William III\V the Great of Aquitaine, Duke of Aquitaine
Born: ABT 969
Acceded: 993
Notes:
Some sources say he resigned the Dukedom for his son in 1021, but this is not
indicated in Stammtafeln. Some sources also say died 1025, but Stammtafeln
indicates 1030.
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3William V (969 – 31 January 1030), called
the Great (le Grand), was
Duke of Aquitaine and
Count of Poitou (as William II or III) from 990 until his death. He was the son and successor of
William IV by his wife Emma, daughter of
Theobald I of Blois. He seems to have taken after his formidable mother, who ruled Aquitaine as
regent until 1004. He was a friend to Bishop
Fulbert of Chartres, who found in him another
Maecenas, and founded a cathedral school at
Poitiers. He himself was very well educated, a collector of books, and turned the prosperous court of Aquitaine into the learning centre of Southern France.
Though a cultivated prince, he was a failure in the field. He called in the aid of his suzerain
Robert II of France in subduing his vassal,
Boso of La Marche. Together, they yet failed. Eventually, Boso was chased from the duchy. He had to contain the
Vikings who yearly threatened his coast, but in 1006, he was defeated by Viking invaders. He lost the
Loudunais and
Mirebalais to
Fulk Nerra,
count of Anjou. He had to give up
Confolens,
Ruffec, and
Chabanais to compensate
William II of Angoulême, but Fulbert negotiated a treaty (1020) outlining the reciprocal obligations of vassal and suzerain.
However, his court was a centre of artistic endeavour and he its surest patron. His piety and culture brought peace to his vast feudum and he tried to stem the tide of feudal warfare then destroying the unity of many European nations by supporting the current
Peace and Truce of God movements initiated by
Pope and
Church. He founded
Maillezais Abbey (1010) and
Bourgueil Abbey. He rebuilt the cathedral and many other religious structures in Poitiers after a fire. He travelled widely in Europe, annually visiting
Rome or
Spain as a pilgrim. Everywhere he was greeted with royal pomp. His court was of an international flavour, receiving ambassadors from the
Emperor Henry II,
Alfonso V of León,
Canute the Great, and even his suzerain, Robert of France.
In 1024–1025, an embassy from
Italy, sent by
Ulric Manfred II of Turin, came to France seeking a king of their own, the Henry II having died. The Italians asked for Robert's son
Hugh Magnus, co-king of France, but Robert refused to allow his son to go and the Italians turned to William, whose character and court impressed many. He set out for Italy to consider the proposal, but the Italian political situation convinced him to renounce the crown for him and his heirs. Most of his surviving six letters deal with the Italian proposal.
His reign ended in peace and he died on the last (or second to last) day of January 1030 at Maillezais, which he founded and where he is buried.
The principal source of his reign is the
panegyric of
Adhemar of Chabannes.
Family
He was married at least 3 times. His first wife was Adalemode of Limoges, widow of
Adalbert I of La Marche. They had one son:
1. William, his successor
His second wife was Sancha of Gascony
[1] (or Brisa/Prisca), daughter of Duke
William II Sánchez of Gascony and sister of Duke
Sancho VI William. She was dead by 1018. They had two sons and a daughter:
1. Odo, later duke also
2. Adalais, married Count
Guiraut I Trancaleon of Armagnac 3. Theobald, died young
His third wife was
Agnes of Burgundy, daughter of
Otto-William, Duke of Burgundy. Her second husband was
Geoffrey II of Anjou. They had two sons and a daughter also:
1. Peter William, later duke as William VII
2. Guy Geoffrey, later duke as William VIII
3. Agnes (or Ala), married
Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor (1043)