William II of Angoulême
Encyclopedia
William Taillefer numbered William II (as the second with the sobriquet Taillefer) or William IV (as the fourth William in his family), was the Count of Angoulême from 987. He stood at the head of the family which controlled not only the Angoumois, but also the Agenais
and part of Saintonge
. By the time of his death he was "the leading magnate in [the west] of Aquitaine[, but his] eminence ... proved temporary and illusory," evaporating on his death in succession squabbles, revolts and the predations of his erstwhile allies. The principal sources for William's career are Ademar of Chabannes and the anonymous Historia pontificum et comitum Engolismensium
.
Between 994 and 1000 William married Hildegarde-Geberga, widow of Conan I of Brittany
and sister of Fulk III of Anjou
, who held some castles in Saintonge and Poitou
from William as fiefs (pro bene fico). William was perhaps countering the growing strength of the Counts of La Marche in northern Aquitaine since their family succeeded to the County of Périgord, previously dominated by Angoulême, in 975. Fulk was also an ally of Duke William V of Aquitaine
, nominal suzerain of Angoulême, and William Taillefer entered into their alliance through marriage. It is also probable that Fulk saw William as a potential ally against the duke and his county of Angoulême as providing a bulwark against aggressions aimed at Fulk's recent acquisition of Saintes
and its citadel, the Capitolium. William, exercising the secular control of the church typical of this era, gave the abbacy of Saint-Cybard and later the Bishopric of Angoulême to Grimoard, a brother of Islo, who was both allied with Fulk by marriage and serving as bishop in Fulk's city of Saintes.
Count William aided the duke against the Boso II of La Marche and in return the duke supported the count's extension of his authority into the Bordelais
. William was regularly present with the duke's court from about 1000 until October 1010, when an important meeting involving the duke, King Robert II of France
, King Sancho III of Navarre
and Duke Sancho VI of Gascony took place at the church of Saint Jean d'Angély. His absence from this meeting probably indicates the growing enmity between Duke William and Fulk of Anjou.
Although his fiefs (honores) had initially dominated the border between Saintonge and Poitou (where he subinfeudated some to Fulk), by 1024 William was exercising authority over all Saintonge. In Poitou William controlled the viscounty of Melle
and its strongly fortified castrum (citadel). On one occasion William granted outright a church he owned to "his faithful [man]" Iterius, which illustrates how the feudal practice of granting lands in benefice had not completely overtaken the south of France. In 1020 William of Angoulême furthered his influence in Gascony by marrying his son to a daughter of Sancho VI.
On 6 March 1025 a major assembly of Aquitanian prelates and barons met to discuss the claim of Duke William's son, William the Fat, for the Kingdom of Italy
. William Taillefer and his eldest son were present. On 1 October 1026 William left on a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre.
William died in March 1028 and was buried in the monastery of Saint-Cybard. An assembly of the principes et nobiles of Angoulême, Périgord and Saintonge met to judge the woman accused of poisoning him. William was succeeded at Angoulême by his eldest son, Alduin II, whose younger brother Geoffrey
quarreled with him over the inheritance in Bordelais. Revolts broke out in Saintonge, where within a decade the Angoulêmes' authority had lapsed completely.
Agenais
Agenais, or Agenois, was a province of France located in southwest France south of Périgord.In ancient Gaul the region was the country of the Nitiobroges with Aginnum for their capital, which in the fourth century was the Civitas Agennensium, which was a part of Aquitania Secunda and which formed...
and part of Saintonge
Saintonge
Saintonge is a small region on the Atlantic coast of France within the département Charente-Maritime, west and south of Charente in the administrative region of Poitou-Charentes....
. By the time of his death he was "the leading magnate in [the west] of Aquitaine[, but his] eminence ... proved temporary and illusory," evaporating on his death in succession squabbles, revolts and the predations of his erstwhile allies. The principal sources for William's career are Ademar of Chabannes and the anonymous Historia pontificum et comitum Engolismensium
Historia pontificum et comitum Engolismensium
The Historia pontificum et comitum Engolismensium is an anonymous genealogical history of the Taillefer dynasty of the Counts and Bishops of Angoulême written around 1160. It presents its subject family as a lineage, concentrating on agnatic descent from its founder, William Taillefer...
.
Between 994 and 1000 William married Hildegarde-Geberga, widow of Conan I of Brittany
Conan I of Rennes
Conan I was the count of Rennes from 958 and duke of Brittany from 990 to his death. He became ruler of Brittany after a period of civil and political unrest, having first succeeded his father Judicael Berengar, as count of Rennes....
and sister of 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....
