Ranulf II de Poitiers, Comte de Poitou, Duc d'Aquitaine - Inconsistencies

cf Irmgard de Poitou and Ranulf III, Count of Poitou

From Medlands:

i) RAINULF ([845/50]-after Jul 892). The primary source which confirms his parentage has not yet been identified. The Chronicle of Adémar de Chabannes specifies that "Ramnulfus…comes Pictaviensis" was "consanguineus…Willelmi…comitis Arvernis"[280]. The Chronico Richardi Pictavensis also states that "Ramnulfus consanguineus erat Willelmi Pii Aquitanorum Ducis et Arveniæ Comitis"[281]. The relationship between Rainulf and Duke Guillaume has not yet been traced. After the death of Rainulf's father in 866, he and his brothers were deprived of their inheritance. It appears that no-one was at that time installed as Comte de Poitou, the county being administered by Louis King of Aquitaine, son of Charles II "le Chauve" King of the Franks[282]. He appears to have been finally installed as RAINULF II Comte de Poitou in [878], judging by his heading the list of confirmants of his brother's Apr 878 donation to the church of Saint-Hilaire de Poitiers[283]. After the death of Louis II "le Bègue" King of the West Franks, Comte Rainulf had custody of the late king's youngest son Charles, who later succeeded as Charles III "le Simple" King of the West Franks[284]. After the deposition of Emperor Karl III in Nov 887, Comte Rainulf claimed the succession to the kingdom of Aquitaine and supported the candidature of Guy of Spoleto as King of the Franks[285]. He was appointed Duke of Aquitaine in 888. Regino names "Ramnulfum et fratrem eius Gozbertum et Ebulonem abbatum de sancto Dionysio" when recording their battle against "Waltgerius comes" in Jul 892[286]. The Chronicle of Saint-Maxence records the death in 890 of "Ramnulfus comes Pictavinus"[287], but the year is incorrect if Regino correctly names Rainulf in Jul 892. m [ERMENGARDE, daughter of ---] (-1 Jul after 890). The name of the wife of Comte Rainulf II is not known with certainty. "Gauzberto comite, Ramnulfus comes, Ermengarde…" subscribed the charter dated Apr 878 under which "Gauzbertus comes" donated property "in pago Santonico…in villa…Dorodonno" to the church of Saint-Hilaire de Poitiers[288]. Richard suggests that Ermengarde must have been the wife of one of the named counts because of the order of the signatures[289]. Richard rejects the hypothesis that Adda "coniunx Ramnulf", whose tomb was discovered at Saint-Hilaire de Poitiers, was the wife of Comte Rainulf II[290]. Mistress (1): ---. The name of Comte Rainulf's mistress is not known.

Comte Rainulf II & his wife had [one child]:

(a) [RAINULF [III] (-[901]). Rainulf is shown in Europäische Stammtafeln[291] as the legitimate son of Comte Rainulf II but the primary source on which this is based has not yet been identified. He is not named by Besly[292], nor by Richard[293]. Both authors state that Eble was the only child of Comte Rainulf II.]

Comte Rainulf II had one illegitimate son by an unknown Mistress:

(b) EBALUS [Eble] "Mancer" ([870/75]-[932/34]). The Chronicle of Adémar de Chabannes names "Eblum" as son of "Ramnulfus…comes Pictaviensis", another manuscript specifying that he was born "ex concubina"[294]. He succeeded his father in 890 as EBLE "Mancer" Comte de Poitou.

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/AQUITAINE.htm#RainulfIPoitoudied866

As we have no sourced birthdate for Ermengarde - If, indeed, that was the name of Rainulf's wife - I'm removing that date.

We have no primary sources to prove even the existence of Rainulf III - so I'll remove that birthdate too.

Thanks

Thanks for spotting.