Geoffroi I, comte de Provence

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffroi_Ier_de_Provence

http://genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00164203&tree=LEO

Children:

--Bertrand

--Gerberge

--wife of Raymond IV Comte de Toulouse

--Etiennette

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/PROVENCE.htm

GEOFFROY (-[Feb 1061/62]).

"Geiriberga comitissima et filii mei Vuilelmus et Fulco sive Josfredus" donated property to Saint-Victor de Marseille by charter dated 1018[336], which suggests that Geoffroy was her third son. This appears confirmed by "Wilelmus filius Vilelmi comitis, Fulco frater eius, Gosfredus" subscribing the charter dated 1018 under which "Adalax comitissa mater Villelmi quondam Provintie comitis et Geriberga eque comitissa…eiusdem principis olim uxor" donated property to Saint-Victor de Marseille for the soul of their late son and husband respectively[337], and by the charter dated 1019 under which "Geriberga comitissa" donated property to Saint-Victor de Marseille for the soul of "senioris mei Guilelmi comitis Provincie" and for "filiorumque nostrorum…Wilelmo, Fulcho, Jozfredus"[338]. "Gisberga comitissa…cum filiis meis Willelmo, Fulcone Bertranno, Gaufredo" donated property to Saint-André-lès-Avignon by charter dated 1019[339]. His ancestry is confirmed by the charter dated 1057 under which "Gausfredus marchyo sive comes Provincie et uxor mea Stefania et filius meus Bertrannus" donated property to Saint-Victor de Marseille naming "avus meus Wuilelmus marchio sive comes Provincie et avia mea Adalax comitissa"[340]. "Duo fratres, comites Provincie, Gausfredus atque Bertrannus" made a joint donation to Cluny dated 26 May 1037[341]. GEOFFROY [I] Marquis et Comte de Provence. "Gauzfredus marchio sive comes Provincie" consented to the donation by "Guillelmus vicecomes Massiliensis…" to Saint-Victor de Marseille by charter dated 1045[342]. "Gosfredus et Bertrannus frater meus, utrique Provinciales marchiones sive comites" donated property to Saint-Victor, Marseille by charter dated 1048[343].

m ([before 27 Jan 1040]) [as her first husband,] ETIENNETTE [Douce], daughter of --- (-after 1 Apr 1080). "Gaufredus comes" donated property to Monmajour by charter dated 1040, signed by "Bertrannus comes…Stephania comitissa"[344]. The date of her marriage is set by the charter dated 27 Jan 1040 under which "Josfredus comes et uxor mea" confirmed a donation of property to Saint-Victor de Marseille, although it is not clear from the text of the document that the confirmation (which appears after the text which recites the original grant) was contemporaneous with the donation[345]. Raimbaud Archbishop of Arles transferred property in the presence of "Jauffredi comitis et Stephanie uxor sue" by charter dated Mar 1048[346]. "Godfredus comes Provincie et uxor mea Stephania et filius meus Bertrannus" donated property to Saint-Victor de Marseille by charter dated 1 Jul 1055[347]. "Gausfredus marchyo sive comes Provincie et uxor mea Stefania et filius meus Bertrannus" donated property to Saint-Victor de Marseille by charter dated 1057[348]. A charter dated 11 Sep 1096 recalls a donation to Saint-Victor de Marseille by “Stephania comitissa cognomento Dulcis” for the soul of “filii sui Bertranni comitis”[349]. Szabolcs de Vajay suggests that the wife of Geoffroy [I] Comte de Provence was Etiennette [Douce] de Marseille, daughter of Guillaume [II] Vicomte de Marseille & his second wife Etiennette [de Baux-Rians][350]. "Bertrannus comes et mater mea Stephania…[et] conjux mea Matildis" donated property to Monmajour by charter dated to Feb [1061/62][351]. [She married secondly[352] Bernard II Comte de Bigorre.] Comte Geoffroy [I] & his wife had [four] children:

