Prince of Gothia
Encyclopedia
The title Prince of Gothia (princeps Gothiæ) or Prince of the Goths (princeps Gothorum) was a title of nobility, sometimes assumed by its holder as a sign of supremacy in the region of Gothia
and sometimes bestowed by the sovereign of West Francia to the principal nobleman in the south of the realm, in the ninth and tenth centuries. Sometimes hereditary and sometimes not, the title has been rendered in English as Duke (or Margrave) of Septimania (dux Septimaniæ) or Duke (or Margrave) of Gothia (Gothiæ marchio). A similar or the same "office" was often held with the title comes marcæ Hispanicæ: "Count (or Margrave) of the Spanish March." The title was also a chronicler's device and, as presented in some chronicles, may never have been used in any official capacity.
The first employer of the title "Duke of Septimania" was William of Gellone
, who acted as Charlemagne
's chief official and missus in the region. He was succeeded by Berengar the Wise, who also used the ducal-margravial title. He in turn was succeeded by Bernard of Septimania, who is called comes marcæ Hispanicæ in the Annales Bertiniani
. He ruled over both the County of Toulouse and that of Barcelona on the other side of the Pyrenees
. Toulouse was the capital of Septimania
, also called Gothia or later Languedoc
, while Barcelona was capital of Catalonia
. They had independent histories after the Moorish conquest of Iberia, but were both Visigothic in population. The Marca Hispanica
corresponded to the Gothic lands on the other side of th Pyrenees to the east of the Navarre
. The marca was evidently considered a political unity composed of several counties. In the civil wars in the region which followed Bernard's downfall and death in 844, the title went into abeyance.
Sometime around 858, Charles the Bald
granted Humfrid
several Catalan counties
and the title Gothiæ marchio, signifying the same supremacy over the Hispanic march that Bernard had held years earlier. In 862, Humfrid was deposed and probably about that time, Bernard Plantapilosa
was appointed to his place as margrave of Gothia. Sometime before 876, he too was deposed and replaced by Bernard II of Poitou. This Bernard was known as "Bernard of Gothia," but his attempt to usurp authority in Gothia was met with stiff punishment by his sovereign and he was out of power by 877. In the early 880s, Charles the Fat
employed three marchiones to act as viceroys in the major parts of his realm that he did not regularly visit. Bernard Plantapilos returned to favour and ruled again in Gothia and probably also Provence and Catalonia, perhaps all Aquitaine.
In 932, Rudolph of France
revived the title and bestowed it (princeps Gothiæ) on the brothers Ermengol of Rouergue
and Raymond Pons of Toulouse
. The change in title from marchio to princeps was indicative of the change in political structure and the increasing independence of the great magnates from the royal power in the tenth century. The brothers succeeded in passing the titles princeps and marchio on to their descendants, but the title had little meaning after that. William III of Toulouse
, marchio prefatus in pago Tholosano ("prefect margrave in the Toulousain country"), also became Margrave of Provence.
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....
and sometimes bestowed by the sovereign of West Francia to the principal nobleman in the south of the realm, in the ninth and tenth centuries. Sometimes hereditary and sometimes not, the title has been rendered in English as Duke (or Margrave) of Septimania (dux Septimaniæ) or Duke (or Margrave) of Gothia (Gothiæ marchio). A similar or the same "office" was often held with the title comes marcæ Hispanicæ: "Count (or Margrave) of the Spanish March." The title was also a chronicler's device and, as presented in some chronicles, may never have been used in any official capacity.
The first employer of the title "Duke of Septimania" was William of Gellone
William of Gellone
Saint William of Gellone was the second Count of Toulouse from 790 until his replacement in 811. His Occitan name is Guilhem, and he is known in French as Guillaume d'Orange, Guillaume Fierabrace, and the Marquis au court nez.He is the hero of the Chanson de Guillaume, an early chanson de geste,...
, who acted as Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
's chief official and missus in the region. He was succeeded by Berengar the Wise, who also used the ducal-margravial title. He in turn was succeeded by Bernard of Septimania, who is called comes marcæ Hispanicæ in the Annales Bertiniani
Annales Bertiniani
Annales Bertiniani, or The Annals of St. Bertin, are late Carolingian, Frankish annals that were found in the monastery of St. Bertin, after which they are named. Their account is taken to cover the period 830-82, thus continuing the Royal Frankish Annals , from which, however, it has circulated...
. He ruled over both the County of Toulouse and that of Barcelona on the other side of the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. Toulouse was the capital of Septimania
Septimania
Septimania was the western region of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis that passed under the control of the Visigoths in 462, when Septimania was ceded to their king, Theodoric II. Under the Visigoths it was known as simply Gallia or Narbonensis. It corresponded roughly with the modern...
, also called Gothia or later 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...
, while Barcelona was capital of Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
. They had independent histories after the Moorish conquest of Iberia, but were both Visigothic in population. 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....
corresponded to the Gothic lands on the other side of th Pyrenees to the east of the Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
. The marca was evidently considered a political unity composed of several counties. In the civil wars in the region which followed Bernard's downfall and death in 844, the title went into abeyance.
