Herbert II, Count of Vermandois
Encyclopedia
Herbert II Count of Vermandois and Count of Troyes, was the son of Herbert I of Vermandois
.
. His marriage with Hildebrand of France (also known as Liégarde) brought him the County of Meaux. In 918, he was also named Count of Mézerais and of the Véxin. With his cousin Bernard, Count of Beauvais
and Senlis
, he constituted a powerful group in the west of France, to the north and east of Paris. In 923, he imprisoned King Charles III in Château-Thierry
, then in Péronne
.
In 922, the Archbishop of Rheims, Seulf, called on Herbert II to reduce some of his vassals who were in rebellion against him. On the death of Seulf, in 925, with the help of King Rudolph, he acquired for his second son Hugh (then five years old) the archbishopric of Rheims, which had a large inheritance in France and Germany. In 926, on the death of Count Roger of Laon, Herbert demanded this County for Eudes, his eldest son. He settled there, initially against the will of King Rudolph and constructed a fortress there. Rudolph yielded to pressure to free king Charles III, whom Herbert still held in prison. In 930, Herbert took the castle of Vitry-en-Perthois
at the expense of Boso, the brother of King Rudolph. Rudolph united his army with the army of Hugh, marquis of Neustria
, and in 931, they entered Rheims and defeated Hugh, the son of Herbert. Artaud
became the new archbishop of Reims. Herbert II then lost, in three years, Vitry, Laon
, Château-Thierry, and Soissons
. The intervention of his ally, Henry the Fowler, allowed him to restore his domains (except Rheims and Laon) in exchange for his submission to King Rudolph.
Later Herbert allied with Hugh the Great
and William Longsword
, duke of Normandy
against King Louis IV
, who allocated the County of Laon to Roger II, the son of Roger I, in 941. Herbert and Hugh the Great took back Rheims and captured Artaud. Hugh, the son of Herbert, was restored as archbishop. Again the mediation of the German King Otto I
in Visé
, near Liège, in 942 allowed for the normalization of the situation.
, maternal uncle of his children. It took place in 946 and led to an equitable distribution between the sons of Herbert II: Herbert III, Robert, Albert, and Hugh (his other son Eudes died before 946). As for his girls, Adela was married to Arnulf I, count of Flanders
, Luitgarde (widow of William Longsword
) was married to Theobald I
, count of Blois
, the first lieutenant of Hugh. She brought to Theobald Provins
and domains in the Mézerais.
, he had the following children:
Herbert I, Count of Vermandois
Herbert I of Vermandois , Count of Vermandois, lord of Senlis, of Péronne and of Saint Quentin, was the son of Pepin of Vermandois.-Marriage and issue:...
.
Life
He inherited the domain of his father and in 907, added to it the Saint de Soissons abbeyAbbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
. His marriage with Hildebrand of France (also known as Liégarde) brought him the County of Meaux. In 918, he was also named Count of Mézerais and of the Véxin. With his cousin Bernard, Count of Beauvais
Beauvais
Beauvais is a city approximately by highway north of central Paris, in the northern French region of Picardie. It currently has a population of over 60,000 inhabitants.- History :...
and Senlis
Senlis, Oise
Senlis is a French commune located in the Oise department near Paris. It has a long and rich heritage, having traversed centuries of history. This medieval town has welcomed some of the most renowned figures in French history, including Hugh Capet, Louis IX, the Marshall of France, Anne of Kiev and...
, he constituted a powerful group in the west of France, to the north and east of Paris. In 923, he imprisoned King Charles III in Château-Thierry
Château-Thierry
Château-Thierry is a commune in northern France about east-northeast of Paris. It is a sub-prefecture of the Aisne department in Picardy.-History:...
, then in Péronne
Péronne, Somme
Péronne is a commune of the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.It is close to where the Battles of the Somme took place during World War I...
.
In 922, the Archbishop of Rheims, Seulf, called on Herbert II to reduce some of his vassals who were in rebellion against him. On the death of Seulf, in 925, with the help of King Rudolph, he acquired for his second son Hugh (then five years old) the archbishopric of Rheims, which had a large inheritance in France and Germany. In 926, on the death of Count Roger of Laon, Herbert demanded this County for Eudes, his eldest son. He settled there, initially against the will of King Rudolph and constructed a fortress there. Rudolph yielded to pressure to free king Charles III, whom Herbert still held in prison. In 930, Herbert took the castle of Vitry-en-Perthois
Vitry-en-Perthois
Vitry-en-Perthois is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France.-History:Vitry-en-Perthois was called Vitry-le-Brûlé after being burnt two times; in 1142 by the armies of Louis VII of France and in 1544 by the armies of Charles V.-Geography:The Chée flows into the Saulx in the...
at the expense of Boso, the brother of King Rudolph. Rudolph united his army with the army of Hugh, marquis of Neustria
Neustria
The territory of Neustria or Neustrasia, meaning "new [western] land", originated in 511, made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel, approximating most of the north of present-day France, with Paris and Soissons as its main cities...
, and in 931, they entered Rheims and defeated Hugh, the son of Herbert. Artaud
Artald, Archbishop of Reims
Artald of Reims was twice Archbishop of Reims. He help the post first 931 to 940, when he was displaced by Hugh of Vermandois. He was restored, with the help of Louis IV of France, in 946....
became the new archbishop of Reims. Herbert II then lost, in three years, Vitry, Laon
Laon
Laon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
, Château-Thierry, and Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
. The intervention of his ally, Henry the Fowler, allowed him to restore his domains (except Rheims and Laon) in exchange for his submission to King Rudolph.
