William I of Provence
William I (c. 950 – after 29 August 993), called the Liberator, was
Boson II of Arles and his wife Constance, who, based on her name, has been speculated to be daughter of Charles Constantine of Vienne
. They both carried the title of comes or count concurrently, but it is unknown if they were joint-counts of the whole of Provence or if the region was divided. His brother never bore any other title than count so long as William lived, so the latter seems to have attained a certain supremacy.
In 980, he was installed as
pater patriae
.
He donated land to Cluny and retired to become a monk, dying at Avignon, where he was buried in the church of Saint-Croix at Sarrians. He was succeeded as margrave by his brother. His great principality began to diminish soon after his death as the castles of his vassals, which he had kept carefully under ducal control, soon became allods of their possessors.
Marriage and issue
He married, firstly, Arsinde, daughter of Arnaud I de Carcassonne.[1] They had no children.
He married, secondly (against papal advice), in 984,
Fulk II of Anjou
and Gerberga, and their children were:
- Constance of Arles (986–1034), married Robert II of France.[1]
- William II (or III) of Provence.[1]
- Ermengarde, she married Robert I, Count of Auvergne.[1]
- Tota-Adelaide, she married Bernard I, Count of Besalú.[1]
See also
References
External links
- Lewis, Archibald R. The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050. University of Texas Press: Austin, 1965.