The Jabali ManuscriptIst Revision © August 18, 2011

Merovech Codis, Book One“Omowale to Eithrail”Generation No. 1

1. Kevin Michael Connor (Omowale Jabali), born December 04, 1957. He was the son of 2. Johnny B. Connor and 3. Leodious Elizabeth Morney.

Generation No. 2

2. Johnny B. Connor, born February 14, 1935 in Vado, New Mexico, Dona Ana County; died May 29, 1990 in Los Angeles, California. He was the son of 4. John B. Connor, Sr. and 5. Ora Lee Clipper. He married 3. Leodious Elizabeth Morney.

3. Leodious Elizabeth Morney, born 1934 in Los Angeles, California; died 2004 in Los Angeles, California.

Children of Johnny Connor and Leodious Morney are:

1 i. Kevin Michael Connor (Omowale Jabali), born December 04, 1957.

ii. Kevita Marie Connor, born September 15, 1959.

Generation No. 3

4. John B. Connor, Sr., born October 08, 1914 in Postelle, Arkansas; died 1975 in Los Angeles, California. He married 5. Ora Lee Clipper.

5. Ora Lee Clipper, born October 30, 1916 in Boley Oklahoma, Okfuskee County; died April 27, 1990 in Los Angeles, California. She was the daughter of 10. James Robert Clipper and 11. Hattie Ross.

Child of John Connor and Ora Clipper is:

2 i. Johnny B. Connor, born February 14, 1935 in Vado, New Mexico, Dona Ana County; died May 29, 1990 in

Los Angeles, California; married Leodious Elizabeth Morney

Generation No. 4

10. James Robert Clipper, born September 16, 1872 in Georgianna, Butler County, Alabama; died June 16, 1939 in Wasco, California. He was the son of 20. Duncan Clipper and 21. Julia Ann May. He married 11. Hattie Ross.

11. Hattie Ross, born September 11, 1874 in Kaufman, Texas; died February 03, 1956 in Wasco, California.

Child of James Clipper and Hattie Ross is:

5 i. Ora Lee Clipper, born October 30, 1916 in Boley Oklahoma, Okfuskee County; died April 27, 1990 in Los

Angeles, California; married John B. Connor, Sr.

Generation No. 5

20. Duncan Clipper, born 1847 in Butler County, Alabama; died Bet. 1910 - 1920 in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma. He married 21. Julia Ann May.

21. Julia Ann May, born April 12, 1849 in Fayette County, Georgia; died February 20, 1926 in Vado, New Mexico, Dona Ana County. She was the daughter of 42. Drury B. May and 43. Louisa Lightfoot May.

Child of Duncan Clipper and Julia May is:

10 i. James Robert Clipper, born September 16, 1872 in Georgianna, Butler County, Alabama; died June 16, 1939

in Wasco, California; married Hattie Ross

Generation No. 6

42. Drury B. May, born 1817 in Pulaski County, Georgia. He was the son of 84. Drury May and 85. Anna Moses. He married 43. Louisa Lightfoot May.

43. Louisa Lightfoot May, born 1830 in Virginia.

Child of Drury May and Louisa May is:

21 i. Julia Ann May, born April 12, 1849 in Fayette County, Georgia; died February 20, 1926 in Vado, New

Mexico, Dona Ana County; married Duncan Clipper

Generation No. 7

84. Drury May, born 1780 in North Carolina; died 1844 in Fayetteville, Georgia. He was the son of 168. James May and 169. Lydia Bishop. He married 85. Anna Moses.

85. Anna Moses, born 1781.

Child of Drury May and Anna Moses is:

42 i. Drury B. May, born 1817 in Pulaski County, Georgia; married Louisa Lightfoot May

Generation No. 8

168. James May, born 1735 in North Carolina; died 1789 in Wilkes County, Georgia. He was the son of 336. John Sr. May and 337. Jane Williams. He married 169. Lydia Bishop.

169. Lydia Bishop, born 1750 in North Carolina; died 1827 in Greene County, Alabama.

Child of James May and Lydia Bishop is:

84 i. Drury May, born 1780 in North Carolina; died 1844 in Fayetteville, Georgia; married Anna Moses

Generation No. 9

336. John Sr. May, born 1710 in Virginia; died 1785 in Richmond County, Georgia. He was the son of 672. Mattox May and 673. Dorcus Abney. He married 337. Jane Williams.

337. Jane Williams, born 1716 in Virginia.

Child of John May and Jane Williams is:

168 i. James May, born 1735 in North Carolina; died 1789 in Wilkes County, Georgia; married Lydia Bishop

Generation No. 10

672. Mattox May, born 1684 in Richmond County, Georgia; died 1758. He was the son of 1344. Henry May. He married 673. Dorcus Abney.

673. Dorcus Abney, born 1688 in Richmond County, Georgia.

Child of Mattox May and Dorcus Abney is:

336 i. John Sr. May, born 1710 in Virginia; died 1785 in Richmond County, Georgia; married Jane Williams

Generation No. 11

1344. Henry May, born 1645. He was the son of 2688. John Mease May and 2689. Elizabeth Newcomb.

Child of Henry May is:

672 i. Mattox May, born 1684 in Richmond County, Georgia; died 1758; married Dorcus Abney

Generation No. 12

2688. John Mease May, born 1615 in Prince William County, Virginia; died in Prince William County, Virginia. He was the son of 5376. Rev. William Mease May and 5377. Elizabeth Partridge. He married 2689. Elizabeth Newcomb.

2689. Elizabeth Newcomb, born 1619 in Henrico County, Virginia; died 1719.

Child of John May and Elizabeth Newcomb is:

1344 i. Henry May, born 1645.

Generation No. 13

5376. Rev. William Mease May, born 1574 in England; died 1650 in Henrico County, Virginia. He married 5377. Elizabeth Partridge.

5377. Elizabeth Partridge, born October 22, 1576 in Swimbridge, Devonshire, England. She was the daughter of 10754. Bartholomew Partridge and 10755. Parnell Green.

Child of Rev. May and Elizabeth Partridge is:

2688 i. John Mease May, born 1615 in Prince William County, Virginia; died in Prince William County, Virginia;

married Elizabeth Newcomb

Generation No. 14

10754. Bartholomew Partridge, born 1545 in Essex, England; died 1581 in Essex, England. He married 10755. Parnell Green.

10755. Parnell Green, born September 15, 1545 in Essex, England; died 1580 in Essex, England. She was the daughter of 21510. John Greene and 21511. Katherine Wright.

Child of Bartholomew Partridge and Parnell Green is:

5377 i. Elizabeth Partridge, born October 22, 1576 in Swimbridge, Devonshire, England; married Rev. William

Mease May

Generation No. 15

21510. John Greene, born 1506 in England; died November 1595 in England. He was the son of 43020. John Greene and 43021. Elizabeth. He married 21511. Katherine Wright.

21511. Katherine Wright, born 1524 in England; died January 01, 1595/96 in England.

Child of John Greene and Katherine Wright is:

10755 i. Parnell Green, born September 15, 1545 in Essex, England; died 1580 in Essex, England; married

Bartholomew Partridge

Generation No. 16

43020. John Greene, born 1470 in England; died 1520 in England. He was the son of 86040. John De Greene and 86041. Edith Latimer. He married 43021. Elizabeth.

43021. Elizabeth, born 1475 in England.

Child of John Greene and Elizabeth is:

21510 i. John Greene, born 1506 in England; died November 1595 in England; married Katherine Wright

Generation No. 17

86040. John De Greene, born 1445 in England; died 1483 in England. He was the son of 172080. Thomas Greene and 172081. Matilda Throgmorton. He married 86041. Edith Latimer.

86041. Edith Latimer, born 1450 in England; died 1504 in England.

Child of John De Greene and Edith Latimer is:

43020 i. John Greene, born 1470 in England; died 1520 in England; married Elizabeth

Generation No. 18

172080. Thomas Greene, born 1421 in England; died 1462 in England. He was the son of 344160. Thomas Greene and 344161. Phillippa De Ferrers. He married 172081. Matilda Throgmorton.

172081. Matilda Throgmorton, born 1425 in England; died 1496 in England.

Child of Thomas Greene and Matilda Throgmorton is:

86040 i. John De Greene, born 1445 in England; died 1483 in England; married Edith Latimer

Generation No. 19

344160. Thomas Greene, born February 10, 1399/00. He married 344161. Phillippa De Ferrers. 344161. Phillippa De Ferrers, born 1393; died 1458. She was the daughter of 688322. Robert De Ferrers and 688323. Margaret De Spencer.

Child of Thomas Greene and Phillippa De Ferrers is:

172080 i. Thomas Greene, born 1421 in England; died 1462 in England; married Matilda Throgmorton

Generation No. 20

688322. Robert De Ferrers, born October 31, 1357; died March 13, 1412/13. He was the son of 1376644. John De Ferrers and 1376645. Elizabeth Stafford. He married 688323. Margaret De Spencer.

688323. Margaret De Spencer, born 1365; died November 03, 1415.

Child of Robert De Ferrers and Margaret De Spencer is:

344161 i. Phillippa De Ferrers, born 1393; died 1458; married Thomas Greene

Generation No. 21

1376644. John De Ferrers, born August 10, 1331; died April 03, 1367. He married 1376645. Elizabeth Stafford.

1376645. Elizabeth Stafford, born 1337; died August 07, 1375. She was the daughter of 2753290. Ralph De Stafford and 2753291. Margaret De Audley.

Child of John De Ferrers and Elizabeth Stafford is:

688322 i. Robert De Ferrers, born October 31, 1357; died March 13, 1412/13; married Margaret De Spencer

Generation No. 22

2753290. Ralph De Stafford, born September 24, 1301; died August 21, 1372. He was the son of 5506580. Edmund de Stafford and 5506581. Margaret Basset. He married 2753291. Margaret De Audley.

2753291. Margaret De Audley, born 1325; died September 07, 1347. She was the daughter of 5506582. Hugh De Audley and 5506583. Margaret De Clare.

Notes for Margaret De Audley: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Margaret de Audley, suo jure 2nd Baroness Audley and Countess of Stafford (1318[citation needed] – between 1347 and 1351[1]) was an English noblewoman. She was the only daughter of Hugh de Audley, 1st Earl of Gloucester by his wife Lady Margaret de Clare.[2] Her mother was the daughter of Joan of Acre, Princess of England; thus making Margaret a great-granddaughter of King Edward I by his first consort, Eleanor of Castile. As the only daughter and heiress of her father, she succeeded to the title of 2nd Baroness Audley [E., 1317] on 10 November 1347. [1]

Marriage and issue Margaret was abducted by her future husband, Ralph de Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford. Her worth was at least £2314 a year, which was more than ten times Stafford's own estates. After the abduction, her parents filed a complaint with King Edward III, but the King supported Stafford's actions. In compensation, the King appeased Hugh and Margaret by creating Hugh the 1st Earl of Gloucester. Margaret de Audley and Stafford married before 6 July 1336 and they subsequently had two sons and four daughters:

Sir Ralph de Stafford (d. 1347), married Maud of Lancaster, daughter of Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster and Isabel de Beaumont in 1344.[3] Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford, born circa 1336 in Staffordshire, England, married Philippa de Beauchamp; they were the ancestors of the Dukes of Buckingham (1444 creation).[3]

Elizabeth de Stafford, born circa 1340 in Staffordshire, England, died 7 August 1376, married firstly Fulk le Strange; [3] married secondly, John de Ferrers, 3rd Baron Ferrers of Chartley; married thirdly Reginald de Cobham, 2nd Baron Cobham. [4] Beatrice de Stafford, born circa 1341 in Staffordshire, England, died 1415, married firstly, in 1350, Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Earl of Desmond (d. June 1358); married secondly, Thomas de Ros, 5th Baron de Ros, of Helmsley; married thirdly Sir Richard Burley, Knt.[3] Joan de Stafford, born in 1344 in Staffordshire, England, died 1397, married firstly, John Charleton, 3rd Baron Cherleton;[3] married secondly Gilbert Talbot, 3rd Baron Talbot.[5] Katherine de Stafford, born circa 1348 in Staffordshire, England and died in December 1361. Married on 25 December 1357 Sir John de Sutton III (1339 – c. 1370 or 1376), Knight, Master of Dudley Castle, Staffordshire. They were parents of Sir John de Sutton IV, hence grandparents of Sir John de Sutton V. [6]

References 1.^ a b G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume I, page 346. 2. ^ The Peerage http://thepeerage.com/p987.htm Accessed 01 November 2009. 3. ^ a b c d e A general and heraldic dictionary of the peerages of England, Ireland and Scotland, extinct, dormant and in abeyance by John Burke. Publisher Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, 1831. pg 488. From Google books, checked 30 March 2011. 4.^ G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom,

Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume III, page 353. 5.^ G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume III, page 161. 6. ^ Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 1191.

Child of Ralph De Stafford and Margaret De Audley is:

1376645 i. Elizabeth Stafford, born 1337; died August 07, 1375; married John De Ferrers

Generation No. 23

5506580. Edmund de Stafford, born 1273; died 1308. He married 5506581. Margaret Basset. 5506581. Margaret Basset, born 1278; died 1336. She was the daughter of 11013162. Ralph Basset and 11013163. Joan de Grey.

Child of Edmund de Stafford and Margaret Basset is:

2753290 i. Ralph De Stafford, born September 24, 1301; died August 21, 1372; married Margaret De Audley

5506582. Hugh De Audley, born 1289; died November 10, 1347. He was the son of 11013164. Hugh I de Audley. He married 5506583. Margaret De Clare.

5506583. Margaret De Clare, born 1292; died April 09, 1342. She was the daughter of 11013166. Gilbert De Clare and 11013167. Joan de Acre Plantagenet.

Notes for Hugh De Audley: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Hugh II de Audley, 1st Baron Audley and 1st Earl of Gloucester (1289 – 10 November 1347) was the English Ambassador to France in 1341.

His father, Hugh I de Audley (ca. 1250 – ca. 1336), was born in Audley in the English County of Staffordshire, the son of James of Audley (born c. 1225 in Audley, Staffordshire) and Ela Longspee (daughter of William II Longespee), and his great great grandfather was therefore Henry II, King of England.

Hugh II married Isolde de Mortimer, who was born c. 1290 in Wigmore, Herefordshire to Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Baron Mortimer, a member of the Mortimer family of Marcher Lords, many of whom were Earl of March. They had two children in addition to Hugh de Audley; John de Aldithley (Audley), born circa 1293, and Alice de Audley, born circa 1304 and married firstly Ralph de Greystoke, 3rd Baron Greystoke, and later, Ralph de Neville, a member of the Neville family.

Life Hugh de Audley was born in Stratton Audley in the English County of Oxfordshire. He married Margaret de Clare, widow of Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall), who was (favourite, and possibly lover, of King Edward II of England). They had a daughter, Margaret de Audley (born c. 1318 in Stafford), who was abducted as a wife by Ralph Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford.

He served as High Sheriff of Rutland from 1316 to 1324 and again from 1327 to 1349. [1]

Following his death, de Audley was buried in Tonbridge Priory. [2]

Notes for Margaret De Clare:

[Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Margaret de Clare, Countess of Cornwall, Countess of Gloucester (October 1293 – April 1342), was an English noblewoman, heiress, and the second eldest of the three daughters of Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford and his wife, Joan of Acre, making her a granddaughter of King Edward I of England. Her two husbands were Piers Gaveston and Hugh de Audley, 1st Earl of Gloucester.

Following the death of their brother, Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Hertford, at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Margaret and her sisters, Elizabeth and Eleanor de Clare received a share of the inheritance. Margaret was now one of the co-heiresses to the vast Gloucester estate, and King Edward arranged a second marriage for her to another favourite, Hugh de Audley, 1st Earl of Gloucester. She was High Sheriff of Rutland from 1313 to 1319. [1]

On April 28, 1317 Margaret de Clare wed Hugh de Audley, 1st Earl of Gloucester at Windsor Castle. They had one daughter:

1. Margaret de Audley, born between January 1318 and November 1322.

Hugh and Margaret were among the victims of their brother-in-law, Hugh the younger Despenser. In his rashness and greed for the Clare lands, he robbed Margaret of much of her rightful inheritance. In 1321, Hugh de Audley joined the other Marcher Barons in looting, burning, and causing general devastation to Despenser's lands which subsequently became the Despenser War.

Hugh was captured at the Battle of Boroughbridge in 1322, and was saved from a hanging thanks to the pleas of his wife. He was imprisoned, and two months later Margaret was sent to Sempringham priory. She remained there until 1326, when Hugh escaped prison and she was released from Sempringham.

In the meantime, her daughter Joan Gaveston had been sent to Amesbury Priory. A marriage was arranged for Joan with the son of Thomas Multon, but the girl died in early 1325

Hugh and Margaret were reunited sometime in 1326. In summer 1336, their only daughter, Margaret Audley, was abducted by Ralph Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford. Her parents filed a complaint, but King Edward III of England supported Stafford. He appeased Hugh and Margaret by creating Hugh Earl of Gloucester. Margaret was henceforth styled Countess of Gloucester.

Margaret died in April 1342 and her sister Elizabeth de Clare paid for prayers to be said for her soul at Tonbridge Priory, where she was buried. [2]

References 1. ^ "The history of the worthies of England, Volume 3 By Thomas Fuller". http://books.google.com/books?id=8TTnrToliwUC&pg=PA37&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 2011-07-13. 2. ^ "From Favourite To Rebel: The Career of Hugh Audley". Edwardthesecond.com. http://edwardthesecond.com/menofedwardsreign/hughaudley.html. Retrieved 16 October 2010.

Child of Hugh De Audley and Margaret De Clare is:

2753291 i. Margaret De Audley, born 1325; died September 07, 1347; married Ralph De Stafford

Generation No. 24

11013162. Ralph Basset, born 1305. He married 11013163. Joan de Grey. 11013163. Joan de Grey, born 1283. She was the daughter of 22026326. John de Grey and 22026327. Anne de Ferrers.

Child of Ralph Basset and Joan de Grey is:

5506581 i. Margaret Basset, born 1278; died 1336; married Edmund de Stafford

11013164. Hugh I de Audley, born 1250; died 1336. He was the son of 22026328. James of Audley and 22026329. Ela Longspee.

Child of Hugh I de Audley is:

5506582 i. Hugh De Audley, born 1289; died November 10, 1347; married Margaret De Clare

11013166. Gilbert De Clare, born September 02, 1243; died December 07, 1295. He was the son of 22026332. Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester and 22026333. Maud de Lacy. He married 11013167. Joan de Acre Plantagenet.

11013167. Joan de Acre Plantagenet, born 1272; died April 23, 1307. She was the daughter of 22026334. Edward of England Plantagenet and 22026335. Eleanor of Castile and Leon.

Notes for Gilbert De Clare: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford, 7th Earl of Gloucester (2 September 1243 – 7 December 1295) was a powerful English noble. Also known as "Red" Gilbert de Clare, probably because of his hair colour.

Gilbert de Clare was born at Christchurch, Hampshire, the son of Richard de Clare, Earl of Hertford and Gloucester, and of Maud de Lacy, Countess of Lincoln, daughter of John de Lacy and Margaret de Quincy. Gilbert inherited his father's estates in 1262. He took on the titles, including Lord of Glamorgan, from 1263.

Being under age at his father's death, he was made a ward of Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford.

Massacre of the Jews at Canterbury In April 1264, Gilbert de Clare led the massacre of the Jews at Canterbury, [1] as Simon de Montfort had done in Leicester.

Gilbert de Clare‘s castles of Kingston and Tonbridge were taken by the King, Henry III. However, the King allowed de Clare's Countess Alice de Lusignan, who was in the latter, to go free because she was his niece; but on 12 May de Clare and de Montfort were denounced as traitors.

The Battle of Lewes Two days later, just before the Battle of Lewes, on 14 May, Simon de Montfort knighted the Earl and his brother Thomas. The Earl commanded the central division of the Baronial army, which formed up on the Downs west of Lewes. When Prince Edward had left the field in pursuit of Montfort's routed left wing, the King and Earl of Cornwall were thrown back to the town. Henry took refuge in the Priory of St Pancras, and Gilbert accepted the surrender of the Earl of Cornwall, who had hidden in a windmill. Montfort and the Earl were now supreme and de Montfort in effect de facto King of England.

Excommunication On 20 October 1264, Gilbert and his associates were excommunicated by Pope Clement IV, and his lands placed under an interdict.

In the following month, by which time they had obtained possession of Gloucester and Bristol, the Earl was proclaimed to be a rebel. However at this point he changed sides as he fell out with de Montfort and the Earl, in order to prevent de Montfort's escape, destroyed ships at the port of Bristol and the bridge over the River Severn at Gloucester.

Having changed sides, de Clare shared the Prince's victory at Kenilworth on 16 July, and in the Battle of Evesham, 4 August, in which de Montfort was slain, he commanded the second division and contributed largely to the victory.

On 24 June 1268 he took the Cross at Northampton in repentance and contrition for his past misdeeds.

Activities as a Marcher Lord In October 1265, as a reward for supporting Prince Edward, Gilbert was given the

castle and title of Abergavenny and honour and castle of Brecknock.

At Michaelmas his disputes with Llewelyn the Last were submitted to arbitration, but without a final settlement. Meanwhile he was building Caerphilly Castle into a fortress. At the end of the year 1268 he refused to obey the King's summons to attend parliament, alleging that, owing to the constant inroads of Llewelyn the Last, his Welsh estates needed his presence for their defence.

At the death of Henry III, 16 November 1272, the Earl took the lead in swearing fealty to Edward I, who was then in Sicily on his return from the Crusade. The next day, with the Archbishop of York, he entered London and proclaimed peace to all, Christians and Jews, and for the first time, secured the acknowledgment of the right of the King's eldest son to succeed to the throne immediately.

Thereafter he was joint Guardian of England, during the King's absence, and on the new King's arrival in England, in August 1274, entertained him at Tonbridge Castle.

The Welsh war in 1282During Edward's invasion of Wales in 1282, de Clare insisted on leading an attack into southern Wales. King Edward made de Clare the commander of the southern army invading Wales. However, de Clare's army faced disaster after being heavily defeated at the Battle of Llandeilo Fawr. Following this defeat, de Clare was relieved of his position as the southern commander and was replaced by William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke (whose son had died during the battle).

Private Marcher War In the next year, 1291, he quarreled with the Earl of Hereford, Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford, grandson of his onetime guardian, about the Lordship of Brecknock, where de Bohun accused de Clare of building a castle on his land culminated in a private war between them. Although it was a given right for Marcher Lords to wage private war the King tested this right in this case, first calling them before a court of their Marcher peers, then realizing the outcome would be colored by their likely avoidance of prejudicing one of their greatest rights they were both called before the superior court, the Kings own. At this both were imprisoned by the King, both sentenced to having their lands forfeit for life and de Clare, the Earl of Gloucester, as the aggressor, was fined 10,000 marks, and the Earl of Hereford 1,000 marks.

They were released almost immediately and both of their lands completely restored to them - however they had both been taught a very public lesson and their prestige diminished and the King's authority shown for all.

Death and burial He died at Monmouth Castle on 7 December 1295, and was buried at Tewkesbury Abbey, on the left side of his grandfather Gilbert de Clare.

His extensive lands were enjoyed by his surviving wife Joan of Acre until her death in 1307. Gilbert and Joan had a descendant named Ursula Hildyard of Yorkshire, who in 1596 married (Sir) Richard Jackson of Killingwoldgraves, near Beverley in the East Riding. Jackson died in 1610 and was interred at Bishop Burton. In 1613, James posthumously awarded a coat of arms and a knighthood to Richard for meritorious military service in the Lowlands of Scotland.

Marriage and succession Gilbert's first marriage was to Alice de Lusignan, also known as Alice de Valence, the daughter of Hugh XI of Lusignan and of the family that succeeded the Marshal family to the title of the Earl of Pembroke in the person of William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke. They married in 1253, when Gilbert was ten years old. She was of high birth, being a niece of King Henry, but the marriage floundered.

Gilbert and Alice separated in 1267; allegedly, Alice's affections lay with her cousin, Prince Edward. Previous to this, Gilbert and Alice had produced two daughters:

1.Isabella de Clare (10 March 1262-1333), after a marriage with Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick having been contemplated, or possibly having taken place and then annulled, married Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley

2. Joan de Clare (1264-after 1302), married (1) Duncan Mac duff, 7th Earl of Fife; (2) Gervase Avenel After his marriage to Alice de Lusignan was annulled in 1285, Gilbert was to be married to Joan of Acre, a daughter of King Edward I of England and his first wife Eleanor of Castile. King Edward sought to bind de Clare, and his assets, more closely to the Crown by this means. By the provisions of the marriage contract, their joint possessions and de Clare's extensive lands could only be inherited by a direct descendant, i.e. close to the Crown, and if the marriage proved childless, the lands would pass to any children Joan may have by further marriage.

On 3 July 1290, the Earl gave a great banquet at Clerkenwell to celebrate his marriage of 30 April 1290 with Joan of Acre (1272 - 23 April 1307) after waiting for the Pope to sanction the marriage. Edward then gave large estates to Gilbert, including one in Malvern. Disputed hunting rights on these led to several armed conflicts with Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford that Edward resolved. [2] Gilbert made gifts to the Priory, and also had a "great conflict" about hunting rights and a ditch that he dug, with Thomas de Cantilupe, Bishop of Hereford, that was settled by costly litigation.[3] Gilbert had a similar conflict with Godfrey Giffard, Bishop and Administrator of Worcester Cathedral (and formerly Chancellor of England. Godfrey, who had granted land to the Priory, had jurisdictional disputes about Malvern Priory, resolved by Robert Burnell, the current Chancellor. [4]

Thereafter, Gilbert and Joan are said to have taken the Cross and set out for the Holy Land. In September, he signed the Barons' letter to the Pope, and on 2 November, surrendered to the King, his claim to the advowson of the Bishopric of Llandaff.

Gilbert and Joan had one son: also Gilbert, and three daughters: Eleanor, Margaret and Elizabeth. Gilbert, Earl of Hertford and Gloucester (1291–1314) succeeded to his father's titles and was killed at the Battle of Bannockburn. Eleanor de Clare (1292–1337) married Hugh Despenser the Younger, favourite of her uncle Edward II. Hugh was executed in 1326, and Eleanor married secondly William de la Zouche. Margaret de Clare (1293–1342) married firstly Piers Gaveston (executed in 1312) and then Hugh de Audley. The youngest sister Elizabeth de Clare (1295–1360) married John de Burgh in 1308 at Waltham Abbey, then Theobald of Verdun in 1316, and finally Roger d'Amory in 1317. Each marriage was brief, produced one child (a son by the 1st, daughters by the 2nd and 3rd), and left Elizabeth a widow.

Notes for Joan de Acre Plantagenet: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Joan of Acre (April 1272 – 23 April 1307) was an English princess, a daughter of the King Edward I of England and queen Eleanor of Castile.[2] The name "Acre" derives from her birthplace in the Holy Land while her parents were on a crusade.

She was married twice; her first husband was Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester, one of the most powerful nobles in her father's kingdom; her second husband was Ralph de Monthermer, a squire in her household whom she married in secrecy.

Joan is most notable for the claim that miracles have allegedly taken place at her grave, and for the multiple references of her in literature

Joan (or Joanna, as she is sometimes called) of Acre was born in the spring of 1272 in Syria, while her parents, Edward I and Eleanor of Castile, were on crusade.[3] At the time of Joan's birth, her grandfather, Henry III, was still alive and thus her father was not yet king of England. Her parents departed from Acre shortly after her birth, traveling to Sicily and Spain [4] before leaving Joan with Eleanor's mother, Joan, Countess of Ponthieu, in France. [5] Joan lived for several years in France where she spent her time being educated by a bishop and ―being thoroughly spoiled by an indulgent grandmother.‖[6] Joan was free to play among the ―vine clad hills and sunny vales‖ [7] surrounding her grandmother‘s home, although she required ―judicious surveillance.‖[8]

As Joan was growing up with her grandmother, her father was back in England, already arranging marriages for his daughter. He hoped to gain both political power and more wealth with his daughter's marriage, so he conducted the arrangement in a very ―business like style‖. [9] He finally found a man suitable to marry Joan (aged 5 at the time),

Hartman, son of King Rudolph I, of Germany. Edward then brought her home from France for the first time to meet him.[10] As she had spent her entire life away from Edward and Eleanor, when she returned she ―stood in no awe of her parents‖[6] and had a fairly distanced relationship with them.

Unfortunately for King Edward, his daughter‘s suitor died before he was able to meet or marry Joan. The news reported that Hartman had fallen through a patch of shallow ice while ―amusing himself in skating‖ while a letter sent to the King himself stated that Hartman had set out on a boat to visit his father amidst a terrible fog and the boat had smashed into a rock, drowning him.[11]

Edward arranged a second marriage almost immediately after the death of Hartman.[12] Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, who was almost thirty years older than Joan and newly divorced, was his first choice.[13] The earl resigned his lands to Edward upon agreeing to get them back when he married Joan, as well as agreed on a dower of two thousand silver marks.[14] By the time all of these negotiations were finished, Joan was twelve years old.[14] Gilbert de Clare became very enamored with Joan, and even though she had to marry him regardless of how she felt, he still tried to woo her.[15] He bought her expensive gifts and clothing to try to win favor with her.[16] The couple were married on 30 April 1290 at Westminster Abbey, and had four children together.[17] They were:

1. Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Hertford 2. Eleanor de Clare 3. Margaret de Clare 4. Elizabeth de Clare Joan's first husband, Gilbert de Clare died on 7 December 1295. [18]

Joan had been a widow for only a little over a year when she caught the eye of Ralph de Monthermer, a squire in Joan‘s father‘s household. [19] Joan fell in love and convinced her father to have Monthermer knighted. It was unheard of in European royalty for a noble lady to even converse with a man who had not won or acquired importance in the household. However, in January 1297 Joan secretly married [20] Ralph. Joan's father was already planning another marriage for Joan to Amadeus V, Count of Savoy, [20] to occur 16 March 1297. Joan was in a dangerous predicament, as she was already married, unbeknownst to her father.

Joan sent her four young children to their grandfather, in hopes that their sweetness would win Edward's favor, but her plan did not work. [21] The king soon discovered his daughter's intentions, but not yet aware that she had already committed to them,[18] he seized Joan‘s lands and continued to arrange her marriage to Amadeus of Savoy.[17] Soon after the seizure of her lands, Joan told her father of that she had married Ralph. The king was enraged and retaliated by immediately imprisoning Monthermer at Bristol Castle. [17] The people of the land had differing opinions on the princess‘ matter. It has been argued that the ones who were most upset were those who wanted Joan‘s hand in marriage. [22]

With regard to the matter, Joan famously said, ―It is not considered ignominious, nor disgraceful for a great earl to take a poor and mean woman to wife; neither, on the other hand, is it worthy of blame, or too difficult a thing for a countess to promote to honor a gallant youth.‖[23] Joan's statement in addition to a possibly obvious pregnancy seemed to soften Edward‘s attitude towards the situation. [22] Joan's first child by Monthermer was born in October 1297; by the summer of 1297, when the marriage was revealed to Edward I, Joan's condition would certainly have been apparent, and would have convinced Edward that he had no choice but to recognize his daughter's marriage. Edward I eventually relented for the sake of his daughter and released Monthermer from prison in August 1297. [17] Monthermer paid homage 2 August, and being granted the titles of Earl of Gloucester and Earl of Hertford, he rose to favor with the King during Joan's lifetime. [24]

Monthermer and Joan had four children:

1. Mary de Monthermer, born October 1297. In 1306 her grandfather King Edward I arranged for her to wed Duncan Mac duff, 8th Earl of Fife. 2. Joan de Monthermer, born 1299, became a nun at Amesbury. 3. Thomas de Monthermer, 2nd Baron Monthermer, born 1301. 4. Edward de Monthermer, born 1304 and died 1339.

Joan of Acre was the seventh of Edward I and Eleanor‘s fourteen children. Most of her older siblings died before the age of seven, and many of her younger siblings died before adulthood.[25] Those who survived to adulthood were Joan, her younger brother, Edward of Caernarfon (later Edward II), and four of her sisters: Eleanor, Margaret, Mary, and Elizabeth.[26]

Joan, like her siblings, was raised outside her parents' household. She lived with her grandmother in Ponthieu for four years, and was then confided to the same caregivers who looked after her siblings. [27] Edward I did not have a close relationship with most of his children while they were growing up, yet ―he seemed fonder of his daughters than his sons.‖[26]

However, Joan of Acre‘s independent nature caused numerous conflicts with her father. Her father disapproved of her leaving court after her marriage to the Earl of Gloucester, and in turn ―seized seven robes that had been made for her.‖[28] He also strongly disapproved of her second marriage to Ralph de Monthermer, a squire in her household, even to the point of attempting to force her to marry someone else. [28][29] While Edward ultimately developed a cordial relationship with Monthermer, even giving him the title of Earl, [28] there appears to have been a notable difference in the Edward‘s treatment of Joan as compared to the treatment of the rest of her siblings. For instance, her father famously paid messengers substantially when they brought news of the birth of grandchildren, but did not do this upon birth of Joan‘s daughter. [30]

In terms of her siblings, Joan kept a fairly tight bond. She and Monthermer both maintained a close relationship with her brother, Edward II, which was maintained through letters. After Edward II became estranged from his parents and lost his royal seal, ―Joan offered to lend him her seal‖. [31]

Joan of Acre died on 23 April 1307, at the manor of Clare in Suffolk. [24] The cause of her death remains unclear, though one popular theory is that she died during childbirth, a common cause of death at the time. While Joan's age in 1307 (about 35) and the chronology of her earlier pregnancies with Ralph de Monthermer suggest that this could well be the case, historians have not confirmed the cause of her death. [32]

Less than four months after her death, Joan‘s father, Edward I died. Joan's widower, Ralph de Monthermer, lost the title of Earl of Gloucester soon after the deaths of his wife and father in law. The earldom of Gloucester was given to Joan‘s son from her first marriage, Gilbert, who was its rightful holder. Monthermer continued to hold a nominal earldom in Scotland that had been conferred on him by Edward I until his death.

Joan‘s burial place has been the cause of some interest and debate. She is interred in the Augustinian priory at Clare, which had been founded by her first husband's ancestors and where many of them were also buried. Allegedly, in 1357, Joan‘s daughter, Elizabeth De Burgh, claimed to have ―inspected her mother's body and found the corpse to be intact,‖ [32] which in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church is an indication of sanctity. This claim was only recorded in a fifteenth-century chronicle, however, and its details are uncertain, especially the statement that her corpse was in such a state of preservation that "when her paps (breasts) were pressed with hands, they rose up again." Some sources further claim that miracles took place at Joan's tomb, [32] but no cause for her beatification or canonization has ever been introduced.

Joan in fiction Joan of Acre makes an appearance in Virginia Henley's historical romance, entitled Infamous. In the book, Joan, known as Joanna, is described as a promiscuous young princess, vain, shallow and spoiled. In the novel she is only given one daughter, when she historically has eight children. There is no evidence that supports this picture of Joan. [33]

In The Love Knot by Vanessa Alexander, Edward the II‘s sister, Joan of Acre is an important heroine. The author portrays a completely different view of the princess than the one in Henley‘s novel. The Love Knot tells the story of the love affair between Ralph de Monthermer and Joan of Acre through the discovery of a series of letters the two had written to each other. [34]

Between historians and novelists, Joan has appeared in various texts as either an independent and spirited woman or a spoiled brat. In Lives of the Princesses of England by Mary Anne Everett Green, Joan is portrayed as a ―giddy princess‖ and neglectful mother. [35] Many have agreed to this characterization; however, some authors think there

is little evidence to support the assumption that Joan of Acre was a neglectful or uncaring mother. [36]

References Costain, Thomas. A History of the Plantagenets, Vol. III. Green, Mary Anna Everett. Lives of the Princesses of England. London: Henry Colburn, 1850. Higginbotham, Susan. "Joan of Acre and Ralph de Monthermer: A Medieval Love Story." Susan Higginbotham. 2 Mar. 2009 <http://www.susanhigginbotham.com> Stephen, Leslie (ed.) and Sir Sidney Lee (ed.). "Joan or Joanna of Acre, Countess." The Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. X. London: Oxford UP, pp. 626–627. Parsons, John Carmi. Eleanor of Castile. New York: St. Martin‘s Press, 1995. Prestwich, Michael. Edward I. Berkeley: California UP, 1988. Underhill, Frances A. For Her Good Estate, 1999. Weir, Alison. Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy. London: Vintage Books, 2008. ISBN 009953973X

Child of Gilbert De Clare and Joan Plantagenet is:

5506583 i. Margaret De Clare, born 1292; died April 09, 1342; married Hugh De Audley

Generation No. 25

22026326. John de Grey, born 1268; died 1323. He married 22026327. Anne de Ferrers. 22026327. Anne de Ferrers, born 1267. She was the daughter of 44052654. William de Ferrers and 44052655. Joan le Despencer.

Child of John de Grey and Anne de Ferrers is:

11013163 i. Joan de Grey, born 1283; married Ralph Basset

22026328. James of Audley, born 1225. He married 22026329. Ela Longspee. 22026329. Ela Longspee She was the daughter of 44052658. William II Longespée and 44052659. Idoine de Camville.

Child of James Audley and Ela Longspee is:

11013164 i. Hugh I de Audley, born 1250; died 1336.

22026332. Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester, born 1222; died 1262. He married 22026333. Maud de Lacy.

22026333. Maud de Lacy, born 1223; died 1289. She was the daughter of 44052666. John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln.

Notes for Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Richard de Clare, 5th Earl of Hertford, 6th Earl of Gloucester (4 August 1222 – 14 July 1262) was son of Gilbert de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford and Isabel Marshal.[1] On his father's death, when he became Earl of Gloucester (October 1230), he was entrusted first to the guardianship of Hubert de Burgh. On Hubert's fall, his guardianship was given to Peter des Roches (c. October 1232) ; and in 1235 to Gilbert, earl Marshall.[2]

Richard's first marriage to Margaret or Megotta, as she was also called, ended with an annulment or with her death in November 1237. They were both approximately fourteen or fifteen. The marriage of Hubert de Burgh's daughter Margaret to Richard of Clare, the young Earl of Gloucester, brought de Burgh into some trouble in 1236, for the earl was as yet a minor and in the king's wardship, and the marriage had been celebrated without the royal license. Hubert, however, protested that the match was not of his making, and promised to pay the king some money, so the matter passed by for the time.[3]. Even before Margaret died, the Earl of Lincoln offered 5,000 marks to King Henry to secure Richard for his own daughter. This offer was accepted, and Richard was married secondly, on 2 Feb. 1238 to Maud de Lacy, daughter of John de Lacy, 1st Earl of Lincoln [4]

Military career. A year after he came of age, he was in an expedition against the Welsh. Through his mother, he inherited a fifth part of the Marshal estates, including Kilkenny and other lordships in Ireland.[citation needed]

He joined in the Barons' letter to the Pope in 1246 against the exactions of the Curia in England. He was among those in opposition to the King's half-brothers, who in 1247 visited England, where they were very unpopular, but afterwards he was reconciled to them.[5]

On April 1248, he had letters of protection for going overseas on a pilgrimage. At Christmas 1248, he kept his Court with great splendor on the Welsh border. In the next year he went on a pilgrimage to St. Edmund at Pontigny, returning in June. In 1252 he observed Easter at Tewkesbury, and then went across the seas to restore the honor of his brother William, who had been badly worsted in a tournament and had lost all his arms and horses. The Earl is said to have succeeded in recovering all, and to have returned home with great credit, and in September he was present at the Round Table tournament at Walden.[citation needed]

In August 1252/3 the King crossed over to Gascony with his army, and to his great indignation the Earl refused to accompany him and went to Ireland instead. In August 1255 he and John Maunsel were sent to Edinburgh by the King to find out the truth regarding reports which had reached the King that his son-in-law, Alexander, King of Scotland, was being coerced by Robert de Roos and John Baliol. If possible, they were to bring the young King and Queen to him. The Earl and his companion, pretending to be the two of Roos's knights, obtained entry to Edinburgh Castle, and gradually introduced their attendants, so that they had a force sufficient for their defense. They gained access to the Scottish Queen, who made her complaints to them that she and her husband had been kept apart. They threatened Roos with dire punishments, so that he promised to go to the King.[6]

Meanwhile the Scottish magnates, indignant at their castle of Edinburgh's being in English hands, proposed to besiege it, but they desisted when they found they would be besieging their King and Queen. The King of Scotland apparently traveled South with the Earl, for on 24 September they were with King Henry III at Newminster, Northumberland. In July 1258 he fell ill, being poisoned with his brother William, as it was supposed, by his steward, Walter de Scotenay. He recovered but his brother died.[7]

Death and legacy Richard died at John de Griol's manor of Asbenfield in Waltham, near Canterbury, 14 July 1262, it being rumored that he had been poisoned at the table of Piers of Savoy. On the following Monday he was carried to Canterbury where a mass for the dead was sung, after which his body was taken to the canon's church at Tonbridge and interred in the choir. Thence it was taken to Tewkesbury Abbey and buried 28 July 1262, with great solemnity in the presence of two bishops and eight abbots in the presbytery at his father's right hand. Richard's own arms were: Or, three chevronels gules.[8]

Family Richard had no children by his first wife, Margaret or Megotta de Burgh. By his second wife, Maud de Lacy, daughter of the Surety John de Lacy and Margaret de Quincy, he had:

Isabel de Clare, b. ca. 1240, d. 1270, m. William VII of Montferrat. Gilbert de Clare, b. 2 September 1243, d. 7 December 1295, 6th Earl of Hertford, 7th Earl of Gloucester. Thomas de Clare, b. ca. 1245, d. 1287, he seized control of Thomond in 1277; m. Juliana FitzGerald Bogo de Clare, b. ca. 1248, d. 1294. Margaret de Clare, b. ca. 1250, d. 1312, m. Edmund, 2nd Earl of Cornwall Rohese de Clare, b. ca. 1252, m. Roger de Mowbray Eglentina, d. 1257 in infancy. His widow Maud, who had the manor of Clare and the manor and castle of Usk and other lands for her dower, erected a splendid tomb for her late husband at Tewkesbury. She arranged for the marriages of her children. She died before 10 March 1288.[citation needed]

Notes for Maud de Lacy: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Maud de Lacy, (25 January 1223 – 1287/10 March 1289), was an English noblewoman, being the eldest child of John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln, and the wife of Richard de Clare, 5th Earl of Hertford, 6th Earl of Gloucester.

Maud de Lacy had a personality that was described as "highly-competitive and somewhat embittered".[1] She became known as one of the most litigious women in the 13th century[1] as she was involved in numerous litigations and lawsuits with her tenants, neighbors, and relatives, including her own son. Author Linda Elizabeth Mitchell, in her Portraits of Medieval Women: Family, Marriage, and Politics in England 1225-1350', states that Maud's life has received "considerable attention by historians".[2]

Maud was styled Countess of Hertford and Countess of Gloucester upon her marriage to Richard de Clare. Although her mother, Margaret de Quincy, was suo jure Countess of Lincoln, this title never passed to Maud as her mother's heir was Henry de Lacy, the son of Maud's deceased younger brother Edmund de Lacy, Baron of Pontefract.[3]

Her eldest son was Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford, 7th Earl of Gloucester, a powerful noble during the reigns of kings Henry III of England and Edward I.

Maud de Lacy was born on 25 January 1223 in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England, the eldest child of John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln, a Magna Carta Surety, and Margaret de Quincy, 2nd Countess of Lincoln suo jure.

Maud had a younger brother Edmund de Lacy, Baron of Pontefract who married in 1247 Alasia of Saluzzo, by whom he had three children.

