Herbertines
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Adele of Meaux
This illustration was based on the effigy on her tomb.
The note to the illustration reads "Adèle de Vermandois, femme de
Geoffroy Grisegonelle, Comte d'Anjou, mort en 987.
Sous Lothaire.
de sont tombeau, à coté de grand autel de l'église de St.
aubin d'angers dont elle est la fondatrite" which roughly
translates as "Adèle of Vermandois, wife of Geoffrey Grisegonelle,
Count of Anjou, died in 987.
Under Lothair.
Her tomb is located next to the high altar of the church of St.
Aubin in Angers, of which she was the founder."
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Adele of Meaux
Robert of Meaux
Adelaide
Geoffroy
"Grisegonelle"
Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Aubin d'Angers
vol 1 pp7-10 (Bertrand de Broussillon, 1903)
III.
(A. 3.) — 974, 6 mars, Angers. — CHARTE PAR LAQUELLE LA
COMTESSE ADÈLE FAIT DON A SAINT-AUBIN DE SES DOMAINES HÉRÉDITAIRES
ET DE TOUS SES ACQUÊTS. (Original avec croix autographes aux
Archives de Maine-et-Loire, H. 100, 73.)
Carta donationis quam fecit Adela, Andegavensis comitissa, Sancto
Albino de curte que nominatur Undanis villa, in pago Belvacensi, et
de Insula Montis, prope civitatem Andecavam, cum capella Sancti
Hilarii et de ecclesia de Regina et de ecclesia Alodos et de quinque
arpennis vinee in prospectu civitatis Andecave1.
Cum pervigiles nos obitus nostri adventum expectare jubeat
Dominus tunc potissimum vigilare debemus quando nobis vicinius
imminere mortem cognoscimus. Idcirco in Evangelio hortatur et incertam
horam sui adventus demonstrat cum dicit: « Videte, vigilate, quoniam
nescitis qua hora Dominus veniet ». Precavendum est igitur; et, ut
Sapientia dicit: « Quodcumque possumus in Dei servitio et pro ejus
amore agendum; quia post mortem nemo in infernum confitebitur Domino,
nec locus bona operandi restabit; sed quod quisque ad presens executus
fuerit, illic certam recipiet vicissitudinem sive boni sive mali ».
Quapropter ego Adela, nequaquam meorum actuum confidentiam
habens, sed in solius Dei misericordia totam spem et confidentiam
ponens et sanctorum ejus suffragia deposcens, in extremis
circumvallantibus angustiis constituta, ad ipsius Redemptoris Nostri
pietatem et ejus dilectissimi antistitis Albini pre ceteris
confugiens, res hereditarias mei juris quas vel a parentibus seu a
seniore meo Gauzfredo comite adquirere potui, ipsi sancti confessori
Albino contrado, sperans et pro certo credens, ut legitur: « Non
habentes velamen amplexentur lapides, ipsius juvamine a peccatorum
nexibus eripi et æterne vite remunerationem me posse promereri ».
Dono igitur illi curtem a parentibus traditam, sitam in pago
Belvacinse, que vocatur Hundanis villa, cum terris cultis et incultis,
villulis, mancipiis utriusque sexus, pratis, silvis, aquis aquarumque
discursibus, molendinis, et cum duabus ecclesiis, unam in honore
sanctae Dei genitricis Mariae constructam, alteram in honore sancti
Aniani.
Quicquid ergo in jamdictam curtem habere visa sum quesitum et
inquisitum totum pro anime meae remedio Sancto Albino trado atque
condono.
Concedo etiam illi insulam, sitam in pago Andegavo, quam in
dotalitium mihi senior contulit, venerandus scilicet comes Gauzfredus,
que Mons vocatur, cum omnibus que ad eam pertinent, cum terris
videlicet cultis et incultis, silvis, pratis, pischariis, mancipiis
utriusque sexus, et cum capella in honore sancti Hylarii fabricata.
Condono namque jam sepius dicto confessori item aliam ecclesiam
in pago Andegavo cum villula in qua fore conspicitur et cum mercato et
vicaria, cum terris cultis et incultis, molendinis, aquis aquarumque
discursibus, quae vocatur Peregrina, et cum omnibus que ad eam
pertinent.
Simul ergo concedo prefixe Sancto Albino monachisque ibi Deo
sedule obsecundantibus arpennos quinque et dimidium de vineis in
prospectu Andegave civitatis, et cellarium in suburbio ejusdem,
quatinus ejus adjuta precibus caelestis regni beatitudine frui merear
cum sanctis omnibus.
Si quis vero fuerit ex parentibus meis val amicis, quod fieri
non credo, si filius, vel filia hanc donationem contradicere
temptaverit, in primis iram Dei omnipotentis et sancti Albini
incurrat; deinde, judiciaria cogente potestate, auri libras centum
multat, componat et quod repetit non evindicet; sed hec donatio
inconvulsa omni tempore permaneat.
Signum Gauzfredi comitis.
Signum Fulconis, filii ejus.
Signum Gauzfredi, filii ejus.
Ego Gauzfredus, assertor et roborator hujus donationis, notum
esse volo omnibus quia in nostra confirmatione et fidelium nostrorum
calumpnia ex supradicta ecclesia Peregrina et ea que ad ipsam
pertinent orta est a quodam Raynardo, qui ad suum beneficium pertinere
testatus est. Unde statuimus ut abbas jamdicti cœnobii Sancti Albini,
Albertus nomine, ex suo libras quatuor argenti daret et, tam de
ecclesia quam de mansulo quodam, Croiaco nomine, et omnibus que ad
ipsam pertinent ut supra jam dictum est, supradictus Raynardus, cum
consensu senioris sui, Odonis comitis, prefatam donationem firmam
adsentiret.
Et ut haec donatio perhennem obtineat vigorem, statuimus censum
annuatim solidos duos illi persolvere vel successoribus ejus, nec a
prefato loco amplius requiratur.
Signum Raynardi calumpniatoris.
Signum Raynaldi, episcopi Andegavensis.
Signum Raynaldi vicecomitis, patris ejus.
Signum Sulpitii.
Signum Heriberti comitis.
Signum Gauzfredi vicecomitis.
Signum Harduini, episcopi Turonensis.
♱ Signum Odonis comitis, qui hanc donationem fieri jussit.
Data mense martio, anno vicesimo tertio regnante Lothario rege,
in placito publico Andegavis civitatis,
Rotbertus scripsit et subscripsit.
Anno ab incarnatione Domini D CCCC LXXIIII,
indictione I, II nonas supradicti
mensis.
(1) On trouve des fragments de cette charte à la page 39 des Preuves
de l’Histoire de la Maison de Vergy, de Du Chesne, et dans dom
Morice (Preuves de l’Histoire de Bretagne, I, 349).
This roughly translates as:
III. (A. 3.) — 974, 6 March, Angers. — CHARTER BY WHICH COUNTESS
ADELE DONATED HER INHERITED DOMAINS AND ALL HER ACQUISITIONS TO
SAINT-AUBIN. (Original with autograph crosses in the Archives
of Maine-et-Loire, H. 100, 73.)
A charter of donation made by Adela, countess of Anjou, to Saint
Albinus of the court called Undanis villa, in the village of Belvaux,
and of the Island of Monts, near the city of Anjou, with the chapel of
Saint Hilary and the church of Regina and the church of Alodos and
five acres of vineyard in the prospect of the city of Anjou1.
When the Lord commands us to be vigilant in awaiting the coming
of our death, we must be especially vigilant when we realize that death
is approaching us. For this reason, in the Gospel, he exhorts us and
shows the uncertain hour of his coming when he says: “Watch, watch, for
you do not know at what hour the Lord will come.” We must therefore be
careful; and, as Wisdom says: “Whatever we can do in the service of God
and for his love, we must do; because after death no one will confess to
the Lord in hell, nor will there be a place left for doing good; but
whatever each one has done up to the present time, he will receive there
a certain reward, whether good or evil.”
Therefore, I, Adela, by no means having confidence in my own
actions, but placing all my hope and confidence in the mercy of God
alone and asking for the prayers of his saints, placed in extreme
surrounding distress, taking refuge above all else in the piety of our
Redeemer himself and his most beloved bishop Albinus, I bequeath to the
holy confessor Albinus the hereditary things of my right which I was
able to acquire either from my parents or from my elder count Gauzfred,
hoping and believing for certain, as it is written: "Without a veil let
the stones embrace, that with his help I may be rescued from the bonds
of sins and merit the reward of eternal life." Therefore, I give him a
farmstead handed down by his parents, situated in the village of
Belvain, which is called the Hundanis villa, with cultivated and
uncultivated lands, hamlets, serfs of both sexes, meadows, forests,
waters and watercourses, mills, and with two churches, one built in
honor of the holy Mother of God Mary, the other in honor of Saint Anian.
Therefore, whatever I have been seen to have in the
aforementioned farmstead, acquired and searched, I give and forgive
entirely to Saint Albinus for the healing of my soul.
I also grant him an island, situated in the village of Anjou,
which my elder brother, namely the venerable count Gauzfred, who is
called the Mountain, gave to me as a dowry, with all that pertains to
it, namely cultivated and uncultivated lands, forests, meadows,
fisheries, serfs of both sexes, and with a chapel built in honor of
Saint Hilary.
For I also grant to the confessor already mentioned another
church in the village of Anjou, with a small village in which it is seen
to be located, and with a market and a vicarage, with cultivated and
uncultivated lands, mills, waters and watercourses, which is called
Peregrina, and with all that pertains to it.
At the same time, therefore, I grant to Saint Albinus and the
monks there who diligently obey God, five and a half acres of vineyards
in the prospect of the city of Anjou, and a cellar in the suburb of the
same, of which, with the help of his prayers, I may deserve to enjoy the
bliss of the heavenly kingdom with all the saints.
If, however, any of my parents or friends, which I do not believe
will happen, if a son or daughter attempts to contradict this donation,
let him first incur the wrath of Almighty God and Saint Albinus; then,
by the coercive power of the judiciary, let him fine himself one hundred
pounds of gold, make amends, and not enforce what he repeats; but let
this donation remain unshaken at all times.
Sign of Count Gauzfred.
Sign of Fulk, his son.
Sign of Gausfred, his son.
I Gausfred, assertor and reinforcer of this donation, want it to
be known to all that in our confirmation and that of our faithful, the
calumny of the aforementioned church of Peregrine and that which
pertains to it arose from a certain Raynard, who testified that it
pertained to his benefice. Wherefore we decree that the abbot of the
aforementioned monastery of Saint Albinus, Albert by name, should give
four pounds of silver from his own money and, both for the church and
for a certain manse, Croiac by name, and for all that pertains to it as
has been said above, the aforementioned Raynard, with the consent of his
senior, Count Odo, should assent to the aforementioned donation.
And that this donation may have lasting force, we decree that an
annual tax of two solidi be paid to him or his successors, and that no
further demand be made from the aforementioned place.
Sign of Raynard the calumniator.
Sign of Raynald, bishop of Anjou.
Sign of viscount Raynald, his father.
Sign of Sulpitius.
Sign of Count Heribert.
Sign of viscount Gauzfred.
Sign of Harduin, bishop of Tours.
♱ Sign of Count Odo, who ordered this donation to be made.
Dated in the month of March, in the twenty-third year of the
reign of King Lothair, in a public plea of the city of Anjou,
Robert wrote and subscribed.
In the year of the incarnation of the Lord 974, indiction 1, 2
day before Nones of the aforementioned month [6 March].
(1) Fragments of this charter can be found on page 39 of Du
Chesne’s Preuves de l’Histoire de la Maison de Vergy, and in Dom
Morice (Preuves de l’Histoire de Bretagne, I, 349).
Recueil d'annales angevines et vendômoises
pp1-2 (Louis Halphen, 1903)
ANNALES SANCTI ALBINI ANDEGAVENSIS
DCCCCLXXIV.—Rainaldus episcopus ordinatur et Adela
comitissa in ejus presencia, presente etiam Harduino Turonensi
archiepiscopo et marito suo Gauffrido, Undanis Villam, Alodos, Insulam
Montis et Peregrinam Sancto Albino dedit1.
