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AQUITAINE DUKEDOM

Recommended reading includes: "Eleanor of Aquitaine" (Alison Weir);

"Eleanor April Queen of Aquitaine" (Douglas Boyd).

GUYENNE

Aquitaine was included in the Merovingian empire from c.500, but

for quite some time after the region was left in the hands of the Gallo-Roman aristocracy.

    Later, Guyenne (or Guienne) was a province in South-Western France, which later merged (with Gascony) into the duchy of Aquitaine in the 12th century. The early generations are not fully substantiated.

EARLY AQUITAINE DUKEDOM

The sole evidence of Eudo's origin appears to be a Charter (dated 30th January 845) confirming the possessions of Saint-Marie Monastery at Alarcon. The charter suggests Eudo was the son of DUKE BOGGIS OF AQUITAINE (died c.668), in turn the son of King Charibert II of Aquitaine (died 631, age 14). It states that after Charibert's death, his elder half-brother King Dagobert I of the Franks granted Aquitaine to Charibert's son, Boggis, who would have had to have been a baby, which is most unlikely. For Boggis (born, say 640), to have had a son and heir Eudo who died not died until 735 is equally improbable. It seems likely that the 845 charter was in error over events which had occurred over 200 years earlier. It also means some of the other events noted below that took place prior to 845 could be suspect.

[LUPE201] Duke Eudo of Aquitaine m. [WALC222] Valtrude de Verdun
. [LUPX211] Duke Hatto of Gascony m. Wandrade
. . [LUPX221] Duke Loup I of Gascony m. Wande de Toulouse
. . . [LUPX232] Adele de Gascony m. [LUPE221] Duke Waifar of Aquitaine
. [LUPE211] Duke Hunoald of Aquitaine m. ?
. . [LUPE221] Duke Waifar of Aquitaine m. [LUPX232] Adele de Gascony
. . . [GASC221] Duke Loup II of Gascony m. [LEO2222] Numabela Fruelez de Cantabria

48.  [LUPE201] Eudo, DUKE OF AQUITAINE, married [WALC222] Valtrude of Verdun (see PALACE OF AUSTRASIA). Eudo sought Charles martel's help to fight off the invading Arabs, leading to the latter's defeat at the Battle of Poitiers (732). Eudo died 735, and afterwards Charles martel attempted (without success) to take over Aquitaine.

46.  [LUPE211] Hunoald (born 707, son of Eudo) was DUKE OF AQUITAINE (735-45). He burned Chartres (745) at the instigation of DUKE ODILO OF BAVARIA, but afterwards retired to a monastery, leaving his son Walfard to carry on his work. After his son died, Hunoald was restored as DUKE OF AQUITAINE (768-74), and was killed in siege at Pavia (774).

45.  [LUPE221] Waifar (born 731, only son), DUKE OF AQUITAINE, married [LUPX232] Adela (daughter of Waifar's cousin [LOUX221] Loup I, see above). Waifar continued to oppose Frankish aggression (now led by [PEPI231] King Pepin III of the Franks), and eventually Waifar was assassinated by his own men (2nd June 768). King Pepin died (of dropsy) three months later (September 768).

44.  [GASC221] Loup II (born c.755, of disputed origin, but most probably son of Waifar), DUKE OF GASCONY, is described under GASCONY DUKEDOM.

HOUSE OF AUVERGNE

[PARI221] Count Bego of Paris m. [CARO254] Aupals de France
. [AQUI261] Gerard II m. --- di Florence
. . [AQUI271] Count Gerard III of Auvergne m1. [CARO265] Rotrude or Hildegarde de France
. . . [AQUI281] Duke Ramnulfe I of Aquitaine m2. [MAYE262] Bilichilde du Maine
. . . . [AQUI291] Duke Ramnulfe II of Aquitaine &. Irmgard
. . . . . [AQUI301] Duke Eubalus III of Aquitaine m2. Emillane de Poitou
. . . . . . [AQUI311] Duke William III of Aquitaine m. [NORM283] Adela de Normandy

43.  [AQUI261] Gerard II (son of [PARI221] Count Bego, see PARIS COUNTY) married --- di Firenze (daughter of Count Scrot). He died in battle (June c.841).

