Centule V of Béarn
Encyclopedia
Centule V called the Young, was the Viscount of Béarn
from 1058 to his death. Centule increased the autonomy of the viscounts of Béarn and distanced them from the dukes of Aquitaine, to whom they owed theoretical vassalage. Centule was also Count of Bigorre jure uxoris as Centule I.
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Centule was the eldest son of Gaston III
and the important Gascon lady Adalais (sister of the duke of Gascony
and the viscount of Lomagne), and was successor of his paternal grandfather Centule IV
. Centule was almost a sovereign prince. He minted his own money in his capital of Morlaas
. He received the viscounty of Acqs and the countries of Orthe and Salies
from the duke of Aquitaine, who freed him from nominal ties of vassalage. He was the only person with the right to call on the knights of Béarn, who owed fealty to none but him. He granted the deserted city of Oloron a charter repopulating it. Centuries later, this fuero
, called the For de Oloron, would be incorporated into the other Fors de Bearn
.
Centule was a great participant in the Gregorian reform
and he maintained excellent relations with the Holy See
. He made many donations to the church and initiated the construction of the church of Santa Fe de Morlaas, the first romanesque
edifice in Béarn. Pope Gregory VII
referred to him as an amator justitiae, lover of justice; defensor pauperum, defender of the poor; and propagator pacis, propagator of the peace. Towards 1060, Centule married a relative of his, probably a cousin, possibly a daughter of Bernard II of Gascony, named Gisela (Gisla), with whom he had two children, his heir Gaston IV
and a daughter named Osquinette. The pope, however, exhorted him to break the marriage on grounds of consanguinity, which he obediently did (1074), founding, in penitence, a priory at Morlaas dependent on the Abbey of Cluny.
Centule married for a second time in 1077 to Beatrice, Countess of Bigorre. With her he had other children: Bernard and Centule
, both future counts of Bigorre. Centule married his eldest son to Talesa, a natural daughter of Sancho V of Navarre, and Gaston received the neighbouring viscounty of Montaner
as a dowry, thus uniting it to the dominion of Béarn. It can be seen that, through strategic marriages, Centule expanded his control to include his western neighbours Bigorre and Montaner and solidifed an alliance with his royal neighbour to the south, the Crown of Aragon
. However, he had to war with his neighbours to the east. In 1082, he launched an attack on Dax
, but was severely defeated.
In 1079, Centule participated in the attempt to take Zaragoza
that was repelled by El Cid Campeador, then in the service of the Moors
. In 1090, he travelled anew into Aragon at the head of Bearnese troops to assist in an assault on Huesca
under the guidance of Sancho, but he was assassinated in the Tena Valley
. Gaston succeeded him and continued in his policies of aggrandisement and friendly church-state relations.
Viscounts of Béarn
The viscounts of Béarn were the rulers of a former province of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France...
from 1058 to his death. Centule increased the autonomy of the viscounts of Béarn and distanced them from the dukes of Aquitaine, to whom they owed theoretical vassalage. Centule was also Count of Bigorre jure uxoris as Centule I.
Gaston III of Béarn
Gaston III was the Viscount of Béarn in association with his father Centule IV. His mother was Angela of Oloron. Despite the fact that he predeceased his father, Pierre de Marca proposed the hypothesis that he was associated with his father in the seventeenth century...
and the important Gascon lady Adalais (sister of the duke of Gascony
Duke of Gascony
The Duchy of Vasconia , later known as Gascony, was a Merovingian creation: a frontier duchy on the Garonne, in the border with the rebel Basque tribes...
and the viscount of Lomagne), and was successor of his paternal grandfather Centule IV
Centule IV of Béarn
Centule IV Gaston , called the Old, was the seventh Viscount of Béarn from 1012 to his death.He succeeded his father Gaston II while yet a minor, under a regency until 1022....