1. Voir la charte dans le Cartul. de Saint-Aubin, éd.
Bertrand de Broussillon, no 3: charte de la comtesse Adèle,
du 6 mars 974, souscrite, entre autres, par son mari, le comte d’Anjou
Geoffroy Grisegonelle, et par l’archevéque de Tours, Hardouin.
This roughly translates as:
ANNALS OF SAINT ALBINI OF ANJOU
974.—Rainald was ordained bishop and
countess Adela in his presence, in the presence also of Hardouin,
archbishop of Tours, and her husband Geoffrey, gave the Villa of
Undanis, Alodes, the Island of Monts and Peregrine to Saint Albini.
1. See the charter in the Cartul. de Saint-Aubin, ed.
Bertrand de Broussillon, no. 3: charter of countess Adèle, dated 6 March
974, subscribed, among others, by her husband, the count of Anjou
Geoffroy Grisegonelle, and by the archbishop of Tours, Hardouin.
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The tomb of Adele of Meaux in the abbey
of Saint Aubin, in Angers,
France
The illustration is noted "TOMBEAU contre le mur a gauche dans le
Sanctuaire de l'Eglise de l'Abbaye de St Aubin d'Angers." which
roughly translates to "TOMB against the wall on the left in the
Sanctuary of the Church of the Abbey of St Aubin d'Angers."
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in the abbey
of Saint Aubin, in Angers,
France
Adelaide de Vermandois
Heribert IV
Adele of Valois
see Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol 1
p625 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771)
Hugh
de Vermandois
Renaud
II, Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis
Renaud was the son of Hugh II de Creil and Marguerite de Ramerupt. He was a
crusader in the army of Adelaide'w first husband, Hugh. After Adelaide's
death. Renaud married Clemence de Bar, widow of the count of Dammartin.
Countess of Vermandois, in her
own right
Adelaide succeeded to Vermandois as a result of the disinheritance, due to
insanity, of her brother Odo, and on her father's death, her husband, Hugh,
became count of Vermandois in right of Adelaide.
Adelaide was the last ruler of the Carolingian line of Vermandois and a
pivotal figure in the transition of power to the Capetian dynasty. As a
sovereign countess, she navigated the turbulent politics of the First
Crusade and managed the transition of her county from the ancient line of
Charlemagne to the sons of the king of France.
Adelaide was the daughter of Herbert IV, count of Vermandois. When her
father died in 1080, the county should have passed to her brother, Odo the
Insane. However, Odo was disinherited by the council of barons due to his
mental instability. To secure her position, Adelaide married Hugh the Great,
the younger son of king Henry I of France and Anne of Kiev. This marriage
effectively merged the last Carolingian stronghold with the rising Capetian
royal house.
Adelaide’s life was deeply affected by the First Crusade. Her
husband, Hugh, was one of the primary leaders of the expedition. During
Hugh’s long absences in the East (1096–1098 and 1101), Adelaide ruled
Vermandois and Valois as a sovereign countess. She managed the local
economy, resolved legal disputes (as seen in the charters below), and
maintained the defense of her territories. After Hugh died in Tarsus in
1101, Adelaide continued to rule alongside her eldest son, Raoul. In 1103,
Adelaide married Renaud II, count of Clermont. This second marriage created
friction with her son Raoul, who was reaching his majority and wished to
rule the paternal inheritance of Vermandois alone. Despite these internal
family dynamics, Adelaide remained an active political actor, often
appearing in charters to validate the donations and legal decisions of her
sons.
In the first of these two charters created by Adelaide, dated 1114, she
names her sons, Raoul, Henry, and Simon. If William is correctly also her
son, he presumably died before 1114.
Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Corneille de
Compiègne vol 1 pp70-2 (ed. E. Morel, 1904)
XXXIV
Adela comitissa Viromandensis, de quibusdam hominibus nostris
manumissis.
EGO, Adela, Dei gratia Viromandorum comitissa, filius
quoque meus Radulphus, universis sancte Dei ecclesie filiis, salutem
et pacem bonam. Ad removendam oblivionis nubem, ad reprimendam veri
cum falso, falsi cum vero confusionem, appertioribus veterum gestorum
testimoniis uti non possumus, quam his que apicibus litterarum
insigniuntur. Proptereaque, ne, supervenientibus novis, oblivioni
tradatur, factam inter nos et sancte Compendiensis ecclesie canonicos
cujusdam calumnie disceptationem describi voluimus. Ego siquidem Adela
predicta, comitissa, et filius meus Radulphus, comes, Olrici uxorem
filiosque ejus et filias calumniabamur et ad famulatum nostrum servili
conditione eos usurpare nitebamur; ad quod canonici supranominate
Compendiensis ecclesie, ex adverso insurgentes, murumque justitie pro
familia ecclesie opponentes, nunc precibus, nunc nos ad causam
vocando, resistebant, et quos longo temporis intervallo ecclesia
singulari dominatu quiete possidebat ita usurpari non licere verbis
astruebant; sicque diu lite protracta, tandemque familiari
investigatione luce veritatis reperta, ego mater confessa sum me
oberrasse, et voluntate et assensu filiorum meorum, Radulphi, Henrici,
Symonis simulque consilio meorum magnatum, Roberti de Tornella, Ade
qui Rabies dicitur, Vuenrici castellani , multorumque aliorum
prescriptam calumniam plane et ex toto dimisi; et quia injuste
ecclesiam inquietaveram, dato in manu prepositi ecclesie Odonis
scilicet emendationis vadimonio, culpam emendavi. Insuper Olricum
patrem, Falcardum ejus fratrem, omnino manu missos, plane ecclesie in
perpetuum habendos dedimus et concessimus. Et ut hoc donum et doni
concessio rata et inconvulsa sine contradictione vel aliqua
retractatione permanerent, omnium predictorum assertores et tutores
nos futuros esse contra omnem usurpatorem, fide data, promisimus et
impressione autentica nostri sigilli corroborari curavimus. Hujus rei
testes sunt: Hildierus, Odo prelibate ecclesie Compend. prepositi
miles, Ibertus de Divione, Odo Brito, Godefridus, Ingelrannus Rabies,
Robertus de Turnella, Adan Rabies, Elinandus, Vuernerus multique alii
cujuscumque conditionis, Radulphus Dalphinus Iberti frater. Actum
Montisderii consulari thalamo, anno Dominice Incarnationis millesimo
centesimo quartodecimo, indictione septima, anno consecrationis regis
Ludovici sexto.
…
XXXV
De altaribus Metivillaris, Faverolis, Prunastri, concessis.
IN nomine sancte et individue Trinitatis, Patris et
Filii et Spiritus sancti. Amen. Ego Adela, Viromandensis comitissa,
filiique mei, videlicet Radulphus comes, atque Henricus, universis
sancte Dei ecclesie cultoribus, tam futuris quam et presentibus,
certum fieri volumus, quia Helinandus, miles, dignitatis nostre
presentiam adiit, humiliter obsecrans, quatinus tria altaria que sunt
apud Mesvillare et Faverolas et Pronastrum, que pro sua suique filii
Sagalonis anima et sue uxoris sancte Dei Compendiensi ecclesie
concesserat, et nos pariter, a quorum descendebant beneficio, eidem
ecclesie concederemus. Illius igitur petitioni, quia nobis multum bene
placuit, benigne condescendentes, predicta altaria jam ab illo
Helinando ditioni nostre resignata, ea lege ut ei adquiesceremus, pro
anima mariti mei, Hugonis comitis, et mea, pro animabus etiam filiorum
meorum, scilicet Radulphi comitis et Henrici, sepenominate
Compendiensi ecclesie, quemadmodum a nobis petierat, ipso etiam
Helinando, quantum in ipso erat, concedente, quicquid nostrum erat et
ad nos pertinebat, integre et liberrime in perpetuo habendum, ego et
filii, scilicet Radulfus, comes, atque Henricus, dedimus et firmiter
concessimus; et ut in posterum absque contradictione seu qualibet
retractatione habeat, teneat et possideat, fide nostra interposita,
quatinus hujus largitionis semper erimus auctores et contra omnium
usurpatorum violentiam defensores, memoriales litteras fieri
precepimus, et eas nostrarum signis personarum suffultas, auctoritate
et sigilli nostri impressione corroboravimus. Hujus autem veritatis
testimonium perhibentes affuerunt:
Signum Radulphi, S. comitisse, S. Henrici, signum Ermentrudis,
uxoris Helinandi. Clerici: Odo decanus, Johannes cantor, Ivo, alius
Ivo, Odardus, Hildierus, Milo, Gunduinus, Drogo, Eugubrandus, Symon
filius comitisse, Radulfus. Actum, anno Incarnationis Dominice Mo
Co XIIIIo, indictione septima, anno vero
consecrationis regis Ludovici sexto. Milites: Ibertus, Robertus,
Lisiardus, Gaufridus, Symon, Adam, Drogo, Fulco, Odo, Godefridus,
Ingelrannus, Werno, Baidelo, Rogerus, Richardus, Wenricus de Roia,
Radulfus, Paganus, Wido.
This roughly translates as:
XXXIV
Adela countess of Vermandois, concerning certain of our men
having been manumitted..
I, Adela, by the grace of God countess of the Vermandois, and also my
son Raoul, to all the sons of the holy church of God, good health and
peace. To remove the cloud of forgetfulness, and to repress the
confusion of truth with falsehood and falsehood with truth, we cannot
use clearer testimonies of old deeds than those which are distinguished
by the strokes of letters. And therefore, lest it be handed over to
oblivion by new events supervening, we wished to have written down the
dispute of a certain claim made between us and the canons of the holy
church of Compiègne. Indeed I, the aforesaid Adela, countess, and my son
Raoul, count, were claiming the wife of Olric and his sons and
daughters, and we were striving to usurp them into our servitude under a
servile condition; against which the aforementioned canons of the church
of Compiègne, rising up in opposition, and setting up a wall of justice
for the family of the church, were resisting, now by prayers, now by
calling us to a legal case, and they were affirming with words that it
was not permitted to thus usurp those whom the church had quietly
possessed by singular lordship for a long interval of time. And thus the
dispute having been protracted for a long time, and at last the light of
truth having been found through familiar investigation, I, the mother,
confessed that I had erred, and with the will and assent of my sons,
Raoul, Henry, and Simon, and at the same time with the counsel of my
magnates, Robert of Tournelle, Adam who is called Rabies [the Mad],
Wenric the castellan, and many others, I plainly and entirely dismissed
the aforewritten claim; and because I had unjustly disturbed the church,
having given a pledge of emendation into the hand of the provost of the
church, namely Odo, I made amends for the fault. Moreover, we have given
and conceded Olric the father, and Falcard his brother, entirely
manumitted, to be had by the church plainly in perpetuity. And so that
this gift and the concession of the gift might remain valid and unshaken
without contradiction or any retraction, we have promised, faith having
been given, that we would be the future assertors and protectors of all
the aforesaid against every usurper, and we took care to have it
corroborated by the authentic impression of our seal. The witnesses of
this matter are: Hildier; Odo the knight of the provost of the
aforementioned church of Compiègne; Ibert of Dijon; Odo the Breton;
Godfrey; Enguerrand Rabies; Robert of Tournelle; Adam Rabies; Elinand;
Werner; and many others of whatever condition; [and] Raoul the Dauphin,
brother of Ibert. Enacted in the consular chamber [hall of the count] of
Montdidier, in the year of the Lord's Incarnation one thousand one
hundred and fourteen, the seventh indiction, in the sixth year of the
consecration of king Louis.
…
XXXV
Concerning the conceded altars of Mévillers, Faverolles,
[and] Prunoy.
In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, Father and Son and Holy
Spirit. Amen. I, Adela, countess of the Vermandois, and my sons, namely
Raoul, count, and also Henry, wish it to be made certain to all
cultivators of the holy church of God, both future and present, that
Helinand, a knight, approached the presence of our dignity, humbly
beseeching that we likewise might concede to the holy church of God at
Compiègne the three altars which are at Mévillers and Faverolles and
Prunoy, which he had conceded for the soul of himself and of his son
Sagalo and of his wife; [altars] which were held as a benefit from us.
