Gaston VI of Béarn
Encyclopedia
Gaston VI called the Good, was the Viscount of Béarn, Gabardan, and Brulhois from 1173. He was also Count of Bigorre and Viscount of Marsan through his marriage in 1196 to Petronilla of Bigorre, the daughter of Countess Stephanie of Bigorre.
Gaston was the son of ruling Viscountess Mary
and William I of Béarn
. He was the elder of twins, his younger brother being the later viscount William Raymond. After their birth, in light of the conflict in Béarn over the succession, Mary fled with them to the monastery of Santa Cruz de Volvestre. A Bearnese delegation reached the monastery in 1173 seeking one of the boys to be their viscount. Mary gave them Gaston, who was taken back to Béarn to rule.
During his minority, a council of regents from Aragon
governed on his behalf. The council was led by Pelegrino de Castellarzuelo, lord of Barbastro
. The period of the regency, however, is poorly documented. In 1187, when fourteen years old, Gaston was declared of age and paid homage to Alfonso II of Aragon
at Huesca
.
Like most of the baronage of southern France, Gaston did not participate in the Third Crusade
, because of the grand conflict between the crown of Aragon on the one hand and the county of Toulouse on the other. Gaston was firmly in the Aragonese camp.
In 1194, a territorial dispute with the viscounty of Dax was resolved with the exchange of Mixe
and Ostabarret, Ostabat, in return for the city of Orthez
from Dax. In 1196, peace was also made with Soule
. In that same year, he married Petronilla of Bigorre and thus made peace with all his neighbours.
In 1208, Pope Innocent III
ordered the Albigensian Crusade
against the Cathars in southern France. Innocent ordered Gaston not to interevene against the crusaders, but Gaston took part in the relief of Toulouse from Simon IV de Montfort's besieging army in 1211. He also took part in the disastrous attack on Castelnaudary
. However, neither of these acts were religiously based, as neither Béarn nor Bigorre had many Cathars, but grounded rather in his loyalty to Peter II of Aragon
, who was forced to come to the protection of his other vassals attacked by the crusaders. However, he was attacked by the crusade nevertheless. Gaston lost Brulhois and was excommunicated by the Council of Vabres and his territories declared forfeit by the pope.
On 15 January 1213, Gaston did homage to Peter II of Aragon along with Bernard IV of Comminges, (circa 1150 - Count 1175 - 22 February 1225), Raimond-Roger of Foix
, and Raymond VI of Toulouse
. Peter II thus intended to create a vast transpyrenean empire, however it was all undone at the Battle of Muret
on 12 September. There Peter died in a losing cause because he had overconfidently neglected to summon his vassals with enough time for them all to arrive. Gaston was one of those which did not participate. Soon after the battle, however, Innocent III publicly pardoned the lords of Béarn and Comminges. The only penance imposed upon Gaston was to give to the bishop two of the districts of the city of Oloron. In return, he also received back Brulhois.
His loyalty to the king of Aragon, however, remained clearly expressed in the Llibre dels fets
(chapt. 37). There he appears along with his brother at the side of the young king James I
at the siege of Tamarite de Litera
.
Gaston died without issue in 1214 and was succeeded by his brother William Raymond. Bigorre remained with his wife.
Gaston was the son of ruling Viscountess Mary
Mary of Béarn
Mary was the daughter, sister, wife, and mother of various Viscounts of Béarn, Gabardan, and Brulhois. Briefly, from 1170 to 1171, she ruled Béarn as Viscountess in her own right...
and William I of Béarn
William I of Béarn
William I, called Guillem de Montcada II, was the Viscount of Béarn from 1171 to 1173 with opposition.William was the eldest son of Guillem Ramon de Montcada II. William first appears in 1150, witnessing his father's settlement at Arles with the Baux family after Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona's...
. He was the elder of twins, his younger brother being the later viscount William Raymond. After their birth, in light of the conflict in Béarn over the succession, Mary fled with them to the monastery of Santa Cruz de Volvestre. A Bearnese delegation reached the monastery in 1173 seeking one of the boys to be their viscount. Mary gave them Gaston, who was taken back to Béarn to rule.
During his minority, a council of regents from Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
governed on his behalf. The council was led by Pelegrino de Castellarzuelo, lord of Barbastro
Barbastro
Barbastro is a city in the Somontano county, province of Huesca, Spain...
