Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/138

124 but a paralytic stroke seizing him at the time, he thought no more of any thing but how to make his escape from Italy, where his cruelties had made him hated. Ageltrude and Lambert made the best use of his absence. In a few days, they recovered a great part of their possessions, and their authority was fully re-established at Rome.

The principality of Benevento had been successively governed by the brothers of Ageltrude; but, in 891, the Greeks made themselves masters of it. Guy XIV. a descendant of this family, and governor-general of Spoleto, relieved them from this yoke, but imposed upon them one as heavy of his own. The people murmured, and the empress took this opportunity to re-establish one of her brothers, whom they had chased from the throne more than twelve years before.

The emperor Lambert died of a fall from his horse in 998; and his death left Berenger sole king of Italy. Circumstances obliged Ageltrude to treat with this prince; but it was like a wise able princess. She engaged him to secure to her two rich monasteries, and all her other possessions. She became duchess of Spoleto by the death of Lambert; and Berenger, who could not deny his esteem to a woman who had nobly performed the duties of a mother, by his own hand, at the bottom of their treaty, promised to be her friend, in the best sense of the word—himself to respect, and make others respect her domains; which, by the liberality of her husband and son, and her hereditary rights, were very considerable. F. C. BENOIT,