Ermengarde of Narbonne
Encyclopedia
Ermengarde (b. 1127 or 1129 – d. Perpignan, 14 October 1197), was a viscountess of Narbonne
from 1134 to 1192. She was the daughter of Aimery II of Narbonne
and his first wife, also named Ermengarde.
along with Alfonso I of Aragon. Aimery left only two underaged daughters as his heirs, Ermengarde and her half-sister Ermessinde (daughter of Aimery's second wife, also named Ermessinde). Aimery had at least one son, also called Aimery, attested in numerous charter
s, but he predeceased him (ca. 1130). Thus, the approximately five-year-old Ermengarde inherited the viscounty of Narbonne
, which occupied a strategic place in the politics of Languedoc
: it was desired by the Counts of Toulouse
, the Counts of Barcelona, the Trencavel
viscounts of Carcassonne
, and the Lords of Montpellier
.
Alphonse I of Toulouse
, claiming his right to the regency of Narbonne during Ermengarde's minority, invaded the viscounty in 1139 with the support of Archbishop Arnaud de Lévezou
. In the same year, Ermengarde witnessed a charter in Vallespir
, in the territory of her cousin Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona
, with whom she must have taken refuge in the face of the threat from Toulouse.
In 1142, Alphonse, whose wife Faydid of Uzes had either recently died or been repudiated, sought to marry the now-adolescent Ermengarde. In reaction to this prospect, which would overturn the balance of power in the region by adding Narbonne to the direct control of Toulouse, a coalition of Occitan lords led by Roger II of Béziers, viscount of Carcassonne
, Béziers
, Albi and Razès
formed an alliance against Toulouse. In 1143 Ermengarde was married to a vassal of Roger II, Bernard of Anduze
. Alphonse was defeated by the coalition and taken prisoner, and was forced to make peace with Narbonne and restore Ermengarde and her new husband to the viscounty before being released.
(the lover of Azalais de Porcairagues
), Bernard Ato V
of Nîmes and Agde, and Gui's nephews William VIII of Montpellier
and Gui Burgundion, in an alliance in opposition to Raymond VI of Toulouse
, whose power suddenly increased when he became ruler of Melgueil
as widower of Ermessende of Pelet
.
wrote a "Treatise on Courtly Love" (Latin
De Arte honeste amandi). In the second part of the Treatise, "How to maintain love", the author spoke of twenty-one "judgements of love" which had been pronounced by the greatest ladies of the kingdom of France
. Among them, three judgements were attributed to Eleanor of Aquitaine
, seven to her daughter Marie of Champagne
, and five to Ermengarde. Although these "judgements" were probably fictional, they attest to the fame acquired by Ermengarde, even in the langue d'oïl in the north. She corresponded with many troubadour
s, including Peire Rogier
, Giraut de Bornelh
, Peire d'Alvergne, Pons d'Ortafa, and Salh d'Escola, as well as the trobairitz
Azalais de Porcairagues
.
In addition it is believed that she welcomed to her court Rognvald II of Orkney, a Viking
prince and poet, who composed skald
ic poetry for her.
-the second but eldest surviving son of her half-sister Ermessinde (who had died in 1177) by her husband, Count Manrique Pérez de Lara
(who was killed in battle in Garcianarro on 9 July 1164)-. In 1192 Ermengarde abdicated the viscounty in favor of Peter and retired to Perpignan, where she died five years later. She was buried in the Fontfroide Abbey
.
Viscount of Narbonne
The Viscount of Narbonne was the secular ruler of Narbonne in the Middle Ages. Narbonne had been the capital of the Visigoth province of Septimania, until the eighth century, after which it became the Carolingian Viscounty of Narbonne. Narbonne was nominally subject to the Carolingian Counts of...
from 1134 to 1192. She was the daughter of Aimery II of Narbonne
Aimery II of Narbonne
Aimery II was the Viscount of Narbonne from around 1106 until his death.He was the eldest son of Aimery I of Narbonne and Mahalt , daughter of Robert Guiscard and Sichelgaita and widow of Raymond Berengar II of Barcelona. This made him a half-brother of Raymond Berengar III...
and his first wife, also named Ermengarde.
Youth
Aimery II was killed at the Battle of Fraga on July 17, 1134, fighting against the AlmoravidsAlmoravids
The Almoravids were a Berber dynasty of Morocco, who formed an empire in the 11th-century that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus. Their capital was Marrakesh, a city which they founded in 1062 C.E...
along with Alfonso I of Aragon. Aimery left only two underaged daughters as his heirs, Ermengarde and her half-sister Ermessinde (daughter of Aimery's second wife, also named Ermessinde). Aimery had at least one son, also called Aimery, attested in numerous charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
s, but he predeceased him (ca. 1130). Thus, the approximately five-year-old Ermengarde inherited the viscounty of Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
, which occupied a strategic place in the politics of Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
: it was desired by 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...
