Theophanu preferred diplomacy, but she did wage wars when necessary and accepted personal risk. She carried out at least one (successful) military expedition herself, in 987, when she marched with an imperial army to assist the bishop of Liege against the count of Blois and Troyes. Due to illness beginning in 988, Theophanu eventually died at Nijmegen and was buried in the Church of St. Pantaleon near her wittum in Cologne in 991. The chronicler Thietmar eulogized her as follows: "Though [Theophanu] was of the weak sex she possessed moderation, trustworthiness, and good manners. In this way she protected with male vigilance the royal power for her son, friendly with all those who were honest, but with terrifying superiority against rebels." Because Otto III was still a child, his grandmother Adelaide of Italy took over the regency until Otto III became old enough to rule on his own. Historiography and depictions in arts Theophanu has always attracted considerable controversy from chroniclers and historiographers. While praised by Thietmar of Merseburg and Bruno of Querfurt, she was also criticized by some other scholars, notably Odilo of Cluny, the hagiographer of her mother-in-law and rival Adelaide. Odilo even blamed her for the failed Italian expedition of Otto II. Her modern historiographers are similarly divided, although sees the general trend as leaning towards the positive. Some see her as passive, reactive and conservative while the others see her as extremely future-oriented and energetic; still others like Jestice opine that current evidences are not enough to definitely conclude that Theophanu and the other prominent female Ottonian rulers were extraordinarily talented as individuals or not but it is clear that the Ottonian society (which basically treated women and men as equals, except in physical prowess) allowed women the chance to succeed. Her personal role or non-role in the contact or merging between the Macedonian Renaissance and Ottonian Renaissance inspires a lot of debate as well. Commemoration The Empress Theophano Prize, awarded by the Empress Theophano Foundation based in Thessaloniki, "rewards individuals or organisations who make an outstanding contribution to bridging Europe's historic diversities." On the occasion of the millennial commemoration of her death, multiple events in Germany and the Netherlands were organized. Children Adelaide I, Abbess of Quedlinburg and Gandersheim, born 973/974, died 1045. Sophia I, Abbess of Gandersheim and Essen, born October 975, died 1039. Mathilde, born summer 978, died 1025; who married Ezzo, count