Gaston IV of Béarn
Encyclopedia
Gaston IV was viscount of Béarn
from 1090 to 1131. He was called "le Croisé" ("the Crusader") due to his participation in the First Crusade
.
Gaston succeeded his father Centulle V in 1090. During his rule, the borders of Béarn were established more definitively; he defeated the viscount of Dax
, and took control of Orthez
, Mixe, and Ostabaret
by 1105. He also gained Montanérès through his marriage to Talèse, daughter of the count of Aibar and Javierrelatre and niece of Sancho I of Aragon. Though technically a vassal of the Duchy of Aquitaine, ruled at that time by William IX
, Gaston effectively made Béarn an autonomous territory.
Before becoming viscount, Gaston had fought in the Reconquista
in Spain, and he led a Béarnais contingent on crusade under Raymond IV of Toulouse
in 1096. He was one of the lesser knight
s, but he carried his own standard and commanded his own men. At the siege of Antioch
he led one of the divisions in the final battle against Kerbogha
. During the power struggle following the capture of Antioch
, Gaston deserted Raymond for Godfrey of Bouillon
and marched with him to Jerusalem. Gaston and Tancred
were sent ahead of the main army to occupy Bethlehem
, and during the siege of Jerusalem
, Gaston was in charge of Godfrey's siege engines. On July 15, 1099, Gaston was the first crusader to enter the city.
Gaston's experience in the Reconquista taught him that Muslim
s could live under Christian
rule, as Mudéjar
. He preferred negotiation and dialogue to senseless massacre, and he and Tancred tried to protect some of the Muslims of Jerusalem by sheltering them in the Temple
. However, these Muslims too were soon killed by other crusaders, enfuriating Gaston and Tancred. In August, Gaston led part of the centre line of the crusader army at the Battle of Ascalon
. After the victory there, Gaston returned home with his men, as did most of the other crusaders.
Gaston was a pious man, and upon his return to Béarn he oversaw the construction of many churches destined to shelter pilgrims on the route to Santiago de Compostela
. He also allowed the abbey of St. Foy to establish new buildings in Morlàas. He also came into conflict with the church, however; he successfully defended his claims to the territories of the abbey of St. Vincent de Lucq and the monastery of St. Mont.
He died in 1131 and was succeeded by his young son Centulle VI, with Talèse acting as regent. Talèse wanted to unite Béarn and Aragon; the two were, at the time, roughly equal in power and influence, but Aragon instead united with Catalonia
and Béarn began to decline. Gaston's descendants Gaston VI and Gaston VII participated in the Albigensian Crusade
and the Seventh Crusade
, respectively.
Béarn
Béarn is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd, the principality of Bidache, as well as small parts of Gascony, it forms in the...
from 1090 to 1131. He was called "le Croisé" ("the Crusader") due to his participation in the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
.
Gaston succeeded his father Centulle V in 1090. During his rule, the borders of Béarn were established more definitively; he defeated the viscount of 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....
, and took control of Orthez
Orthez
Orthez is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.It lies 40 km NW of Pau on the Southern railway to Bayonne. The town also encompasses the small village of Sainte-Suzanne thus residents of the town are called either Orthéziens or Sainte-Suzannais...
, Mixe, and Ostabaret
Ostabat-Asme
Ostabat-Asme , Hostavalem in the Middle Ages, is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, formerly located in the regiopn described for many centuries as Lower Navarre, in south-western France...
by 1105. He also gained Montanérès through his marriage to Talèse, daughter of the count of Aibar and Javierrelatre and niece of Sancho I of Aragon. Though technically a vassal of the Duchy of Aquitaine, ruled at that time by William IX
William IX of Aquitaine
William IX , called the Troubador, was the Duke of Aquitaine and Gascony and Count of Poitou between 1086 and his death. He was also one of the leaders of the Crusade of 1101...
, Gaston effectively made Béarn an autonomous territory.
