William VIII of Aquitaine
Encyclopedia
William VIII born Guy-Geoffrey (Gui-Geoffroi), was duke of Gascony (1052–1086), and then duke of Aquitaine
and count of Poitiers
(as William VI) between 1058 and 1086, succeeding his brother William VII
(Pierre-Guillaume).
Guy-Geoffroy was the youngest son of William V of Aquitaine
by his third wife Agnes of Burgundy
. He was the brother-in-law of Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
who had married his sister, Agnes de Poitou
.
He became Duke of Gascony in 1052 during his older brother William VII's rule. Gascony had come to Aquitanian rule through William V's marriage to Prisca (a.k.a Brisce) of Gascony, the sister of Duke Sans VI Guilhem of Gascony.
William VIII was one of the leaders of the allied army called to help Ramiro I of Aragon
in the Siege of Barbastro (1064). This expedition was the first campaign organized by the papacy, namely Pope Alexander II
, against a Muslim city, and the precursor of the later Crusades
movement. Aragon and its allies conquered the city, killed its inhabitants and collected an important booty.
However, Aragon lost the city again in the following years. During William VIII's rule, the alliance with the southern kingdoms of modern Spain was a political priority as shown by the marriage of all his daughters to Iberian kings.
He married three times and had at least five children. After he divorced his second wife due to infertility, he remarried to a much younger woman who was also his cousin. This marriage produced a son, but William VIII had to visit Rome in the early 1070s to persuade the pope to recognize his children from his third marriage as legitimate.
Duke of Aquitaine
The Duke of Aquitaine ruled the historical region of Aquitaine under the supremacy of Frankish, English and later French kings....
and count of Poitiers
Count of Poitiers
Among the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
(as William VI) between 1058 and 1086, succeeding his brother William VII
William VII of Aquitaine
William VII , called the Eagle or the Bold , was the duke of Aquitaine and count of Poitou between 1039 and his death, following his half-brother Odo.William was the third son of William V of Aquitaine, the eldest by his third wife, Agnes of Burgundy...
(Pierre-Guillaume).
Guy-Geoffroy was the youngest son of 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...
by his third wife Agnes of Burgundy
Agnes of Burgundy, Duchess of Aquitaine
Agnes of Burgundy , Duchess of Aquitaine was a daughter of Otto-William, Count of Burgundy and Ermentrude of Roucy. She was a member of the House of Ivrea.-Life:...
. He was the brother-in-law of Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry III , called the Black or the Pious, was a member of the Salian Dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors...
who had married his sister, Agnes de Poitou
Agnes de Poitou
Agnes of Poitou, Agnes of Aquitaine or Empress Agnes was Holy Roman Empress and regent of the Holy Roman Empire from 1056 to 1062.-Family:...
.
He became Duke of Gascony in 1052 during his older brother William VII's rule. Gascony had come to Aquitanian rule through William V's marriage to Prisca (a.k.a Brisce) of Gascony, the sister of Duke Sans VI Guilhem of Gascony.
William VIII was one of the leaders of the allied army called to help Ramiro I of Aragon
Ramiro I of Aragon
Ramiro I was de facto the first King of Aragon from 1035 until his death. Apparently born before 1007, he was the illegitimate son of Sancho III of Navarre by his mistress Sancha de Aybar...
in the Siege of Barbastro (1064). This expedition was the first campaign organized by the papacy, namely Pope Alexander II
Pope Alexander II
Pope Alexander II , born Anselmo da Baggio, was Pope from 1061 to 1073.He was born in Milan. As bishop of Lucca he had been an energetic coadjutor with Hildebrand of Sovana in endeavouring to suppress simony, and to enforce the celibacy of the clergy...
, against a Muslim city, and the precursor of the later Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
movement. Aragon and its allies conquered the city, killed its inhabitants and collected an important booty.
However, Aragon lost the city again in the following years. During William VIII's rule, the alliance with the southern kingdoms of modern Spain was a political priority as shown by the marriage of all his daughters to Iberian kings.
He married three times and had at least five children. After he divorced his second wife due to infertility, he remarried to a much younger woman who was also his cousin. This marriage produced a son, but William VIII had to visit Rome in the early 1070s to persuade the pope to recognize his children from his third marriage as legitimate.
- First wife: Garsende of PérigordPérigordThe Périgord is a former province of France, which corresponds roughly to the current Dordogne département, now forming the northern part of the Aquitaine région. It is divided into four regions, the Périgord Noir , the Périgord Blanc , the Périgord Vert and the Périgord Pourpre...
, daughter of Count Aldabert II of Périgord (divorced November 1058), no children. She became a nun at SaintesSaintesSaintes 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....
.
- Second wife: Matoeda (divorced May 1068)
- Agnes (1052–1078), married Alfonso VI of CastileAlfonso VI of CastileAlfonso VI , nicknamed the Brave or the Valiant, was King of León from 1065, King of Castile and de facto King of Galicia from 1072, and self-proclaimed "Emperor of all Spain". After the conquest of Toledo he was also self-proclaimed victoriosissimo rege in Toleto, et in Hispania et Gallecia...
- Third wife: Hildegarde of Burgundy (daughter of duke Robert I of BurgundyRobert I, Duke of BurgundyRobert I Capet or Robert I of Burgundy, known as Robert the Old was duke of Burgundy between 1032 to his death...
)
- Third wife: Hildegarde of Burgundy (daughter of duke Robert I of Burgundy
- AgnesAgnes of Aquitaine, Queen of Aragon and NavarreAgnes of Aquitaine was a daughter of William VIII, Duke of Aquitaine and his third wife Hildegarde of Burgundy, and thus half-sister of Agnes of Aquitaine, Queen of Castile, with whom she is sometimes confused....
(died 1097), married Peter I of Aragon - William IX of AquitaineWilliam IX of AquitaineWilliam 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...
, his heir
Sources
- Owen, D. D. R. Eleanor of Aquitaine: Queen and Legend.
- Nouvelle Biographie Générale. Paris, 1859.