, the Counts of Barcelona, the Trencavel
Trencavel
The Trencavel were an important noble family in Languedoc during the 10th through 13th centuries. The name "Trencavel," originally a nickname and later a family name, may derive from the Occitan words for "nutcracker"...
viscounts of Carcassonne
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
, and the Lords of Montpellier
Lords of Montpellier
The following is a list of lords of Montpellier:* William I of Montpellier 26 November 986–1019* William II of Montpellier 1019–1025* William III of Montpellier 1025–1058* William IV of Montpellier 1058–1068* William V of Montpellier 1090–1121...
.
Alphonse I of Toulouse
Alphonse I of Toulouse
Alfonso Jordan was the Count of Tripoli from 1105 until 1109 and thereafter Count of Toulouse until his death. He was the son of Raymond IV of Toulouse by his third wife, Elvira of Castile, was born in the castle of Mont-Pelerin, Tripoli, in today's Lebanon...
, claiming his right to the regency of Narbonne during Ermengarde's minority, invaded the viscounty in 1139 with the support of Archbishop Arnaud de Lévezou
Arnaud de Lévezou
Arnaud de Lévézou , son of Aicfred of Lévézou and of Arsinde de Millau, was the scion of a powerful family who had fortified Lévézou in the preceding century....
. In the same year, Ermengarde witnessed a charter in Vallespir
Vallespir
Vallespir is a historical Catalan comarca of Northern Catalonia, part of the French Département of Pyrénées-Orientales. The capital of the comarca is Ceret, and it borders Conflent, Rosselló, Alt Empordà, Garrotxa and Ripollès...
, in the territory of her cousin Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona
Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona
Ramon 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....
, with whom she must have taken refuge in the face of the threat from Toulouse.
In 1142, Alphonse, whose wife Faydid of Uzes had either recently died or been repudiated, sought to marry the now-adolescent Ermengarde. In reaction to this prospect, which would overturn the balance of power in the region by adding Narbonne to the direct control of Toulouse, a coalition of Occitan lords led by Roger II of Béziers, viscount of Carcassonne
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
, Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
, Albi and Razès
Razès
Razès is a historical area in southwestern France, in today's Aude département.Several communes of the département include Razès in their name:* Bellegarde-du-Razès* Belvèze-du-Razès* Fenouillet-du-Razès* Fonters-du-Razès...
formed an alliance against Toulouse. In 1143 Ermengarde was married to a vassal of Roger II, Bernard of Anduze
Anduze
Anduze is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
. Alphonse was defeated by the coalition and taken prisoner, and was forced to make peace with Narbonne and restore Ermengarde and her new husband to the viscounty before being released.
Political activity
In 1177 she joined Gui GuerrejatGui Guerrejat
Gui Guerrejat was the fifth son of William VI of Montpellier. When still a boy, in 1146, he inherited the castles of Paulhan and le Pouget from his father....
(the lover of Azalais de Porcairagues
Azalais de Porcairagues
Azalais de Porcairagues or Alasais de Porcaragues was a trobairitz , composing in Occitan in the late 12th century....
), Bernard Ato V
Bernard Ato V
Bernard Ato V was the Viscount of Nîmes of the Trencavel family from 1129 to his death.In 1138, Bernard Ato swore an oath of fidelity to Alfonso Jordan, Count of Toulouse, along with his brothers Roger of Carcassonne and Raymond of Béziers...
of Nîmes and Agde, and Gui's nephews William VIII of Montpellier
William VIII of Montpellier
William VIII of Montpellier was Lord of Montpellier, the son of William VII.He married Eudoxie or Eudokia Komnene, grand-niece of the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos. A condition of the marriage was that the firstborn child, boy or girl, would succeed to the lordship of Montpellier on...
and Gui Burgundion, in an alliance in opposition to Raymond VI of Toulouse
Raymond VI of Toulouse
Raymond VI was count of Toulouse and marquis of Provence from 1194 to 1222. He was also count of Melgueil from 1173 to 1190.-Early life:...
