Bertha of Holland

Bertha of Holland, also known as Berthe and erroneously as Berta or Bertrada, was Queen of France from 1072 until 1092 as the first wife of King Philip I of France. Her marriage to Philip was part of a peace treaty between her stepfather, Count Robert I of Flanders, and the king. Initially childless for nine years, the couple eventually had three children, including Louis VI, the future king. Philip repudiated Bertha in 1092 to marry Bertrade of Montfort, causing a scandal as both were already married.

Bertha’s life before becoming queen involved the assassination of her father, Count Floris I, and her mother’s subsequent remarriage to Robert of Flanders. Her queenship is not well-documented, but she did play a significant role in the Vita Arnulfi hagiography, where she is described exerting her royal power in ecclesiastical matters. After her repudiation and withdrawal to Montreuil-sur-Mer, she died in 1094, simplifying Philip’s subsequent marriage plans.