Editing Adelaide of Italy (section)

===Holy Roman Empress===
Adelaide accompanied her husband on his second expedition to Italy  to subdue the revolt of Berengar II and to protect [[Pope John XII]]. In [[Rome]], Otto the Great was crowned [[Holy Roman Emperor]] on 2 February 962 by Pope John XII. Breaking new ground, Pope John XII also crowned Adelaide as [[Holy Roman Empress]].{{sfn|Müller-Mertens|1995|p=251}} In 960, a new ''ordo'' was created for her coronation and anointing, including prayers to biblical female figures, especially [[Esther]]. The ''ordo'' presents a theological and political concept that legitimizes the empress's status as a divinely ordained component of the earthly rule.{{sfn|Buchinger|2016|p=12}} In 966, Adelaide and the eleven-year-old Otto II, travelled again with Otto on his third expedition to Italy, where the Emperor restored the newly elected [[Pope John XIII]] to his throne (and executed some of the Roman rioters who had deposed him). Crucial to Otto's establishing legitimacy in his conquest of Italy and in bringing the imperial crown to the couple, was the support of Adelaide and her extensive network of relations. As heir to the Italian throne, Adelaide established for late Carolingian traditions the legitimate claim over Italy by the imperial throne.{{sfn|Wilson|2016|p=PR17}}{{sfn|Buchinger|2016|pp=5–8}}

Adelaide remained in Rome for six years while Otto ruled his kingdom from Italy. Otto II was crowned co-emperor in 967, then married the Byzantine princess [[Theophanu]] in April 972, resolving the conflict between the two empires in southern Italy and ensuring the imperial succession. Adelaide and her husband returned to Germany, where Otto I died in May 973, at the same [[Memleben]] palace where his father had died 37 years earlier.

After her coronation, which increased her power as she was now ''consors regni'' and able to receive people from the entire Empire, Adelaide's interventions in political decisions increased. According to Buchinger, "Between 962 and 972 Adelheid appears as intervenient in seventy-five charters. Additionally Adelheid and Otto I are named together in Papal bulls". She often protected the ecclesiastic institutions, seemingly to gain a sphere of influence separate from that of her husband. Between 991 and 993, the brothers of Feuchtwang wrote to her and requested to be "protected by the shadow of your rule from now on, we may be safe from the tumults of secular attacks". They promised they would pray for her so that her reign would be long and stable.{{sfn|Buchinger|2016|pp=10,13}}

Adelaide wielded a great amount of power during her husband's reign, as evidenced by several requests made to her.  A letter, written in the 980s by her daughter [[Emma of Italy|Emma]] demanded that Adelaide intervene against Emma's enemies and mobilize forces in the Ottonian Empire. She also asked  that Adelaide capture [[Hugh Capet]], who was already elected king of [[West Francia|West Frankia]] in 987.
Another enemy of Emma's was [[Charles, Duke of Lower Lorraine|Charles]], the brother of Emma's deceased consort [[Lothair of France|Lothar]], who had accused his sister-in-law of adultery. Another pleader was [[Pope Sylvester II|Gerbert of Aurillac]], at that time archbishop of Reims (the later Pope Sylvester II), who wrote to Adelaide to ask for protection against his enemies. Buchinger remarks that, "These examples are remarkable, because they imply that Adelheid had the possibilities to help in both cases or at least Emma and Gerbert do believe that she could have intervened and succeeded. Both are themselves important political figures in their realm and still they rely on Adelheid. Adelheid’s power and importance must have been extremely stable and reliable to do as wished by the pleaders."{{sfn|Buchinger|2016|p=14}}