Geoffrey I of Provence
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey I or Josfred 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.
William IV of Provence
William IV was the Count of Provence from 1018 to his death. He was a son of William II, whom he succeeded, and a co-count with his brothers Fulk and Geoffrey. He appears in many charters of his mother, Gerberga, who acted as his regent until 1019. He was the eldest amongst his siblings and he...
and Fulk
Fulk Bertrand of Provence
Fulk Bertrand I was the joint Count of Provence with his elder brother William IV from 1018 and with his younger brother Geoffrey I from at least 1032 if not earlier. After William's death, Fulk assumed the title of margrave, indicating headship of the dynasty...
from 1018 to his death. He was the third son of William II of Provence
William II of Provence
William II , called the Pious, was the Count of Provence, succeeded his father, William I, on the latter's retirement to a monastery just before his death in late 993. He did not succeed in the margravial title, which went to his uncle Rotbold II...
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
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
) 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
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
raids. He restored the abbey of Sparro, which they had destroyed, and gave it to the archiepiscopal see of Aix
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
. Following the example of most of his ancestors, he was a patron of Saint Victor in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
. 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
William Bertrand of Provence
William Bertrand , known as William V or Bertrand I or II, was the count and margrave of Provence from 1051 to his death...
, 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
William I of Provence
William I , called the Liberator, was Count of Provence from 968 to his abdication. In 975 or 979, he took the title of marchio or margrave. He is often considered the founder of the county of Provence...
to his vassals, losing control over many castles and fortresses. The royal fisc
Fisc
Under the Merovingians and Carolingians, the fisc applied to the royal demesne which paid taxes, entirely in kind, from which the royal household was meant to be supported, though it rarely was...
, 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
Bertrand II of Provence
William VI Bertrand II was count of Provence following the death of his father Fulk Bertrand, though he is not mentioned until the next year . Fulk was either the eldest or second eldest son of Geoffrey....
. One daughter became the first wife of 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...
, another, Stephanie, married William II of Besalú
William II of Besalú
William II , called Trunus or el Tro, was the Count of Besalú from 1052.He was the son and successor of William I and Adelaide. He married Stephanie, daughter of Geoffrey I of Provence. He had a son Bernard II and a daughter, Stephanie, who married Roger II of Foix.His reign was characterised by...
and the third was Gerberga
Gerberga of Provence
Gerberga was the Countess of Provence from 1093 to 1112. She was a daughter of [Geoffrey I of Provence ] and a sister of Bertrand II of Provence and Matilda....
, married Gilbert I of Gévaudan.
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.