Guillaume des Roches

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Guillaume des Roches (also Wilhelm des Roches; † 1222 ) was a French nobleman, Lord of Sablé and Seneschal of Anjou .

origin

Guillaume des Roches came from a family of the lower nobility from Château-du-Loir between Le Mans and Tours , which at the time of his birth was part of the so-called Angevin Empire .

Follower of the Angevin kings

Guillaume entered the service of King Henry II and together with William Marshal he supported the king in the defense of Le Mans in 1189. After the death of Henry II, he served his son and successor Richard I and took part in the Third Crusade . In gratitude for his services he was probably allowed to marry Marguerite , the daughter and heiress of Robert de Sablé, through the mediation of the king . Through this marriage he became related to the Mayenne, Laval and Craon families, the leading families of the Angevin. After the death of his father-in-law, Guillaume inherited his extensive estates in 1193.

Waver between Johann Ohneland and Philip II of France

After Richard's death, he first supported his nephew Arthur , the underage Duke of Brittany , who claimed his grandfather's legacy in France. However, the French king Philip II , who was allied with Arthur, destroyed the castle of Ballon , to which des Roches also made claims. Philip II harshly rejected Guillaume's objections, whereupon these negotiations with the English King John, brother of Richard the Lionheart, began. Johann offered to conclude a settlement with Brittany, whereupon Guillaume switched to Johann's side in September 1199. He brought the underage Arthur and his mother Konstanze to Le Mans to hand them over to Johann, but with the help of Aimery de Thouars , the two narrowly escaped and fled to Paris. Johann appointed Guillaume Seneschal of Anjou in December 1200 and handed over the city of Le Mans to him. After the Treaty of Le Goulet , Guillaume became the Hereditary Seneschal of Anjou, Maine and the County of Tours .

During the Franco-English War , Guillaume joined Johann in July 1202 as the latter rushed to Mirebeau , where the rebellious barons of Poitou besieged his mother. Thanks to Guillaume's local knowledge, Johann's soldiers were able to storm a gate of the city at dawn, surprise the besiegers and take them prisoner. In the exuberance of his success, the king claimed the decision about all prisoners for himself, including Arthur of Brittany who had been captured by des Roches. Johann mistrusted Guillaume, snubbed him and ignored his advice, whereupon he and Aimery de Thouars changed sides and henceforth supported Philip II. Johann awarded the offices of seneschal to two of his followers, who, however, could not assert themselves against him. As a result, the direct land connection from Normandy to John's possessions in Aquitaine was interrupted. After it became known that Arthur of Brittany had died in the captivity of Johann, Guillaume, along with Juhel de Mayenne , Maurice de Craon and other nobles, swore allegiance to Philip II. The French king confirmed Guillaume as Seneschal of Anjou.

Follower of the French king

In 1205 Guillaume led the siege and capture of Chinon Castle . In 1208 he fought as Seneschal of Anjou together with Henry Clément, Marshal of France , on behalf of the French king against Savary de Mauléon and Aimery de Thouars. While they were able to capture one of Aimery's son, they could not beat them decisively. To defend the Anjou, Guillaume built the castle La Roche-aux-Moines north of Angers . When King John advanced north across the Loire in the summer of 1214 , Guillaume renounced the defense of Angers and instead defended the surrounding castles. Johann was initially able to conquer two castles, but during the siege of La Roche-aux-Moines , Guillaume and Aimery de Craon appeared with a French relief army under Prince Ludwig and Henry Clément, whereupon Johann withdrew without a fight. In 1209 and 1219 Guillaume took part in the Albigensian Crusades.

Legacy and aftermath

In addition to his military successes, Guillaume achieved importance as a successful Seneschal of Anjou. Since Philip II actually rejected the hereditary position of the seneschal, he concluded a series of agreements with Guillaume in which his competencies and tasks are described. According to one of these agreements, the office of seneschal should only be inheritable to male descendants. Since Guillaume left no sons, he designated his son-in-law Aimery de Craon († 1226), the husband of his eldest daughter Jeanne, as the main heir in 1219. Philip II. Confirmed despite the agreement also him the title of Seneschal of Anjou, but after Aimerys early death in 1226, the Anjou fell as a prerogative of Alfonso of Poitiers a younger son of the king, bringing the power of the Seneschal was severely curtailed.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ John W. Baldwin: The Government of Philip Augustus. Foundations of French Royal Power in the Middle Ages. University of California Press, Berkeley 1991. ISBN 0-520-07391-6 , p. 234
  2. ^ John W. Baldwin: The Government of Philip Augustus. Foundations of French Royal Power in the Middle Ages. University of California Press, Berkeley 1991. ISBN 0-520-07391-6 , p. 94
  3. ↑ Wilfred L. Warren: King John . University of California Press, Berkeley, 1978. ISBN 0-520-03610-7 , p. 53
  4. ↑ Wilfred L. Warren: King John . University of California Press, Berkeley, 1978. ISBN 0-520-03610-7 , p. 54
  5. ^ John T. Appleby: Johann "Ohneland". King of England . Riederer, Stuttgart 1965, p. 114
  6. ↑ Wilfred L. Warren: King John . University of California Press, Berkeley, 1978. ISBN 0-520-03610-7 , p. 77
  7. ^ John W. Baldwin: The Government of Philip Augustus. Foundations of French Royal Power in the Middle Ages. University of California Press, Berkeley 1991. ISBN 0-520-07391-6 , p. 192
  8. ^ John W. Baldwin: The Government of Philip Augustus. Foundations of French Royal Power in the Middle Ages. University of California Press, Berkeley 1991. ISBN 0-520-07391-6 , p. 199
  9. ^ John W. Baldwin: The Government of Philip Augustus. Foundations of French Royal Power in the Middle Ages. University of California Press, Berkeley 1991. ISBN 0-520-07391-6 , p. 214
  10. ^ John W. Baldwin: The Government of Philip Augustus. Foundations of French Royal Power in the Middle Ages. University of California Press, Berkeley 1991. ISBN 0-520-07391-6 , p. 235
  11. ^ John W. Baldwin: The Government of Philip Augustus. Foundations of French Royal Power in the Middle Ages. University of California Press, Berkeley 1991. ISBN 0-520-07391-6 , p. 237
personal data
SURNAME Guillaume des Roches
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Wilhelm des Roches; William des Roches
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French nobleman and seneschal of Angevin
DATE OF BIRTH 12th Century
DATE OF DEATH 1222