Her paternal grandparents were Roger de Lacy, Baron of Pontefract and Maud de Clare, and her maternal grandparents were Robert de Quincy and Hawise of Chester, 1st Countess of Lincoln suo jure.[4]

Maud and her mother, Margaret, were never close; in point of fact, relations between the two women were described as strained.[5] Throughout Maud's marriage, the only interactions between Maud and her mother were quarrels regarding finances, pertaining to the substantial Marshal family property Margaret owned and controlled due to the latter's second marriage on 6 January 1242 to Walter Marshal, 5th Earl of Pembroke almost two years after the death of Maud's father, John de Lacy in 1240.[3] Despite their poor rapport with one another, Maud was, nevertheless, strongly influenced by her mother.[2]

The fact that her mother preferred her grandson, Henry over Maud did not help their relationship; Henry, who was also her mother's ward, was made her heir, and he later succeeded to the earldom of Lincoln.[5]

Marriage to the Earl of Gloucester On 25 January 1238 which was her fifteenth birthday, Maud married Richard de Clare, 5th Earl of Hertford, and 6th Earl of Gloucester, son of Gilbert de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford, 5th Earl of Gloucester, and Isabel Marshal. Maud was his second wife; his first marriage, which was made clandestinely, to Megotta de Burgh, ended in an annulment.[6] Even before the annulment of the Earl's marriage to Megotta, Maud's parents paid King Henry III the enormous sum of 5,000 pounds to obtain[7] his agreement to the marriage. The King supplied her dowry which consisted of the castle of Usk, the manor of Clere, as well as other lands and manors.[7]

Throughout her marriage, Maud's position as the wife of the most politically-significant nobleman of the 13th century was diminished by her mother's control of a third of the Marshal inheritance and her rank as Countess of Lincoln and dowager countess of Pembroke.[8]

Richard being the heir to one-fifth of the Pembroke earldom was also the guarantor of his mother-in-law's dowry.[9]

In about 1249/50, Maud ostensibly agreed to the transfer of the manor of Navesby in Northamptonshire, which had formed the greatest part of her maritagium [marriage portion], to her husband's young niece Isabella and her husband, William de Forz, 4th Earl of Albemarle as part of Isabella's own maritagium.[7] Years later, after the deaths of both women's husbands, Maud sued Isabella for the property, claiming that it had been transferred against

her will. Isabella, however, was able to produce the chirograph that showed Maud's participation in the writing of the document; this according to the Common Law signified Maud's agreement to the transaction, and Maud herself was "amerced for litigating a false claim".[7]

Issue Together:

Richard and Maud had seven children:[10] Isabel de Clare (1240 – before 1271), married as his second wife, William VII of Montferrat, by whom she had one daughter, Margherita. She was allegedly killed by her husband.[10] Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford, 7th Earl of Gloucester (2 September 1243 – 7 December 1295), married firstly Alice de Lusignan of Angouleme by whom he had two daughters; he married secondly Joan of Acre, by whom he had issue. Thomas de Clare, Lord of Thomond (1245 – 29 August 1287), married as her first husband Juliana FitzGerald, daughter of Maurice FitzGerald, 3rd Lord of Offaly and Maud de Prendergast, by whom he had issue including Richard de Clare, 1st Lord Clare and Margaret de Clare, Baroness Badlesmere. Bogo de Clare, Chancellor of Llandaff (21 July 1248 – 1294) Margaret de Clare (1250 – 1312/1313), married Edmund, 2nd Earl of Cornwall. Their marriage was childless. Rohese de Clare (17 October 1252 – after 1316), married Roger de Mowbray, 1st Baron Mowbray, by whom she had issue. Eglantine de Clare (1257 – 1257)

Tewkesbury Abbey, where Maud designed and commissioned a splendid tomb for her husband Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester[edit] Widowhood On 15 July 1262, her husband died near Canterbury. Maud designed and commissioned a magnificent tomb for him at Tewkesbury Abbey where he was buried. She also donated the manor of Sydinghowe to the priory of Legh, Devonshire for the soul of Richard, formerly her husband, earl of Gloucester and Hertford by charter dated to 1280.[10] Their eldest son Gilbert succeeded Richard as the 6th Earl of Hertford and 7th Earl of Gloucester. Although Maud carefully arranged the marriages of her daughters, the King owned her sons' marriage rights.[3]

She was involved in numerous lawsuits and litigations with her tenants, neighbors, and relatives, including her eldest son Gilbert, who sued her for admeasurement of her dowry.[7] In her 27 years of widowhood, Maud brought 33 suits into the central courts; and she herself was sued a total of 44 times.[1] As a result she was known as one of the most litigious women in the 13th century.[3] She did, however, endorse many religious houses, including the priories of Stoke-by-Clare and Canonsleigh.[11] She also vigorously promoted the clerical career of her son, Bogo, and did much to encourage his ambitions and acquisitiveness. She was largely responsible for many of the benefices that were bestowed on him, which made him the richest churchman of the period.[12] Although not an heiress, Maud herself was most likely the wealthiest widow in 13th century England.[1]

Maud died sometime between 1287 and 10 March 1289.

Child of Richard de Clare and Maud de Lacy is:

11013166 i. Gilbert De Clare, born September 02, 1243; died December 07, 1295; married Joan de Acre Plantagenet

22026334. Edward of England Plantagenet, born 1239 in England; died 1307 in England. He was the son of 44052668. Henry III of England Plantagenet and 44052669. Elenore Berenger of Provence. He married 22026335. Eleanor of Castile and Leon.

22026335. Eleanor of Castile and Leon, born 1244; died 1290. She was the daughter of 44052670. Ferdinand of Castile and 44052671. Jeanne de Danmartin.

Notes for Edward of England Plantagenet: Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons. In 1259, he briefly sided with a baronial reform movement, supporting the Provisions of Oxford. After reconciliation with his father, however, he remained

loyal throughout the subsequent armed conflict, known as the Second Barons' War. After the Battle of Lewes, Edward was hostage to the rebellious barons, but escaped after a few months and joined the fight against Simon de Montfort. Montfort was defeated at the Battle of Evesham in 1265, and within two years the rebellion was extinguished. With England pacified, Edward left on a crusade to the Holy Land. The crusade accomplished little, and Edward was on his way home in 1272 when he was informed that his father had died. Making a slow return, he reached England in 1274 and he was crowned king at Westminster on 19 August.

Edward's reign had two main phases. He spent the first years reforming royal administration. Through an extensive legal inquiry, Edward investigated the tenure of various feudal liberties, while the law was reformed through a series of statutes regulating criminal and property law. Increasingly, however, Edward's attention was drawn towards military affairs. After suppressing a minor rebellion in Wales in 1276–77, Edward responded to a second rebellion in 1282–83 with a full-scale war of conquest. After a successful campaign, Edward subjected Wales to English rule, built a series of castles and towns in the countryside and settled them with Englishmen. Next, his efforts were directed towards Scotland. Initially invited to arbitrate a succession dispute, Edward claimed feudal suzerainty over the kingdom. In the war that followed, the Scots persevered, even though the English seemed victorious at several points. At the same time there were problems at home. In the mid-1290s, extensive military campaigns required high levels of taxation, and Edward met with both lay and ecclesiastical opposition. These crises were initially averted, but issues remained unsettled. When the king died in 1307, he left to his son, Edward II, an ongoing war with Scotland and many financial and political problems.

Edward I was a tall man for his era, hence the nickname "Longshanks". He was temperamental, and this, along with his height, made him an intimidating man, and he often instilled fear in his contemporaries. Nevertheless, he held the respect of his subjects for the way he embodied the medieval ideal of kingship, as a soldier, an administrator and a man of faith. Modern historians have been more divided on their assessment of the king; while some have praised him for his contribution to the law and administration, others have criticized him for his uncompromising attitude to his nobility. Currently, Edward I is credited with many accomplishments during his reign, including restoring royal authority after the reign of Henry III, establishing parliament as a permanent institution and thereby also a functional system for raising taxes, and reforming the law through statutes. At the same time, he is also often criticized for other actions, such as his brutal conduct towards the Scots, and issuing the Edict of Expulsion in 1290, by which the Jews were expelled from England. The Edict remained in effect for the rest of the Middle Ages, and it would be over 350 years until it was formally overturned in 1656.

Edward was born at the Palace of Westminster on the night of 17–18 June 1239, to King Henry III and Eleanor of Provence.[2] Although the young prince was seriously ill on several occasions, in 1246, 1247, and 1251, he grew up to be strong and healthy.[3] Edward was in the care of Hugh Giffard — father of the future Chancellor Godfrey Giffard — until Bartholomew Pecche took over at Giffard's death in 1246.[4] Among his childhood friends was his cousin Henry of Almain, son of King Henry's brother Richard of Cornwall.[3] Henry of Almain would remain a close companion of the prince, both through the civil war that followed, and later during the crusade.[5]

In 1254, English fears of a Castilian invasion of the English province of Gascony induced Edward's father to arrange a politically expedient marriage between his fourteen-year-old son and Eleanor, the half-sister of King Alfonso X of Castile.[6] Eleanor and Edward were married on 1 November 1254 in the Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas in Castile.[7] As part of the marriage agreement, the young prince received grants of land worth 15,000 marks a year.[8] Though the endowments King Henry made were sizable, they offered Edward little independence. He had already received Gascony as early as 1249, but Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, had been appointed as royal lieutenant the year before and, consequently, drew its income, so in practice Edward derived neither authority nor revenue from this

province.[9] The grant he received in 1254 included most of Ireland, and much land in Wales and England, including the earldom of Chester, but the king retained much control over the land in question, particularly in Ireland, so Edward's power was limited there as well, and the king derived most of the income from those lands.[10]

From 1254 to 1257, Edward was under the influence of his mother's relatives, known as the Savoyards,[11] the most notable of whom was Peter of Savoy, the queen's uncle.[12] After 1257, Edward increasingly fell in with the Poitevin or Lusignan faction — the half-brothers of his father Henry III — led by such men as William de Valence.[13] This association was significant, because the two groups of privileged foreigners were resented by the established English aristocracy, and they would be at the centre of the ensuing years' baronial reform movement.[14]

There were tales of unruly and violent conduct by Edward and his Lusignan kinsmen, which raised questions about the royal heir's personal qualities. The next years would be formative on Edward's character.[15]

Eleanor of Castile died on 28 November 1290. Uncommon for such marriages of the period, the couple loved each other. Moreover like his father, Edward was very devoted to his queen and was faithful to her throughout their married lives—a rarity among monarchs of the time. He was deeply affected by her death. He displayed his grief by erecting twelve so-called Eleanor crosses, one at each place where her funeral cortège stopped for the night.[227] As part of the peace accord between England and France in 1294, it was agreed that Edward should marry the French princess Margaret. The marriage took place in 1299.[228]

Edward and Eleanor had at least fourteen children, perhaps as many as sixteen. Of these, five daughters survived into adulthood, but only one boy outlived Edward – the future King Edward II. Edward I was reportedly concerned with his son's failure to live up to the expectations of an heir to the crown, and at one point decided to exile the prince's favourite Piers Gaveston.[229] Edward may have been aware of his son's bisexual orientation even though he did not throw the prince's favorite from the castle battlements as depicted in Braveheart.

By Margaret, Edward had two sons, both of whom lived into adulthood, and a daughter who died as a child.[230] The Hailes Abbey chronicle indicates that John Botetourt may have been Edward's illegitimate son, however the claim is unsubstantiated.[231]

Notes for Eleanor of Castile and Leon: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Eleanor of Castile (1241 – 28 November 1290) was the first queen consort of Edward I of England. She was also Countess of Ponthieu in her own right from 1279 until her death in 1290, succeeding her mother and ruling together with her husband.

Eleanor was born in Castile, Spain, daughter of Saint Ferdinand, King of Castile and Leon and his second wife, Joan, Countess of Ponthieu. Her Castilian name, Leonor, became Alienor or Alianor in England, and Eleanor in modern English. She was named after her grandmother Eleanor of England.

Eleanor was the second of five children born to Fernando and Jeanne. Her elder brother Fernando was born in 1239/40, her younger brother Louis in 1242/43; two sons born after Louis died young. For the ceremonies in 1291 marking the first anniversary of Eleanor's death, 49 candlebearers were paid to walk in the public procession to commemorate each year of her life. This would date her birth to the year 1241. Since her parents were apart from each other for 13 months while King Ferdinand conducted a military campaign in Andalusia from which he returned to the north of Spain only in February 1241, Eleanor was probably born toward the end of that year. Both the court of her father and her half-brother Alfonso X of Castile were known for its literary atmosphere. Growing up in such an environment probably influenced her later literary activities as queen. She was said to have been at her father's deathbed in Seville in 1252.[1]

Eleanor's marriage in 1254 to the future Edward I of England was not the first marriage her family planned for her. The kings of Castile had long made the flimsy claim to be paramount lords of the Kingdom of Navarre in the Pyrenees, and from 1250 Ferdinand III and his heir, Eleanor's half-brother Alfonso X of Castile, hoped she would marry Theobald II of Navarre. To avoid Castilian control, Margaret of Bourbon (mother to Theobald II) in 1252 allied with James I of Aragon instead, and as part of that treaty solemnly promised that Theobald would never marry Eleanor.

Then, in 1252, Alfonso X resurrected another flimsy ancestral claim, this time to the duchy of Gascony, in the south of Aquitaine, last possession of the Kings of England in France. Henry III of England swiftly countered Alfonso's claims with both diplomatic and military moves. Early in 1254 the two kings began to

negotiate; after haggling over the financial provision for Eleanor, Henry and Alfonso agreed she would marry Henry's son Edward, and Alfonso would transfer his Gascon claims to Edward. Henry was so anxious for the marriage to take place that he willingly abandoned elaborate preparations already made for Edward's knighting in England, and agreed that Alfonso would

knight Edward before the wedding took place.

The young couple married at the monastery of Las Huelgas, Burgos on 1 November 1254. Henry III took pride in resolving the Gascon crisis so decisively, but his English subjects feared that the marriage would bring Eleanor's kinfolk and countrymen to live off Henry's ruinous generosity. Several of her relatives did come to England soon after her marriage. She was too young to stop them or prevent Henry III from paying for them, but she was blamed anyway and her marriage was unpopular. Interestingly enough, Eleanor's mother had been spurned in marriage by Henry III and her great-grandmother, Alys, Countess of the Vexin, had been spurned in marriage by Richard I. However, the presence of more English, Frank and Norman soldiers of fortune and opportunists in the recently reconquered Seville and Cordoba Moorish Kingdoms would be increased, thanks to this alliance between royal houses, until the advent of the later Hundred Years War when it would be symptomatic of extended hostilities between the French and the English for peninsular support.

Arranged royal marriages in the Middle Ages were not always happy, but available evidence indicates that Eleanor and Edward were devoted to each other. Edward is among the few medieval English kings not known to have conducted extramarital affairs or fathered children out of wedlock. The couple were rarely apart; she accompanied him on military campaigns in Wales, famously giving birth to their son Edward on 25 April 1284 in a temporary dwelling erected for her amid the construction of Caernarfon Castle.

Their household records witness incidents that imply a comfortable, even humorous, relationship. Each year on Easter Monday, Edward let Eleanor's ladies trap him in his bed and paid them a token ransom so he could go to her bedroom on the first day after Lent; so important was this custom to him that in 1291, on the first Easter Monday after Eleanor's death, he gave her ladies the money he would have given them had she been alive. Edward disliked ceremonies and in 1290 refused to attend the marriage of Earl Marshal Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk; Eleanor thoughtfully (or resignedly) paid minstrels to play for him while he sat alone during the wedding.

That Edward remained single until he wed Marguerite of France in 1299 is often cited to prove he cherished Eleanor's memory. In fact he considered a second marriage as early as 1293, but this does not mean he did not mourn Eleanor. Eloquent testimony is found in his letter to the abbot of Cluny in France (January 1291), seeking prayers for the soul of the wife "whom living we dearly cherished, and whom dead we cannot cease to love." In her memory, Edward ordered the construction of twelve elaborate stone crosses (of which three survive, almost intact) between 1291 and 1294, marking the route of her funeral procession between Lincoln and London. (See "Procession, burial and monuments" section below).

However, only one of Eleanor's four sons survived childhood and, even before she died, Edward worried over the succession: if that son died, their daughters' husbands might cause a succession war. Despite personal grief, Edward faced his duty and married again. He delighted in the sons his new wife bore, but attended memorial services for Eleanor to the end of his life, Marguerite at his side on at least one occasion.

Eleanor is warmly remembered by history as the queen who inspired the Eleanor crosses, but she was not so loved in her own time. The English saw her as a greedy foreigner. Walter of Guisborough preserves a contemporary poem:

"The king desires to get our gold/the queen, our manors fair to hold..." John Peckham, Archbishop of Canterbury warned Eleanor that her activities in the land market caused outcry, gossip, rumour and scandal across the realm. Her often aggressive acquisition of lands was an unusual degree of economic activity for any medieval noblewoman, let alone a queen: between 1274 and 1290 she acquired estates worth above £2500 yearly. In fact, Edward himself initiated this process and his ministers helped her. He

wanted the queen to hold lands sufficient for her financial needs without drawing on funds needed for government. One of his methods to help Eleanor acquire land was to give her debts Christian landlords owed Jewish moneylenders; she foreclosed on lands pledged for the debts. The debtors were often glad to rid themselves of the debts and also profited from the favour Eleanor showed them afterwards. But her reputation in England was further blighted by association with the highly unpopular moneylenders.

Peckham also warned of complaints against her officials' demands upon her tenants. On her deathbed, Eleanor asked Edward to name justices to examine her officials' actions and make reparations. The surviving proceedings from this inquest do reveal a pattern of ruthless exactions, often without the queen's knowledge. She righted such wrongs

when she heard of them, but not often enough to prevent a third warning from Peckham that many in England thought she urged Edward to rule harshly. In fact Edward allowed her little political influence, but her officials' demands were ascribed to her imagined personal severity, which was used to explain the king's administrative strictness. In other words, the queen was made to wear the king's unpopular mask. It was always safer to blame a foreign-born queen than to criticise a king, and easier to believe he was misled by a meddling wife. Eleanor was neither the first queen nor the last to be blamed for a king's actions, but in her case the unsavory conduct of her own administration made it even easier to shift such blame to her.

Eleanor of Castile's queenship is significant in English history for the evolution of a stable financial system for the king's wife, and for the honing this process gave the queen-consort's prerogatives. The estates Eleanor assembled became the nucleus for dower assignments made to later queens of England into the 15th century, and her involvement in this process solidly established a queen-consort's freedom to engage in such transactions. Few later queens exerted themselves in economic activity to the extent Eleanor did, but their ability to do so rested on the precedents settled in her lifetime.

Child of Edward Plantagenet and Eleanor Leon is:

11013167 i. Joan de Acre Plantagenet, born 1272; died April 23, 1307; married Gilbert De Clare

Generation No. 26

44052654. William de Ferrers, born 1240; died 1287. He was the son of 88105308. Geoffrey le Despencer and 88105309. Emma de Harcourt. He married 44052655. Joan le Despencer.

44052655. Joan le Despencer She was the daughter of 88105310. Geoffrey le Despencer and 88105311. Emma de Harcourt.

Child of William de Ferrers and Joan le Despencer is:

22026327 i. Anne de Ferrers, born 1267; married John de Grey

44052658. William II Longespée He married 44052659. Idoine de Camville. 44052659. Idoine de Camville

Notes for William II Longespée: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Sir William II Longespée, long sword in French, (c. 1212 – 8 February 1250) was the son of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, and Ela, 3rd Countess of Salisbury. His death became of significant importance to the English psyche, having died as a martyr due to the purported mistakes of the French[citation needed] at the Battle of Mansurah, near Al-Mansurah in Egypt.

Longespée made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1240, and again in 1247. The second time, he proceeded to Rome and made a plea to Pope Innocent IV for support:

The Charter for the town of Poole issued by Longespée"Sir, you see that I am signed with the cross and am on my journey with the King of France to fight in this pilgrimage. My name is great and of note, viz., William Longespée, but my estate is slender, for the King of England, my kinsman and liege lord, hath bereft me of the title of earl and of that estate, but this he did judiciously, and not in displeasure, and by the impulse of his will; therefore I do not blame him for it. Howbeit, I am necessitated to have recourse to your holiness for favour, desiring your assistance in this distress. We see here (quoth he) that Earl Richard (of Cornwall) who, though he is not signed with the cross, yet, through the especial grace of your holiness, he hath got very much money from those who are signed, and therefore, I, who am signed and in want, do intreat the like favour."[1]

Having succeeded in gaining the favour of the Pope, Longespée raised a company of 200 English horse to join with

Louis IX on his crusade. To raise funds for his expedition, he sold a charter of liberties to the burgesses of the town of Poole in 1248 for 70 marks.[2] During the Seventh Crusade, Longespée commanded the English forces. He became widely known for his feats of chivalry and his subsequent martyrdom. The circumstances of his death served to fuel growing English animosity toward the French[citation needed] ; it is reported that the French Count d'Artois lured Longespée into attacking the Mameluks before the forces of King Louis IX arrived in support[citation needed]. Robert d'Artois, William II Longespée and his men, along with 280 Knights Templar, were killed at this time.

It is said that his mother, Abbess Ela Longespée, had a vision of the martyr being received into heaven by angels just one day prior to his death. In 1252, the Sultan delivered Longespée's remains to a messenger who conveyed them to Acre (Akko) for burial at the church of St. Cross. However, his effigy is found amongst family members at Salisbury Cathedral, in England.

William married Idoine de Camville, daughter of Richard de Camville & Eustacia Basset. They had two sons and two daughters:

Ida Longespée, who married Walter FitzRobert Lord of Dunmow Ela Longespée, married James De Audley (1220–1272), son of Henry De Audley and Bertred Mainwaring William III Longespée, whose daughter Margaret married Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln Richard Longespée

References 1.^ Dodsworth, William (1814). An historical account of the episcopal see, and cathedral church, of Sarum, or Salisbury. Salisbury: Brodie and Dowding. pp. 192–193. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5v4HAAAAQAAJ&printsec=titlepage. 2.^ "History Of Poole". Borough of Poole. 2009. http://www.boroughofpoole.com/go.php?structureID=U464057c6c52db&ref=S4649D38C61551. Retrieved 2009-02-17. The Times Kings & Queens of The British Isles, by Thomas Cussans (chart's 30 & 86) ISBN 0-0071-4195-5 Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 by Frederick Lewis Weis, Lines 30-27 and 122-30

Child of William Longespée and Idoine de Camville is:

22026329 i. Ela Longspee, married James of Audley

44052666. John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln, born 1192; died 1240. He was the son of 88105332. Roger de Lacy and 88105333. Maud or Matilda de Clere.

Child of John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln is:

22026333 i. Maud de Lacy, born 1223; died 1289; married Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester

44052668. Henry III of England Plantagenet, born 1207. He was the son of 88105336. John of England Plantagenet and 88105337. Isabella de Tallefer of Angouleme. He married 44052669. Elenore Berenger of Provence.

44052669. Elenore Berenger of Provence, born 1217; died 1291. She was the daughter of 88105338. Ramon Berenger of Provence and 88105339. Beatrice of Savoie.

Notes for Henry III of England Plantagenet: Henry III (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272) was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready. England prospered during his reign and his greatest monument is Westminster, which he made the seat of his government and where he expanded the abbey as a shrine to Edward the Confessor. He is the first of only five monarchs to rule the Kingdom of England or its successor states for 50 years or more, the others being Edward III (1327–1377), George III (1760–1820), Queen Victoria (1837–1901) and Elizabeth II (1952–present).

He assumed the crown under the regency of the popular William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, but the England he inherited had undergone several drastic changes in the reign of his father. He spent much of his reign fighting the barons over Magna Carta[1][2][3][4] and the royal rights, and was eventually forced to call the first "parliament" in 1264. He was also unsuccessful on the Continent, where he endeavoured to re-establish English control over Normandy, Anjou, and Aquitaine

Henry III was born in 1207 at Winchester Castle, the son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême. His coronation at age nine was a simple affair, attended by only a handful of noblemen and three bishops at St Peter's Abbey, Gloucester. In the absence of a crown (the crown had recently been lost with all the rest of his father's treasure in a wreck in East Anglia)[5] a simple golden band was placed on the young boy's head, not by the Archbishop of Canterbury (who was at this time supporting Prince Louis "the Lion", the future king of France) but by another clergyman—either Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester, or Cardinal Guala Bicchieri, the Papal legate. In 1220 a second coronation was ordered by Pope Honorius III who did not consider that the first had been carried out in accordance with church rites. This occurred on 17 May 1220 in Westminster Abbey.[6]

Under John's rule the barons had supported an invasion by Prince Louis because they disliked the way that John had ruled the country. However, they quickly saw that the young prince was a safer option. Henry's regents immediately declared their intention to rule by Magna Carta, which they proceeded to do during Henry's minority.

The treatment of his elder cousin Eleanor of Brittany, who was 23 years his senior (and older than his mother), was a difficult problem for Henry.

Eleanor was the daughter of Duke Geoffrey II of Brittany, elder brother of King John, which meant that she had a better claim to the English throne than John and Henry. But in 1202 John captured Eleanor at Mirebeau and kept her imprisoned at Corfe Castle and unmarried. When John died, according to Primogeniture, the captive Eleanor should have been the rightful queen of England, but the barons passed her over and crowned Henry, leaving the princess still in prison guarded by Peter de Maulay. Before Henry held real power, it was alleged that there was a plot to spirit Eleanor away and deliver her to the king of France; de Maulay was accused of the plot and fell out of favor. However many believed such a plot was just an excuse aiming to discredit de Maulay and Peter des Roches, who would also fall out of favor in spring 1234.

Viewing her claim, with no baronial support for her sex but once recognized by Pope Honorius III,[7] as a threat to the throne, the regents, later Henry himself, viewed Eleanor as "state prisoner" and kept her in a state of semi-captivity,[8] or "under a gentle house arrest",[9] had her transferred between Gloucester, Marlborough and Bristol Castle,[10] and never permitted her to marry. She was under strict custody and always closely guarded, even after child-bearing years.[11] However, Henry also styled Eleanor, who had been left no title, as "king's kinswoman" ,[10] referred her as "our cousin", and it was recorded that Eleanor lived as comfortably as a royal princess who received generous gifts from royal family.[8][12] Henry himself once gave Eleanor a saddle, suggesting that Eleanor was probably a horsewoman,[13] and that she was not always confined in her apartment. On another occasion, Henry sent her 50 yards of linen cloth, three wimples, 50 pounds of almonds and raisins respectively and a basket of figs.[14] While Eleanor was imprisoned at Gloucester, the sheriff there paid for her expenses. In November 1237 at Woodstock, Henry met Eleanor. In the final years of her life Eleanor was moved to Bristol, and Henry ordered the mayor and bailiff there to increase her household.[15] The governor there exhibited her to the public annually, in case there might be rumors that the royal captive had been injured. The fact might suggest that English people were sympathetic to her.[16]

On 10 August 1241 Eleanor died, and was buried at Amesbury. In the Chronicle of Lanercost there was a legend saying that before her death, the remorseful Henry gave her a gold crown, which would be

donated to his young son Edward three days later. Another version of events stated that Eleanor returned the crown after wearing it for only one day.[8] After Eleanor, who actually never gave up her rights and claim, finally died an unmarried prisoner, Henry was now indisputably the rightful king of England, although years later he was still unwilling to admit that Eleanor had preceded him in English succession line.[17]

In 1268 Henry donated a manor in Melksham, a place that Eleanor had shown her interest in, to Amesbury for the souls of Eleanor and her younger-brother Arthur, who was captured along with his sister and disappeared mysteriously the next year, it being widely believed that John had him murdered.[7][10][18]

In 1244, when the Scots threatened to invade England, King Henry III visited York Castle and ordered it rebuilt in stone. The work commenced in 1245, and took some 20 to 25 years to complete. The builders crowned the existing moat with a stone keep, known as the King's Tower.

Henry's reign came to be marked by civil strife as the English barons, led by Simon de Montfort, demanded more say in the running of the kingdom. French-born de Montfort had originally been one of the King's foreign counselors—a group much resented by the barons. Henry, in an outburst of anger over de Monfort's behaviour in a financial matter, accused de Montfort of seducing his sister and forcing him to give her to de Montfort to avoid a scandal. When confronted by the Barons about the secret marriage that Henry had allowed to happen, a feud developed between the two. Their relationship reached a crisis in the 1250s when de Montfort was brought up on spurious charges for actions he had taken as lieutenant of Gascony, the last remaining Plantagenet land across the English Channel. He was acquitted by the Peers of the realm, much to the King's displeasure.

Henry also became embroiled in funding a war in Sicily on behalf of the Pope in return for a title for his second son Edmund. This situation led many of the barons to fear that Henry was following in his father's footsteps and therefore also needed to be kept in check. De Montfort became leader of those who wanted to reassert Magna Carta and force the king to surrender more power to the baronial council. In 1258 seven leading barons forced Henry to agree to the Provisions of Oxford, which effectively abolished the absolutist Anglo-Norman monarchy, giving power to a council of fifteen barons to deal with the business of government and providing for a thrice-yearly meeting of parliament to monitor their performance. Henry was forced to take part in the swearing of a collective oath to the Provisions of Oxford.

In the following years those supporting de Montfort and those supporting the king grew more and more polarised. Henry obtained a papal bull in 1262 exempting him from his oath and both sides began to raise armies. The Royalists were led by Prince Edward, Henry's eldest son. A civil war, known as the Second Barons' War, ensued.

Engraving of a sealing of Henry III[19]The charismatic de Montfort and his forces had captured most of southeastern England by 1263, and at the Battle of Lewes on 14 May 1264, Henry was defeated and taken prisoner by de Montfort's army. While Henry was reduced to being a figurehead king, de Montfort broadened representation to include each county of England and many important towns—that is, to groups beyond the nobility. Henry and Edward remained under house arrest. The short period that followed was the closest England was to come to complete abolition of the monarchy until the Commonwealth period of 1649–60 and many of the barons who had initially supported de Montfort began to suspect that he had gone too far with his reforming zeal.

Fifteen months later Prince Edward had escaped captivity (having been freed by his cousin Roger Mortimer) and led the royalists into battle, turning the tables on de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. Following this victory, savage retribution was exacted on the rebels.

Though not seen as the most tyrannical of kings, unlike his son Prince Edward, discontent was common during Henry's time and, though traditionally thought of as belonging to the time of King John, the earliest Robin Hood sources and tales suggest that, if he existed at all, it was during Henry's reign.

Death On Henry's death in 1272 he was succeeded by his son Edward I. His body was laid, temporarily, in the tomb of Edward the Confessor while his own sarcophagus was constructed in Westminster Abbey.

The tomb of King Henry III in Westminster Abbey, London[edit] Attitudes and beliefs during his reignAs Henry reached maturity he was keen to restore royal authority, looking towards the autocratic model of the French monarchy.[citation needed] Henry married Eleanor of Provence and he promoted many of his French relatives to higher positions of power and wealth. For instance, one Poitevin, Peter de Rivaux, held the offices of Treasurer of the Household, Keeper of the King's Wardrobe, Lord Privy Seal, and the sheriffdoms of twenty-one English counties simultaneously. Henry's tendency to govern for long periods

with no publicly-appointed ministers who could be held accountable for their actions and decisions did not make matters any easier. Many English barons

came to see his method of governing as foreign.

Henry was much taken with the cult of the Anglo-Saxon saint king Edward the Confessor who had been canonised in 1161. After learning that St Edward dressed in an austere manner, Henry took to doing the same and wearing only the simplest of robes. He had a mural of the saint painted in his bedchamber for inspiration before and after sleep and even named his eldest son Edward. Henry designated Westminster, where St Edward had founded the abbey, as the fixed seat of power in England and Westminster Hall duly became the greatest ceremonial space of the kingdom, where the council of nobles also met. Henry appointed French architects from Rheims to renovate Westminster Abbey in the Gothic style. Work began, at great expense, in 1245. The centrepiece of Henry's renovated abbey was a shrine to Edward the Confessor. It was finished in 1269 and the saint's relics were then installed.

Henry was known for his anti-Jewish decrees, such as a decree compelling Jews to wear a special "badge of shame" in the form of the Two Tablets. He exacted several tallages specifically from Jews to raise money for his campaigns.

Henry was pious and his journeys were often delayed by his insistence on hearing Mass several times a day. He took so long to arrive for a visit to the French court that his brother-in-law, King Louis IX of France, banned priests from Henry's route. On one occasion, as related by Roger of Wendover, when King Henry met with papal prelates, he said, "If [the prelates] knew how much I, in my reverence of God, am afraid of them and how unwilling I am to offend them, they would trample on me as on an old and worn-out shoe."

Criticisms Henry's advancement of foreign favourites, notably his wife's Savoyard uncles and his own Lusignan half-siblings, was unpopular with his subjects and barons. He was also extravagant and avaricious; when his first child, Prince Edward, was born, Henry demanded that Londoners bring him rich gifts to celebrate. He even sent back gifts that did not please him. Matthew Paris reports that some said, "God gave us this child, but the king sells him to us".

Henry III's lands in Aquitaine, from a later (15th-century) illumination. (Bibliothèque Nationale, MS fr. 2829, folio 18)[edit] AppearanceAccording to Proulx et al., Henry was a thickset man of great stature who was often revered for his smooth skin. (His son, Edward I suffered from a droopy eyelid.)

Marriage and children Married on 14 January 1236, Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, Kent, to Eleanor of Provence, with at least five children born:

1.Edward I (b. 17 June 1239 – d. 7 July 1307) 2.Margaret (b. 29 September 1240 – d. 26 February 1275), married King Alexander III of Scotland 3.Beatrice of England (b. 25 June 1242 – d. 24 March 1275), married to John II, Duke of Brittany 4.Edmund Crouchback (16 January 1245 – d. 5 June 1296) 5.Katherine (b. 25 November 1253 – d. 3 May 1257), deaf and mute from birth,[20][21] though her deafness may not have been discovered until age 2.[22] There is reason to doubt the existence of several attributed children of Henry and Eleanor.

Richard (b. after 1247 – d. before 1256), John (b. after 1250 – d. before 1256), and Henry (b. after 1253 – d. young) are known only from a 14th century addition made to a manuscript of Flores Historiarum, and are nowhere contemporaneously recorded.

William (b. and d. ca. 1258) is an error for the nephew of Henry's half-brother, William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke. Another daughter, Matilda, is found only in the Hayles Abbey chronicle, alongside such other fictitious children as a son named William for King John, and an illegitimate son named John for King Edward I. Matilda's existence is doubtful, at best. For further details, see Margaret Howell, The Children of King Henry III and Eleanor of Provence (1992).

Personal details His Royal Motto was qui non dat quod habet non accipit ille quod optat (He who does not give what he has, does not receive what he wants). His favourite wine was made with the Loire Valley red wine grape Pineau d'Aunis which Henry first introduced to England in the thirteenth century.[23] He built a Royal Palace in the town of Cippenham, Slough, Berkshire named "Cippenham Moat". In 1266 Henry III of England granted the Lübeck and Hamburg Hansa a charter for operations in England, which contributed to the emergence of the Hanseatic League. [edit] Fictional portrayalsIn The Divine Comedy, Dante sees Henry ("the king of simple life") sitting outside the gates of Purgatory with other contemporary European rulers. Henry is a prominent character in Sharon Kay Penman's historical novel Falls the Shadow; his portrayal is very close to most historical descriptions of him as weak and vacillating. Henry has been portrayed on screen only rarely. As a child he has been portrayed by Dora Senior in the 1899 silent short King John (1899), a version of John's death scene from Shakespeare's King John, and by Rusty Livingstone in the 1984 BBC Television Shakespeare version of the play.

References 1.^ Henry III, Treasures in full: Magna Carta, British Library 2.^ Henry III (r. 1216–1272), Official website of the British Monarchy 3.^ The Magna Carta and the creation of England's Parliament, HyperHistory.net 4.^ King Henry III biography, Medieval Life and Times 5.^ Given-Wilson, Chris (1996). An Illustrated History of Late Medieval England. Manchester University Press, Manchester. p. 87. ISBN 0-7190-4152-X. 6.^ "Henry III, Archonotology.org". http://www.archontology.org/nations/england/king_england/henry3.php. Retrieved 2007-12-10. 7.^ a b Eleanor of Brittany and Her Treatment by King John and Henry III by G. Seabourne 8.^ a b c A Bit of History WebSite 9.^ [1] 10.^ a b c Plantagenet ancestry: a study in colonial and medieval families, by Douglas Richardson and Kimball G. Everingham 11.^ Feud, violence and practice: essays in medieval studies in honor of Stephen D. White by Belle S. Tuten, Tracey L. Billado, p.280-285 12.^ LIVES OF ENGLAND‘S MONARCHS by H. Eugene Lehman 13.^ Eleanor of Brittany in captivity 14.^ Royal palaces: an account of the homes of British sovereigns from Saxon to modern times by Olwen Hedley 15.^ Bristol Castle:In a code of instructions signed at Berkeley, 28 August 1249, the King enjoins the mayor and bailiff of Bristol "to lengthen three windows of his chapel, and to whitewash it throughout; also glass windows are ordered to be put in our hall at Bristol, a royal seat in the same hall, and dormant tables around the same, and block up the doors of the chapel beside our great hall there, and make a door in the chancel towards the hermitage; in that hermitage make an altar to St. Edward, and in the turret over that hermitage make a chamber for the clerk with appurtenances; also build a kitchen and a sewer beside the said hall, and find the wages of a certain chaplain whom we have ordered to celebrate divine service in the chapel of our tower there all the days of our life, for Eleanor of Brittany, our cousin, to wit, 50s. per annum." 16.^ Chilcott's descriptive history of Bristol by John Chilcott 17.^ The compiler of the "revised Glanvill" of the Cambridge Library notices the casus Regis: Harvard Law Review, vi. 19. 18.^ British History Online 19.^ From Louis Blancard, Iconographie des sceaux et bulles, 1860 20.^ Katherine Plantagenet, daughter of Henry III, RoyaList Online 21.^ Swallowfield, David Nash Ford's Royal Berkshire History 22.^ FAQ: Earliest Known Deaf People, Gallaudet University 23.^ J. Robinson Vines Grapes & Wines pg 199 Mitchell Beazley 1986 ISBN 1-85732-999-6

Notes for Elenore Berenger of Provence: Eleanor of Provence (c. 1223 – 24/25 June 1291[1]) was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Henry III of England from 1236 until his death in 1272.

Although she was completely devoted to her husband, and staunchly defended him against the rebel Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, she was very much hated by the Londoners. This was because she had brought a large number of relatives with her to England in her retinue; these were known as "the Savoyards", and they were given influential positions in the government and realm. On one occasion, Eleanor's barge was attacked by angry citizens who pelted her with stones, mud, pieces of paving, rotten eggs and vegetables.

Eleanor was the mother of five children including the future King Edward I of England. She also was renowned for her cleverness, skill at writing poetry, and as a leader of fashion.

Born in Aix-en-Provence, she was the second eldest daughter of Ramon Berenguer V, Count of Provence (1198–1245) and Beatrice of Savoy (1205–1267), the daughter of Thomas I of Savoy and his second wife Margaret of Geneva. All four of their daughters became queens. Like her mother, grandmother, and sisters, Eleanor was renowned for her beauty. She was a dark-haired brunette with fine eyes.[2] Piers Langtoft speaks of her as "The erle's daughter, the fairest may of life".[3] On 22 June 1235, Eleanor was bethrothed to King Henry III of England (1207–1272).[1] Eleanor was probably born in 1223; Matthew Paris describes her as being "jamque duodennem" (already twelve) when she arrived in the Kingdom of England for her marriage.

Eleanor was married to King Henry III of England on 14 January 1236. She had never seen him prior to the wedding at Canterbury Cathedral and had never set foot in his kingdom.[4] Edmund Rich, Archbishop of Canterbury, officiated. She was dressed in a shimmering golden gown which was tightly-fitted to the waist, and then flared out in wide pleats to her feet. The sleeves were long and lined with ermine.[5] After riding to London the same day where a procession of citizens greeted the bridal pair, Eleanor was crowned queen consort of England in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey which was followed by a magnificent banquet with the entire nobility in full attendance.[6]

Eleanor and Henry together had five children:

1.Edward I (1239–1307), married Eleanor of Castile (1241–1290) in 1254, by whom he had issue, including his heir Edward II; he married Margaret of France in 1299, by whom he had issue. 2.Margaret of England (1240–1275), married King Alexander III of Scotland, by whom she had issue. 3.Beatrice of England (1242–1275), married John II, Duke of Brittany, by whom she had issue. 4.Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster (1245–1296), married Aveline de Forz in 1269, who died four years later without issue; married Blanche of Artois in 1276, by whom he had issue. 5.Katharine (25 November 1253 – 3 May 1257) Four others are listed, but their existence is in doubt as there is no contemporary record of them. These are:

1.Richard (1247–1256) 2.John (1250–1256) 3.William (1251–1256) 4.Henry (1256–1257) Eleanor was renowned for her learning, cleverness, and skill at writing poetry,[4] as well as her beauty; she was also known as a leader of fashion, continually importing clothes from France.[3] She often wore parti-coloured cottes (a type of tunic), gold or silver girdles into which a dagger was casually thrust, she favoured red silk damask, and decorations of gilt quatrefoil, and to cover her dark hair she wore jaunty pillbox caps. Eleanor introduced a new type of wimple to England, which was high, "into which the head receded until the face seemed like a flower in an enveloping spathe".[3]

Eleanor seems to have been especially devoted to her eldest son, Edward; when he was deathly ill in 1246, she stayed with him at the abbey at Beaulieu in Hampshire for three weeks, long past the time allowed by monastic rules.[7] It was because of her influence that King Henry granted the duchy of Gascony to Edward in 1249.[citation needed] Her youngest child, Katharine, seems to have had a

degenerative disease that rendered her deaf. When the little girl died at the age of three, both her royal parents suffered overwhelming grief.[8]

Unpopularity Eleanor was a loyal and faithful consort to Henry, but she brought in her retinue a large number of cousins, "the Savoyards," and her influence with the King and her unpopularity with the English barons created friction during Henry's reign.[9] Eleanor was devoted to her husband's cause, stoutly contested Simon de Montfort, raising troops in France for Henry's cause. On 13 July 1263, she was sailing down the Thames on a barge when her barge was attacked by citizens of London.[10] Eleanor stoutly hated the Londoners who returned her hatred; in revenge for their dislike Eleanor had demanded from the city all the back payments due on the monetary tribute known as queen-gold, by which she received a tenth of all fines which came to the Crown. In addition to the queen-gold other such fines were levied on the citizens by the Queen on the thinnest of pretexts.[11] In fear for her life as she was pelted with stones, loose pieces of paving, dried mud, rotten eggs and vegetables, Eleanor was rescued by Thomas Fitzthomas, the Mayor of London, and took refuge at the bishop of London's home.

In 1272 Henry died, and her son Edward, who was 33 years old, became Edward I, King of England. She remained in England as Dowager Queen, and raised several of her grandchildren—Edward's son Henry and daughter Eleanor, and Beatrice's son John. When her grandson Henry died in her care in 1274, Eleanor went into mourning and gave orders for his heart to be buried at the priory at Guildford which she founded in his memory.

She retired to a convent; however, remained in contact with her son, King Edward, and her sister, Queen Margaret of France.

Eleanor died on 24/25 June 1291 in Amesbury, eight miles north of Salisbury, England. She was buried on 11 September 1291 in the Abbey of St Mary and St Melor, Amesbury on 9 December. Her heart was taken to London where it was buried at the Franciscan priory.[12]

In fiction Eleanor is the protagonist of The Queen From Provence, a historical romance by British novelist Jean Plaidy which was published in 1979.

Notes 1.^ a b Charles Cawley, Medieval Lands, Provence 2.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, pp. 125–26 3.^ a b c Costain, The Magnificent Century, p.140 4.^ a b Costain, The Magnificent Century, p.127 5.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, p.129 6.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, pp. 129–30 7.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, p. 142 8.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, p. 167 9.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, pp.130–140 10.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, pp. 253–54 11.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, pp. 206–07 12.^ Howell, Eleanor (Eleanor of Provence) (c.1223–1291), queen of England"

Bibliography Margaret Howell, Eleanor of Provence: Queenship in Thirteenth-century England, 1997 Howell, Margaret (2004), "Eleanor (Eleanor of Provence) (c.1223–1291), queen of England", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford: Oxford University Press, http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/8620, retrieved 2010-12-14 FMG on Eleonore Berenger of Provence The Peerage: Eleanor of Provence: [1] Thomas B. Costain, The Magnificent Century, Doubleday and Company, Garden City, New York, 1959.

Child of Henry Plantagenet and Elenore Provence is:

22026334 i. Edward of England Plantagenet, born 1239 in England; died 1307 in England; married Eleanor of Castile

and Leon

44052670. Ferdinand of Castile, born 1201; died 1252. He was the son of 88105340. Alfonso Fernandez of Leon and Castile and 88105341. Berenguela of Castile. He married 44052671. Jeanne de Danmartin.

44052671. Jeanne de Danmartin, born 1216; died 1279. She was the daughter of 88105342. Simon of Danmartin and 88105343. Countess of Ponthieu and Montreuil Marie.

Notes for Ferdinand of Castile: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Saint Ferdinand III (5 August 1199 – 30 May 1252) was the King of Castile from 1217 and León from 1230. He was the son of Alfonso IX of León and Berenguela of Castile. Through his second marriage he was also Count of Aumale. He finished the work done by his maternal grandfather Alfonso VIII and consolidated the Reconquista. In 1231, he permanently united Castile and León. He was canonized in 1671 and, in Spanish, he is Fernando el Santo, San Fernando or San Fernando Rey.

Ferdinand was born at the monastery of Valparaíso (Peleas de Arriba, in what is now the province of Zamora) in 1198-99.

His parents' marriage was annulled by order of Pope Innocent III in 1204, due to consanguinity. Berenguela took their children, including Ferdinand, to the court of her father. In 1217, her younger brother Henry I died and she succeeded him to the Castilian throne, but immediately surrendered it to her son, Ferdinand, for whom she initially acted as regent. When Alfonso died in 1230, Ferdinand also inherited León, though he had to fight Alfonso's heirs, Sancha and Dulce, daughters of his first wife, for it. He thus became the first sovereign of both kingdoms following the death of Alfonso VII in 1157.

Early in his reign, Ferdinand had to deal with a rebellion of the House of Lara. He also established a permanent border with the Kingdom of Aragon by the Treaty of Almizra (1244).

St Ferdinand spent much of his reign fighting the Moors. Through diplomacy and war, exploiting the internal dissensions in the Moorish kingdoms, he triumphed in expanding Castilian power over the southern Iberian peninsula. He captured the towns of Úbeda in 1233, Córdoba in 1236, Jaén in 1246, and Seville in 1248, and occupied Murcia in 1243, thereby reconquering all Andalusia save Granada, whose king nevertheless did homage as a tributary state to Ferdinand in 1238. Ferdinand divided the conquered territories between the Knights, the Church, and the nobility, whom he endowed with great latifundias. When he took Córdoba, he ordered the Liber Iudiciorum to be adopted and observed by its citizens, and caused it to be rendered, albeit inaccurately, into Castilian.

The capture of Córdoba was the result of a well-planned and executed process whereby parts of the city (the Ajarquía) first fell to the independent almogavars of the Sierra Morena to the north, which Ferdinand had not at the time subjugated.[1] Only in 1236 did Ferdinand arrive with a royal army to take Medina, the religious and administrative centre of the city.[1] Ferdinand set up a council of partidores to divide the conquests and between 1237 and 1244 a great deal of land was parcelled out to private individuals and members of the royal family as well as to the Church.[2] On 10 March 1241, Ferdinand established seven outposts to define the boundary of the province of Córdoba.

On the domestic front, he strengthened the University of Salamanca and founded the current cathedral of Burgos. He was a patron of the newest movement in the Church, that of the friars. Whereas the Benedictines and then the Cistercians and Cluniacs had taken a major part in the Reconquista up until then, Ferdinand founded Dominican, Franciscan, Trinitarian, and Mercedarian houses in Andalusia, thus

determining the religious future of that region. Ferdinand has also been credited with sustaining the convivencia in Andalusia.[3]

The Primera Crónica General de España asserts that, on his death bed, Ferdinand said to his son "you are rich in lands and in many good vassals — more so than any other king in Christendom," probably in recognition of his expansive conquests.[4] He was buried in the cathedral of Seville by his son Alfonso X. His tomb is inscribed in

four languages: Arabic, Hebrew, Latin, and an early incarnation of Castilian.[5] St Ferdinand was canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671. Several places named San Fernando were founded across the Spanish Empire.

