Several counts and then royal dukes of Alençon have figured in French history. The title has been awarded to a younger brother of the French sovereign.
Charles II, called the Magnanimous was Count of Alençon and Count of Perche (1325–1346), as well as Count of Chartres and Count of Joigny (1335–1336) as husband of Joan of Joigny.
Perche is a former province of France, known historically for its forests and, for the past two centuries, for the Percheron draft horse breed. Until the French Revolution, Perche was bounded by four ancient territories of northwestern France: the provinces of Maine, Normandy, and Orléanais, and the region of Beauce. Afterwards it was absorbed into the present-day departments of Orne and Eure-et-Loir, with small parts in the neighboring departments of Eure, Loir-et-Cher, and Sarthe.
Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais is a commune in Eure-et-Loir department in northern France.
Rotrou III, called the Great, was the Count of Perche and Mortagne from 1099. He was the son of Geoffrey II, Count of Perche, and Beatrix de Ramerupt, daughter of Hilduin IV, Count of Montdidier. He was a notable Crusader and a participant in the Reconquista in eastern Spain, even ruling the city of Tudela in Navarre from 1123 to 1131. He is commonly credited with introducing Arabian horses to the Perche, giving rise to the Percheron breed. By his creation of a monastery at La Trappe in memory of his wife, Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England, in 1122 he also laid the foundations of the later Trappists.
The House of Anjou-Châteaudun was a medieval house that once possessed the County of Anjou, the Viscounty of Châteaudun and the significant, wealthy Kingdom of Jerusalem.
The County of Châteaudun was held in the 9th century by counts who also held the County of Blois. Theobald I created the first viscount of Châteaudun with the appointment of Geoffrey I, founder of the House of Châteaudun. The viscounts were entrusted with the government of the county of Châteaudun, records of whom are continuous from the mid-10th century. The actual rule of Châteaudun between the late 9th and the mid-10th centuries, and the relationships between the count and viscounts, is uncertain. The county was revived in 1439 when the region was recreated as the County of Dunois and granted to Jean Levieux Valois des Orléans, the illegitimate son of Louis I, Duke of Orléans, son of Charles V of France.
Hugues, Viscount of Châteaudun, son of Geoffrey I, Viscount of Châteaudun, and Ermengarde. Virtually nothing is known about his life.
Hildegarde of Perche was daughter of Hervé I, Count of Perche, and his wife Mélisende. It is believed that she was a descendant of Adelaud de Loches, grandfather of Roscille de Loches, wife of Fulk I the Red, Count of Anjou. Hildegarde became Viscountess of Châteaudun upon the death of her husband Hugues I Viscount of Châteaudun.
Melisende, was the ruling Viscountess of Châteaudun in 1026–1030.
Fulcuich(Fulcois) Count of Mortagne, son of Rotrou, Seigneur de Nogent. It has been conjectured that Fulcuich's ancestor was Hervé I, Lord of Mortagne-au-Perche, through his supposed mother, Hildegarde de Mortagne et Perche, wife of Rotrou, who is a known daughter of Hervé.
Geoffrey II, Viscount of Châteaudun and Count of Perche, son of Fulcois, Count of Mortagne, and Melisende, Viscountess of Châteaudun. Some sources say that he became Viscount of Châteaudun following his uncle Hugues II’ appointment as Archbishop of Tours. At that point, he was probably under the regency of his mother.
Hugues III, Viscount of Châteaudun and Count of Perche, son of Geoffrey II, Viscount of Châteaudun, I Count of Perche and Helvise de Corbon, daughter of Rainard, Lord of Pithiviers. Virtually nothing is known about his life other than some references of donations to the Abbey of Saint-Denis de Nogent.
Rotrou I, Viscount of Châteaudun and Count of Perche, second son of Geoffrey II, Viscount of Châteaudun, and Helvise de Corbon, daughter of Rainard, Lord of Pithiviers.
Geoffrey II, Count of Mortagne and Count of Perche, was the son of Rotrou I, Viscount of Châteaudun, and Adelise de Bellême, daughter of Guérin de Domfron. Geoffrey was Count of Mortagne and Seigneur of Nogent from 1060 to 1090, and Count of Perche from 1090 until his death.
Hugues IV, Viscount of Châteaudun, son of Geoffrey III, Viscount of Châteaudun, and Helvise, Dame of Mondoubleau, daughter of Ilbert “Payen” de Mondoubleau. He became Lord of Mondoubleau upon his mother’s death, based on her inheritance, and acquired the lordship of Saint-Calais by marriage.
Rotrou IV (1135-1191), was the Count of Perche. He joined Louis VII of France in a war against Henry II of England, in which he lost lands to the English. Rotrou later went on crusade with Philip II of France and died after the Siege of Acre in 1191.
Hervé I, Count of Perche and Mortagne.
Sandleford Priory was a small Augustinian Priory, the remains of which now stand at Sandleford in the civil parish of Greenham in the English county of Berkshire.