42.  [AQUI271] Gerard III (born c.800) married 1. (819) [CARO265] either Rotrode or Hildegarde (born c.800, daughter of King Louis I the pious of France, see CAROLINGIAN HOUSE; the second sister married Gerard's brother William); then 2. (839) Matilda (daughter of King Pepin I of Aquitaine). Gerard became Count of Auvergne (839, succeeding Warin who was Count, 819-39). He was killed in battle at Fontenoy (25th June 841).

41  [AQUI281] Ramnulfe I (born c.820, son of Gerard & a daughter of King Louis I) married 1. (c.844) Aga (widow of [TURE261] Count Raoul of Turenne); then 2. (845) [MAYE262] Bilichilde (born c.830, a daughter of Count Rorgon, see MAINE COUNTY). Ramnulfe was Count of Poitou, then DUKE OF AQUITAINE (845-66), and was killed at Brissarthe (July or October 866).

40. [AQUI291] Ramnulfe II (born 855, son of Ramnulfe & Bilichilde) married Adelaide (daughter of [WFRA271] King Louis II le begue [stammerer] of France), but also had an illicit relationship with Irmgard. Ramnulfe was Count of Poitou, then King of Aquitaine (880-90). He was murdered at Paris (August 890).

39. [AQUI301] Eubles/Ebalus II manzer [bastard] (illegitimate son of Ramnulfe II & Irmgard) is described under HOUSE OF POITIERS below.

HOUSE OF POITIERS

. . . . . [AQUI301] Duke Eubalus III of Aquitaine m2. Emillane de Poitou
. . . . . . [AQUI311] Duke William III of Aquitaine m. [NORM283] Adela de Normandy
. . . . . . . [AQUI322] Adelaide d'Aquitaine m. [CAPE311] King Hugh Capet of France
. . . . . . . [AQUI321] Duke William IV of Aquitaine m. [BLOI312] Emma de Blois
. . . . . . . . [AQUI331] Duke William V of Aquitaine m3. [BUR3333] Agnes de Macon
. . . . . . . . . [AQUI342] Agnes d'Aquitaine m. [GER2321] Emperor Heinrich III of the West
. . . . . . . . . [AQUI341] Duke William VIII of Aquitaine m3. [BURG312] Aldearde de Burgundy
. . . . . . . . . . [AQUI351] Duke William IX of Aquitaine m2. [TOUL352] Matilda de Toulouse
. . . . . . . . . . . [AQUI362] Agnes d'Aquitaine m1. [THOU342] Vicomte Aimery V de Thouars
. . . . . . . . . . . [AQUI363] Agnes d'Aquitaine m2. [ARAG351] King Garcia Ramirez of Aragon
. . . . . . . . . . . [AQUI361] Duke William X of Aquitaine m1. [CHAT362] Aenor de Chatellerault
. . . . . . . . . . . . [AQUI372] Eleanor d'Aquitaine m. [PLAN371] King Henry II of England

39. [AQUI301] Eubles/Ebalus II manzer [bastard] (illegitimate son of [AQUI291] Ramnulfe II, see HOUSE OF AUVERGNE above) married 1. (after 891) Aremburge; then 2. (before 911) Emillane de Poitou; then (allegedly) 3. [WESK326] Adele (daughter of King Edward I the elder of England, see ANGLO-SAXON KINGS). He was Count of Poitou (890-92 & 902-34), Count of Auvergne (927), and DUKE OF AQUITAINE (927-34). He died January 934-35, and Adele died 935.