Sometime around 858, 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...
granted Humfrid
Humfrid
Humfrid was the Count of Barcelona, Girona, Empúries, Roussillon, and Narbonne from 858 to 864. He also bore the title Margrave of Gothia , as he held several frontier counties....
several Catalan counties
Catalan counties
The Catalan counties were the administrative divisions of the eastern Carolingian Marca Hispanica created after its Frankish conquest. The various counties roughly defined what came to be known as the Principality of Catalonia....
and the title Gothiæ marchio, signifying the same supremacy over the Hispanic march that Bernard had held years earlier. In 862, Humfrid was deposed and probably about that time, Bernard Plantapilosa
Bernard Plantapilosa
Bernard Plantapilosa , or Plantevelue, son of Bernard of Septimania and Dhuoda, was the Count of Auvergne from 872 to his death. The Emperor Charles the Fat granted him the title of Margrave of Aquitaine in 885....
was appointed to his place as margrave of Gothia. Sometime before 876, he too was deposed and replaced by Bernard II of Poitou. This Bernard was known as "Bernard of Gothia," but his attempt to usurp authority in Gothia was met with stiff punishment by his sovereign and he was out of power by 877. In the early 880s, Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, western Emperor from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. In 887, he was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy, where the records are not clear...
employed three marchiones to act as viceroys in the major parts of his realm that he did not regularly visit. Bernard Plantapilos returned to favour and ruled again in Gothia and probably also Provence and Catalonia, perhaps all Aquitaine.
In 932, Rudolph of France
Rudolph of France
Rudolph was the Duke of Burgundy between 921 and 923 and King of Western Francia from thereafter to his death. Rudolph inherited the duchy of Burgundy from his father, Richard the Justiciar...
revived the title and bestowed it (princeps Gothiæ) on the brothers Ermengol of Rouergue
Ermengol of Rouergue
Ermengol was a son of Odo of Toulouse and Garsindis. His father gave him the County of Rouergue and Quercy in 906 and he governed it to his death...
and Raymond Pons of Toulouse
Raymond Pons of Toulouse
Raymond Pons was the Count of Toulouse from 924. He was the last head of his house to rule in Toulouse before the power passed to his cousins the counts of Rouergue....
. The change in title from marchio to princeps was indicative of the change in political structure and the increasing independence of the great magnates from the royal power in the tenth century. The brothers succeeded in passing the titles princeps and marchio on to their descendants, but the title had little meaning after that. William III of Toulouse
William III of Toulouse
William III Taillefer was the Count of Toulouse, Albi, and Quercy from 972 or 978 to his death. He was the first of the Toulousain branch of his family to bear the title marchio, which he inherited from Raymond II of Rouergue.His parentage has been subject to reevaluation...
, marchio prefatus in pago Tholosano ("prefect margrave in the Toulousain country"), also became Margrave of Provence.
Princes of Gothia
- William of GelloneWilliam of GelloneSaint William of Gellone was the second Count of Toulouse from 790 until his replacement in 811. His Occitan name is Guilhem, and he is known in French as Guillaume d'Orange, Guillaume Fierabrace, and the Marquis au court nez.He is the hero of the Chanson de Guillaume, an early chanson de geste,...
(abdicated 806) - Berengar the Wise (806 – 837)
- Bernard of Septimania (837 – 844)
- HumfridHumfridHumfrid was the Count of Barcelona, Girona, Empúries, Roussillon, and Narbonne from 858 to 864. He also bore the title Margrave of Gothia , as he held several frontier counties....
(858 – 862) - Bernard PlantapilosaBernard PlantapilosaBernard Plantapilosa , or Plantevelue, son of Bernard of Septimania and Dhuoda, was the Count of Auvergne from 872 to his death. The Emperor Charles the Fat granted him the title of Margrave of Aquitaine in 885....
(863 – 876) - Bernard of Gothia (876 – 877)
- Bernard Plantapilosa (884 – 885)
- Ermengol of RouergueErmengol of RouergueErmengol was a son of Odo of Toulouse and Garsindis. His father gave him the County of Rouergue and Quercy in 906 and he governed it to his death...
(932 – 937) - Raymond Pons of ToulouseRaymond Pons of ToulouseRaymond Pons was the Count of Toulouse from 924. He was the last head of his house to rule in Toulouse before the power passed to his cousins the counts of Rouergue....
(932 – 950) - Raymond II of RouergueRaymond II of RouergueRaymond II was the count of Rouergue and Quercy from 937 to his death...
(937 – 965) - Raymond III of ToulouseRaymond III of ToulouseRaymond III was the Count of Toulouse, Nîmes, and Albi. He was the son of Raymond Pons and Garsenda, daughter of García II of Gascony....
(950 – 978) - Raymond III of RouergueRaymond III of RouergueRaymond III was the count of Rouergue and Quercy from 961 or 965 to his death. Raymond achieved a suzerainty over neighbouring counties and successfully titled himself marchio or margrave of Septimania...
(965 – 1008) - William TailleferWilliam III of ToulouseWilliam III Taillefer was the Count of Toulouse, Albi, and Quercy from 972 or 978 to his death. He was the first of the Toulousain branch of his family to bear the title marchio, which he inherited from Raymond II of Rouergue.His parentage has been subject to reevaluation...
(978 – 1037)