, whose power suddenly increased when he became ruler of Melgueil
Mauguio
Mauguio is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France.-Transportation:The airport of Montpellier-Méditerranée Airport is located in the area of Fréjorgues in the town of Mauguio.-Tourism:...
as widower of Ermessende of Pelet
Ermessende of Pelet
Ermessende of Pelet was the last heiress of the County of Melgueil, in southern France, and the last countess before it was joined with the County of Toulouse....
.
Cultural activity
Around 1190, a French cleric named André le ChapelainAndreas Capellanus
Andreas Capellanus was the 12th-century author of a treatise commonly known as De amore , and often known in English, somewhat misleadingly, as The Art of Courtly Love, though its realistic, somewhat cynical tone suggests that it is in some measure an antidote to courtly love...
wrote a "Treatise on Courtly Love" (Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
De Arte honeste amandi). In the second part of the Treatise, "How to maintain love", the author spoke of twenty-one "judgements of love" which had been pronounced by the greatest ladies of the kingdom of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Among them, three judgements were attributed to Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. As well as being Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she was queen consort of France and of England...
, seven to her daughter Marie of Champagne
Marie of Champagne
Marie of Champagne was the Empress consort of Baldwin I of Constantinople.-Family:She was a daughter of Henry I, Count of Champagne and Marie of France, Countess of Champagne. Her maternal grandparents were Louis VII of France and Eleanor of Aquitaine.Her brothers were Henry II of Champagne and...
, and five to Ermengarde. Although these "judgements" were probably fictional, they attest to the fame acquired by Ermengarde, even in the langue d'oïl in the north. She corresponded with many troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
s, including Peire Rogier
Peire Rogier
Peire Rogier or Rotgiers was a twelfth-century Auvergnat troubadour and cathedral canon from Clermont. He left his cathedral to become a travelling minstrel before settling down for a time in Narbonne at the court of the Viscountess Ermengard...
, Giraut de Bornelh
Giraut de Bornelh
Giraut de Bornelh , whose first name is also spelled Guiraut and whose nickname was Borneil or Borneyll, was a troubadour, born to a lower class family in the Limousin, probably in Bourney, near Excideuil...
, Peire d'Alvergne, Pons d'Ortafa, and Salh d'Escola, as well as the trobairitz
Trobairitz
The trobairitz were Occitan female troubadours of the 12th and 13th centuries, active from around 1170 to approximately 1260. The word trobairitz was first used in the 13th-century romance Flamenca. It comes from the Provençal word trobar, the literal meaning of which is "to find", and the...
Azalais de Porcairagues
Azalais de Porcairagues
Azalais de Porcairagues or Alasais de Porcaragues was a trobairitz , composing in Occitan in the late 12th century....
.
In addition it is believed that she welcomed to her court Rognvald II of Orkney, a Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
prince and poet, who composed skald
Skald
The skald was a member of a group of poets, whose courtly poetry is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking Age, who composed and performed renditions of aspects of what we now characterise as Old Norse poetry .The most prevalent metre of skaldic poetry is...
ic poetry for her.
Later years
Without issue after two unhappy marriages, Ermengarde designated as heir Pedro Manrique de LaraPedro Manrique de Lara
Pedro Manrique de Lara , commonly called Pedro de Molina and usually known in French sources as Pierre de Lara, was a Castilian nobleman and military leader of the House of Lara...
-the second but eldest surviving son of her half-sister Ermessinde (who had died in 1177) by her husband, Count Manrique Pérez de Lara
Manrique Pérez de Lara
Manrique Pérez de Lara was a magnate of the Kingdom of Castile and its regent from 1158 until his death. He was one of the most important counsellors and generals of three successive Castilian monarchs: Alfonso VII , Sancho III and Alfonso VIII...
(who was killed in battle in Garcianarro on 9 July 1164)-. In 1192 Ermengarde abdicated the viscounty in favor of Peter and retired to Perpignan, where she died five years later. She was buried in the Fontfroide Abbey
Fontfroide Abbey
Fontfroide Abbey or l'Abbaye Sainte-Marie de Fontfroide is a former Cistercian monastery in France, situated 15 kilometers south-west of Narbonne near to the Spanish border....
.
Sources
- Fredric L. Cheyette, Ermengard of Narbonne and the World of the Troubadours, Ithaca, Cornell University Press, 2001.
- Jacqueline Caille, Medieval Narbonne: A City at the Heart of the Troubadour World, Ashgate, Variorum Collected Studies Series, 2005.
External links
- André le Chapelain and the Treatise on Courtly Love (French)
- Commercial treaty between Genoa et Narbonne (November 12, 1166) (in Latin)
- Testament of Ermengarde (April 30, 1196) (in Latin)