. Centule was almost a sovereign prince. He minted his own money in his capital of Morlaas
Morlaàs
Morlaàs is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It is the seat of a canton.After the Roman city of Benearnum was razed by the Vikings in 841, Morlaàs became the capital of the ancient province of Béarn. It remained the capital until the 12th century, when...
. He received the viscounty of Acqs and the countries of Orthe and Salies
Saliès
Saliès is a commune in the Tarn department in southern France.-References:*...
from the duke of Aquitaine, who freed him from nominal ties of vassalage. He was the only person with the right to call on the knights of Béarn, who owed fealty to none but him. He granted the deserted city of Oloron a charter repopulating it. Centuries later, this fuero
Fuero
Fuero , Furs , Foro and Foru is a Spanish legal term and concept.The word comes from Latin forum, an open space used as market, tribunal and meeting place...
, called the For de Oloron, would be incorporated into the other Fors de Bearn
Fors de Bearn
The Fors de Bearn, or fueros of Béarn, are a series of legal texts compiled over centuries in the Viscounty of Béarn...
.
Centule was a great participant in the Gregorian reform
Gregorian Reform
The Gregorian Reforms were a series of reforms initiated by Pope Gregory VII and the circle he formed in the papal curia, circa 1050–80, which dealt with the moral integrity and independence of the clergy...
and he maintained excellent relations with the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. He made many donations to the church and initiated the construction of the church of Santa Fe de Morlaas, the first romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
edifice in Béarn. Pope Gregory VII
Pope Gregory VII
Pope St. Gregory VII , born Hildebrand of Sovana , was Pope from April 22, 1073, until his death. One of the great reforming popes, he is perhaps best known for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy, his dispute with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor affirming the primacy of the papal...
referred to him as an amator justitiae, lover of justice; defensor pauperum, defender of the poor; and propagator pacis, propagator of the peace. Towards 1060, Centule married a relative of his, probably a cousin, possibly a daughter of Bernard II of Gascony, named Gisela (Gisla), with whom he had two children, his heir Gaston IV
Gaston IV of Béarn
Gaston IV was viscount of Béarn from 1090 to 1131. He was called "le Croisé" due to his participation in the First Crusade....
and a daughter named Osquinette. The pope, however, exhorted him to break the marriage on grounds of consanguinity, which he obediently did (1074), founding, in penitence, a priory at Morlaas dependent on the Abbey of Cluny.
Centule II of Bigorre
Centule II was the Count of Bigorre from 1114 to his death. He broke Bigorre's feudal connection with France and established bonds across the Pyrenees with Aragon. He was also a major participant in the Crusades and the Reconquista.He was the second son of Centule V of Béarn by his second wife,...
, both future counts of Bigorre. Centule married his eldest son to Talesa, a natural daughter of Sancho V of Navarre, and Gaston received the neighbouring viscounty of Montaner
Montaner
Montaner is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-References:*...
as a dowry, thus uniting it to the dominion of Béarn. It can be seen that, through strategic marriages, Centule expanded his control to include his western neighbours Bigorre and Montaner and solidifed an alliance with his royal neighbour to the south, the Crown of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
. However, he had to war with his neighbours to the east. In 1082, he launched an attack on Dax
Dax, Landes
Dax is a commune in Aquitaine in south-western France, sub-prefecture of the Landes department.It is particularly famous as a spa, specialising in mud treatment for rheumatism and similar ailments....
, but was severely defeated.
In 1079, Centule participated in the attempt to take Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
that was repelled by El Cid Campeador, then in the service of the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
. In 1090, he travelled anew into Aragon at the head of Bearnese troops to assist in an assault on Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
under the guidance of Sancho, but he was assassinated in the Tena Valley
Tena Valley
The Tena Valley is a valley located at the southern side of the Pyrenees, in the Alto Gállego comarca, province of Huesca, and is crossed by the Gállego river from north to south...
. Gaston succeeded him and continued in his policies of aggrandisement and friendly church-state relations.