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

RAMNULF [Rainulf] ([815]-killed in battle near Brissarthe Oct 866). He was installed as RAINULF I Comte de Poitou in [839].

m ([845]%29 [NN du Maine] --- du Maine, daughter of RORICO [I] Comte du Maine & his wife Bilechildis. Her origin is indicated by Abbo's De Bellis Parisiacæ which names "Ebolus…Abba" as nepos of "Gauzlinus…pontificis"[279], the latter being reported in other sources as the son of Rorico [I] Comte du Maine. It is possible that the wife of Comte Rainulf was Comte Rorico's daughter named [Bilichildis], whose [first] husband Bernard Comte en Poitou was killed in battle in 844. Comte Rainulf I & his wife had three children:

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.

ii) GAUZBERT [Josbert] (-killed in battle late 892). Regino names "Ramnulfum et fratrem eius Gozbertum et Ebulonem abbatum de sancto Dionysio" when recording their battle against "Waltgerius comes" in Jul 892[295]. "Gauzbertus comes" donated property "in pago Santonico…in villa…Dorodonno" to the church of Saint-Hilaire de Poitiers by charter dated Apr 878, subscribed by "Ramnulfus comes…"[296]. Regino names "Ramnulfum et fratrem eius Gozbertum et Ebulonem abbatum de sancto Dionysio" when recording their battle against "Waltgerius comes" in Jul 892[297]. He was killed during the siege of one of his castles by Eudes King of France[298]. The death of "frater quoque eius [Ebulus] Gotbertus" is recorded in late 892 in the Annales Vedastini[299].
iii) EBALUS [Eble] (857-killed in battle 2 Oct 892). Abbo's De Bellis Parisiacæ names "Ebolus…Abba" as nepos of "Gauzlinus…pontificis"[300], the latter being reported in other sources as the son of Rorico [I] Comte du Maine. Regino names "Ramnulfum et fratrem eius Gozbertum et Ebulonem abbatum de sancto Dionysio" when recording their battle against "Waltgerius comes" in Jul 892[301]. Abbé de Saint-Germain, Paris 881. Abbé de Saint-Denis 886. He was appointed Chancellor of France by King Eudes [Capet] after the latter's accession in 888[302]. Abbé de Saint-Hilaire-de-Poitiers 889. Eudes King of France confirmed the properties of "abbas Ebolus…Hilarii" by charter dated 30 Dec 889[303]. King Eudes deprived him of the chancellorship in 892 after Eble refused to abandon the cause of his nephew Comte Eble[304]. He was killed at the siege of the castle either of Brillac en Poitou or of Loudun[305].

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

In English:

Ranulf II of Poitiers (b. c.850 d. 5 August 890) was Comte de Poitiers 877-890 and Duke of Aquitaine 888-890. He was the son of Ranulf I, Comte de Poitiers and a woman who, depending upon assumptions, could be Bilchilde du Maine, one of her sisters, Adaltrude, or Princess Guilhelmide.

Biography

He was raised in the Court of Charles the Bald, King of the West Franks. His father died in 866 when he was killed by Vikings at the Battle of Brissarthe. Ranulf II was age 16.

His sovereign, King Charles the Bald, had other concerns: a dispute between the Pope and his nephew Lothair II over Lothair's marital status, his own marital situation, a plot organized by his brother Guillaume d'Orleans (who was beheaded in 866), and concerns about his son not living up to his expectations. It is also true that the King sought to remove power from the great feudal families toward the benefit of his mother. This lack of interest in Poitiers allowed the Guilhelmide family under Bernard of Gothia to seize the county without being attacked by the King.

Charles the Bald died in 877, and Bernard of Gothia refused to recognize Louis II "le Begue", the new king. His advisor, Abbot Hugh, was removed from the County of Poitiers, and so he sided with Ranulf II. Bernard of Gothia rebelled, was excommunicated by Pope John VIII, and stripped of his honors.

Abbot Hugh sought closer relations among the feudal lords to consolidate his own power, and provide more to Ranulf of Poitou. Saintonge was given to Gauzbert, brother of Ranulf II and Ebles (their third brother, who became Abbot of St-Denis). Abbot Hugh made gains at the expense of the Robertians, and for several generations the Capetians and Robertians become rivals.

