Simon de Crépy
Encyclopedia
Simon de Crépy was Count of Amiens
, of the Vexin and of Valois from 1074 until 1077. He was the son of Count Raoul IV de Vexin and Adèle of Bar-sur-Aube
. He is also known as Simon de Vexin and Saint Simon.
Simon was brought up at the court of William of Normandy, and inherited his father's sizable lands in 1072. These lay between the royal domain of King Philip I of France
and the lands of William of Normandy, by then King of England, and made Simon an important man. It is said that at this time William of Normandy proposed a marriage between Simon and his daughter Adela
(1064x1066–1137). In the meantime, King Philip attempted to withhold part of Simon's inheritance and a three year long war resulted.
A marriage with Adela was within the prohibited degree of consanguinity
and Simon went to Rome
to meet with Pope Gregory VII
, perhaps to arrange a dispensation. Whether this was his motive, the Pope arranged a truce between Simon and King Philip. Perhaps as part of the papal settlement, Simon married a daughter of the Count of Auvergne (chronologically, this would have been either William V
or Robert II) in around 1075.
Shortly afterwards Simon and his wife both took religious vows and entered monasteries. His county of Vexin passed to his sister's husband, Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois
, Amiens to Philip, and the Vexin
was partitioned between Philip and William, creating the modern division between the Vexin français and the Vexin normand.
Simon was not content with the relatively luxurious surrounds of the Abbey of Saint-Claude, and decided upon a life as a hermit
in the forests of Burgundy on the upper reaches of the Doubs River
. There he and a few colleagues constructed cabins and cleared land to farm. This priory remained dependent upon Sainte-Claude until the 12th century, then upon Saint-Oyen de Joux. The village of Mouthe
later grew up around the priory.
Simon undertook a pilgrim
age to the Holy Land
, and then again to Rome where he died. He received the Last Rites
from Gregory VII. Simon was later beatified and his relic
s are still kept at Mouthe where a statue in his honour was erected in 1934.
Count of Amiens
Count of Amiens was the title held by the ruler of the County of Amiens....
, of the Vexin and of Valois from 1074 until 1077. He was the son of Count Raoul IV de Vexin and Adèle of Bar-sur-Aube
Bar-sur-Aube
Bar-sur-Aube is a commune of France in the Aube department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Population:The inhabitants of the commune are called Baralbains.-Culture:*Market every Saturday morning in the halls...
. He is also known as Simon de Vexin and Saint Simon.
Simon was brought up at the court of William of Normandy, and inherited his father's sizable lands in 1072. These lay between the royal domain of King 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...
and the lands of William of Normandy, by then King of England, and made Simon an important man. It is said that at this time William of Normandy proposed a marriage between Simon and his daughter Adela
Adela of Normandy
Adela of Normandy also known as Adela of Blois and Adela of England was, by marriage, Countess of Blois, Chartres, and Meaux. She was a daughter of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders...
(1064x1066–1137). In the meantime, King Philip attempted to withhold part of Simon's inheritance and a three year long war resulted.
A marriage with Adela was within the prohibited degree of consanguinity
Consanguinity
Consanguinity refers to the property of being from the same kinship as another person. In that respect, consanguinity is the quality of being descended from the same ancestor as another person...
and Simon went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to meet with Pope Gregory VII
Pope Gregory VII
Pope St. Gregory VII , born Hildebrand of Sovana , was Pope from April 22, 1073, until his death. One of the great reforming popes, he is perhaps best known for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy, his dispute with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor affirming the primacy of the papal...
, perhaps to arrange a dispensation. Whether this was his motive, the Pope arranged a truce between Simon and King Philip. Perhaps as part of the papal settlement, Simon married a daughter of the Count of Auvergne (chronologically, this would have been either William V
William V of Auvergne
William V succeeded his father, Robert I, as count of Auvergne in 1032. He made donations to the church of Clermont in 1030 and 1034. At Pentecost 1059 he assisted at the coronation of Philip I. In 1054 he married Philipa, daughter of Stephen, count of Gévaudan...
or Robert II) in around 1075.
Shortly afterwards Simon and his wife both took religious vows and entered monasteries. His county of Vexin passed to his sister's husband, Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois
Herbert IV, Count of Vermandois
Herbert IV of Vermandois , Count of Vermandois, was the son of Otto of Vermandois and Pavia .-Family and children:He married Adele of Valois, daughter of Raoul III of Valois and Adele de Bar-sur-Aube, and had:...
, Amiens to Philip, and the Vexin
Vexin
The Vexin is a historical county of northwestern France. It covers a verdant plateau on the right bank of the Seine comprising an area east-to-west between Pontoise and Romilly-sur-Andelle , and north-to-south between Auneuil and the Seine near Vernon...
was partitioned between Philip and William, creating the modern division between the Vexin français and the Vexin normand.
Simon was not content with the relatively luxurious surrounds of the Abbey of Saint-Claude, and decided upon a life as a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
in the forests of Burgundy on the upper reaches of the Doubs River
Doubs River
The Doubs is a 453 km long river in eastern France and western Switzerland, left tributary of the Saône. Its source is near Mouthe in the western Jura mountains....
. There he and a few colleagues constructed cabins and cleared land to farm. This priory remained dependent upon Sainte-Claude until the 12th century, then upon Saint-Oyen de Joux. The village of Mouthe
Mouthe
Mouthe is a commune in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.-Geography:The village is located south of Pontarlier in the Jura Mountains on the Swiss border. The source of the Doubs River is from Mouthe. In Mouthe was recorded the lowest temperature ever in France...
later grew up around the priory.
Simon undertook a pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
age to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, and then again to Rome where he died. He received the Last Rites
Last Rites
The Last Rites are the very last prayers and ministrations given to many Christians before death. The last rites go by various names and include different practices in different Christian traditions...
from Gregory VII. Simon was later beatified and his relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s are still kept at Mouthe where a statue in his honour was erected in 1934.