The symbol of his power as a king was his sword Lobera.

Notes for Jeanne de Danmartin: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Joan of Dammartin (French: Jeanne de Dammartin; c.1220[1] – d. Abbeville, March 16, 1279) was Queen consort of Castile and León (1252), suo jure Countess of Ponthieu (1251–1279) and Aumale (1237–1279). Her daughter, the English queen Eleanor of Castile, was her successor in Ponthieu. Her son and co-ruler in Aumale, Ferdinand II, Count of Aumale, predeceased her, so she was succeeded by her grandson John I, Count of Aumale, deceased at the Battle of Courtrai, 11 July 1302.

Joan was the eldest daughter of Simon of Dammartin, Count of Ponthieu (1180- 21 September 1239) and his wife Marie of Ponthieu, Countess of Montreuil (17 April 1199- 1251). Her paternal grandparents were Alberic II, Count de Dammartin and Mahaut de Clermont, daughter of Renaud de Clermont, Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis, and Clémence de Bar.[2] Her maternal grandparents were William IV of Ponthieu and Alys, Countess of the Vexin, daughter of Louis VII of France and Constance of Castile.

Henry III of England Coat of Arms of the County of Ponthieu Blason of the County of Aumale, PicardyAfter secret negotiations were undertaken in 1234, it was agreed that Joan would marry King Henry III of England. This marriage would have been politically unacceptable to the French, however, since Joan stood to inherit not only her mother's county of Ponthieu but also the county of Aumale that was vested in her father's family. Ponthieu bordered on the duchy of Normandy, and Aumale lay within Normandy itself. The French king Philip Augustus had seized Normandy from King John of England as recently as 1205, and Philip's heirs could not risk the English monarchy recovering any land in that area, since it might allow the Plantagenets to re-establish control in Normandy.

As it happened, Joan's father Simon had become involved in a conspiracy of northern French noblemen against Philip Augustus and to win pardon from Philip's son Louis VIII, Simon—who had only daughters—was compelled to promise that he would marry off neither of his two eldest daughters without the permission of the king of France. In 1235, the queen-regent of France, Blanche of Castile, invoked that promise on behalf of her son, King Louis IX of France, and threatened to deprive Simon of all his lands if Joan married Henry III. Henry therefore abandoned the project for his marriage to Joan and in January 1236 married instead Eleanor of Provence, the sister of Louis IX's wife.

Marriages and children In November 1235, Blanche of Castile's nephew, King Ferdinand III of Castile, lost his wife, Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen, and Blanche's sister Berengaria of Castile, Ferdinand's mother, was concerned that her widowed son might involve himself in liaisons that were unsuited to his dignity as king. Berengaria determined to find Ferdinand another wife, and her sister Blanche suggested Joan of Dammartin, whose marriage to the king of Castile would keep her inheritance from falling into hostile hands.[3] In October 1237, at the age of about seventeen, Joan and Ferdinand were married in Burgos. Since Ferdinand already had seven sons from his first marriage to Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen, there was little chance of Ponthieu being absorbed by Castile.

They had four sons and one daughter:

1.Ferdinand II, Count of Aumale (1239–ca 1265) m. (after 1256) Laure de Montfort, Lady of Espernon (d before 08.1270), and had issue: 2.Eleanor of Castile, Countess of Ponthieu, who married king Edward I of England and had issue 3.Louis (1243–ca 1275), who married Juana de Manzanedo, Lady of Gaton, and had issue 4.Simon (1244), died young and buried in a monastery in Toledo 5.John (1245), died young and buried at the cathedral in Córdoba She accompanied Ferdinand to Andalucia and lived with him in the army camp as he besieged Seville in 1248.[4]

Upon her mother's death in 1251, Joan succeeded as Countess of Ponthieu and Montreuil, which she held in her own right.

After Ferdinand III died in 1252, Joan did not enjoy a cordial relationship with his heir, her stepson Alfonso X of Castile, with whom she quarreled over the lands and income she should have received as dowager queen of Castile. Sometime in 1253, she became the ally and supporter of another of her stepsons, Fadrique of Castile, who also felt Alfonso had not allowed him all the wealth their father had meant him to have. Joan unwisely attended secret meetings with Henry and his supporters, and it was rumored that she and Fadrique were lovers. This further strained her relations with Alfonso and in 1254, shortly before her daughter Eleanor was to marry Edward of England, Joan and her eldest son Ferdinand left Castile and returned to her native Ponthieu.

Sometime between May 1260 and 9 February 1261, Joan took a second husband, Jean de Nesle, Seigneur de Falvy et de La Hérelle (died 2 February 1292).[5] This marriage is sometimes said to have produced a daughter, Béatrice, but she was in fact a child of Jean de Nesle's first marriage. In 1263, Joan was recognized as countess of Aumale after the death of a childless Dammartin cousin. But her son Ferdinand died around 1265, leaving a young son known as John of Ponthieu.

During her marriage to Jean de Nesle, Joan ran up considerable debts and also appears to have allowed her rights as countess in Ponthieu to weaken. The death of her son Ferdinand in 1265 made her next son, Louis, her heir in Ponthieu but around 1275 he, too, died, leaving two children. But according to inheritance customs in Picardy, where Ponthieu lay, Joan's young grandson John of Ponthieu could not succeed her there; her heir in Ponthieu automatically became her adult daughter Eleanor, who was married to Edward I of England.[citation needed] It does not appear that Joan was displeased at the prospect of having Ponthieu pass under English domination; from 1274 to 1278, in fact, she had her granddaughter Joan of Acre (the daughter of Edward I and Eleanor) with her in Ponthieu, and appears to have treated the girl so indulgently that when she was returned to England her parents found that she was thoroughly spoiled.

That same indulgent nature appears to have made Joan inattentive to her duties as countess. When she died in March 1279, her daughter and son-in-law were thus confronted with Joan's vast debts, and to prevent the king of France from involving himself in the county's affairs, they had to pay the debts quickly by taking out loans from citizens in Ponthieu and from wealthy abbeys in France.

They also had to deal with a lengthy legal struggle with Eleanor's nephew, John of Ponthieu, to whom Joan bequeathed a great deal of land in Ponthieu as well as important legal rights connected with those estates. The dispute was resolved when John of Ponthieu was recognized as Joan's successor in Aumale according to the inheritance customs that prevailed in Normandy, while Edward and Eleanor retained Ponthieu and John gave up all his claims there. By using English wealth, Edward and Eleanor restored stability to the administration and the finances of Ponthieu, and added considerably to the comital estate by purchasing large amounts of land there.

Child of Ferdinand Castile and Jeanne de Danmartin is:

22026335 i. Eleanor of Castile and Leon, born 1244; died 1290; married Edward of England Plantagenet

Generation No. 27

88105308. Geoffrey le Despencer, born 1215. He was the son of 176210616. Geoffrey le Despencer. He married 88105309. Emma de Harcourt.

88105309. Emma de Harcourt, born 1218; died 1297.

Child of Geoffrey le Despencer and Emma de Harcourt is:

44052654 i. William de Ferrers, born 1240; died 1287; married Joan le Despencer

88105310. Geoffrey le Despencer, born 1215. He was the son of 176210620. Geoffrey le Despencer.

He married 88105311. Emma de Harcourt.

88105311. Emma de Harcourt

Child of Geoffrey le Despencer and Emma de Harcourt is:

44052655 i. Joan le Despencer, married William de Ferrers

88105332. Roger de Lacy, born 1170; died 1211. He was the son of 176210664. John FitzRichard. He married 88105333. Maud or Matilda de Clere.

88105333. Maud or Matilda de Clere

Notes for Roger de Lacy: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Roger de Lacy (1170-1211), 6th Baron of Pontefract, 7th Lord of Bowland, Lord of Blackburnshire, 7th Baron of Halton and Constable of Chester was formerly Roger le Constable. He was also known as Roger FitzJohn (son of John)[1] and during the time that he was hoping to inherit his grandmother's de Lisours lands as Roger de Lisours. He was the son of John FitzRichard (son of Richard), Baron of Halton, Lord of Bowland, Lord of Flamborough and Constable of Chester. Roger became Baron of Pontefract on the death of his paternal grandmother Albreda de Lisours (-aft.1194) who had inherited the Barony in her own right as 1st-cousin and heir to Robert de Lacy (-1193), 4th Baron of Pontefract. In agreements with his grandmother Roger adopted the name of de Lacy, received the right to inherit the Barony of Pontefract and its lands, and the lands of Bowland, and Blackburnshire. He gave up all claims to his grandmother's de Lisours lands. He also gave his younger brother Robert le Constable the Flamborough lands that he had inherited from his father. He married Maud or Matilda de Clere (not of the de Clare family).

Roger was the Constable of Chester. Under the banner of Richard the Lionheart, Roger assisted at the siege of Acon, in 1192 and shared in the subsequent triumphs of that chivalrous monarch.

Accession of King John At the accession of John, Roger was a person of great eminence, for we find him shortly after the coronation of that prince, deputed with the Sheriff of Northumberland, and other great men, to conduct William, King of Scotland, to Lincoln, where the English king had fixed to give him an interview; and the next year he was one of the barons present at Lincoln, when Davis, of Scotland, did homage and fealty to King John.

Siege of Rothelan In the time of this Roger, Ranulph, Earl of Chester, having entered Wales at the head of some forces, was compelled, by superior numbers, to shut himself up in the castle of Rothelan (Rhuddlan Castle), where, being closely besieged by the Welsh, he sent for aid to the Constable of Chester. Hugh Lupus, the 1st Earl of Chester, in his charter of foundation of the Abbey of St. Werberg, at Chester, had given a privilege to the frequenters of Chester fair, "That they should not be apprehended for theft, or any other offense during the time of the fair, unless the crime was committed therein."[2] This privilege made the fair, of course, the resort of thieves and vagabonds from all parts of the kingdom. Accordingly, the Constable, Roger de Lacy, forthwith marched to his relief, at the head of a concourse of people, then collected at the fair of Chester, consisting of minstrels, and loose characters of all description, forming altogether so numerous a body, that the besiegers, at their approach, mistaking them for soldiers, immediately raised the siege. For this timely service, the Earl of Chester conferred upon De Lacy and his heirs, the patronage of all the minstrels in those parts, which patronage the Constable transferred to his steward; and was enjoyed for many years afterwards.[2]

High Sheriff He was appointed High Sheriff of Cumberland for the years 1204 to 1209. [3]

Death and succession Roger died in 1211. Roger was succeeded by his son, John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln.

References 1.^ Some references show Roger de Lacy as Roger FitzEustace but this is not correct as he was not the son of

Eustace, his father was, and FitzEustace did not become a surname. 2.^ a b Burke, John, A general and heraldic dictionary of the peerages of England, Ireland, and Scotland (1831) Pg 301 3.^ "The History of the Worthies of England , volume 1 by Fuller". http://www.archive.org/stream/worthiesengland01fulluoft/worthiesengland01fulluoft_djvu.txt. Retrieved 2011-07-21. 4.^ a b c d e f g h i Fitz = son of 5.^ The Herald's descent of Eustace FitzJohn, that says he is the son of John FitzRichard and grandson of Eustace de Burgh, is fictitious. Ranulf, a rich citizen and moneyer of Caen, 1035, is believed to be his ancestor. Waleram FitzRanulf came over with the Conqueror, but was dead before 1086, the date of Domesday Book, in which occur the names of his son John FitzWaleram and John "nepos (nephew of, but could also mean a more distant relation) Walerami." John "nepos Walerami" had a manor in Saxlingham in Norfolk, which came to Eustace FitzJohn, his son, and was inherited by the Vescis. 6.^ a b Filia = daughter of 7.^ Roger was the "nepos" of Hugh Bigod, the son of Roger Bigod & Adeliza de Tosney, and the "nepos" of Thomas de Candelent. "Nepos" could mean nephew or a more distant relation. His wife Alice of Essex had also been married previously to Robert of Essex, who was the son of Hugh Bigod's sister Gunnor Bigod, and this could be where the reference to Roger being the "nepos" of Hugh Bigod comes from, a nephew through marriage.

Child of Roger de Lacy and Maud de Clere is:

44052666 i. John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln, born 1192; died 1240.

88105336. John of England Plantagenet, born 1167; died 1216. He was the son of 176210672. Henry II "Curtmantle" of England Plantagenet and 176210673. Eleanor d'Aguitaine. He married 88105337. Isabella de Tallefer of Angouleme.

88105337. Isabella de Tallefer of Angouleme, born 1176; died 1246. She was the daughter of 176210674. Aymer of Angoulême and 176210675. Alice of Courtenay.

Notes for John of England Plantagenet: John (24 December 1166 – 18/19 October 1216), also known as John Lackland or Softsword, was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death. During John's reign, England lost the duchy of Normandy to King Philip II of France, which resulted in the collapse of most of the Angevin Empire and contributed to the subsequent growth in power of the Capetian dynasty during the 13th century. The baronial revolt at the end of John's reign led to the signing of the Magna Carta, a document often considered to be an early step in the evolution of the constitution of the United Kingdom.

John, the youngest of five sons of King Henry II of England and Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine, was at first not expected to inherit significant lands. Following the failed rebellion of his elder brothers between 1173 and 1174, however, John became Henry's favourite child. He was appointed the Lord of Ireland in 1177 and given lands in England and on the continent. John's elder brothers William, Henry and Geoffrey died young; by the time Richard I became king in 1189, John was a potential heir to the throne. John unsuccessfully attempted a rebellion against Richard's royal administrators whilst his brother was participating in the Third Crusade. Despite this, after Richard died in 1199, John was proclaimed king of England, and came to an agreement with Philip II of France to recognise John's possession of the continental Angevin lands at the peace treaty of Le Goulet in 1200.

When war with France broke out again in 1202, John achieved early victories, but shortages of military resources and his treatment of Norman, Breton and Anjou nobles resulted in the collapse of his empire in northern France in 1204. John spent much of the next decade attempting to regain these lands, raising huge revenues, reforming his armed forces and rebuilding continental alliances. John's judicial reforms had a lasting, positive impact on the English common law system, as well as providing an additional source of revenue. An argument with Pope Innocent III led to John's excommunication in 1209, a dispute finally settled by the king in 1213. John's attempt to defeat Philip in 1214 failed due to the French victory over John's allies at the battle of Bouvines. When he returned to England, John faced a rebellion by many of his barons, who were unhappy with his fiscal policies and his treatment of many of England's most

powerful nobles. Although both John and the barons agreed to the Magna Carta peace treaty in 1215, neither side complied with its conditions. Civil war broke out shortly afterwards, with the barons

aided by Louis of France. It soon descended into a stalemate. John died of dysentery contracted whilst on campaign in eastern England during late 1216; supporters of his son Henry III went on to achieve victory over Louis and the rebel barons the following year.

Contemporary chroniclers were mostly critical of John's performance as king, and his reign has since been the subject of significant debate and periodic revision by historians from the 16th century onwards. Historian Jim Bradbury has summarised the contemporary historical opinion of John's positive qualities, observing that John is today usually considered a "hard-working administrator, an able man, an able general".[1] Nonetheless, modern historians agree that he also had many faults as king, including what historian Ralph Turner describes as "distasteful, even dangerous personality traits", such as pettiness, spitefulness and cruelty.[2] These negative qualities provided extensive material for fiction writers in the Victorian era, and John remains a recurring character within Western popular culture, primarily as a villain in films and stories depicting the Robin Hood legends.

John was born to Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine on 24 December 1166.[3] Henry had inherited significant territories along the Atlantic seaboard – Anjou, Normandy and England – and expanded his empire by conquering Brittany.[4] Henry married the powerful Eleanor of Aquitaine, who reigned over the Duchy of Aquitaine and had a tenuous claim to Toulouse and Auvergne in southern France, in addition to being the former wife of Louis VII of France.[4] The result was the Angevin Empire, so called because of the Count of Anjou's traditional seat in the city of Angers.[nb 1] The Angevin Empire of Henry II was inherently fragile: although all the lands owed allegiance to Henry, the disparate parts each had their own histories, traditions and governance structures.[6] As one moved south through Anjou and Aquitaine, the extent of royal power in the provinces diminished considerably, scarcely resembling the modern concept of an empire at all. Some of the traditional ties between parts of the empire such as Normandy and England were slowly dissolving over time.[7] It was unclear what would happen to the empire on Henry's death. Although the tradition of primogeniture, under which an eldest son would inherit all his father's lands, was slowly becoming more widespread across Europe, it was less popular amongst the Norman kings of England.[8] Most believed that Henry would divide the empire, giving each son a substantial portion, hoping that his children would then continue to work together as allies after his death.[9] To complicate matters, much of the Angevin empire was technically owned by Henry only as a vassal of the King of France of the rival line of the House of Capet. Henry had often allied himself with the Holy Roman Emperor against France, making the feudal relationship even more challenging.[10]

Shortly after his birth, John was passed from Eleanor into the care of a wet nurse, a traditional practice for medieval noble families.[11] Eleanor then left for Poitiers, the capital of Aquitaine, and sent John and his sister Joan north to Fontevrault Abbey.[12] This may have been done with the aim of steering her youngest son, with no obvious inheritance, towards a future ecclesiastical career.[11] Eleanor spent the next few years conspiring against her husband Henry and neither parent played a part in John's very early life.[11] John was probably, like his brothers, assigned a magister whilst he was at Fontevrault, a teacher charged with his early education and with managing the servants of his immediate household; John was later taught by Ranulph Glanville, a leading English administrator.[13] John spent some time as a member of the household of his eldest living brother Henry the Young King, where he probably received instruction in hunting and military skills.[12]

John would grow up to be around 5 ft 5 in high (1.62 m), relatively short for royalty of the day, with a "powerful, barrel-chested body" and dark red hair; he appeared to contemporaries to look like an inhabitant of Poitou.[14] John enjoyed reading and, unusual for the period, built up a travelling library of books.[15] He enjoyed gambling, in particular on backgammon, and was an enthusiastic hunter, even by medieval standards.[16] He liked music, although not songs.[17] John would become a "connoisseur of jewels", building up a large collection, and became famous for his opulent clothes and also, according to French chroniclers, for his fondness for bad wine.[18] As John grew up, he became known for sometimes

being "genial, witty, generous and hospitable"; at other moments, he could be jealous, over-sensitive and prone to fits of rage, "biting and gnawing his fingers" in anger.[19][nb 2]

During John's early years, Henry attempted to resolve the question of his succession. Henry the Young King had been crowned King of England in 1170, but without being given any formal powers by his father, and was also promised Normandy and Anjou as part of his future inheritance. Richard was to be appointed the Count of Poitou and would be given control of Aquitaine, whilst Geoffrey was to become the Duke of Brittany.[20] At this time it seemed unlikely that John would ever inherit substantial lands, and John was jokingly nicknamed "Lackland" by his father.[21]

Henry II wanted to secure the southern borders of Aquitaine and decided to betroth his youngest son to Alais, the daughter and heiress of Humbert III of Savoy.[22] As part of this agreement John was promised the future inheritance of Savoy, Piemonte, Maurienne, and the other possessions of Count Humbert.[22] For his part in the potential marriage alliance, Henry II transferred the castles of Chinon, Loudun and Mirebeau into John's name; as John was only five years old his father would continue to control them for practical purposes.[22] Henry the Young King was unimpressed by this; although he had yet to be granted control of any castles in his new kingdom, these were effectively his future property and had been given away without consultation.[22] Alais made the trip over the Alps and joined Henry II's court, but she died before marrying John, which left the prince once again without an inheritance.[22]

In 1173 John's elder brothers, backed by Eleanor, rose in revolt against Henry in the short-lived rebellion of 1173 to 1174. Growing irritated with his subordinate position to Henry II and increasingly worried that John might be given additional lands and castles at his expense,[20] Henry the Young King travelled to Paris and allied himself with Louis VII.[23] Eleanor, irritated by her husband's persistent interference in Aquitaine, encouraged Richard and Geoffrey to join their brother Henry in Paris.[23] Henry II triumphed over the coalition of his sons, but was generous to them in the peace settlement agreed at Montlouis.[22] Henry the Young King was allowed to travel widely in Europe with his own household of knights, Richard was given Aquitaine back, and Geoffrey was allowed to return to Brittany; only Eleanor was imprisoned for her role in the revolt.[24]

John had spent the conflict travelling alongside his father and was given widespread possessions across the Angevin empire as part of the Montlouis settlement; from then onwards, most observers regarded John as Henry II's favourite child, although he was the furthest removed in terms of the royal succession.[22] Henry II began to find more lands for John, mostly at various nobles' expense. In 1175 he appropriated the estates of the late Earl of Cornwall and gave them to John.[22] The following year, Henry disinherited the sisters of Isabelle of Gloucester, contrary to legal custom, and betrothed John to the now extremely wealthy Isabelle.[25] In 1177, at the Council of Oxford, Henry dismissed William FitzAldelm as the Lord of Ireland and replaced him with the ten-year-old John.[25]

Henry the Young King fought a short war with his brother Richard in 1183 over the status of England, Normandy and Aquitaine.[25] Henry II moved in support of Richard, and Henry the Young King died from dysentery at the end of the campaign.[25] With his primary heir dead, Henry rearranged the plans for the succession: Richard was to be made King of England, albeit without any actual power until the death of his father; Geoffrey would retain Brittany; and John would now become the Duke of Aquitaine in place of Richard.[25] Richard refused to give up Aquitaine;[25] Henry II was furious and ordered John, with help from Geoffrey, to march south and retake the duchy by force.[25] The two attacked the capital of Poitiers, and Richard responded by attacking Brittany.[25] The war ended in stalemate and a tense family reconciliation in England at the end of 1184.[25]

In 1185 John made his first visit to Ireland, accompanied by three hundred knights and a team of administrators.[26] Henry had tried to have John officially proclaimed King of Ireland, but Pope Lucius III would not agree.[26] John's first period of rule in Ireland was not a success. Ireland had only recently been conquered by Anglo-Norman forces, and tensions were still rife between Henry II, the new settlers and the existing inhabitants.[27] John infamously offended the local Irish rulers by making fun of their unfashionable long beards, failed to make allies amongst the Anglo-Norman settlers, began to lose ground militarily against the Irish and finally returned to England later in the year, blaming the viceroy, Hugh de Lacy, for the fiasco.[27]

The problems amongst John's wider family continued to grow. His elder brother Geoffrey died during a tournament in 1186, leaving a posthumous son, Arthur, and an elder daughter, Eleanor.[28] The duchy of Brittany was given to Arthur rather than John, but Geoffrey's death brought John slightly closer to the throne of England.[28] The uncertainty about what would happen after Henry's death continued to grow;

Richard was keen to join a new crusade and remained concerned that whilst he was away Henry would appoint John his formal successor.[29] Richard began discussions about a potential alliance with Philip II in Paris during 1187, and the next year Richard gave homage to Philip in exchange for support for a war against Henry.[30] Richard and Philip fought a joint campaign against Henry, and by the summer of 1189 the king made peace, promising Richard the succession.[31] John initially remained loyal to his father, but changed sides once it appeared that Richard would win.[31] Henry died shortly afterwards.[31]

When John's elder brother Richard became king in September 1189, he had already declared his intention of joining the Third Crusade.[31] Richard set about raising the huge sums of money required for this expedition through the sale of lands, titles and appointments, and attempted to ensure that he would not face a revolt while away from his empire.[32] John was made Count of Mortain, was married to the wealthy Isabel of Gloucester, and was given valuable lands in Lancaster and the counties of Cornwall, Derby, Devon, Dorset, Nottingham and Somerset, all with the aim of buying his loyalty to Richard whilst the king was on crusade.[33] Richard retained royal control of key castles in these counties, thereby preventing John from accumulating too much military and political power.[34] In return, John promised not to visit England for the next three years, thereby in theory giving Richard adequate time to conduct a successful crusade and return from the Levant without fear of John seizing power.[35] Richard left political authority in England – the post of justiciar – jointly in the hands of Bishop Hugh de Puiset and William Mandeville, and made William Longchamp, the Bishop of Ely, his chancellor.[36] Mandeville immediately died, and Longchamp took over as joint justiciar with Puiset, which would prove to be a less than satisfactory partnership.[35] Eleanor, the queen mother, convinced Richard to allow John into England in his absence.[35]

The political situation in England rapidly began to deteriorate. Longchamp refused to work with Puiset and became unpopular with the English nobility and clergy.[37] John exploited this unpopularity to set himself up as an alternative ruler with his own royal court, complete with his own justiciar, chancellor and other royal posts, and was happy to be portrayed as an alternative regent, and possibly the next king.[38] Armed conflict broke out between John and Longchamp, and by October 1191 Longchamp was isolated in the Tower of London with John in control of the city of London, thanks to promises John had made to the citizens in return for recognition as Richard's heir presumptive.[39] At this point Walter of Coutances, the Archbishop of Rouen, returned to England, having been sent by Richard to restore order.[40] John's position was undermined by Walter's relative popularity and by the news that Richard had married whilst in Cyprus, which presented the possibility that Richard would have legitimate children and heirs.[41]

The political turmoil continued. John began to explore an alliance with the French king Philip II, freshly returned from the crusade. John hoped to acquire Normandy, Anjou and the other lands in France held by Richard in exchange for allying himself with Philip.[41] John was persuaded not to pursue an alliance by his mother.[41] Longchamp, who had left England after Walter's intervention, now returned, and argued that he had been wrongly removed as justiciar.[42] John intervened, suppressing Longchamp's claims in return for promises of support from the royal administration, including a reaffirmation of his position as heir to the throne.[42] When Richard still did not return from the crusade, John began to assert that his brother was dead or otherwise permanently lost.[42] Richard had in fact been captured en route to England by the Duke of Austria and was handed over to Emperor Henry VI, who held him for ransom.[42] John seized the opportunity and went to Paris, where he formed an alliance with Philip. He agreed to set aside his wife, Isabella of Gloucester, and marry Philip's sister, Alys, in exchange for Philip's support.[43] Fighting broke out in England between forces loyal to Richard and those being gathered by John.[43] John's military position was weak and he agreed to a truce; in early 1194 the king finally returned to England, and John's remaining forces surrendered.[44] John retreated to Normandy, where Richard finally found him later that year.[44] Richard declared that his younger brother – despite being 27 years old – was merely "a child who has had evil counsellors" and forgave him, but removed his lands with the exception of Ireland.[45]

For the remaining years of Richard's reign, John supported his brother on the continent, apparently loyally.[46] Richard's policy on the continent was to attempt to regain the castles he had lost to Philip II whilst on crusade through steady, limited campaigns. He allied himself with the leaders of Flanders, Boulogne and the Holy Roman Empire to apply pressure on Philip from Germany.[47] In 1195 John successfully conducted a sudden attack and siege of Évreux castle, and subsequently managed the defences of Normandy against Philip.[46] The following year, John seized the town of Gamaches and led

a raiding party within 50 miles (80 km) of Paris, capturing the Bishop of Beauvais.[46] In return for this service, Richard withdrew his malevontia, or ill-will, towards John, restored him to the county of Gloucestershire and made him again the Count of Mortain.[46]

Early reign (1199–1204) Accession to the throne, 1199 The donjon of Château Gaillard; the loss of the castle would prove devastating for John's military position in NormandyAfter Richard's death on 6 April 1199 there were two potential claimants to the Angevin throne: John, whose claim rested on being the sole surviving son of Henry II, and young Arthur of Brittany, who held a claim as the son of Geoffrey, John's elder brother.[48] Richard appears to have started to recognise John as his legitimate heir

in the final years before his death, but the matter was not clear-cut and medieval law gave little guidance as to how the competing claims should be decided.[49] With Norman law favouring John as the only surviving son of Henry II and Angevin law favouring Arthur as the heir of Henry's elder son, the matter rapidly became an open conflict.[8] John was supported by the bulk of the English and Norman nobility and was crowned at Westminster, backed by his mother, Eleanor. Arthur was supported by the majority of the Breton, Maine and Anjou nobles and received the support of Philip II, who remained committed to breaking up the Angevin territories on the continent.[50] With Arthur's army pressing up the Loire valley towards Angers and Philip's forces moving down the valley towards Tours, John's continental empire was in danger of being cut in two.[51]

Warfare in Normandy at the time was shaped by the defensive potential of castles and the increasing costs of conducting campaigns.[52] The Norman frontiers had limited natural defences but were heavily reinforced with castles, such as Château Gaillard, at strategic points, built and maintained at considerable expense.[53] It was difficult for a commander to advance far into fresh territory without having secured his lines of communication by capturing these fortifications, which slowed the progress of any attack.[54] Armies of the period could be formed from either feudal or mercenary forces.[55] Feudal levies could only be raised for a fixed length of time before they returned home, forcing an end to a campaign; mercenary forces, often called Brabançons after the Duchy of Brabant but actually recruited from across northern Europe, could operate all year long and provide a commander with more strategic options to pursue a campaign, but cost much more than equivalent feudal forces.[56] As a result commanders of the period were increasingly drawing on larger numbers of mercenaries.[57]

After his coronation, John moved south into France with military forces and adopted a defensive posture along the eastern and southern Normandy borders.[58] Both sides paused for desultory negotiations before the war recommenced; John's position was now stronger, thanks to confirmation that Count Baldwin of Flanders and Renaud of Boulogne had renewed the anti-French alliances they had previously agreed to with Richard.[50] The powerful Anjou nobleman William de Roches was persuaded to switch sides from Arthur to John; suddenly the balance seemed to be tipping away from Philip and Arthur in favour of John.[59] Neither side was keen to continue the conflict, and following a papal truce the two leaders met in January 1200 to negotiate possible terms for peace.[59] From John's perspective, what then followed represented an opportunity to stabilise control over his continental possessions and produce a lasting peace with Philip in Paris. John and Philip negotiated the May 1200 Treaty of Le Goulet; by this treaty, Philip recognised John as the rightful heir to Richard in respect to his French possessions, temporarily abandoning the wider claims of his client, Arthur.[60][nb 3] John, in turn, abandoned Richard's former policy of containing Philip through alliances with Flanders and Boulogne, and accepted Philip's right as the legitimate feudal overlord of John's lands in France.[61] John's policy earned him the disrespectful title of "John Softsword" from some English chroniclers, who contrasted his behaviour with his more aggressive brother, Richard.[62]

Le Goulet peace, 1200–02 The tomb of Isabella of Angoulême, John's second wifeThe new peace would only last for two years; war recommenced in the aftermath of John's decision in August 1200 to marry Isabella of Angoulême. In order to remarry, John first needed to abandon Isabel, Countess of Gloucester, his first wife; John accomplished this by arguing that he had failed to get the necessary papal permission to marry Isabel in the first place – as a cousin, John could not have legally wed her without this.[60] It remains unclear why John chose to marry Isabella of Angoulême. Contemporary chroniclers argued that John had fallen deeply in love with Isabella, and John may have been motivated by desire for an apparently beautiful, if rather young, girl.[60] On the other hand, the Angoumois lands that came with Isabella were strategically vital to John: by marrying Isabella, John was acquiring a key land route between Poitou and Gascony, which significantly strengthened his grip on Aquitaine.[63]

Unfortunately, Isabella was already engaged to Hugh de Lusignan, an important member of a key Poitou noble family and brother of Raoul de Lusignan, the Count of Eu, who possessed lands along the sensitive eastern Normandy border.[60] Just as John stood to benefit strategically from marrying Isabella, so the marriage threatened the interests of the Lusignans, whose own lands currently provided the key route for royal goods and troops across Aquitaine.[64] Rather than negotiating some form of compensation, John treated Hugh "with contempt"; this resulted in a Lusignan uprising that was promptly crushed by John, who also intervened to suppress Raoul in Normandy.[63]

Although John was the Count of Poitou and therefore the rightful feudal lord over the Lusignans, they could

legitimately appeal John's actions in France to his own feudal lord, Philip.[63] Hugh did exactly this in 1201 and Philip summoned John to attend court in Paris in 1202, citing the Le Goulet treaty to strengthen his case.[63] John was unwilling to weaken his authority in western France in this way. He argued that he need not attend Philip's court because of his special status as the Duke of Normandy, who was exempt by feudal tradition from being called to the French court.[63] Philip argued that he was summoning John not as the Duke of Normandy, but as the Count of Poitou, which carried no such special status.[63] When John still refused to come, Philip declared John in breach of his feudal responsibilities, reassigned all of John's lands that fell under the French crown to Arthur – with the exception of Normandy, which he took back for himself – and began a fresh war against John.[63]

John's successful 1202 campaign, which culminated in the victory of the battle of Mirebeau; red arrows indicate the movement of John's forces, blue those of Philip II's forces and light blue those of Philip's Breton and Lusignan alliesJohn initially adopted a defensive posture similar to that of 1199: avoiding open battle and carefully defending his key castles.[65] John's operations became more chaotic as the campaign progressed, and Philip began to make steady progress in the east.[65] John became aware in July that Arthur's forces were threatening his mother, Eleanor, at Mirebeau Castle. Accompanied by William de Roches, his seneschal in Anjou, he swung his mercenary army rapidly south to protect her.[65] His forces caught Arthur by surprise and captured the entire rebel leadership at the battle of Mirebeau.[65] With his southern flank weakening, Philip was forced to withdraw in the east and turn south himself to contain John's army.[65]

John's position in France was considerably strengthened by the victory at Mirebeau, but John's treatment of his new prisoners and of his ally, William de Roches, quickly undermined these gains. De Roches was a powerful Anjou noble, but John largely ignored him, causing considerable offence, whilst the king kept the rebel leaders in such bad conditions that twenty-two of them died.[66] At this time most of the regional nobility were closely linked through kinship, and this behaviour towards their relatives was regarded as unacceptable.[67] William de Roches and other of John's regional allies in Anjou and Brittany deserted him in favour of Philip, and Brittany rose in fresh revolt.[67] John's financial situation was tenuous: once factors such as the comparative military costs of materiel and soldiers were taken into account, Philip enjoyed a considerable, although not overwhelming, advantage of resources over John.[68][nb 4]

Further desertions of John's local allies at the beginning of 1203 steadily reduced John's freedom to manoeuvre in the region.[67] He attempted to convince Pope Innocent III to intervene in the conflict, but Innocent's efforts were unsuccessful.[67] As the situation became worse for John, he appears to have decided to have Arthur killed, with the aim of removing his potential rival and of undermining the rebel movement in Brittany.[67] Arthur had initially been imprisoned at Falaise and was then moved to Rouen. After this, Arthur's fate remains uncertain, but modern historians believe he was murdered by John.[67] The annals of Margam Abbey suggest that "John had captured Arthur and kept him alive in prison for some time in the castle of Rouen... when John was drunk he slew Arthur with his own hand and tying a heavy stone to the body cast it into the Seine."[70][nb 5] Rumours of the manner of Arthur's death further reduced support for John across the region.[71] Arthur's sister, Eleanor, who had also been captured at Mirebeau, was kept imprisoned by John for many years, albeit in relatively good conditions.[71]

Phillip II's successful invasion of Normandy in 1204; blue arrows indicate the movement of Philip II's forces and light blue Philip's Breton alliesIn late 1203, John attempted to relieve Château Gaillard, which although besieged by Philip was guarding the eastern flank of Normandy.[72] John attempted a synchronised operation involving land-based and water-borne forces, considered by most historians today to have been imaginative in conception, but overly complex for forces of the period to have carried out successfully.[72] John's relief operation was blocked by Philip's forces, and John turned back to Brittany in an attempt to draw Philip away from eastern Normandy.[72] John successfully devastated much of Brittany, but did not deflect Philip's main thrust into the east of Normandy.[72] Opinions vary amongst

historians as to the military skill shown by John during this campaign, with most recent historians arguing that his performance was passable, although not impressive.[60][nb 6] John's situation began to deteriorate rapidly. The eastern border region of Normandy had been extensively cultivated by Philip and his predecessors for several years, whilst Angevin authority in the south had been undermined by Richard's giving away of various key castles some years before.[74] His use of routier mercenaries in the central regions had rapidly eaten away his remaining support in this area too, which set the stage for a sudden collapse of Angevin power.[75][nb 7] John retreated back across the Channel in December, sending orders for the establishment of a fresh defensive line to the west of Chateau Gaillard.[72] In March 1204, Gaillard fell. John's mother Eleanor

died the following month.[72]

Notes for Isabella de Tallefer of Angouleme: Isabella of Angoulême (French: Isabelle d'Angoulême, IPA: [izab?l d?~gul?m]; 1188 – 31 May 1246) was suo jure Countess of Angoulême and queen consort of England as the second wife of King John. She was queen from 24 August 1200 until John's death on 19 October 1216. She had five children by the king including his heir Henry who succeeded John as Henry III of England. In 1220, Isabella married secondly Hugh X of Lusignan, Count of La Marche, by whom she had another nine children.

Isabella formed a conspiracy against King Louis IX of France in 1241, after being publicly snubbed by his mother, Blanche of Castile for whom she had a deep-seated hatred.[1] In 1244, after the plot had failed, Isabella was accused of attempting to poison the king, and to avoid arrest, sought refuge in Fontevraud Abbey where she died two years later at the age of about 58.

She was the only daughter and heir of Aymer Taillefer, Count of Angoulême, by Alice of Courtenay, who was sister of Peter II of Courtenay, Latin Emperor of Constantinople and granddaughter of King Louis VI of France.

Isabella became Countess of Angoulême in her own right on 16 June 1202, by which time she was already queen of England. Her marriage to King John took place on 24 August 1200, at Bordeaux, a year after he annulled his first marriage to Isabel of Gloucester. She was crowned queen in an elaborate ceremony on 9 October at Westminster Abbey in London. Isabella was originally betrothed to Hugh IX le Brun, Count of Lusignan,[2] son of the then Count of La Marche. As a result of John's temerity in taking her as his second wife, King Philip II of France confiscated all of their French lands, and armed conflict ensued.

At the time of her marriage to John, the 12-year-old Isabella was already renowned for her beauty[3] and has sometimes been called the Helen of the Middle Ages by historians.[4] Isabella was much younger than her husband and possessed a volatile temper to match his own. King John, however, was deeply infatuated with his young, beautiful wife; he neglected his state affairs to spend time with Isabella, often remaining in bed with her until noon, although it was the custom for kings to rise at five o'clock in the morning to commence their duties. The common people began to term her a "siren" or "Messalina", although they were pleased with her beauty.[5] Her mother-in-law, Eleanor of Aquitaine readily accepted her as John's wife.[6]

On 1 October 1207 at Winchester Castle, Isabella gave birth to a son and heir who was named Henry after the King's father, Henry II. He was quickly followed by another son, Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall, King of the Romans; and three daughters, Joan, Isabel, and Eleanor. All five children survived into adulthood, and would make illustrious marriages; all but Joan would produce offspring of their own.

When King John died in October 1216, Isabella's first act was to arrange the speedy coronation of her nine-year-old son at the city of Gloucester on 28 October. As the royal crown had recently been lost in The Wash, along with the rest of King John's treasure, she supplied her own golden circlet to be used in lieu of a crown.[7] The following July, less than a year after his crowning as King Henry III of England, she left him in the care of his regent, William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke and returned to France to assume control of her inheritance of Angoulême, which had belonged to her suo jure since 1202.

In the spring of 1220, she married Hugh X of Lusignan, "le Brun", Seigneur de Luisignan, Count of La Marche, the son of Hugh IX, to whom she had been betrothed before her marriage to King John. It had been previously arranged that her eldest daughter Joan should marry Hugh, and the little girl was being brought up at the Lusignan court in preparation for her marriage. Hugh, however, upon seeing Isabella, whose beauty had not diminished,[8] preferred the girl's mother. Princess Joan was provided with another husband, King Alexander II of Scotland, whom she wed in 1221.

Isabella had married Hugh without waiting to receive the consent of the King's council in England, which was the required procedure for a former Queen of England, as the Council had the power to not only choose the Queen Dowager's second husband, but to decide whether or not she should be allowed to marry at all. Isabella's flouting of this law caused the Council to confiscate her dower lands and stop the payment of her pension.[9] Isabella and her husband retaliated by threatening to keep the Princess Joan in France (she had not yet departed for England); and

after furious letters sent by the Council to the Pope, signed by Isabella's son, King Henry, which urged the Pontiff to excommunicate the Count and Countess, the Council, in order to placate the King of Scotland, who was eager to receive his future bride, came to terms with Isabella. She was granted, in compensation for her dower lands in Normandy, the stannaries in Devon and the revenue of Aylesbury for a period of four years. She also received £3000 pounds as payment for arrears in her pension.[10]

By Hugh X, Isabella had nine more children. Their eldest son Hugh XI of Lusignan succeeded his father as Count of La Marche and Count of Angoulême in 1249.

Rebellion and death Described as "vain, capricious, and troublesome",[11] Isabella could not reconcile herself to the necessary loss in rank which resulted after her marriage to the Count of La Marche. Isabella had been a Queen of England and deeply resented having to give precedence to women who were now of higher rank than she, a mere Countess of Angoulême and La Marche.[12] In 1241, when Isabella and Hugh were summoned to the French court to swear fealty to King Louis IX of France's brother, Alphonse, who had been invested as Count of Poitou, their mother, the Queen Dowager Blanche openly snubbed her. This so infuriated Isabella, who had a deep-seated hatred of Blanche due to the latter having fervently supported the French invasion of England during the First Barons' War in May 1216, that she began to actively conspire against King Louis. Isabella and her husband, along with other disgruntled nobles, including her son-in-law Raymond VII of Toulouse, sought to create an English-backed confederacy which united the provinces of the south and west against the French king.[13] In 1244, after the confederacy had failed and Hugh had made peace with King Louis, two royal cooks were arrested for attempting to poison the King; upon questioning they confessed to having been in Isabella's pay.[14] Before Isabella could be taken into custody, she fled to Fontevraud Abbey, where she died on 31 May 1246.

By her own prior arrangement, she was first buried in the Abbey's churchyard, as an act of repentance for her many misdeeds. On a visit to Fontevraud, her son King Henry III of England was shocked to find her buried outside the Abbey and ordered her immediately moved inside. She was finally placed beside Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Afterwards, most of her many Lusignan children, having few prospects in France, set sail for England and the court of Henry, their half-brother.

Issue With King John of England: 5 children, all of whom survived into adulthood, including: 1.King Henry III of England (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272). Married Eleanor of Provence, by whom he had issue, including his heir, King Edward I of England. 2.Richard, Earl of Cornwall and King of the Romans (5 January 1209 – 2 April 1272). Married firstly Isabel Marshal, secondly Sanchia of Provence, and thirdly Beatrice of Falkenburg. Had issue. 3.Joan (22 July 1210 – 1238), the wife of King Alexander II of Scotland. Her marriage was childless. 4.Isabella (1214 – 1241), the wife of Emperor Frederick II, by whom she had issue. 5.Eleanor (1215 – 1275), who would marry firstly William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke; and secondly Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, by whom she had issue. With Hugh X of Lusignan, Count of La Marche: nine children, all of whom survived into adulthood, including: 1.Hugh XI of Lusignan (1221 – 1250), Count of La Marche and Count of Angoulême. Married Yolande de Dreux, Countess of Penthièvre and of Porhoet, by whom he had issue. 2.Aymer of Lusignan (1222 – 1260), Bishop of Winchester 3.Agnès de Lusignan (1223 – 1269). Married William II de Chauvigny (d.1270), and had issue. 4.Alice of Lusignan (1224 – 9 February 1256). Married John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey, by whom she had issue. 5.Guy of Lusignan (c. 1225 – 1264), killed at the Battle of Lewes. (Tufton Beamish maintains that he escaped to France after the Battle of Lewes and died there in 1269). 6.Geoffrey of Lusignan (c. 1226 – 1274). Married in 1259 Jeanne, Viscountess of Châtellerault, by whom he had issue. 7.William of Lusignan (c. 1228 – 1296). 1st Earl of Pembroke. Married Joan de Munchensi, by whom he issue. 8.Marguerite de Lusignan (c. 1229 – 1288). Married firstly in 1243 Raymond VII of Toulouse; secondly c. 1246 Aimery IX de Thouars, Viscount of Thouars and had issue 9.Isabella of

Lusignan (1234 – 14 January 1299). Married firstly before 1244 Maurice IV, seigneur de Craon (1224–1250), by whom she had issue; she married secondly, Geoffrey de Rancon.

Notes 1.^ Thomas B. Costain, The Magnificent Century, pp. 144-45, Doubleday and Company, Inc., Garden City, New York, 1959 2.^ Hugues X of Lusignan 3.^ Thomas B. Costain, The Conquering Family, pp.251-52, Doubleday and Company, Inc., Garden City, New York, 1949, 1962 4.^ Costain, The Conquering Family, p.306 5.^ Costain, The Conquering Family, pp.253-54 6.^ Thomas B. Costain, The Conquering Family, p.246 7.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, p.11 8.^ Costain, The Conquering Family, p.341 9.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, p.38-39 10.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, pp.38-39 11.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, p.149 12.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, p.144 13.^ Costain,The Magnificent Century pp.145-46 14.^ Costain, The Magnificent Century, p.149

References Isabelle d'Angoulême, Reine d'Angleterre, by Sophie Fougère Pertz Chronica ævi Suevici (Monumenta Germaniæ Historica, Scriptores 23) (1874): 874 (Chron. of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines: ―... que domna Petro de Cortenaio, regis Philippi patruo, peperit comitem Petrum Comitem Autissiodorensem et Robertum de Cortenaio et quendam Guilelmum et sorores eorum. Una Alaydis comiti Guilelmo Ioviniaci peperit comitem Petrum, et post Engolismensi comiti peperit Isabellam modernam Anglie reginam ...‖). The Conquering Family, by Thomas B. Costain, Doubleday and Company, Inc., Graden City, New York, 1949, 1962 The Magnificent Century, by Thomas B. Costain, Doubleday and Company, Inc., Garden City, New York, 1959

Child of John Plantagenet and Isabella Angouleme is:

44052668 i. Henry III of England Plantagenet, born 1207; married Elenore Berenger of Provence

88105338. Ramon Berenger of Provence, born Bet. 1195 - 1198. He married 88105339. Beatrice of Savoie.

88105339. Beatrice of Savoie, born Abt. 1201; died 1266. She was the daughter of 176210678. Thomas of Savoy and 176210679. Beatrix Faucigny de Geneva.