Louis II le Begue died after two years in power in 879, and Abbot Hugh was crowned King. He proceeded shortly after to divide his Kingdom: Louis III received Francia and Neustria, while Aquitaine and Burgundy went to Carloman II, who swore loyalty to Ranulf II.

But the two kings, each after having success against the Vikings, both die, Louis III in 882 and Carloman II in 884. The nobility offer the crown to German King Charles the Fat, but he is unable to fight against the Vikings and dies after his supporters abandon him in 888. The lords of the northern part of the Kingdom of West Francia elect the Robertian noble Odo, who distinguished himself in the fight against the Vikings.

But none of the lords south of the Loire recognized the new king. Ranulf II hosted Charles, the youngest son of Louis II "le Begue" ("The Stammerer"), age 7, who was named Duke of Aquitaine.

(English Wikipedia says that he styled himself the King of Aquitaine in 888, a title he continued to insist upon until 889 or his death a year later, after which the title fell into abeyance. He may have been selected as temporary king by the Aquitainian nobility, for they accepted Odo of France after his death. Only the Annales Fuldenses definitively give him this title.)

Odo focused on Ranulf's two brothers, Gauzbert and Ebles, and went to Poitiers to force Ranulf to submit, but Ranulf responds with a large army. To avoid a battle that could only weaken him, Odo negotiates and Ranulf promises not to attack Odo, giving him a vague pledge of allegiance.

(English Wikipedia says that he appeared in the Annales Vedastes in 889 with the title of Dux maximae partis Aquitaniae, or "Duke of the major part of Aquitaine". He founded the Viscountcy of Thouars around this time, part of a larger movement to create Viscounts with powers over regional fortresses to man them against the Vikings.)

Six months later, the King gave him several areas and Ranulf went to Paris, where he died on 5 August 890, likely poisoned. He entrusted his illegitimate son Ebles "Manzer" to Gerald d'Aurillac.

Family

He married Ermengarde (d. 935), of whom we know nothing. According to the Europaische Stammtafeln, he would have had a son, Ranulf III, who died in 901, but no primary source is specified. However, it seems strange that an illegitimate son who survived his father succeeded him, and that his county would be given over to a bastard son rather than a legitimate son. In conclusion, the existence of his son is not certain, and if he really lived, it is not likely that he survived his father.

By an unknown mistress, Ebles Manzer (d. 934) was born, and he later succeeded him.

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http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramnulf_II._%28Poitou%29
Ramnulf II. (Poitou) aus Wikipedia, der freien Enzyklopädie Wechseln zu: Navigation, Suche

Ramnulf II. von Poitou, auch Ranulf oder Rainulf genannt, († 3. oder 5. August 890) war ein Graf von Poitou aus der Familie der Ramnulfiden. Er war ein Sohn des Grafen Ramnulf I. und dessen Ehefrau Bilchilde, einer Tochter des Grafen Roricos I. von Maine. Leben [Bearbeiten]

Nach dem Tod seines Vaters (er fiel 866 in der Schlacht von Brissarthe) wurden Ramnulf und seine Brüder Gauzbert und Ebalus von Bernhard von Gothien aus dem Poitou verdrängt (868). Sie fanden am Hof des aquitanischen Unterkönigs Ludwig der Stammler Zuflucht, auch noch, als dieser 872 von Karl dem Kahlen unter die Vormundschaft Bernhards und anderer gestellt wurde. Nachdem Karl der Kahle 877 gestorben war und Ludwig der Stammler dessen Nachfolge im Gesamtreich angetreten hatte, wurde Bernhard von Gothien nach einer erfolglosen Revolte vertrieben, worauf Ramnulf sein väterliches Erbe wieder in Besitz nehmen konnte.

