Stephen I of Sancerre
Encyclopedia
Stephen I first Count of Sancerre
(1151–1190) and third son of Count Theobald II of Champagne
, inherited the county of Sancerre on his father's death, when his eldest brother Henry
received Champagne and his elder brother Theobald Blois
and Chartres
. His holdings were the smallest amongst the brothers (though William received none and entered the church, becoming archbishop of Rheims) and he was originally a vassal, along with Theobald, of Henry.
Like many members of his family, he was prominent in the Crusades
and, in 1169, he was offered the hand in marriage of Amalric I of Jerusalem
's daughter Sibylla
by a diplomatic delegation led by Frederick de la Roche, archbishop of Tyre
. He accepted and travelled east with Hugh III of Burgundy and a gift of money from Louis VII of France
in 1171.
It was anticipated that he may some day be king in right of his wife, the rightful heir of Amalric being the leprous Baldwin
. In light of this, the Haute Cour
invited him to decide the case of the division of the sonless Henry the Buffalo's estate among his three daughters. Stephen divied it up equally, but ordered the younger two to do homage to the eldest. However, the marriage never took place. For reasons unknown, Stephen refused to marry Sibylla and returned home.
In Sancerre, Stephen built a six-towered castle on the local hill and strengthened the fortifications of the town of Sancerre itself. In 1153, he married the daughter of Godfrey of Donzy, named Adelaide, Alice, or Matilda. In 1155, he granted the Customs of Lorris to the merchants of the town and probably seven others. He was the de facto leader among a group of powerful baronial rebels against King Philip Augustus between 1181 and 1185. In 1184, he and a band of Brabançon
mercenaries were defeated by the king and his Confrères de la Paix
, an organisation of warriors formed in 1182 in Le Puy
dedicated to curbing feudal warfare. In 1190, he commenced the abolition of serfdom
in his domains, a trend in his family it seems, for his nephew Louis I of Blois did the same in 1196.
Stephen and his brothers went to the Orient (his second time) on the Third Crusade
in 1190. He died before 21 October 1190 at the Siege of Acre, and Theobald died there a few months later in January 1191. His son by Alice-Matilda, William, succeeded him.
Sancerre
Sancerre is a medieval hilltop town , commune and canton in the Cher department of central France overlooking the Loire River. It is noted for its wine.-History:...
(1151–1190) and third son of Count Theobald II of Champagne
Theobald II of Champagne
Theobald the Great was Count of Blois and of Chartres as Theobald IV from 1102 and was Count of Champagne and of Brie as Theobald II from 1125....
, inherited the county of Sancerre on his father's death, when his eldest brother Henry
Henry II of Champagne
Henry II of Champagne was count of Champagne from 1181 to 1197, and King of Jerusalem from 1192 to 1197, although he never used the title of king.- Early Life and Family :...
received Champagne and his elder brother Theobald Blois
Blois
Blois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
and Chartres
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
. His holdings were the smallest amongst the brothers (though William received none and entered the church, becoming archbishop of Rheims) and he was originally a vassal, along with Theobald, of Henry.
Like many members of his family, he was prominent in the Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
and, in 1169, he was offered the hand in marriage of Amalric I of Jerusalem
Amalric I of Jerusalem
Amalric I of Jerusalem was King of Jerusalem 1163–1174, and Count of Jaffa and Ascalon before his accession. Amalric was the second son of Melisende of Jerusalem and Fulk of Jerusalem...
's daughter Sibylla
Sibylla of Jerusalem
Sibylla of Jerusalem was the Countess of Jaffa and Ascalon from 1176 and Queen of Jerusalem from 1186 to 1190. She was the eldest daughter of Amalric I of Jerusalem and Agnes of Courtenay, sister of Baldwin IV and half-sister of Isabella I of Jerusalem, and mother of Baldwin V of Jerusalem...
by a diplomatic delegation led by Frederick de la Roche, archbishop of Tyre
Archbishop of Tyre
The Archbishop of Tyre was one of the major suffragans of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem during the Crusades and was established to serve the Roman Catholic members of the diocese....
. He accepted and travelled east with Hugh III of Burgundy and a gift of money from Louis VII of France
Louis VII of France
Louis VII was King of France, the son and successor of Louis VI . He ruled from 1137 until his death. He was a member of the House of Capet. His reign was dominated by feudal struggles , and saw the beginning of the long rivalry between France and England...
in 1171.
It was anticipated that he may some day be king in right of his wife, the rightful heir of Amalric being the leprous Baldwin
Baldwin IV of Jerusalem
Baldwin IV of Jerusalem , called the Leper or the Leprous, the son of Amalric I of Jerusalem and his first wife, Agnes of Courtenay, was king of Jerusalem from 1174 to 1185. His full sister was Queen Sibylla of Jerusalem and his nephew through this sister was the child-king Baldwin V...
. In light of this, the Haute Cour
Haute Cour of Jerusalem
The Haute Cour was the feudal council of the kingdom of Jerusalem. It was sometimes also called the curia generalis, the curia regis, or, rarely, the parlement.-Composition of the court:...
invited him to decide the case of the division of the sonless Henry the Buffalo's estate among his three daughters. Stephen divied it up equally, but ordered the younger two to do homage to the eldest. However, the marriage never took place. For reasons unknown, Stephen refused to marry Sibylla and returned home.
In Sancerre, Stephen built a six-towered castle on the local hill and strengthened the fortifications of the town of Sancerre itself. In 1153, he married the daughter of Godfrey of Donzy, named Adelaide, Alice, or Matilda. In 1155, he granted the Customs of Lorris to the merchants of the town and probably seven others. He was the de facto leader among a group of powerful baronial rebels against King Philip Augustus between 1181 and 1185. In 1184, he and a band of Brabançon
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
mercenaries were defeated by the king and his Confrères de la Paix
Confrères de la Paix
The Confrères de la Paix formed an organisation of warriors dedicated to maintaining peace and order in France in the late thirteenth century. They were first organised at Le Puy in 1182 and participated conspicuously in support of Philip Augustus against Stephen I of Sancerre and his Brabançon...
, an organisation of warriors formed in 1182 in Le Puy
Le Puy
Le Puy is the name, or part of the name, of several communes in France:* Le Puy, Doubs, in the département of Doubs* Le Puy, Gironde, in the département of Gironde* Le Puy-en-Velay, in the département of Haute-Loire...
dedicated to curbing feudal warfare. In 1190, he commenced the abolition of serfdom
Serfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
in his domains, a trend in his family it seems, for his nephew Louis I of Blois did the same in 1196.
Stephen and his brothers went to the Orient (his second time) on the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
in 1190. He died before 21 October 1190 at the Siege of Acre, and Theobald died there a few months later in January 1191. His son by Alice-Matilda, William, succeeded him.
Sources
- Bernard Hamilton. The Leper King and his Heirs: Baldwin IV and the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. Cambridge University PressCambridge University PressCambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, 2000. - Peter W. Edbury. The Conquest of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade. Ashgate, 1998.
External links
- Histoire de Sancerre. In FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.