Humfrid
Encyclopedia
Humfrid was the Count of Barcelona, Girona
, Empúries, Roussillon, and Narbonne
from 858 to 864. He also bore the title Margrave of Gothia (Gothiæ marchio), as he held several frontier counties.
He was a Hunfriding by birth, with no connection to Gothia
. He was probably Hunfrid III, the second son of Hunfrid II, dux super Redicam (duke over Rhaetia). He rebelled against Louis the German
, the King of East Francia, and was forced to flee to Charles the Bald
, the King of West Francia, to whom he was one of the few to remain loyal during the vicissitudes of the 850s. He was appoitend count and margrave of several counties in the Marca Hispanica
by Charles, possibly as early as 854 and no later than 858.
In 858, Humfrid negotiated a treaty of peace with Abd al-Rahman, the Moorish governor of Zaragoza
, and marched into Gaul to the assistance of Charles. He arrived at Beaune
in February and he did homage to the king on 21 March. He then joined Charles in making war on the Norsemen
. Louis took this as an opportunity to invade the country and Humfrid assisted Charles in fending him off. In September, Humfrid regrouped with his forces at Beaune before joining in the defeat of Louis at Saint Quentin
on 15 January 859.
During the campaigning of 858, Humfrid had been enfeoffed with the County of Autun and been created Margrave of Burgundy
.
In 856, the Moors
captured the castle of Terrassa
near Barcelona
. In 861, they besieged Barcelona itself, but Humfrid bought them off and renewed the treaty with the consent of Charles. It was to last for three decades.
In 862, Charles made his son Charles the Child
King of Aquitaine. This was opposed by the nobles, who, with the exception of Humfrid, did not support the young Charles in his subsequent rebellion. The elder Charles accused Humfrid of disloyalty. On 19 August, Humfrid was deposed. He was not to give up, though. He took Toulouse
and killed Count Raymond I
in the fighting. Charles responded by confiscating Humfrid's Burgundian lands. Even the pretender Pepin II of Aquitaine
led a band of Norsemen in an attack on Toulouse, but was repulsed. Humfrid then fled to Italy, whence to Swabia
, where, in 872, he was a count in Zürich
. He was alive as late as 876.
Count of Girona
The Counts of Girona were:*Rostany *Odilon *Bera *Rampo *Bernard I , first reign*Berengar *Bernard I , second reign*Sunifred I *Wilfred I *Odalric...
, Empúries, Roussillon, and Narbonne
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 858 to 864. He also bore the title Margrave of Gothia (Gothiæ marchio), as he held several frontier counties.
He was a Hunfriding by birth, with no connection to Gothia
Gothia
Gothia is a name given to various places where the Goths lived during their migrations:* Götaland, the traditional original homeland of the Goths.* Dacia was referred to as Gothia during the fourth century, when it was settled by Goths....
. He was probably Hunfrid III, the second son of Hunfrid II, dux super Redicam (duke over Rhaetia). He rebelled against Louis the German
Louis the German
Louis the German , also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian, was a grandson of Charlemagne and the third son of the succeeding Frankish Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye.He received the appellation 'Germanicus' shortly after his death in recognition of the fact...
, the King of East Francia, and was forced to flee to Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
, the King of West Francia, to whom he was one of the few to remain loyal during the vicissitudes of the 850s. He was appoitend count and margrave of several counties in the Marca Hispanica
Marca Hispanica
The Marca Hispanica , also known as Spanish March or March of Barcelona was a buffer zone beyond the province of Septimania, created by Charlemagne in 795 as a defensive barrier between the Umayyad Moors of Al-Andalus and the Frankish Kingdom....
by Charles, possibly as early as 854 and no later than 858.
In 858, Humfrid negotiated a treaty of peace with Abd al-Rahman, the Moorish governor of Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, and marched into Gaul to the assistance of Charles. He arrived at Beaune
Beaune
Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy in the Cote d'Or department in eastern France. It is located between Paris and Geneva.Beaune is one of the key wine centers in France and the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France...
in February and he did homage to the king on 21 March. He then joined Charles in making war on the Norsemen
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
. Louis took this as an opportunity to invade the country and Humfrid assisted Charles in fending him off. In September, Humfrid regrouped with his forces at Beaune before joining in the defeat of Louis at Saint Quentin
Saint-Quentin, Aisne
Saint-Quentin is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France. It has been identified as the Augusta Veromanduorum of antiquity. It is named after Saint Quentin, who is said to have been martyred here in the 3rd century....
on 15 January 859.
During the campaigning of 858, Humfrid had been enfeoffed with the County of Autun and been created Margrave of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
.
In 856, the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
captured the castle of Terrassa
Terrassa
Terrassa is a city in the east central region of Catalonia, Spain, in the comarca of Vallès Occidental, of which it is the co-capital along with Sabadell, the historic capital....
near Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. In 861, they besieged Barcelona itself, but Humfrid bought them off and renewed the treaty with the consent of Charles. It was to last for three decades.
In 862, Charles made his son Charles the Child
Charles the Child
Charles the Child was the King of Aquitaine from October 855 until his death in 866...
King of Aquitaine. This was opposed by the nobles, who, with the exception of Humfrid, did not support the young Charles in his subsequent rebellion. The elder Charles accused Humfrid of disloyalty. On 19 August, Humfrid was deposed. He was not to give up, though. He took Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
and killed Count Raymond I
Raymond I of Toulouse
Raymond I was the Count of Limoges , Rouergue and Quercy , and Toulouse and Albi . He was the younger son of Fulcoald of Rouergue and Senegund, niece of William of Gellone through his sister Alda....
in the fighting. Charles responded by confiscating Humfrid's Burgundian lands. Even the pretender Pepin II of Aquitaine
Pepin II of Aquitaine
Pepin II, called the Younger , was King of Aquitaine from 838 as the successor upon the death of his father, Pepin I. Pepin II was eldest son of Pepin I and Ingeltrude, daughter of Theodobert, count of Madrie...
led a band of Norsemen in an attack on Toulouse, but was repulsed. Humfrid then fled to Italy, whence to Swabia
Duchy of Swabia
Swabia was one of the five stem duchies of the medieval German kingdom, and its dukes were thus among the most powerful magnates of Germany.-History:...
, where, in 872, he was a count in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. He was alive as late as 876.
Sources
- Lewis, Archibald R. The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050. University of Texas Press: Austin, 1965.
- Calmette, J. "Onfroy, Marquis de Gothie." Etudes Médiévales.
- Chaume, M. "Onfroi, Marquis de Gothie, ses origines et ses attaches familiales." Annales du Midi, LII (1940).