Geoffrey IV of Anjou
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey IV called Martel (the Hammer), was Count of Anjou from 1103 until his early death, either co-ruling with his father, Fulk IV
, or in opposition to him. He was popular with the Church and grew a reputation for curbing tyranny and opposing his violent father, who, according to Orderic Vitalis
, enjoyed pillaging and terrorising his subjects.
Geoffrey was a son of Fulk's first wife, Ermengard of Bourbon. His father tried to disinherit him in favour of Fulk the Younger
, his son by his fourth wife, Bertrada of Montfort. Fulk, by then an old man, had previously delegated much of his authority to Geoffrey. With the support of his father's adversaires, Geoffrey seems to have achieved recognition from his father and from 1103 styled himself "count" (comes in the Latin of the day) and took control of the government. He allied with Renaud de Martigné, Bishop of Angers, against the baron Maurice of Craon. An anonymous poem by a scholar or cleric addressed to a certain Philip, probably Philip of Melun, son of Philip I of France
through his dalliance with Bertrada, is a encomium
of a "Count Martel" (Martellus consul), probably Geoffrey IV. The poem is didactic and upholds the count, only named as Martel, as an exemplar of good rulership. The last lines offers hope that he may "long prosper", and so must have be written during the brief period of his rule in Anjou.
Geoffrey was besieging a rebellious baron in the castle of Candé
when, on 19 May 1106, he was struck and killed by an arrow while going to negotiations. The Chronica de gestis consulum andegavorum attributed this assassination to Fulk and Bertrada, and praised the late count as "an admirable man, distinguished in justice, a cultivator or the whole of goodness, who was a terror to all his enemies." The Annales vindocinenses call him "a subduer and conqueror of tyrants [perhaps his father], protector and defender of churches."
Fulk IV of Anjou
Fulk IV , called le Réchin, was the Count of Anjou from 1068 until his death. The nickname by which he is usually referred has no certain translation...
, or in opposition to him. He was popular with the Church and grew a reputation for curbing tyranny and opposing his violent father, who, according to Orderic Vitalis
Orderic Vitalis
Orderic Vitalis was an English chronicler of Norman ancestry who wrote one of the great contemporary chronicles of 11th and 12th century Normandy and Anglo-Norman England. The modern biographer of Henry I of England, C...
, enjoyed pillaging and terrorising his subjects.
Geoffrey was a son of Fulk's first wife, Ermengard of Bourbon. His father tried to disinherit him in favour of Fulk the Younger
Fulk of Jerusalem
Fulk , also known as Fulk the Younger, was Count of Anjou from 1109 to 1129, and King of Jerusalem from 1131 to his death...
, his son by his fourth wife, Bertrada of Montfort. Fulk, by then an old man, had previously delegated much of his authority to Geoffrey. With the support of his father's adversaires, Geoffrey seems to have achieved recognition from his father and from 1103 styled himself "count" (comes in the Latin of the day) and took control of the government. He allied with Renaud de Martigné, Bishop of Angers, against the baron Maurice of Craon. An anonymous poem by a scholar or cleric addressed to a certain Philip, probably Philip of Melun, son of Philip I of France
Philip I of France
Philip I , called the Amorous, was King of France from 1060 to his death. His reign, like that of most of the early Direct Capetians, was extraordinarily long for the time...
through his dalliance with Bertrada, is a encomium
Encomium
Encomium is a Latin word deriving from the Classical Greek ἐγκώμιον meaning the praise of a person or thing. "Encomium" also refers to several distinct aspects of rhetoric:* A general category of oratory* A method within rhetorical pedagogy...
of a "Count Martel" (Martellus consul), probably Geoffrey IV. The poem is didactic and upholds the count, only named as Martel, as an exemplar of good rulership. The last lines offers hope that he may "long prosper", and so must have be written during the brief period of his rule in Anjou.
Geoffrey was besieging a rebellious baron in the castle of Candé
Candé
Candé is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.-History:In the 11th century the village became an important military site for Anjou under baron Rorgon de Candé, at Fort-Castle of Candé....
when, on 19 May 1106, he was struck and killed by an arrow while going to negotiations. The Chronica de gestis consulum andegavorum attributed this assassination to Fulk and Bertrada, and praised the late count as "an admirable man, distinguished in justice, a cultivator or the whole of goodness, who was a terror to all his enemies." The Annales vindocinenses call him "a subduer and conqueror of tyrants [perhaps his father], protector and defender of churches."