Therefore, kindly condescending to his petition because it was very
pleasing to us, we—the aforesaid altars having already been resigned
into our power by that Helinand on the condition that we would acquiesce
to him—for the soul of my husband, Hugh the count, and my own, [and]
also for the souls of my sons, namely Raoul the count and Henry, have
given and firmly conceded to the often-named church of Compiègne, just
as he had asked of us, and with Helinand himself conceding as much as
was in his power, whatever was ours and pertained to us, to be held in
its entirety and most freely in perpetuity. And so that [the church] may
have, hold, and possess it in the future without contradiction or any
retraction, our faith having been pledged that we shall always be the
authors of this bounty and defenders against the violence of all
usurpers, we have ordered memorial letters to be made, and having
supported them with the signs of our persons, we have corroborated them
by the authority and impression of our seal. Moreover, those present as
witnesses of this truth were:
The sign of Raoul; [Sign] of the countess; [Sign] of Henry; the
sign of Ermentrude, wife of Helinand. Clerics: Odo the dean, John the
cantor, Ivo, another Ivo, Odard, Hildier, Milo, Gunduin, Drogo,
Eugubrand, Simon the son of the countess, Raoul. Enacted in the year of
the Lord’s Incarnation 1114, the seventh indiction, in the sixth year of
the consecration of king Louis. Knights: Ibert, Robert, Lisiard,
Godfrey, Simon, Adam, Drogo, Fulk, Odo, Godfrey, Enguerrand, Werner,
Baidelo, Roger, Richard, Wenric of Roye, Raoul, Payne, Guy.
Genealogiae
Scriptoris Fusniacensis in Monumenta
Germaniæ Historica SS 13 p253 (1881)
7. Nunc ad Hugonem Magnum revertamur. Hugo cognomento Magnus, frater
Philippi regis Francorum, de Adelaide comitissa Veromandensium genuit
Radulfum comitem Veromandie et Henricum de Chauni et Simonem episcopum
Noviomensem et filias. De quarum una Bonefacius marchio genuit
Bonefacium archidiaconum Noviomensem et filios et filias; quarum una
nupsit Guilelmo de Monte-pessulano. Secunda filia Hugonis Magni ex
Radulfo de Baugenci peperit Simonem eiusdem loci principem. Tercia
filia ex Ioifrido de Firmitate-Galceri genuit uxorem Simonis de
Oisiaco. Quarta filia nupsit comiti de Meslent, cui peperit filios,
quorum unus successit patri in comitatu, alter vero comitatem tenuit
de Cirecestre.
This roughly translates as:
7. Now
let us return to Hugh the Great. Hugh, surnamed the Great, brother of
Philip, king of the Franks, begat by Adelaide, countess of the
Vermandois: Ralph, count of Vermandois; Henry of Chauny; Simon, Bishop
of Noyon; and several daughters. From one of these daughters, Boniface
the marquess begat Boniface, archdeacon of Noyon, as well as other sons
and daughters; one of these daughters married William of Montpellier.
The second daughter of Hugh the Great, by Ralph of Beaugency, gave birth
to Simon, lord of that same place. The third daughter, by Geoffrey of La
Ferté-Gaucher, begat the wife of Simon of Oisy. The fourth daughter
[Isabel] married the count of Meulan, to whom she bore sons: one of
these succeeded his father in the county [Meulan], while the other held
the earldom of Leicester (Cirecestre).
De
Genere Comitum Flandrensium, Notae Parisienses in Monumenta
Germaniae Historica SS 13 p257 (1881)
Comes Herbertus3 genuit Odonem et Adelam sororem. Odo fuit
fatuus et indiscretus. Barones Viromandenses rogaverunt regem, ut
Adelam daret Hugoni le Magne, fratri eiusdem regis; quod factum est. …
De predicto comite Hugone et predicta Adela uxore sua exivit comes
Radulfus, Simon Noviomensis episcopus, dominus Henricus de Chaumont et
quatuor filie; de quibus quidam marchıo Lumbardie4 unam
habuit, secundam5 dominus Baugenciaci6, tertiam7
comes Mellenti8, quartam comes Garentie9. Hugone
autem comite mortuo, comes de Claro-monte10 duxit Adelam
comitissam in uxorem et ex ea unam filliam11 habuit. Comes
siquidem Carolus Flandrie cum illa filia matrimonium contraxit.
3) Viromandensis. 4) Bonifacius. 5) Mathildem. 6) Radulfus. 7)
Elisabeth. 8) Robertus. 9) Guillelmus II. 10) Rainaldus. 11)
Margaretam.
This roughly translates as:
Count
Herbert3 fathered Odo and his sister Adela. Odo was insane
and rash. The barons of Vermandois asked the king to give Adela to Hugh
the Great, the brother of the same king; which was done. … From the
aforesaid count Hugh and his wife Adela came count Ralph, Simon bishop
of Noyen, lord Henry of Chaumont and four daughters; of whom a certain
marquis of Lombardy4 had one, the lord of Baugencia6
the second5, the count of Mellent8 the third7,
the count of Warenne9 the fourth. But when count Hugh died,
the count of Claremont10 took the countess Adela as his wife
and had one daughter11 by her. Count Charles of Flanders
indeed contracted marriage with that daughter.
3) Vermandois. 4) Boniface. 5) Mathilde. 6) Ralph. 7) Elizabeth. 8)
Robert. 9) William II. 10) Rainald. 11) Margaret.
Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol 1
p625 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771)
La Comteſſe Adéle de Vermandois obtint le Valois, par l’abdication
volontaire qu’en avoit faite à Hébert IV, Simon, ſon oncle maternel,
lorſqu’il renonça en 1077 au monde, pour ſe renfermer dans le
monaſtere du Mont-Jura. Elle eut encore du même Simon le comté
d’Amiens, dont elle dépoſſéda les Sires de Coucy, & qu’elle céda,
après la mort du Comte ſon pere, à une fille appellée Marguerite,
qu’elle eut dans un ſecond mariage avec Regnault, comte de Clermont
& d’Auvergne.
This roughly translates as:
Countess
Adèle de Vermandois acquired the Valois through the voluntary abdication
of it made to Herbert IV by Simon, her maternal uncle, when he renounced
the world in 1077 to seclude himself within the monastery of Mont-Jura.
From the same Simon, she also received the County of Amiens, of which
she dispossessed the Lords of Coucy, and which she ceded, after the
death of her father the Count, to a daughter named Marguerite, whom she
bore during her second marriage to Regnault, Count of Clermont and
Auvergne.
The Complete Peerage vol 12 part 1 p496
(George Edward Cokayne, enlarged by Geoffrey H. White, 1953)
Hugh DE
CRÉPI (styled “the Great”), COUNT OF VERMANDOIS(d)
(yr. s. of HENRY I, KING OF FRANCE),
by Adelaide, da. and h. of Herbert, COUNT OF VERMANDOIS
and VALOIS.
(d) Orderic, vol. iii, p. 362.
28 September, probably in 1120
Canonicus secularis et regularis p271
(Joannem Couterot, 1674)
inter
quas inſignis eſt illa Viromandis Eccleſiæ, quam San-Quintinianis
dederat Adela Comitiſſa Viromandenſis, ut colligitur ex Obituario
illius Eccleſiæ 4. Kal. Oƈtob.
This roughly translates as:
Among which is
notable that of the Church of Vermandois, which Adela, Countess of
Vermandois, had given to the San Quintinians, as is gathered from the
Obituary of that Church on the 4th day before Kalends of October [28
September].
- De Genere Comitum Flandrensium, Notae Parisienses
in Monumenta Germaniae Historica SS 13
p257 (1881); The Complete Peerage vol 12 part 1 p496
(George Edward Cokayne, enlarged by Geoffrey H. White, 1953); wikipedia
(Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois)
- wikipedia
(Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois)
- Genealogiae Scriptoris Fusniacensis in Monumenta Germaniæ Historica SS 13 p253
(1881); De Genere Comitum Flandrensium, Notae Parisienses
in Monumenta Germaniae Historica SS 13
p257 (1881); Medieval
Lands (HUGUES de France); wikipedia
(Hugh, Count of Vermandois)
- Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Corneille de
Compiègne vol 1 p71 (ed. E. Morel, 1904); Genealogiae Scriptoris Fusniacensis in Monumenta Germaniæ Historica SS 13 p253
(1881); De Genere Comitum Flandrensium, Notae Parisienses
in Monumenta Germaniae Historica SS 13
p257 (1881); Medieval
Lands (HUGUES de France); wikipedia
(Hugh, Count of Vermandois)
- De Genere Comitum Flandrensium, Notae Parisienses
in Monumenta Germaniae Historica SS 13
p257 (1881); Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol
1 p625 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771); Medieval
Lands (ADELAIS de Vermandois); wikipedia
(Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois); Renaud details from Medieval
Lands (RENAUD [III] de Clermont) and wikipedia
(Renaud II, Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis)
- De Genere Comitum Flandrensium, Notae Parisienses
in Monumenta Germaniae Historica SS 13
p257 (1881); Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol
1 p625 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771); Medieval
Lands (RENAUD [III] de Clermont); wikipedia
(Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois)
- wikipedia
(Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois)
- Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Corneille de
Compiègne vol 1 pp70-2 (ed. E. Morel, 1904); Genealogiae Scriptoris Fusniacensis in Monumenta Germaniæ Historica SS 13 p253
(1881); De Genere Comitum Flandrensium, Notae Parisienses
in Monumenta Germaniae Historica SS 13
p257 (1881); Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol
1 p625 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771); Medieval
Lands (ADELAIS de Vermandois); wikipedia
(Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois)
- Canonicus secularis et regularis p271
(Joannem Couterot, 1674) citing the necrology of San Quentin; probable
year from wikipedia
(Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois)
Heribert I
Pepin
Count of Vermandois,
probably from 896, and count of Soissons
and lay-abbot of Saint-Quentin
In 877, Herbert and his brother Pépin were among those sent by emperor
Charles the Bald to prepare for a meeting between the pope and emperor.
Annales Bertiniani p136 (1883)
[877]
Nunciavit etiam inter alia isdem Adalgarius imperatori, quoniam
Iohannes papa obviam illi Papiam veniret. Quapropter praemisit Odacrum
secundi scrinii notarium, Goiramnum comitem et Pippinum atque
Heribertum1, ad procuranda ipsius papae servitia.
1) Filii Pippini supra a. 834, p. 9. memorati, nepotes Bernhardi regis
Italiae.
This roughly translates as:
[877] Among
other things, Adalgius also reported to the emperor that pope John was
coming to meet him at Papias. Therefore, he sent ahead Odacrum, the
notary of the second cabinet, count Goiramn, and Pepin and Heribert1,
to procure the services of the pope himself.
1) The sons of Pepin, mentioned above in a. 834, p. 9., were grandsons
of Bernard, king of Italy.
Heribert and Pépin were with Charles the Simple at his coronation in 893.
Regionis
Chronicon in Monumenta Germaniæ
Historica SS 1 p605 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1826)
892. … Odone rege in Aquitania commorante, Francorum principes ex
permaxima parte ab eo deficiunt, et agnetibus Folcone episcopo,
Heriberto4 et Pippino comitibus, in Remorum civitate
Carolus filius Hludowici, ex Adalheide regina, ut supra meminimus,
natus, in regnum elevatur.5
4) Heribertus et Pippinus nepotes Bernardi, regis Italiae, fuerunt. 5)
Carolus rex coronatus est die 28. mensis Ianuarii anni 893. Non
advertit Regino auctorum a quo haec exscripsit (?) annum inchoare a
paschate. BOUQUET.
This roughly translates as:
892. …
While king Odo was residing in Aquitaine, the Frankish princes for the
most part defected from him, and with the help of bishop Falco, counts
Heribert4 and Pippin, Charles, the son of Louis, born of
queen Adalhide, as we have mentioned above, was raised to the kingdom in
the city of Reims.5
4) Heribert and Pippin were grandsons of Bernard, King of Italy. 5) King
Charles was crowned on the 28th of January in the year 893. The author
from whom he copied this (?) does not note that the year begins at
Easter. BOUQUET.
