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in: Chateaudun (surname), Born in 1045, Died in 1100,
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Geoffroy II du Perche (c1045-1100)

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Biography

Geoffrey II, Count of Perche was born 1045 in Perche, Normandy, France to Rotrou Chateaudun II, Count of Perche (c1025-1080) and Adelise de Bellême (c1025-1080) and died 1100 of unspecified causes. He married Beatrix de Ramerupt (c1045-1110) .

Geoffrey II (died October 1100), Count of Mortagne and Count of Perche, was the son of Rotrou Chateaudun II, Count of Perche (c1025-1080), and Adelise de Bellême, daughter of Guérin de Domfron. Geoffrey was Count of Mortagne and Seigneur of Nogent from 1060 to 1090, and Count of Perche from 1090 until his death.

The nobility of his own birth and that of his wife Beatrice rendered him illustrious above all his compeers, and he had amongst his subjects warlike barons and brave governors of castles. He gave his daughters in marriage to men of the rank of counts: Margaret to Henry, Earl of Warwick, and Juliana to Gilbert de l'Aigle, from whom sprung a noble race of handsome children. The glory of Count Geofirey was exalted by such a progeny, and he maintained it by his valour and courage, his wealth, and alliances. Above all, having the fear of God, he feared no man, but marched boldly with a lion's port.

Norman Conquest 1066

As a young man, Geoffrey was one of the Norman Knights that accompanied William the Conqueror in the Norman Conquest of England and their historic victory at the Battle of Hastings. For his service, William the Conqueror gave him a reward of significant property in England.

""There were present in this battle: Eustace, Count of Boulogne; William, son of Richard, Count of Evreux; Geoffrey, son of Rotrou, Count of Mortagne; William FitzOsbern; Haimo, Vicomte of Thouars; Walter Giffard; Hugh of Montfort-sur-Risle; Rodulf of Tosny; Hugh of Grantmesnil; William of Warenne, and many other most renowned warriors whose names are worthy to be commemorated in histories among the bravest soldiers of all time." (Source: William of Poitiers)

See Also

Domesday Book 1086

Domesday Book is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror (1027-1087). The first draft was completed in August 1086 and contained records for 13,418 settlements in early England.

The book "Ecclesiastical History of Oderic Vitalis" by Margery Chibnall states; "Geoffrey du Perche, son of Rotrou of Mortagne and other Earls and Magnates too numerous to name received great revenues and fiefs in England from King William. So foreigners grew wealthy with the spoils of England, whilst her own sons were either shamefully slain or driven as exiles to wander hopelessly thru foreign kingdoms." In spite of the above statement regarding his acquisitions in England after the conquest, he is not found listed in the DOMESDAY BOOK of 1086 as a tenant-in-chief. If he received holdings from "The Conqueror" for his services rendered at the conquest, perhaps he disposed of those holdings and returned to Normandy before 1086.


Count of Perche

Geoffrey succeeded his father in 1080, receiving the Percheron fields (Mortagne-au-Perche and Nogent-le-Rotrou), while his younger brother Hugues received Châteaudun. A third brother, Rotrou, acquired by marriage the lordship of Montfort-le-Rotrou.[1] One of his first actions as count was to hand over the monastery of Nogent-le-Rotrou to Cluny, after engineering the deposition of its abbot Hubert. As a result, the role of the count's court an increased role, since disputes about the abbey's endowment were solved at that court. [2]

Battle of Domfront

Laying claim to the strong Castle of Domfront, which had belonged to his great-grandfather, Warin de Belesme, and other domains as his right, he endeavoured to dispossess his cousin Robert of Bellême of them. He was grieved to harass the unarmed and innocent, but he could not bring the public enemy (for such assuredly was Robert de Belesme) with whom he had a just quarrel to a fair field for deciding it. [3]

According to Orderic Vitalis, Geoffrey contested the distribution of the Belleme inheritance between Mabel de Bellême (Robert's mother) and Adeliza (his mother). [4] The war was long and protracted, as even in 1091 we know the conflict was still going on. [5] He devoted the rest of his life to religious pursuits, and founded the first leper colony in Perche.

Later Years

His successful rule and increased political role can be appreciated from his dynastic alliances, which ranged far into northern France (with his wife Beatrix), Normandy (with the marriage of his daughter Marguerite to Henry de Beaumont) and southern France (through his daughter Matilde's marriage to the viscount of Turenne). [6]

Orderic Vitalis gives him high praise: In time of peace he was gentle and lovable and conspicuous for his good manners; in times of war, hasrsh and successful, formidable to the rulers who were his neighbours and an enemy to all. [6]

Geoffrey was succeeded by his son Rotrou as Count of Perche upon his death.

Family

Geoffrey married Beatrix de Ramerupt (c1045-1110), daughter of Hilduin IV, Count of Montdidier,[7] and Alice de Roucy.  Geoffrey and Beatrix had:

  1. Marguerite du Perche (c1075-c1122), married to Henry of Warwick (c1036-1119), 1st Earl of Warwick.[7]  Their son was Rotrou, Archbishop of Rouen. From her is descended the celebrated Beauchamps and Nevils, Earls of Warwick, and many other illustrious personages.
  2. Julienne du Perch (1074-1132), married to Gilbert, Lord of d’Aigle.[8]  They had two sons, Geoffrey and Engenulf, who died in the wreck of the White Ship Disaster.[9] Their daughter was Marguerite de l’Aigle, who married García Ramírez, King of Navarre.[10]
  3. Mathilde du Perche (1085-1143), married first Raymond I, Vicomte de Turenne[11] and, widowed, Guy IV de Lastour
  4. Rotrou III du Perche (c1075-1144), "the Great", Count of Perche[7]. Returned from a Crusade to the Holy Land in the same year his father died.
  5. Jeanne du Perche (1078-1118) -


Children


Offspring of Geoffrey II, Count of Perche and Beatrix de Ramerupt (c1045-1110)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Marguerite du Perche (c1075-c1122) 1075 1122 Henry of Warwick (c1036-1119)
Julienne du Perch (1074-1132)
Mathilde du Perche (1085-1143) 1085 1143 Raymond I de Turenne (1070-1123)
Rotrou III du Perche (c1075-1144) 1075 January 1144 Rouen Matilda FitzRoy (c1090-1120)
Hawise of Salisbury (1118-1152)
Jeanne du Perche (1078-1118)



Siblings


Offspring of Rotrou Chateaudun II, Count of Perche (c1025-1080) and Adelise de Bellême (c1025-1080)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Geoffrey Chateaudun II, Count of Perche (c1045-1100)
Hugh de Chateaudun III (c1056-1110)
Rotrou de Chateaudun (c1060-1144)
Mathilde du Perche (c1058-1143)
Fulco de Chateaudun (c1058-1078)
Helvise du Chateaudn (c1060-1120)
Robert de Chateadun (c1060-1120)





See Also

References

  1. ^ Thompson 2002, p. 45.
  2. ^ Thompson 2002, p. 46-47.
  3. ^ Barlow 1983, p. 270,286.
  4. ^ Thompson 2002, p. 49.
  5. ^ Barlow 1983, p. 270.
  6. ^ a b Thompson 2002, p. 50.
  7. ^ a b c Guenée 1978, p. 470.
  8. ^ Thompson 2002, p. 7, 50.
  9. ^ Barlow 1983, p. 467.
  10. ^ Thompson 2002, p. 7.
  11. ^ Thompson 2002, p. 6.



Footnotes (including sources)

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