Supponidi]. Jean-Noël Mathieu highlghts that this is supported only by Count Suppo [III] being referred to in 870 as consobrinus of the emperor´s wife. The origin of Empress Engelberga is discussed briefly by Odegaard, who dismisses the proposed Supponidi connection but proposes no alternative theory. Some clue is also suggested by Emperor Karl III who confirmed grants to "Angilbergam…Hludouuici…imperatori consobrini nostri coniugem augustam, dilectam sororem nostram" by charter dated 23 Mar 880. In addition, Emperor Karl refers to Engelberga's daughter as "neptam nostram Hermingardam…filioque suo Hludouuico nepoti nostro et sororibus eius". Jean-Noël Mathieu suggests that these references could mean that Engelberga was the uterine half-sister of the emperor, the daughter of his mother Emma by an otherwise unknown first marriage. However, this assumes that "soror" and "neptis" should be interpreted in these documents in their strictest sense, although a wide variety of meaning is attributed to the terms in contemporary sources. Another possibility is that Engelberta was related to Emperor Karl III through his wife Richardis, who was the daughter of Graf Erchanger. The different possibilities are too numerous and uncertain for further speculation about Engelberga´s parentage to be worthwhile.
Engelberga´s over-bearing manner triggered her arrest and that of her husband at Benevento in Aug 871, although their release was negotiated within a month by the bishop of Benevento. "Hludowicus…imperator augustus" granted the abbey of San Salvatore to "nostra coniux…Angilberga ante filiam…nostrum Hermengardem" by charter dated at Venosa 28 Apr 868.
Abbess of San Salvatore at Brescia 868. Suspected of supporting the usurpation of her son-in-law King Boso, she was imprisoned in a convent in Alemania by Charles III "le Gros" King of the East Franks, but returned to Italy with his permission in Oct 882.
Abbess of San Sisto at Piacenza in 896. 1
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