In 896, Heribert killed Raoul, brother of count
Baldwin II, who had been expelled earlier that year from the countship
of Vermandois
Annales Vedastini pp77-8 (ed. B. de Simson,
1909)
Anno Domini DCCCXCVI. Odo rex in Francia biemavit, Karolus vero rex
supra Mosellam. Exhinc hi qui cum Karolo erant Balduinum infestum
habuere, et ubique depraedationes agebantur ab eis. Nam omnia castella
tulerat eis Odo rex, excepto Remis. Igitur per varia placita totus hic
annus pertransiit. Odo rex placitum cum suis fidelibus habuit, volens
partem regni, quam eius fideles tenuerant, Karolo concedere. Sed
Rodulfus comes omne illud placitum disrupit; unde Heribertus et
Herkengerus, omnibus iam perditis, contulerunt se ad regem Odonem,
paucique relicti sunt cum Karolo. Post haec Odo rex castrum Sancti
Quintini et Perronam obsedit hominesque Rodulfi inde eiecit. Fulcho'
vero archiepiscopus, qui adhuc favebat partibus Karoli, circumventus a
fidelibus Odonis et, licet invitus, venit ad regem et de omnibus quae
ei rex iussit satis illi fecit. Karolus vero hoc audito secessit in
regnum Zuendebolchi.
Ac per idem tempus iterum Nortmanni cum duce Hundeo nomine et
quinque barchis iterum Sequanam ingressi; et dum rex ad alia intendit,
magnum sibi et regno malum accrescere fecit. Rodulfus vero in ira
commotus propter castella perdita, dum depraedari non cessat abbatiam
sancti Quintini, ab Heriberto in bello occiditur.
This roughly translates as:
In the
year of our Lord 896. King Odo reigned in France, but Charles reigned
over the Moselle. From then on those who were with Charles held Baldwin
in hostility, and everywhere they were plundered by them. For king Odo
had taken all the castles from them, except Reims. Therefore this whole
year passed by various pleas. King Odo held a plea with his faithful,
wishing to concede the part of the kingdom which his faithful had held
to Charles. But count Rudolf broke up all that plea; whereupon Heribert
and Herkenger, all now lost, went to king Odo, and a few were left with
Charles. After this king Odo besieged the castle of Saint-Quentin and
Perron and drove Rudolf's men out of there. But Archbishop Fulk, who
still favored the parties of Charles, was surrounded by the faithful of
Odo and, although unwillingly, came to the king and satisfied him with
all that the king had ordered him to do. Charles, however, having heard
this, retired to the kingdom of Zwendebolch.
And at the same time the Northmen, with a leader named Hundeus
and five ships, again entered the Seine; and while the king was intent
on other things, he caused great evil to increase for himself and his
kingdom. But Rodolph, moved with anger because of the lost castles,
while he did not cease to plunder the abbey of St. Quintin, was killed
in battle by Heribert.
between 900 and 906
Regino of Prüm, writing circa 906, in comments added to the obituary of king
Bernard of Italy under the year 818, mentions that Bernard's grandson
Heribert had killed count Rodulf, which event occured in 896 and that
Heribert was killed not long after by a supporter (also named Baldwin) of
Rodulf's brother Baldwin II of Flanders, but Heribert continues to appear in
the Annales Vedastini until they end in 900.
Regionis
Chronicon in Monumenta Germaniæ
Historica SS 1 p567 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1826)
Bernhardus
filius Pippini, rex Italiae, Aquis evocatus ad imperatorem dolo
capitur, et primo oculis, post vita privatur. Habuit autem iste
Bernhardus filium nomine Pippinum, qui tres liberos genuit,
Bernhardum, Pippinum et Heribertum; qui Heribertus Rodulfum comitem,
filium Balduini interfecit nostris temporibus, et non multum post
occisus est a Balduino, satellite Balduini, fratris Rodulfi, qui
Balduinus hucusque in Flandris ducatum tenet.
This roughly translates as:
Bernard, the
son of Pepin, king of Italy, was summoned to the emperor at Aquis and
was captured by trickery, and at first he was blinded, then deprived of
his life. This Bernard had a son named Pepin, who fathered three
children, Bernard, Pepin, and Heribert; Heribert killed count Rudolf,
son of Baldwin in our times, and not long after was killed by Baldwin, a
vassal of Baldwin, brother of Rudolf, which Baldwin still holds the
duchy in Flanders.
Heribert II
Heribert I
a
daughter of Robert I, king of France
Count of Vermandois,
Soissons and
Meaux, and
lay-abbot of Saint-Quentin
and Saint-Médard
de Soissons
Herbert inherited the titles of count of Soissons, count of Vermandois, and
the positions of lay-abbot of St. Quentin and St. Médard de Soissons
(entitling him to the income of those estates) from his father in 907. His
marriage with a daughter of king Robert I of France brought him the county
of Meaux, and he acquired the county of Beauvais on the death of his
relative, count Bernard.
In 923, using false promises of safe conduct, Heribert captured king Charles
the Simple, who remained a captive for the rest of his life.
Flodoardi
annales in Monumenta Germaniæ Historica
SS 3 pp371-2 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1839)
Anno 923
… Tumque Karolo trans Mosam refugiente, Rodulfum cuncti regem eligunt.
Rodulfus filius Richardi rex apud urbem Suessonicam constituitur. Et
Heribertus comes Bernardum, consobrinum suum, cum aliis legatis,
consilium quod per illos agebatur, ut fertur, ignorantibus, ad Karolum
dirigit. Qui ab eisdem sacramentis persuasus, ad Heribertum cum paucis
proficiscitur, quique eum in castello suo super Somnam apud Sanctum
Quintinum suscepit, indeque his qui cum eo venerant remissis, Karolum
in quandam munitionem suam, quae vocatur Castellum Theoderici, super
Maternam fluvium deduci fecit, ibique illum, subministratis victui
necessariis, sub custodia detinuit;
This roughly translates as:
In the year 923
… And when
Charles fled across the Meuse, they all chose Rudolph as king. Rudolph,
Richard's son, was established as king at the city of Soissons. And
Count Herbert sent his cousin Bernard, with other ambassadors, to
Charles, who, as is said, were unaware of the plan which was being
carried out by them. The latter, persuaded by the same oaths, went with
a few to Herbert, who received him in his castle on the Somme at Saint
Quintin, and from there, having dismissed those who had come with him,
he had Charles led to a certain fortress of his, which is called
Theoderic's Castle, on the river Materne, and there, having supplied him
with the necessary provisions, he detained him under guard;
Historiarum Glabri Rodulphi in Recueil
des historiens des Gaules et de la France vol 8 pp238-9
(1871)
CAROLUS
Hebes habebat unum inter regni sui Primates quemdam Heribertum, cujus
ex sacro fonte filium susceperat: qui tamen ei calliditate sua
certissimè suspectus esse potuisset, si non excogitatæ fraudis
simultas intervenisset. Cùm enim decrevisset idem Heribertus prædictum
Regem deeipere, fingens cujusdam deliberandi occasionem negotii,
qualiter illum, ut postmodùm fecit, demulcendo in unum castrorum
suorum introduceret, ac vinculatum carceri manciparet: tandem verò à
quibusdam suggestum est Regi ut cautissimè se ageret, ne Heriberti
involveretur fraudibus. Dumque ille ex hoc, quod audierat, credulus
cautelam sibi de Heriberto adhibere decrevisset, contigit una die
nimis expeditè eumdem Heribertum cum suo filio in Regis Palatium
devenire. Surgens itaque Rex ei osculum porrexit: ille verò toto se
humilians corpore, osculum Regis suscepit. Deinde cùm ejus filium
osculatus fuisset, stansque juvenis, quamvis conscius fraudis, novus
tamen calliditatis, Regi minimè semet supplicaret; pater cernens, qui
propter adstabat, valenter alapam collo juvenis intulit; Seniorem,
inquiens, et Regem erecto corpore osculaturum non debere suscipere
quandoque scito. Quod intuens Rex cunctiquè qui aderant, abhinc
deceptionis fraudisque adversùs Regem Heribertum expertem crediderunt.
Videns quoque Regem contra se placatum, nihilominùs rogabat attentiùs
ut ad se veniens negotium deliberaturus, quod dudum poposcerat. Statim
verò Rex promisit se quò vellet iturum. Designato igitur die venit Rex
ubi Heribertus rogaverat, tenuem etiam ducens exercitum amicitiæ
gratia. Qui nimiùm pomposè die primo ab eo susceptus: in secundo autem
quasi ex jussu Regis præcepit idem Heribertus ut universi, qui cum
Rege venerant, ad propria redirent, veluti ipse cum suis obsequio
Regis sufïiceret. Illi quoque, audito Heriberto, recesserunt,
ignorantes quòd Regem in vinculis reliquissent. Tenuit enim Heribertus
vinctum prædictum Regem usque in diem mortis suæ;
... Jam enim prædictus Heribertus morte crudeli obierat: nam cùm
diutino excruciatus languore ad vitæ exitum propinquaret, atque à suis
tam de salute animæ, quàm de suæ domûs dispositione interrogaretur,
omninò nihil aliud respondebat nisi hoc solummodò verbum; Duodecim
fuimus qui traditionem Caroli jurando consensimus: hocque
plurimùm repetens expiravit.
This roughly translates as:
CHARLES the Simple had one of the Primates of his kingdom, a certain
Heribert, whose son he had received from a sacred source: who, however,
could very certainly have been suspected of him by his cunning, if the
conspiracy of a contrived fraud had not intervened. For when the same
Heribert had decided to deceive the aforesaid King, feigning an occasion
for some deliberation of business, how, as he afterwards did, he would
introduce him by flattery into one of his camps, and bind him to prison:
at length it was suggested to the King by some that he should act very
cautiously, lest Heribert should be involved in the frauds of Heribert.
And while he, believing what he had heard, had decided to take
precautions against Heribert, it happened one day that the same Heribert
with his son arrived very hastily at the King's Palace. So the King rose
and gave him a kiss: but he, humbling himself with his whole body,
received the King's kiss. Then, when he had kissed his son, and the
young man, though aware of the fraud, yet new to cunning, was standing
there begging the King in the least; seeing this, the father, who was
standing by, gave the young man a strong slap on the neck; saying that he
should not accept the elder, and that he should kiss the King with his
erect body, knowing that he should not do so. Seeing which, the
King and all who were present believed that King Heribert, who had been
previously opposed to deception and fraud, had never been deceived.
Seeing also that the King had been appeased against him, he nevertheless
begged him more earnestly that he would come to him and discuss the
matter, which he had long requested. The King immediately promised that
he would go wherever he wished. So on the appointed day, the King came
where Heribert had asked, leading a small army out of friendship. Who
was received by him very pompously on the first day: but on the second,
as if by order of the King, the same Heribert ordered that all who had
come with the King should return to their own, as if he himself and his
own were sufficient to serve the King. They also, having heard Heribert,
withdrew, unaware that they had left the King in chains. For Heribert
held the aforesaid King bound until the day of his death;
... For the aforesaid Heribert had now died a cruel death: for when,
tormented by long languor, he was nearing the end of his life, and was
questioned by his own people both about the health of his soul and about
the disposition of his house, he answered nothing else but this one
word; There were twelve of us who agreed to the surrender of Charles
by oath: and repeating this many times, he expired.
23 February 943
Flodoardi
annales in Monumenta Germaniæ Historica
SS 3 p389 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1839)
Anno 943
... Heribertus comes obiit, quem sepelierunt apud sanctum Quintinum
filii sui; et audientes Rodulfum, filium Rodulfi de Gaugliaco, quasi
ad invadendam terram patris eorum advenisse, aggressi eundem
interemerunt. Quo audito, rex Ludowicus valde tristis efficitur.
This roughly translates as:
In the year 943
... Count Heribert died, whom his sons buried at the house of Saint
Quintin; and hearing that Rodolfo, the son of Rodolfo de Gaugliaco, had
come as if to invade their father's land, they attacked him and killed
him. Hearing this, King Louis became very sad.