Before becoming viscount, Gaston had fought in the Reconquista
Reconquista
The Reconquista was a period of almost 800 years in the Middle Ages during which several Christian kingdoms succeeded in retaking the Muslim-controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula broadly known as Al-Andalus...
in Spain, and he led a Béarnais contingent on crusade under Raymond IV of Toulouse
Raymond IV of Toulouse
Raymond IV of Toulouse , sometimes called Raymond of St Gilles, was Count of Toulouse, Duke of Narbonne, and Margrave of Provence and one of the leaders of the First Crusade. He was a son of Pons of Toulouse and Almodis de La Marche...
in 1096. He was one of the lesser knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s, but he carried his own standard and commanded his own men. At the siege of Antioch
Siege of Antioch
The Siege of Antioch took place during the First Crusade in 1097 and 1098. The first siege, by the crusaders against the Muslim city, lasted from October 21, 1097, to June 2, 1098. The second siege, against the crusaders who had occupied it, lasted from June 7 to June 28, 1098.-Background:Antioch...
he led one of the divisions in the final battle against Kerbogha
Kerbogha
Kerbogha was Atabeg of Mosul during the First Crusade and was renowned as a soldier. He was a Turk who owed his success to his military talent. In 1098, when he heard that the Crusaders had besieged Antioch, he gathered his troops and marched to relieve the city. By the time he arrived, around...
. During the power struggle following the capture of Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
, Gaston deserted Raymond for Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon was a medieval Frankish knight who was one of the leaders of the First Crusade from 1096 until his death. He was the Lord of Bouillon, from which he took his byname, from 1076 and the Duke of Lower Lorraine from 1087...
and marched with him to Jerusalem. Gaston and Tancred
Tancred, Prince of Galilee
Tancred was a Norman leader of the First Crusade who later became Prince of Galilee and regent of the Principality of Antioch...
were sent ahead of the main army to occupy Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
, and during the siege of Jerusalem
Siege of Jerusalem (1099)
The Siege of Jerusalem took place from June 7 to July 15, 1099 during the First Crusade. The Crusaders stormed and captured the city from Fatimid Egypt.-Background:...
, Gaston was in charge of Godfrey's siege engines. On July 15, 1099, Gaston was the first crusader to enter the city.
Gaston's experience in the Reconquista taught him that Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s could live under Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
rule, as Mudéjar
Mudéjar
Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
. He preferred negotiation and dialogue to senseless massacre, and he and Tancred tried to protect some of the Muslims of Jerusalem by sheltering them in the Temple
Al-Aqsa Mosque
Al-Aqsa Mosque also known as al-Aqsa, is the third holiest site in Sunni Islam and is located in the Old City of Jerusalem...
. However, these Muslims too were soon killed by other crusaders, enfuriating Gaston and Tancred. In August, Gaston led part of the centre line of the crusader army at the Battle of Ascalon
Battle of Ascalon
The Battle of Ascalon took place on August 12, 1099, and is often considered the last action of the First Crusade.-Background:The crusaders had negotiated with the Fatimids of Egypt during their march to Jerusalem, but no satisfactory compromise could be reached — the Fatimids were willing to give...
. After the victory there, Gaston returned home with his men, as did most of the other crusaders.
Gaston was a pious man, and upon his return to Béarn he oversaw the construction of many churches destined to shelter pilgrims on the route to Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
. He also allowed the abbey of St. Foy to establish new buildings in Morlàas. He also came into conflict with the church, however; he successfully defended his claims to the territories of the abbey of St. Vincent de Lucq and the monastery of St. Mont.
He died in 1131 and was succeeded by his young son Centulle VI, with Talèse acting as regent. Talèse wanted to unite Béarn and Aragon; the two were, at the time, roughly equal in power and influence, but Aragon instead united with Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
and Béarn began to decline. Gaston's descendants Gaston VI and Gaston VII participated in the Albigensian Crusade
Albigensian Crusade
The Albigensian Crusade or Cathar Crusade was a 20-year military campaign initiated by the Catholic Church to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc...
and the Seventh Crusade
Seventh Crusade
The Seventh Crusade was a crusade led by Louis IX of France from 1248 to 1254. Approximately 800,000 bezants were paid in ransom for King Louis who, along with thousands of his troops, was captured and defeated by the Egyptian army led by the Ayyubid Sultan Turanshah supported by the Bahariyya...
, respectively.