38. [AQUI311] William III towhead or tete d'etoupe [because of his blond hair] (born c.900, son of Eubles II & Emillane) married (935) [NORM283] Adele (daughter of Rollo, see NORMANDY DUKEDOM). He was Count of Poitiers and Count of Auvergne etc, and DUKE OF AQUITAINE (934-63).

It was said that William was blessed with a capable wife, Adela, who was the first of a number of strong-minded women in the ducal family.

Adele died 962, and William died at Poitiers (3rd April 963).

33. [AQUI321] William IV fierebras [strong arm] (born 937, son of William III) married (c.968) [BLOI312] Emma (daughter of Count Thibaut, see CHAMPAGNE COUNTY). He was Count of Poitou, Chartres & Letgarde de Vermandois, then DUKE OF AQUITAINE (963-93). He abdicated 993, and died c.996. Emma died 1004.

32. [AQUI331] William V the great (born c.969, son of William IV) married three formidable women: 1. (c.997) [LIMO212] Almodis (widow, daughter of Vicomte Gerard, see LIMOGES); then 2. (c.1004-11) Brisca/Sancha (daughter of William-Sancho, DUKE OF GASCONY); then 3. (before March 1018) [BUR3333] Agnes (born 995, daughter & heiress of Count Otto-William, see BURGUNDY COUNTY). He was 3rd Count of Poitou, then DUKE OF AQUITAINE (993-1030). He died at Poitou (31st January 1030), and afterwards Agnes married 2. (1st January 1032) Geoffrey martel, Count of Anjou and Vendome, (afterwards repudiated). Agnes died 10th November 1068.

31. [AQUI341] Guy (later adopted the name Geoffrey, then later [1058] William), later styled William VIII, (born c.1024, younger son of William V & Agnes) married 1. (January 1044) Aina (widow, daughter of Aldebert II, Count of Perigord), divorced 1058; then 2. (1058-59) Matilda (daughter of [MARC321] Count Bernard I, see LA MARCHE COUNTY), divorced 1068; then 3. (March 1069) [BURG312] Aldearde/Hildegarde (daughter of DUKE ROBERT, see BURGUNDY (HOUSE OF CAPET) DUKEDOM, separated 1086). He was 6th Count of Poitou, DUKE OF GASCONY, then DUKE OF AQUITAINE (1058-86). He died at Castle of Chizay (25th September 1086).

30. [AQUI351] William IX the troubadour (born 22nd October 1071, son of William VIII & Aldearde). William was 7th Count of Poitou, and DUKE OF GASCONY, then DUKE OF AQUITAINE (1086-1127). He married 1. (1089) Hermengarde (daughter of [GATI339] Count Fulk IV le rechin of Anjou), divorced 1090, and retired to a nunnery, but later married 2. (c.1093) [BRIT371] Count Alan IV fergant of Brittany); then 2. (1094) [TOUL352] Matilda/Philippa (daughter of Count William IV, see TOULOUSE COUNTY, who had previously married 1. (c.1086) King Sancho-Ramirez of Aragon and Navarre). Whilst married to Philippa, William took a mistress, Countess [BOUC352] Amauberge/Maubergeonne de Chatellerault, wife of Vicomte Aimery I, aptly called La Dangerosa. Philippa was divorced (1115), and retired to a nunnery (the same one to which her predecessor Ermengarde had earlier retired). Philippa died 28th November 1117, and William then married 3. Hildegarde. He died 10th February 1126.

29.  [AQUI361] William X (born c.1099, son of William IX & Philippa) married 1. (1121) [CHAT362] Aenor (daughter of Vicomte Aimery I, by the afore-mentioned [BOUC352] La Dangerosa, see CHATELLERAULT); then 2. (1136) [LIMO252] Emma (daughter of [LIMO241] Vicomte Ademar III, see LIMOGES). William was 8th Count of Poitou, then DUKE OF AQUITAINE (1127-37). He died (from food poisoning) at Santiago de Compostela (9th April 1137).