"Nouvelle
recherches sur les personnages de Raoul de Cambrai" in Romania
vol 38 p229n (A. Longnon, 1909)
4. L’obit du comte Herbert est indiquè au 7 des calendes de mars (= 23
février), dans les nécrologes de l’église métropolitaine de Reims,
comme en ceux de l’abbaye de Saint-Remy de la même ville, où sa
présence s’explique par le fait qu’Herbert de Vermandois était au
moment de sa mort administrateur du temporel de l’archevêché pour son
fils, le jeune archevêque Hugues. Pour l’église métropolitaine, je
renverrai à la publication faite par Varin (Archives législatives
de la ville de Reims, seconde partie. Statuts, t. I, p.
70). En ce qui regarde Saint-Remv de Reims, on peut recourir aux
extraits que les religieux de Saint-Germain des Prés ont faits d’un
obituaire aujourd’hui perdu (ms. latin 12781 de la Bibliothèque
nationale, fo 177 vo)
This roughly translates as:
4.
The obituary of Count Herbert is recorded on the 7th day before the
Kalends of March (February 23rd) in the necrologies of the metropolitan
church of Reims, as well as in those of the Abbey of Saint-Remy in the
same city, where his presence is explained by the fact that Herbert of
Vermandois was, at the time of his death, administrator of the temporal
affairs of the archbishopric for his son, the young Archbishop Hugh. For
the metropolitan church, I refer to the publication by Varin (Archives
législatives de la ville de Reims, second part. Statuts,
vol. I, p. 70). Regarding Saint-Remy of Reims, one can consult the
extracts made by the monks of Saint-Germain des Prés from an obituary
now lost (Latin manuscript 12781 of the Bibliothèque nationale, folio
177 verso).
Heribert's lands and inheritances were distributed amongst his sons in 946.
Flodoardi
annales in Monumenta Germaniæ Historica
SS 3 p393 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1839)
Anno 946 quidam motus inter filios Heriberti comitis agitantur pro
hereditatum distributione suarum. Qui tamen, Hugone principe avunculo
ipsorum mediante, pacantur, divisis sibi, prout eis competens visum
est, rebus.
This roughly translates as:
In the year 946
certain movements were stirred up among the sons of count Heribert over
the distribution of their inheritances. However, through the mediation
of their uncle Prince Hugh, they were pacified, dividing their property
among themselves as seemed appropriate.
in the monastery
of Saint Quintin, Vermandois, France
- Généalogies angevines du XIe siècle in Mélanges d'archéologie et d'histoire vol 20
p207 (René Poupardin, 1900); The
Henry Project: The Ancestors of King Henry II of England (Heribert II);
Medieval
Lands (HERIBERT II)
- The
Henry Project: The Ancestors of King Henry II of England (Heribert II);
Medieval
Lands (HERIBERT II)
- Généalogies angevines du XIe siècle in Mélanges d'archéologie et d'histoire vol 20
p207 (René Poupardin, 1900); The
Henry Project: The Ancestors of King Henry II of England (Heribert II);
Medieval
Lands (HERIBERT II); wikipedia
(Herbert II, Count of Vermandois)
- The
Henry Project: The Ancestors of King Henry II of England (Heribert II);
Medieval
Lands (HERIBERT II); wikipedia
(Herbert II, Count of Vermandois)
- Flodoardi annales in Monumenta
Germaniæ Historica SS 3 pp371-2 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1839);
Historiarum Glabri Rodulphi in Recueil
des historiens des Gaules et de la France vol 8 pp238-9
(1871); The
Henry Project: The Ancestors of King Henry II of England (Heribert II);
Medieval
Lands (HERIBERT II); wikipedia
(Herbert II, Count of Vermandois)
- Flodoardi annales in Monumenta
Germaniæ Historica SS 3 p389 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1839);
exact date from the necrology of the church of Reims - see "Nouvelle
recherches sur les personnages de Raoul de Cambrai" in Romania
vol 38 p229n (A. Longnon, 1909); also see Obits
mémorables in Revue Mabillon vol 6
p273 which shows the death date of "VII Kal Mar" [23 February] for
"Heribertus comes" although the source notes there ascribe the date to
Heribert I, not Heribert II; inheritance distribution from Flodoardi annales in Monumenta
Germaniæ Historica SS 3 p393 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1839); The
Henry Project: The Ancestors of King Henry II of England (Heribert II);
wikipedia
(Herbert II, Count of Vermandois)
- Flodoardi annales in Monumenta
Germaniæ Historica SS 3 p389 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1839); The
Henry Project: The Ancestors of King Henry II of England (Heribert II)
Heribert IV
Othon, count of Vermandois
See Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol 1
p644 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771) for sons Eudes, and Pierre (p658)
Pavia
See Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol 1
p623 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771)
Adele of Valois
See Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol 1
p624 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771) for her father and discussion of
which of her father's wives was her mother
De
Genere Comitum Flandrensium, Notae Parisienses in Monumenta
Germaniae Historica SS 13 p257 (1881)
Comes Herbertus3 genuit Odonem et Adelam sororem. Odo fuit
fatuus et indiscretus. Barones Viromandenses rogaverunt regem, ut
Adelam daret Hugoni le Magne, fratri eiusdem regis; quod factum est.
3) Viromandensis.
This roughly translates as:
Count
Herbert3 fathered Odo and his sister Adela. Odo was insane
and rash. The barons of Vermandois asked the king to give Adela to Hugh
the Great, the brother of the same king; which was done.
3) Vermandois.
Count of Vermandois and count of
Valois
Heribert succeeded to Vermandois after the death of his father in 1045, and
then became count of Valois in right of his wife, Adele, after their
marriage in 1077.
Heribert IV was a regional aristocrat in Northern France and the last
male-line ruler of the Carolingian dynasty. His tenure was characterized by
the consolidation of the territories of Vermandois and Valois and the
eventual transfer of these lands to the Capetian royal house through the
marriage of his daughter. He was a member of the Herbertian branch of the
Carolingian family, descending from Bernard of Italy, a grandson of
Charlemagne. By the mid-11th century, the Herbertians were the only branch
of the dynasty still holding a sovereign county in France.
Heribert succeeded his father, Otto of Vermandois, in 1045. His early
reign was occupied with maintaining the administrative integrity of the
county of Vermandois, centered on the fortress of Saint-Quentin. The most
notable territorial change during Herbert's rule occurred in 1077. He had
married Adela of Valois, the daughter of Raoul IV of Vexin. When his
brother-in-law, Simon of Crépy, abdicated his secular titles to enter a
monastery, Heribert claimed the county of Valois jure uxoris (in
right of his wife). This acquisition significantly expanded his jurisdiction
into the Vexin and Amiénois regions, making him a major landholder in
Picardy. However, this expansion also brought him into closer administrative
and legal contact with the Capetian kings of France, who sought to limit the
independence of such powerful border territories.
Heribert's later years were marked by a break in traditional
primogeniture. He had two children: Odo, his only son and legal heir and a
daughter, Adelaide. According to contemporary accounts and subsequent legal
actions, Odo was judged mentally unfit to manage the county, so Heribert
bypassed Odo in the succession, favoring his daughter Adelaide. To ensure
the security of the inheritance against neighboring rivals, Heribert
arranged for Adelaide to marry Hugh the Great, the younger son of king Henry
I of France.
Heribert IV died around 1081 and control of the Vermandois and Valois
territories passed to Hugh through his marriage to Adelaide. Odo was
formally disinherited by the barons of the county following Heribert's
death, later receiving only small estates under the guardianship of his
sister and brother-in-law.
Five of Heribert's charters are printed in Augusta Viromanduorum regestum veterum charta pp36-39
(Claude Hémeré, 1643). The first of these, dated 1047, is in his capacity as
abbot and rector of the monastery of Saint Quentin although he does sign it
as "abbot and count". The remaining charters are dated 1075 and 1076 in
which he styles himself as count of Vermandois. In one, he mentions his
forefather, Adalbert ("prædeceſſor noſter ALBERTVS", and in another,
transcribed below, he names his mother, father and paternal grandmother.
Augusta Viromanduorum regestum veterum charta pp38-39
(Claude Hémeré, 1643)
Eiuſdem, confirmantis eleemoſynam Othonis patris & Ermengardis
auiæ in Humolarienſ. Charta ciuſdem loci.
IN nomine S. & indi Trini Ego Comes HERIBERTVS, materque mea Pauia
fidelibus noſtris præſentibus abſentibſsque notum fieri volumus, quod
Pater meus Oтнo, eius genitrix auia mea Ermengardis in villa
quæ Brenoſt appellatur quoddam ſibi allodium collato emerunt
pretio illud ſibi diſtrahente quodam villæ eiuſdem, homine Ernoldo:
huius ſiquidem alodii parte non longo poſt tempore auia mea dono dedit
B. Mariæ Dei genitrici pro remedio animæ ſuæ, præſente VValeranno,
omnique ſibi commiſſa congregatione fratrum. Meus autem Pater
ſimiliter, ſua tantum ſibi viuenti retenta, poſt diſceſſum vero eius
in poteſtatem Monachorum penitus tranſitura, eiſque perpetualiter
manſura. Illoque iudicio Dei prævento, nobiſque ſubtraƈto omni bonæ
voluntatis aſſenſu approbamus votum quod vita plenus voluntariè vouit
Deo. Et illam conuentionem quam de præfato prædio habuit Abbati &
Monachis cius ſtabilem firmamque Eccleſiæ eſſe iubemus. Et ne forte
quod abſit ab hac die & deinceps res conceſſa Eccleſiæ aliquam
calamitatem poſſit pati, donationem eiuſdem beneficii contra
poſterorum infidias munimus noſtri authoritate ſcripti: quippe non
ſine multorum teſtimonio, quorum diuerſa nomina teſtatur præſens
adnotatio. Qui interfuerunt & laudauerunt. Odo miles. Ioſcelinus
Canonicus fratris mei. Robertus Peronenſis. VValzelinus
Calniacenſis, VValierus pedagogus meus. Ex parte autem Abbatis
Rainardus maior Humolatienſ. Rogerus maior Merulficurtis. Ioannes
maior de Fraxiniaco, & multi alii fideles noſtri. Sine
data.
This roughly translates as:
The
same, confirming the alms of Otho father and Ermengarde grandmother in
Humolarie. Charter of the same place.
IN the name of the Holy Trinity, I, Count HERIBERTVS, and my mother
Pauia, wish to make known to our faithful present and absent, that my
father Otho, his mother my grandmother Ermengarde, in the village called
Brenost, having collected a certain allotment there, bought it at a
price, while a certain man of the same village, Ernold, was there, and
not long afterwards my grandmother gave part of this allotment as a gift
to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of God, for the healing of her
soul, in the presence of Waleranno, and all the congregation of brothers
there. But my Father, in like manner, retained only his while he lived
there, but his inheritance will pass entirely into the power of the
monks, and will remain with him perpetually. And with that judgment of
God prevented, and with all the assent of good will withdrawn from us,
we approve the vow which he voluntarily vowed to God, full of life. And
we order that the agreement which he had of the aforesaid estate to the
Abbot and the monks here be stable and firm for the Church. And lest
perhaps, from this day and henceforth, the thing granted to the Church
may suffer some calamity, we secure the gift of the same benefit against
the treachery of posterity by our written authority: indeed not without
the testimony of many, whose various names are attested in the present
note. Who were present and praised. Odo the knight. Joscelinus Canon,
my brother. Robert of Peronne. Walzelinus of Calnia, Walierus my
teacher. But on the part of the Abbot, Rainard mayor of Humolatien.
Roger mayor of Merulficurtis. John mayor of Fraxiniaco, and many other
of our faithful. Without date.
Louis-Paul Colliette tells us of Heribert's family, the visit of the French
king Henri I to Vermandois, how Heribert is credited with codifying the laws
and ordinances in Vermandois, with such success that the practice was copied
in neighbouring counties and principalities, and about the disinheritance of
Heribert's son, Eudes, in favour of his daughter, Adelaide.
Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol 1
p623 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771)
Le ſeizieme Comte-Abbé de Saint-Quentin fut Hébert IV, Ce Seigneur,
deſcendant de Pépin IV, & le dernier Comte de Vermandois de ſa
race, prit les rênes du gouvernement de cette province après la mort
d’Othon ſon pere. Il épousa Adéle, que d’autres nomment Hildébrante,
fille de Raoul II [aliàs Raoul III] comte de Crépy en Valois,
& ſeigneur de pluſieurs autres villes, châteaux & comtés. Comes
Criſpeius, Creſpienſis, Creſpeïcus, Vadenſis.
This roughly translates as:
The
sixteenth Count-Abbot of Saint-Quentin was Herbert IV. This nobleman, a
descendant of Pepin IV, and the last Count of Vermandois of his line,
assumed the reins of government of this province following the death of
his father, Otto. He married Adela, whom others call Hildebranda, the
daughter of Ralph II [alias Ralph III], count of Crépy and
Valois, and lord of several other towns, castles, and counties. Count
Crispeius, Crespensis, Crespeïcus, Vadensis.
pp625-626
Parmi les excellentes qualités qui brillerent en Hébert IV, ſon
inſigne piété envers les Saints le rendit infiniment illuſtre. La
collégiale des chanoines de la ville de Roye, au diocese d’Amiens, que
ce Comte a fondée & dotée, conjointement avec ſon épouſe,
célébrera à jamais la générosité de ce couple fidele.
… L’attachement d’Hébert IV à la perſonne ſacrée de nos Rois,
éclata ſur-tout par les ſoumiſſions que ce Comte témoigna à Henri Ier.
Soit que ce Roi, en revenant de la conférence qu’il avoit eue à Metz
avec l’Empereur, & en laquelle Hébert l’avoit peut-être
accompagné, eût pris ſans deſſein ſa route par le Vermandois; ſoit que
ce Prince en fût venu viſiter le Comte ſur l’humble invitation qu’il
lui en auroit faite, il eſt prouvé qu’en cette année Henri l’honora de
ſa préſence, & qu’il paſſa, avec toute ſa Cour, quelques jours en
la ville de Saint-Quentin, chez Hébert IV. Il en fut reçu dans ſon
palais avec toutes les démonſtrations du reſpeƈt le plus ſincere &
le plus dévoué à la Majeſté Royale. Hébert ſe dévêtit devant ſon
Prince de toute ſon autorité; la lui remit, & ne ſembla la
reprendre des mains de ſon Souverain qu’après qu’il fut parti de la
capitale de ſon comté. Tel fut l’hommage le plus parfait que le plus
reſpeƈtueux Seigneur rendit jamais à nos Rois.
La présence du Roi Henri dans le Vermandois, fut la ſource de
mille graces pour les églises de ce comté. Il ne ceſſa de les orner
& enrichir pendant tout le temps qu’il daigna reſter dans le
palais d’Hébert.
This roughly translates as:
Among
the excellent qualities that shone forth in Hébert IV, his signal piety
toward the Saints rendered him infinitely illustrious. The collegiate
church of canons in the town of Roye, situated in the diocese of Amiens,
which this Count founded and endowed jointly with his wife, shall
forever celebrate the generosity of this faithful couple.
… Hébert IV’s attachment to the sacred person of our Kings was
manifested above all through the acts of submission this Count
demonstrated toward Henry I. Whether the King, upon returning from the
conference he had held in Metz with the Emperor (a meeting to which
Hébert may perhaps have accompanied him), had taken his route through
Vermandois quite by chance; or whether the Prince had come specifically
to visit the Count following a humble invitation extended by the latter;
it is a matter of record that, in that year, Henry honored him with his
presence and spent, together with his entire Court, several days in the
town of Saint-Quentin, as the guest of Hébert IV. He was received in the
Count’s palace with every demonstration of the most sincere and devoted
respect for Royal Majesty. In the presence of his Prince, Hébert
divested himself of all his authority; he surrendered it to the King,
and appeared to reclaim it from his Sovereign’s hands only after the
latter had departed from the capital of his county. Such was the most
perfect homage that the most respectful of lords ever rendered to our
Kings.
King Henry’s presence in Vermandois proved to be the source of a
thousand favors for the churches of that county. He ceased not to adorn
and enrich them throughout the entire time he deigned to remain within
Hébert’s palace.
pp655-657
Le
peuple, devenu libre, demanda des loix: car les uſages & les
coutumes, qu’une loi conſtante & publique n’a point rédigés,
expoſent les habitans des lieux à des interprétations incertaines, qui
deviennent pour eux la ſource d’une infinité de querelles &
d’altercations. Les juges & les peuples, qu’un droit fixe ne
conduit pas, varient auſſi ſouvent dans leurs déciſions. Il faut donc,
pour borner l’aveugle paſſion des ſujets, leur préſenter, comme dans
un tableau, la regle qu’ils doivent écouter & ſuivre; &, pour
empêcher les Juges de trébucher, & de rendre la juſtice
arbitraire, il convient de leur mettre en main un code qui les
éclaire, & leur donne le principe des oracles ſuivis qu’ils
doivent prononcer. Ce fut pour procurer ces avantages à ſes ſujets
& à leurs juges, qu’Hébert IV fit dreſſer un recueil de loix &
d’ordonnances. Elles regardoient également la ville capitale & les
autres peuples répandus dans ſon comté. Tous devoient s’en rapporter à
la teneur du code pour le réglement des conteſtations qui pouvoient
ſurvenir entr’eux. Ainſi firent les autres Seigneurs dans leurs
principautés: & de là eſt venue cette multitude de coutumes que
l’on voit encore aujourd’hui dans les villes, les bourgades, &
même dans les villages.
… Hébert IV a la gloire d’être cet heureux & ſage
légiſlateur, qui, par des regles certaines & conſtantes que ſa
prudence avoit diƈtées, & que ſon autorité avoit confirmées, a ſu
défendre les corps & les biens de ſes vaſſaux contre la malignité
& l’envie, pires que la ſervitude qu’ils venoient de quitter. Ce
ſont ces décrets qui forment le fond & l’essence des us & des
pratiques renfermés dans ce que nous appellons à préſent le
coutumier de la province de Vermandois. Ces décrets parurent ſi
équitables & ſi ſages, qu’ils furent adoptés dès ces temps par les
habitans des provinces voiſines & qu’ils devinrent la regle
générale de leur conduite dans les cas où l’usage & les
conventions particulieres des lieux n’étoient pas contraires. De là
vint l’empire de la coutume de Vermandois dans la Thiérache, le
Laonnois, le Rémois, le Soiſſonnois, le Valois, le Beauvaiſis, le
Noyonnois & l’Amiénois. Ainſi le Vermandois & les provinces
voiſines furent inſtruites & rendues heureuſes par la prudence
& les ſages conſeils d’Hébert IV. C’eſt par cette raiſon que
quelques écrivains ont fait honneur, quoiqu’à tort, à ce Seigneur de
l’établissement primordial de la Commune de Saint-Quentin. Nous
n’avons pas ces loix & ces paƈtions même, telles qu’elles furent
prononçées par ce nouveau Solon; mais nous en avons la ſubſtance &
le précis dans la charte de Philippe-Auguste qui voulut bien les
rédiger encore, & les confirmer par ſon autorité royale.
… On ne fait pas la date de la mort d’Hébert IV, qui paroît être
de vers 1081. Mais, long temps avant ſon dernier jour, ce Seigneur
avoit réglé la ſucceſſion de ſes biens dans ſa famille, & ſes
aumônes en faveur des pauvres & des églises. Une charte de
l’abbaye de Vermand … à laquelle étoit attaché un ſcel, à forme ronde,
repréſentant au milieu un échiquier, entouré de quatre armoiries qui
figurent des fleurs de lys ſans nombre, trois bandes & trois
chevrons, avec quelques lettres grécaniſées: cette charte,
diſons-nous, nous apprend les dernieres diſpoſitions ordonnées par le
Comte de Vermandois. On peut la regarder vraiment comme ſon testament.
Et pour ne parler ici que de ce qui concerne la famille
d’Hébert IV, il avoit eu de ſon épouſe un fils & une fille, Eudes
& Adéle. Soit que la nature, défavorable à cet aîné, l’eut
maltraité, même dans le corps, ... ſoit que la même nature, l’eut
privé encore de la force d’eſprit & de raiſon qui eſt nécessaire
dans un chef des peuples, (quelques hiſtoriens l’ont rapporté, &
l’ont pour cela ſurnommé l’Inſenſe,) ſoit que l’envie, avide de
ſes immenſes poſſeſſions, eut conſpiré contre ſon bonheur & ſes
droits les plus légitimes, (cette paſſion ne fut-elle pas de tous les
temps?) ſoit que le jeune Eudes eut nourri toutes ſes préventions déjà
ſi oppoſées à ſes vrais intérêts, par une conduite irréguliere &
rébelle aux ſages avis & aux ordres de ſon pere, (l’acte cité en
fait foi,) ſoit enfin, comme l’ont ajouté quelques écrivains, que les
principaux Feudataires ou Barons des Comtes de Vermandois, las de
porter le joug impérieux d’une maiſon trop puiſſante, souvent ennemie
de ſes Rois, & devenue trop redoutable, euſſent engagé Philippe Ier
à faire paſſer ſur la tête de ſon frere les titres & les biens de
cette famille réunie à celle de Valois, Eudes avoit été déclaré inepte
à gouverner les ſujets que ſon pere lui devoit laiſſer. Dès avant ſon
teſtament de 1059, Hébert avoit fait cette diſpoſition; il ne fit que
la réitérer dans cet inſtrument, parce que l’obstination de ſon fils
dans le mal étoit trop perſévérante. Que ſavons-nous auſſi ſi
l’alliance qu’Eudes l’Inſenſé avoit contraƈtée depuis
long-temps, n’avoit pas été un de ces motifs puiſſans qui indiſpoſent
irréconciliablement des parens contre leurs enfans? Car les écrivains
anciens ne ſe ſont pas affez clairement expliqués ſur les vraies
cauſes d’une exhérédation la plus marquée, qui soit dans l’hiſtoire.
This roughly translates as:
The people,
having gained their freedom, demanded laws; for usages and customs—which
have not been codified by a constant and public law—expose the
inhabitants of a region to uncertain interpretations, which become for
them the source of an infinity of quarrels and altercations. Judges and
the populace alike, when not guided by a fixed body of law, vary just as
frequently in their decisions. It is therefore necessary—in order to
curb the blind passions of the subjects—to present to them, as if in a
painting, the rule they must heed and follow; and—to prevent judges from
stumbling and from rendering justice arbitrary—it is fitting to place in
their hands a code that enlightens them and provides the guiding
principles for the authoritative rulings they are called upon to
pronounce. It was to secure these advantages for his subjects and their
judges that Hébert IV commissioned the compilation of a collection of
laws and ordinances. These applied equally to the capital city and to
the other communities scattered throughout his county. All were required
to defer to the tenor of this code for the settlement of any disputes
that might arise among them. The other lords followed suit within their
own principalities; and from this practice arose that multitude of
customs still to be found today in cities, market towns, and even
villages.
… Hébert IV holds the distinction of being that fortunate and wise
legislator who—through certain and constant rules dictated by his
prudence and confirmed by his authority—knew how to defend the persons
and property of his vassals against malice and envy, forces even worse
than the servitude they had just cast off. It is these decrees that form
the foundation and essence of the customs and practices contained within
what we now call the customary law of the province of Vermandois.
These decrees appeared so equitable and wise that, even in those early
times, they were adopted by the inhabitants of neighboring provinces and
became the general rule of their conduct in cases where local usage and
specific agreements did not dictate otherwise. From this stemmed the
dominion of the custom of Vermandois throughout Thiérache, Laonnois,
Rémois, Soissonnais, Valois, Beauvaisis, Noyonnais, and Amiénois. Thus,
Vermandois and its neighboring provinces were enlightened and rendered
prosperous through the prudence and wise counsel of Hébert IV. It is for
this reason—albeit erroneously—that some writers have credited this Lord
with the primordial establishment of the Commune of Saint-Quentin. We do
not possess these specific laws and covenants exactly as they were
promulgated by this "new Solon"; yet we retain their substance and
summary in the charter of Philip Augustus, who saw fit to codify them
once again and confirm them by his royal authority.
