Ramnulfids
Encyclopedia
The Ramnulfids, or the House of Poitiers, were a French dynasty ruling the County of Poitou and Duchy of Aquitaine in the ninth through twelfth centuries. Their power base was Poitou
. In the early tenth century, they contested the dominance of northern Aquitaine and the ducal title to the whole with the House of Auvergne. In 1032, they inherited the Duchy of Gascony and thus uniting it with Aquitaine. By the end of the eleventh century they were the dominant power in the southwestern third of France. The founder of the family was Ramnulf I
, who became count in 835
.
Ramnulf's son, Ramnulf II
, claimed the title of King of Aquitaine in 888
, but it did not survive him. Through his illegitimate son Ebalus
he fathered the line of dukes of Aquitaine that would rule continuously from 927
to 1204, from the succession of William III
to the death of Eleanor
, who brought the Ramnulfid inheritance first to Louis VII of France
and then to Henry II of England
.
Several daughters of this house achieved high status. Adelaide
married Hugh Capet and was thus the first Queen of France in the era of the Direct Capetians
. Agnes married Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
, and ruled as regent for her son, the young Henry IV
. The most illustrious woman was certainly Aquitaine's ruler Eleanor, whose marriage crafted the Angevin Empire
which was to cause so much discord between France and England
.
The Ramnulfid house did much to encourage art, literature, and piety. Under William V
, William IX
, and William X
, Aquitaine became the centre for the art of poetry and song in the vernacular; the troubadour
tradition was born and raised there. The Peace and Truce of God
were fostered and the ideal of courtly love
invented.
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
. In the early tenth century, they contested the dominance of northern Aquitaine and the ducal title to the whole with the House of Auvergne. In 1032, they inherited the Duchy of Gascony and thus uniting it with Aquitaine. By the end of the eleventh century they were the dominant power in the southwestern third of France. The founder of the family was Ramnulf I
Ranulf I of Aquitaine
Ranulf I was a Count of Poitiers and Duke of Aquitaine . He is considered a possible son of Gerard, Count of Auvergne, and Hildegard , daughter of Louis the Pious and Ermengard...
, who became count in 835
835
Year 835 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* Ragnar Lodbrok rises to power ....
.
Ramnulf's son, Ramnulf II
Ranulf II of Aquitaine
Ranulf II was Count of Poitou from 866 and Duke of Aquitaine from 887...
, claimed the title of King of Aquitaine in 888
888
Year 888 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* January 13 – With the death of Charles the Fat, the Frankish kingdom is split again, and this time permanently...
, but it did not survive him. Through his illegitimate son Ebalus
Ebalus of Aquitaine
Ebalus or Ebles Manzer or Manser was Count of Poitou and Duke of Aquitaine on two occasions: from 890 to 892 and from 902 and 927 to his death....
he fathered the line of dukes of Aquitaine that would rule continuously from 927
927
Year 927 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* The Chu State is founded by Ma Yin....
to 1204, from the succession of William III
William III of Aquitaine
William III , called Towhead from the colour of his hair, was the "Count of the Duchy of Aquitaine" from 959 and Duke of Aquitaine from 962 to his death. He was also the Count of Poitou from 935 and Count of Auvergne from 950...
to the death of Eleanor
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. As well as being Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she was queen consort of France and of England...
, who brought the Ramnulfid inheritance first to Louis VII of France
Louis VII of France
Louis VII was King of France, the son and successor of Louis VI . He ruled from 1137 until his death. He was a member of the House of Capet. His reign was dominated by feudal struggles , and saw the beginning of the long rivalry between France and England...
and then to Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
.
Several daughters of this house achieved high status. Adelaide
Adelaide of Aquitaine
Adbelahide or Adele or Adelaide of Aquitaine was the daughter of William III, Duke of Aquitaine and Adele of Normandy, daughter of Rollo of Normandy....
married Hugh Capet and was thus the first Queen of France in the era of the Direct Capetians
House of Capet
The House of Capet, or The Direct Capetian Dynasty, , also called The House of France , or simply the Capets, which ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328, was the most senior line of the Capetian dynasty – itself a derivative dynasty from the Robertians. As rulers of France, the dynasty...
. Agnes married Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry III , called the Black or the Pious, was a member of the Salian Dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors...
, and ruled as regent for her son, the young Henry IV
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
. The most illustrious woman was certainly Aquitaine's ruler Eleanor, whose marriage crafted the Angevin Empire
Angevin Empire
The term Angevin Empire is a modern term describing the collection of states once ruled by the Angevin Plantagenet dynasty.The Plantagenets ruled over an area stretching from the Pyrenees to Ireland during the 12th and early 13th centuries, located north of Moorish Iberia. This "empire" extended...
which was to cause so much discord between France and England
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
.
The Ramnulfid house did much to encourage art, literature, and piety. Under William V
William V of Aquitaine
William V , called the Great , was Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou from 990 until his death. He was the son and successor of William IV by his wife Emma of Blois, daughter of Theobald I of Blois. He seems to have taken after his formidable mother, who ruled Aquitaine as regent until 1004...
, William IX
William IX of Aquitaine
William IX , called the Troubador, was the Duke of Aquitaine and Gascony and Count of Poitou between 1086 and his death. He was also one of the leaders of the Crusade of 1101...
, and William X
William X of Aquitaine
William X , called the Saint, was Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, and Count of Poitou between 1126 and 1137. He was the son of William IX by his second wife, Philippa of Toulouse....
, Aquitaine became the centre for the art of poetry and song in the vernacular; the troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
tradition was born and raised there. The Peace and Truce of God
Peace and Truce of God
The Peace and Truce of God was a medieval European movement of the Catholic Church that applied spiritual sanctions in order to limit the violence of private war in feudal society. The movement constituted the first organized attempt to control civil society in medieval Europe through non-violent...
were fostered and the ideal of courtly love
Courtly love
Courtly love was a medieval European conception of nobly and chivalrously expressing love and admiration. Generally, courtly love was secret and between members of the nobility. It was also generally not practiced between husband and wife....
invented.