Child of Ramon Provence and Beatrice Savoie is:

44052669 i. Elenore Berenger of Provence, born 1217; died 1291; married Henry III of England Plantagenet

88105340. Alfonso Fernandez of Leon and Castile, born 1171; died 1230. He married 88105341. Berenguela of Castile.

88105341. Berenguela of Castile, born 1180; died 1246.

Child of Alfonso Castile and Berenguela Castile is:

44052670 i. Ferdinand of Castile, born 1201; died 1252; married Jeanne de Danmartin

88105342. Simon of Danmartin, born Abt. 1180. He married 88105343. Countess of Ponthieu and Montreuil Marie.

88105343. Countess of Ponthieu and Montreuil Marie, born 1199; died 1250. She was the daughter of 176210686. WilliamIV, Count of Ponthieu and 176210687. Countess of the Vexin Alys.

Notes for Simon of Danmartin: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Simon of Dammartin (1180 – 21 September 1239) was a son of Alberic II of Dammartin (Aubry de Dammartin) and his wife Mathildis of Clermont.

Biography Simon was the brother of Renaud I, Count of Dammartin, who had abducted the heiress of Boulogne, and forced her to marry him. It is thought that in order to strengthen the alliance with the Dammartins, King Philip Augustus of France allowed Simon to marry Marie, Countess of Ponthieu, who was a niece of the king, in 1208. Renaud and Simon of Dammartin would eventually ally themselves with John, King of England. In 1214 the brothers stood against Philip Augustus in the Battle of Bouvines. The French won the battle, and Renaud was imprisoned, while Simon was exiled.

Marie's father William IV, Count of Ponthieu had remained loyal to Philip Augustus. When William died in 1221, Philip Augustus denied Marie her inheritance and gave Ponthieu in custody to his cousin Robert III, Count of Dreux. After the death of Philip Augustus, Marie was able to negotiate an agreement with his successor Louis VIII in 1225. Ponthieu was held by the king, and Simon would only be allowed to enter this or any other fief if he obtained royal permission. In 1231 Simon agreed to the terms and added that he would not enter into marriage negotiations for his daughters without consent of the king.[1]

Family Simon married Marie, Countess of Ponthieu[2], the daughter of William IV, Count of Ponthieu and Alys, Countess of the Vexin. Marie became Countess of Ponthieu in 1221. [3]

Simon and his wife Marie had four daughters[4]:

Joan, Countess of Ponthieu (1220-1278), married 1) Ferdinand III of Castile. Mother of Eleanor of Castile, the wife of Edward I of England. Married 2) Jean de Nesle, Seigneur de Falvy et de La Hérelle. Mathilda of Dammartin (-1279), married John of Châtellerault Philippe of Dammartin (-1280), married 1) Raoul II of Lusignan, 2) Raoul II, Lord of Coucy, 3) Otto II, Count of Guelders. Maria of Dammartin, married John II, Count of Roucy. [edit] References1.^ John W. Baldwin, Aristocratic Life in Medieval France: The Romances of Jean Renart and Gerbert de Montreuil, 1190-1230, JHU Press, 2002 2.^ Willelmi Chronica Andrensis 194, MGH SS XXIV, p. 755. 3.^ Layettes du Trésor des Chartes II, 1713, p. 56. 4.^ Nobility of Northern France from Medieval Lands

Notes for Countess of Ponthieu and Montreuil Marie: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Marie of Ponthieu (17 April 1199[1] – 1251) was the Countess of Ponthieu and Countess of Montreuil, ruling from 1221 to 1251.

Marie was the daughter of William IV of Ponthieu and Alys, Countess of the Vexin, and granddaughter of King Louis VII of France by his second wife Constance of Castile. As her father's only surviving child, Marie succeeded him, ruling as Countess of Ponthieu and Montreuil from 1221 to 1251.

Marriages and children She married Simon of Dammartin before September 1208. He was the son of Alberic II of Dammartin and Maud de Clermont, daughter of Renaud de Clermont, Count de Clermont-en-Beauvaisis and Clemence de Bar.[2] Simon and Marie had four daughters but only two are recorded. The eldest was Joan of Dammartin (1220- 16 March 1279), second wife of Ferdinand III of Castile. The other daughter was Philippa of Dammartin (died 1277/81) who married firstly Raoul II d' Issoudun, secondly Raoul II de Coucy, and thirdly Otto II, Count Geldern.

Marie married secondly sometime between September 1240 and 15 December 1241, Mathieu de Montmorency, Seigneur d'Attichy, who was killed in battle at Mansurrah on 8 February 1250 during the Seventh Crusade, led by

King Louis IX of France.[3]

Child of Simon Danmartin and Countess Marie is:

44052671 i. Jeanne de Danmartin, born 1216; died 1279; married Ferdinand of Castile

Generation No. 28

176210616. Geoffrey le Despencer, born 1156. He was the son of 352421232. Thurston le Despencer and 352421233. Lucia.

Child of Geoffrey le Despencer is:

88105308 i. Geoffrey le Despencer, born 1215; married Emma de Harcourt

176210620. Geoffrey le Despencer, born 1156. He was the son of 352421232. Thurston le Despencer and 352421241. Lucia.

Child of Geoffrey le Despencer is:

88105310 i. Geoffrey le Despencer, born 1215; married Emma de Harcourt

176210664. John FitzRichard He was the son of 352421328. Richard FitzEustace.

Notes for John FitzRichard: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

The son of Richard FitzEustace. He was a Governor in Ireland for Henry II. Being a patron of science, he maintained an astronomer at Halton Castle. He founded a Cistercian monastery at Stanlow.[8] In 1190 he granted the second known charter for a ferry at Runcorn Gap. He served with Richard I in the Third Crusade and died at the siege of Tyre.[10]

Child of John FitzRichard is:

88105332 i. Roger de Lacy, born 1170; died 1211; married Maud or Matilda de Clere

176210672. Henry II "Curtmantle" of England Plantagenet, born 1132; died 1189. He was the son of 352421344. Geoffrey d'Anjou and 352421345. Empress Matilda of England Plantagenet. He married 176210673. Eleanor d'Aguitaine.

176210673. Eleanor d'Aguitaine, born 1123; died 1204. She was the daughter of 352421346. Guillaume de Aguitaine and 352421347. Eleanor de Chantellerault de Rochefoucauld.

Notes for Henry II "Curtmantle" of England Plantagenet: Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) ruled as King of England (1154–1189), Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the first of the House of Plantagenet to rule England. Henry was the first to use the title "King of England" (as opposed to "King of the English").

He is also known as Henry Curtmantle or Curtmantel (French: Henri Court-manteau) and Henry Fitz-Empress

Henry II was born in Le Mans, France, on 5 March 1133.[1] His father, Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, son of Fulk of Jerusalem, was also Count of Maine. His mother, Empress Matilda, was a claimant to the English throne as the daughter of Henry I (reigned 1100–1135), son of William The Conqueror, Duke of Normandy. His own claim to the throne was strengthened by his descent from both the English Saxon kings and the kings of Scotland through his maternal grandmother Matilda of Scotland, whose father was Malcolm III of Scotland and whose mother was

Margaret of Wessex (St. Margaret of Scotland), granddaughter of Edmund Ironside.

He spent his childhood in his father's land of Anjou. At the age of nine, Robert of Gloucester took him to England, where he received education from Master Matthew at Bristol, with the assistance of Adelard of Bath and possibly Geoffrey of Monmouth. In 1144, he was returned to Normandy where his education was continued by William of Conches. Later, in 1147 at the age of 14, without either of his parents' knowledge, he hired a band of mercenaries and sailed to England. He failed to take two minor castles and then took refuge with his mother. His mother bade him return to Normandy, but Henry did not have enough money to pay for a boat back or to pay off his mercenaries and his mother did not have the funds. He decided to go to his second cousin King Stephen to ask for money, surprisingly Stephen gave him the money and sent him on his way.[2]

Marriage and legitimate children See also: List of members of the House of Plantagenet On 18 May 1152, at Poitiers,[3] at the age of 19, Henry married Eleanor of Aquitaine. The wedding was "without the pomp or ceremony that befitted their rank,"[4] partly because Eleanor's prior marriage to Louis VII of France had been annulled only two months previously. Their relationship, always stormy, eventually disintegrated: after Eleanor encouraged her children to rebel against their father in 1173, Henry had her placed under house arrest, where she remained for fifteen years.[5]

Henry and Eleanor had eight children, William, Henry, Richard, Geoffrey, John, Matilda, Eleanor, and Joan. William died in infancy. In the custom of the Capetian Kings of France, whose heirs apparent were crowned during their own lifetime in order to avoid succession disputes, Henry was crowned as joint king when he came of age. However, because he was never king in his own right, he is known to history as "Henry the Young King", rather than Henry III. As the king's sons matured, it was expected that Henry would inherit the throne from his father, Richard his mother's possessions, Geoffrey would have Brittany through marriage, and John would be Lord of Ireland. However, fate would ultimately decide much differently.

It has been suggested by John Speed's 1611 book, History of Great Britain, that another son, Philip, was born to the couple. Speed's sources no longer exist, but Philip would presumably have died in early infancy.[6]

Appearance Several sources record Henry's appearance. They all agree that he was very strong, energetic and surpassed his peers athletically.

...he was strongly built, with a large, leonine head, freckle fiery face and red hair cut short. His eyes were grey and we are told that his voice was harsh and cracked, possibly because of the amount of open-air exercise he took. He would walk or ride until his attendants and courtiers were worn out and his feet and legs were covered with blisters and sores... He would perform all athletic feats.

John Harvey (Modern)[7] ...the lord king has been red-haired so far, except that the coming of old age and grey hair has altered that colour somewhat. His height is medium, so that neither does he appear great among the small, nor yet does he seem small among the great... curved legs, a horseman's shins, broad chest, and a boxer's arms all announce him as a man strong, agile and bold... he never sits, unless riding a horse or eating... In a single day, if necessary, he can run through four or five day-marches and, thus foiling the plots of his enemies, frequently mocks their plots with surprise sudden arrivals... Always are in his hands bow, sword, spear and arrow, unless he be in council or in books.

Peter of Blois (Contemporary) A man of reddish, freckled complexion, with a large, round head, grey eyes that glowed fiercely and grew bloodshot in anger, a fiery countenance and a harsh, cracked voice. His neck was poked forward slightly from his shoulders, his chest was broad and square, his arms strong and powerful. His body was stocky, with a pronounced tendency toward fatness, due to nature rather than self-indulgence – which he tempered with exercise.

Character Like his grandfather, Henry I of England, Henry II had an outstanding knowledge of the law. A talented linguist and excellent Latin speaker, he would sit on councils in person whenever possible. He dressed casually except when tradition dictated otherwise and ate a sparing diet.[7]

According to contemporary chronicler of court gossip Walter Map, Henry was modest and mixed with all classes easily. "He does not take upon himself to think high thoughts, his tongue never swells with elated language; he does not magnify himself as more than man".[8] His generosity was well-known and he employed a Templar to distribute one tenth of all the food brought to the royal court amongst his poorest subjects.

Henry also had a good sense of humour and was never upset at being the butt of the joke. Once while he sat sulking and occupying himself with needlework, a courtier suggested that such behaviour was to be expected from a descendant of the bastard son of a tanner's daughter (referring to his great-grandfather William the Conqueror being the son of Herleva, daughter of Fulbert a tanner from the Norman town of Falaise). The king rocked with laughter and even explained the joke to those who did not immediately grasp it.[9]

"His memory was exceptional: he never failed to recognise a man he had once seen, nor to remember anything which might be of use. More deeply learned than any king of his time in the western world".[7]

In contrast, the king's temper has been written about. His actions against Thomas Becket are evidence of his blinding temper, along with his conflict with William I of Scotland.[10]

Henry's claims by blood and marriage Henry II depicted in Cassell's History of England (1902).Henry's father, Geoffrey Plantagenet, held rich lands as a vassal from Louis VII of France. Maine and Anjou were therefore Henry's by birthright, amongst other lands in Western France.[4] By maternal claim, Normandy was also to be his. From a contemporary perspective, however, the most notable inheritance Henry received from his mother was a claim to the English throne. Granddaughter of William the Conqueror, Empress Matilda was to be queen regnant of England, but her throne was usurped by her cousin, Stephen of England. Henry's efforts to restore the royal line to his own family would create a dynasty spanning three centuries and thirteen kings.

Henry's marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine placed him firmly in the ascendancy.[4] His plentiful lands were added to his new wife's possessions, giving him control of Aquitaine and Gascony. The riches of the markets and vineyards in these regions, combined with Henry's already plentiful holdings, made Henry the most powerful vassal in France.

Taking the English throne Stephen and Henry discuss across the River Thames how to settle the succession of the English throne. Realising Henry's royal ambition was far from easily fulfilled; his mother had been pushing her claim for the crown for several years to no avail, finally retiring in 1147. It was 1147 when Henry had accompanied Matilda on an invasion of England. It soon failed due to lack of preparation,[4] but it made him determined that England was his mother's right, and so his own. He returned to England again between 1149 and 1150. On 22 May 1149 he was knighted by King David I of Scotland, his great uncle, at Carlisle.[11]

On the 7th of September 1151, Henry's father died and he inherited all his lands including Anjou, Maine and Normandy. Early in January 1153, just months after his wedding, he crossed the Channel one more time. His fleet was 36 ships strong, transporting a force of 3,000 footmen and 140 horses.[12] Sources dispute whether he landed at Dorset or Hampshire, but it is known he entered a small village church. It was 6 January and the locals were observing the Festival of the Three Kings. The correlation between the festivities and Henry's arrival was not lost on them. "Ecce advenit dominator Dominus, et regnum in manu ejus", they exclaimed as the introit for their feast, "Behold the Lord the ruler cometh, and the Kingdom in his hand."[11]

Henry moved quickly and within the year he had secured his right to succession via the Treaty of Wallingford with Stephen of England. He was now, for all intents and purposes, in control of England. When Stephen died in October 1154, it was only a matter of time until Henry's treaty would bear fruit, and the quest that began with his mother would be ended. On 19 December 1154 he was crowned in Westminster Abbey, "By The Grace Of God, Henry II, King Of England".[11] He was thus the first to be crowned "King of England", as opposed to "King of the

English."[13] Henry, a vassal of Louis VII, was now more powerful than the French king himself. Henry used the title Rex Angliae, Dux Normaniae et Aquitaniae et Comes Andigaviae (King of England, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, Count of Anjou).[14]

Lordship over Ireland See also: Norman invasion of Ireland Shortly after his coronation, Henry sent an embassy to the newly elected Pope Adrian IV. Led by Bishop Arnold of Lisieux, the group of clerics requested authorisation for Henry to invade Ireland. Some historians suggest that this resulted in the papal bull Laudabiliter. Whether this donation is genuine or not, Edmund Curtis says, is one of "the great questions of history."[15] It is possible Henry acted under the influence of a "Canterbury plot," in which English ecclesiastics strove to dominate the Irish church.[16] However, Henry may have simply intended to secure Ireland as a lordship for his younger brother William.

William died soon after the plan was hatched and Ireland was ignored. It was not until 1166 that it came to the surface again. In that year, Diarmait Mac Murchada, King of Leinster, was driven from his lands by Rory O'Conor, the High King of Ireland. Diarmait followed Henry to Aquitaine, seeking an audience. Henry promised to help him reassert control and made footmen, knights and nobles available for the cause. Their leader was a Welsh Norman, Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, nicknamed "Strongbow". In exchange for his loyalty, Diarmait offered Earl Richard his daughter Aoife (Eva) in marriage and made him heir to his kingdom.

The Normans quickly restored Diarmait to his kingdom, but it soon became apparent that Henry had not helped purely out of kindness, and was now worried that Strongbow and his Cambro-Norman supporters would become independent of him. In 1171 Henry arrived from France with an army and declared himself "Lord of Ireland". All of the Normans, along with many Irish princes, took oaths of homage to Henry by November, and he left after six months. He never returned, but in 1177 he named his youngest son, Prince John, as Lord of Ireland.

This process started 800 years of English overlordship on the island. At the Synod of Cashel in 1172 Church reforms were introduced. The 1175 Treaty of Windsor was agreed with King Rory O'Conor, but soon broke down.

Consolidation in Scotland In 1174, a rebellion spearheaded by his own sons was not Henry's biggest problem. An invasion force from Scotland, led by their king, William the Lion, was advancing from the North. To make matters worse, a Flemish armada was sailing for England, just days from landing. It seemed likely that the king's rapid growth was to be checked.[1]

Henry saw his predicament as a sign from God, that his treatment of Becket would be rewarded with defeat. He immediately did penance at Canterbury[1] for the Archbishop's fate and events took a turn for the better.

The hostile armada dispersed in the English Channel and headed back for the continent. Henry had avoided a Flemish invasion, but Scottish invaders were still raiding in the North. Henry sent his troops to meet the Scots at Alnwick, where the English scored a devastating victory. William was captured in the chaos, and within months all the problem fortresses had been torn down.[which?] Southern Scotland was now completely dominated by Henry, another fief in his Angevin Empire, that now stretched from the Solway Firth almost to the Mediterranean and from the Somme to the Pyrenees. By the end of this crisis, and his sons' revolt, the king was "left stronger than ever before".[17]

Dominating nobles During Stephen's reign, the barons in England had undermined Royal authority. Rebel castles were one problem, nobles avoiding military service was another. The new king immediately moved against the illegal fortresses that had sprung up during Stephen's reign, having them torn down.

To counter the problem of avoiding military service, scutage became common. This tax, which Henry's barons paid in lieu of military service, allowed the king to hire mercenaries. These hired troops were used

to great effect by both Henry and his son Richard, and by 1159 the tax was central to the king's army and his authority over vassals.

Legal reform Henry II's reign saw the establishment of Royal Magistrate courts.[18] This allowed court officials under authority of the Crown to adjudicate local disputes, reducing the workload on Royal courts proper and delivering justice with greater efficiency.

Henry also worked to make the legal system fairer. Trial by ordeal and trial by combat were still common in the 12th century. By the Assize of Clarendon in 1166, supplemented a decade later by the Assize of Northampton, a precursor to trial by jury was implemented. However, this group of "twelve lawful men," as the Assize commonly refers to it, provided a service more similar to a grand jury, alerting court officials to matters suitable for prosecution. Despite these reforms, trial by ordeal continued until the Fourth Council of the Lateran forbade the participation of the clergy in 1215 and trial by combat was still legal in England until 1819, albeit only rarely resorted to after the twelfth century. Nevertheless, Henry's support of juries was a great contribution to the country's social history and allowed for a smoother transition from ordeal to jury than was managed in other European nations where trial by inquisition and even torture became commonplace.

Artist's impression of Henry II, circa 1620 Main article: Becket controversy

Strengthening royal control over the church In the tradition of Norman kings, Henry II was keen to have secular law predominate over the law of the church. The clergy had a free hand, and were not required to obey laws of the land that conflicted with the governance of the church. Henry wanted the laws of the land to be obeyed by all, clergy and laity alike. At Clarendon Palace on 30 January 1164, the king set out sixteen constitutions, aimed at decreasing ecclesiastical interference from Rome. Secular courts would also have jurisdiction over clerical trials and disputes. Henry's authority guaranteed him majority support, but Thomas Becket, the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, refused to ratify the proposals.

Henry was characteristically stubborn, and on 8 October 1164, he called archbishop Thomas Becket before the Royal Council. Becket, however, had fled to France and was under the protection of Henry's rival, Louis VII of France.

The king continued doggedly in his pursuit of control over his clerics. By 1170, the pope was considering excommunicating all of Britain. Only Henry's agreement that Becket could return to England without penalty prevented this fate.

Murder of Thomas Becket. This section has been nominated to be checked for its neutrality. Discussion of this nomination can be found on the talk page. (July 2011)

"What miserable drones and traitors have I nurtured and promoted in my household who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born cleric!" were the words which sparked the darkest event in Henry's religious wranglings. This speech has translated into legend in the form of "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?"—a provocative statement which would perhaps have been just as riling to the knights and barons of his household at whom it was aimed as his actual words. Bitter at his old friend Becket, constantly thwarting his clerical constitutions, the king shouted in anger but possibly not with intent. However, four of Henry's knights, Reginald Fitzurse, Hugh de Morville (the Lord of Westmorland), William de Tracy, and Richard le Breton overheard their king's cries and decided to act on his words.

On 29 December 1170, they entered Canterbury Cathedral, finding Becket near the stairs to the crypt. They beat down the Archbishop, killing him with several blows. Becket's brains were scattered upon the ground with the words; "Let us go, this fellow will not be getting up again". Whatever the rights and wrongs, it certainly tainted Henry's later reign. For the remaining 20 years of his rule, he would personally regret the death of a man who "in happier times...had been a friend".[19]

Just three years later, Becket was canonised and revered as a martyr against secular interference in God's church; Pope Alexander III had declared Becket a saint. Plantagenet historian John Harvey

believes "The martyrdom of Thomas Becket was a martyrdom which he had repeatedly gone out of his way to seek...one cannot but feel

sympathy towards Henry".[19] Wherever the true intent and blame lie, it was yet another sacrifice to the ongoing war between church and state.

[edit] The Angevin Curse[edit] Civil war and rebellionMain article: Revolt of 1173–1174 ― It is the common fate of sons to be misunderstood by their fathers, and of fathers to be unloved of their sons, but it has been the particular bane of the English throne.[20] ‖

Henry's attempts to divide his lands amongst his numerous ambitious children, combined with his reluctance to cede his own power and entrust them with any real responsibility, fractured his family. In 1173, Young Henry and Richard revolted against their father, hoping to secure the power and lands they had been promised. While both Young Henry and Richard were relatively strong in France, they still lacked the manpower and experience to trouble their father unduly. The king crushed this first rebellion and exacted punishment. Richard, for example, lost half of the revenue allowed to him as Count of Poitou.[21]

In 1182, the Plantagenet children's aggression turned inward. Young Henry, Richard and Geoffrey all began fighting each other for their father's possessions on the continent. The situation was exacerbated by French rebels and the king of France, Philip Augustus. This was the most serious threat to come from within the family yet, and the king faced the dynastic tragedy of civil war. However, on 11 June 1183, Henry the Young King died. The uprising, which had been built around the prince, promptly collapsed and the remaining brothers returned to their individual lands. Henry quickly occupied the rebel region of Angoulême to keep the peace.[21]

The final battle between Henry's sons came in 1184. Geoffrey of Brittany and John of Ireland, the youngest brothers, had been promised Aquitaine, which belonged to now eldest brother Richard.[21] Geoffrey and John invaded but Richard, who was an accomplished military commander with over 10 years of experience by this time, expelled his brothers. The brothers would never again face each other in combat; Geoffrey died two years later, leaving only Richard and John.

Death and succession Tombs of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine in Fontevraud Abbey Sculpture of Henry II of England on Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England.The final thorn in Henry's side would be an alliance between his eldest surviving son, Richard, and his greatest rival, Philip Augustus. John had become Henry's favourite son and Richard had begun to fear he was being written out of the king's inheritance.[21] In summer 1189, Richard and Philip invaded Henry's heartland of power, Anjou. The unlikely allies took northwest Touraine, attacked Le Mans and overran Maine and Tours. Defeated, Henry II met his opponents and agreed to all their demands, including paying homage to Philip for all his French possessions.

Weak, ill, and deserted by all but an illegitimate son, Geoffrey, Archbishop of York, Henry died at Chinon on 6 July 1189. His legitimate children, chroniclers record him saying, were "the real bastards".[22] The victorious Prince Richard later paid his respects to Henry's corpse as it travelled to Fontevraud Abbey, upon which, according to Roger of Wendover, 'blood flowed from the nostrils of the deceased, as if...indignant at the presence of the one who was believed to have caused his death'. The Prince, Henry's eldest surviving son and conqueror, was crowned "by the grace of God, King Richard I of England" at Westminster on 1 September 1189.

Descendants For a list of Henry's male-line descendants, see List of members of the House of Plantagenet.

Henry had a number of mistresses, including Rosamund Clifford. One of the daughters of Eleanor's ex-husband Louis VII, Alys, originally sent to Henry's court to marry Richard, was also said to be Henry's mistress.

Henry also had illegitimate children. While they were not valid claimants, their royal blood made them potential problems for Henry's legitimate successors.[21] William Longespée was one such child. He was the son of Henry's mistress Ida de Tosny. He remained largely loyal and contented with the lands and wealth afforded to him as a royal bastard. Geoffrey, Bishop of Lincoln, Archbishop of York, on the other hand, was seen as a possible thorn in the side of Richard I of England.[21] Geoffrey had been the only son to attend Henry II on his deathbed, after even the king's favourite son, John Lackland, deserted him.[17] Richard forced him into the clergy at York, thus ending his

secular ambitions.[21] Another son, Morgan was elected to the Bishopric of Durham, although he was never consecrated due to opposition from Pope Innocent III.[23]

Fictional portrayals Henry is a central character in the plays Becket by Jean Anouilh and The Lion in Winter by James Goldman. Peter O'Toole portrayed him in the film adaptations of both of these plays – Becket (1964) and The Lion in Winter (1968) – for both of which he received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He was also nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best British Actor for Becket and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama for both films. Patrick Stewart portrayed Henry in the 2003 television film adaptation of The Lion in Winter, for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television. Curtmantle, a 1961 play by Christopher Fry, also tells the story of Henry II's life, as remembered by William Marshall.

Brian Cox portrayed him in the 1978 BBC TV series The Devil's Crown, which dramatised his reign and those of his sons. He has also been portrayed on screen by William Shea in the 1910 silent short Becket, A. V. Bramble in the 1923 silent film Becket, based on a play by Alfred Lord Tennyson, Alexander Gauge in the 1952 film adaptation of the T. S. Eliot play Murder in the Cathedral, and Dominic Roche in the 1962 British children's TV series Richard the Lionheart.

Henry is a significant character in the historical fiction/medieval murder mysteries Mistress of the Art of Death, The Serpent's Tale and Grave Goods by Diana Norman, writing under the pseudonym Ariana Franklin. He also plays a part in Ken Follett's most popular novel, The Pillars of the Earth, which in its final chapter fictionalizes the king's penance at Canterbury Cathedral for his unknowing role in the murder of Thomas Becket. He is a major character in three of the novels of Sharon Kay Penman known as the Plantagenet Trilogy: When Christ and His Saints Slept, Time and Chance, and The Devil's Brood. The novels tell his life story from before his birth to his death.

Henry is played by David Warner in Mike Walker's BBC Radio 4 series Plantagenet (2010).

See also Normandy portal House of Plantagenet List of English monarchs

Notes 1.^ a b c Harvey, The Plantagenets, p.47 2.^ Barber, Richard (2003). Henry Plantagenet. Boydell Press. p. 278. ISBN 9780851159935. 3.^ Thelma Anna Leese, Blood royal, 1996, p.189 4.^ a b c d Harvey, The Plantagenets, p.49 5.^ Harvey, The Plantagenets, p.51 6.^ Weir, Alison, Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life, pp.154–155, Ballantine Books, 1999 7.^ a b c Harvey, The Plantagenets, p.40 8.^ Walter Map, Contemporary 9.^ Harvey, The Plantagenets, p.43 10.^ Farquhar, Michael (2001). A Treasure of Royal Scandals, p.173. Penguin Books, New York. ISBN 0739420259. 11.^ a b c Harvey. The Plantagenets. p. 50. ISBN 0727801058. 12.^ Harvey, The Plantagenets, p.48 13.^ "Henry II – the 'First' King of England". http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2654741. Canute (r. 1016–1035) was "king of all England" (ealles Engla landes cyning). 14.^ "King Henry II". http://www.royalist.info/execute/biog?person=112. 15.^ Curtis, Edmund (2002). A History of Ireland from Earliest Times to 1922. New York: Routledge. pp. 38–39. ISBN 0415279496. 16.^ Warren, Henry II 17.^ a b Harvey, The Plantagenets 18.^ Cantor, Norman F. (1994). The Civilization of the Middle Ages. Harper Perennial. pp. 397–398. ISBN 978-0060925536. 19.^ a b John Harvey, The Plantagenets, p.45

20.^ Harvey, Richard I, p.58 21.^ a b c d e f g Turner & Heiser, The Reign of Richard Lionheart 22.^ Simon Schama's A History of Britain, Episode 3, "Dynasty" 23.^ British History Online Bishops of Durham. Retrieved 25 October 2007.

References and further reading Richard Barber, The Devil's Crown: A History of Henry II and His Sons (Conshohocken, PA, 1996) Robert Bartlett, England Under The Norman and Angevin Kings 1075–1225 (2000) J. Boussard, Le government d'Henry II Plantagênêt (Paris, 1956) John D. Hosler Henry II: A Medieval Soldier at War, 1147–1189 (History of Warfare; 44) Brill Academic Publishers, 2007 ISBN 9004157247 John Harvey, The Plantagenets John Harvey, Richard I Ralph Turner & Richard Heiser, The Reign of Richard Lionheart W. L. Warren, Henry II (London, 197

Notes for Eleanor d'Aguitaine: Eleanor of Aquitaine (in French: Aliénor d‘Aquitaine, Éléonore de Guyenne) (1122 or 1124 – 1 April 1204) was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. As well as being Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she was queen consort of France (1137–1152) and of England (1154–1189). Eleanor of Aquitaine is the only woman to have been queen of both France and England, with the exception of Margaret of Anjou whose status as Queen of France is disputed. She was the patroness of such literary figures as Wace, Benoît de Sainte-More, and Chrétien de Troyes.

Eleanor succeeded her father as suo jure Duchess of Aquitaine and Countess of Poitiers at the age of fifteen, and thus became the most eligible bride in Europe. Three months after her accession she married Louis VII, son and junior co-ruler of her guardian, King Louis VI of France. As Queen of France, she participated in the unsuccessful Second Crusade. Soon after the Crusade was over, Louis VII and Eleanor agreed to dissolve their marriage, because of Eleanor's own desire for divorce and also because the only children they had were two daughters – Marie and Alix. The royal marriage was annulled on 11 March 1152, on the grounds of consanguinity within the fourth degree. Their daughters were declared legitimate and custody of them awarded to Louis, while Eleanor's lands were restored to her.

As soon as she arrived in Poitiers, Eleanor became engaged to Henry II, Duke of the Normans, her cousin within the third degree, who was nine years younger. On 18 May 1152, eight weeks after the annulment of her first marriage, Eleanor married the Duke of the Normans. On 25 October 1154 her husband ascended the throne of the Kingdom of England, making Eleanor Queen of the English. Over the next thirteen years, she bore Henry eight children: five sons, three of whom would become king, and three daughters. However, Henry and Eleanor eventually became estranged. She was imprisoned between 1173 and 1189 for supporting her son Henry's revolt against her husband, King Henry II.

Eleanor was widowed on 6 July 1189. Her husband was succeeded by their son, Richard the Lionheart, who immediately moved to release his mother. Now queen dowager, Eleanor acted as a regent for her son while he went off on the Third Crusade. Eleanor survived her son Richard and lived well into the reign of her youngest son King John. By the time of her death she had outlived all of her children except for King John and Eleanor, Queen of Castile.

The exact date and place of Eleanor's birth are not known. A late 13th century genealogy of her family listed her as 13 years old in the spring of 1137.[2] Some chronicles mentionned a fidelity oath of some lords of Aquitaine on the occasion of Eleanor's fourteenth birthday in 1136. Her parents almost certainly married in 1121. Her birth place may have been Poitiers, Bordeaux, or Nieul-sur-l'Autise, where her mother died as she was 6 or 8.[3]

Eleanor or Aliénor was the oldest of three children of William X, Duke of Aquitaine, whose glittering ducal court was on the leading edge of early–12th-century culture, and his wife, Aenor de Châtellerault, the daughter of Aimeric I, Viscount of Châtellerault, and Dangereuse, who was William IX's longtime mistress as well as Eleanor's maternal grandmother. Her parents' marriage had been arranged by Dangereuse with her paternal grandfather, the

Troubadour.

Eleanor was named for her mother Aenor and called Aliénor, from the Latin alia Aenor, which means the other Aenor. It became Eléanor in the langues d'oïl (Northern French) and Eleanor in English.[4] There is, however, an earlier Eleanor on record: Eleanor of Normandy, William the Conqueror's aunt, who lived a century earlier than Eleanor of Aquitaine.

By all accounts, Eleanor's father ensured that she had the best possible education.[5] Although her native tongue was Poitevin, she was taught to read and speak Latin, was well versed in music and literature, and schooled in riding, hawking, and hunting.[6] Eleanor was extroverted, lively, intelligent, and strong willed. In the spring of 1130, when Eleanor was six, her four-year-old brother William Aigret and their mother died at the castle of Talmont, on Aquitaine's Atlantic coast. Eleanor became the heir presumptive to her father's domains. The Duchy of Aquitaine was the largest and richest province of France; Poitou (where Eleanor spent most of her childhood) and Aquitaine together were almost one-third the size of modern France. Eleanor had only one other legitimate sibling, a younger sister named Aelith but always called Petronilla. Her half brothers, William and Joscelin, were acknowledged by William X as his sons, but not as his heirs. Later, during the first four years of Henry II's reign, all three siblings joined Eleanor's royal household.

Inheritance In 1137, Duke William X set out from Poitiers to Bordeaux, taking his daughters with him. Upon reaching Bordeaux, he left Eleanor and Petronilla in the charge of the Archbishop of Bordeaux, one of the Duke's few loyal vassals who could be entrusted with the safety of the duke's daughters. The duke then set out for the Shrine of Saint James of Compostela, in the company of other pilgrims; however, he died on Good Friday 9 April 1137.[7][8]

Eleanor, aged about fifteen, became the Duchess of Aquitaine, and thus the most eligible heiress in Europe. As these were the days when kidnapping an heiress was seen as a viable option for obtaining a title, William had dictated a will on the very day he died, bequeathing his domains to Eleanor and appointing King Louis VI of France as her guardian.[9] William requested the King to take care of both the lands and the duchess, and to also find her a suitable husband.[5] However, until a husband was found, the King had the legal right to Eleanor's lands. The Duke also insisted to his companions that his death be kept a secret until Louis was informed – the men were to journey from Saint James across the Pyrenees as quickly as possible, to call at Bordeaux to notify the Archbishop, and then to make all speed to Paris, to inform the King.

The King of France himself was also gravely ill at that time, suffering "a flux of the bowels" (dysentery) from which he seemed unlikely to recover. Despite his immense obesity and impending mortality, however, Louis the Fat remained clear-minded. To his concerns regarding his new heir, Louis, who had been destined for the monastic life of a younger son (the former heir, Philip, having died from a riding accident),[10] was added joy over the death of one of his most powerful vassals – and the availability of the best duchy in France. Presenting a solemn and dignified manner to the grieving Aquitainian messengers, upon their departure he became overjoyed, stammering in delight.

Rather than act as guardian to the Duchess and duchy, he decided, he would marry the duchess to his heir and bring Aquitaine under the French Crown, thereby greatly increasing the power and prominence of France and the Capets. Within hours, then, Louis had arranged for his 17 year-old son, Prince Louis, to be married to Eleanor, with Abbot Suger in charge of the wedding arrangements. Prince Louis was sent to Bordeaux with an escort of 500 knights, as well as Abbot Suger, Theobald II, Count of Champagne and Count Ralph.

First marriage (left scene) 14th-century representation of the wedding of Louis and Eleanor; (right scene) Depiction of Louis leaving on Crusade. On 25 July 1137 the couple was married in the Cathedral of Saint-André in Bordeaux by the Archbishop of Bordeaux.[5] Immediately after the wedding, the couple were

enthroned as Duke and Duchess of Aquitaine.[5][5] However, there was a catch: the land would remain independent of France until Eleanor's oldest son becomes both King of the Franks and Duke of Aquitaine. Thus, her holdings would not be merged with France until the next generation. She gave Louis a wedding present that is still in existence, a rock crystal vase, currently on display at the Louvre.[5][10][11]

Eleanor's tenure as junior Queen of the Franks lasted only few days. On 1 August, Eleanor's father-in-law died and her husband became sole monarch. Eleanor was anointed and crowned Queen of the Franks on Christmas Day of the same year.[5][8]

Possessing a high-spirited nature, Eleanor was not popular with the staid northerners (according to sources, Louis ́ mother, Adélaide de Maurienne, thought her flighty and a bad influence) – she was not aided by memories of Queen Constance, the Provençal wife of Robert II, tales of whose immodest dress and language were still told with horror.[12]

Her conduct was repeatedly criticized by Church elders (particularly Bernard of Clairvaux and Abbot Suger) as indecorous. The King, however, was madly in love with his beautiful and worldly bride and granted her every whim, even though her behavior baffled and vexed him to no end. Much money went into beautifying the austere Cité Palace in Paris for Eleanor's sake.[10]

Conflict Eleanor's grandfather, William IX of Aquitaine, gave her this rock crystal vase, which she in turn gave to Louis as a wedding gift. He later donated it to the Abbey of Saint-Denis. This is the only known surviving artifact of Eleanor's.Although Louis was a pious man, he soon came into a violent conflict with Pope Innocent II. In 1141, the archbishopric of Bourges became vacant, and the King put forward as a candidate one of his chancellors, Cadurc, whilst vetoing the one suitable candidate, Pierre de la Chatre, who was promptly elected by the canons of Bourges and consecrated by the Pope. Louis accordingly bolted the gates of Bourges against the new Bishop; the Pope, recalling William X's similar attempts to exile Innocent's supporters from Poitou and replace them with priests loyal to himself, blamed Eleanor, saying that Louis was only a child and should be taught manners. Outraged, Louis swore upon relics that so long as he lived Pierre should never enter Bourges. This brought the interdict upon the King's lands. Pierre de la Chatre was given refuge by Theobald II, Count of Champagne.

Louis became involved in a war with Count Theobald of Champagne by permitting Raoul I, Count of Vermandois and seneschal of France, to repudiate his wife Eléonore of Blois, Theobald's sister, and to marry Petronilla of Aquitaine, Eleanor's sister. Eleanor urged Louis to support her sister's illegitimate marriage to Raoul of Vermandois. Champagne had also offended Louis by siding with the Pope in the dispute over Bourges. The war lasted two years (1142–44) and ended with the occupation of Champagne by the royal army. Louis was personally involved in the assault and burning of the town of Vitry. More than a thousand people (1300, some[who?] say) who had sought refuge in the church died in the flames.

Horrified, and desiring an end to the war, Louis attempted to make peace with Theobald in exchange for supporting the lift of the interdict on Raoul and Petronilla. This was duly lifted for long enough to allow Theobald's lands to be restored; it was then lowered once more when Raoul refused to repudiate Petronilla, prompting Louis to return to the Champagne and ravage it once more.

In June, 1144, the King and Queen visited the newly built cathedral at Saint-Denis. Whilst there, the Queen met with Bernard of Clairvaux, demanding that he have the excommunication of Petronilla and Raoul lifted through his influence on the Pope, in exchange for which King Louis would make concessions in Champagne, and recognise Pierre de la Chatre as archbishop of Bourges. Dismayed at her attitude, Bernard scolded her for her lack of penitence and her interference in matters of state. In response, Eleanor broke down, and meekly excused her behaviour, claiming to be bitter because of her lack of children. In response to this, Bernard became more kindly towards her: "My child, seek those things which make for peace. Cease to stir up the King against the Church, and urge upon him a better course of action. If you will promise to do this, I in return promise to entreat the merciful Lord to grant you offspring."

In a matter of weeks, peace had returned to France: Theobald's provinces had been returned, and Pierre de la Chatre was installed as Archbishop of Bourges. In April 1145, Eleanor gave birth to a daughter, Marie.

Louis, however still burned with guilt over the massacre at Vitry-le-Brûlé, and desired to make a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in order to atone for his sins. Fortuitously for him, in the Autumn of 1145, Pope Eugenius requested Louis to lead a Crusade to the Middle East, to rescue the Frankish Kingdoms there from disaster. Accordingly, Louis declared on Christmas Day 1145 at Bourges his intention of going on a crusade.

CrusadeEleanor of Aquitaine took up the Second Crusade formally during a sermon preached by Bernard of Clairvaux. However she had been corresponding with her uncle Raymond, King and holder of family properties in Antioch where he was seeking further protection from the French crown. She recruited for the campaign, finally assembling some of her royal ladies-in-waiting as well as 300 non-noble vassals. She insisted on taking part in the Crusades as the feudal leader of the soldiers from her duchy. The story that she and her ladies dressed as Amazons is disputed by serious historians, sometime confused with the account of King Conrad's train of ladies during this campaign (in E. Gibbons Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire). Her testimonial launch of the Second Crusade from Vézelay, the rumored location of Mary Magdalene ́s burial, dramatically emphasized the role of women in the campaign.

The Crusade itself achieved little. Louis was a weak and ineffectual military leader with no skill for maintaining troop discipline or morale, or of making informed and logical tactical decisions. In eastern Europe, the French army was at times hindered by Manuel I Comnenus, the Byzantine Emperor, who feared that it would jeopardize the tenuous safety of his empire; however, during their 3-week stay at Constantinople, Louis was fêted and Eleanor was much admired. She is compared with Penthesilea, mythical queen of the Amazons, by the Greek historian Nicetas Choniates; he adds that she gained the epithet chrysopous (golden-foot) from the cloth of gold that decorated and fringed her robe. Louis and Eleanor stayed in the Philopation palace, just outside the city walls.

Second Crusade council: Conrad III of Germany, Eleanor's husband Louis VII of France, and Baldwin III of JerusalemFrom the moment the Crusaders entered Asia Minor, the Crusade went badly. The King and Queen were still optimistic – the Byzantine Emperor had told them that the German Emperor Conrad had won a great victory against a Turkish army (where in fact the German army had been massacred), and the great troop was still eating well. However, whilst camping near Nicea, the remnants of the German army, including a dazed and sick King Conrad, straggled past the French camp, bringing news of their disaster. The French, with what remained of the Germans, then began to march in increasingly disorganized fashion, towards Antioch. Their spirits were buoyed on Christmas Eve – when they chose to camp in the lush Dercervian valley near Ephesus, they were ambushed by a Turkish detachment; the French proceeded to slaughter this detachment and appropriate their camp.

Louis then decided to directly cross the Phrygian mountains, in the hope of speeding his approach to take refuge with Eleanor's uncle Raymond in Antioch. As they ascended the mountains, however, the army and the King and Queen were left horrified by the unburied corpses of the previously slaughtered German army.

On the day set for the crossing of Mount Cadmos, Louis chose to take charge of the rear of the column, where the unarmed pilgrims and the baggage trains marched. The vanguard, with which Queen Eleanor marched, was commanded by her Aquitainian vassal, Geoffrey de Rancon; this, being unencumbered by baggage, managed to reach the summit of Cadmos, where de Rancon had been ordered to make camp for the night. De Rancon however chose to march further, deciding in concert with the Count of Maurienne (Louis ́ uncle) that a nearby plateau would make a better camp: such disobedience was reportedly common in the army, due to the lack of command from the King.

Accordingly, by midafternoon, the rear of the column – believing the day's march to be nearly at an end – was dawdling; this resulted in the army becoming divided, with some having already crossed the summit and others still approaching it. It was at this point that the Turks, who had been following and feinting for many days, seized their opportunity and attacked those who had not yet crossed the summit. The Turks, having seized the summit of the mountain, and the French (both soldiers and pilgrims) having been taken by surprise, there was little hope of escape: those who tried were caught and killed, and many men, horses and baggage were cast into the canyon below the ridge. William of Tyre placed the blame for this disaster firmly on the baggage – which was considered to have belonged largely to the women.

The King was saved by his lack of authority – having scorned a King's apparel in favour of a simple soldier's tunic, he escaped notice (unlike his bodyguards, whose skulls were brutally smashed and limbs severed). He reportedly "nimbly and bravely scaled a rock by making use of some tree roots which God had provided for his safety", and managed to survive the attack. Others were not so fortunate: "No aid came from Heaven, except that night fell."[13]

The official scapegoat for the disaster was Geoffrey de Rancon, who had made the decision to continue, and it was suggested that he be hanged (a suggestion which the King ignored). Since he was Eleanor's vassal, many believed that it was she who had been ultimately responsible for the change in plan, and thus the massacre. This did nothing for her popularity in Christendom – as did the blame affixed to her baggage, and the fact that her Aquitainian soldiers had marched at the front, and thus were not involved in the fight. From here the army was split by a land march with the royalty taking the sea path to Antioch. When most of the land army arrived, the King and Queen had a profound dispute. Some say Eleanor's reputation was sullied by her supposed affair with her uncle Raymond of Poitiers, Prince of Antioch. However, this may have been a mask, as Raymond through Eleanor tried to forcibly sway Louis to use his army to attack the actual Muslim encampment at nearby Aleppo, gateway to recovering Edessa, the objective of the Crusade by papal decree. Although this was perhaps the better military plan, Louis was not keen to enlarge Eleanor's family lands. One of Louis' avowed Crusade goals was to journey in pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Rather than fight and strike the decisive blow that could have ended the Second Crusade, Louis imprisoned Eleanor for her opposition, and in crossing the desert to Jerusalem, watched his army dwindle.

Eleanor was humiliated by imprisonment a second time, for rightly opposing Louis's foolish assault on Damascus with his remaining army, fortified by King Conrad and King Baldwin. It appears that the idea was to plunder this neutral city that still traded with the Crusaders rather than focus any military force on reducing the Muslim forces that had hold of Aleppo, the gate to the recently Muslim reacquired state of Edessa – the actual mission of the 2nd Crusade by Papal decree. With Damascus a disastrous military failure, the royal family retreated to Jerusalem and then sailed to Rome and back to Paris.

While in the eastern Mediterranean, Eleanor learned about maritime conventions developing there, which were the beginnings of what would become admiralty law. She introduced those conventions in her own lands, on the island of Oleron in 1160 ("Rolls of Oléron") and later in England as well. She was also instrumental in developing trade agreements with Constantinople and ports of trade in the Holy Lands.

