Background
Gisela was the daughter of Duke Herman II of Swabia and Gerberga of Burgundy, daughter of King Conrad the Peaceful.
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Gisela Swabia
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She was the mother of Emperor Henry III. 1012 with the Babenberg scion Ernest, who had been enfeoffed with the Duchy of Swabia by King Henry II at the death of Gisela"s brother, Duke Herman III and aimed at legitimising himself as his heir. Her third marriage, who took place beofre January 1017, was to Conrad II, who was elected King of the Romans in 1024 and became Holy Roman Emperor in 1027. According to Thietmar of Merseburg, Archbishop Aribo of Mainz refused to crown her Queen of Germany, as he stated Gisela and Conrad were too closely related.
Nevertheless, thirteen days after his coronation, Archbishop Pilgrim of Cologne crowned her instead.
Also, she participated in several synods of the church. The empress died of dysentery at the Imperial Palace of Goslar in 1043.
Her tomb was opened in 1900 and Gisela"s mummified body was found to be 172 cm (5" 8") tall, with long blond hair.
Membership
She is interred in the grotto of Speyer Cathedral, Germany along with several emperors and other members of the imperial family.