. The period of the regency, however, is poorly documented. In 1187, when fourteen years old, Gaston was declared of age and paid homage to Alfonso II of Aragon
Alfonso II of Aragon
Alfonso II or Alfons I ; Huesca, 1-25 March 1157 – 25 April 1196), called the Chaste or the Troubadour, was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1164 until his death. He was the son of Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona and Petronilla of Aragon and the first King of Aragon who was...
at 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....
.
Like most of the baronage of southern France, Gaston did not participate in the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
, because of the grand conflict between the crown of Aragon on the one hand and the county of Toulouse on the other. Gaston was firmly in the Aragonese camp.
In 1194, a territorial dispute with the viscounty of Dax was resolved with the exchange of Mixe
Mixe
The Mixe or Mije is an indigenous group inhabiting the eastern highlands of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. They speak the Mixe languages which are classified in the Mixe–Zoque family, and are more culturally conservative than other indigenous groups of the region, maintaining their language to this...
and Ostabarret, Ostabat, in return for the city 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...
from Dax. In 1196, peace was also made with Soule
Soule
Soule is a former viscounty and French province and part of the present day Pyrénées-Atlantiques département...
. In that same year, he married Petronilla of Bigorre and thus made peace with all his neighbours.
In 1208, Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
ordered 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...
against the Cathars in southern France. Innocent ordered Gaston not to interevene against the crusaders, but Gaston took part in the relief of Toulouse from Simon IV de Montfort's besieging army in 1211. He also took part in the disastrous attack on Castelnaudary
Castelnaudary
Castelnaudary is a commune in the Aude department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in south France. It is in the former province of the Lauragais and famous for cassoulet of which it claims to be the world capital, and of which it is a major producer....
. However, neither of these acts were religiously based, as neither Béarn nor Bigorre had many Cathars, but grounded rather in his loyalty to Peter II of Aragon
Peter II of Aragon
Peter II the Catholic was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1196 to 1213.He was the son of Alfonso II of Aragon and Sancha of Castile...
, who was forced to come to the protection of his other vassals attacked by the crusaders. However, he was attacked by the crusade nevertheless. Gaston lost Brulhois and was excommunicated by the Council of Vabres and his territories declared forfeit by the pope.
On 15 January 1213, Gaston did homage to Peter II of Aragon along with Bernard IV of Comminges, (circa 1150 - Count 1175 - 22 February 1225), Raimond-Roger of Foix
Raimond-Roger of Foix
Raimond Roger was the fifth count of Foix from the House of Foix. He was the son and successor of Roger Bernard I and his wife Cécilia Trencavel....
, and Raymond VI of Toulouse
Raymond VI of Toulouse
Raymond VI was count of Toulouse and marquis of Provence from 1194 to 1222. He was also count of Melgueil from 1173 to 1190.-Early life:...
. Peter II thus intended to create a vast transpyrenean empire, however it was all undone at the Battle of Muret
Battle of Muret
At the Battle of Muret on 12 September 1213 the Crusading army of Simon IV de Montfort defeated the Aragonese and Catalan forces of Peter II of Aragon, at Muret near Toulouse.-Background:...
on 12 September. There Peter died in a losing cause because he had overconfidently neglected to summon his vassals with enough time for them all to arrive. Gaston was one of those which did not participate. Soon after the battle, however, Innocent III publicly pardoned the lords of Béarn and Comminges. The only penance imposed upon Gaston was to give to the bishop two of the districts of the city of Oloron. In return, he also received back Brulhois.
His loyalty to the king of Aragon, however, remained clearly expressed in the Llibre dels fets
Llibre dels fets
The Llibre dels fets is a collection of autobiographical chronicles of the reign of James the Conqueror, King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona. It is written in Catalan in the first person and describes the life of James. Though written at his dictation and with his editing, the work was not...
(chapt. 37). There he appears along with his brother at the side of the young king James I
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
at the siege of Tamarite de Litera
Tamarite de Litera
Tamarite de Litera or Tamarit de Llitera is the first major town of the comarca of La Litera/La Llitera in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain.It was reconquered from the Moors by Alfonso I of Aragon in 1107....
.
Gaston died without issue in 1214 and was succeeded by his brother William Raymond. Bigorre remained with his wife.
Further reading
- Tucoo-Chala, Pierre. Quand l'Islam était aux portes des Pyrénées. J&D Editions: Biarritz, 1994. ISBN 2-84127-022-X