Annulment A posthumous image of Eleanor dating from 1835Even before the Crusade, Eleanor and Louis were becoming estranged. The city of Antioch had been annexed by Bohemond of Hauteville in the First Crusade, and it was now ruled by Eleanor's flamboyant uncle, Raymond of Antioch, who had gained the principality by marrying its reigning Princess, Constance of Antioch. Eleanor supported his desire to re-capture the nearby County of Edessa, the cause of the Crusade; in addition, having been close to him in their youth, she now showed excessive affection towards her uncle – whilst many historians[who?] today dismiss this as familial affection (noting their early friendship, and his similarity to her father and grandfather), most[who?] at the time firmly believed the two to be involved in an incestuous and adulterous affair. Louis was directed by the Church to visit Jerusalem instead. When Eleanor declared her intention to stand with Raymond and the Aquitaine forces, Louis had her brought out by force. His long march to Jerusalem and back north debilitated his army, but her imprisonment disheartened her knights, and the divided Crusade armies could not overcome the Muslim forces. For reasons of plunder and the Germans' insistence on conquest, the Crusade leaders targeted Damascus, an ally until the attack. Failing in this attempt, they retired to Jerusalem, and then home. Before sailing for home, Eleanor got the terrible news that Raymond, with whom she had the winning battle plan for the Crusade, had been beheaded by the overpowering forces of the Muslim armies from Edessa.

Home, however, was not easily reached. The royal couple, on separate ships due to their disagreements, were first attacked in May by Byzantine ships attempting to capture both (in order to take them to Byzantium, according to the orders of the Emperor). Although they escaped this predicament unharmed, stormy weather served to drive Eleanor's ship far to the south (to the Barbary Coast), and to similarly lose her husband. Neither was heard of for over two months: at which point, in mid-July, Eleanor's ship finally reached Palermo in Sicily, where she discovered that she and her husband had both been given up for

dead. The King still lost, she was given shelter and food by servants of King Roger II of Sicily, until the King eventually reached Calabria, and she set out to meet him there. Later, at King Roger's court in Potenza, she learnt of the death of her uncle Raymond; this appears to have forced a change of plans, for instead of returning to France from Marseilles, they instead sought the Pope in Tusculum, where he had been driven five months before by a Roman revolt.

Pope Eugenius III did not, as Eleanor had hoped, grant an annulment; instead, he attempted to reconcile Eleanor and Louis, confirming the legality of their marriage, and proclaiming that no word could be spoken against it, and that it

might not be dissolved under any pretext. Eventually, he arranged events so that Eleanor had no choice but to sleep with Louis in a bed specially prepared by the Pope. Thus was conceived their second child – not a son, but another daughter, Alix of France.

The marriage was now doomed. Still without a son and in danger of being left with no male heir, facing substantial opposition to Eleanor from many of his barons and her own desire for divorce, Louis had no choice but to bow to the inevitable. On 11 March 1152, they met at the royal castle of Beaugency to dissolve the marriage. Hugues de Toucy, Archbishop of Sens and Primate of France, presided, and Louis and Eleanor were both present, as were the Archbishops of Bordeaux and Rouen. Archbishop Samson of Reims acted for Eleanor.

On 21 March, the four archbishops, with the approval of Pope Eugenius, granted an annulment due to consanguinity within the fourth degree (Eleanor and Louis were fourth cousins, once removed, and shared common ancestry with Robert II of France). Their two daughters were, however, declared legitimate and custody of them awarded to King Louis. Archbishop Samson received assurances from Louis that Eleanor's lands would be restored to her.

Second marriage Henry II of England The marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henry of Anjou and Henry's subsequent succession to the throne of England created an empire.Two lords – Theobald V, Count of Blois, son of the Count of Champagne, and Geoffrey, Count of Nantes (brother of Henry II, Duke of Normandy) – tried to kidnap Eleanor to marry her and claim her lands on Eleanor's way to Poitiers. As soon as she arrived in Poitiers, Eleanor sent envoys to Henry, Count of Anjou and Duke of Normandy, asking him to come at once and marry her.

On 18 May 1152 (Whit Sunday), eight weeks after her annulment, Eleanor married Henry 'without the pomp and ceremony that befitted their rank'.[14] At that moment, Eleanor became Duchess of Normandy and Countess of Anjou, while Henry became Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitiers.

She was about 12 years older than he, and related to him more closely than she had been to Louis. Eleanor and Henry were cousins to the third degree through their common ancestor Ermengarde of Anjou (wife to Robert I, Duke of Burgundy and Geoffrey, Count of Gâtinais); they were also both descendants of Robert II of France. A marriage between Henry and Eleanor's daughter, Marie, had indeed been declared impossible for this very reason. One of Eleanor's rumoured lovers had been Henry's own father, Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou, who had advised his son to avoid any involvement with her.

On 25 October 1154, Eleanor's second husband became King of England. Eleanor was crowned Queen of England by the Archbishop of Canterbury on 19 December 1154.[8] It may be, however, that she was not anointed on this occasion, because she had already been anointed in 1137.[15]

Over the next thirteen years, she bore Henry five sons and three daughters: William, Henry, Richard, Geoffrey, John, Matilda, Eleanor, and Joan. John Speed, in his 1611 work History of Great Britain, mentions the possibility that Eleanor had a son named Philip, who died young. His sources no longer exist and he alone mentions this birth.[16]

Eleanor's marriage to Henry was reputed to be tumultuous and argumentative, although sufficiently cooperative to produce at least eight pregnancies. Henry was by no means faithful to his wife and had a reputation for philandering. Their son William, and Henry's illegitimate son, Geoffrey, were born just months apart. Henry fathered other illegitimate children throughout the marriage. Eleanor appears to have taken an ambivalent attitude towards these affairs: for example, Geoffrey of York, an illegitimate son of Henry and a prostitute named Ykenai, was acknowledged by Henry as his child and raised at Westminster in the care of the Queen.

The period between Henry's accession and the birth of Eleanor's youngest son was turbulent: Aquitaine, as was the norm, defied the authority of Henry as Eleanor's husband; attempts to claim Toulouse, the

rightful inheritance of Eleanor's grandmother and father, were made, ending in failure; the news of Louis of France's widowhood and remarriage was followed by the marriage of Henry's son (young Henry) to Louis' daughter Marguerite; and, most climactically, the feud between the King and Thomas Becket, his Chancellor, and later his Archbishop of Canterbury. Little is known of Eleanor's involvement in these events. By late 1166, and the birth of her final child,

however, Henry's notorious affair with Rosamund Clifford had become known, and her marriage to Henry appears to have become terminally strained.

1167 saw the marriage of Eleanor's third daughter, Matilda, to Henry the Lion of Saxony; Eleanor remained in England with her daughter for the year prior to Matilda's departure to Normandy in September. Afterwards, Eleanor proceeded to gather together her movable possessions in England and transport them on several ships in December to Argentan. At the royal court, celebrated there that Christmas, she appears to have agreed to a separation from Henry. Certainly, she left for her own city of Poitiers immediately after Christmas. Henry did not stop her; on the contrary, he and his army personally escorted her there, before attacking a castle belonging to the rebellious Lusignan family. Henry then went about his own business outside Aquitaine, leaving Earl Patrick (his regional military commander) as her protective custodian. When Patrick was killed in a skirmish, Eleanor (who proceeded to ransom his captured nephew, the young William Marshal), was left in control of her inheritance.

The Court of Love in Poitiers Palace of Poitiers, seat of the Counts of Poitou and Dukes of Aquitaine in the 10th through 12th centuries, where Eleanor's highly literate and artistic court inspired tales of Courts of LoveOf all her influence on culture, Eleanor's time in Poitiers was perhaps the most critical and yet very little is known as to what happened. King Henry II was elsewhere, attending to his own affairs after escorting Eleanor to Poitiers.[17]

It was in Poitiers that many scholars attribute Eleanor‘s court as the ̳Court of Love‘, where Eleanor and her daughter Marie meshed and encouraged the ideas of troubadours, chivalry, and courtly love into a single court. The existence and reasons for this court are debated.

Child of Henry Plantagenet and Eleanor d'Aguitaine is:

88105336 i. John of England Plantagenet, born 1167; died 1216; married Isabella de Tallefer of Angouleme

176210674. Aymer of Angoulême, born 1160; died 1202. He married 176210675. Alice of Courtenay. 176210675. Alice of Courtenay, born 1160; died 1218. She was the daughter of 352421350. Peter I

of Courtenay.

Notes for Aymer of Angoulême: Aymer (or Aymar) was the third of the 6 children of William V of Angoulême, the Count of Angoulême, and Marguerite of Turenne. His two elder brothers, Wulgrin III of Angoulême and William VI of Angoulême became the Counts of Angoulême, respectively, after the death of their father in 1179 (Wulgrin first, then William VI succeeding in 1181). Aymer succeeded his brother in 1186 as the Count of Angoulême.

In that same year, he married Alice of Courtenay, the daughter of Peter of Courtenay (the son of Louis VI of France) and Elizabeth of the House of Courtenay. In 1188, they had a daughter who would play an important role in the history of England and France: Isabella of Angoulême.

Aymer died in Limoges, France on June 16, 1202. His daughter and only child Isabella succeeded him as the ruler of the county of Angoulême. Her title, however, was largely empty since her husband John, king of England, denied Isabelle control of her inheritance as well as her marriage dowry and dower. John's appointed governor, Bartholomew le Puy, ran most of the administrative affairs of Angoulême until John's death in 1216. In 1217 Isabelle returned and seized her inheritance from le Puy, who appealed unsuccessfully to the English king for help.

Notes for Alice of Courtenay: Alice of Courtenay, Countess of Angoulême (1160 – 12 February 1218)[1] was a French noblewoman of the House of Courtenay. Her father was Peter of Courtenay and her brother was Peter II of Courtenay, Latin Emperor of Constantinople. Alice married twice; by her second husband, Aymer Taillefer, Count of Angoulême, she was the mother of Isabella of Angoulême, who was Queen consort of England, as the wife of King John.

She is also known as Alix de Courtenay.

Family Alice was born in 1160, the second eldest daughter and one of the ten children of Peter I of Courtenay and Elisabeth of Courtenay, daughter of Renauld de Courtenay and Helvis du Donjon. Her family was one of the most illustrious in France; and her paternal grandparents were King Louis VI of France and Adélaide de Maurienne. Her eldest brother Peter became the Latin Emperor of Constantinople in 1216. In addition to Peter, she had three more brothers, Philippe de Courtenay, Robert, Seigneur of Champignelles, and William, Seigneur of Tanlay; and five sisters, Eustacie, Clemence, Isabelle, Constance, and another whose name is unknown.

Marriages In 1178, she married her first husband, Guillaume I, Count of Joigny. The marriage did not produce any children, and they were divorced in 1186. A charter dated 1180 records that Count Guillaume, with Alice's consent, donated property to Pontigny Abbey.[2]

Alice married her second husband, Aymer Taillefer in 1186, the same year he succeeded his father, William IV as Count of Angoulême. Sometime in 1188, Alice gave birth to her only child:

Isabella of Angoulême (1188 – 31 May 1246), married firstly 24 August 1200 King John of England, by whom she had five children; in spring 1220, she married secondly, Hugh X of Lusignan, Count of La Marche, by whom she had another nine children. Alice's husband died on 16 June 1202. Their only child, Isabella succeeded him as suo jure Countess of Angoulême. By this time, Isabella was already Queen of England.

She herself died on 12 February 1218 at the age of about 58. Her daughter would also die at the age of 58 in 1246.

Child of Aymer Angoulême and Alice Courtenay is:

88105337 i. Isabella de Tallefer of Angouleme, born 1176; died 1246; married John of England Plantagenet

176210678. Thomas of Savoy He married 176210679. Beatrix Faucigny de Geneva. 176210679. Beatrix Faucigny de Geneva, born 1180; died 1257.

Child of Thomas Savoy and Beatrix de Geneva is:

88105339 i. Beatrice of Savoie, born Abt. 1201; died 1266; married Ramon Berenger of Provence

176210686. WilliamIV, Count of Ponthieu He was the son of 352421372. JohnI, Count of Ponthieu and 352421373. Beatrice of Saint-Pol. He married 176210687. Countess of the Vexin Alys.

176210687. Countess of the Vexin Alys

Notes for WilliamIV, Count of Ponthieu: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

William III Talvas (1179 – October 4, 1221) was William III, Count of Ponthieu and William IV (of the house of Belleme/Montgomery). He was Count of Ponthieu, ruler of a small province in northern France that fell under the suzerainty of the dukes of Normandy (later also kings of England) since at least the mid 11th century. He was son and heir of John I, Count of Ponthieu (d 1191) by his third wife Beatrice de St Pol.

His father Jean I, Count of Ponthieu (d 1191 was the son of Guy II, Count of Ponthieu (who died on the Second Crusade 1147) and grandson of William III of Ponthieu, also frequently called William III Talvas, and who represented the senior line of the lords of Montgomery, once trusted vassals and allies of William the Conqueror.

Marriage to Alys, Countess of the Vexin Talvas was married on August 20, 1195 to Alys, Countess of the Vexin, the daughter of King Louis VII of France. She was some eighteen years older than he, and was said by some to have been seduced by King Henry II of

England while betrothed to his son, King Richard the Lion-Hearted. Richard sent her back to her brother, King Philip II of France, refusing to marry his father's mistress.

Philip then arranged for Alys to marry William Talvas, with the intent that the couple would be childless, and he would thus gain control of Ponthieu, a small but strategically important county. However, Alys then gave birth to a daughter and heiress, Marie, in 1197/1198. This daughter was the maternal grandmother of Eleanor of Castile, first wife of Edward I, King of England, to whom Ponthieu and the disputed Vexin inheritance would eventually pass as Eleanor's dowry. William Talvas died in 1221, his daughter Marie being his heiress.

Life William was an important army commander in the Anglo-French War (1202–1214). He also participated in the Albigensian Crusade, particulary in the Siege of Termes in 1210. He led the left wing of the victorious French army in the Battle of Bouvines in 1214.

Child of William and Countess Alys is:

88105343 i. Countess of Ponthieu and Montreuil Marie, born 1199; died 1250; married Simon of Danmartin

Generation No. 29

352421232. Thurston le Despencer, born 1122; died 1223. He was the son of 704842464. William Taivas Montgomery de Spencer and 704842465. Helie Borel of Nurgundy. He married 352421233. Lucia.

352421233. Lucia

Child of Thurston le Despencer and Lucia is:

176210620 i. Geoffrey le Despencer, born 1156.

Child of Thurston le Despencer and Lucia is:

176210616 i. Geoffrey le Despencer, born 1156.

352421232. Thurston le Despencer, born 1122; died 1223. He was the son of 704842464. William Taivas Montgomery de Spencer and 704842465. Helie Borel of Nurgundy. He married 352421241. Lucia.

352421241. Lucia

Child of Thurston le Despencer and Lucia is:

176210620 i. Geoffrey le Despencer, born 1156.

Child of Thurston le Despencer and Lucia is:

176210616 i. Geoffrey le Despencer, born 1156.

352421328. Richard FitzEustace He was the son of 704842656. Eustace fitz John.

Notes for Richard FitzEustace: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

The son of Eustace FitzJohn. He married into the de Lacy family of Yorkshire.[9]

Child of Richard FitzEustace is:

176210664 i. John FitzRichard

352421344. Geoffrey d'Anjou, born 1113; died 1151. He was the son of 704842688. King of Jerusalem Fulk and 704842689. Ermengarde du Maine. He married 352421345. Empress Matilda of England Plantagenet.

352421345. Empress Matilda of England Plantagenet, born 1102; died 1167. She was the daughter of 704842690. Henry I of England and 704842691. Matilda Maud Editha Atheling of Scotland.

Notes for Geoffrey d'Anjou: Geoffrey V (24 August 1113 – 7 September 1151), called the Handsome (French: le Bel) and Plantagenet, was the Count of Anjou, Touraine, and Maine by inheritance from 1129 and then Duke of Normandy by conquest from 1144. By his marriage to the Empress Matilda, daughter and heiress of Henry I of England, Geoffrey had a son, Henry Curtmantle, who succeeded to the English throne and founded the Plantagenet dynasty to which Geoffrey gave his nickname.

Geoffrey was the elder son of Fulk V of Anjou and Eremburga of La Flèche, heiress of Elias I of Maine. Geoffrey received his nickname for the yellow sprig of broom blossom (genêt is the French name for the genista, or broom shrub) he wore in his hat as a badge. King Henry I of England, having heard good reports on Geoffrey's talents and prowess, sent his royal legates to Anjou to negotiate a marriage between Geoffrey and his own daughter, Matilda. Consent was obtained from both parties, and on 10 June 1128 the fifteen-year-old Geoffrey was knighted in Rouen by King Henry in preparation for the wedding. Interestingly, there was no opposition to the marriage from the Church, despite the fact that Geoffrey's sister was the widow of Matilda's brother (only son of King Henry) which fact had been used to annul the marriage of another of Geoffrey's sisters to the Norman pretender William Clito. This fact is understandable considering the opposition to the marriage between Clito and Sibylla came from King Henry himself, not the church.

Marriage On 17 June 1128 Geoffrey married Empress Matilda, the daughter and heiress of King Henry I of England by his first wife Edith of Scotland, and widow of Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor. The marriage was meant to seal a peace between England/Normandy and Anjou. She was eleven years older than Geoffrey, very proud of her status as an Empress (as opposed to being a mere Countess). Their marriage was a stormy one with frequent long separations, but she bore him three sons and survived him.

Count of Anjou The year after the marriage Geoffrey's father left for Jerusalem (where he was to become king), leaving Geoffrey behind as count of Anjou. John of Marmoutier describes Geoffrey as handsome, red-headed, jovial, and a great warrior; however, Ralph of Diceto alleges that his charm concealed his cold and selfish character.

When King Henry I died in 1135, Matilda at once entered Normandy to claim her inheritance. The border districts submitted to her, but England chose her cousin Stephen of Blois for its king, and Normandy soon followed suit. The following year, Geoffrey gave Ambrieres, Gorron, and Chatilon-sur-Colmont to Juhel de Mayenne, on condition that he help obtain the inheritance of Geoffrey's wife. In 1139 Matilda landed in England with 140 knights, where she was besieged at Arundel Castle by King Stephen. In the "Anarchy" which ensued, Stephen was captured at Lincoln in February, 1141, and imprisoned at Bristol. A legatine council of the English church held at Winchester in April 1141 declared Stephen deposed and proclaimed Matilda "Lady of the English". Stephen was subsequently released from prison and had himself recrowned on the anniversary of his first coronation.

During 1142 and 1143, Geoffrey secured all of Normandy west and south of the Seine, and, on 14 January 1144, he crossed the Seine and entered Rouen. He assumed the title of Duke of Normandy in the summer of 1144. In 1144, he founded an Augustine priory at Chateau-l'Ermitage in Anjou. Geoffrey held the duchy until 1149, when he and Matilda conjointly ceded it to their son, Henry, which cession was formally ratified by King Louis VII of France the following year.

Geoffrey also put down three baronial rebellions in Anjou, in 1129, 1135, and 1145-1151. He was often at odds with his younger brother, Elias, whom he had imprisoned until 1151. The threat of rebellion slowed his progress in Normandy, and is one reason he could not intervene in England. In 1153, the Treaty of

Wallingford allowed Stephen should remain King of England for life and that Henry, the son of Geoffrey and Matilda should succeed him.

Death Geoffrey died suddenly on 7 September 1151. According to John of Marmoutier, Geoffrey was returning from a royal council when he was stricken with fever. He arrived at Château-du-Loir, collapsed on a couch, made bequests

of gifts and charities, and died. He was buried at St. Julien's Cathedral in Le Mans France.

Children Geoffrey and Matilda's children were:

1.Henry II of England (1133–1189) 2.Geoffrey, Count of Nantes (1 June 1134 Rouen- 26 July 1158 Nantes) died unmarried and was buried in Nantes 3.William X, Count of Poitou (1136–1164) died unmarried Geoffrey also had illegitimate children by an unknown mistress (or mistresses): Hamelin; Emme, who married Dafydd Ab Owain Gwynedd, Prince of North Wales; and Mary, who became a nun and Abbess of Shaftesbury and who may be the poetess Marie de France. Adelaide of Angers is sometimes sourced as being the mother of Hamelin.

Heraldry The first reference to Norman heraldry was in 1128, when Henry I of England knighted his son-in-law Geoffrey and granted him a badge of gold lions (or leopards) on a blue background. (A gold lion may already have been Henry's own badge.) Henry II used two gold lions and two lions on a red background are still part of the arms of Normandy. Henry's son, Richard I, added a third lion to distinguish the arms of England.

Fictional portrayals Geoffrey was portrayed by actor Bruce Purchase in the 1978 BBC TV series The Devil's Crown, which dramatised the reigns of his son and grandsons in England.

Geoffrey is an important character in Sharon Penman's novel When Christ and His Saints Slept, which deals with the war between his wife and King Stephen.

References Jim Bradbury, "Geoffrey V of Anjou, Count and Knight", in The Ideals and Practice of Medieval Knighthood III Charles H. Haskins, "Normandy Under Geoffrey Plantagenet", The English Historical Review, volume 27 (July 1912), pp. 417–444

Notes for Empress Matilda of England Plantagenet: Empress Matilda (c. 7 February 1102 – 10 September 1167), also known as Matilda of England or Maude, was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry to survive to adulthood. William's early death in the White ship disaster in 1120 made Matilda the last heir from the paternal line of her grandfather William the Conqueror.

As a child, Matilda was betrothed to and later married Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, acquiring the title Empress. The couple had no known children. After being widowed for a few years, she was married to Geoffrey count of Anjou, with whom she had three sons, the eldest of whom became King Henry II of England.

Matilda was the first female ruler of the Kingdom of England. The length of her effective rule was brief, however — a few months in 1141. She was never crowned and failed to consolidate her rule (legally and politically). For this reason, she is normally excluded from lists of English monarchs, and her rival (and cousin) Stephen of Blois is listed as monarch for the period 1135-1154. Their rivalry for the throne led to years of unrest and civil war in England that have been called The Anarchy. She did secure her inheritance of the Duchy of Normandy — through the military feats of her husband, Geoffrey — and campaigned unstintingly for her oldest son's inheritance, living to see him ascend the throne of England in 1154.

Matilda was the elder of the two children born to Henry I of England and his wife Matilda of Scotland (also known as Edith) who survived infancy; her younger brother was William Adelin.

Her maternal grandparents were Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret of Scotland. Margaret was daughter of Edward the Exile and granddaughter of Edmund II of England. Most historians believe Matilda was born in Winchester, but one, John M. Fletcher, argues for the possibility of the royal palace at Sutton Courtenay in Oxfordshire. Her paternal grandparents were William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders.

When she was seven years old, Matilda was betrothed to the 23 years old Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor; at eight, she was sent to the Holy Roman Empire (Germany) to begin training for the life of an empress consort. The eight-year-old Matilda was crowned Queen of the Romans in Mainz on 25 July 1110.[1][2] Aged 12, Matilda was made a child bride as the royal couple were married at Mainz on 7 January 1114. Matilda accompanied Henry on tours to Rome and Tuscany. Matilda later acted as regent, mainly in Italy, in his absence.[3] Emperor Henry died on 23 May 1125. The imperial couple had no surviving offspring, but Herman of Tournai states that Matilda bore a son who lived only a short while.

Matilda returned to England. Henry I then arranged a second marriage for Matilda, to ensure peace between Normandy and Anjou. On 17 June 1128, Matilda, then 26, was married to Geoffrey of Anjou, then 14. He was also Count of Maine and heir apparent to (his father) the Count of Anjou — whose title he soon acquired, making Matilda Countess of Anjou. It was a title she rarely used. Geoffrey called himself "Plantagenet" from the broom flower (planta genista) he adopted as his personal emblem. Plantagenet became the dynastic name of the powerful line of English kings descended from Matilda and Geoffrey.

Matilda's marriage with Geoffrey was troubled, with frequent long separations, but they had three sons. The eldest, Henry, was born on 5 March 1133. In 1134, she almost died in childbirth, following the birth of Geoffrey, Count of Nantes. A third son, William X, Count of Poitou, was born in 1136. She survived her second husband, who died in Sept. 1151.

In 1120, her brother William Adelin drowned in the disastrous wreck of the White Ship, making Matilda the only surviving legitimate child of her father King Henry. Her cousin Stephen of Blois was, like her, a grandchild of William (the Conqueror) of Normandy; but her paternal line meant she was senior to Stephen in the line of succession.

After Matilda returned to England, Henry named her as his heir to the English throne and Duchy of Normandy. Henry saw to it that the Anglo-Norman barons, including Stephen, twice swore to accept Matilda as ruler if Henry died without a male heir of his body.

When her father died in Normandy, on 1 December 1135, Matilda was with Geoffrey in Anjou, and, crucially, too far away from events rapidly unfolding in England and Normandy. She and Geoffrey were also at odds with her father over border castles. Stephen of Blois rushed to England upon learning of Henry's death and moved quickly to seize the crown from the appointed heir. He was supported by most of the barons and his brother, Henry, bishop of Winchester, breaking his oath to defend her rights. Matilda, however, contested Stephen in both realms. She and her husband Geoffrey entered Normandy and began military campaigns to claim her inheritance there. Progress was uneven at first, but she persevered. In Normandy, Geoffrey secured all fiefdoms west and south of the Seine by 1143; in January 1144, he crossed the Seine and took Rouen without resistance. He assumed the title Duke of Normandy, and Matilda became Duchess of Normandy. Geoffrey and Matilda held the duchy conjointly until 1149, then ceded it to their son, Henry, which event was soon ratified by King Louis VII of France. It was not until 1139, however, that Matilda commanded the military strength necessary to challenge Stephen within England.

During the war, Matilda's most loyal and capable supporter was her illegitimate half-brother, Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester.

Matilda's greatest triumph came in February 1141, when her forces defeated and captured King Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln. He was made a prisoner and effectively deposed. Her advantage lasted only a few months. When she arrived in London, the city was ready to welcome her and support her coronation. She used the title of Lady of the English and planned to assume the title of queen upon coronation (the custom which was followed by her grandsons, Richard and John).[4] However, she refused the citizens'

request to halve their taxes and, because of her own arrogance,[4] they closed the city gates to her and reignited the civil war on 24 June 1141.

By November, Stephen was free (exchanged for the captured Robert of Gloucester) and a year later, the tables were turned when Matilda was besieged at Oxford but escaped to Wallingford, supposedly by fleeing across snow-covered land in a white cape. In 1141, she escaped Devizes in a similar manner, by disguising herself as a corpse and being carried out for burial.

In 1148, Matilda and Henry returned to Normandy, following the death of Robert of Gloucester, and the reconquest of Normandy by Geoffrey. Upon their arrival, Geoffrey turned Normandy over to Henry and retired to Anjou.

Later life Matilda's first son, Henry, was showing signs of becoming a successful leader. It was 1147 when Henry, aged 14, had accompanied Matilda on an invasion of England. It soon failed due to lack of preparation but it made him determined that England was his mother's right, and so his own. He returned to England again between 1149 and 1150. On 22 May 1149 he was knighted by King David I of Scotland, his great uncle, at Carlisle.[5] Although the civil war had been decided in Stephen's favour, his reign was troubled. In 1153, the death of Stephen's son Eustace, combined with the arrival of a military expedition led by Henry, led him to acknowledge the latter as his heir by the Treaty of Wallingford.

Matilda retired to Rouen in Normandy during her last years, where she maintained her own court and presided over the government of the duchy in the absence of Henry. She intervened in the quarrels between her eldest son Henry and her second son Geoffrey, Count of Nantes, but peace between the brothers was brief. Geoffrey rebelled against Henry twice before his sudden death in 1158. Relations between Henry and his youngest brother, William X, Count of Poitou, were more cordial, and William was given vast estates in England. Archbishop Thomas Becket refused to allow William to marry the Countess of Surrey and the young man fled to Matilda's court at Rouen. William, who was his mother's favourite child, died there in January 1164, reportedly of disappointment and sorrow. She attempted to mediate in the quarrel between her son Henry and Becket, but was unsuccessful.

Although she gave up hope of being crowned in 1141, her name always preceded that of her son Henry, even after he became king. Matilda died at Notre Dame du Pré near Rouen in 1167 and was buried in the Abbey of Bec-Hellouin, Normandy. Her body was transferred to Rouen Cathedral in 1847; her epitaph reads: "Great by Birth, Greater by Marriage, Greatest in her Offspring: Here lies Matilda, the daughter, wife, and mother of Henry."

Historical fiction The civil war between supporters of Stephen and the supporters of Matilda has proven popular as a subject in historical fiction. Novels dealing with it include:

Graham Shelby, The Villains of the Piece (1972) (published in the US as The Oath and the Sword) The Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters, and the TV series made from them starring Sir Derek Jacobi Jean Plaidy, The Passionate Enemies, the third book of her Norman Trilogy Sharon Penman, When Christ and His Saints Slept tells the story of the events before, during and after the civil war Haley Elizabeth Garwood, The Forgotten Queen (1997) Ken Follett, The Pillars of the Earth E. L. Konigsburg, A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver Ellen Jones, The Fatal Crown (highly inaccurate) Juliet Dymoke, The Lion's Legacy (Being part of a trilogy, the first being, Of The Ring Of Earls, the second, Henry Of The High Rock) Indeed, some novels go so far as to posit a love-affair between Matilda and Stephen, e.g. the Janna Mysteries by Felicity Pulman, set during the civil war between Stephen and Matilda.

Matilda is a character in Jean Anouilh's play Becket. In the 1964 film adaptation she was portrayed by Martita Hunt. She was also portrayed by Brenda Bruce in the 1978 BBC TV series The Devil's Crown, which dramatised the reigns of her son and grandsons.

Finally, Alison Pill portrayed her in the 2010 TV miniseries The Pillars of the Earth, an adaptation of Follett's novel, although she is initially known in this as Princess Maud not Empress Matilda.

Footnotes 1.^ "Matilda (1102-1167)", DNB 2.^ Chibnall, Marjorie The Empress Matilda: Queen Consort, Queen Mother and Lady of the English p. 24 3.^ Chibnall, Marjorie The Empress Matilda: Queen Consort, Queen Mother and Lady of the English pgs. 33-34, 46 4.^ a b Lyon, Ann (2003). Constitutional history of the UK. Routledge Cavendish. ISBN 1859417469.

http://books.google.com/books?id=yiqrD_b_EGkC&pg=PA30&dq=%22lady+of+the+English%22+uncrowned&lr= #v=onepage&q=%22lady%20of%20the%20English%22%20uncrowned&f=false. Retrieved 2009-09-19. 5.^ Harvey. The Plantagenets. pp. 50. [edit] SourcesBradbury, J. (1996) Stephen and Matilda: the Civil War of 1139-1153, Sutton Publishing, ISBN 075090612X Chibnall,Marjorie (1991) The Empress Matilda:Queen Consort, Queen Mother, and Lady of the English Fletcher, John (1990) Sutton Courtenay: The History of a Thameside Village Gardener J and Wenborn W the History Today Companion to British History Pain, Nesta (1978) Empress Matilda: Uncrowned Queen of England Parsons, John Carmi. Medieval Mothering (New Middle Ages), sub. Marjorie Chibnall, "Empress Matilda and Her Sons"

Child of Geoffrey d'Anjou and Empress Plantagenet is:

176210672 i. Henry II "Curtmantle" of England Plantagenet, born 1132; died 1189; married Eleanor d'Aguitaine

352421346. Guillaume de Aguitaine, born 1099; died 1137. He was the son of 704842692. Guillaume VI of Aguitaine and 704842693. Philippa Mathilde Maud de Toulouse. He married 352421347. Eleanor de Chantellerault de Rochefoucauld.

352421347. Eleanor de Chantellerault de Rochefoucauld, born 1103; died 1129. She was the daughter of 704842694. Aimeri of Chantellerault and 704842695. Maubergeonne Dangereuse de L'isle Bouchard.

Child of Guillaume de Aguitaine and Eleanor de Rochefoucauld is:

176210673 i. Eleanor d'Aguitaine, born 1123; died 1204; married Henry II "Curtmantle" of England Plantagenet

352421350. Peter I of Courtenay He was the son of 704842700. Louis VI of France and 704842701. Adelaide of Maurienne.

Notes for Peter I of Courtenay: Peter of Courtenay was the youngest son of Louis VI of France and his second Queen consort Adélaide de Maurienne. He was the father of the Latin Emperor Peter II of Courtenay.

Peter was born in France on September 1126 and died 10 April 1183 in Palestine. He married Elizabeth de Courtenay (1127- September 1205), the daughter of Renauld de Courtenay and Helvis du Donjon. He is buried in a floor tomb in Exeter Cathedral (England) but he is not buried next to Elizabeth. Peter and Elizabeth were the parents of 10 children:

1.Phillippe de Courtenay (1153 – bef. 1186) 2.Peter II of Courtenay, Latin Emperor of Constantinople (abt 1155 to 1218) 3.Unnamed daughter (abt 1156 – ?) 4.Alice of Courtenay, died 12 February 1218. She married Aymer de Talliefer, Count of Angoulême, and they became the parents of Isabella of Angoulême, who married King John of England. 5.Eustachia de Courtenay (1162–1235), married William of Brienne, son of Erard II of Brienne and of Agnès of Montfaucon 6.Clementia de Courtenay (1164 – ?) 7.Robert de Courtenay, Seigneur of Champignelles (1166–1239) 8.William de Courtenay, Seigneur of Tanlay (1168 – bef 1248) 9.Isabella de Courtenay (1169 – ?) 10.Constance de Courtenay (aft 1170 – 1231)

Child of Peter I of Courtenay is:

176210675 i. Alice of Courtenay, born 1160; died 1218; married Aymer of Angoulême

352421372. JohnI, Count of Ponthieu He was the son of 704842744. Guy II of Ponthieu. He married

352421373. Beatrice of Saint-Pol.

352421373. Beatrice of Saint-Pol

Notes for JohnI, Count of Ponthieu: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

John I of Ponthieu (c. 1140–1191) was the son of Guy II of Ponthieu and succeeded him as Count of Ponthieu in 1147. He married Beatrice of Saint-Pol, and was succeeded by his son William IV Talvas.[1]

Child of John and Beatrice Saint-Pol is:

176210686 i. WilliamIV, Count of Ponthieu, married Countess of the Vexin Alys

Generation No. 30

704842464. William Taivas Montgomery de Spencer, born 1090. He married 704842465. Helie Borel of Nurgundy.

704842465. Helie Borel of Nurgundy, born 1080; died 1142. She was the daughter of 1409684930. Eudes Borel of Burgundy and 1409684931. Sybille de Bourgogne.

Child of William de Spencer and Helie Nurgundy is:

352421232 i. Thurston le Despencer, born 1122; died 1223; married (1) Lucia; married (2) Lucia

704842656. Eustace fitz John He was the son of 1409685312. John fitz Richard.

Notes for Eustace fitz John: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Eustace fitz John (died 1157) was a powerful magnate in northern England during the reigns of Henry I, Stephen and Henry II. From a relatively humble background in the south-east of England, Eustace made his career serving Henry I, and was elevated by the king through marriage and office into one of the most important figures in the north of England. Eustace acquired a great deal of property in the region, controlled Bamburgh Castle, and served jointly with Walter Espec as justiciar of the North.

After Henry I's death in 1135, Eustace became involved in the warfare between the supporters of Stephen and his rival the Empress Matilda, the latter led by Matilda's uncle David, King of Scotland. He lost Alnwick Castle temporarily to David, while Bamburgh was taken by Stephen. Eustace became a supporter of David, fighting and suffering defeat at the Battle of the Standard in 1138. He maintained most of his lands in the north however, and from c. 1144 became one of the main followers of Ranulf II, Earl of Chester, through whom he gained even more land. Eustace subsequently founded three religious houses, and died on campaign with Henry II in 1157.

Eustace's family came from the south-east of England.[1] His father John fitz Richard was a tenant-in-chief who appeared in the Domesday Book owning estates in Essex and Norfolk.[1] The family was not of exalted origin, representing the middle rank of society.[2] Eustace had two known sisters, Agnes and Alice. He also had two brothers, Pain (Payne) and William, and it is thought that Pain—whose career was as successful as Eustace's— was probably the eldest.[3] Eustace probably did not inherit much from his father, but instead depended on success as a royal servant.[4]

Eustace is witnessing royal charters from at least 1119, but may have been at Henry's court as early as 1114.[5] Through Henry's patronage, Eustace married two heiresses, bringing him on both occasions much landed honour. Beatrix, daughter and heiress of Ivo de Vescy, brought him control of Alnwick Castle and the barony of Alnwick in Northumberland.[6] He probably received, in addition, land in Lincolnshire as well as five and a half knight's fees in Yorkshire previously belonging to Ranulf de Mortimer (died 1104).[7] Although it has often been claimed that this marriage brought Eustace the lordship of Old Malton, a former royal manor in the North Riding of Yorkshire, this

was probably a separate gift from the king.[8] This marriage occurred some time before 1130.[9]

Another marriage, which also occurred before 1130, was to Agnes daughter of the constable of Chester William FitzNigel, and this eventually brought him more land in Yorkshire (Bridlington) as well as in Northamptonshire (Loddington), both held of the earl of Chester.[10] Eustace would gain control of many other sub-tenancies, held of various lords from the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Durham to Nigel d'Aubigny and the count of Aumale,[11] and in Henry's reign he held lands at Aldborough, Tickhill and Knaresborough from the king in farm.[12]

Eustace had thus emerged as one of the key players in Henry's reordering of Northumbrian society following the destruction of the earldom of Northumbria in the late 11th-century.[13] According to historian William Kapelle, Eustace was one of the "three mainstays of Henry's new regime in the North", the other two being Walter Espec and King David of Scotland.[14] In Northumberland he is known to have commanded authority over at least ten local notables, including John FitzOdard lord of Embleton and Robert II de Umfraville lord of Redesdale.[15] Signicant was Eustace's barony of Alnwick, which stretched across the potential Scottish invasion routes of the Tweed basin, and was one of the two largest baronies in the county (the other being the Balliol barony of Bywell), holding between 14 and 17 knight's fees by 1166, nearly three times the size of the average lordship in the county.[15]

Henry I's only surviving pipe roll, for 1129–30, shows that Eustace was serving jointly as justiciar of the north along with Walter Espec, and had custody of the former capital of the Northumbrian earldom, Bamburgh Castle.[10] Allowances made to Eustace for the repair of the gate of Bamburgh Castle and the construction of fortifications at Tickhill and Knaresborough in Yorkshire are also recorded in this pipe roll.[10] This and evidence of royal writs show that Eustace and Walter Espec had justiciar responsibility for the counties of Cumberland, Northumberland (with Durham) and Yorkshire, a role that involved hearing pleas and conveying instructions from central government.[16]

The death of Henry I on 1 December 1135 led to the accession of Stephen de Bois, to whom Eustace submitted.[1] Stephen's seizure of the throne was contested by Henry I's daughter, the Empress Matilda, who had been Henry's designated heir. The Gesta Stephani claimed that certain "very intimate friends of Henry" had been against Stephen from the beginning because of loyalty for Henry's daughter Matilda, and names Eustace's brother Pain as one of these, making it quite possible that Eustace had likewise never been on Stephen's side.[17] However, they, just like Eustace, did swear fealty to Stephen after a short time.[18] This capitulation meant that Stephen let them keep the honours and positions they had held under Henry, and Stephen is even found confirming the grants of Eustace's family between 1136 and 1138.[19]

Matilda was supported by her uncle King David of Scotland, and he did not accept Stephen's succession peacefully.[20] Thus Eustace was placed in the front line of a new war, and when David invaded northern England Eustace's castle of Alnwick was among those captured by David in the first two months of the year (though it was returned in March).[1] Stephen relieved Eustace of control of Bamburgh Castle when he returned from his punitive invasion of Lothian early in 1138.[21] It has been claimed that Eustace must have gone over to David's side by the end of 1137, when David invaded northern England.[22] There is no proof however that Eustace had switched allegiance at this point.[23]

After David crossed back into Northumberland in April 1138, Eustace became one of David's active supporters, and during David's siege of Wark Castle in May, Eustace tried to persuade him to besiege Bamburgh Castle instead.[24] Eustace had had a long association with the Scottish king, or at least with his Norman follower Robert I de Brus, as Eustace's name appears as witness to David's charter recording the grant of Annandale to Robert, issued at Scone in 1124.[18]

Eustace fought at the Battle of the Standard in August 1138, fighting for David in the second line with the men of Cumbria and Teviotdale. The battle ended in defeat, and Eustace was wounded and fled to

Alnwick in its aftermath, leaving his castle at Malton to be captured soon after.[25] Despite the defeat for David, peace the following year brought David victory, his son Henry becoming Earl of Northumbria and Huntingdon, and under the rule of Earl Henry, Eustace regained many of his Northumberland possessions and received other lands in the earldom of Huntingdon.[26] When a succession dispute for the bishopric of Durham erupted in 1141, Eustace supported the pro-David William Cumin against William de Ste Barbara; and in 1143, Eustace helped negotiate a truce between

the two claimants.[27]

Eustace's number of known associations with David and Henry after 1144 is small, appearing only as witness to one charter of Earl Henry issued at Corbridge at some point between 1150 and 1152.[28] Around 1144 Eustace seems to have entered a beneficial relationship with Ranulf II, Earl of Chester. Eustace was married to the sister of Ranulf's constable, William fitz William, and in 1143 or 1144 William died. This made Eustace's wife and her sister Matilda joint heiress to the lands and offices of William, who was childless.[29]

In either 1144 or 1145 Eustace obtained from Ranulf a large honour with lands mostly in Cheshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire, and gained the office of constable of Chester along with the status as chief counselor in Ranulf's dominions.[30] Earl Ranulf's patronage also seems to have gained Eustace a grant by Roger de Mowbray (the earl's captive from the Battle of Lincoln) of fourteen knight fees worth of estates in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, with townships along the river Humber. This was probably part of the attempts of the earl and his half-brother the Earl of Lincoln William de Roumare to tighten their family's grip on the region.[31] Eustace's position vis-a-vis Stephen probably mirrored that of Ranulf, and like other pro-Matildans there was probably no permanent stabilisation of relations until the settlement between Stephen and Matilda in the winter of 1153.[32] In the following year, Eustace attested a charter King Stephen issued at York in favour of Pontefract Priory.[32]

Eustace had a good relationship with Stephen's successor Henry II, and the latter seems to have regarded Eustace as one of his supporters.[33] Henry confirmed Eustace's gifts to his son William de Vescy, and would recognise the latters succession to his father's lands.[34] After Henry accession in 1154, Eustace attested the new king's charters. Eustace died in July 1157 near Basingwerk in Flintshire, where on campaign with Henry against the Welsh he was ambushed and killed.[35]

Eustace fitz John was remembered as a great monastic patron. He patronised Gloucester Abbey, a Benedictine house, as well as the Augustinian Priory of Bridlington.[1] In 1147, he founded his own abbey, Alnwick Abbey, as a daughter-house of England's first Premonstratensian monastery, Newhouse Abbey in Lincolnshire.[36] Two years later, Eustace turned his favours to the order of Gilbert of Sempringham, in 1150 founding a Gilbertine priory at Malton in Yorkshire and another (with a nunnery) at Watton (also Yorkshire) around the same time.[37] Later tradition held that Eustace founded these houses in penance for fighting with the Scots, but this has no basis in fact.[38]

Watton, scene of Ailred of Rievaulx's De Sanctimoniali de Wattun, was founded jointly with Eustace's landlord William Fossard.[39] Probably Eustace's patronage of the Gilbertines was influenced by the policies and inclinations of William, Earl of York and Henry Murdac, Archbishop of York.[40] Eustace had become closely associated with the Earl of York. He witnessed two of Earl William's charters, between 1150 and 1153, and obtained land from him.[41] And Eustace's name appears on coins minted at York, a city under the control of the earl.[41]

Eustace is known to have had two sons, one by each wife.[1] William de Vescy, his son by Beatrix, served as sheriff of Northumberland between 1157 and 1170, and would become the ancestor of the Northumberland de Vescy family.[1] Robert FitzEustace, his son by Agnes, is known to have married Aubrey de Lisours, daughter of Aubrey de Lacy and niece of Ilbert II de Lacy (another baron captured by Earl Ranulf at the Battle of Lincoln).[42] He became ancestor of a second line of de Lacys.[1]

Several sources, including Roger of Howden, report that Eustace had only one eye.[1]

Child of Eustace fitz John is:

352421328 i. Richard FitzEustace

704842688. King of Jerusalem Fulk, born 1092; died 1143. He was the son of 1409685376. Foulques d'Anjou and 1409685377. Bertrade de Montfort. He married 704842689. Ermengarde du Maine.

704842689. Ermengarde du Maine, born 1096; died 1126. She was the daughter of 1409685378. Elias Helie de Maine and 1409685379. Matilde de Chateau du Loire.

Notes for King of Jerusalem Fulk: Fulk (in French: Foulque or Foulques; 1089/1092 Angers - 13 November 1143 Acre), also known as Fulk the Younger, was Count of Anjou (as Fulk V) from 1109 to 1129, and King of Jerusalem from 1131 to his death. He was also the paternal grandfather of Henry II of England.

Fulk was born in Angers between 1089 and 1092, the son of Count Fulk IV of Anjou and Bertrade de Montfort. In 1092, Bertrade deserted her husband and bigamously married King Philip I of France.

He became count of Anjou upon his father's death in 1109. In the next year, he married Erembourg of Maine, cementing Angevin control over the County of Maine.

He was originally an opponent of King Henry I of England and a supporter of King Louis VI of France, but in 1118 or 1119 he had allied with Henry when Henry arranged for his son and heir William Adelin to marry Fulk's daughter Matilda. Fulk went on crusade in 1119 or 1120, and became attached to the Knights Templar. (Orderic Vitalis) He returned, late in 1121, after which he began to subsidize the Templars, maintaining two knights in the Holy Land for a year. Much later, Henry arranged for his daughter Matilda to marry Fulk's son Geoffrey of Anjou, which she did in 1127 or 1128.

