William V, Duke of Aquitaine

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William V
Duke of Aquitaine
Reign990 − 31 January 1030
Predecessor William IV, Duke of Aquitaine
Successor William VI, Duke of Aquitaine
Born969
Poitiers
Died31 January 1030
Maillezais Cathedral
Burial
Maillezais Cathedral
SpouseAdalemode of Limoges
Brisque of Gascony
Agnes of Burgundy
Issue William VI, Duke of Aquitaine
Odo of Gascony
William VII, Duke of Aquitaine
William VIII, Duke of Aquitaine
Agnes of Poitou
House Ramnulfids
Father William IV, Duke of Aquitaine
Mother Emma of Blois

William the Great (French : Guillaume le Grand; 969 – 31 January 1030) was duke of Aquitaine (as William V) and count of Poitou (as William II or III) from 990 until his death. [1] Upon the death of the emperor Henry II, he was offered the kingdom of Italy but declined to contest the title against Conrad II.

Contents

Life

He was the son and successor of William IV by his wife Emma of Blois, daughter of Theobald I of Blois. [1] He seems to have taken after his formidable mother, who ruled Aquitaine as regent until 1004. He was a friend to Bishop Fulbert of Chartres, who found in him another Maecenas, and founded a cathedral school at Poitiers. He himself was very well educated, a collector of books, and turned the prosperous court of Aquitaine into the learning centre of Southern France.

Though a cultivated prince, he was a failure in the field. He called upon his suzerain Robert II of France to aid in subduing his vassal, Boso of La Marche. Initially unsuccessful, Boso was eventually chased from the duchy. He had to contain Vikings who continually threatened his coast. In 1006, he was defeated by Viking invaders. He lost the Loudunais and Mirebalais to Fulk Nerra, count of Anjou. He had to give up Confolens, Ruffec, and Chabanais to compensate William II of Angoulême, but Fulbert negotiated a treaty (1020) outlining the reciprocal obligations of vassal and suzerain.

However, his court was a centre of artistic endeavour and he its surest patron. His piety and culture brought peace to his vast territories, and he tried to stem the tide of feudal warfare then destroying the unity of many European nations by supporting the current Peace and Truce of God movements initiated by Pope and Church. He founded Maillezais Abbey (1010) and Bourgueil Abbey. After a fire in Poitier, he rebuilt the cathedral and many other religious structures. He travelled widely in Europe, annually visiting Rome or Spain as a pilgrim. Everywhere he was greeted with royal pomp. His court was of an international flavour, receiving ambassadors from the Emperor Henry II, Alfonso V of León, Canute the Great, and even his suzerain, Robert of France.

Upon the death of Henry II without an obvious heir, some of the nobles of the kingdom of Italy looked for a separate candidate to elect rather than maintain their union with Germany by accepting its election of Conrad II. An embassy led by Ulric Manfred, the marquis of Susa, came to France in 1024 and remained for a year, attempting to interest Robert's son Hugh Magnus and then (after Robert's refusal to permit this) William, whose character and court impressed many. William considered the proposal seriously but, upon visiting Italy himself, he found the political situation so unfavorable that he renounced the crown for himself and his heirs. Most of his surviving six letters deal with the Italian proposal.

His reign ended in peace and he died on the last (or second to last) day of January 1030 at Maillezais, which he founded and where he is buried.[ citation needed ]

The principal source of his reign is the panegyric of Adhemar of Chabannes. His relations with his vassal, Hugh IV of Lusignan, are the subject of the Conventum .

Family

He was married at least 3 times. His first wife was Adalemode of Limoges, widow of Adalbert I of La Marche. [1] They had:

  1. William VI, his successor [1]

His second wife was Brisque of Gascony, [1] daughter of Duke William Sánchez of Gascony and sister of Duke Sancho VI William. She was dead by 1018. They had:

  1. Odo, [1] later duke of Gascony


His third wife was Agnes of Burgundy, daughter of Otto-William, Duke of Burgundy. [1] Her second husband was Geoffrey II of Anjou. They had:

  1. Peter William, later duke as William VII [1]
  2. Guy Geoffrey, later duke as William VIII [1]
  3. Agnes (or Ala), [1] married Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor (1043)

See also

Related Research Articles

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William Taillefer, numbered William II or William IV, was the Count of Angoulême from 987. He was the son of Count Arnald II Manzer and grandson of Count William Taillefer I. 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.

Emma of Blois was Duchess of Aquitaine by marriage to William IV, Duke of Aquitaine. She ruled Aquitaine as regent for her son, William V, Duke of Aquitaine, from 996 until 1004.

Geoffrey II of Thouars, was the son of Savary III. He was the viscount of Thouars from 1015 to 1043.

References

Sources

William V, Duke of Aquitaine
Born: 969 Died: 31 January 1030
Preceded by Duke of Aquitaine
990–1030
Succeeded by
Count of Poitiers
990–1030