Robert I Comte de Namur et Lomme
944-981
Born: Namur, Namur, Belgium
Died: Lomme, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
944-981
Born: Namur, Namur, Belgium
Died: Lomme, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
<p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2"><strong>From FMG at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NAMUR.htm#Berengardiedbefore946</strong></font></p><font size="2">The county of Namur lay within imperial jurisdiction and was part of the duchy of Lower Lotharingia. The <em>pagus Lommensis</em><em>…comitatum…Lomensem…</em>" to King Charles<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[1]</span></span></span></span>. Vanderkindere suggests that the <em>Lommensis</em> was one of the counties held by Giselbert, father of Reginar [I] Comte de Hainaut<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[2]</span></span></span></span>. The earliest specific mention so far identified of a count in this <em>pagus</em> is a charter dated 884. Thereafter, only isolated references have been found until the early 10th century. It has not so far proved possible to prove any family relationship between the earliest counts (see Chapter 1). Berengar, referred to in early 10th century sources as count in the <em>pagus Lommensis</em>, is first named as Comte de Namur in a charter dated 919. It is assumed that he constructed the first castle at Namur, presumably at that time a mere wooden fortification, although the primary source which confirms this has not yet been identified. Flodoard's Annals record that in 960 Comte Robert I, Berengar's successor, fortified the castle of Namur against Bruno Archbishop of Köln, son of Henrich I King of Germany<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[3]</span></span></span></span>, who was Robert's suzerain as duke of Lotharingia. Robert I's descendants in the male line continued to rule the county of Namur until the late 12th century (see Chapter 2). It is assumed that they were vassals of the dukes of Lower Lotharingia, after Emperor Heinrich II confirmed the establishment of this duchy in 1012, although the primary sources which confirm this have not yet been identified. </font> (Lommegau, in German) was the predecessor of the county of Namur, although it is not certain that the two were precisely co-extensive. The division of Lotharingian territories agreed 8 Aug 870 between Ludwig II "der Deutsche" King of the East Franks and his half-brother Charles II "le Chauve" King of the West Franks allocated " <p><font size="2"> </font></p> <p><font size="2">Henri de Namur, son of Godefroi Comte de Namur, succeeded his maternal cousin in 1136 as Comte de Luxembourg, the latter being united with Namur after Henri succeeded his father three years later. A succession crisis was triggered in Namur and Luxembourg after the unexpected birth in 1186 of a daughter to the septuagenarian Comte Henri, who had previously designated his brother-in-law Baudouin IV Comte de Hainaut as his successor. The matter was adjudicated by Heinrich VI King of Germany in favour of the Comte de Hainaut, and later confirmed by Emperor Friedrich I "Barbarossa" who created him Marquis de Namur. Under the compromise agreed in 1190, Namur was transferred immediately to Hainaut, to which the counties of Laroche and Durbuy would also revert after Comte Henri died. The arrangement did not specify the fate of Luxembourg, but Comte Henri continued to rule this county. The matter did not end there. Thibaut I Comte de Bar, who married Ermesinde de Luxembourg in 1197, besieged Philippe Marquis de Namur in his castle and forced the negotiation of the Treaty of Dinant (signed 26 Jul 1199), under which Baudouin IX Count of Flanders and Hainaut (older brother of Marquis Philippe) inherited the larger part of the county of Namur, while Ermensende retained the counties of Luxembourg, Durbuy and Laroche, as well as that part of the county of Namur which lay on the right bank of the river Meuse. On the death of Marquis Philippe in 1212, Namur was inherited by his sister Yolande, the wife of Pierre [II] Seigneur de Courtenay who was later elected as Pierre I Latin Emperor of Constantinople (see Chapter 3). Four of her children succeeded successively as Marquis de Namur, until 1263 when her youngest son Baudouin, ex-Emperor of Constantinople, sold his rights to Namur to Guy de Dampierre Count of Flanders. </font></p> <p><font size="2"> </font></p> <p><font size="2">Guy Count of Flanders appointed his son Jean as governor of the county of Namur in 1297, and transferred his rights to the county to him in 1298 (see Chapter 4). Jean and his successors used the