Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy

Beatrice of Burgundy (1143 – 15 November 1184) was a Sovereign Duchess of Burgundy, and a Holy Roman Empress consort by marriage to Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor.

Beatrice was the only surviving child of Renaud III, Count of Burgundy and Agatha of Lorraine. Orphaned as a child, she inherited the County of Burgundy and became one of the most desirable heiresses in France.

Beatrice and Frederick were married on 9 June 1156 at Würzburg. She was 13 years of age; he was 33. By this marriage Frederick obtained control of the vast county of Burgundy.

The poem Carmen de gestis Frederici I imperatoris in Lombardia, written about 1162, describes Beatrice upon her wedding day:

She then became the second wife of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, and as such Holy Roman Empress, at the age of about 12. The couple had 11 children, most of whom died young. Beatrice was active at the Hohenstaufen court, encouraging literary works and chivalric ideals. She accompanied her husband on his travels and campaigns across his kingdom, and he was known to be under Beatrice's influence. She was crowned Holy Roman Empress by Antipope Paschal III in Rome on 1 August 1167, and later as Queen of Burgundy at Vienne in August 1178.

In 1184, Beatrice fell ill with an unknown illness at Jouhe and quickly died, aged about 40. She was buried in Speyer Cathedral, but her heart was buried in Jouhe's old Benedictine abbey.

She had the following children:

1. Beatrice (b. 1162 – d. 1174). She was betrothed to King William II of Sicily but died of tuberculosis before they could be married.
2. Frederick V, Duke of Swabia (b. Pavia, 16 July 1164 – d. 28 November 1170).
3. Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor (b. Nijmegen, November 1165 – d. Messina, 28 September 1197).
4. Conrad (b. Modigliana, February 1167 – d. Acre, 20 January 1191), later renamed Frederick VI, Duke of Swabia after the death of his older brother.
5. Daughter (Gisela?) (b. October/November 1168 – d. 1184), died young.
6. Otto I, Count of Burgundy (b. June/July 1170 – killed, Besançon, 13 January 1200).
7. Conrad II, Duke of Swabia and Rothenburg (b. February/Marc 1172 – killed, Durlach, 15 August 1196).
8. Renaud (b. October/November 1173 – d. in infancy).
9. William (b. June/July 1176 – d. in infancy).
10. Philip of Swabia (b. August 1177 – killed, Bamberg, 21 June 1208) King of Germany in 1198.
11. Agnes (b. 1181 – d. 8 October 1184). She was betrothed to King Emeric of Hungary but died before they could be married.

Beatrice is a character in Umberto Eco's novel Baudolino, whose (fictional) protagonist is deeply in love with her - a love never consummated except for a single kiss.