William VI of Aquitaine
Encyclopedia
William VI called the Fat, was Duke of Aquitaine
and Count of Poitou (as William IV) between 1030 and his death. He was the eldest son of William V the Great
by his first wife, Adalmode of Limoges.
Throughout his reign he had to face the hostility of his stepmother, Agnes of Burgundy
, the third wife of his father, who had remarried to Geoffrey Martel, then count of Vendôme. He enterred into a war with Martel, who pretended to the government of the Saintonge
. On 20 September 1034, he was captured in the field at Moncontour
, near Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes
. He was freed in 1036, after nearly three years imprisonment, only by ceding the cities of Saintes
and Bordeaux
. He immediately reopened the war, but was defeated again and had to cede the isle of Oléron
.
William married Eustachie of Montreuil but had no known descendants. He reformed the administration of Poitiers
by naming a provost
and died there, being buried at Maillezais
, being succeeded by his half-brother Odo.
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 Poitou (as William IV) between 1030 and his death. He was the eldest son of William V the Great
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 first wife, Adalmode of Limoges.
Throughout his reign he had to face the hostility of his stepmother, 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:...
, the third wife of his father, who had remarried to Geoffrey Martel, then count of Vendôme. He enterred into a war with Martel, who pretended to the government of the 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....
. On 20 September 1034, he was captured in the field at Moncontour
Moncontour, Vienne
Moncontour is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.It was the site of the Battle of Moncontour in 1569.-Demographics:-External links: http://www.moncontour-active-park.fr...
, near Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes
Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes
Saint-Jouin-de-Marnes is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.-References:*...
. He was freed in 1036, after nearly three years imprisonment, only by ceding the cities 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 Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
. He immediately reopened the war, but was defeated again and had to cede the isle of Oléron
Oléron
Île d'Oléron is an island off the Atlantic coast of France , on the southern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche strait....
.
William married Eustachie of Montreuil but had no known descendants. He reformed the administration of Poitiers
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
by naming a provost
Provost (civil)
A provost is the ceremonial head of many Scottish local authorities, and under the name prévôt was a governmental position of varying importance in Ancien Regime France.-History:...
and died there, being buried at Maillezais
Maillezais
Maillezais is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.It was once an island, until Monks of the Maillezais Abbey dug canals. Remains of the sea wall are still present, and canoe tours of the canals are a regular attraction to tourists.-External links:*,...
, being succeeded by his half-brother Odo.
Sources
- Nouvelle Biographie Générale. Paris, 1859.
- Adalmode, the mother of William the Fat