title "Comte de Namur". The precise process by which the title "Marquis" ceased to be used has not so far been researched. As the county of Namur continued to lie within imperial jurisdiction, it is unclear why use of the title would not have continued, despite the territory being held by a younger branch of the family of the counts of Flanders who were at that time vassals of the kings of France. One possibility is that the Flemish counts did not wish the junior branch of their family to bear a title which was hierarchically superior to their own. Jean III Comte de Namur, last legitimate descendant in the male line of Comte Jean I, sold the county of Namur to Philippe "le Bon" Duke of Burgundy 23 Apr 1421, subject to a continuing life interest. On the death of Comte Jean in 1429, the county was incorporated into the Burgundian territories in the Low Countries which, by a twist of dynastic fate, passed to the Habsburg family as a result of the marriage in 1477 of Marie, daughter and heiress of the last Valois duke of Burgundy, to Archduke Maximilian. </font></p><p><font size="2"> </font></p><p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2"><strong><span style="color: gray">BERENGAR</span></strong>, son of --- ([875/85]-before 946). The origins of Count Berengar are unknown. His birth date is estimated on the assumption that he was adult when he is named in the charter dated 907 (see below). Comte in <em>pagus Lommensis</em>. "<em>Hludouucus…rex</em>" confirmed the donation by "<em>bone memoriæ Kisala illustris femina</em>" of the abbey of Fosse "<em>in pago Lominse in comitatu Perengarii</em>" to the church of Liège with the consent of "<em>…Kepeharti…comitis</em>" by charter dated 26 Oct 907 in which among "<em>fidelium nostrum</em>" was listed "<em>Purchart filius Vualahonis</em>"<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[5]</span></span></span></span>. Ludwig IV "das Kind" King of Germany confirmed a donation of property including "…<em>in pago ac in comitatu Lummensi…cuius nunc adest comes Perengarius</em>" to the church of Tongern at the request of "<em>Kepehardus et Reginharius comites</em>" and with the consent of "<em>Albuini eo tempore illius comitis</em>" by charter dated 18 Jan 908<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[6]</span></span></span></span>. Charles III "le Simple" King of the West Franks restored Kloster Süsteren to the abbey of Prüm by charter dated 19 Jan 916 which names "<em>fidelium nostrorum…Widricus comes palatii, Richuuinus comes, Gislebertus, Matfridus, Beringerius comites, Theodericus comes, Reinherus comes, Erleboldus</em>"<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[7]</span></span></span></span>. "<em>Berengarii comitis Namurcensis</em>" subscribed a charter dated 2 Jun 919 under which Gerard de Stave donated property to the abbey of Brogne<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[8]</span></span></span></span>. Flodoard's Annals record that "<em>Berengarius</em>" captured "<em>Giselbertum</em>" (referring to the duke of Lotharingia) and only freed him after receiving "<em>filiis Ragenarii fratris ipsius Gisleberti</em>" as hostages, after which Giselbert ravaged the lands of "<em>Berengarii, Ragenariique fratris sui et Isaac comitis</em>"<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[9]</span></span></span></span>. <strong>Count of</strong> the castle of <strong>Namur</strong>. The <em>Vita Gerardi Abbatis Broniense</em> records that "<em>comes </em><em>Berengarius</em><em> </em><em>Nammucensi</em><em> </em><em>castro</em><em> præsidebat</em>" and that he took Gerard under his protection<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[10]</span></span></span></span>. <strong><span style="color: gray">m</span></strong> --- [<strong>von Maasgau</strong>], daughter of REGINAR [I] "Langhals" Graf `von Maasgau [Comte de Hainaut] & his wife Alberada ---. Flodoard's Annals refer to the wife of "<em>Berengarius</em>" as "<em>sororem [Gislebertum]</em>" but do not name her<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[11]</span></span></span></span>. According to <em>Europäische</em><em> </em><em>Stammtafeln</em><span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[12]</span></span></span></span>, she was heiress of "<em>comitatus Lomacensis</em>". Presumably this is suggested because both her father and her husband are recorded as counts "<em>in pago Lominse</em>", and on the assumption that her husband succeeded her father. However, this assumes that the "<em>pagus</em>" is identical with the county, and that each <em>pagus</em> was ruled by only one count at any one time. It is, however, clear