… The exact date of Herbert IV’s death remains undetermined,
though it appears to have occurred around 1081. However, long before his
final day, this Lord had settled the succession of his estates within
his family, as well as his charitable bequests to the poor and to the
Church. A charter from the Abbey of Vermand … bears an attached seal of
circular form. At its center, this seal depicts a chessboard motif,
encircled by four escutcheons displaying a profusion of fleurs-de-lis,
three bands, and three chevrons, alongside several stylized Greek
letters; this charter, we say, reveals to us the final dispositions
ordained by the Count of Vermandois. It may truly be regarded as his
last will and testament.
And, to speak here solely of matters concerning Herbert IV’s
immediate family, he had, by his wife, a son and a daughter: Odo and
Adele. Whether Nature, unkind to this eldest son, had dealt with him
harshly, even physically... whether that same Nature had further
deprived him of the strength of mind and reason requisite in a leader of
men (as some historians have reported, thereby dubbing him "the Insane")...
whether Envy, coveting his immense possessions, had conspired against
his happiness and his most legitimate rights (for has not this passion
existed in all ages?), whether the young Eudes had fueled all these
prejudices, already so inimical to his true interests, through a course
of conduct irregular and rebellious against his father’s wise counsel
and commands (as the cited document attests), or whether, finally, as
some writers have added, the principal Feudatories or Barons of the
Counts of Vermandois, weary of bearing the imperious yoke of a house
grown too powerful (and often hostile to its Kings), had prevailed upon
Philip I to transfer the titles and estates of this family, now united
with that of Valois, onto the head of his brother: whatever the cause,
Eudes had been declared unfit to govern the subjects his father was
otherwise bound to bequeath to him. Even prior to his testament of 1059,
Herbert had enacted this provision; in this later instrument, he merely
reiterated it, for his son’s obstinacy in wrongdoing had proven all too
unyielding. Moreover, how are we to know whether the alliance that Eudes
the Madman had long since contracted was not one of those
powerful motives that irreconcilably alienate parents from their
children? For ancient writers have not explained themselves with
sufficient clarity regarding the true causes of what remains one of the
most striking cases of disinheritance in all of history.
p674
L’expulſion d’Eudes du Comté de Vermandois, ſit tomber ſur ſa ſœur
Adéle l’opulente ſucceſſion d’Hébert IV & d’Adéle de Crépy, leurs
parens communs. Cette tranſportation fut jugée & approuvée par les
principaux Seigneurs de leurs provinces; & le Roi Philippe Ier
en confirma, par son autorité ſuprême, le décret. Ce Prince
favoriſoit en cela même ſenſiblement ſon frere Hugues, auquel la
Comteſſe de Vermandois portoit ſes biens & ſes dignités, par une
ſuite de l’alliance qu’elle avoit contraƈtée avec lui.
This roughly translates as:
The
expulsion of Odo from the County of Vermandois caused the opulent
inheritance of Herbert IV and Adele of Crépy—their common kinsfolk—to
devolve upon his sister, Adele. This transfer was adjudicated and
approved by the principal lords of their provinces, and King Philip I,
by virtue of his supreme authority, confirmed the decree. In doing so,
the King significantly favored his own brother, Hugh, upon whom the
Countess of Vermandois bestowed her estates and dignities as a
consequence of the alliance she had contracted with him..
1081
Church of San Quentin
This was requested in Heribert's will.
This testamentary document, is dated 1059. In it, he names his wife,
"Alida", and his children Eudon and Alida.
Histoire de l'Abbaye Notre-Dame de Vermand
pp10-14 (Georges Lecocq, 1875)
Dans
l’intervalle (1059), Herbert IV légua à l’abbaye des biens nombreux,
en une charte que l’on peut considérer, à juste titre, comme son
testament; voici ce document important:
Jesu Christo Domino nostro in cœlis triumphante, cum æterno
patre et spiritu sancto: Nicolao papâ nostro sanctissimo in terris
Ecclesiam gubernante: Henrico Augusto in Alemaniis imperante: Henrico
rege nostro adhuc gloriose in Galliis regnante: ejusdemque Domini
nostri anno millesimo-quinquagesima nono, Ego Herbertus Vermandensium
et Vadascorum comes, videns labilis hujus mansionis instabilitatem,
spe ad supernæ beatitudinis immortalitatem inhians, ut amplior mihi
portio detur in terrâ viventium; constans sanâ mente, sanoque
consilio, et de consultu Alidæ conjugis meæ carissimæ, testamentum
meum condidi, jure Prœtorio, atque illud codicillorum vice valere
jubeo, si ei juris aliquid defuisse videbitur. Ego igitur Herbertus,
quamprimùm de hâc luce transiero, quia voce Dei cœlestia pro terrenis
et mansura pro caducis promissa sunt: do Ecclesiæ Sancti Quintini,
cujus advocatiam habeo et in quâ corpus meum (si ita clarissimæ uxori
meæ placuerit) subterrabitur cum pompå solemni, mansionalia mea apud
Attos et Dalonias, cum Ochis, Arpiniis, Forestagiis et Pascuaticis,
tam pro salute animæ meæ, quam præpotentissimorum progenitorum meorum,
hic, et alibi quiescentium. Dono insuper Ecclesiæ Vermandensi, cujus
et advocatiam habeo, mansos quatuor apud Berticortem, Martisvillam et
Spechias, cum huobis, areis, plaustris et aratris ab his
dependentibus. Et ut Deus omnipotens promptiùs me a peccatorum meorum
ligaminibus absolvat ex his quæ mihi Christus donavit jure
hæreditario, ipsis Ecclesiis sub meo dominio fundatis, unicuique
centum solidos post obitûs mei adrumationem enumerari volo: eâ lege ut
eæ communiter et privatim religiosissimè apud Deum pro nobis
interveniant. Ecclesiis autem quas speciali amore diligo, delego ex
superabundanti liberalitate quæ sequuntur: videlicet, Ecclesiæ sancti
Arnulfi in Cripeïo mansum unum cum appendiciis juxtà dictam ecclesiam
et centum solidos. Ecclesiæ itidem sancti Albini centum solidos.
Ecclesiæ Nantogili, in Foresto de Gombriis et Peis arpentas duas.
Ecclesiæ de Calniaco, ubi multa alia bona prius dederam ac
procuraveram, do mansa mea apud Terignias ac Flavias, Ecclesiæ de
Vivario, ubi castrum habeo in forestis meis contiguis, huobam unam.
Ecclesiæ Firmitati in honore sancti Sebastiani, arpentam unam in
foresto Resti. Ecclesiæ de Bistisiaco centum solidos. Ecclesiæ de Ferâ
apud Montignias absus tres cum areâ. Ecclesiæ Montis Nostræ-Dominæ
huobam unam in foresto Dulâ. Ecclesiæ Peronensis, apud Busuos et
Terincortem mansiones quatuor cum mancipiis. Ecclesiæ Cameracensi
centum solidos. Ecclesiæ sancti Petri ibidem absus quinque apud
Goïacum. Ecclesiæ sancti Vedasti Atrebatensis tria managia apud
Hanecortem. Item, trado omnibus comitatuum meorum parochiis unicuique
centum solidos. Do deindè Ecclesiæ sancti Quintini et Vermandensi vasa
argentea vigenti, patinas duas, candelabra quatuor, duo aurea ac duo
eburnea; calices, offertorios, duo thuribula, cruces, urceolos,
conchas, culatras et cervicalia, ac cuncta mea altarium ornamenta
atque armaturam meam militarem. Has autem donationes integre statim
post obitum volo esse firmatas ac traditas. Ne vero quis hæredum huic
meæ ultimæ voluntati contradicere præsumat, coram me advocari jussi
filium meum Eudonem quem diù consilio et bene placito meo rebellem,
Magnatum interventu, paulo ante in gratiam receperam; qui tandem meæ
voci obediens adstantibus filiis suis, Eudone, Elebando et Sohiro,
dixit et promisit se cum suis nihil unquam contra has elemosynas
tentaturum. Idemque promisit Alida sponsa mea cujus nutui ac
dispositioni omnia cœtera bona mea anteà ex amore per codicillum
reliqueram. Ad hæc etiam annuit Alida filia mea dilectissima.
Maledictus ergo sit qui hæc violare præsumpserit. In hujus donationis
et facti veritatem, hanc cartam propriâ manu subtùs signavi et
laterculi mei tesserarii impressione corroborari præcepi. Actum in
palatio meo feliciter. Amen.
Airius, cancellarius, scripsi et relegi.
This roughly translates as:
In the interim
(1059), Herbert IV bequeathed numerous properties to the abbey in a
charter that may rightly be regarded as his testament; here is this
important document:
Jesus Christ our Lord triumphant in heaven, with the eternal
Father and the Holy Spirit: Nicholas our most holy Pope governing the
Church on earth: Henry Augustus ruling in the Alemanni: Henry our King
still gloriously reigning in Gaul: and in the year of the same Lord one
thousand and fifty-nine, I Herbert, Count of Vermandois and Vadas,
seeing the instability of this unstable mansion, yearning with hope for
the immortality of heavenly bliss, that a larger portion may be given to
me in the land of the living; being of sound mind, sound counsel, and
with the advice of my dearest wife Alida, I have made my will, by
Praetorian law, and I command that it be valid in lieu of codicils, if
it should appear that any right has been lacking in it. I, therefore,
Herbert, as soon as I pass from this light, because by the voice of God
a heavenly for earthly and an eternal for transitory things have been
promised: I give to the Church of Saint Quintin, of which I have the
advowson and in which my body (if it pleases my most illustrious wife)
will be buried with solemn pomp, my mansions at Attos and Dalonias, with
Ochis, Arpiniis, Forestagii and Pascuatici, both for the salvation of my
soul and that of my most powerful ancestors, who rest here and
elsewhere. I also give to the Church of Vermand, of which I also have
the advowson, four mansions at Berticorte, Martisville and Spechias,
with the hovels, threshing floors, carts and ploughs depending on them.
And that God Almighty may more readily absolve me from the bonds of my
sins, from those which Christ has given me by hereditary right, I desire
that after my death the Churches founded under my dominion, each one
hundred solidi be listed: by this law that they may intercede with God
for us in common and private with the greatest piety before God. But to
the Churches which I love with special love, I choose out of
superabundant liberality the following: namely, to the Church of Saint
Arnulf in Cripeio one manse with the appendages next to the said church
and one hundred solidi. To the Church of Saint Albinus likewise one
hundred solidi. To the Church of Nantogil, two arpents [~acres] in the
Forest of Gombrieis and Peis. To the Church of Calniaco, where I had
previously given and procured many other goods, I give my manses near
Terignias and Flavias, to the Church of Vivario, where I have a castle
in my adjoining forests, one hide. To the Church of Firmitati in honor
of Saint Sebastian, one arpent in the forest of Resti. To the Church of
Bistisiaco one hundred solidi. To the Church of Fera at Montignias three
apses with an area. To the Church of Mont Nostra-Dominae one hut in the
forest of Dula. To the Church of Peronensis, four mansions with servants
at Busuo and Terincorte. To the Church of Cameracensi one hundred
solidi. To the Church of Saint Peter there five apses at Goiaco. To the
Church of Saint Vedasti of Atrebate three manages at Hanecort. Likewise,
I give to all the parishes of my counties one hundred solidi each. I
then give to the Church of Saint Quintin and Vermandense silver vessels
in force, two platters, four candelabra, two gold and two ivory;
chalices, offertories, two thuribles, crosses, urns, shells, cuirass and
headscarves, and all my altar ornaments and my military armor. But I
want these donations to be confirmed and handed over in their entirety
immediately after my death. Lest any heir presume to contradict this
last will of mine, I have ordered my son Eudon to be summoned before me,
whom I had received into favor a little while before, by divine counsel
and with my good pleasure, a rebel, through the intervention of
Magnatus; who at length obeyed my voice, with his sons, Eudon,
Elebandus, and Sohirus, present, and promised that he and his family
would never attempt anything against these alms. My spouse Alida, to
whose will and disposition I had previously left all my other goods out
of love by codicil, promised the same. My most beloved daughter Alida
also agreed to this. Cursed therefore be he who shall presume to violate
these. In truth of this gift and deed, I have signed this charter with
my own hand underneath and ordered it to be confirmed by the impression
of my small token. It was executed happily in my palace. Amen.