Ludwig der Stammler starb 879 und sein im gleichen Jahr geborener Sohn Karl der Einfältige wurde dem Schutz Ramnulfs bzw. dessen Gewalt anvertraut. Nach der Absetzung Kaiser Karls des Dicken (887) verweigerte Ramnulf dem gewählten König Odo die Anerkennung, protegierte hingegen seinen Schützling Karl den Einfältigen. Er regierte fortan im westlichen Aquitanien als eigenständiger Fürst, weswegen ihm in den Annales Fuldenses der Titel König von Aquitanien zugesprochen wurde. Nachdem sich Odo nördlich der Loire weitestgehend durchgesetzt hatte, versöhnte sich Ramnulf mit ihm Anfang 889. Er behielt seine königsgleiche Stellung und wurde in den Annales Vedastes als „dux maximae partis Aquitaniae“ (Herzog des größten Teils von Aquitanien) genannt. Dabei ist zu beachten, dass Ramnulf diese Würde weder verliehen bekam, noch er selbst je usurpiert hatte. Der erste Fürst Aquitaniens war zudem Wilhelm der Fromme, mit dem Ramnulf in Freundschaft verbunden war. Die Titulierung als Dux sollte lediglich Ramnulfs herausragende Machtstellung verdeutlichen.

Ramnulf gründete in seinem Machtbereich Vizegrafschaften, darunter auch die Vizegrafschaft Thouars, um sein Land besser vor den Überfällen der Wikinger zu schützen. Ramunlf galt trotz seines Ausgleichs mit König Odo stets als dessen größte Bedrohung. Als er im Jahre 890 während eines Treffens mit dem König starb, wurde Odo unter anderem von Ademar von Chabannes des Giftmordes verdächtigt.

Ramnulfs Ehefrau hieß Ada; sie ging nach seinem Tod in ein Kloster. Ihr Grabmal befindet sich in Poitiers in einem Museum. Sie hatten einen Sohn, Ramnulf III., der aber wohl im Jahr 901 ohne Nachkommen starb. Daneben hatte Ramnulf II. einen unehelichen Sohn, Ebalus Mancer, der ihm im Poitou folgte. Weblinks [Bearbeiten]

   * Materialsammlung

Vorgänger Amt Nachfolger Ramnulf I. Graf von Poitou 866–868 Bernhard von Gothien Bernhard von Gothien Graf von Poitou 878–890 Ebalus Mancer

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Ranulf II (also spelled Rannoux, Rannulf, Ramnulf, and Ranulph) (850 – 5 August 890) was Count of Poitou from 866 and Duke of Aquitaine from 887. On the death of Charles the Fat in 888, he styled himself King of Aquitaine and did so until 889 or his death, after which the title fell into abeyance. He may have been selected as a temporary king by the Aquitainian nobles, for they accepted Odo of France after his death. Only the Annales Fuldenses definitively give him this title. He is recorded to have taken custody of Charles, the young son of Louis the Stammerer and he certainly did not recognise Odo as king. He appeared in the Annales Vedastes in 889 with the title dux maximae partis Aquitaniae: "duke of the major part of Aquitaine." He founded the viscountcy of Thouars at about that time, part of larger movement to create viscounts with powers over regional fortresses to man them against the Vikings. Ranulf was a son of Ranulf I and Bilichild of Maine. He married an Ermengard (died 935) and by her had a son, Ranulf III, who succeeded him in Poitiers. His illegitimate son Ebalus succeeded him in Aquitaine and, upon the death of Ranulf III, in Poitiers too.

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Ranulf II (also spelled Rannoux, Rannulf, Ramnulf, and Ranulph) (850 – 5 August 890) was Count of Poitou from 866 and Duke of Aquitaine from 887. On the death of Charles the Fat in 888, he styled himself King of Aquitaine and did so until 889 or his death, after which the title fell into abeyance. He may have been selected as a temporary king by the Aquitainian nobles, for they accepted Odo of France after his death. Only the Annales Fuldenses definitively give him this title. He is recorded to have taken custody of Charles, the young son of Louis the Stammerer and he certainly did not recognise Odo as king. He appeared in the Annales Vedastes in 889 with the title dux maximae partis Aquitaniae: "duke of the major part of Aquitaine." He founded the viscountcy of Thouars at about that time, part of larger movement to create viscounts with powers over regional fortresses to man them against the Vikings. Ranulf was a son of Ranulf I and Bilichild of Maine. He married an Ermengard (died 935) and by her had a son, Ranulf III, who succeeded him in Poitiers. His illegitimate son Ebalus succeeded him in Aquitaine and, upon the death of Ranulf III, in Poitiers too.

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Ranulf II of Aquitaine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ranulf II (also spelled Rannoux, Rannulf, Ramnulf, and Ranulph; 850 – 5 August 890) was Count of Poitou from 866 and Duke of Aquitaine from 887. On the death of Charles the Fat in 888, he styled himself King of Aquitaine and did so until 889 or his death, after which the title fell into abeyance.

