Ingelger
Encyclopedia
Ingelger (died 888) was a Frankish
nobleman, who stands at the head of the Plantagenet dynasty. Later generations of his family believed he was the son of Tertullus (Tertulle) and Petronilla.
Around 877 he inherited his father Tertullus's lands in accordance with the Capitulary of Quierzy
which Charles the Bald
had issued. His father's holdings from the king included Château-Landon
in beneficium
, and he was a casatus in the Gâtinais
and Francia
. Contemporary records refer to Ingelger as a miles optimus, a great military man.
Later family tradition makes his mother a relative of Hugh the Abbot
, an influential counselor of both Louis II and Louis III of France
, from whom he received preferment. By Louis II Ingelger was appointed viscount
of Orléans
, which city was under the rule of its bishops at the time. At Orléans Ingelger made a matrimonial alliance with one of the leading families of Neustria
, the lords of Amboise
. He married Adelais, whose maternal uncles were Adalard, Archbishop of Tours, and Raino, Bishop of Angers. Later Ingelger was appointed prefect
(military commander) at Tours, then ruled by Adalard.
At some point Ingelger was appointed Count of Anjou, at a time when the county stretched only as far west as the Mayenne River
. Later sources credit his appointment to his defence of the region from Vikings, but modern scholars have been more likely to see it as a result of his wife's influential relatives. He was buried in the church of Saint-Martin at Châteauneuf-sur-Sarthe
. He was succeeded by his son Fulk the Red.
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
nobleman, who stands at the head of the Plantagenet dynasty. Later generations of his family believed he was the son of Tertullus (Tertulle) and Petronilla.
Around 877 he inherited his father Tertullus's lands in accordance with the Capitulary of Quierzy
Capitulary of Quierzy
The Capitulary of Quierzy , was a capitulary of the emperor Charles II, comprising a series of measures for safeguarding the administration of his realm during his second Italian expedition, as well as directions for his son Louis the Stammerer, who was entrusted with the government during his...
which 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...
had issued. His father's holdings from the king included Château-Landon
Château-Landon
Château-Landon is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * *...
in beneficium
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
, and he was a casatus in the Gâtinais
Gâtinais
Gâtinais was a province of France, containing the area around the valley of the Loing, corresponding roughly to the northeastern part of the départment of Loiret, and the south of the present departments Seine-et-Marne. Under the Bourbons, the Gâtinais had already been divided between the...
and Francia
Île-de-France (province)
The province of Île-de-France or Isle de France is an historical province of France, and the one at the centre of power during most of French history...
. Contemporary records refer to Ingelger as a miles optimus, a great military man.
Later family tradition makes his mother a relative of Hugh the Abbot
Hugh the Abbot
Hugh the Abbot was a member of the Welf family, a son of Conrad I of Auxerre and Adelaide. After his father's death, his mother apparently married Robert the Strong, the margrave of Neustria. On Robert's death in 866, Hugh became the regent and guardian for Robert's sons, Odo and Robert.Hugh...
, an influential counselor of both Louis II and Louis III of France
Louis III of France
Louis III was the King of France, still then called West Francia, from 879 until his death. The second son of Louis the Stammerer and his first wife, Ansgarde, he succeeded his father to reign jointly with his younger brother Carloman II, who became sole ruler on Louis's death...
, from whom he received preferment. By Louis II Ingelger was appointed viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
of Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
, which city was under the rule of its bishops at the time. At Orléans Ingelger made a matrimonial alliance with one of the leading families of Neustria
Neustria
The territory of Neustria or Neustrasia, meaning "new [western] land", originated in 511, made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel, approximating most of the north of present-day France, with Paris and Soissons as its main cities...
, the lords of Amboise
Amboise
Amboise is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. It lies on the banks of the Loire River, east of Tours. Today a small market town, it was once home of the French royal court...
. He married Adelais, whose maternal uncles were Adalard, Archbishop of Tours, and Raino, Bishop of Angers. Later Ingelger was appointed prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
(military commander) at Tours, then ruled by Adalard.
At some point Ingelger was appointed Count of Anjou, at a time when the county stretched only as far west as the Mayenne River
Mayenne River
The Mayenne is a river in western France principally located in the French region Pays de la Loire. Together with the river Sarthe and its tributary Loir it forms the river Maine, which is a tributary to the river Loire.-Geography:...
. Later sources credit his appointment to his defence of the region from Vikings, but modern scholars have been more likely to see it as a result of his wife's influential relatives. He was buried in the church of Saint-Martin at Châteauneuf-sur-Sarthe
Châteauneuf-sur-Sarthe
Châteauneuf-sur-Sarthe is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department of western France. It is approx. 175 miles from Paris. It had a population of 2,656 according to 2006 statistics...
. He was succeeded by his son Fulk the Red.
External links
- Halphen, Louis and René Poupardin. Chroniques des Comtes d'Anjou et des Seigneurs d'Amboise. Steve Lane, trans. Paris: Picard, 1913. Part of Medieval Sourcebook.
- The Legendary Ancestry of Fulko Rufus Contains a well thought-out and referenced discussion of Ingelger's probable ancestry.
- Fulk Nerra, the Neo-Roman Consul 987-1040: A Political Biography of the Angevin Count by Bernard S. BachrachBernard BachrachBernard S. Bachrach is an American historian and a professor of history at the University of Minnesota. He specialises in the Early Middle Ages, mainly on the topics of Medieval warfare, Medieval Jewry, and early Angevin history...