Douce I of Provence
Encyclopedia
Douce I (c. 1090 – 1127) was the daughter of Gilbert I of Gévaudan and Gerberga of Provence
and wife of Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona
. In 1112, she inherited the county of Provence through her mother. She married Ramon Berenguer at Arles
on 3 February that year.
In 1113, Douce ceded her rights in Provence
, Gévaudan
, and the viscounty of Millau
to her husband. According to a once prevailing opinion, "Provençal troubadours ... entered Catalonia at the time" and even the Catalan language
was imported from Provence. According to nationalist historians
it was the beginning of l'engrandiment occitànic (the Occitan aggrandisement): a great scheme to unite various lands on both sides of the Pyrenees
.
In reality the marriage gave the House of Barcelona
extensive interests in Occitania
and put it in conflict with the Counts of Toulouse
, with whom a partition of Provence was signed in 1125, shortly before Douce's death. Her death inaugurated a period of instability in Provence. A cadet branch of the House of Barcelona was set up to rule, but a disputed succession opened up the Baussenque Wars
(1144–1162), which terminated in Provençal victory. Douce and Ramon Berenguer's descendants continued to rule Provence until the death of Beatrice of Provence
in 1267.
Her children with Ramon Berenguer were:
Gerberga of Provence
Gerberga was the Countess of Provence from 1093 to 1112. She was a daughter of [Geoffrey I of Provence ] and a sister of Bertrand II of Provence and Matilda....
and wife of Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona
Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona
Ramon Berenguer III the Great was the count of Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona from 1082 , Besalú from 1111, Cerdanya from 1117, and Provence, in the Holy Roman Empire, from 1112, all until his death in Barcelona in 1131...
. In 1112, she inherited the county of Provence through her mother. She married Ramon Berenguer at Arles
Arles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
on 3 February that year.
In 1113, Douce ceded her rights in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, Gévaudan
Gévaudan
Gévaudan is a historical area of France, nowadays situated in Lozère département. It took its name from the Gabali, a Gallic tribe subordinate to the Arverni.- History :...
, and the viscounty of Millau
Millau
Millau is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. It is located at the confluence of the Tarn and Dourbie rivers.-History:...
to her husband. According to a once prevailing opinion, "Provençal troubadours ... entered Catalonia at the time" and even the Catalan language
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
was imported from Provence. According to nationalist historians
Catalan nationalism
Catalan nationalism or Catalanism , is a political movement advocating for either further political autonomy or full independence of Catalonia....
it was the beginning of l'engrandiment occitànic (the Occitan aggrandisement): a great scheme to unite various lands on both sides of the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
.
In reality the marriage gave the House of Barcelona
House of Barcelona
The House of Barcelona was a medieval dynasty that ruled the County of Barcelona continuously from 878 and the Crown of Aragon from 1137 . From the male part they descend from the Bellonids, the descendants of Wifred the Hairy...
extensive interests in Occitania
Occitania
Occitania , also sometimes lo País d'Òc, "the Oc Country"), is the region in southern Europe where Occitan was historically the main language spoken, and where it is sometimes still used, for the most part as a second language...
and put it in conflict with the Counts of Toulouse
Counts of Toulouse
The first Counts of Toulouse were the administrators of the city and its environs under the Merovingians. No succession of such royal appointees is known, though a few names survive to the present...
, with whom a partition of Provence was signed in 1125, shortly before Douce's death. Her death inaugurated a period of instability in Provence. A cadet branch of the House of Barcelona was set up to rule, but a disputed succession opened up the Baussenque Wars
Baussenque Wars
The Baussenque Wars were a series of armed conflicts between the House of Barcelona, then ruling in Provence, and the House of Baux...
(1144–1162), which terminated in Provençal victory. Douce and Ramon Berenguer's descendants continued to rule Provence until the death of Beatrice of Provence
Beatrice of Provence
Beatrice of Provence , was a countess regnant of Provence. She was also a Queen consort of Sicily by marriage to King Charles I of Sicily....
in 1267.
Her children with Ramon Berenguer were:
- Almodis, married Ponce de Cervera
- BerenguelaBerenguela of BarcelonaBerenguela or Berengaria of Barcelona was Queen consort of Castile, León and Galicia She was the daughter of Raimon III of Barcelona and Dulce Aldonza Milhaud...
(1116–1149), married Alfonso VII of Castile - Ramon BerenguerRamon Berenguer IV, Count of BarcelonaRamon Berenguer IV , sometimes called the Holy, was the Count of Barcelona who effected the union between the Kingdom of Aragon and the Principality of Catalonia into the Crown of Aragon....
(1113–1162), Count of Barcelona - Berenguer RamonBerenguer Ramon I, Count of ProvenceBerengar Raymond I was the count of Provence . The younger son of Raymond Berengar III, count of Barcelona, and Douce of Provence. While his older brother Raymond Berengar received Barcelona , he received Provence .He married Beatrice, heiress of Melgueil...
(c. 1115–1144), Count of Provence - Bernard, died young