He may have been selected as a temporary king by the Aquitainian nobles, for they accepted Odo of France after his death. Only the Annales Fuldenses definitively give him this title. He is recorded to have taken custody of Charles, the young son of Louis the Stammerer and he certainly did not recognise Odo as king. He appeared in the Annales Vedastes in 889 with the title dux maximae partis Aquitaniae: "duke of the major part of Aquitaine." He founded the viscountcy of Thouars at about that time, part of larger movement to creat viscounts with powers over regional fortresses to man them against the Vikings.

Ranulf was a son of Ranulf I and Bilichild of Maine. He married an Ermengard (died 935) and by her had a son, Ranulf III, who succeeded him in Poitiers. His illegitimate son Ebalus succeeded him in Aquitaine and, upon the death of Ranulf III, in Poitiers too.

Sources

Lewis, Archibald Ross. The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050. University of Texas Press: Austin, 1965.

MacLean, Simon. Kingship and Politics in the Late Ninth Century: Charles the Fat and the end of the Carolingian Empire. Cambridge University Press: 2003.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranulf_II_of_Aquitaine

Ranulf II (also spelled Rannoux, Rannulf, Ramnulf, and Ranulph) (850 – 5 August 890) was Count of Poitou from 866 and Duke of Aquitaine from 887. On the death of Charles the Fat in 888, he styled himself King of Aquitaine and did so until 889 or his death, after which the title fell into abeyance.

Ranulf was a son of Ranulf I and Bilichild of Maine. He married an Ermengard (died 935) and by her had a son, Ranulf III, who succeeded him in Poitiers. His illegitimate son Ebalus succeeded him in Aquitaine and, upon the death of Ranulf III, in Poitiers too.

Ranulf may have been selected as a king by the Aquitainian nobles, for they accepted King Odo of France in 892 only after Ranulf's death. Only the Annales Fuldenses definitively give him this title, saying "Ranulf then set himself up as king" (Deinceps Rannolfus se regem haberi statuit). He is recorded to have taken custody of Charles, the young son of Louis the Stammerer and he certainly did not recognise Odo as king. The Annales Vedastes record that in 889

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Ranulf II (also spelled Rannoux, Rannulf, Ramnulf, and Ranulph) (850 – 5 August 890) was Count of Poitou from 866 and Duke of Aquitaine from 887. On the death of Charles the Fat in 888, he styled himself King of Aquitaine and did so until 889 or his death, after which the title fell into abeyance.

Ranulf was a son of Ranulf I and Bilichild of Maine. He married an Ermengard (died 935) and by her had a son, Ranulf III, who succeeded him in Poitiers. His illegitimate son Ebalus succeeded him in Aquitaine and, upon the death of Ranulf III, in Poitiers too.

Ranulf may have been selected as a king by the Aquitainian nobles, for they accepted King Odo of France in 892 only after Ranulf's death. Only the Annales Fuldenses definitively give him this title, saying "Ranulf then set himself up as king" (Deinceps Rannolfus se regem haberi statuit). He is recorded to have taken custody of Charles, the young son of Louis the Stammerer and he certainly did not recognise Odo as king. The Annales Vedastes record that in 889

Post nativitatem vero Domini cum paucis Francis Aquitaniam perrexit, ut eos sibi sociaret. Quo audito, Ramnulfus, dux maximae partis Aquitaniae, cum sibi faventibus venit ad eum, adducens secum Karolum puerum, filium Hludowici regis; et iuravit illi quae digna fuerunt, simul et de ipso puerulo. . . Aquitanos itaque rex ex parte receptos, festinavit propter Nortmannos redire in Franciam.

After Christmas [888], [Odo] went to Aquitaine with a few Franks, in order to be accepted [as king]. Upon hearing this, Ranulf, duke of the greater part of Aquitaine, with his supporters came to him, bringing with him the child, Charles, the son of King Louis; and he swore to him who was worthy of it [i.e., Odo], as did the boy. . . So the king returned from Aquitaine to France [in June] because of the Norsemen.

Ranulf founded the viscountcy of Thouars at about this time, as part of a larger movement to create viscounts with powers over regional fortresses to man them against the Vikings.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranulf_II_of_Aquitaine