a) BERTRAND (-[29 Apr 1090/28 Jul 1094]). His parentage is confirmed by the charter dated 1057 under which "Gausfredus marchyo sive comes Provincie et uxor mea Stefania et filius meus Bertrannus" donated property to Saint-Victor de Marseille naming "avus meus Wuilelmus marchio sive comes Provincie et avia mea Adalax comitissa"[353]. BERTRAND [II] Comte de Provence. "Bertrannus comes et mater mea Stephania…[et] conjux mea Matildis" donated property to Monmajour by charter dated to Feb [1061/62][354]. Bernard Comte et Marquis de Provence renounced allegiance to the empire by act dated 1081 and swore fealty to the papacy[355]. After his death the marquisate of Provence passed to Raymond IV Comte de Toulouse, as shown by the bull of Pope Urban II dated 22 Jul 1096 which confirmed the rights of the monastery of Saint-André near Avignon after its abandonment by "comes Nimirum Tholosanorum ac Ruthenensium et marchio Provintie Raimundus"[356], but the precise process by which this occurred has not yet been identified. m (before Feb 1061) MATHILDE, daughter of ---. "Bertrannus comes et mater mea Stephania…[et] conjux mea Matildis" donated property to Monmajour by charter dated to Feb [1061/62][357]. Comte Bertrand [II] & his wife had one child:

i) CECILE (-1150). The marriage contract between "Bertramnus comes…sua filia" and "Bernardum-Atonem" is dated 1083[358]. "…Sisiliæ vicecomitissæ de Carcassona" subscribed the charter dated 22 Jun 1101 under which "Ermengardis Biterrensis vicecomitissa simul et Carcassonæ et filius meus Bernardus Ato pariter vicecomes" donated property to the abbey of la Grasse but her origin is not stated[359]. "Bernardus Ato vicecomes Biterrensis et Carcassensis" donated property to the abbey of la Grasse by charter dated 21 Mar 1108 subscribed by "Cecilie uxori eius, Rogerii filius eius"[360]. "Cæcilia vicecomitissa quæ fuit uxor domini Bernardi-Atonis vicecomitis Biterri" names "filii eorum Rotgerius, Raymundus Trinquauel et Bernardis-Atonis vicecomites Biterris, Carcassonæ, Nemausi et Albiæ" and "maiores nostri generis…Diasfronisa vicecomitissa et Bernardus vicecomes filius eius et Gaucia eius coniux et filii eorundem Froterius Albiensis episcopus et Ato vicecomes" in a document dated 20 Oct 1146[361]. "Trencavella filia Cæciliæ Biterrensis vicecomitissæ et…Geraldus filius eiusdem Trencavellæ" donated property to "sanctæ Mariæ Vallismagnæ et Petro abbati" by charter dated 1147, witnessed by “Cæciliæ vicecomitissæ Biterrensis, Trencavellæ eiusdem filiæ, Geraldi vicecomitis de Rossellon filius prædictæ Trencavellæ”[362]. m (1083) BERNARD ATON [IV] Comte de Carcassonne Vicomte de Nîmes, son of RAYMOND BERNARD "Trencavel" Vicomte d'Albi et de Nîmes & his wife Ermengarde de Carcassonne (-1129).

b) GERBERGE (-[3 Feb 1112/Jan 1118]). According to the Histoire Générale de Languedoc, Gerberge was the daughter of Comte Geoffroy[363]. The primary source which confirms her parentage has not yet been identified. Ctss de Provence 1093/1112. The Brevi Historia Comitum Provinciæ records the death "circa 1110" of "Gilberto comite Provinciæ" left his widow "Tiburgia…comitissa" and "Dulcia unica filia"[364]. m (1058) GIRBERT Vicomte de Gévaudan, de Millau et de Carlat (part), son of BERENGER [II] Vicomte de Gévaudan et de Millau & his wife Adela Vicomtesse de Carlat (-murdered [1110/12]).

