Herbert I of Maine
Encyclopedia
Herbert I called Wakedog or Evigilans Canis (Eveille-Chien), was the count of Maine from 1015, the son and successor of Hugh III.
Under the last Carolingian
and first Capetian
kings of France, royal power declined sharply and many royal rights were amassed by the greater and lesser nobility. Herbert of Maine even struck coins with his own monogram. He purchased the loyalty of his vassals by doling out his land to them and granting them the right to build castles, which proliferated, as at Sablé
, Château-du-Loir
, Mayenne
, Laval
, La Ferté Bernard, Saint Calais
, Sillé
(after 1050), La Suze, Malicorne
, La Milesse
, Montfort
, and Sourches.
From the beginning of his reign, he was constrained to aid his suzerain, Fulk III of Anjou
, in a war against Odo II of Blois, both of whom had designs on the Touraine
. In 1016, following an attack on the fortress of Montrichard
, Odo met the forces of Fulk at the Battle of Pontlevoy
on 6 July. Despite Odo's numerical advantage, by the intervention of Herbert, the battle went to Fulk. One of the consequences of the battle was to create a balance of power in the region, which was followed by peace for several years.
By marrying his son to Bertha of Chartres, daughter of Odo II of Blois, Herbert was able to maintain himself independent of his legal suzerain. He also allied with the count of Rennes
, who threatened Fulk from the west. He made enemies with the king, Robert II
, and even expelled the bishop of Le Mans, Avesgaud of Bellème, from his diocese. Finally, on 7 March 1025, he was arrested in Saintes
by Fulk, who kept him imprisoned for two years until a coalition forced his release. Herbert then did homage to Fulk.
Herbert left four children:
Under the last Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
and first Capetian
House of Capet
The House of Capet, or The Direct Capetian Dynasty, , also called The House of France , or simply the Capets, which ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328, was the most senior line of the Capetian dynasty – itself a derivative dynasty from the Robertians. As rulers of France, the dynasty...
kings of France, royal power declined sharply and many royal rights were amassed by the greater and lesser nobility. Herbert of Maine even struck coins with his own monogram. He purchased the loyalty of his vassals by doling out his land to them and granting them the right to build castles, which proliferated, as at Sablé
Sable
The sable is a species of marten which inhabits forest environments, primarily in Russia from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, in northern Mongolia and China and on Hokkaidō in Japan. Its range in the wild originally extended through European Russia to Poland and Scandinavia...
, Château-du-Loir
Château-du-Loir
Château-du-Loir is a commune in the Sarthe department in the Pays de la Loire region in north-western France.-References:*...
, Mayenne
Mayenne
Mayenne is a department in northwest France named after the Mayenne River.-History:Mayenne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. The northern two thirds correspond to the western part of the former province of Maine...
, Laval
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...
, La Ferté Bernard, Saint Calais
Saint Calais
Calais was a French hermit and founder of the monastery of Aniole. The town of Saint-Calais takes its name from him. According to the Vita Carileffi, Childebert I granted him lands, after an encounter in a forest where the king was hunting....
, Sillé
Sille
Sille can mean:* Sille * Sille , a village in Turkey* Sille , a dance historically associated with that place* Sille , a watercourse running through Silly, Belgium* Sille River , a river in Turkey...
(after 1050), La Suze, Malicorne
Malicorne
Malicorne may refer to:* Malicorne , a bandMalicorne is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Malicorne, Allier, in the Allier département* Malicorne-sur-Sarthe, in the Sarthe département...
, La Milesse
La Milesse
La Milesse is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire in north-western France.-References:*...
, Montfort
Montfort
- People :* Amaury de Montfort, Canon of York * Amaury I de Montfort * Amaury IV de Montfort * Bertrade de Montfort , Queen of France* Guy de Montfort, Count of Nola...
, and Sourches.
From the beginning of his reign, he was constrained to aid his suzerain, Fulk III of Anjou
Fulk III of Anjou
Fulk III , called Nerra after his death, was Count of Anjou from 21 July 987 to his death. He was the son of Geoffrey Greymantle and Adelaide of Vermandois....
, in a war against Odo II of Blois, both of whom had designs on the Touraine
Touraine
The Touraine is one of the traditional provinces of France. Its capital was Tours. During the political reorganization of French territory in 1790, the Touraine was divided between the departments of Indre-et-Loire, :Loir-et-Cher and Indre.-Geography:...
. In 1016, following an attack on the fortress of Montrichard
Montrichard
Montrichard is a town and commune in the Loir-et-Cher département, in France.-Geography:The town lies on the north bank of the Cher river. south of Blois, west of Vierzon and east of Tours...
, Odo met the forces of Fulk at the Battle of Pontlevoy
Battle of Pontlevoy
The Battle of Pontlevoy was fought on 6 July 1016 between the forces of Fulk III of Anjou and Herbert I of Maine on one side and Odo II of Blois on the other...
on 6 July. Despite Odo's numerical advantage, by the intervention of Herbert, the battle went to Fulk. One of the consequences of the battle was to create a balance of power in the region, which was followed by peace for several years.
By marrying his son to Bertha of Chartres, daughter of Odo II of Blois, Herbert was able to maintain himself independent of his legal suzerain. He also allied with the count of Rennes
Count of Rennes
The Count of Rennes was originally the ruler of the Romano-Frankish civitas of Rennes. From the middle of the ninth century these counts were Bretons with close ties to the Duchy of Brittany, which they often vied to rule. From 990 the Counts of Rennes were usually Dukes of Brittany...
, who threatened Fulk from the west. He made enemies with the king, Robert II
Robert II of France
Robert II , called the Pious or the Wise , was King of France from 996 until his death. The second reigning member of the House of Capet, he was born in Orléans to Hugh Capet and Adelaide of Aquitaine....
, and even expelled the bishop of Le Mans, Avesgaud of Bellème, from his diocese. Finally, on 7 March 1025, he was arrested in Saintes
Saintes
Saintes is a French commune located in Poitou-Charentes, in the southwestern Charente-Maritime department of which it is a sub-prefecture. Its inhabitants are called Saintaises and Saintais....
by Fulk, who kept him imprisoned for two years until a coalition forced his release. Herbert then did homage to Fulk.
Herbert left four children:
- Hugh IVHugh IV of MaineHugh IV was Count of Maine from 1036 to 1051. He was son of Herbert I of Maine, one of the Hugonides.He was a minor on the death of his father . Herbert Baco, his great-uncle and a supporter of the Angevins, acted as regent....
, successor, married Bertha, daughter of Odo of Blois - Biota, married Walter III of the Vexin (Both possibly poisoned)
- Paula, either wife or mother of John de Beaugency, among whose children was EliasElias I of MaineElias I , called de la Flèche or de Baugency, was the Count of Maine from 1093. He was the son of the lord of La Flèche, John de Beaugency, and his wife Paula, daughter of Herbert I, Count of Maine....
to whom Maine eventually passed - Gersenda, married firstly Theobald III of Blois; divorced in 1048 and married secondly Albert Azzo II, Margrave of MilanAlbert Azzo II, Margrave of MilanAlberto Azzo II , Margrave of Milan, and Liguria, Count of Gavello and Padua, Rovigo, Lunigiana, Monselice, and Montagnana, aka, Albertezzo II, was a powerful nobleman in the Holy Roman Empire...
External links
- Herbert (I) of Maine in the "MedLands" database hosted on the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy website