Enguerrand IV, Lord of Coucy
Encyclopedia
Enguerrand IV, Lord of Coucy (c. 1236 – 1311) was the younger brother and successor of Raoul II, Lord of Coucy
, serving as the powerful Sire de Coucy from his brother's death in 1250 until his own in 1311.
, due to his elder brother's death on Crusade. His rule was notable for his crimes and cruelty, leading in one instance to his imprisonment by Louis IX
. Setting important medieval legal precedent, the King refused to allow him trial by combat
for the hanging of three squires found on his land. In the end, Enguerrand escaped with a fine, and through his wealth remained important to the King, lending him 15,000 livres in 1265 to purchase a piece of the True Cross
. He was married twice, but had no children, and was succeeded by the second son of his sister, Alix, who became Enguerrand V.
Raoul II, Lord of Coucy
Raoul II, Lord of Coucy was a son of Enguerrand III and his wife Maria of Oisy. In 1246 he succeeded his father as lord of Coucy. Raoul died at the siege of El Mansoura in Egypt during the Seventh Crusade....
, serving as the powerful Sire de Coucy from his brother's death in 1250 until his own in 1311.
Biography
Enguerrand IV succeeded to the large fief established by his father, Enguerrand the GreatEnguerrand III, Lord of Coucy
Enguerrand III, Lord of Coucy was the eldest son and successor of Ralph I, Lord of Coucy. He succeeded as Lord of Coucy in 1191, and held it until his death; he was also lord of Marle and Boves....
, due to his elder brother's death on Crusade. His rule was notable for his crimes and cruelty, leading in one instance to his imprisonment by Louis IX
Louis IX
Louis IX may refer to:* Louis IX of France .* Louis IX, Duke of Bavaria "the Rich" * Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt ....
. Setting important medieval legal precedent, the King refused to allow him trial by combat
Trial by combat
Trial by combat was a method of Germanic law to settle accusations in the absence of witnesses or a confession, in which two parties in dispute fought in single combat; the winner of the fight was proclaimed to be right. In essence, it is a judicially sanctioned duel...
for the hanging of three squires found on his land. In the end, Enguerrand escaped with a fine, and through his wealth remained important to the King, lending him 15,000 livres in 1265 to purchase a piece of the True Cross
True Cross
The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a Christian tradition, are believed to be from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.According to post-Nicene historians, Socrates Scholasticus and others, the Empress Helena The True Cross is the name for physical remnants which, by a...
. He was married twice, but had no children, and was succeeded by the second son of his sister, Alix, who became Enguerrand V.