[1] Through her father, Bertha was a member of the Hohenstaufen dynasty: her paternal uncle was king Conrad III and her brother was the future emperor Frederick Barbarossa.
[3] She used at least two different types of seal to authenticate her documents, on which she was riding astride on horseback, which was a highly unusual image for a medieval noblewoman to use.
[4] After the death of Matthias in 1176, he was succeeded by his son with Bertha, Simon, as duke of Lorraine.
[5] Because her son was an adult, her regency was considered illegal and widely opposed by the nobility, and resulted in her excommunication.
She was forced to resign from her political position and perform penitence before the Bishop of Metz.