William I, Marquess of Montferrat
Encyclopedia
William I Miagro stands at the head of the Aleramici family which ruled Montferrat
for four centuries. He was the father of the first margrave Aleram.
According to the Gesta Berengarii Imperatoris
, William was a Frank
who crossed the Alps
leading 300 armed retainers in 888
–889
to fight alongside Guy III of Spoleto
against Berengar of Friuli for the Iron Crown of Lombardy
. He apparently established himself in northwestern Italy, probably supported by Guy, where he eventually received the title of comes
. It is also probable that he gave his support to Berengar after Guy's death, for he appears, in 921
, along with Lambert, Archbishop of Milan, and two other counts, Giselbert and Samson, as dilectissimi fideles of the Emperor
. The counts were also cited as illustres comites. They stood opposed to Adalbert of Ivrea and others in rebellion against Berengar.
William transferred his allegiance again following the death of Berengar. He appears for the last time alive in 924
, intervening on behalf of the bishop of Piacenza with Rudolf II of Burgundy, a claimant for the Italian crown. Never again does he appear in history and a diploma of his son's dating to around 933
fixes his death sometime between those two years (924 – 933). Nonetheless, some, including eighteenth-century historian Malaspina and twentieth-century historians Usseglio and Cognasso (writing in 1960), consider him to have been alive in 961
, based on a faulty reading and interpretation of the foundation charter of the monastery of Grazzano, founded that year by Aleram and his family.
Various legendary assertions about his Saxon
and Kentish
origins and the origins of his wife have been met by the definitive Dizionario Biografico with the pronouncement: Ma tali asserzioni non sono ancora state seriamente coinprovate da documenti: "But such assertions are not yet seriously backed up by the documents."
Montferrat
Montferrat is part of the region of Piedmont in Northern Italy. It comprises roughly the modern provinces of Alessandria and Asti. Montferrat is one of the most important wine districts of Italy...
for four centuries. He was the father of the first margrave Aleram.
According to the Gesta Berengarii Imperatoris
Gesta Berengarii Imperatoris
The Gesta Berengarii imperatoris is an epic poem chronicling the career of Berengar of Friuli from its inception until his imperial coronation in Rome in December 915. It is a court panegyric and highly laudatory of its namesake. To the modern historian it is "difficult and often maddeningly...
, William was a Frank
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...
who crossed the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
leading 300 armed retainers in 888
888
Year 888 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* January 13 – With the death of Charles the Fat, the Frankish kingdom is split again, and this time permanently...
–889
889
Year 889 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Yasovarman I succeeds Indravarman II as ruler of the Khmer empire....
to fight alongside Guy III of Spoleto
Guy III of Spoleto
Guy of Spoleto , sometimes known by the Italian version of his name, Guido, or by the German version, Wido, was the Margrave of Camerino from 880 and then Duke of Spoleto and Camerino from 883. He was crowned King of Italy in 889 and Holy Roman Emperor in 891...
against Berengar of Friuli for the Iron Crown of Lombardy
Iron Crown of Lombardy
The Iron Crown of Lombardy is both a reliquary and one of the most ancient royal insignia of Europe. The crown became one of the symbols of the Kingdom of Lombards and later of the medieval Kingdom of Italy...
. He apparently established himself in northwestern Italy, probably supported by Guy, where he eventually received the title of comes
Comes
Comes , plural comites , is the Latin word for companion, either individually or as a member of a collective known as comitatus, especially the suite of a magnate, in some cases large and/or formal enough to have a specific name, such as a cohors amicorum. The word comes derives from com- "with" +...
. It is also probable that he gave his support to Berengar after Guy's death, for he appears, in 921
921
Year 921 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Crushing defeat of the Idrisid dynasty against their Fatimid rivals...
, along with Lambert, Archbishop of Milan, and two other counts, Giselbert and Samson, as dilectissimi fideles of the Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
. The counts were also cited as illustres comites. They stood opposed to Adalbert of Ivrea and others in rebellion against Berengar.
William transferred his allegiance again following the death of Berengar. He appears for the last time alive in 924
924
Year 924 was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Emperor Taizu of Liao leads another campaign to the west, reaching the former Uyghur capital on the Orkhon River...
, intervening on behalf of the bishop of Piacenza with Rudolf II of Burgundy, a claimant for the Italian crown. Never again does he appear in history and a diploma of his son's dating to around 933
933
Year 933 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Failed attempt by the Fatimid dynasty to seize the Maghreb al-Aqsa from the local rulers allied to the Spain-based Umayyad Caliphate.- Europe :* Cotentin and Jersey are seized by William Longsword, Duke of Normandy.*...
fixes his death sometime between those two years (924 – 933). Nonetheless, some, including eighteenth-century historian Malaspina and twentieth-century historians Usseglio and Cognasso (writing in 1960), consider him to have been alive in 961
961
Year 961 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.- Asia :* Ani becomes the capital of Armenia under the Bagratuni Dynasty....
, based on a faulty reading and interpretation of the foundation charter of the monastery of Grazzano, founded that year by Aleram and his family.
Various legendary assertions about his Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
and Kentish
Kingdom of Kent
The Kingdom of Kent was a Jutish colony and later independent kingdom in what is now south east England. It was founded at an unknown date in the 5th century by Jutes, members of a Germanic people from continental Europe, some of whom settled in Britain after the withdrawal of the Romans...
origins and the origins of his wife have been met by the definitive Dizionario Biografico with the pronouncement: Ma tali asserzioni non sono ancora state seriamente coinprovate da documenti: "But such assertions are not yet seriously backed up by the documents."