Crusader and King By 1127 Fulk was preparing to return to Anjou when he received an embassy from King Baldwin II of Jerusalem. Baldwin II had no male heirs but had already designated his daughter Melisende to succeed him. Baldwin II wanted to safeguard his daughter's inheritance by marrying her to a powerful lord. Fulk was a wealthy crusader and experienced military commander, and a widower. His experience in the field would prove invaluable in a frontier state always in the grip of war.

However, Fulk held out for better terms than mere consort of the Queen; he wanted to be king alongside Melisende. Baldwin II, reflecting on Fulk's fortune and military exploits, acquiesced. Fulk abdicated his county seat of Anjou to his son Geoffrey and left for Jerusalem, where he married Melisende on 2 June 1129. Later Baldwin II bolstered Melisende's position in the kingdom by making her sole guardian of her son by Fulk, Baldwin III, born in 1130.

Fulk and Melisende became joint rulers of Jerusalem in 1131 with Baldwin II's death. From the start Fulk assumed sole control of the government, excluding Melisende altogether. He favored fellow countrymen from Anjou to the native nobility. The other crusader states to the north feared that Fulk would attempt to impose the suzerainty of Jerusalem over them, as Baldwin II had done; but as Fulk was far less powerful than his deceased father-in-law, the northern states rejected his authority. Melisende's sister Alice of Antioch, exiled from the Principality by Baldwin II, took control of Antioch once more after the death of her father. She allied with Pons of Tripoli and Joscelin II of Edessa to prevent Fulk from marching north in 1132; Fulk and Pons fought a brief battle before peace was made and Alice was exiled again.

In Jerusalem as well, Fulk was resented by the second generation of Jerusalem Christians who had grown up there since the First Crusade. These "natives" focused on Melisende's cousin, the popular Hugh II of Le Puiset, count of Jaffa, who was devotedly loyal to the Queen. Fulk saw Hugh as a rival, and it did not help matters when Hugh's own stepson accused him of disloyalty. In 1134, in order to expose Hugh, Fulk accused him of infidelity with Melisende. Hugh rebelled in protest. Hugh secured himself to Jaffa, and allied himself with the Muslims of Ascalon. He was able to defeat the army set against him by Fulk, but this situation could not hold. The Patriarch interceded in the conflict, perhaps at the behest of Melisende. Fulk agreed to peace and Hugh was exiled from the kingdom for three years, a lenient sentence.

However, an assassination attempt was made against Hugh. Fulk, or his supporters, were commonly believed responsible, though direct proof never surfaced. The scandal was all that was needed for the queen's party to take over the government in what amounted to a palace coup. Author and historian Bernard Hamilton wrote that the Fulk's supporters "went in terror of their lives" in the palace. Contemporary author and historian William of Tyre wrote of Fulk "he never attempted to take the initiative,

even in trivial matters, without (Melisende's) consent". The result was that Melisende held direct and unquestioned control over the government from 1136 onwards. Sometime before 1136 Fulk reconciled with his wife, and a second son, Amalric was born.

Securing the borders Jerusalem's northern border was of great concern. Fulk had been appointed regent of the Principality of Antioch by Baldwin II. As regent he had Raymund of Poitou marry the infant Constance of Antioch, daughter of Bohemund II and Alice of Antioch, and niece to Melisende. However, the greatest concern during Fulk's reign was the rise of Atabeg Zengi of Mosul.

In 1137 Fulk was defeated in battle near Barin but allied with Mu'in ad-Din Unur, the vizier of Damascus. Damascus was also threatened by Zengi. Fulk captured the fort of Banias, to the north of Lake Tiberias and thus secured the northern frontier.

Fulk also strengthened the kingdom's southern border. His butler Paganus built the fortress of Kerak to the south of the Dead Sea, and to help give the kingdom access to the Red Sea, Fulk had Blanche Garde, Ibelin, and other forts built in the south-west to overpower the Egyptian fortress at Ascalon. This city was a base from which the Egyptian Fatimids launched frequent raids on the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Fulk sought to neutralise this threat.

In 1137 and 1142, Byzantine emperor John II Comnenus arrived in Syria attempting to impose Byzantine control over the crusader states. John's arrival was ignored by Fulk, who declined an invitation to meet the emperor in Jerusalem.

Death In 1143, while the king and queen were on holiday in Acre, Fulk was killed in a hunting accident. His horse stumbled, fell, and Fulk's skull was crushed by the saddle, "and his brains gushed forth from both ears and nostrils", as William of Tyre describes. He was carried back to Acre, where he lay unconscious for three days before he died. He was buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Though their marriage started in conflict, Melisende mourned for him privately as well as publicly. Fulk was survived by his son Geoffrey of Anjou by his first wife, and Baldwin III and Amalric I by Melisende.

Depictions According to William, Fulk was "a ruddy man, like David... faithful and gentle, affable and kind... an experienced warrior full of patience and wisdom in military affairs." His chief fault was an inability to remember names and faces.

William of Tyre described Fulk as a capable soldier and able politician, but observed that Fulk did not adequately attend to the defense of the crusader states to the north. Ibn al-Qalanisi (who calls him al-Kund Anjur, an Arabic rendering of "Count of Anjou") says that "he was not sound in his judgment nor was he successful in his administration." The Zengids continued their march on the crusader states, culminating in the fall of the County of Edessa in 1144, which led to the Second Crusade (see Siege of Edessa).

Family In 1110, Fulk married Ermengarde of Maine (died 1126), the daughter of Elias I of Maine. Their four children were:

1.Geoffrey V of Anjou (1113–1151, father of Henry II of England. 2.Sibylla of Anjou (1112–1165, Bethlehem), married in 1123 William Clito (div. 1124), married in 1134 Thierry, Count of Flanders. 3.Alice (or Isabella) (1111–1154, Fontevrault), married William Adelin; after his death in the White Ship she became a nun and later Abbess of Fontevrault. 4.Elias II of Maine (died 1151)

His second wife was Melisende, Queen of Jerusalem. Their two children were:

1.Baldwin III of Jerusalem 2.Amalric I of Jerusalem

Sources Orderic Vitalis Robert of Torigny

William of Tyre Medieval Women, edited by Derek Baker, the Ecclesiastical History Society, 1978 Payne, Robert. The Dream and the Tomb, 1984 The Damascus Chronicle of Crusades, trans. H.A.R. Gibb, 1932. [edit] Historical Fiction Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fulk of Jerusalem

Judith Tarr, "Queen of Swords", A Forge Book, Published by Tom Doherty LLC., 1997

Notes for Ermengarde du Maine: Ermengarde or Erembourg of Maine, also known as Erembourg de la Flèche (died 1126), was Countess of Maine and the Lady of Château-du-Loir from 1110 to 1126. She was the daughter of Elias I of Maine, Count of Maine, and Mathilda of Château-du-Loire.

In 1109 she married Fulk V of Anjou, thereby finally bringing Maine under Angevin control. She gave birth to:

Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou (d. 1151) Elias II of Maine (d. 1151) Matilda of Anjou (d. 1154), who married William Adelin, the son and heir to Henry I of England Sibylla of Anjou (d. 1165), married in 1121 to William Clito, and then (after an annulment in 1124) to Thierry, Count of Flanders She died in 1126, on either the 15th January or the 12 October. After her death, Fulk left his lands to their son Geoffrey, and set out for the Holy Land, where he married Melisende of Jerusalem and became King of Jerusalem.

Child of King Fulk and Ermengarde du Maine is:

352421344 i. Geoffrey d'Anjou, born 1113; died 1151; married Empress Matilda of England Plantagenet

704842690. Henry I of England, born 1068; died 1135. He was the son of 1409685380. William I "The Conqueror", King of England and 1409685381. Matilda Maude de Flanders. He married 704842691. Matilda Maud Editha Atheling of Scotland.

704842691. Matilda Maud Editha Atheling of Scotland, born 1079; died 1118. She was the daughter of 1409685382. Malcolm III MacDuncan Canmore of Scotland and 1409685383. Saint Margaret of Scotland.

Notes for Henry I of England: Henry I (c. 1068/1069 – 1 December 1135) was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106. A later tradition[1] called him Beauclerc for his scholarly interests— he could read Latin and put his learning to effective use— and Lion of Justice for refinements which he brought about in the royal administration, which he rendered the most effective in Europe, rationalizing the itinerant court, and his public espousal of the Anglo-Saxon legal tradition.

Henry's reign established deep roots for the Anglo-Norman realm, in part through his dynastic (and personal) choice of a Scottish princess who represented the lineage of Edmund Ironside for queen. His succession was hurriedly confirmed while his brother Robert was away on the First Crusade, and the beginning of his reign was occupied by wars with Robert for control of England and Normandy. He successfully reunited the two realms again after their separation on his father's death in 1087. Upon his succession he granted the baronage a Charter of Liberties, which linked his rule of law to the Anglo-Saxon tradition, forming a basis for subsequent limitations to the rights of English kings and presaged Magna Carta, which subjected the king to law.

The rest of Henry's reign, a period of peace and prosperity in England and Normandy, was filled with judicial and financial reforms. He established the biannual Exchequer to reform the treasury. He used itinerant officials to curb the abuses of power at the local and regional level that had characterized William Rufus' unpopular reign, garnering the praise of the monkish chroniclers. The differences between the English and Norman populations began to break down during his reign and he himself married a descendant of the old English royal house. He made peace with the

church after the disputes of his brother's reign and the struggles with Anselm over the English investiture controversy (1103-07), but he could not smooth out his succession after the disastrous loss of his eldest son William in the wreck of the White Ship. His will stipulated that he was to be succeeded by his daughter, the Empress Matilda, but his stern rule was followed by a period of civil war known as the Anarchy.

Henry was born between May 1068 and May 1069, probably in Selby in Yorkshire. His mother Queen Matilda named the infant prince Henry, after her uncle, Henry I of France. As the youngest son of the family, he was almost certainly expected to become a bishop and was given more extensive schooling than was usual for a young nobleman of that time. Henry's biographer C. Warren Hollister[2] suggests the possibility that the saintly ascetic Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury, was in part responsible for Henry's education; Henry was consistently in the bishop's company during his formative years, ca 1080-86. "He was an intellectual", V.H. Galbraith observed,[3] "an educated man in a sense that his predecessors, always excepting Alfred, were not." The chronicler William of Malmesbury asserts that Henry once remarked that an illiterate king was a crowned ass. He was certainly the first Norman ruler to be fluent in the English language.

William I's second son Richard was killed in a hunting accident in 1081, so William bequeathed his dominions to his three surviving sons in the following manner:

Robert received the Duchy of Normandy and became Duke Robert II William Rufus received the Kingdom of England and became King William II Henry received 5,000 pounds in silver. The chronicler Orderic Vitalis reports that the old king had declared to Henry: "You in your own time will have all the dominions I have acquired and be greater than both your brothers in wealth and power."

Henry tried to play his brothers off against each other but eventually, wary of his devious manoeuvring, they acted together and signed an accession treaty. This sought to bar Prince Henry from both thrones by stipulating that if either King William or Duke Robert died without an heir, the two dominions of their father would be reunited under the surviving brother.

When, on 2 August 1100, William II was killed by an arrow in a hunting accident in the New Forest, where Henry was also hunting, Duke Robert had not yet returned from the First Crusade. His absence allowed Prince Henry to seize the royal treasury at Winchester, Hampshire, where he buried his dead brother. Conspiracy theories have been repeatedly examined and widely dismissed.[4] Thus he succeeded to the throne of England, guaranteeing his succession in defiance of William and Robert's earlier agreement. Henry was accepted as king by the leading barons and was crowned three days later on 5 August at Westminster Abbey.

Henry secured his position among the nobles by an act of political appeasement: he issued a coronation charter guaranteeing the rights of free English folk, which was subsequently evoked by King Stephen and by Henry II before Archbishop Stephen Langton called it up in 1215 as a precedent for Magna Carta.[5] The view of Henry and his advisors did not encompass a long view into constitutional history: the Coronation Charter was one of several expedients designed to distance him from the extraordinary and arbitrary oppressions of William Rufus' reign, claiming to return to the practices of Edward the Confessor, made clear in clause 13, a statement of general principles. Its first clause promised the freedom of the church and the security of its properties, and succeeding clauses similarly reassured the propertied class.

First marriage On 11 November 1100 Henry married Edith, daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland. Since Edith was also the niece of Edgar Atheling and the great-granddaughter of Edmund Ironside (the half-brother of Edward the Confessor) the marriage united the Norman line with the old English line of kings. The marriage greatly displeased the Norman barons, however, and as a concession to their sensibilities Edith changed her name to Matilda upon becoming Queen. The other side of this, however, was that Henry, by dint of his marriage, became far more acceptable to the Anglo-Saxon populace.

Conquest of Normandy In the following year, 1101, Robert Curthose, Henry's eldest brother, attempted to seize the crown by invading England. In the Treaty of Alton, Robert agreed to recognise his brother Henry as King of England and return

peacefully to Normandy, upon receipt of an annual sum of 3,000 silver marks, which Henry proceeded to pay.

In 1105, to eliminate the continuing threat from Robert, Henry led an expeditionary force across the English Channel.

Battle of Tinchebray Main article: Battle of Tinchebray On the morning of 28 September 1106, exactly 40 years after William had made his way to England, the decisive battle between his two surviving sons, Robert Curthose and Henry Beauclerc, took place in the small village of Tinchebray, Basse-Normandie. This combat was totally unexpected. Henry and his army were marching south from Barfleur on their way to Domfront and Robert was marching with his army from Falaise on their way to Mortain. They met at the crossroads at Tinchebray. The running battle which ensued was spread out over several kilometres; the site where most of the fighting took place is the village playing field today. Towards evening Robert tried to retreat but was captured by Henry's men at a place three kilometres (just under two miles) north of Tinchebray where a farm named "Prise" (grip or capture)[citation needed] stands today on the D22 road. The tombstones of three knights are nearby on the same road.

King of England and Ruler of Normandy King Henry I of EnglandAfter Henry had defeated his brother's Norman army at Tinchebray he imprisoned Robert, initially in the Tower of London, subsequently at Devizes Castle and later at Cardiff. One day, while out riding, Robert attempted to escape from Cardiff but his horse bogged down in a swamp and he was recaptured. (A story was later circulated that, to prevent further escapes, Henry had Robert's eyes burnt out: this is not accepted by Henry's recent biographer, Judith Green.[6]) Henry appropriated the Duchy of Normandy as a possession of the Kingdom of England and reunited his father's dominions. Even after taking control of the Duchy of Normandy he didn't take the title of Duke, he chose to control it as the King of England.

In 1113, Henry attempted to reduce difficulties in Normandy by betrothing his eldest son, William Adelin, to the daughter of Fulk, Count of Anjou at the time a serious enemy. They were married in 1119. Eight years later, after William's death, a much more momentous union was made between Henry's daughter, (the former Empress) Matilda and Fulk's son Geoffrey Plantagenet, which eventually resulted in the union of the two realms under the Plantagenet Kings.

Activities as a king Henry's need for finance to consolidate his position led to an increase in the activities of centralized government. As king, Henry carried out social and judicial reforms; he issued the Charter of Liberties and restored the laws of Edward the Confessor.

Between 1103 and 1107 Henry was involved in a dispute with Anselm, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Pope Paschal II in the investiture controversy, which was settled in the Concordat of London in 1107. It was a compromise. In England, a distinction was made in the king's chancery between the secular and ecclesiastical powers of the prelates. Employing the distinction, Henry gave up his right to invest his bishops and abbots, but reserved the custom of requiring them to come and do homage for the "temporalities" (the landed properties tied to the episcopate), directly from his hand, after the prelate had sworn homage and feudal vassalage in the ceremony called commendatio, the commendation ceremony, like any secular vassal.

Some of Henry's acts are brutal by modern standards. In 1090 he threw a treacherous burgher named Conan Pilatus from the tower of Rouen; the tower was known from then on as "Conan's Leap." In another instance that took place in 1119, Henry's son-in-law, Eustace de Pacy, and Ralph Harnec, the constable of Ivry, exchanged their children as hostages. When Eustace inexplicably blinded Harnec's son, Harnec demanded vengeance. King Henry allowed Harnec to blind and mutilate Eustace's two daughters, who were also Henry's own grandchildren. Eustace and his wife, Juliane, were outraged and threatened to rebel. Henry arranged to meet his daughter at a parley at Breteuil, only for Juliane to draw a crossbow and attempt to assassinate her father. She was captured and confined to the castle, but escaped by

leaping from a window into the moat below. Some years later Henry was reconciled with his daughter and son-in-law.

During his reign, King Henry introduced a new monetary system known as the tally stick, which started primarily as

a form of record keeping. Since tally sticks could be used to pay the taxes imposed by the king, he created a demand for tally sticks. This demand for tally sticks expanded their role and they began to circulate as a form of money. This practice survived for many years, a little over 700 in fact, until it was finally retired in 1826.[7] The Bank of England then continued to use wooden tally sticks until 1826: some 500 years after the invention of double-entry bookkeeping and 400 years after Johannes Gutenberg's invention of printing. The tally sticks were then taken out of circulation and stored in the Houses of Parliament until 1834, when the authorities decided that the tallies were no longer required and that they should be burned. As it happened, they were burned rather too enthusiastically and in the resulting conflagration the Houses of Parliament were razed to the ground.[8]

Legitimate children He had four children by Matilda (Edith), who died on 1 May 1118 at the Palace of Westminster. She was buried in Westminster Abbey.

1.Matilda. (c. February 1102 – 10 September 1167). She married firstly Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, and secondly, Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou, having issue by the second. 2.William Adelin, (5 August 1103 – 25 November 1120). He married Matilda (d.1154), daughter of Fulk V, Count of Anjou. 3.Euphemia, died young. 4.Richard, died young. [edit] Second marriageOn 29 January 1121 he married Adeliza, daughter of Godfrey I of Leuven, Duke of Lower Lotharingia and Landgrave of Brabant, but there were no children from this marriage. Left without male heirs, Henry took the unprecedented step of making his barons swear to accept his daughter Empress Matilda, widow of Henry V, the Holy Roman Emperor, as his heir.

Death and legacy Henry I burial plaque at Reading AbbeyHenry visited Normandy in 1135 to see his young grandsons, the children of Matilda and Geoffrey. He took great delight in his grandchildren, but soon quarrelled with his daughter and son-in-law and these disputes led him to tarry in Normandy far longer than he originally planned.

Henry died on 1 December 1135 at Saint-Denis-en-Lyons (now Lyons-la-Forêt) in Normandy. According to legend, he died of food poisoning, caused by his eating "a surfeit of lampreys", of which he was excessively fond.[9] His remains were sewn into the hide of a bull to preserve them on the journey, and then taken back to England and were buried at Reading Abbey, which he had founded fourteen years before. The Abbey was destroyed during the Protestant Reformation. No trace of his tomb has survived, the probable site being covered by St. James' School. Nearby is a small plaque and a large memorial cross stands in the adjoining Forbury Gardens.

Although Henry's barons had sworn allegiance to his daughter as their queen, her sex and her remarriage into the House of Anjou, an enemy of the Normans, allowed Henry's nephew Stephen of Blois, to come to England and claim the throne with baronial support. The struggle between the former Empress and Stephen resulted in a long civil war known as the Anarchy. The dispute was eventually settled by Stephen's naming of Matilda's son, Henry Plantagenet, as his heir in 1153.

Illegitimate children King Henry is famed for holding the record for more than twenty acknowledged illegitimate children, the largest number born to any English king; they turned out to be significant political assets in subsequent years, his bastard daughters cementing alliances with a flock of lords whose lands bordered Henry's.[10] He had many mistresses, and identifying which mistress is the mother of which child is difficult. His illegitimate offspring for whom there is documentation are:

1.Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester. b. 1090 Often said to have been a son of Sybil Corbet. 2.Maud FitzRoy, married 1113 Conan III, Duke of Brittany 3.Constance or Maud FitzRoy, married 1122 Roscelin, Viscount de Beaumont (died ca. 1176) 4.Mabel FitzRoy, married William III Gouet 5.Alice FitzRoy, married Matthieu I of Montmorency and had two children Bouchard V de Montmorency ca 1130-1189 who married Laurence, daughter of Baldwin IV of Hainault and had issue and Mattheiu who married Matilda of Garlande and had issue. Mattheiu I went on to marry Adelaide of Maurienne.

6.Gilbert FitzRoy, died after 1142. His mother may have been a sister of Walter de Gand. 7.Emma, married Guy de Laval IV, Lord Laval.[11] This is based on epitaphs maintained in the chapterhouse of Clermont Abbey which appear to refer to Emma as the daughter of a king. There may be some confusion here, however, in that Guy's son, Guy de Laval V, was also married to an Emma who described herself as the daughter of Reginald de Dunstanville, Earl of Cornwall, who was an illegitimate son of Henry I as noted below. Additionally, if the elder Emma was also an illegitimate child of Henry I, this would make Guy and his wife Emma first cousins, something that casts more doubt on the claim.[12] [edit] With Edith1.Matilda, married in 1103 Count Rotrou III of Perche. She perished 25 November 1120 in the wreck of the White Ship. She left two daughters: Philippa, who married Elias II, Count of Maine (son of Fulk, Count of Anjou and later King of Jerusalem), and Felice. [edit] With Gieva de Tracy1.William de Tracy[citation needed] [edit] With AnsfrideAnsfride was born c. 1070. She was the wife of Anskill of Seacourt, at Wytham in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire).

1.Juliane de Fontrevault (born c. 1090); married Eustace de Pacy in 1103. She tried to shoot her father with a crossbow after King Henry allowed her two young daughters to be blinded.[citation needed][dubious – discuss] 2.Fulk FitzRoy (born c. 1092); a monk at Abingdon. 3.Richard of Lincoln (c. 1094 – 25 November 1120); perished in the wreck of the White Ship. [edit] With Sybil CorbetLady Sybilla Corbet of Alcester was born in 1077 in Alcester in Warwickshire. She married Herbert FitzHerbert, son of Herbert 'the Chamberlain' of Winchester and Emma de Blois. She died after 1157 and was also known as Adela (or Lucia) Corbet. Sybil was definitely mother of Sybil and Rainald, possibly also of William and Rohese. Some sources suggest that there was another daughter by this relationship, Gundred, but it appears that she was thought as such because she was a sister of Reginald de Dunstanville but it appears that that was another person of that name who was not related to this family.

1.Sybilla de Normandy, married Alexander I of Scotland. 2.William Constable, born before 1105. Married Alice (Constable); died after 1187. 3.Reginald de Dunstanville, 1st Earl of Cornwall. 4.Gundred of England (1114–46), married 1130 Henry de la Pomeroy, son of Joscelin de la Pomerai. 5.Rohese of England, born 1114; married Henry de la Pomerai. 6.Elizabeth of England married Fergus of Galloway and had issue.[citation needed] [G. E. Cokayne, in his Complete Peerage, Vol. XI, Appendix D pps 105-121 attempts to elucidate Henry I's illegiimate children. For Mistress Sybil Corbet, he indicates that Rohese married Henry de la Pomerai [ibid.:119]. In any case, the dates concerning Rohese in the above article are difficult to reconcile on face value, her purported children having seemingly been born before their mother, and also before the date of her mother's purported marriage.]

With Edith FitzForne 1.Robert FitzEdith, Lord Okehampton, (1093–1172) married Dame Maud d'Avranches du Sap. They had one daughter, Mary, who married Renaud, Sire of Courtenay (son of Miles, Sire of Courtenay and Ermengarde of Nevers). 2.Adeliza FitzEdith. Appears in charters with her brother, Robert. [edit] With Princess NestNest ferch Rhys was born about 1073 at Dinefwr Castle, Carmarthenshire, the daughter of Prince Rhys ap Tewdwr of Deheubarth and his wife, Gwladys ferch Rhywallon. She was married, in 1095, to Gerald de Windsor (aka Geraldus FitzWalter) son of Walter FitzOther, Constable of Windsor Castle and Keeper of the Forests of Berkshire. She had several other liaisons — including one with Stephen of Cardigan, Constable of Cardigan (1136) — and subsequently other illegitimate children. The date of her death is unknown.

1.Henry FitzRoy, 1103-1158. #2. Phillip de Prendergast;Prendergast (Irish: de Priondárgas) is an Irish name of Welsh/Norman origin. The name derives from the 12th century Norman Knight Maurice de Prendergast IN WALES

The Prendergast name is said to have been brought to England during the Norman Conquest by one Prenliregast, (also given as Preudirlegast in The Battle Abbey Roll) a follower of William the Conqueror. The son of Prenliregast, Phillip, was given land in the district of Ros in Pembrokeshire, South Wales.

Maurice de Prendergast was one of his descendants and in 1160, lord of the manor (castle) of Prendergast. He was probably a nephew of Nesta, the

daughter of Rufus, Prince of Demetia (which was the Norman name for Pembrokeshire) where Maurice‘s family had lived since the Norman Conquest in 1066. Nesta was distinguished for her beauty and infamous for her affairs (ref. "The Norman Invasion of Ireland" by Richard Roche), it has been said that the "first conquerors of Ireland were nearly all descendants of Nesta", either by her two husbands or through the son she had to Henry 1 of England.

With Isabel de Beaumont Isabel (Elizabeth) de Beaumont (after 1102 – after 1172), daughter of Robert de Beaumont, sister of Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester. She married Gilbert de Clare, 1st Earl of Pembroke, in 1130. She was also known as Isabella de Meulan.

1.Isabel Hedwig of England 2.Matilda FitzRoy, abbess of Montvilliers, also known as Montpiller [edit] Fictional portrayalsHenry I has been depicted in historical novels and short stories. They include:[13]

A Saxon Maid by Eliza Frances Pollard. Reportedly "a good short story of the Norman devastations", taking place in the reigns of William II and Henry I. The latter being a prominent character.[13] Old Men at Pevensey by Rudyard Kipling, a short story included in the collection Puck of Pook's Hill (1906). Features both Henry I and Robert Curthose.[13] The King‘s Minstrel (1925) by Ivy May Bolton. The titular character is Rahere, depicted as "part jester, part priest, and more wizard than either". The King of the title is Henry I who is "prominently introduced".[13] The Tree of Justice by Rudyard Kipling, a short story included in the collection Rewards and Fairies (1910). Features both Henry I and Rahere.[13] The Pillars of the Earth, a 1989 novel by Ken Follett, set during the Anarchy period. In the miniseries based on the book King Henry was portrayed by Clive Wood.

Footnotes 1.^ First instanced by Matthew of Paris; Charles W. David, "The claims of King Henry I to be called learned", Anniversary Essays in Medieval History by Students of Charles Homer Haskins, 1929, deflated the myth. 2.^ Hollister, Henry I (Yale English Monarchs) 2001:36f. 3.^ Galbraith, "The literacy of medieval English kings", in Kings and Chronicles: Essays in Medieval English History',' 1982:90, quoted by Hollister 2001:34. 4.^ E.g. dismissed by Frank Barlow, William Rufus 1983:408-32, and by C. Warren Hollister, "The strange death of William Rufus", Speculum 48 (1973:637-53); one speculative modern account is W. L. Warren "The death of William Rufus", History Today 9 (1959:22-29); that, on hearing that Robert was returning alive from his crusade with a new bride, Henry decided to act and arranged the murder of William by Walter Tirel is suggested by "William II". www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/MEDwilliamII.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-16. 5.^ C. Warren Hollister, Henry I (Yale English Monarchs) 2001:109ff. 6.^ Green, Judith A., Henry I: King of England and Duke of Normandy, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2006. p. 216. ISBN 0-521-59131-7 7.^ Crumbley, D. Larry. "The Tally Stick: The First Internal Control?". THE FORENSIC EXAMINER. http://www.bus.lsu.edu/accounting/faculty/lcrumbley/tally%20stick%20article.pdf. Retrieved 25 April 2011. 8.^ Birch, Dave. "Tallies & Technologies". Array Development. http://www.arraydev.com/commerce/JIBC/9811-11.htm. Retrieved 25 April 2011. 9.^ The fact was recorded by Henry of Huntingdon, years after the death of the king. 10.^ Hollister 2001:41-43. 11.^ Kathleen Thompson, "Affairs of State: The Illegitimate Children of Henry I". Journal of Medieval History Volume 29, Issue 2, June 2003, Pages 129-151 12.^ This claim as well could be controversial. http://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/cp/p_henryisillegitimate.shtml as accessed on 12/4/09. 13.^ a b c d e Nield (1925), p. 28-29 [edit] SourcesCross, Arthur Lyon. A History of England and Greater Britain. Macmillan, 1917. Donald F. Fleming and Janet M. Pope, eds. Henry I and the Anglo-Norman World: Studies in Memory of C. Warren Hollister. (Haskins Society Journal, Special Volume, 17). Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2006. ISBN 978-1-84383-293-5 Green, Judith A. Henry I, King of England and Duke of Normandy. Cambridge University Press 2008. ISBN

0-521-59131-7 Hollister, C. Warren. Henry I. Yale University Press, 2001. (Yale English Monarchs series) ISBN 0-300-09829-4 Nield, Jonathan (1925), A Guide to the Best Historical Novels and Tales, G. P. Putnam's sons, ISBN 0833725092, http://books.google.com/books?id=904G29jMdzIC&printsec=frontcover&hl=el&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad= 0#v=onepage&q&f=false Thompson, Kathleen. "Affairs of State: the Illegitimate Children of Henry I." Journal of Medieval History 29 (2003): 129-51.

Notes for Matilda Maud Editha Atheling of Scotland: Matilda of Scotland[1] (c. 1080 – 1 May 1118), born Edith, was the first wife and Queen consort of Henry I of England.

Matilda was born around 1080 in Dunfermline, the daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret. She was christened (baptised) Edith, and Robert Curthose stood as godfather at the ceremony. Queen Matilda, the consort of William the Conqueror, was also present at the baptismal font and was her godmother. Baby Matilda pulled at Queen Matilda's headress, which was seen as an omen that the younger Matilda would be queen one day.[2]

The Life Of St Margaret, Queen Of Scotland was later written for Matilda by Turgot of Durham. It refers to Matilda's childhood and her relationship with her mother. In it, Margaret is described as a strict but loving mother. She did not spare the rod when it came to raising her children in virtue, which Tugot supposed was the reason for the good behaviour Matilda and her siblings displayed. Margaret also stressed the importance of piety.[3]

When she was about six years old, Matilda of Scotland (or Edith as she was then probably still called) and her sister Mary were sent to Romsey Abbey, near Southampton, where their aunt Cristina was abbess. During her stay at Romsey and, some time before 1093, at Wilton Abbey, both institutions known for learning,[4] the Scottish princess was much sought-after as a bride; refusing proposals from William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, and Alan Rufus, Lord of Richmond. Hériman of Tournai even claims that William II Rufus considered marrying her.

She had left the monastery by 1093, when Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote to the Bishop of Salisbury ordering that the daughter of the King of Scotland be returned to the monastery that she had left.

Marriage After the mysterious death of William II in August 1100, his brother, Henry, immediately seized the royal treasury and crown. His next task was to marry and Henry's choice was Matilda. Because Matilda had spent most of her life in a convent, there was some controversy over whether she was a nun and thus canonically ineligible for marriage. Henry sought permission for the marriage from Archbishop Anselm, who returned to England in September 1100 after a long exile. Professing himself unwilling to decide so weighty a matter on his own, Anselm called a council of bishops in order to determine the canonical legality of the proposed marriage. Matilda testified that she had never taken holy vows, insisting that her parents had sent her and her sister to England for educational purposes, and her aunt Cristina had veiled her to protect her "from the lust of the Normans." Matilda claimed she had pulled the veil off and stamped on it, and her aunt beat and scolded her for this act. The council concluded that Matilda was not a nun, never had been and her parents had not intended that she become one, giving their permission for the marriage.

Matilda and Henry seem to have known one another for some time before their marriage — William of Malmesbury states that Henry had "long been attached" to her, and Orderic Vitalis says that Henry had "long adored" her character.

Her mother was the sister of Edgar the Ætheling, proclaimed but uncrowned King of England after Harold, and through her, Matilda was descended from Edmund Ironside and thus from the royal family of Wessex, which in the 10th century, had become the royal family of a united England. This was very important as Henry wanted to make himself more popular with the English people and Matilda represented the old

English dynasty. In their children, the Norman and English dynasties would be united. Another benefit was that England and Scotland became politically closer; three of her brothers became kings of Scotland in succession and were unusually friendly towards England during this period of unbroken peace between the two nations: Alexander married one of Henry I's illegitimate

daughters and David lived for some time before his accession at Henry's court.[5]

Queen After Matilda and Henry were married on 11 November 1100 at Westminster Abbey by Archbishop Anselm of Canterbury, she was crowned as "Matilda," a fashionable Norman name. She gave birth to a daughter, Matilda, in February 1102, and a son, William, called "Adelin", in November 1103. As Queen, she maintained her court primarily at Westminster, but accompanied her husband on his travels around England, and, circa 1106–1107, probably visited Normandy with him. Matilda was the designated head of Henry's curia and acted as regent during several of his absences.[6]

Works Matilda had great interest in architecture and instigated the building of many Norman style buildings, like at Waltham Abbey and a leper hospital. She also had the first arched bridge in England built, at Stratford-le-Bow, as well as a bathhouse with piped-in water and public lavatories at Queenhithe.[7]

Her court was filled with musicians and poets; she commissioned a monk, probably Thurgot, to write a biography of her mother, Saint Margaret. She was an active queen and, like her mother, was renowned for her devotion to religion and the poor. William of Malmesbury describes her as attending church barefoot at Lent, and washing the feet and kissing the hands of the sick. She also administered extensive dower properties and was known as a patron of the arts, especially music.

Death After Matilda died on 1 May 1118 at Westminster Palace, she was buried at Westminster Abbey. The death of her only adult son, William Adelin, in the tragic disaster of the White Ship (November 1120) and Henry's failure to produce a legitimate son from his second marriage led to the succession crisis of The Anarchy.

Legacy After her death, she was remembered by her subjects as "Matilda the Good Queen" and "Matilda of Blessed Memory", and for a time sainthood was sought for her, though she was never canonised.

Issue Matilda and Henry had four children:

1.Matilda of England (c. February 1102 – 10 September 1167), Holy Roman Empress, Countess consort of Anjou, called Lady of the English 2.William Adelin, (5 August 1103 – 25 November 1120), sometimes called Duke of Normandy, who married Matilda (d.1154), daughter of Fulk V, Count of Anjou. 3.Euphemia, died young. 4.Richard, died young.

Notes and sources 1.^ She is known to have been given the name "Edith" (the Old English Eadgyth, meaning "Fortune-Battle") at birth, and was baptised under that name. She is known to have been crowned under a name favoured by the Normans, "Matilda" (from the Germanic Mahthilda, meaning "Might-Battle"), and was referred to as such throughout her husband's reign. It is unclear, however, when her name was changed, or why. Accordingly, her later name is used in this article. Historians generally refer to her as "Matilda of Scotland"; in popular usage, she is referred to equally as "Matilda" or "Edith". 2.^ Honeycutt, Lois (2003). Matilda of Scotland: a Study in Medieval Queenship. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. p. 10. 3.^ "The Life Of St Margaret, Queen Of Scotland". http://mw.mcmaster.ca/scriptorium/margaret.html. Retrieved 14 March 2011. 4.^ Hollister 2001:128. 5.^ Hollister 2001:126. 6.^ Hilton, Lisa (2008). Queens Consort, England's Medieval Queens. Great Britain: Weidenfeld & Nichelson. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-7538-2611-9. 7.^ Hilton, Lisa. p. 63.

References Chibnall, Marjorie. The Empress Matilda: Queen Consort, Queen Mother, and Lady of the English, 1992 Hollister, Warren C. Henry I, 2001 Parsons, John Carmi. Medieval Mothering, 1996 Parsons, John Carmi. Medieval Queenship, 1997 Huneycutt, Lois L. Matilda of Scotland: A Study in Medieval Queenship, 2004.

External links Medieval Women: The Life Of St Margaret, Queen Of Scotland By Turgot, Bishop Of St Andrews Ed. William Forbes-Leith, S.J. Third Edition. Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1896 . Retrieved 14 March 2011.

Child of Henry England and Matilda Scotland is:

352421345 i. Empress Matilda of England Plantagenet, born 1102; died 1167; married (1) Geoffrey d'Anjou; married (2)

HenryV, Holy Roman Emperor

704842692. Guillaume VI of Aguitaine, born 1071; died 1126. He was the son of 1409685384. Guillaume Geoffrey de Aguitaine and 1409685385. Hildegarde Aldegarde de Burgundy. He married 704842693. Philippa Mathilde Maud de Toulouse.

704842693. Philippa Mathilde Maud de Toulouse, born 1073; died 1117. She was the daughter of 1409685386. Raymond de Toulouse and 1409685387. Mathilde de Toulouse.

Child of Guillaume Aguitaine and Philippa de Toulouse is:

352421346 i. Guillaume de Aguitaine, born 1099; died 1137; married Eleanor de Chantellerault de Rochefoucauld

704842694. Aimeri of Chantellerault, born 1075; died 1151. He was the son of 1409685388. Chbhtelibbrhault Boson and 1409685389. Eleanor de Thours. He married 704842695. Maubergeonne Dangereuse de L'isle Bouchard.

704842695. Maubergeonne Dangereuse de L'isle Bouchard, born 1079; died 1103. She was the daughter of 1409685390. Barthelemy d'Isle Bouchard and 1409685391. Gerberge.

Child of Aimeri Chantellerault and Maubergeonne Bouchard is:

352421347 i. Eleanor de Chantellerault de Rochefoucauld, born 1103; died 1129; married Guillaume de Aguitaine

704842700. Louis VI of France. He married 704842701. Adelaide of Maurienne. 704842701. Adelaide of Maurienne, died 1154. She was the daughter of 1409685403. Gisela of Burgundy, Marchioness of Montferrat.

Notes for Louis VI of France: Louis VI (1 December 1081 – 1 August 1137), called the Fat (French: le Gros), was King of France from 1108 until his death (1137). Chronicles called him "roi de Saint-Denis".

The first member of the House of Capet to make a lasting contribution to the centralising institutions of royal power,[1] Louis was born in Paris, the son of Philip I and his first wife, Bertha of Holland. Almost all of his twenty-nine-year reign was spent fighting either the "robber barons" who plagued Paris or the Norman kings of England for their continental possession of Normandy. Nonetheless, Louis VI managed to reinforce his power considerably and became one of the first strong kings of France since the division of the Carolingian Empire. His biography by his constant advisor Abbot Suger of Saint Denis renders him a fully-rounded character to the historian, unlike most of his predecessors.

In his youth, Louis fought the Duke of Normandy, Robert Curthose, and the lords of the royal demesne, the Île de France. He became close to Suger, who became his adviser. He succeeded his father on Philip's death on 29 July 1108. Louis's half-brother prevented him from reaching Rheims and so he was crowned on 3 August in the cathedral of Orléans by Daimbert, Archbishop of Sens. The archbishop of Reims, Ralph the Green, sent envoys to challenge the validity of the coronation and anointing, but to no avail.

On Palm Sunday 1115, Louis was present in Amiens to support the bishop and inhabitants of the city in their

conflict with Enguerrand I of Coucy, one of his vassals, who refused to recognise the granting of a charter of communal privileges. Louis came with an army to help the citizens to besiege Castillon (the fortress dominating the city, from which Enguerrand was making punitive expeditions). At the siege, the king took an arrow to his hauberk, but the castle, considered impregnable, fell after two years.

Just before his death in 1137, William X, Duke of Aquitaine appointed Louis guardian of his daughter and heir, the young Eleanor of Aquitaine, and expressed his wish for her to marry Louis' son. The prospect of adding the Aquitaine to his son's domains made him so happy he could hardly speak.[2]

Louis VI died on 1 August 1137, at the castle of Béthisy-Saint-Pierre, nearby Senlis and Compiègne, of dysentery. He was interred in Saint Denis Basilica. He was succeeded on the throne by his son Louis VII, called "the Younger," who had originally wanted to be a monk.

Marriages and children Epitaph of Louis VI, after 1137, Eglise Abbatiale de Saint Denis, today at Cluny Museum.He married in 1104: 1) Lucienne de Rochefort — the marriage was annulled on 23 May 1107 at the Council of Troyes by Pope Paschal II.

He married in 1115: 2) Adélaide de Maurienne (1092–1154)

Their children:

1.Philip (1116 – 13 October 1131), King of France (1129–31), not to be confused with his brother of the same name; died from a fall from a horse. 2. Louis VII (1120 – 18 September 1180), King of France 3. Henry (1121–75), archbishop of Reims 4. Hugues (born ca 1122) 5. Robert (ca 1123 – 11 October 1188), count of Dreux 6. Constance (ca 1124 – 16 August 1176), married first Eustace IV, count of Boulogne and then Raymond V of Toulouse. 7. Philip (1125–61), bishop of Paris. not to be confused with his elder brother. 8. Peter of France (ca 1125–83), married Elizabeth, lady of Courtenay With Marie de Breuillet, daughter of Renaud de Breuillet de Dourdan, Louis VI was the father of a daughter:

Isabelle (ca 1105 – before 1175), married (ca 1119) Guillaume I of Chaumont.

Notes for Adelaide of Maurienne: Adelaide of Savoy (or Adelaide of Maurienne) (Italian: Adelaide di Savoia or Adelasia di Moriana, French: Adélaïde or Adèle de Maurienne) (1092 – 18 November 1154) was the second spouse but first Queen consort of Louis VI of France.

Adelaide was the daughter of Humbert II of Savoy and Gisela of Burgundy, and niece of Pope Callixtus II, who once visited her court in France. Her father died in 1103, and her mother married Renier I of Montferrat as a second husband.

She became the second wife of Louis VI of France (1081–1137), whom she married on 3 August 1115. They had eight children, the second of whom became Louis VII of France. Adelaide was one of the most politically active of all France's medieval queens consort. Her name appears on 45 royal charters from the reign of Louis VI. During her tenure as queen, royal charters were dated with both her regnal year and that of the king. Among many other religious benefactions, she and Louis founded the monastery of St Peter's (Ste Pierre) at Montmartre, in the northern suburbs of Paris. She was reputed to be "ugly," but attentive and pious.[citation needed]

Children: She and Louis had seven sons and one daughter:

1.Philip of France (1116–1131) 2.Louis VII (1120–18 November 1180), King of France 3.Henry (1121–1175), Archbishop of Reims 4.Hugues (b. c. 1122) 5.Robert (c. 1123–11 October 1188), Count of Dreux 6.Constance (c. 1124–16 August 1176), married first Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne and then Raymond V of Toulouse. 7.Philip (1125–1161), Bishop of Paris. not to be confused with his elder brother. 8.Peter (c. 1125–1183), married Elizabeth, Lady of Courtenay

Queen dowagerAfer Louis VI's death, Adélaide did not immediately retire to conventual life, as did most widowed queens of the time. Instead she married Matthieu I of Montmorency, with whom she had one child. She remained active in the French court and in religious activities.

Adélaide is one of two queens in a legend related by William Dugdale. As the story goes, Queen Adélaide of France became enamoured of a young knight, William d'Albini, at a joust. But he was already engaged to Adeliza of Louvain and refused to become her lover. The jealous Adélaide lured him into the clutches of a hungry lion, but William ripped out the beast's tongue with his bare hands and thus killed it. This story is almost without a doubt apocryphal.

In 1153 she retired to the abbey of Montmartre, which she had founded with Louis VII. She died there on 18 November 1154. She was buried in the cemetery of the Church of St. Pierre at Montmarte, but her tomb was destroyed during the Revolution.

Sources Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 by Frederick Lewis Weis, Lines: 101-24, 117-24, 135-26, 274A-25 Nolan, Kathleen D. Capetian Women Facinger, Marion F. "A Study of Medieval Queenship: Capetian France, 987-1237" Studies in Medieval and Renaissance History 5 (1968: 3-48.

Child of Louis France and Adelaide Maurienne is:

352421350 i. Peter I of Courtenay

704842744. Guy II of Ponthieu He was the son of 1409685488. WilliamIII, Count of Ponthieu and 1409685489. Helie of Burgundy.

Notes for Guy II of Ponthieu: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Guy II of Ponthieu (c. 1120–1147), the son of William III of Ponthieu and Helie of Burgundy, succeeded his father as Count of Ponthieu during William's lifetime. He died on the Second Crusade and was succeeded by his son John I of Ponthieu.

Child of Guy II of Ponthieu is:

352421372 i. JohnI, Count of Ponthieu, married Beatrice of Saint-Pol

Generation No. 31

1409684930. Eudes Borel of Burgundy, born 1058; died 1103. He married 1409684931. Sybille de Bourgogne.

1409684931. Sybille de Bourgogne, born 1065; died 1102. She was the daughter of 2819369862. William of Burgundy and 2819369863. Stephanie Etienette de Longwy.

Child of Eudes Burgundy and Sybille de Bourgogne is:

704842465 i. Helie Borel of Nurgundy, born 1080; died 1142; married William Taivas Montgomery de Spencer

1409685312. John fitz Richard

Child of John fitz Richard is:

704842656 i. Eustace fitz John

1409685376. Foulques d'Anjou, born 1043. He was the son of 2819370752. Geoffrey d'Anjou Gastinois and 2819370753. Ermengarde of Anjou. He married 1409685377. Bertrade de Montfort.

1409685377. Bertrade de Montfort, born 1059; died 1117. She was the daughter of 2819370754. Simon de Montfort and 2819370755. Agnes d'Evreux.

Child of Foulques d'Anjou and Bertrade de Montfort is:

704842688 i. King of Jerusalem Fulk, born 1092; died 1143; married (1) Ermengarde du Maine; married (2) Queen of

Jerusalem Melisende

1409685378. Elias Helie de Maine He was the son of 2819370756. John de la Fleche and 2819370757. Paola. He married 1409685379. Matilde de Chateau du Loire.

1409685379. Matilde de Chateau du Loire She was the daughter of 2819370758. Gervase de Chateau du Loire and 2819370759. Erenburg.

Child of Elias de Maine and Matilde du Loire is:

704842689 i. Ermengarde du Maine, born 1096; died 1126; married King of Jerusalem Fulk

1409685380. William I "The Conqueror", King of England, born 1027; died 1087. He was the son of 2819370760. Robert de Normandy and 2819370761. Harleve Arlette Harlette de Falais. He married 1409685381. Matilda Maude de Flanders.