from the development of the county structure in Germany that the counties were not geographically coincident with the <em>pagi</em>. References to two or three different <em>comitati</em> within one <em>pagus</em> are frequent in imperial diplomas, as are references to the <em>comitatus</em> of a single <em>comes</em> spreading into more than one <em>pagus</em>. It therefore appears not to be a safe assumption, in the absence of further documentary proof, that Berengar owed his position in "<em>comitatus Lomacensis</em>" to his wife. </font></p><p><font size="2"><span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </span><strong><span style="color: gray">ROBERT</span></strong> [I] ([920/25]-before 981). Robert succeeded as <strong>Comte</strong><strong> </strong><strong>de Namur</strong>, maybe as direct successor to Berengar as no documentary record has been found of another intervening count in the area, although this is not certain. The earliest reference to Robert is the charter dated 2 Jun 946 under which "<em>Rotbertus comes</em>" donated the villa of Melin "<em>in comitatu meo</em>" to the abbey of Waulsort<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[13]</span></span></span></span>. According to <em>Europäische</em><em> </em><em>Stammtafeln</em><span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[14]</span></span></span></span>, Robert was the son of Berengar. However, the only evidence so far identified that Robert may have been a descendant of Berengar is provided by the <em>Vita Gerardi Abbatis Broniense</em> which records that "<em>comes Berengarius Nammucensi castro præsidebat</em>" commenting that "<em>cuius stirpis posteritas ibidem hactenus perstat</em>"<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[15]</span></span></span></span>. This convoluted reference suggests that the relationship may have been less direct than father/son: maybe Robert was Berengar's grandson, the son of Berengar's daughter. This appears to be corroborated by the chronology of the births in the family. If Giselbert, son of Robert [I], was born in [955/60], it is unlikely that his father was born before [920/25] at the earliest, bearing in mind that he was presumably an adult at the time of the 946 charter. Assuming that the birth date range of Berengar is correct as shown above, Robert would most likely have been born earlier than this if he had been Berengar's son. The fact that Robert named his second son Giselbert also suggests a family connection with Berengar, whose wife was the sister of Giselbert Duke of Lotharingia, although it is somewhat surprising that the name Berengar itself is not repeated among Robert's descendants. Another indication of Robert's family background is provided by the <em>Gesta Abbatum Gemblacensium</em> which names "<em>Rotbertus…comes Namucensis</em>" as the most powerful of the "<em>cæteri fratres et nepotes pii patris nostri [Wicperti]</em>", while recording that he oppressed the abbey of Gembloux<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[16]</span></span></span></span>. If this is correct, Robert's maternal grandmother was Osburga, whose first husband was St Wicbert's father (see Chapter 5.A). "<em>Otto…rex</em>" granted property "<em>quod Ymmo in villa Castra et in pago Darnegouue ac in comitatu Rotberti comitis</em>" to "<em>fideli nostro Tietboldo</em>" by charter dated 11 Jun 958<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[17]</span></span></span></span>. Flodoard's Annals record that in 960 "<em>Rotbertus</em>", enemy of Bruno Archbishop of Köln (son of Henrich I King of Germany), fortified "<em>Namuurum castrum</em>" against the archbishop<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[18]</span></span></span></span>. "<em>Rotbertus comes</em>" subscribed a charter dated 961 under which Erluin abbé of Gembloux exchanged property<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[19]</span></span></span></span>. The <em>Gesta Abbatum Lobiensium</em> names "<em>comite </em><em>Roberto</em>" and records that "<em>Ratherius</em>" died "<em>apud Namurcum</em>"<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[20]</span></span></span></span>, an event dated elsewhere to 974. <strong><span style="color: gray">m</span></strong> ---. Thierry Stasser suggests that the wife of Robert [I] Comte de Namur may have been [<strong>Liutgarde</strong>], daughter of Adalbert Graf [von Metz], emphasising that this is purely speculative based only on onomastics<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[21]</span></span></span></span>. Comte Robert [I] & his wife had [five] children: </font> </p><p style="text-indent: -1cm"><font size="2">a)<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </span><strong><span style="color: gray">ALBERT</span></strong> (-shortly before 1011). Albert, Gislebert and Ratbod are named as sons of Comte Robert in a charter dated 981<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[22]</span></span></span></span>. He succeeded as <strong>ALBERT I Comte de Namur</strong>. </font></p> <p><font size="2">- <strong>see below</strong>. </font></p> <p style="text-indent: -1cm"><font size="2">b)<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </span><strong><span style="color: gray">GISELBERT</span></strong> ([955/60]-). The <em>Gesta</em><em> </em><em>Abbatum</em><em> </em><em>Lobiensium</em> records that "<em>Gislabertus, ex quatuor comitis Roberti filiis unus</em>" accompanied "<em>Mathildem comitissam</em>" to the abbey of Lobbes<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[23]</span></span></span></span>. This event is not dated but is recorded in the <em>Gesta</em> several paragraphs after an event dated to 974. His birth date range is estimated on the assumption that Giselbert was a young adult when he visited Lobbes, dated some time between 975 and 980. Albert, Gislebert and Ratbod are named as sons of Comte Robert in a charter dated 981<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[24]</span></span></span></span>. </font></p> <p style="text-indent: -1cm"><font size="2">c)<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </span><strong><span style="color: gray">RATBOD</span></strong> [Robert] . Albert, Gislebert and Ratbod are named as sons of Comte Robert in a charter dated 981<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[25]</span></span></span></span>. </font></p> <p style="text-indent: -1cm"><font size="2">d)<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </span>son (-[before 981]). As the <em>Gesta Abbatum Lobiensium</em> records "<em>Gislabertus, ex quatuor comitis Roberti filiis unus</em>"<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[26]</span></span></span></span>, it is known that Comte Robert had a fourth son but no further information relating to him has been found. He presumably died before 981 as he is not named with his brothers in the charter of that date. </font></p> <p style="text-indent: -1cm"><font size="2">e)<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> </span>[<strong><span style="color: gray">LIUTGARDE</span></strong> . Vanderkindere suggests that the wife of Arnoul [II] Comte de Cambrai may have been the daughter of Robert [I] Comte de Namur, both because the couple's son was named Albert and also because Liutgarde held property at Hanret in Darnau <em>pagus</em> which was divided between Namur and Brabant<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[27]</span></span></span></span>. No other information has been identified from which any alternative ancestry can be deduced for Liutgarde. Liutgarde possessed the alleu de Hanret, Hesbaye<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[28]</span></span></span></span>. "<em>Arnulfus comes Valencencianensis et uxor eius Liutgardis cum filio suo Adalberto</em>" donated property to Saint-Pierre-au-Mont-Blandin at Gent by charter dated 994<span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: arial">[29]</span></span></span></span>. <strong><span style="color: gray">m</span></strong> <strong>ARNOUL </strong><span style="color: windowtext">[II] </span><strong>Comte de Cambrai</strong>, son of ARNOUL [I] Comte de Cambrai & his wife Berta --- (-23 Oct 1012).] </font></p><p><font size="2"> </font></p><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2"></font>
<p>SOURCES: "Ancestors/Descendants of Herbastus de Crepon" http://www.geneastar.org.[royalty_combined6.FTW]<br><br><br><br>SOURCES: "Ancestors/Descendants of Herbastus de Crepon" http://www.geneastar.org.[royalty_combined6.FTW]<br><br>SOURCES: "Ancestors/Descendants of Herbastus de Crepon" http://www.geneastar.org.</p><p>http://larryvoyer.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I121341&tree=v7_28</p>
<p><strong>Robrecht I of Namur</strong> (d. before 981), became count of the <font color="#ba0000">Lommegau</font> in 946. His origins are unknown. Robrecht positioned himself indepedently against the archbishop <font color="#0645ad">Bruno the Great</font>, who was also Duke of Lotharingia. Robrecht put aside Bruno's edict that required him to demolish the defenses he had built without permission from the duke. The identity of Robrechts wife is unknown. He was father of:</p><ul><li><font color="#0645ad">Albert I</font> (d. 1011)</li><li>Giselbert</li><li>Ratboud</li></ul>