William I of Béarn
Encyclopedia
William I, called Guillem de Montcada II, was the Viscount of Béarn from 1171 to 1173 with opposition.
William was the eldest son of Guillem Ramon de Montcada II. William first appears in 1150, witnessing his father's settlement at Arles
with the Baux family after Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona's invasion of Provence
. William thereafter appears regularly in the documents of his father.
On 10 June 1164, a document bears the name of Guillelmi de Monte Catano as husband of Mary
, though this document's authenticity has been called into question. In 1168, William was holding the castle of Pau
, probably through his marriage, even though Sancho VI of Navarre
laid claim to it. The king tried to ally with Alfonso II of Aragon
against William, but instead found himself at war with the Aragonese. In 1171, Alfonso granted all the lands formerly held by Talesa of Aragon
to William. In Jaca
, in 1170, Mary, having succeeded her defnunct brother Gaston V
, accepted Alfonso's grant of protection and did homage. She also agreed not to remarry without Alfonso's consent. In March 1171, William did homage for Béarn.
According to tradition, however, the Catalan was not acceptable to the Bearnese noblesse, which promptly rebelled. They elected Theobald
of the neighbouring County of Bigorre
as their viscount, but, as he did not respect the Fors de Bearn
, they executed him within the year. They then selected a nobleman of the Auvergne
, Sentonge
, who lasted two years in power before suffering the same sad fate at the hands of the nobles. Throughout this whole period, William planned to conquer Béarn, but never got around to actually launching any military expedition. In 1173, the year Sentonge was executed, Mary abandoned William with their two young twin sons and entered the monastery of Santa Cruz de Volvestre. The Bearnese, having rid themselves of three viscounts in as many years, sent a delegation to the monastery to request one of her sons to succeed to the viscounty. Mary consented and sent the elder, Gaston
. The younger son, William Raymond, inherited Béarn from his brother many years later.
Setting this traditional, probably legendary account, aside, it is likely that William's eldest son Gaston VI
inherited Béarn on Mary's death in 1173. William no longer had a direct hand in government after that.
William was the eldest son of Guillem Ramon de Montcada II. William first appears in 1150, witnessing his father's settlement at Arles
Arles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
with the Baux family after Raymond Berengar IV of Barcelona's invasion of Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
. William thereafter appears regularly in the documents of his father.
On 10 June 1164, a document bears the name of Guillelmi de Monte Catano as husband of Mary
Mary of Béarn
Mary was the daughter, sister, wife, and mother of various Viscounts of Béarn, Gabardan, and Brulhois. Briefly, from 1170 to 1171, she ruled Béarn as Viscountess in her own right...
, though this document's authenticity has been called into question. In 1168, William was holding the castle of Pau
Château de Pau
The Château de Pau is a castle in the centre of Pau, the capital of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Béarn. King Henry IV of France and Navarre was born here on December 13, 1553....
, probably through his marriage, even though Sancho VI of Navarre
Sancho VI of Navarre
Sancho VI Garcés , called the Wise , was the king of Navarre from 1150 until his death in 1194....
laid claim to it. The king tried to ally with Alfonso II of Aragon
Alfonso II of Aragon
Alfonso II or Alfons I ; Huesca, 1-25 March 1157 – 25 April 1196), called the Chaste or the Troubadour, was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1164 until his death. He was the son of Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona and Petronilla of Aragon and the first King of Aragon who was...
against William, but instead found himself at war with the Aragonese. In 1171, Alfonso granted all the lands formerly held by Talesa of Aragon
Talesa of Aragon
Talesa, Talèse, Talèze, or Ataresa was an Aragonese noblewoman and relative of the royal Jiménez dynasty. She was the daughter of Sancho, Count of Aibar, natural brother of Sancho V of Navarre...
to William. In Jaca
Jaca
Jaca is a city of northeastern Spain near the border with France, in the midst of the Pyrenees in the province of Huesca...
, in 1170, Mary, having succeeded her defnunct brother Gaston V
Gaston V of Béarn
Gaston V was the Viscount of Béarn, Gabardan, and Brulhois from 1153 to his death.He was the son of Peter II and a Catalan princess. When his father died in 1153, he inherited his title under the regency of his grandmother Guiscarda...
, accepted Alfonso's grant of protection and did homage. She also agreed not to remarry without Alfonso's consent. In March 1171, William did homage for Béarn.
According to tradition, however, the Catalan was not acceptable to the Bearnese noblesse, which promptly rebelled. They elected Theobald
Theobald of Béarn
Theobald was the probably legendary Viscount of Béarn in 1171. He was from Bigorre. The story of his succession to Béarn is probably not reliable and is likely a later invention....
of the neighbouring County of Bigorre
County of Bigorre
The County of Bigorre was a small feudatory of the Duchy of Aquitaine in the ninth through fifteenth centuries. Its capital was Tarbes.The county was constituted out of the dowry of a Faquilène, an Aquitainian princess, for her husband Donatus Lupus I, the son of Lupus III of Gascony...
as their viscount, but, as he did not respect the Fors de Bearn
Fors de Bearn
The Fors de Bearn, or fueros of Béarn, are a series of legal texts compiled over centuries in the Viscounty of Béarn...
, they executed him within the year. They then selected a nobleman of the Auvergne
Auvergne (province)
Auvergne was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne. It is now the geographical and cultural area that corresponds to the former province....
, Sentonge
Sentonge of Béarn
Sentonge was the probably legendary Viscount of Béarn from 1171 until his execution two years later. He was from Auvergne. The story of his succession to Béarn is probably not reliable and is likely a later invention....
, who lasted two years in power before suffering the same sad fate at the hands of the nobles. Throughout this whole period, William planned to conquer Béarn, but never got around to actually launching any military expedition. In 1173, the year Sentonge was executed, Mary abandoned William with their two young twin sons and entered the monastery of Santa Cruz de Volvestre. The Bearnese, having rid themselves of three viscounts in as many years, sent a delegation to the monastery to request one of her sons to succeed to the viscounty. Mary consented and sent the elder, Gaston
Gaston VI of Béarn
Gaston VI , called the Good, was the Viscount of Béarn, Gabardan, and Brulhois from 1173. He was also Count of Bigorre and Viscount of Marsan through his marriage in 1196 to Petronilla of Bigorre, the daughter of Countess Stephanie of Bigorre....
. The younger son, William Raymond, inherited Béarn from his brother many years later.
Setting this traditional, probably legendary account, aside, it is likely that William's eldest son Gaston VI
Gaston VI of Béarn
Gaston VI , called the Good, was the Viscount of Béarn, Gabardan, and Brulhois from 1173. He was also Count of Bigorre and Viscount of Marsan through his marriage in 1196 to Petronilla of Bigorre, the daughter of Countess Stephanie of Bigorre....
inherited Béarn on Mary's death in 1173. William no longer had a direct hand in government after that.