Airius, chancellor, wrote and read it.
- Heribert names his
father in a charter printed in Augusta Viromanduorum regestum veterum charta pp38-39
(Claude Hémeré, 1643); Histoire généalogique de la maison royale de
France vol 1 p51 (Anselme de Sainte-Marie, 1726); Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol
1 p623 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771); Medieval
Lands (HERIBERT [VI]); wikipedia
(Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois)
- Heribert names his
mother in a charter printed in Augusta Viromanduorum regestum veterum charta pp38-39
(Claude Hémeré, 1643); Histoire généalogique de la maison royale de
France vol 1 p51 (Anselme de Sainte-Marie, 1726); Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol
1 p623 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771); Medieval
Lands (HERIBERT [VI]); wikipedia
(Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois)
- Histoire de l'Abbaye Notre-Dame de Vermand
pp10-14 (Georges Lecocq, 1875); Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol
1 p623 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771); Medieval
Lands (HERIBERT [VI]); wikipedia
(Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois)
- Histoire de l'Abbaye Notre-Dame de Vermand
pp10-14 (Georges Lecocq, 1875); De Genere Comitum Flandrensium, Notae Parisienses
in Monumenta Germaniae Historica SS 13
p257 (1881); Medieval
Lands (HERIBERT [VI]); wikipedia
(Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois)
- Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol
1 pp655-657;
Medieval
Lands (HERIBERT [VI]); wikipedia
(Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois)
- Histoire de l'Abbaye Notre-Dame de Vermand
pp10-14 (Georges Lecocq, 1875); Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol
1 p623 pp625-626
pp655-657
p674
(Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771); Medieval
Lands (HERIBERT [VI]); wikipedia
(Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois)
- Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol
1 p656 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771); wikipedia
(Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois)
- Histoire de l'Abbaye Notre-Dame de Vermand
pp10-14 (Georges Lecocq, 1875)
- Histoire de l'Abbaye Notre-Dame de Vermand
pp10-14 (Georges Lecocq, 1875)
Pepin
Bernard
Cunigunda
Count
In 834, Pepin is named among the supporters of the emperor, Louis
the Pious in his dispute with his son, Lothair,
but in 840, as Lothair's forces advanced towards Pepin's possessions near
Paris, Pepin switched his allegiance to the invader.
Annales Bertiniani pp8-9 (1883)
834
… Hlotharius vero, cum de Parisio proficisceretur, in Provinciae urbem
Viennam pervenit, ibique commorans, multa incommoda illarum partium
hominibus intulit. Domnus autem imperator ut eum illic esse comperit,
misit legatos, qui ei nunciarent, quod omnia quae contra patrem egerat
illi concessisset, et ut cum pace aa eum reverteretur. Quod spernens,
venire distulit, sed in eadem pertinacia perduravit. Factum est autem,
cum sentirent qui fideles erant domno imperatori in Italia, Ratholdus
videlicet episcopus, Bonifacius comes, Pippinus3,
consanguineus imperatoris, aliique quam plures, quod coniugem eius
quidam inimicorum morti tradere vellent, miserunt sub omni celeritate
qui illam eriperent, ereptamque usque ad praesentiam domni imperatoris
in Aquis incolomem perduxerunt.
3) Filius Bernhardi regis Italiae; cf. Regin. a. 81
This roughly translates as:
834 … But
Lothair, when he was leaving Paris, arrived at the provincial city of
Vienna, and while he was there, he caused many inconveniences to the
people of those parts. But the lord emperor, when he found out that he
was there, sent ambassadors to tell him that he had forgiven him all
that he had done against his father, and that he should return to him in
peace. Scorning this, he delayed coming, but continued in the same
obstinacy. But it happened that when those who were faithful to the lord
emperor in Italy, namely Bishop Rathold, Count Boniface, Pepin3,
the emperor’s kinsman, and many others, felt that some of his enemies
wanted to hand over his wife to death, they sent with all speed to
rescue her, and after she had been rescued they brought her safely to
the presence of the lord emperor in Aquis.
3) Son of Bernard, king of Italy; cf. Regin. a. 81
Oct. 840
Meanwhile, Lothair was returning from the confrontation with Louis and
being joined by every man on this side of the Charbonnière. He thought
it best to cross the Meuse and advance as far as the Seine.7
On his way there Hilduin, abbot of St.-Denis, and Gerard, count of the
city of Paris, came and met him. They had broken their fealty and
defected from Charles. When Pepin, son of Bernard, king of the Lombards,
and others saw this treachery, like slaves they also chose to break
their word and disregard their oaths rather than give up their holdings
for a little while.8 That is why these men broke faith,
followed the example of those we mentioned already, and submitted to
Lothair.
7. Charles was in Aquitaine after October 10, 840. In the meantime
Lothair was punishing those who resisted him by confiscating their
benefices; BML, p. 435. The Meuse was the border of Charles's land.
8. Pepin is the son of Charlemagne's grandson Bernard who had been
blinded in 818.
Regionis
Chronicon in Monumenta Germaniæ
Historica SS 1 p567 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1826)
Bernhardus
filius Pippini, rex Italiae, Aquis evocatus ad imperatorem dolo
capitur, et primo oculis, post vita privatur. Habuit autem iste
Bernhardus filium nomine Pippinum, qui tres liberos genuit,
Bernhardum, Pippinum et Heribertum; qui Heribertus Rodulfum comitem,
filium Balduini interfecit nostris temporibus, et non multum post
occisus est a Balduino, satellite Balduini, fratris Rodulfi, qui
Balduinus hucusque in Flandris ducatum tenet.
1) Filii Pippini supra a. 834, p. 9. memorati, nepotes
Bernhardi regis Italiae.
This roughly translates as:
Bernard, the
son of Pepin, king of Italy, was summoned to the emperor at Aquis and
was captured by trickery, and at first he was blinded, then deprived of
his life. This Bernard had a son named Pepin, who fathered three
children, Bernard, Pepin, and Heribert; Heribert killed count Rudolf,
son of Baldwin in our times, and not long after was killed by Baldwin, a
vassal of Baldwin, brother of Rudolf, which Baldwin still holds the
duchy in Flanders.
1) The sons of Pepin, mentioned above in a. 834, p. 9., were
grandsons of Bernard, king of Italy.
Robert of Meaux
Heribert II
a
daughter of Robert I, king of France
Adelaide
Ex Chronico Odorannus in Recueil
des historiens des Gaules et de la France vol 8 p237 (1871)
Anno
DCCCCLVI. … Gislebertus Comes Burgundionum obiit: et
honorem ejus cum filia, nomine Leudegarde, ex qua posteà à Radulpho
Divionensi Pipicus factus, Otho frater Hugonis Ducis recepit: aliam
verô filiam, nomine Werram, duxit in matrimonium Robertus Comes
Trecassinorum.
This roughly translates as:
In the year 956. … Gislebert Count of Burgundy died: and his honor was
received by Duke Hugh's brother Otho, with a daughter named Leudegarde,
from whom he was afterwards made Pipicus by Ralph of Divion: but another
daughter, named Werram, was married to Robert Count of Troyes.
Count of Meaux from 946 and
count of Troyes from 956
When his father's lands were partitioned in 946, Robert received Meaux as
his share. He became count of Troyes, by right of his wife, on the death of
his father-in-law Giselbert in 956.
Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Montiéramey in Collection des principaux cartulaires du diocèse de
Troyes vol 7 p19 (Charles Lalore, 1890)
14. — 6 août 959.
Placuit atque convenit inter gloriosum Trecassine urbis comitem
Rotbertum et Gratianum, abbatem monasterii Sancti Petri Dervensis …
Dedit itaque predictus comes partibus abbatis pratum unum. Pertinet
autum pratum illud de camera comitis de potestate Podenniaco. Ego
Rotbertus, comes, firmavi et fidelibus meis firmare precepi. Actum
Trecas civitate publice sub die VIII idus augusti, anno V, regnante
Lothario, rege Francorum. Signum Rotberti, gloriosissimi comitis. S.
Adelais, comitisse. S. Erberti, filii eorum. S. Walterii, vicecomitis.
Ego Goduinus levita, scripsi et subscripsi. — Vieux Cart. de
Montiéramey, ap. A. Duchesne, Histoire de la maison de Vergy,
Preuves p. 36.
This roughly translates as:
14. — 6 August 959.
It was agreed between Robert, the glorious count of Troyes, and
Gratian, abbot of the monastery of Saint Peter of Dervensis … The
aforementioned count therefore gave one meadow to the abbot’s share.
That meadow now belongs to the count’s chamber of Podenniac under the
power of Podenniac. I, Robert, count, have confirmed it and have ordered
my faithful to confirm it. Act publicly executed in the city of Troyes
on the 8th day of the Ides of August [6 August], in the 5th year of the
reign of Lothair, king of the Franks [959]. Signed by Robert, the most
glorious count. Signed Adelaide, countess. Signed Herbert, their son.
Signed Walter, viscount. I, Godwin, the levite, wrote and subscribed. —
Vieux Cart. de Montiéramey, by A. Duchesne, Histoire de la
maison de Vergy, Preuves p. 36.
Chronicon Frodoardi in Recueil
des historiens des Gaules et de la France vol 8 p208 (1871)
Anno DCCCCLII.
… Nepotes Hugonis Heribertus et Robertus interim in loco, qui dicitur
Mons-Felicis, sibi munitionem instruunt.
This roughly translates as:
In the year 952. … Meanwhile Hugh's nephews, Herbert and Robert, built
themselves a fortification in a place called Mont-Felicis.
pp211-3
Anno
DCCCCLIX. … Castrum Divionem Rotbertus Comes invadit,
Regis expulsis fidelibus. Quapropter accitus Bruno Regis ac Reginæ
petitione, in Burgundiam venit cum Lothariensibus, aliisque sibi
subditis populis: idemque castrum, sed et Trecas civitatem, quam
præfatus potiebatur Rotbertus, obsidione vallat.
... Anno DCCCCLX.
… Divionem quamdam munitionem, quam Regis Lotharii fideles tenebant,
Rotbertus frater Heriberti fidelem Regis se fallens, dolo ingressus
invadit, regiis expulsis custodibus: ad quam recipiendam Rex cum matre
Regina profectus, ipsum obsidet castrum. Bruno Præsul cum
Lothariensibus et aliis sibi subditis illuc adveniens, obsides à
Rotberto accepit, quos Regi tradidit: quorum unus, Odalrici Comitis
filius, proditor comprobatus et judicatus, atque decollatus est; alter
vivus retentus.
... Anno DCCCCLXIII. … Catalaunensem urbem, Præsule
Gibuino egresso, Heribertus et Rotbertus fratres obsident:
explicitisque tandem nundinis, igne succendunt: milites, turre loci
quadam conscensa, liberantur.
This roughly translates as:
In the year 959. … Count Robert attacked Castle Divion, expelling the
King's loyalists. Therefore, summoned by the request of the King and
Queen, Bruno came to Burgundy with the Lotharians and other peoples
subject to him: and he besieged the same castle, and also the city of
Troyes, which the aforementioned Robert held.
... In the year 960. ... A certain fortress of Divion, which was held by
the loyalists of King Lothar, Robert, the brother of Herbert, deceiving
himself to be loyal to the King, entered with deceit and attacked,
expelling the royal guards: to recover which the King set out with his
mother the Queen, and besieged the castle itself. Bruno the Presbyter,
arriving there with the Lotharians and other subjects of his, received
hostages from Robert, whom he delivered to the King: one of whom, the son
of Count Odalric, was proved a traitor and tried, and was beheaded; the
other was kept alive.\
... In the year 963. ... The brothers Heribert and Robert besieged the
city of Catalaun, after the departure of Bishop Gibuin: and at length they
set it on fire, and the soldiers, having climbed a certain tower of the
place, were freed.
after 19 June 966, when he witnessed
a charter of his son-in-law, count Geoffroy Grisegonelle.
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