Adalberto Atto, marquis of Canossa

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adalbert_Atto_of_Canossa [9 languages]

Adalbert Atto (or Adalberto Azzo) (died 13 February 988) was the first Count of Canossa and founder of that noble house which eventually was to play a determinant role in the political settling of Regnum Italicum and the Investiture Controversy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. .. ...

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• http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORTHERN%20ITALY%20900-1100.htm#Ada...

3. ADALBERTO ATTO (-13 Feb after 975, bur Church of St Appollonius near Canossa[117]). The Alberti Milioli Notarii Regini Liber de Temporibus records the arrival "in comitatu Lucensium" of "comes Sigifredus…cum tribus filiis…Sigifredus, Atto, Gerardus" and the building of "arcem Canosinam" by "comes Atto secundus frater" in May 915[118], although this date appears to be extremely early in light of the other known details of Atto's career. Adelaide Queen of Italy, widow of Lothar King of Italy, took refuge in the castle of Canossa after escaping from imprisonment by Berengario d´Ivrea who installed himself as King of Italy after the death of her husband in 950. "Atto filio quondam…Attoni de Comitatu Parmense" received money from "Adalberto qui et Atto, consobrino meo, filio quondam Aigefredi de Comitatu Lucensi" in 958[119]. Adalberto Atto offered her hand in marriage to Emperor Otto I, who obliged King Berengario to raise his siege of Canossa. He was referred to as Count in a [958/61] document, and as Conte di Reggio e Modena in 20 Apr 962. He was created Count of Mantua in 977[120]. The Alberti Milioli Notarii Regini Liber de Temporibus records the death "Id Feb" of "Atto" and his burial "in arce Canusina"[121].

m ILDEGARDE, daughter of --- (-11 Jan [982], bur Canossa). The Alberti Milioli Notarii Regini Liber de Temporibus names "comitissam Ildegarda" as wife of "comes Atto", recording that she built "monasterium de Brixill", and her death "III Id Jan" and burial "in arce Canusina"[122].

 Adalberto Atto & his wife had four children: 

• http://genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00636361&tree=LEO

Adalbert Atto or Adalberto Azzo (died 13 February 988) was the first Count of Canossa and founder of that noble house which eventually was to play a determinant rôle in the political settling of Italy and the Investiture Controversy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries.

Adalbert first appears in sources as a son of Sigifred, who is called de comitatu Lucensi, signifying that he hailed from Lucca. He was originally a vassal of King Lothair II and a miles of Adelard, Bishop of Reggio. He rose to prominence rapidly by sheltering Queen Adelaide in his castle at Canossa after she fled from the castle of Garda (951), where Berengar II had imprisoned her.

In 958, he was made a count sine re, by Adelaide. He did not appear again as a count in documents until December 961, during Berengar's ascendancy. On 20 April 962, he appeared as count of Reggio and Modena (comes Regensis sive Mutinensis). These appointments were probably a further product of his support for Adelaide and her new husband, Otto I of Germany. With the queen, he negotiated a division of power with the bishop of Reggio whereby the bishop was confirmed as comes civitatis, count of the city, and Adalbert as comes comitatus, count of the county, where the county was said to begin three or four miles outside the city walls. He appears with a similar title, comes comitatus Mantuanensis, in Mantua in a letter of the abbess of Santa Giulia dated 10 June 977.

In 984, Adalbert appears as a margrave. When Henry II, Duke of Bavaria, was acclaimed as king that year, he united Parma, Piacenza, Bergamo, Cremona, and Brescia to Adalbert's territories. However, Henry's usurpation of the throne was brief.

Adalbert Atto built a monastery at Canossa in 961, dedicated to S. Apollonio in 971. He also built a monastery at Brescello. He and his family were all buried in S. Apollonio.

Adalbert married the Supponid Hildegard (Ildegarda) and had three sons: Geoffrey and Tedald, who became respectively bishop (970) and count (1001) of Brescia, and Rudolph, who predeceased him. He had a daughter Prangarda who married Manfred I of Susa.