1409685381. Matilda Maude de Flanders, born Abt. 1031; died 1083. She was the daughter of 2819370762. Badouin de Flanders and 2819370763. Adela Capet of France.

Notes for William I "The Conqueror", King of England: William I (circa 1028[1] – 9 September 1087), also known as William the Conqueror (Guillaume le Conquérant), was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II. Before his conquest of England, he was known as William the Bastard because of the illegitimacy of his birth.

To press his claim to the English crown, William invaded England in 1066, leading an army of Normans, Bretons, Flemings, and Frenchmen (from Paris and Île-de-France) to victory over the English forces of King Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings, and suppressed subsequent English revolts in what has become known as the Norman Conquest.[2]

William of Malmesbury, the foremost historian of the day, reported of William: "He was of just stature, extraordinary corpulence, fierce contenance; his forhead bare of hair; of such strength of arm that it was often a matter of surprise that no one was able to draw his bow, which he himself could bend when his horse was on full gallup; he was majestic whether sitting or standing, although the protuberance of his belly deformed his royal person: of excellent health so that he was never confined with any dangerous disorder except at the last."[3]

His heavy taxes, together with the extractions of the greedy Norman landlords he put in power, submerged the great mass of Anglo-Saxon freemen into serfdom. By 1086, the Domesday Book showed

that England comprised 12% freeholders; 35% serfs or villeins: 30% cotters and borders; and 9% slaves.[4] William was one of the foremost soldiers of the medieval era, conquering a large kingdom from a smaller base. Most important, William created a feudal state that brought order, peace, law to England, promoted commerce, and created a strong central government that long endured.[5]

His reign, which imposed Norman culture and leadership on England, reshaped England in the Middle Ages. The details of that impact and the extent of the changes have been debated by scholars for centuries. In addition to the obvious change of ruler, his reign also saw a programme of building and fortification, changes to the English language, a shift in the upper levels of society and the church, and adoption of some aspects of continental church reform.

William was born in either 1027 or 1028 in Château de Falaise in Falaise, Normandy, France, and more likely in the autumn of the later year.[1][notes 1] William was the only son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy, as well as the grandnephew of the English Queen, Emma of Normandy, wife of King Ethelred the Unready and then of King Canute the Great.[6] Though illegitimate, his father named him as heir to Normandy. His mother, Herleva, who later married and bore two sons to Herluin de Conteville, was the daughter of Fulbert of Falaise. In addition to his two half-brothers, Odo of Bayeux and Robert, Count of Mortain, William also had a sister, Adelaide of Normandy, another child of Robert.

William's illegitimacy affected his early life. As a child, his life was in constant danger from his kinsmen who thought they had a more legitimate right to rule. One attempt on William's life occurred while he slept at a castle keep at Vaudreuil, when the murderer mistakenly stabbed the child sleeping next to William.[7] Nevertheless, when his father died, he was recognised as the heir.[8] Later in his life, his enemies are reported to have called him "William the Bastard" – a title which William had no problems with – but when residents of besieged Alençon also derided him as the son of a tanner's daughter and hung animal skins from the city walls to taunt him, William had their right hands chopped off.

Duke of Normandy Portrait of William the Conqueror, painted ca. 1620 by an unknown artist. National Portrait Gallery, LondonBy his father's will, William succeeded him as Duke of Normandy at age seven in 1035. Plots by rival Norman noblemen to usurp his place cost William three guardians, though not Count Alan III of Brittany, who was a later guardian. William was supported by King Henry I of France, however. He was knighted by Henry at age 15. By the time William turned 19 he was successfully dealing with threats of rebellion and invasion. With the assistance of Henry, William finally secured control of Normandy by defeating rebel Norman barons at Caen in the Battle of Val-ès-Dunes in 1047, obtaining the Truce of God, which was backed by the Roman Catholic Church. Against the wishes of Pope Leo IX, William married Matilda of Flanders in 1053 in the Notre-Dame chapel of Eu castle, Normandy (Seine-Maritime). At the time, William was about 24 years old and Matilda was 22. William is said to have been a faithful and loving husband, and their marriage produced four sons and six daughters. In repentance for what was a consanguine marriage (they were distant cousins), William donated St Stephen's Church (l'Abbaye-aux-Hommes) and Matilda donated Holy Trinity church (l'Abbaye aux Dames).

Feeling threatened by the increase in Norman power resulting from William's noble marriage, Henry I of France attempted to invade Normandy twice (1054 and 1057), without success. Already a charismatic leader, William attracted strong support within Normandy, including the loyalty of his half-brothers Odo of Bayeux and Robert, Count of Mortain, who played significant roles in his life. Later, he benefited from the weakening of two competing power centres as a result of the deaths of Henry I and of Geoffrey II of Anjou, in 1060. In 1062 William invaded and took control of the county of Maine, which had been a fief of Anjou.[9]

Claim to the English throne Upon the death of the childless Edward the Confessor, the English throne was fiercely disputed by three claimants—William; Harold Godwinson, the powerful Earl of Wessex; and the Viking King Harald III of Norway, known as Harald Hardrada. William had a tenuous blood claim through his great aunt Emma (wife of Ethelred and mother of Edward). William also contended that Edward, who had spent much of his life in exile in Normandy during the Danish occupation of England, had promised him the throne when he visited Edward in London in 1052. Further, William claimed that Harold had pledged allegiance to him in 1064: William had rescued the shipwrecked Harold from the count of Ponthieu, and together they had defeated Conan II, Duke of Brittany. On that occasion, William

had knighted Harold; he had also, however, deceived Harold by having him swear loyalty to William himself over the concealed bones of a saint.[10]

In January 1066, however, in accordance with Edward's last will and by vote of the Witenagemot, Harold

Godwinson was crowned King by Archbishop Aldred.

Invasion of England Main article: Norman Conquest Meanwhile, William submitted his claim to the English throne to Pope Alexander II, who sent him a consecrated banner in support. Then, William organised a council of war at Lillebonne and in January openly began assembling an army in Normandy. Offering promises of English lands and titles, he amassed at Dives-sur-Mer a huge invasion fleet, supposedly of 696 ships. This carried an invasion force which included, in addition to troops from William's own territories of Normandy and Maine, large numbers of mercenaries, allies and volunteers from Brittany, north-eastern France and Flanders, together with smaller numbers from other parts of France and from the Norman colonies in southern Italy. In England, Harold assembled a large army on the south coast and a fleet of ships to guard the English Channel.[10]

William the Conqueror invades England. Painted c. 1400- 1410, Paris Fortuitously for William, his crossing was delayed by eight months of unfavourable winds. William managed to keep his army together during the wait, but Harold's was diminished by dwindling supplies and falling morale. With the arrival of the harvest season, he disbanded his army on 8 September.[11] Harold also consolidated his ships in London, leaving the English Channel unguarded. Then came the news that the other contender for the throne, Harald III of Norway, allied with Tostig Godwinson, had landed ten miles (16 km) from York. Harold again raised his army and after a four-day forced march defeated Harald and Tostig on 25 September.

On 12 September the wind direction turned and William's fleet sailed. A storm blew up and the fleet was forced to take shelter at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and again wait for the wind to change. On 27 September the Norman fleet finally set sail, landing in England at Pevensey Bay (Sussex) on 28 September. William then moved to Hastings, a few miles to the east, where he built a prefabricated wooden castle for a base of operations. From there, he ravaged the hinterland and waited for Harold's return from the north.[11]

William chose Hastings as it was at the end of a long peninsula flanked by impassable marshes. The battle was on the isthmus. William at once built a fort at Hastings to guard his rear against potential arrival of Harold's fleet from London. Having landed his army, William was less concerned about desertion and could have waited out the winter storms, raided the surrounding area for horses and started a campaign in the spring. Harold had been reconnoitring the south of England for some time and well appreciated the need to occupy this isthmus at once.[12]

Battle of Hastings Main article: Battle of Hastings

Death of Harold Godwinson in the Battle of Hastings, as shown on the Bayeux Tapestry. Harold, after defeating his brother Tostig and Harald Hardrada in the north, marched his army 241 mi (388 km) in 5 days to meet the invading William in the south. On 13 October, William received news of Harold's march from London. At dawn the next day, William left the castle with his army and advanced towards the enemy. Harold had taken a defensive position at the top of Senlac Hill/Senlac ridge (present-day Battle, East Sussex), about seven miles (11 km) from Hastings.

The Battle of Hastings lasted all day. Although the numbers on each side were about equal, William had both cavalry and infantry, including many archers, while Harold had only foot soldiers and few if any archers.[13] Along the ridge's border, formed as a wall of shields, the English soldiers at first stood so effectively that William's army was thrown back with heavy casualties. Then William rallied his troops reportedly raising his helmet, as shown in the Bayeux Tapestry, to quell rumours of his death. Meanwhile, many of the English had pursued the fleeing Normans on foot, allowing the Norman cavalry to attack them repeatedly from the rear as his infantry pretended to retreat further.[13] Norman arrows also took their toll, progressively weakening the English wall of shields. At dusk, the English army made their last stand. A final Norman cavalry attack decided the battle irrevocably when it resulted in the death of Harold

who, legend says, was killed by an arrow in the eye, beheaded and bodily dismembered. Two of his brothers, Gyrth and Leofwine Godwinson, were killed as well. By nightfall, the Norman victory was complete and the remaining English soldiers fled in fear.

Battles of the time rarely lasted more than two hours before the weaker side capitulated; that Hastings lasted nine hours indicates the determination of both William's and Harold's armies. Battles also ended at sundown regardless of who was winning. Harold was killed shortly before sunset and, as he would have received fresh reinforcements before the battle recommenced in the morning, he was assured of victory had he survived William's final cavalry attacks.

March to London English coin of William the Conqueror (1066–1087) – "The Coronation of William the Conqueror marks one of the sharpest breaks there has ever been in English history. Anglo-Saxon England was dead, the country was now ruled by the Normans. But the disastrous ceremony at Westminster Abbey was an indication that the relationship between the English and their new rulers wasn't going to be an easy one."[14]For two weeks, William waited for a formal surrender of the English throne, but the Witenagemot proclaimed the young Edgar Ætheling King instead, though without coronation. Thus, William's next target was London, approaching through the important territories of Kent, via Dover and Canterbury, inspiring fear in the English. However, at London, William's advance was beaten back at London Bridge, and he decided to march westward and to storm London from the northwest. After receiving continental reinforcements, William crossed the Thames at Wallingford, and there he forced the surrender of Archbishop Stigand (one of Edgar's lead supporters), in early December. William reached Berkhamsted a few days later where Ætheling relinquished the English crown personally and the exhausted Saxon noblemen of England surrendered definitively. Although William was acclaimed then as English King, he requested a coronation in London. As William I, he was formally crowned on Christmas Day 1066 in Westminster Abbey, the first documented coronation held there,[15] by Archbishop Aldred.[10] The ceremony was not a peaceful one. When Aldred asked the congregation "Will you have this Prince to be your King", they answered with much shouting. The Norman guards stationed outside, believing the English were revolting, set fire to the neighbouring houses.[16] A Norman monk later wrote "As the fire spread rapidly, the people in the church were thrown into confusion and crowds of them rushed outside, some to fight the flames, others to take the chance to go looting."

English resistance Although the south of England submitted quickly to Norman rule, resistance in the north continued for six more years until 1072. During the first two years, King William I suffered many revolts throughout England (Dover, western Mercia, Exeter). Also, in 1068, Harold's illegitimate sons attempted an invasion of the south-western peninsula, but William defeated them.

For William I, the worst crisis came from Northumbria, which had still not submitted to his realm. In 1068, with Edgar Ætheling, both Mercia and Northumbria revolted. William could suppress these, but Edgar fled to Scotland where Malcolm III of Scotland protected him. Furthermore, Malcolm married Edgar's sister Margaret, with much éclat, stressing the English balance of power against William. Under such circumstances, Northumbria rebelled, besieging York. Then, Edgar resorted also to the Danes, who disembarked with a large fleet at Northumbria, claiming the English crown for their King Sweyn II. Scotland joined the rebellion as well. The rebels easily captured York and its castle. However, William could contain them at Lincoln. After dealing with a new wave of revolts at western Mercia, Exeter, Dorset, and Somerset, William defeated his northern foes decisively at the River Aire, retrieving York, while the Danish army swore to depart.

William then devastated Northumbria between the Humber and Tees rivers, with what was described as the Harrying of the North. This devastation included setting fire to the vegetation, houses and even tools to work the fields. After this cruel treatment the land did not recover for more than 100 years. The region ended up absolutely deprived, losing its traditional autonomy towards England. It may, however, have stopped future rebellions, frightening the English into obedience. Then the Danish king disembarked in person, readying his army to restart the war, but William suppressed this threat with a payment of gold. In 1071, William defeated the last rebellion of the north through an improvised pontoon, subduing the Isle of Ely, where the Danes had gathered. In 1072, he invaded Scotland, defeating Malcolm, who had recently

invaded the north of England. William and Malcolm agreed to a peace by signing the Treaty of Abernethy and Malcolm gave up his son Duncan as a hostage for the peace.[17] In 1074, Edgar Ætheling submitted definitively to William.

In 1075, during William's absence, the Revolt of the Earls was confronted successfully by Odo. In 1080, William dispatched his half brothers Odo and Robert to storm Northumbria and Scotland, respectively. Eventually, the Pope protested that the Normans were mistreating the English people. Before quelling the rebellions, William had

conciliated with the English church; however, he persecuted it ferociously afterwards.

Events William spent much of his time (11 years, since 1072) in Normandy, ruling the islands through his writs. Nominally still a vassal state, owing its entire loyalty to the French king, Normandy arose suddenly as a powerful region, alarming the other French dukes who reacted by persistently attacking the duchy. William became focused on conquering Brittany, and the French King Philip I admonished him. A treaty was concluded after his aborted invasion of Brittany in 1076, and William betrothed Constance to the Breton Duke Hoel's son, the future Alan IV of Brittany. The wedding occurred only in 1086, after Alan's accession to the throne, and Constance died childless a few years later.

William's elder son Robert, enraged by a prank of his brothers William and Henry, who had doused him with filthy water, undertook what became a large scale rebellion against his father's rule. Only with King Philip's additional military support was William able to confront Robert, who was then based in Flanders. During the battle of 1079, William was unhorsed and wounded by Robert, who lowered his sword only after recognising him. The embarrassed William returned to Rouen, abandoning the expedition. In 1080, Matilda reconciled both, and William restored Robert's inheritance.

Odo caused trouble for William, too, and was imprisoned in 1082, losing his English estate and all his royal functions, but retaining his religious duties. In 1083, Matilda died, and William became more tyrannical over his realm.

Reforms The signatures of William I and Matilda are the first two large crosses on the Accord of Winchester from 1072.William initiated many major changes. He increased the function of the traditional English shires (autonomous administrative regions), which he brought under central control; he decreased the power of the earls by restricting them to one shire apiece. All administrative functions of his government remained fixed at specific English towns, except the court itself; they would progressively strengthen, and the English institutions became amongst the most sophisticated in Europe. In 1085, in order to ascertain the extent of his new dominions and to improve taxation, William commissioned all his counsellors for the compilation of the Domesday Book, which was published in 1086. The book was a survey of England's productive capacity similar to a modern census.

William also ordered many castles, keeps, and mottes, among them the Tower of London's foundation (the White Tower), to be built throughout England. These ensured effectively that the many rebellions by the English people or his own followers did not succeed.

His conquest also led to French (especially, but not only, the Norman French) replacing English as the language of the ruling classes for nearly 300 years.[18][19] Whereas in 1066 fewer than 30% of property owners had non-English given names, by 1207 this had risen to more than 80%, with French names such as William, Robert and Richard most common. Furthermore, the original Anglo-Saxon culture of England became mingled with the Norman one; thus the Anglo-Norman culture came into being.

William I built the central White Tower in the Tower of London. The chapel was built in the Norman style using Caen stone imported from France.William is said to have eliminated the native aristocracy in as little as four years. Systematically, he despoiled those English aristocrats who either opposed the Normans or died without issue. Thus, most English estates and titles of nobility were handed to the Norman noblemen. Many English aristocrats fled to Flanders and Scotland; others may have been sold into slavery overseas. Some escaped to join the Byzantine Empire's Varangian Guard, and went on to fight the Normans in Sicily. Although William initially allowed English lords to keep their lands if they offered submission, by 1070, the indigenous nobility had ceased to be an integral part of the English landscape, and by 1086, it maintained control of just 8% of its original land-holdings. More than 4,000 English lords had lost their lands and been replaced, with only two English lords of any significance surviving.[20] However, to the new Norman noblemen, William handed the English parcels of land piecemeal, dispersing these widely, ensuring nobody would try conspiring against him without jeopardising their own

estates within the still unstable post-invasion England. Effectively, this strengthened William's political stand as a monarch.

The medieval chronicler William of Malmesbury says that the king also seized and depopulated many miles of land

(36 parishes), turning it into the royal New Forest region to support his enthusiastic enjoyment of hunting. Modern historians, however, have come to the conclusion that the New Forest depopulation was greatly exaggerated. Most of the lands of the New Forest are poor agricultural lands, and archaeological and geographic studies have shown that the New Forest was likely sparsely settled when it was turned into a royal forest.[21]

Death, burial, and succession Coin of William I of England.In 1087 in France, William burned Mantes (30 mi [50 km] west of Paris), besieging the town. However, he fell off his horse, suffering fatal abdominal injuries from the saddle pommel. On his deathbed, William divided his succession for his sons, sparking strife between them. Despite William's reluctance, his combative elder son Robert received the Duchy of Normandy, as Robert II. William Rufus (his third son) was the next English king, as William II. William's youngest son Henry received 5,000 silver pounds, which would be earmarked to buy land.[22] He later became King Henry I of England after William II died without issue. While on his deathbed, William pardoned many of his political adversaries, including Odo.

William died at age 59 at the Convent of St Gervais in Rouen, the chief city of Normandy, on 9 September 1087. William was buried in the Abbaye-aux-Hommes, which he had erected, in Caen, Normandy. It is said that Herluin, his stepfather, loyally bore his body to his grave.[23]

The original owner of the land on which the church was built claimed he had not been paid yet, demanding 60 shillings, which William's son Henry had to pay on the spot. In a most unregal postmortem, it was found that William's corpulent body would not fit in the stone sarcophagus as his body had bloated due to the warm weather and length of time that had passed since his death. A group of bishops applied pressure on the king's abdomen to force the body downward but the abdominal wall burst and drenched the king's coffin, releasing putrefaction gases into the church.[24][25]

William's grave is currently marked by a marble slab with a Latin inscription; the slab dates from the early 19th century. The grave was defiled twice, once during the French Wars of Religion, when his bones were scattered across the town of Caen, and again during the French Revolution. Following those events, only William's left femur, some skin particles and bone dust remain in the tomb.

Legacy Silver penny of William I, c.1075, moneyer Oswold, at the mint of Lewes.William's conquest decisively changed English history in terms of customs culture, politics, economics and, most dramatically, the language itself.[26] As Duke of Normandy and King of England, William the Conquerer, divided his realm among his sons, but the lands were reunited under his son Henry, and his descendants acquired other territories through marriage or conquest and, at their height, these possessions would be known as the Angevin Empire.

They included many lands in France, such as Normandy and Aquitaine, but the question of jurisdiction over these territories would be the cause of much conflict and bitter rivalry between England and France, which took up much of the Middle Ages.

An example of William's legacy even in modern times can be seen on the Bayeux Memorial, a monument erected by Britain in the Normandy town of Bayeux to those killed in the Battle of Normandy during World War II. A Latin inscription on the memorial reads NOS A GULIELMO VICTI VICTORIS PATRIAM LIBERAVIMUS – freely translated, this reads "We, once conquered by William, have now set free the Conqueror's native land".[27]

The numbering scheme of the English (or British) Crown regards William as the Founder of the State of England. This explains, among other things, why King Edward I was "the First" even though he ruled long after the Anglo-Saxon King Edward the Confessor.

Physical appearance Romanticised eighteenth or nineteenth century artists impression of the appearance of King William I of England.No authentic portrait of William has been found. Nonetheless, he was

depicted as a man of fair stature with remarkably strong arms, "with which he could shoot a bow at full gallop". William showed a magnificent appearance, possessing a fierce countenance. He enjoyed excellent health until old age; nevertheless his noticeable corpulence in later life eventually increased so much that French King Philip I commented that William looked like

a pregnant woman.[28] Examination of his femur, the only bone to survive when the rest of his remains were destroyed, showed he was approximately 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall, which was around 2 inches (5.1 cm) taller than the average for the 11th century.[29] He is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry as being clean-shaven, as opposed to Harold and the English lords, who wore moustaches.

Descendants William is known to have had nine children, though Matilda, a tenth daughter who died a virgin, appears in some sources. Several other unnamed daughters are also mentioned as being betrothed to notable figures of that time. Despite rumours to the contrary (such as claims that William Peverel was a bastard of William)[30] there is no evidence that he had any illegitimate children.[31] 1.Robert Curthose (1054–1134), Duke of Normandy, married Sybil of Conversano, daughter of Geoffrey of Conversano. 2.Richard (c. 1055 – c. 1081), Duke of Bernay, killed by a stag in New Forest. 3.Adeliza (or Alice) (c. 1055 – c. 1065), reportedly betrothed to Harold II of England. 4.Cecilia (or Cecily) (c. 1056–1126), Abbess of Holy Trinity, Caen. 5.William "Rufus" (c. 1056–1100), King of England, killed by an arrow in New Forest. 6.Agatha (c. 1064–1079), betrothed to Alfonso VI of Castile. 7.Constance (c. 1066–1090), married Alan IV Fergent, Duke of Brittany; poisoned, possibly by her own servants. 8.Adela (c. 1067–1137), married Stephen, Count of Blois. 9.Henry "Beauclerc" (1068–1135), King of England, married Edith of Scotland, daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland. His second wife was Adeliza of Leuven.

References 1.^ a b c Bates, David (2001). William the Conqueror. Stroud, UK: Tempus. p. 33. ISBN 0-7524-1980-3. 2.^ Dr. Mike Ibeji (1 May 2001). "1066". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/normans/1066_01.shtml. Retrieved 16 July 2007. 3.^ Quoted in James Westfall Thompson and Edgar Nathanael Johnson, An Introduction to Medieval Europe, 1300–1500 (1937) p 440 4.^ Daniel D. McGarry, Medieval history and civilization (1976) p 242 5.^ Thompson and Johnson, An Introduction to Medieval Europe, 1300–1500 (1937) p 440 6.^ Powell, John (2001) Magill's Guide to Military History. Salem Press, Inc. ISBN 0893560197; p. 226. 7.^ Costain, Thomas. (1959) 'William the Conquerer'New York, NY: Random House 8.^ Official Website of the British Monarchy. William I 'The Conqueror' (r. 1066–1087. Kings and Queens of England (to 1603). Retrieved on: 12 October 2008. 9.^ Carpenter, David (2003) The Struggle for Mastery: Britain 1066–1284. 10.^ a b c Clark, George (1978) [1971]. "The Norman Conquest". English History: a survey. Oxford University Press/Book Club Associates. ISBN 0198223390. 11.^ a b Carpenter, p. 72. 12.^ Rodger, N. A. M. The Safeguard of the Sea: a naval history of Britain, Vol 1: 660–1649, pp. 32–35. 13.^ a b Carpenter, p. 73. 14.^ Robert Bartlett, The Normans BBC TV 15.^ Westminster Abbey Official site – Coronations. Westminster-abbey.org (1953-06-02). Retrieved on 2011-06-18. 16.^ Taylor, William Cooke (1838). Chapters on coronations. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1FoEAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA138. Retrieved 15 December 2010 17.^ J.D. Mackie, A History of Scotland (1964), page 45. 18.^ While English emerged as a popular vernacular and literary language within one hundred years of the Conquest, it was only in 1362 that King Edward III abolished the use of French in Parliament 19.^ Alexander Herman Schutz and Urban Tigner Holmes, A History of the French Language, Biblo and Tannen Publishers, 1938. pp. 44–45. ISBN 0819601918. 20.^ Douglas, David Charles. English Historical Documents, Routledge, 1996.

Notes for Matilda Maude de Flanders: Matilda of Flanders (French: Mathilde de Flandre; Dutch: Mathilda van Vlaanderen) (c. 1031 – 2 November 1083) was the wife of William the Conqueror and, as such, Queen consort of the Kingdom of England. She bore William nine/ten children, including two kings, William II and Henry I.

Matilda, or Maud, was the daughter of Baldwin V, Count of Flanders and Adèle of France, herself daughter of Robert II of France. According to legend, when Duke William II of Normandy (later known as William the Conqueror) sent his representative to ask for Matilda's hand in marriage, she told the representative that she was far too high-born, to consider marrying a bastard. After hearing this response, William rode from Normandy to Bruges, found Matilda on her way to church, and dragged her off her horse by her long braids, threw her down in the street in front of her flabbergasted attendants, and rode off. Another version of the story states that William rode to Matilda's father's house in Lille, threw her to the ground in her room (again, by the braids), and hit her (or violently battered her) before leaving. Naturally, Baldwin took offense at this but, before they drew swords, Matilda settled the matter[1] by agreeing to marry him, and even a papal ban on the grounds of consanguinity did not dissuade her. They were married in 1053.

There were rumors that Matilda had been in love with the English ambassador to Flanders, a Saxon named Brihtric, who declined her advances. Whatever the truth of the matter, years later when she was acting as Regent for William in England, she used her authority to confiscate Brihtric's lands and throw him into prison, where he died.

Duchess of Normandy When William was preparing to invade England, Matilda outfitted a ship, the Mora, out of her own money and gave it to him. This indicated that she must have owned rich lands in Normandy to be able to do so. Even after William conquered England and became its king, it took her more than a year to visit her new kingdom.[2] Even after she had been crowned queen, she would spend most of her time in Normandy and sponsor ecclestial houses there.

Queen Matilda was crowned queen in 1068 in Westminster, in a ceremony presided over by the archbishop of York. During the ceremony she was said to be sharing in power with her husband and the people were said to be fortunate to be ruled by the ability and wisdom of the queen.[3]

For many years it was thought that she had some involvement in the creation of the Bayeux Tapestry (commonly called La Tapisserie de la Reine Mathilde in French), but historians no longer believe that; it seems to have been commissioned by William's half-brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, and made by English artists in Kent.

Matilda bore William eleven children, and he was believed to have been faithful to her, at least up until the time their son Robert rebelled against his father and Matilda sided with Robert against William.

She stood as godmother for Matilda of Scotland, who would become Queen of England after marrying Matilda's son Henry I. During the christening, the baby pulled Queen Matilda's headress down on top of herself, which was seen as an omen that the younger Matilda would be queen some day as well.[4]

After she died, in 1083 at the age of 51, William became tyrannical, and people blamed it on his having lost her.

Contrary to the belief that she was buried at St. Stephen's, also called l'Abbaye-aux-Hommes in Caen, Normandy, where William was eventually buried, she is intombed at l'Abbaye aux Dames, which is the Sainte-Trinité church, also in Caen. Of particular interest is the 11th century slab, a sleek black stone decorated with her epitaph, marking her grave at the rear of the church. It is of special note since the grave marker for William was replaced as recently as the beginning of the 19th century.

Height Reputed to be 4'2" (127 cm) tall, Matilda was England's smallest queen, according to the Guinness Book of Records. However, in 1819 and 1959 Matilda's incomplete skeleton was examined in France, and her bones were measured to determine her height. The 1819 estimate was under five feet, while the 1959 estimate was 5' (152 cm) tall. A reputed height of 4' 2" (127 cm) appeared at some point after 1959 in the non-scientific literature, misrepresenting the 1959 measurement.[5]

Issue Some doubt exists over how many daughters there were. This list includes some entries which are obscure.

1.Robert Curthose (c. 1054–1134), Duke of Normandy, married Sybil of Conversano, daughter of Geoffrey of Conversano 2.Adeliza (or Alice) (c. 1055 – ?), reportedly betrothed to Harold II of England (Her existence is in some doubt.) 3.Cecilia (or Cecily) (c. 1056–1126), Abbess of Holy Trinity, Caen 4.William Rufus (1056–1100), King of the English 5.Richard (1057 – c. 1081), killed by a stag in New Forest 6.Adela (c. 1062–1138), married Stephen, Count of Blois 7.Agatha(c. 1064 – c. 1080), betrothed to (1) Harold of Wessex, (2) Alfonso VI of Castile 8.Constance (c. 1066–1090), married Alan IV Fergent, Duke of Brittany; poisoned, possibly by her own servants 9.Maud (very obscure, her existence is in some doubt) 10.Henry Beauclerc (1068–1135), King of England, married (1) Edith of Scotland, daughter of Malcolm III, King of Scotland, (2) Adeliza of Louvain Gundred (c. 1063–1085), wife of William de Warenne (c. 1055–1088), was formerly thought of as being yet another of Matilda's daughters, with speculation that she was William I's full daughter, a stepdaughter, or even a foundling or adopted daughter. However, this connection to William I has now been firmly debunked.

Matilda was a seventh generation direct descendent of Alfred the Great. Her marriage to William strengthened his claim to the throne. All sovereigns of England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom have been descended from her, as is the present Queen Elizabeth II.

In popular culture Normandy portal Her love for her husband is referenced in the Award-winning play, Angels in America.

On screen, Matilda has been portrayed by Jane Wenham in the two-part BBC TV play Conquest (1966), part of the series Theatre 625, and by Anna Calder-Marshall in the TV drama Blood Royal: William the Conqueror (1990).

Footnotes: 1.^ Hilliam, Paul (2005). William the Conqueror: First Norman King of England. New York City, New York: Rosen Publishing Group. pp. 20. ISBN 1-4042-0166-1. 2.^ Honeycutt, Lois (2003). Matilda of Scotland: a Study in Medieval Queenship. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. p. 50. 3.^ Honeycutt, Lois (2003). p. 51. 4.^ Honeycutt, Lois (2003). p. 10.

5.^ Dewhurst, John (1981). "A historical obstetric enigma: how tall was Matilda?". Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology 1 (4): 271–272. doi:10.3109/01443618109067396.

Child of William Conqueror" and Matilda de Flanders is:

704842690 i. Henry I of England, born 1068; died 1135; married Matilda Maud Editha Atheling of Scotland

1409685382. Malcolm III MacDuncan Canmore of Scotland, born 1031; died 1093. He was the son of 2819370764. Duncan `the Gracious' MacCrinan of Scotland I and 2819370765. Aelflaed (Sybil Biornsson) of Northumbria. He married 1409685383. Saint Margaret of Scotland.

1409685383. Saint Margaret of Scotland, born 1045; died 1093. She was the daughter of 2819370766. Edward the Exile and 2819370767. Agatha Von Braunchweig.

Notes for Malcolm III MacDuncan Canmore of Scotland: Máel Coluim mac Donnchada (Modern Gaelic: Maol Chaluim mac Dhonnchaidh,[1] called in most Anglicised regnal lists Malcolm III, and in later centuries nicknamed Canmore, "Big Head",[2][3] either literally or in reference to his leadership,[4] "Long-neck";[5] died 13 November 1093), was King of Scots. It has also been argued recently that the real "Malcolm Canmore" was this Malcolm's great-grandson Malcolm IV, who is given this name in the contemporary notice of his death.[6] He was the eldest son of King Duncan I (Donnchad mac Crínáin). Malcolm's long reign, lasting 35 years, preceded the beginning of the Scoto-Norman age.

Malcolm's Kingdom did not extend over the full territory of modern Scotland: the north and west of Scotland remained in Scandinavian, Norse-Gael and Gaelic control, and the areas under the control of the Kings of Scots would not advance much beyond the limits set by Malcolm II (Máel Coluim mac Cináeda) until the 12th century.

Malcolm III fought a succession of wars against the Kingdom of England, which may have had as their goal the conquest of the English earldom of Northumbria. However, these wars did not result in any significant advances southwards. Malcolm's main achievement is to have continued a line which would rule Scotland for many years,[7] although his role as "founder of a dynasty" has more to do with the propaganda of his youngest son David, and his descendants, than with any historical reality.[8]

Malcolm's second wife, Saint Margaret of Scotland, was later beatified and is Scotland's only royal saint. However, Malcolm himself gained no reputation for piety. With the notable exception of Dunfermline Abbey he is not definitely associated with major religious establishments or ecclesiastical reforms.

Malcolm's father Duncan I (Donnchad mac Crínáin) became king in late 1034, on the death of Malcolm II (Máel Coluim mac Cináeda), Duncan's maternal grandfather. According to John of Fordun, whose account is the original source of part at least of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Malcolm's mother was a niece of Siward, Earl of Northumbria,[9][10] but an earlier king-list gives her the Gaelic name Suthen.[11] Other sources claim that either a daughter or niece would have been too young to fit the timeline, thus the likely relative would have been Siward's own sister Sybil, which may have translated into Gaelic as Suthen.

Duncan's reign was not successful and he was killed by Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findlaích) on 15 August 1040. Although Shakespeare's Macbeth presents Malcolm as a grown man and his father as an old one, it appears that Duncan was still young in 1040,[12] and Malcolm and his brother Donalbane (Domnall Bán) were children.[13] Malcolm's family did attempt to overthrow Macbeth in 1045, but Malcolm's grandfather Crínán of Dunkeld was killed in the attempt.[14]

Soon after the death of Duncan his two young sons were sent away for greater safety — exactly where is the subject of debate. According to one version, Malcolm (then aged about 9) was sent to England, and his younger brother Donalbane was sent to the Isles.[15][16] Based on Fordun's account, it was assumed that Malcolm passed most of Macbeth's seventeen year reign in the Kingdom of England at the court of Edward the Confessor.[17][18]

According to an alternative version, Malcolm's mother took both sons into exile at the court of Thorfinn Sigurdsson, Earl of Orkney, an enemy of Macbeth's family, and perhaps Duncan's kinsman by marriage.[19]

An English invasion in 1054, with Siward, Earl of Northumbria, in command, had as its goal the installation of Máel Coluim, "son of the King of the Cumbrians (i.e. of Strathclyde)". This Máel Coluim, perhaps a son of Owen the Bald, disappears from history after this brief mention. He has been confused with King Malcolm III.[20][21] In 1057 various chroniclers report the death of Macbeth at Malcolm's hand, on 15 August 1057 at Lumphanan in Aberdeenshire.[22][23] Macbeth was succeeded by his stepson Lulach, who was crowned at Scone, probably on 8 September 1057. Lulach was killed by Malcolm, "by treachery",[24] near Huntly on 23 April 1058. After this, Malcolm became king, perhaps being inaugurated on 25 April 1058, although only John of Fordun reports this.[25]

If Orderic Vitalis is to be relied upon, one of Malcolm's earliest actions as King may have been to travel south to the court of Edward the Confessor in 1059 to arrange a marriage with Edward's kinswoman Margaret, who had arrived in England two years before from Hungary.[26] If he did visit the English court, he was the first reigning King of Scots to do so in more than eighty years. If a marriage agreement was made in 1059, however, it was not kept, and this may explain the Scots invasion of Northumbria in 1061 when Lindisfarne was plundered.[27] Equally, Malcolm's raids in Northumbria may have been related to the disputed "Kingdom of the Cumbrians", reestablished by Earl Siward in 1054, which was under Malcolm's control by 1070.[28]

The Orkneyinga saga reports that Malcolm married the widow of Thorfinn Sigurdsson, Ingibiorg, a daughter of Finn Arnesson.[29] Although Ingibiorg is generally assumed to have died shortly before 1070,

it is possible that she died much earlier, around 1058.[30] The Orkneyinga Saga records that Malcolm and Ingibiorg had a son, Duncan II (Donnchad mac Maíl Coluim), who was later king.[5] Some Medieval commentators, following William of Malmesbury, claimed that Duncan was illegitimate, but this claim is propaganda reflecting the need of Malcolm's descendants by Margaret to undermine the claims of Duncan's descendants, the Meic Uilleim.[31] Malcolm's son Domnall, whose death is reported in 1085, is not mentioned by the author of the Orkneyinga Saga. He is assumed to have been born to Ingibiorg.[32]

Malcolm's marriage to Ingibiorg secured him peace in the north and west. The Heimskringla tells that her father Finn had been an adviser to Harald Hardraade and, after falling out with Harald, was then made an Earl by Sweyn Estridsson, King of Denmark, which may have been another recommendation for the match.[33] Malcolm enjoyed a peaceful relationship with the Earldom of Orkney, ruled jointly by his stepsons, Paul and Erlend Thorfinnsson. The Orkneyinga Saga reports strife with Norway but this is probably misplaced as it associates this with Magnus Barefoot, who became king of Norway only in 1093, the year of Malcolm's death.[34]

Although he had given sanctuary to Tostig Godwinson when the Northumbrians drove him out, Malcolm was not directly involved in the ill-fated invasion of England by Harald Hardraade and Tostig in 1066, which ended in defeat and death at the battle of Stamford Bridge.[35] In 1068, he granted asylum to a group of English exiles fleeing from William of Normandy, among them Agatha, widow of Edward the Confessor's nephew Edward the Exile, and her children: Edgar Ætheling and his sisters Margaret and Cristina. They were accompanied by Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria. The exiles were disappointed, however, if they had expected immediate assistance from the Scots.[36]

In 1069 the exiles returned to England, to join a spreading revolt in the north. Even though Gospatric and Siward's son Waltheof submitted by the end of the year, the arrival of a Danish army under Sweyn Estridsson seemed to ensure that William's position remained weak. Malcolm decided on war, and took his army south into Cumbria and across the Pennines, wasting Teesdale and Cleveland then marching north, loaded with loot, to Wearmouth. There Malcolm met Edgar and his family, who were invited to return with him, but did not. As Sweyn had by now been bought off with a large Danegeld, Malcolm took his army home. In reprisal, William sent Gospatric to raid Scotland through Cumbria. In return, the Scots fleet raided the Northumbrian coast where Gospatric's possessions were concentrated.[37] Late in the year, perhaps shipwrecked on their way to a European exile, Edgar and his family again arrived in Scotland, this time to remain. By the end of 1070, Malcolm had married Edgar's sister Margaret, the future Saint Margaret of Scotland.[38]

The naming of their children represented a break with the traditional Scots Regal names such as Malcolm, Cináed and Áed. The point of naming Margaret's sons, Edward after her father Edward the Exile, Edmund for her grandfather Edmund Ironside, Ethelred for her great-grandfather Ethelred the Unready and Edgar for her great-great-grandfather Edgar and her brother, briefly the elected king, Edgar Ætheling, was unlikely to be missed in England, where William of Normandy's grasp on power was far from secure.[39] Whether the adoption of the classical Alexander for the future Alexander I of Scotland (either for Pope Alexander II or for Alexander the Great) and the biblical David for the future David I of Scotland represented a recognition that William of Normandy would not be easily removed, or was due to the repetition of Anglo-Saxon Royal name—another Edmund had preceded Edgar—is not known.[40] Margaret also gave Malcolm two daughters, Edith, who married Henry I of England, and Mary, who married Eustace III of Boulogne.

In 1072, with the Harrying of the North completed and his position again secure, William of Normandy came north with an army and a fleet. Malcolm met William at Abernethy and, in the words of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle "became his man" and handed over his eldest son Duncan as a hostage and arranged peace between William and Edgar.[41] Accepting the overlordship of the king of the English was no novelty, previous kings had done so without result. The same was true of Malcolm; his agreement with the English king was followed by further raids into Northumbria, which led to further trouble in the earldom and the killing of Bishop William Walcher at Gateshead. In 1080, William sent his son Robert Curthose north with an army while his brother Odo punished the Northumbrians. Malcolm again made peace, and this time kept it for over a decade.[42]

Malcolm faced little recorded internal opposition, with the exception of Lulach's son Máel Snechtai. In an unusual entry, for the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle contains little on Scotland, it says that in 1078:

― Malcholom [Máel Coluim] seized the mother of Mælslæhtan [Máel Snechtai] ... and all his treasures, and his cattle; and he himself escaped with difficulty.[43] ‖

Whatever provoked this strife, Máel Snechtai survived until 1085.[44]

Malcolm and William Rufus William Rufus, "the Red", King of the English (1087-1100).When William Rufus became king of England after his father's death, Malcolm did not intervene in the rebellions by supporters of Robert Curthose which followed. In

1091, however, William Rufus confiscated Edgar Ætheling's lands in England, and Edgar fled north to Scotland. In May, Malcolm marched south, not to raid and take slaves and plunder, but to besiege Newcastle, built by Robert Curthose in 1080. This appears to have been an attempt to advance the frontier south from the River Tweed to the River Tees. The threat was enough to bring the English king back from Normandy, where he had been fighting Robert Curthose. In September, learning of William Rufus's approaching army, Malcolm withdrew north and the English followed. Unlike in 1072, Malcolm was prepared to fight, but a peace was arranged by Edgar Ætheling and Robert Curthose whereby Malcolm again acknowledged the overlordship of the English king.[45]

In 1092, the peace began to break down. Based on the idea that the Scots controlled much of modern Cumbria, it had been supposed that William Rufus's new castle at Carlisle and his settlement of English peasants in the surrounds was the cause. However, it is unlikely that Malcolm did control Cumbria, and the dispute instead concerned the estates granted to Malcolm by William Rufus's father in 1072 for his maintenance when visiting England. Malcolm sent messengers to discuss the question and William Rufus agreed to a meeting. Malcolm travelled south to Gloucester, stopping at Wilton Abbey to visit his daughter Edith and sister-in-law Cristina. Malcolm arrived there on 24 August 1093 to find that William Rufus refused to negotiate, insisting that the dispute be judged by the English barons. This Malcolm refused to accept, and returned immediately to Scotland.[46]

It does not appear that William Rufus intended to provoke a war,[47] but, as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports, war came:

― For this reason therefore they parted with great dissatisfaction, and the King Malcolm returned to Scotland. And soon after he came home, he gathered his army, and came harrowing into England with more hostility than behoved him ... ‖

Malcolm was accompanied by Edward, his eldest son by Margaret and probable heir-designate (or tánaiste), and by Edgar.[48] Even by the standards of the time, the ravaging of Northumbria by the Scots was seen as harsh.[49]

Death While marching north again, Malcolm was ambushed by Robert de Mowbray, Earl of Northumbria, whose lands he had devastated, near Alnwick on 13 November 1093. There he was killed by Arkil Morel, steward of Bamburgh Castle. The conflict became known as the Battle of Alnwick.[50] Edward was mortally wounded in the same fight. Margaret, it is said, died soon after receiving the news of their deaths from Edgar.[51] The Annals of Ulster say:

― Mael Coluim son of Donnchad, over-king of Scotland, and Edward his son, were killed by the French i.e. in Inber Alda in England. His queen, Margaret, moreover, died of sorrow for him within nine days.[52] ‖

Malcolm's body was taken to Tynemouth Priory for burial. The king's body was sent north for reburial, in the reign of his son Alexander, at Dunfermline Abbey, or possibly Iona.[53]

On 19 June 1250, following the canonisation of Malcolm's wife Margaret by Pope Innocent IV, Margaret's remains were disinterred and placed in a reliquary. Tradition has it that as the reliquary was carried to the high altar of Dunfermline Abbey, past Malcolm's grave, it became too heavy to move. As a result, Malcolm's remains were also disinterred, and buried next to Margaret beside the altar.[54]

Issue Malcolm and Ingebjorg had 3 sons:

1.Duncan II of Scotland, succeeded his father as King of Scotland 2.Donald, died ca.1094 3.Malcolm, died ca.1085 Malcolm and Margaret had eight children, six sons and two daughters:

1.Edward, killed 1093. 2.Edmund of Scotland 3.Ethelred, abbot of Dunkeld 4.King Edgar of Scotland

5.King Alexander I of Scotland 6.King David I of Scotland 7.Edith of Scotland, also called Matilda, married King Henry I of England 8.Mary of Scotland, married Eustace III of Boulogne [edit] Depictions in fictionMalcolm appears in William Shakespeare‘s Macbeth. He is the son of King Duncan and heir to the throne. He first appears in the second scene where he is talking to a sergeant, with Duncan. The sergeant tells them how the battle was won thanks to Macbeth. Then Ross comes and Duncan decides that Macbeth should take the title of Thane of Cawdor. Then he later appears in Act 1.4 talking about the execution of the former Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth then enters and they congratulate him on his victory. He later appears in Macbeth‘s castle as a guest. When his father is killed he is suspected of the murder so he escapes to England. He later makes an appearance in Act 4.3, where he talks to Macduff about Macbeth and what to do. They both decide to start a war against him. In Act 5.4 he is seen in Dunsinane getting ready for war. He orders the troupes to hide behind branches and slowly towards the castle. In Act 5.8 he watches the battle against Macbeth and Macduff with Siward and Ross. When eventually Macbeth is killed, Malcolm takes over as king.

Notes for Saint Margaret of Scotland: Saint Margaret (c. 1045 – 16 November 1093), also known as Margaret of Wessex and Queen Margaret of Scotland, was an English princess of the House of Wessex. Born in exile in Hungary, she was the sister of Edgar Ætheling, the short-ruling and uncrowned Anglo-Saxon King of England. Margaret and her family returned to England in 1057, but fled to Scotland following the Norman conquest of England of 1066. Around 1070 Margaret married Malcolm III, King of Scots, becoming his Queen consort. She was a pious woman, and among many charitable works she established a ferry across the Firth of Forth for pilgrims travelling to Dunfermline Abbey, which gave the towns of Queensferry and North Queensferry their names. Margaret was the mother of three Kings of Scotland and a Queen consort of England. According to the Life of Saint Margaret, attributed to Turgot, she died at Edinburgh Castle in 1093, just days after receiving the news of her husband's death in battle. In 1250 she was canonised by Pope Innocent IV, and her remains were reinterred in a shrine at Dunfermline Abbey. Her relics were dispersed after the Scottish Reformation and subsequently lost.