, who held some castles in Saintonge and Poitou
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
from William as fiefs (pro bene fico). William was perhaps countering the growing strength of the Counts of La Marche in northern Aquitaine since their family succeeded to the County of Périgord, previously dominated by Angoulême, in 975. Fulk was also an ally of Duke William V of Aquitaine
William V of Aquitaine
William V , called the Great , was Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou from 990 until his death. He was the son and successor of William IV by his wife Emma of Blois, daughter of Theobald I of Blois. He seems to have taken after his formidable mother, who ruled Aquitaine as regent until 1004...
, nominal suzerain of Angoulême, and William Taillefer entered into their alliance through marriage. It is also probable that Fulk saw William as a potential ally against the duke and his county of Angoulême as providing a bulwark against aggressions aimed at Fulk's recent acquisition of 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....
and its citadel, the Capitolium. William, exercising the secular control of the church typical of this era, gave the abbacy of Saint-Cybard and later the Bishopric of Angoulême to Grimoard, a brother of Islo, who was both allied with Fulk by marriage and serving as bishop in Fulk's city of Saintes.
Count William aided the duke against the Boso II of La Marche and in return the duke supported the count's extension of his authority into the Bordelais
Bordelais
Bordelais is a French term meaning "of Bordeaux" and can refer to* an inhabitant of the city Bordeaux* the area surrounding the city Bordeaux* an inhabitant of the commune Les Bordes-sur-Lez* Bordeaux wine, or the Bordeaux wine region...
. William was regularly present with the duke's court from about 1000 until October 1010, when an important meeting involving the duke, King Robert II of France
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....
, King Sancho III of Navarre
Sancho III of Navarre
Sancho III Garcés , called the Great , succeeded as a minor to the Kingdom of Navarre in 1004, and through conquest and political maneuvering increased his power, until at the time of his death in 1035 he controlled the majority of Christian Iberia, bearing the title of rex Hispaniarum...
and Duke Sancho VI of Gascony took place at the church of Saint Jean d'Angély. His absence from this meeting probably indicates the growing enmity between Duke William and Fulk of Anjou.
Although his fiefs (honores) had initially dominated the border between Saintonge and Poitou (where he subinfeudated some to Fulk), by 1024 William was exercising authority over all Saintonge. In Poitou William controlled the viscounty of Melle
Melle, Deux-Sèvres
Melle is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.It is today best known as the home town of Ségolène Royal, the 2007 Socialist candidate for the election of the Presidency of the Republic. Laurent Cantet was also born here.-History:...
and its strongly fortified castrum (citadel). On one occasion William granted outright a church he owned to "his faithful [man]" Iterius, which illustrates how the feudal practice of granting lands in benefice had not completely overtaken the south of France. In 1020 William of Angoulême furthered his influence in Gascony by marrying his son to a daughter of Sancho VI.
On 6 March 1025 a major assembly of Aquitanian prelates and barons met to discuss the claim of Duke William's son, William the Fat, for the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (medieval)
The Kingdom of Italy was a political entity under control of Carolingian dynasty of Francia first, after the defeat of the Lombards in 774. It was finally incorporated as a part of the Holy Roman Empire in 962....
. William Taillefer and his eldest son were present. On 1 October 1026 William left on a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre.
William died in March 1028 and was buried in the monastery of Saint-Cybard. An assembly of the principes et nobiles of Angoulême, Périgord and Saintonge met to judge the woman accused of poisoning him. William was succeeded at Angoulême by his eldest son, Alduin II, whose younger brother Geoffrey
Geoffrey of Angoulême
Geoffrey was the Count of Angoulême from 1032. His brother Alduin II succeeded their father, William II, as Count in 1028, but the brothers quarrelled over their inheritance in the Bordelais...
quarreled with him over the inheritance in Bordelais. Revolts broke out in Saintonge, where within a decade the Angoulêmes' authority had lapsed completely.
Further reading
- B. S. BachrachBernard BachrachBernard S. Bachrach is an American historian and a professor of history at the University of Minnesota. He specialises in the Early Middle Ages, mainly on the topics of Medieval warfare, Medieval Jewry, and early Angevin history...
. "The Angevin Strategy of Castle Building in the Reign of Fulk Nerra, 987–1040." The American Historical Review 88 (1963): 533–60. - B. S. Bachrach. "Toward a Reappraisal of William the Great, Duke of Aquitaine (995–1030)." Journal of Medieval HistoryJournal of Medieval HistoryThe Journal of Medieval History is a major international academic journal devoted to all aspects of the history of Europe in the Middle Ages....
4 (1979): 11–21.