Hildegarde of Burgundy, Duchess consort of Gascony and Aquitaine

Other Events and Attributes:

• General Information: She was, and by marriage, Duchess of Gascony and Aquitaine.
• Last Full Review: 19 May 2020

Notes:

Birth: Stuart (2002) gives her birth date as about 1033.

Name:

Hildegarde married William IV, Count of Poitou in 1068/69. William (son of William III "the Great", Count of Poitou and Agnes of Burgundy, Princess of Lombardy) was born about 1024; died on 25 Sep 1089. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. William VII "the Troubadour", Count of Poitou was born on 22 Oct 1071 in Poitou, Nouvelle Aquitaine, France; died on 10 Feb 1127.
2. Beatrice of Aquitaine died in 1110.
3. Agnes of Aquitaine, Queen of Aragon and Navarre

Notes:

Weis (1982) gives his death date as 1075.

Robert married Eleanor of Semur-en-Auxois about 1033. Eleanor (daughter of Damas, Sire de Semur and Aremburga) was born in 1016; died on 22 Apr 1055. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
Her name was also spelt Helie de Semur.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reign: From 988 to 1031; King of France (House of Capet)
• Crowned: 1 Jan 988; On 1 January 988, he became the King of France.

Notes:

Name:

Robert married Constance of Arles in 998. Constance (daughter of William I, Count of Provence and Arles and Adelaide of Anjou) was born about 986; died on 25 Jul 1032 in Meulan-en-Yvelines, Yvelines, Île-de-France, France; was buried in Basilica of Saint-Denis, St. Denis, Île-de-France, France. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• General Information: She was also known as Constance of Provence, and Constance of Toulouse.
• Miscellaneous: 998; Constance was married in 998 to King Robert, after his divorce from his second wife, Bertha of Burgundy. The marriage was stormy; Bertha's family opposed her, and Constance was despised for importing her Provençal kinfolk and customs. Robert's friend, Hugh of Beauvais, count palatine, tried to convince the king to repudiate her in 1007. Possibly at her request 12 knights of her kinsman Fulk Nerra then murdered Beauvais in 1008.
• Travel: 1010; Robert went to Rome in 1010, followed by his former wife Bertha, to seek permission to divorce Constance and remarry Bertha. Pope Sergius IV was not about to allow a consanguineous marriage which had been formally condemned by Pope Gregory V and Robert had already repudiated two wives. So the request was denied. After his return according to one source Robert "loved his wife more."
• Miscellaneous: 1017; At Constance's urging, her eldest son Hugh Magnus was crowned co-king alongside his father in 1017. But later Hugh demanded his parents share power with him, and rebelled against his father in 1025. Constance, however, on learning of her son's rebellion was furious with him, rebuking him at every turn. At some point Hugh was reconciled with his parents but shortly thereafter died, probably about age eighteen. The royal couple was devastated; there was concern for the queen’s mental health due to the violence of her grief.
• Legal: 1022; In 1022, a trial accused clergy members of heresy--Constance's previous confessor Stephen included, Robert had his wife Queen Constance stand at the door to prevent any mob violence. However, as the condemned clerics left the trial the queen "struck out the eye of Stephen... with the staff which she carried". This was seen as Constance venting her frustration at anyone subverting the prestige of the crown.
• Miscellaneous: 1027; Robert and Constance quarreled over which of their surviving sons should inherit the throne; Robert favored their second son Henry, while Constance favored their third son, Robert. Despite his mother's protests and her support by several bishops, Henry was crowned in 1027. Constance, however, was not graceful when she didn't get her way. The ailing Fulbert, bishop of Chartres told a colleague that he could attend the ceremony "if he traveled slowly to Reims—but he was too frightened of the queen to go at all".
• Miscellaneous: say 1028; Constance encouraged her sons to rebel, and they began attacking and pillaging the towns and castles belonging to their father. Son Robert attacked Burgundy, the duchy he had been promised but had never received, and Henry seized Dreux. At last King Robert agreed to their demands and peace was made which lasted until the king's death.
• Miscellaneous: 1031; King Robert died on 20 July 1031. Soon afterwards Constance fell ill; she was at also at odds with both her surviving sons. Constance seized her dower lands and refused to surrender them. Henry fled to Normandy, where he received aid, weapons and soldiers from his brother Robert. He returned to besiege his mother at Poissy but Constance escaped to Pontoise. She only surrendered when Henry began the siege of Le Puiset and swore to slaughter all the inhabitants.
• Last Full Review: 5 Jun 2020

Notes:

Name:

Died:
Constance died after passing out following a coughing fit.

Notes:

Name:
His name was also spelt Dalmace.

Died:
Murdered by his son-in-law, Robert, Duke of Burgundy

Damas married Aremburga. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She is said to be the daughter of Henry I, Duke of Burgundy, but this has been disproved.

Other Events and Attributes:

• General Information: Hugh was also the Count of Paris, Poitou and Orleans.
• Title(s): 956
• Crowned: 987; In 987, he was crowned the first Capetian King of France.
• Reign: From 987 to 996; King of France (House of Capet)

Notes:

Birth: Weis (1982) gives his birth date as after 939.

Name:


Title(s):
He became the Count of Paris.

Hugh married Adelainde of Poitou between 963 and 968. Adelainde (daughter of William I "Tete d'Etoupe", Count of Poitou and Gerloc of Normandy) was born in 945; died about 1004. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth: Weis (1976) gives her birth date as 945.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Title(s): 979; In 979, he became the Marquis of Provence.
• Religion: say 990; In his later life, he became a monk.

William married Adelaide of Anjou after 981. Adelaide (daughter of Fulk II "the Good", Count d'Anjou and Gerberga of the Gatinais) was born about 942; died in 1026. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• General Information: She was also known as Blanche of Anjou.

Notes:

Birth:
Father: Fulk III "the Good". Count of Anjou

Other Events and Attributes:

• Living: 1015

Geoffrey married daughter of Damas, Vicomte de Brioude. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]