- see below, Chapter 4.C.

c) [--- de Provence. Her parentage and marriage are shown in Europäische Stammtafeln but the primary source on which this is based has not yet been identified. It appears likely that the connection is speculative, presumably in an effort to explain how Raymond Comte de Toulouse later claimed the marquisate of Provence. However, Raymond´s right could have been hereditary through his paternal grandmother, who was the sister of Guillaume [V] Comte et Marquis de Provence (see above). The fact of Raymond´s first marriage is confirmed by the charter dated to [1066] under which "Raimundum comitem de Rutenis, filium Almodis" and "Guifredum archiepiscopum de Narbona, filium Guille comitissæ" confirmed an agreement, which was confirmed by "uxorem suam comitissam"[365]. The Histoire Générale de Languedoc suggests that she was Raymond´s first cousin, the daughter of his paternal uncle Bertrand, suggesting that Raymond naming his first son Bertrand would then have been consistent with the contemporary convention of using the name of one of the child´s grandfathers for the first-born son[366]. It is assumed that the marriage was terminated, maybe for consanguinity, which could explain the doubts expressed in some primary sources about the legitimacy of Raymond´s son Bertrand. m (1066, repudiated before 1080) as his first wife, RAYMOND de Toulouse Comte de Saint-Gilles, son of PONS Comte de Toulouse & his third wife Almodis de La Marche (-castle of Mount Pèlerin near Tripoli, Palestine 28 Feb 1105). He succeeded his brother in 1094 as RAYMOND IV Comte de Toulouse.]

d) [ETIENNETTE (-[1085]). The primary source which confirms her parentage has not yet been identified. Her marriage is confirmed by the charter dated to [1084] under which her son "Bernardus Besaldunensis comes filius qui fui Stephaniæ" swore homage to "Aymerico vicecomiti Narbonæ filio qui fuisti Fidis"[367]. m (after 1054) GUILLEM [II] "Trunus" Comte de Besalú i Ripoll, son of GUILLEM [I] Comte de Besalú & his wife Adelaide --- (-murdered [1066/70]).]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_I_of_Provence

Geoffrey I of Provence

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Geoffrey I or Josfred[1] (died February between 1061 and 1063) was the joint Count of Provence with his elder brothers William IV and Fulk from 1018 to his death. He was the third son of William II of Provence and Gerberga of Mâcon and a scion of the younger line of the family. It is possible that he did not carry the title "count" until after the death of his eldest brother William around 1032.

He became Count of Arles in 1032 and he and Fulk made a donation to the Abbey of Cluny on 26 May 1037. During his brother's life, he was secondary to him. With the death of his brother, he became sole count with the title marchyo sive comes Provincie. The title of marchio (margrave) implied that he was the head of the dynasty.

He was a great builder of the church in his region, devastated in the previous century by Saracen raids. He restored the abbey of Sparro, which they had destroyed, and gave it to the archiepiscopal see of Aix. Following the example of most of his ancestors, he was a patron of Saint Victor in Marseille. In 1045, he consented to a donation of one of his vicecomital vassals to the monastery and in March 1048 to the transferral of property from Raimbaud, Archbishop of Arles, to the church. On 1 July 1055 and again in 1057, with his wife Stephanie and his son Bertrand, he himself donated property to St Victor. His patronage far exceeded his predecessors however. He relinquished his rights over any lands the viscount of Marseilles, Fulk, wished to donate to the monastery in 1044, while in 1032 he had consented to turn over lands to the church as allods. In 1038, he gave over comital rights which had been possessed of his house since the reign of his great-grandfather William the Liberator to his vassals, losing control over many castles and fortresses. The royal fisc, which had been under control of the counts of Provence since the time of William, was mostly parcelled out as allods to the vassals during Geoffrey's tenure and the weakening of the county of Provence as a united polity can be dated from his reign. Even when Rudolf III of Burgundy, his lord, sold any remaining rights over some royal villae, Geoffrey gave these away as allodial holdings.

Geoffrey was succeeded by his son Bertrand. One daughter became the first wife of Raymond IV of Toulouse, another, Stephanie, married William II of Besalú and the third was Gerberga, married Gilbert I of Gévaudan.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Also spelled Jauffred, Jozfred, Gosfred, or Gausfred.

[edit] Sources

   * Lewis, Archibald R. The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050. University of Texas Press: Austin, 1965.

* Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Provence.
This page was last modified on 10 January 2010 at 22:25

Occupation: Count of Provence