Later Herbert allied with Hugh the Great
Hugh the Great
Hugh the Great or Hugues le Grand was duke of the Franks and count of Paris, son of King Robert I of France and nephew of King Odo. He was born in Paris, Île-de-France, France. His eldest son was Hugh Capet who became King of France in 987...
and William Longsword
William I of Normandy
William I Longsword was the second Duke of Normandy from his father's death until his own assassination. The title dux was not in use at the time and has been applied to early Norman rulers retroactively. William actually used the title comes .-Biography:Little is known about his early years...
, duke of Normandy
Duke of Normandy
The Duke of Normandy is the title of the reigning monarch of the British Crown Dependancies of the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey. The title traces its roots to the Duchy of Normandy . Whether the reigning sovereign is a male or female, they are always titled as the "Duke of...
against King Louis IV
Louis IV of France
Louis IV , called d'Outremer or Transmarinus , reigned as King of Western Francia from 936 to 954...
, who allocated the County of Laon to Roger II, the son of Roger I, in 941. Herbert and Hugh the Great took back Rheims and captured Artaud. Hugh, the son of Herbert, was restored as archbishop. Again the mediation of the German King Otto I
Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto I the Great , son of Henry I the Fowler and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of Germany, King of Italy, and "the first of the Germans to be called the emperor of Italy" according to Arnulf of Milan...
in Visé
Visé
Visé is a Walloon municipality and city of Belgium, where it is located on the river Meuse, in the province of Liège.The municipality consists of the former municipalities of Visé, Lanaye, Lixhe, Richelle, Argenteau and Cheratte....
, near Liège, in 942 allowed for the normalization of the situation.
Death and legacy
Herbert II died on 23 February 943 without having succeeded in building the principality of which he dreamed. His succession was reconciled by Hugh the GreatHugh the Great
Hugh the Great or Hugues le Grand was duke of the Franks and count of Paris, son of King Robert I of France and nephew of King Odo. He was born in Paris, Île-de-France, France. His eldest son was Hugh Capet who became King of France in 987...
, maternal uncle of his children. It took place in 946 and led to an equitable distribution between the sons of Herbert II: Herbert III, Robert, Albert, and Hugh (his other son Eudes died before 946). As for his girls, Adela was married to Arnulf I, count of Flanders
Count of Flanders
The Count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the position by the French revolutionaries in 1790....
, Luitgarde (widow of William Longsword
William Longsword
William Longsword may refer to:*William I, Duke of Normandy , second duke of Normandy*William of Winchester, Lord of Lunenburg*William of Montferrat, Count of Jaffa and Ascalon , crusader...
) was married to Theobald I
Theobald I of Blois
Theobald I , called the Cheat or the Trickster , was the first count of Blois, Chartres, and Châteaudun from 960, and Tours from 945....
, count of Blois
Count of Blois
The County of Blois was originally centred on Blois, south of Paris, France. One of the chief cities, along with Blois itself, was Chartres. Blois was associated with Champagne, Châtillon , and later with the French royal family, to whom the county passed in 1391...
, the first lieutenant of Hugh. She brought to Theobald Provins
Provins
Provins is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.Provins, a town of medieval fairs, became a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 2001.-Administration:...
and domains in the Mézerais.
Family
With Hildebrand of France, daughter of Robert I of FranceRobert I of France
Robert I , King of Western Francia , was the younger son of Robert the Strong, count of Anjou, and the brother of Odo, who became king of the Western Franks in 888. West Francia evolved over time into France; under Odo, the capital was fixed on Paris, a large step in that direction...
, he had the following children:
- Adele of VermandoisAdele of VermandoisAdele of Vermandois was a daughter of Herbert II of Vermandois with his first wife, Adela. She married Count Arnulf I of Flanders in 934 and had four children:*Luitgard, married Wichmann, Count of Ghent*Egbert, died 953*Baldwin III of Flanders...
(910-960), married 934 Count Arnulf I of Flanders, also a descendant of CharlemagneCharlemagneCharlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800... - Eudes of Vermandois, Count of AmiensCount of AmiensCount of Amiens was the title held by the ruler of the County of Amiens....
and of VienneCount of VienneThe Count of Vienne was the ruler of the Viennois, with his seat at Vienne, during the period of the Carolingian Empire and after until 1030, when the county of Vienne was granted to the Archdiocese of Vienne....
, (912-946) - Herbert "the Elder", Count of Meaux and of Troyes (-993)
- Robert of VermandoisRobert of VermandoisRobert of Vermandois was Count of Meaux after his father, Heribert II, Comte de Vermandois and his wife, Adele of France....
, Count of Meaux and Châlons (-968) - Adalbert I, Count of VermandoisAdalbert I, Count of VermandoisAdalbert I of Vermandois , Count of Vermandois, was the son of Herbert II of Vermandois and Hildebrante of France.-Family:...
(915-987), married Gerberge of Lorraine, also a descendant of Charlemagne - Luitgarde of VermandoisLuitgarde of VermandoisLuitgarde of Vermandois was a daughter of Herbert II of Vermandois. She first married William I of Normandy, and following his death in 942, married Theobald I of Blois in 943.-Children:They had four children:*Theobald...
(ca 920-978), married 943 Theobald I of BloisTheobald I of BloisTheobald I , called the Cheat or the Trickster , was the first count of Blois, Chartres, and Châteaudun from 960, and Tours from 945.... - Hugh of VermandoisHugh of Vermandois, Archbishop of RheimsHugh of Vermandois was the Archbishop of Reims from 925 to 931, when he was removed from office by the actions of Hugh the Great and others, his father Herbert II, Count of Vermandois who had been the power behind his episcopate was driven out of Reims and the bishopric was then assumed by...
(died 962), Archbishop of Reims