Margaret was the daughter of the English prince, Edward the Exile and granddaughter of Edmund Ironside, king of England. After the Danish conquest of England in 1016, Canute had the infant Edward exiled to the continent. He was taken first to the court of the Swedish king, Olof Skötkonung, and then to Kiev. As an adult, he travelled to Hungary, where in 1046 he supported Andrew I's successful bid for the throne. The provenance of Margaret's mother, Agatha, is disputed, but Margaret was born in Hungary around 1045. Her brother Edgar the Ætheling and her sister Cristina were also born in Hungary around this time. Margaret grew up in a very religious environment in the Hungarian court. Andrew I of Hungary was known as "Andrew the Catholic" for his extreme aversion to pagans, and great loyalty to Rome, which probably could have induced Margaret to follow a pious life.

Still a child, she came to England with the rest of her family when her father, Edward, was recalled in 1057 as a possible successor to her great-uncle, the childless Edward the Confessor. Her father died soon after the family's arrival in England, but Margaret continued to reside at the English court where her brother, Edgar Ætheling, was considered a possible successor to the English throne. When the Confessor died in January 1066, Harold Godwinson was selected as king, Edgar perhaps being considered still too young. After Harold's defeat at the battle of Hastings later that year, Edgar was proclaimed King of England, but when the Normans advanced on London, the Witenagemot presented Edgar to William the Conqueror who took him to Normandy before returning him to England in 1068, when Edgar, Margaret, Cristina and their mother Agatha fled north to Northumbria.

Journey to Scotland According to tradition, the widowed Agatha decided to leave Northumbria with her children and return to the continent. However, a storm drove their ship north to Scotland, where they sought the protection of King Malcolm III. The spot where they are said to have landed is known today as St. Margaret's Hope, near the village of North Queensferry. Margaret's arrival in Scotland in 1068, after

the failed revolt of the Northumbrian earls, has been heavily romanticized, though Symeon of Durham implied that her first meeting with Malcolm III of Scots may not have been until 1070, after William the Conqueror's harrying of the north.

Malcolm was probably a widower, and was no doubt attracted by the prospect of marrying one of the few remaining members of the Anglo-Saxon royal family. The marriage of Malcolm and Margaret took place some time before the end of 1070. Malcolm followed it with several invasions of Northumberland, probably in support of the claims of his brother-in-law Edgar. These, however, had little result beyond the devastation of the province.[1]

Family Margaret and Malcolm had eight children, six sons and two daughters:

1.Edward, killed 1093. 2.Edmund of Scotland 3.Ethelred, abbot of Dunkeld 4.King Edgar of Scotland 5.King Alexander I of Scotland 6.King David I of Scotland 7.Edith of Scotland, also called Matilda, married King Henry I of England 8.Mary of Scotland, married Eustace III of Boulogne [edit] Religious life This section requires expansion.

Margaret attended to charitable works, and personally served orphans and the poor every day before she ate. She rose at midnight to attend church services every night. She was known for her work for religious reform. She was considered to be an exemplar of the "just ruler", and also influenced her husband and children to be just and holy rulers. A cave on the banks of the Tower Burn in Dunfermline was used by the queen as a place of devotion and prayer. St Margaret's Cave, now covered beneath a municipal car park, is open to the public.[2]

Death Her husband, Malcolm III, and their eldest son, Edward, were killed in a fight against the English at the Battle of Alnwick on 13 November 1093. Her son Edmund was left with the task of telling his mother of their deaths. Margaret was ill, and she died on 16 November 1093, three days after the deaths of her husband and eldest son.

Veneration St Margaret's Chapel, Edinburgh Castle Ruins of St Margaret's Church, Oslo St Margaret's Church in Dunfermline[edit] SainthoodSaint Margaret was canonised in the year 1250 by Pope Innocent IV in recognition of her personal holiness, fidelity to the Church, work for religious reform, and charity. On 19 June 1250, after her canonisation, her remains were moved to Dunfermline Abbey.[3] The Roman Catholic Church formerly marked the feast of Saint Margaret of Scotland on 10 June, because the feast of "Saint Gertrude, Virgin" was already celebrated on 16 November, but in Scotland, she was venerated on 16 November, the day of her death. In the revision of the Roman Catholic calendar of saints in 1969, 16 November became free and the Church transferred her feast day to 16 November.[4] However, some traditionalist Catholics continue to celebrate her feast day on 10 June. She is also venerated as a saint in the Anglican Church.

ChurchesSeveral churches are dedicated to Saint Margaret. One of the oldest is St Margaret's Chapel in Edinburgh Castle, which was founded by her son King David I. The chapel was long thought to have been the oratory of Margaret herself, but is now considered to be a 12th century establishment. The oldest building in Edinburgh, it was restored in the 19th century, and refurbished in the 1990s.

St. Margaret's Church (Margaretakirken) in Maridalen near Oslo, Norway, is dedicated to Saint Margaret of Scotland. The stone church dates from the middle of the 1200s. It is now a ruin, but after restoration in 1934 the church today is one of the best-preserved medieval buildings in Oslo after the Old Aker Church.[5]

Others include the 13th-century Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted, East Sussex,[6] and St Margaret of Scotland, Aberdeen.

Other establishments A number of foundations, particularly in Scotland, are named after Saint Margaret:

Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, which adopted the name in 1972 Queen Margaret College, Glasgow Queen Margaret Union, a student union at Glasgow University Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline The towns of South Queensferry and North Queensferry mark the location of the ferry established by Queen Margaret Queen Margaret Academy, Ayr St Margaret's Academy, Livingston Queen Margaret College, Wellington, New Zealand St Margarets School, Bushey St. Margaret's Secondary School and Primary School, Singapore http://www.stmargaretssec.moe.edu.sg/ http://www.stmargaretspri.moe.edu.sg/

Citations 1.^ H.E Marshall (1906). "Malcolm Canmore — Saint Margaret came to Scotland". Scotland's Story. http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=marshall&book=scotland&story=margaret. Retrieved 2011-03-18. 2.^ "St Margaret's Cave". VisitScotland. http://guide.visitscotland.com/vs/guide/5,en,SCH1/objectId,SIG49370Svs,curr,GBP,season,at1,selectedEntry,home/ home.html. Retrieved 2011-03-18. 3.^ Humphrys, Julian (June 2010). BBC History magazine. Bristol Magazines Ltd. ISSN 1469-8552. 4.^ "Calendarium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 126 5.^ Margaretakirken (Maridalens Venner) 6.^ Coppin, Paul (2001). 101 Medieval Churches of East Sussex. Seaford: S.B. Publications. p. 130. ISBN 1-85770-238-7. [edit] Further readingChronicle of the Kings of Alba Anderson, Marjorie O. (ed.). Kings and Kingship in Early Scotland. 2nd ed. Edinburgh, 1980. 249-53. Hudson, B.T. (ed. and tr.). Scottish Historical Review 77 (1998): 129-61. Anderson, Alan Orr (tr.). Early Sources of Scottish History: AD 500-1286. Vol. 1. Edinburgh, 1923. Reprinted in 1990 (with corrections). Turgot, Vita S. Margaretae (Scotorum) Reginae ed. J. Hodgson Hinde, Symeonis Dunelmensis opera et collectanea. Surtees Society 51. 1868. 234-54 (Appendix III). tr. William Forbes-Leith, Life of St. Margaret Queen of Scotland by Turgot, Bishop of St Andrews. Edinburgh, 1884. PDF available from the Internet Archive. Third edition published in 1896. tr. anon., The life and times of Saint Margaret, Queen and Patroness of Scotland. London, 1890. PDF available from the Internet Archive William of Malmesbury, Gesta regum Anglorum ed. and tr. R.A.B. Mynors, R.M. Thomson and M. Winterbottom, William of Malmesbury. Gesta Regum Anglorum. The History of the English Kings. OMT. 2 vols: vol 1. Oxford, 1998. Orderic Vitalis, Historia Ecclesiastica ed. and tr. Marjorie Chibnall, The Ecclesiastical History of Orderic Vitalis. 6 vols. OMT. Oxford, 1968-1980. John of Worcester, Chronicle (of Chronicles) ed. B. Thorpe, Florentii Wigorniensis monachi chronicon ex chronicis. 2 vols. London, 1848-9 tr. J. Stevenson, Church Historians of England. 8 vols: vol. 2.1. London, 1855. 171-372. John Capgrave, Nova Legenda Angliae Acta SS. II, June, 320. London, 1515. 225 Secondary literature

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). "St Margaret". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/St_Margaret. Baker, D. "A nursery of saints: St Margaret of Scotland reconsidered." In Medieval women, ed. D. Baker. SCH. Subsidia 1. 1978. Bellesheim, Alphons. History of the Catholic Church in Scotland. Vol 3, tr. Blair. Edinburgh, 1890. 241-63. Butler, Alban. Lives of the Saints. June 10. Challoner, Richard. Britannia Sancta, I. London, 1745. 358.

Dunlop, Eileen, Queen Margaret of Scotland, 2005, NMS Enterprises Limited - Publishing, Edinburgh, 978 1 901663 92 1 Huneycutt, L.L. "The idea of a perfect princess: the Life of St Margaret in the reign of Matilda II (1100–1118)." Anglo-Norman Studies 12 (1989): 81–97. Madan. The Evangelistarium of St. Margaret in Academy. 1887. Parsons, John Carmi. Medieval Mothering. 1996. Olsen, Ted Kristendommen og kelterne forlaget (2008) Oslo: forlaget Luther (p. 170) ISBN 978-82-531-4564-8 Norwegian Skene, W.F. Celtic Scotland. Edinburgh. Stanton, Richard. Menology of England and Wales. London, 1887. 544. Wilson, A.J. St Margaret, queen of Scotland. 1993.

External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Saint Margaret of Scotland

University of Pittsburgh: Margaret of Scotland Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Margaret of Scotland Medieval Women: The Life Of St Margaret, Queen Of Scotland By Turgot, Bishop Of St Andrews Ed. William Forbes-Leith, S.J. Third Edition. Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1896 .

Child of Malcolm Scotland and Saint Scotland is:

704842691 i. Matilda Maud Editha Atheling of Scotland, born 1079; died 1118; married Henry I of England

1409685384. Guillaume Geoffrey de Aguitaine, born 1020; died 1086. He married 1409685385. Hildegarde Aldegarde de Burgundy.

1409685385. Hildegarde Aldegarde de Burgundy

Child of Guillaume de Aguitaine and Hildegarde de Burgundy is:

704842692 i. Guillaume VI of Aguitaine, born 1071; died 1126; married Philippa Mathilde Maud de Toulouse

1409685386. Raymond de Toulouse, born 1038; died 1105. He married 1409685387. Mathilde de Toulouse.

1409685387. Mathilde de Toulouse, born 1058; died 1117. She was the daughter of 2819370774. Robert de Montaigne and 2819370775. Maude de Montgomery.

Child of Raymond de Toulouse and Mathilde de Toulouse is:

704842693 i. Philippa Mathilde Maud de Toulouse, born 1073; died 1117; married Guillaume VI of Aguitaine

1409685388. Chbhtelibbrhault Boson, born 1050; died 1075. He was the son of 2819370776. Hughes de la Roche Foucauld and 2819370777. Gerberge de Chatelleault. He married 1409685389. Eleanor de Thours.

1409685389. Eleanor de Thours, born 1054; died 1075. She was the daughter of 2819370778. Aimery von Thouars and 2819370779. Auremgarde de Mouloon.

Child of Chbhtelibbrhault Boson and Eleanor de Thours is:

704842694 i. Aimeri of Chantellerault, born 1075; died 1151; married Maubergeonne Dangereuse de L'isle Bouchard

1409685390. Barthelemy d'Isle Bouchard He was the son of 2819370780. Archimbard de Bouchard and 2819370781. Agnes de l'isle Bouchard. He married 1409685391. Gerberge.

1409685391. Gerberge

Child of Barthelemy Bouchard and Gerberge is:

704842695 i. Maubergeonne Dangereuse de L'isle Bouchard, born 1079; died 1103; married Aimeri of Chantellerault

1409685403. Gisela of Burgundy, Marchioness of Montferrat, born 1075; died 1135. She was the daughter of 2819370806. WilliamI, Count of Burgundy and 2819370807. Stephanie.

Child of Gisela of Burgundy, Marchioness of Montferrat is:

704842701 i. Adelaide of Maurienne, died 1154; married Louis VI of France

1409685488. WilliamIII, Count of Ponthieu He was the son of 2819370976. Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury and 2819370977. Countess of Ponthieu Agnes. He married 1409685489. Helie of Burgundy.

1409685489. Helie of Burgundy

Notes for WilliamIII, Count of Ponthieu: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

William III of Ponthieu (c. 1095 – 20 June 1172) was son of Robert II of Bellême and Agnes of Ponthieu. He is also called William (II; III) Talvas.

He assumed the county of Ponthieu some time before 1111, upon the death of his mother. His father escaped capture at the battle of Tinchebrai (1106). Later, as envoy for King Louis of France, he went to the English court. He was arrested by King Henry of England and was never released from prison. William was naturally driven by this to oppose King Henry and his allegiance to count Geoffrey of Anjou caused Henry to seize certain of William's castles in Normandy.

Family His wife was Helie of Burgundy, daughter of Eudes I, Duke of Burgundy.[1] The Gesta Normannorum Ducum says that they had five children, three sons and two daughters. Guy II is called "the eldest son", but the editors doubt this. He assumed the county of Ponthieu during his father Talvas' lifetime, but preceded him in death (Guy II died 1147; William Talvas died 1171). His daughter married Juhel, son of Walter of Mayenne, and his daughter Adela (aka Ela) married William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey.

Notes 1.^ DeBacker, D. M., Gathering Leaves , ( Lulu.com, 2008), 254.

Child of William and Helie Burgundy is: 704842744 i. Guy II of Ponthieu

Generation No. 32

2819369862. William of Burgundy, born 1040; died 1087. He married 2819369863. Stephanie Etienette de Longwy.

2819369863. Stephanie Etienette de Longwy, born 1040; died 1088. She was the daughter of 5638739726. Adelbert of Upper Lorraine and 5638739727. Clemence de Foix.

Child of William Burgundy and Stephanie de Longwy is:

1409684931i. Sybille de Bourgogne, born 1065; died 1102; married Eudes Borel of Burgundy

2819370752. Geoffrey d'Anjou Gastinois, born 1000; died 1046. He was the son of 5638741504. Geoffrey de Gastinois and 5638741505. Beatrice de Macon. He married 2819370753. Ermengarde of Anjou.

2819370753. Ermengarde of Anjou, born 1018; died 1076. She was the daughter of 5638741506. Foulques of Anjou and 5638741507. Hildegarde of Anjou.

Child of Geoffrey Gastinois and Ermengarde Anjou is:

1409685376i. Foulques d'Anjou, born 1043; married Bertrade de Montfort

2819370754. Simon de Montfort, born 1014; died 1087. He was the son of 5638741508. Amauri de Montfort and 5638741509. Bertrade de Gometz. He married 2819370755. Agnes d'Evreux.

2819370755. Agnes d'Evreux, born 1030; died 1116. She was the daughter of 5638741510. Richard d'Evreaux and 5638741511. Adelaide de Toni of Barcelona.

Child of Simon de Montfort and Agnes d'Evreux is:

1409685377i. Bertrade de Montfort, born 1059; died 1117; married Foulques d'Anjou

2819370756. John de la Fleche He married 2819370757. Paola. 2819370757. Paola

Child of John de la Fleche and Paola is:

1409685378i. Elias Helie de Maine, married Matilde de Chateau du Loire

2819370758. Gervase de Chateau du Loire He was the son of 5638741516. Robert de Chateau du Loire. He married 2819370759. Erenburg.

2819370759. Erenburg

Child of Gervase du Loire and Erenburg is:

1409685379i. Matilde de Chateau du Loire, married Elias Helie de Maine

2819370760. Robert de Normandy, born 1000; died 1035. He was the son of 5638741520. Richard of Normandy and 5638741521. Judith of Brittany. He married 2819370761. Harleve Arlette Harlette

de Falais.

2819370761. Harleve Arlette Harlette de Falais, born 1003; died 1050. She was the daughter of 5638741522. Fulbert de Failaise and 5638741523. Duxia de Failaise.

Notes for Robert de Normandy: Robert the Magnificent[1] (French: le Magnifique) (22 June 1000 – 3 July 1035), also called Robert the Devil (French: le Diable), was the Duke of Normandy from 1027 until his death. Owing to uncertainty over the numbering of the Dukes of Normandy he is usually called Robert I, but sometimes Robert II with his ancestor Rollo as Robert I. He was the son of Richard II of Normandy and Judith, daughter of Conan I of Rennes. He was the father of William the Conqueror.

When his father died, his elder brother Richard succeeded, whilst he became Count of Hiémois. When Richard died a year later, there were great suspicions that Robert had Richard murdered, hence his other nickname, "the Devil". He is sometimes identified with the legendary Robert the Devil.[citation needed]

Robert aided King Henry I of France against Henry's rebellious brother and mother, and for his help he was given the territory of the Vexin (1032). He also intervened in the affairs of Flanders, supported his cousin Edward the Confessor, who was then in exile at Robert's court, and sponsored monastic reform in Normandy.

By his mistress, Herleva of Falaise, he was father of the future William I of England (1028–1087). He also had an illegitimate daughter, but the only chronicler to explicitly address the issue, Robert of Torigny, contradicts himself, once indicating that she had a distinct mother from William, elsewhere stating that they shared the same mother. This daughter, Adelaide of Normandy (1030 – c. 1083), married three times: to Enguerrand II, Count of Ponthieu, Lambert II, Count of Lens, and Odo II of Champagne.

After making his illegitimate son William his heir, he set out on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. According to the Gesta Normannorum Ducum he travelled by way of Constantinople, reached Jerusalem, and died on the return journey at Nicaea on 2 July 1035. Some sources attribute his death to poison and date it to 1 or 3 July. His son William, aged about eight, succeeded him.

According to the historian William of Malmesbury, William sent a mission to Constantinople and Nicaea, charging it with bringing his father's body back to be buried in Normandy. Permission was granted, but, having travelled as far as Apulia (Italy) on the return journey, the envoys learned that William himself had meanwhile died. They then decided to re-inter Robert's body in Italy.

Sources 1. "Robert The Devil." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2011. Web. August 14, 2011.

2. "The House of Normandy." English Monarchs. 2005. Web. August 14, 2011. http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/dukes_of_normandy.htm

3. "Person Sheet; Robert the Devil, Duke of Normandy. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Person Sheets. 2001. Web. August 14, 2011.

Notes for Harleve Arlette Harlette de Falais: Herleva (c. 1003 – c. 1050) also known as Herleve,[1] Arlette,[2] Arletta[3] and Arlotte,[4] was the mother of William I of England. She had two other sons, Odo of Bayeux and Robert, Count of Mortain, who became prominent in William's realm.

The background of Herleva and the circumstances of William's birth are shrouded in mystery. The written evidence dates from a generation or two later, and is not entirely consistent. The most commonly accepted version says that she was the daughter of a tanner named Fulbert from the town of Falaise, in Normandy. Translation being somewhat uncertain, Fulbert may instead have been a furrier, embalmer, apothecary, or a person who laid out corpses for burial.[5]

It is argued by some that Herleva's father was not a tanner but rather a member of the burgher class.[6] The idea is supported by the fact that her brothers appear in a later document as attestors for an under-age William. Also, the Count of Flanders later accepted Herleva as a proper guardian for his own daughter. Both facts would be nearly impossible if Herleva's father (and therefore her brothers) was a tanner, which would place his standing as little more than a peasant.

Orderic Vitalis described Herleva's father Fulbert as being the Duke's Chamberlain (cubicularii ducis).[7][8]

According to one legend, still recounted by tour guides at Falaise, it all started when Robert, the young Duke of Normandy saw Herleva from the roof of his castle tower. The walkway on the roof still looks down on the dyeing trenches cut into stone in the courtyard below, which can be seen to this day from the tower ramparts above. The traditional way of dyeing leather or garments was for individuals to trample barefoot on the garments which were awash in the dyeing liquid in these trenches. Herleva, legend goes, seeing the Duke on his ramparts above, raised her skirts perhaps a bit more than necessary in order to attract the Duke's eye. The latter was immediately smitten and ordered her brought in (as was customary for any woman that caught the Duke's eye) through the back door. Herleva refused, saying she would only enter the Duke's castle on horseback through the front gate, and not as an ordinary commoner. The Duke, filled with lust, could only agree. In a few days, Herleva, dressed in the finest her father could provide, and sitting on a white horse, rode proudly through the front gate, her head held high. This gave Herleva a semi-official status as the Duke's mistress.

She later gave birth to his son, William, in 1027 or 1028, and probably a daughter, Adelaide, in 1030.

Marriage to Herluin de Conteville Herleva later married Herluin de Conteville in 1031. Some accounts however, maintain that Robert always loved her, but the gap in their social status made marriage impossible, so, to give her a good life, he married her off to one of his favourite noblemen.[citation needed]

Another source suggests that Herleva did not marry Herluin until after Robert died because there is no record of Robert ensuing another relationship, whereas Herluin married another woman, Fredesendis, by the time he founded the abbey of Grestain.[9]

From her marriage to Herluin she had two sons: Odo, who later became Bishop of Bayeux, and Robert, who became Count of Mortain. Both became prominent during William's reign. They also had at least two daughters, Emma, who married Richard LeGoz (de Averanches), and a daughter of unknown name who married William, lord of la Ferté-Macé.[10]

Death According to Robert of Torigni, Herleva was buried at the abbey of Grestain, which was founded by Herluin and their son Robert around 1050. This would put Herleva in her forties around the time of her death. However, David C. Douglas suggests that Herleva probably died before Herluin founded the abbey because her name does not appear on the list of benefactors, whereas the name of Herluin's second wife, Fredesendis, does.[11]

References 1.^ Douglas, David C. William the Conqueror (1964), p. 15 2.^ Freeman, Edward A. The History of the Norman Conquest (1867), p. 530 3.^ Palgrave, Sir Francis. The History of Normandy and of England (1864), p. 145 4.^ Abbott, Jacob. William the Conqueror (1903), p. 41 5.^ van Houts, Elisabeth M. C., 'The Origins of Herleva, Mother of William the Conqueror', English Historical Review, vol. 101, pp. 399-404 (1986) 6.^ McLynn, Frank. 1066: The Year of the Three Battles. pp. 21-23 (1999) ISBN 0-7126-6672-9 7.^ van Houts, Elisabeth M. C., 'The Origins of Herleva, Mother of William the Conqueror', English Historical Review, vol. 101, pp. 399-404 (1986) 8.^ Crouch, David 'The Normans- The History of a Dynasty' Hambledon 2002 at pp 52-53 and p58 9.^ "Norman Nobility". Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. Retrieved on 2009-07-30. 10.^ Douglas 1964, p. 381 11.^ Douglas 1964, p. 382

Child of Robert de Normandy and Harleve de Falais is:

1409685380i. William I "The Conqueror", King of England, born 1027; died 1087; married Matilda Maude de Flanders

2819370762. Badouin de Flanders, born 1012; died 1067. He was the son of 5638741524. Badouin IV and 5638741525. Otgiva. He married 2819370763. Adela Capet of France.

2819370763. Adela Capet of France, born 1009; died 1079. She was the daughter of 5638741526. Robert Capet II, King of France and 5638741527. Constance de Toulouse.

Notes for Badouin de Flanders: Baldwin V of Flanders (19 August 1012 – 1 September 1067) was Count of Flanders from 1035 until his death.

He was the son of Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders, who died in 1035.

In 1028 Baldwin married Adèle of France in Amiens, daughter of King Robert II of France; at her instigation he rebelled against his father but in 1030 peace was sworn and the old count continued to rule until his death.

During a long war (1046–1056) as an ally of Godfrey the Bearded, Duke of Lorraine, against the Holy Roman Emperor Henry III, he initially lost Valenciennes to Hermann of Hainaut. However, when the latter died in 1051 Baldwin married his son Baldwin VI to Herman's widow Richildis and arranged that the sons of her first marriage were disinherited, thus de facto uniting the County of Hainaut with Flanders. Upon the death of Henry III this marriage was acknowledged by treaty by Agnes de Poitou, mother and regent of Henry IV. Baldwin V played host to a grateful dowager queen Emma of England, during her enforced exile, at Bruges. He supplied armed security guards, entertainment, comprising a band of minstrels. Bruges was a bustling commercial centre, and Emma fittingly grateful to the citizens. She dispensed generously to the poor, making contact with the monastery of Saint Bertin at St Omer, and received her son, King Harthacnut of England at Bruges in 1039.[1]

From 1060 to 1067 Baldwin was the co-Regent with Anne of Kiev for his nephew-by-marriage Philip I of France, indicating the importance he had acquired in international politics. As Count of Maine, Baldwin supported the King of France in most affairs. But he was also father-in-law to William of Normandy, who had married his daughter Matilda. Flanders played a pivotal role in Edward the Confessor's foreign policy. As the King of England was struggling to find an heir: historians have argued that he may have sent Harold Godwinsson to negotiate the return of Edward the Atheling from Hungary, and passed through Flanders, on his way to Germany.[2] Baldwin's half-sister had married scheming Earl Godwin's third son, Tostig. The half-Viking Godwinsons had spent their exile in Dublin, at a time William of Normandy was fiercely defending his duchy. It is unlikely however that Baldwin intervened to

prevent the duke's invasion plans of England, after the Count had lost the conquered province of Ponthieu.[3] By 1066, Baldwin was an old man, and died the following year.

Family:

Baldwin and Adèle had five children:

Baldwin VI, 1030-1070 Matilda, c.1031-1083 who married William the Conqueror Robert I of Flanders, c.1033–1093 Henry of Flanders c.1035 poss. Sir Richard of Flanders c. 1050-1105

References 1.^ Encomium Emmae Reginae 2.^ Wood, 28 3.^ Wood, 131

Bibliography Wood, Harriet H, The Battle of Hastings: The Fall of Anglo-Saxon England Atlandtic Books, London 2008 Tanner, Heather J, Families, Friends and Allies: Boulogne and Politics in Northern France and England, C.879-1160 Stenton, Sir Frank, Anglo-Saxon England The Oxford History of England, Clarendon Press, 1962 Orderic Vitalis, The Ecclesiastical History book III & IV, (vol.II), ed. and trans. Marjorie Chibnall, Oxford Medieval Texts, OUP 2002 Encomium Emma Reginae ed. Alistair Campbell, CUP, 1998

Notes for Adela Capet of France: Adela Capet, Adèle of France or Adela of Flanders[1], known also as Adela the Holy or Adela of Messines; (1009 – 8 January 1079, Messines) was the second daughter of Robert II (the Pious), and Constance of Arles. As dowry to her future husband, she received from her father the title of Countess of Corbie.

She was a member of the House of Capet, the rulers of France. As the wife of Baldwin V, she was Countess of Flanders from 1036 to 1067.

She married first 1027 Richard III Duke of Normandy (997 † 1027). They never had children. As a widow, she remarried in 1028 in Paris to Baldwin V of Flanders (1012 † 1067). Their children were:

Baldwin VI of Flanders, (1030 † 1070) Matilda of Flanders (1032 † 1083). In 1053 she married William Duke of Normandy, the future king of England Robert I of Flanders, (1033-1093) Henry of Flanders (c. 1035) Sir Richard of Flanders (c. 1050-1105)

Political influence Adèle‘s influence lay mainly in her family connections. On the death of her brother, Henry I of France, the guardianship of his seven-year-old son Philip I fell jointly on his widow, Ann of Kiev, and on his brother-in-law, Adela's husband, so that from 1060 to 1067, they were Regents of France.

Battle of Cassel (1071)When Adela's third son, Robert the Frisian, was to invade Flanders in 1071 to become the new count (at that time the count was Adela's grandson, Arnulf III), she asked Philip I to stop him. Philip sent troops in order to aid Arnulf, being among the forces sent by the king a contingent of ten Norman knights led by William FitzOsborn. Robert's forces attacked Arnulf's numerically superior army at Cassel before it could organize, and Arnulf himself was killed along with William FitzOsborn. The overwhelming triumph of Robert made Philip invest him with Flanders, making the peace. A year later, Philip married Robert's stepdaughter, Bertha of Holland, and in 1074, Philip restored the seigneurie of Corbie to the crown.

Church influence Adèle had an especially great interest in Baldwin V‘s church-reform politics and was behind her husband‘s founding of several collegiate churches. Directly or indirectly, she was responsible for establishing the Colleges of Aire (1049), Lille (1050) and Harelbeke (1064) as well as the abbeys of Messines (1057) and Ename (1063). After Baldwin‘s death in 1067, she went to Rome, took the nun‘s veil from the hands of Pope Alexander II and retreated to the Benedictine convent of Messines, near Ypres. There she died, being buried at the same monastery. Honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, her commemoration day is 8 September.

Child of Badouin de Flanders and Adela France is:

1409685381i. Matilda Maude de Flanders, born Abt. 1031; died 1083; married (1) William I "The Conqueror", King of

England

2819370764. Duncan `the Gracious' MacCrinan of Scotland I, born 1004. He was the son of 5638741528. Crinan (Grimus) `the Thane' of Atholl and 5638741529. Bethoc (Beatrix) MacKenneth of Scotland. He married 2819370765. Aelflaed (Sybil Biornsson) of Northumbria.

2819370765. Aelflaed (Sybil Biornsson) of Northumbria, born 1009; died 1045.

Notes for Duncan `the Gracious' MacCrin

an of Scotland I: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Donnchad mac Crínáin (Modern Gaelic: Donnchadh mac Crìonain;[2] anglicised as Duncan I, and nicknamed An t-Ilgarach, "the Diseased" or "the Sick";[3] ca. 1001 – 14 August 1040)[1] was king of Scotland (Alba) from 1034 to 1040. He was son of Crínán, hereditary lay abbot of Dunkeld, and Bethóc, daughter of king Malcolm II of Scotland (Máel Coluim mac Cináeda).

Unlike the "King Duncan" of Shakespeare's Macbeth, the historical Duncan appears to have been a young man. He followed his grandfather Malcolm as king after the latter's death on 25 November 1034, without apparent opposition. He may have been Malcolm's acknowledged successor or tánaise as the succession appears to have been uneventful.[4] Earlier histories, following John of Fordun, supposed that Duncan had been king of Strathclyde in his grandfather's lifetime, between 1018 and 1034, ruling the former Kingdom of Strathclyde as an appanage. Modern historians discount this idea.[5]

An earlier source, a variant of the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba (CK-I), gives Duncan's wife the Gaelic name Suthen.[6] Whatever his wife's name may have been, Duncan had at least two sons. The eldest, Malcolm III (Máel Coluim mac Donnchada) was king from 1057 to 1093, the second Donald III (Domnall Bán, or "Donalbane") was king afterwards. Máel Muire, Earl of Atholl is a possible third son of Duncan, although this is uncertain.[7]

The early period of Duncan's reign was apparently uneventful, perhaps a consequence of his youth. Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findláich) is recorded as his dux, literally duke, but in the context — "dukes of Francia" had half a century before replaced the Carolingian kings of the Franks and in England the over-mighty Godwin of Wessex was called a dux — this suggests that Macbeth was the power behind the throne.[8]

In 1039, Duncan led a large Scots army south to besiege Durham, but the expedition ended in disaster. Duncan survived, but the following year he led an army north into Moray, traditionally seen as Macbeth's domain. There he was killed in action, at Bothganowan, now Pitgaveny, near Elgin, by his own men led by Macbeth, probably on 14 August 1040.[9] He is thought to have been buried at Elgin[10] before later relocated to the Isle of Iona.

Depictions in fiction Duncan is depicted as an elderly King in Macbeth by William Shakespeare. He is killed in his sleep by the protagonist, Macbeth. In the animated television series Gargoyles he is depicted

as a weak and conniving king who assassinates those who he believes threaten his rule. He even tries to assassinate Macbeth. However like in actual history he is killed in battle.

Notes 1.^ a b Broun, "Duncan I (d. 1040)". 2.^ Donnchad mac Crínáin is the Mediaeval Gaelic form. 3.^ Skene, Chronicles, p. 101. 4.^ Duncan, Kingship of the Scots, p. 33. 5.^ Duncan, Kingship of the Scots, p. 40. 6.^ Duncan, Kingship of the Scots, p. 37. 7.^ Oram, David I, p. 233, n. 26: the identification is from the Orkneyinga saga but Máel Muire's grandson Máel Coluim, Earl of Atholl is known to have married Donald III's granddaughter Hextilda. 8.^ Duncan, Kingship of the Scots, pp. 33–34. 9.^ Broun, "Duncan I (d. 1040)"; the date is from Marianus Scotus and the killing is recorded by the Annals of Tigernach. 10.^ "I Never Knew That About Scotland", Christopher Winn, p. 165.

References

Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History AD 500 to 1286, volume one. Republished with corrections, Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. ISBN 1-871615-03-8 Broun, Dauvit, "Duncan I (d. 1040)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 15 May 2007 Duncan, A. A. M., The Kingship of the Scots 842–1292: Succession and Independence. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2002. ISBN 0-7486-1626-8 Oram, Richard, David I: The King Who Made Scotland. Tempus, Stroud, 2004. ISBN 0-7524-2825-X

Child of Duncan Scotland and Aelflaed Northumbria is:

1409685382i. Malcolm III MacDuncan Canmore of Scotland, born 1031; died 1093; married Saint Margaret of Scotland

2819370766. Edward the Exile, born 1016; died 1057. He was the son of 5638741532. Edmund II "Ironside" and 5638741533. Edith (Ealdgyth). He married 2819370767. Agatha Von Braunchweig.

2819370767. Agatha Von Braunchweig, born 1025 in Hungary; died 1070. She was the daughter of 5638741534. Liudolf and 5638741535. Gertrud of Nordgau.

Notes for Edward the Exile: Edward the Exile (1016 – Late August 1057), also called Edward Ætheling, son of King Edmund Ironside and of Ealdgyth. After the Danish conquest of England in 1016 Canute had him and his brother, Edmund, exiled to the Continent. Edward was only a few months old when he and his brother were brought to the court of Olof Skötkonung, (who was either Canute's half-brother or stepbrother), with instructions to have the children murdered. Instead, the two boys were secretly sent to Kiev, where Olof's daughter Ingigerd was the Queen. Later Edward made his way to Hungary, probably in the retinue of Ingigerd's son-in-law, András in 1046, whom he supported in his successful bid for the Hungarian throne.

On hearing the news of his being alive, Edward the Confessor recalled him to England in 1056 and made him his heir. Edward offered the last chance of an undisputed succession within the Saxon royal house. News of Edward's existence came at time when the old Anglo-Saxon Monarchy, restored after a long period of Danish domination, was heading for catastrophe. The Confessor, personally devout but politically weak, was unable to make an effective stand against the steady advance of the powerful and ambitious sons of Godwin, Earl of Wessex. From across the Channel William, Duke of Normandy also had an eye on the succession. Edward the Exile appeared at just the right time. Approved by both king and by the Witan, the Council of the Realm, he offered a way out of the impasse, a counter both to the Godwins and to William, and one with a legitimacy that could not be readily challenged.

Edward, who had been in the custody of Henry III, the Holy Roman Emperor, finally came back to England at the end of August 1057. But he died within two days of his arrival. The exact cause of Edward's death remains unclear, but he had many powerful enemies, and there is a strong possibility that he was murdered, although by whom is not known with any certainty. It is known, though, that his access to the king was blocked soon after his arrival in

England for some unexplained reason, at a time when the Godwins, in the person of Harold Godwinson, were once again in the ascendant. This turn of events left the throne of England to be disputed by Earl Harold and Duke William, ultimately leading to the Norman Conquest of England.

Edward's wife was a woman named Agatha, whose origins are disputed. Their children were Edgar Ætheling, Saint Margaret of Scotland and Cristina. Edgar was nominated as heir apparent, but was too young to count for much, and was eventually swept aside by Harold Godwinson. Edward's grandchild Edith of Scotland, also called Matilda, married King Henry I of England, continuing the Anglo-Saxon line into the post-Conquest English monarchy.

References Gabriel Ronay, The lost King of England : the East European adventures of Edward the Exile, Woodbridge, Suffolk ; Wolfeboro, N.H., USA : Boydell Press, 1989, ISBN 0-85115-541-3, pp. 109–121 [1]

Notes for Agatha Von Braunchweig: Agatha was the wife of Edward the Exile (heir to the throne of England) and mother of Edgar Ætheling, Saint Margaret of Scotland and Cristina of England. Her antecedents are unclear, and subject to much speculation.

Nothing is known of her early life, and what speculation has appeared is inextricably linked to the contentious issue of Agatha's paternity, one of the unresolved questions of medieval genealogy. She came to England with her husband and children in 1057, but she was widowed shortly after her arrival. Following the Norman conquest of England, in 1067 she fled with her children to Scotland, finding refuge under her future son-in-law Malcolm III. While one modern source indicates that she spent her last years as a nun at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, dying before circa 1093,[1] Simeon of Durham [2] carries what appears to be the last reference to her in 1070.[3]

Origin

Agatha's origin is alluded to in numerous surviving medieval sources, but the information they provide is sometimes imprecise, often contradictory, and occasionally outright impossible. The earliest surviving source, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, along with Florence of Worcester's Chronicon ex chronicis and Regalis prosapia Anglorum, Simeon of Durham and Ailred of Rievaulx describe Agatha as a kinswoman of "Emperor Henry" (thaes ceseres maga, filia germani imperatoris Henrici). In an earlier entry, the same Ailred of Rievaulx had called her daughter of emperor Henry, as do later sources of dubious credibility such as the Chronicle of Melrose Abbey, while Matthew of Paris calls her the emperor's sister (soror Henrici imperatoris Romani). Geoffrey Gaimar in Lestoire des Engles states that she was daughter of the Hungarian king and queen (Li reis sa fille), although he places the marriage at a time when Edward is thought still to have been in Kiev, while Orderic Vitalis in Historiae Ecclesiasticae is more specific, naming her father as king Solomon (filiam Salomonis Regis Hunorum), actually a contemporary of Agatha's children. William of Malmesbury in De Gestis Regis Anglorum states that Agatha's sister was a Queen of Hungary (reginae sororem) and is echoed in this by Alberic of Trois-Fontaines, while less precisely, Ailred says of Margaret that she was derived from English and Hungarian royal blood (de semine regio Anglorum et Hungariorum extitit oriunda). Finally, Roger of Howden and the anonymous Leges Edwardi Confessoris indicate that while Edward was a guest of Kievan "king Malesclodus" he married a woman of noble birth (nobili progenio), Leges adding that the mother of St. Margaret was of Rus royal blood (ex genere et sanguine regum Rugorum).[4]

Onomastics Onomastic analysis has also been brought to bear on the question. The name Agatha itself is rare in western Europe at this time. Likewise, those of her children and grandchildren are drawn either from the pool of Anglo-Saxon names expected given her husband's connection to the Wessex royal family, or names not typical of western Europe, and hence speculated to derive from Agatha's eastern European ancestry. Specifically, her own name, the names of daughters Cristina and Margaret, and those of grandchildren Alexander, David I, and Mary, have been used as possible indicators of her origins.

While various sources repeat the claims that Agatha was daughter or sister of either Emperor Henry, it seems unlikely that such a sibling or daughter would have been ignored by the German chroniclers.[5]

The description of Agatha as a blood relative of "Emperor Henry" may be applicable to a niece of either Henry II or

Henry III, Holy Roman Emperors (although Florence, in Regalis prosapia Anglorum specifies Henry III). Early attempts at reconstructing the relationship focused on the former. Georgio Pray 1764, Annales Regum Hungariae), P.F. Suhm (1777, Geschichte Dänmarks, Norwegen und Holsteins) and Istvan Katona (1779, Historia Critica Regum Hungariae) each suggested that Agatha was daughter of Henry II's brother Bruno of Augsburg (an ecclesiastic described as beatae memoriae, with no known issue), while Daniel Cornides (1778, Regum Hungariae) tried to harmonise the German and Hungarian claims, making Agatha daughter of Henry II's sister Giselle of Bavaria, wife of Stephen I of Hungary.[6] This solution remained popular among scholars through a good part of twentieth century.[7]

As tempting as it may be to thus view St. Margaret as a granddaughter of another famous saint, Stephen of Hungary, this popular solution fails to explain why Stephen's death triggered a dynastic crisis in Hungary. If St. Stephen and Giselle were indeed Agatha's parents, her offspring might have succeeded to the Hungarian crown and the dynastic strife that followed Stephen's death could have been averted. Actually, there is no indication in Hungarian sources that any of Stephen's children outlived him. Likewise, all of the solutions involving Henry II would seem to make Agatha much older than her husband, and prohibitively old at the time of the birth of her son, Edgar.

Based on a more strict translation of the Latin description used by Florence and others as well as the supposition that Henry III was the Emperor designated in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, genealogist Szabolcs de Vajay popularised another idea first suggested in 1939. In that year, Joszef Herzog published an analysis suggesting that Agatha was daughter of one of the half-brothers of Henry III, born to his mother Gisela of Swabia by one of her earlier marriages to Ernest I of Swabia and Bruno of Brunswick, probably the former based on more favourable chronology.[8] De Vajay reevaluated the chronology of the marriages and children of Gisela and concluded that Agatha was the daughter of Henry III's elder (uterine) half-brother, Liudolf, Margrave of Frisia.[9] This theory saw broad acceptance for thirty years [10] until René Jetté resurrected a Kievan solution to the problem,[11] since which time opinion has been divided among several competing possibilities.[12]

Kievan theory Jetté pointed out that William of Malmesbury in De Gestis Regis Anglorum and several later chronicles unambiguously state that Agatha's sister was a Queen of Hungary. From what we know about the biography of Edward the Exile, he loyally supported Andrew I of Hungary, following him from Kiev to Hungary in 1046 and staying at his court for many years. Andrew's wife and queen was Anastasia, a daughter of Yaroslav the Wise of Kiev by Ingigerd of Sweden. Following Jetté's logic, Edward's wife was another daughter of Yaroslav.

11th-century fresco representing the daughters of Yaroslav I.This theory accords with the seemingly incongruous statements of Geoffrey Gaimar and Roger of Howden that, while living in Kiev, Edward took a nativeborn wife "of noble parentage" or that his father-in-law was a "Rus king".[13]

Jetté's theory seems to be supported by an onomastic argument.[14] Among the medieval royalty, Agatha's rare Greek name is first recorded in the Macedonian dynasty of Byzantium; it was also one of the most frequent feminine names in the Kievan Rurikid dynasty.[15] After Anna of Byzantium married Yaroslav's father, he took the Christian name of the reigning emperor, Basil II, while some members of his family were named after other members of the imperial dynasty. Agatha could have been one of these.[16]

The names of Agatha's immediate descendants—Margaret, Cristina, David, Alexander—were likewise extraordinary for Anglo-Saxon Britain. They may provide a clue to Agatha's origin. The names Margaret and Cristina are today associated with Sweden, the native country of Yaroslav's wife Ingigerd.[17] The name of Margaret's son, David, obviously echoes that of Solomon, the son and heir of Andrew I.[18] Furthermore, the first saint of the Rus (canonized ca. 1073) was Yaroslav's brother Gleb, whose Christian name was David.

The name of Margaret's other son, Alexander, may point to a variety of traditions, both occidental and oriental: the biography of Alexander the Great was one of the most popular books in eleventh-century Kiev.

One inference from the Kievan theory is that Edgar Atheling and St. Margaret were, through their mother, first cousins of Philip I of France. The connection is too notable to be omitted from contemporary sources, yet we have no indication that medieval chroniclers were aware of it. The argumentum ex silentio leads critics of the Kievan

theory to search for alternative explanations.

Bulgarian theory In response to the recent flurry of activity on the subject, Ian Mladjov reevaluated the question and presented a completely novel solution.[19] He dismissed each of the prior theories in turn as insufficiently grounded and incompatible given the historical record, and further suggested that many of the proposed solutions would have resulted in later marriages that fell within the prohibited degrees of kinship. He argued that the documentary testimony of Agatha's origins is tainted or late, and concurred with Humphreys' evaluation that the names of the children and grandchildren of Agatha, so central to prior reevaluations, may have had non-family origins (for example, Pope Alexander II played a critical role in the marriage of Malcolm and Margaret). However, he then focused in on the name of Agatha as being critical to determining her origin. He concluded that of the few contemporary Agathas, only one could possibly have been an ancestor of the wife of Edward the Exile, Agatha,[20] wife of Samuel of Bulgaria. Some of the other names associated with Agatha and used to corroborate theories based in onomastics are also readily available within the Bulgarian ruling family at the time, including Mary and several Davids. Mladjov inferred that Agatha was daughter of Gavril Radomir, Tsar of Bulgaria, Agatha's son, by his first wife, a Hungarian princess thought to have been the daughter of Duke Géza of Hungary. This hypothesis has Agatha born in Hungary after her parents divorced, her mother being pregnant when she left Bulgaria, and naming her daughter after the mother of the prince who had expelled her. Traditional dates of this divorce would seem to preclude the suggested relationship, but the article re-examined some long-standing assumptions about the chronology of Gavril Radomir's marriage to the Hungarian princess, and concludes that its dating to the late 980s is unsupportable, and its dissolution belongs in c. 1009-1014. The argument is based almost exclusively on the onomastic precedent but is said to vindicate the intimate connection between Agatha and Hungary attested in the Medieval sources. Mladjov speculates further that the medieval testimony could largely be harmonized were one to posit that Agatha's mother was the same Hungarian princess who married Samuel Aba of Hungary, his family fleeing to Kiev after his downfall, thereby allowing a Russian marriage for Agatha.

This solution fails to conform with any of the relationships appearing in the primary record. It is inferred that the relative familiarity with Germany and unfamiliarity with Hungary partly distorted the depiction of Agatha in the English sources; her actual position would have been that of a daughter of the (unnamed) sister of the King of Hungary (Stephen I), himself the brother-in-law of the Holy Roman Emperor (Henry II, and therefore kinsman of Henry III).

Other theoriesIn 2002, in an article meant not only to refute the Kievan hypothesis, but also to broaden the consideration of possible alternatives beyond the competing German Imperial and Kievan reconstructions, John Carmi Parsons presented a novel theory. He pointed out that the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle represents the earliest surviving testimony, and argues that it was probably well informed in reporting an Imperial kinship. He proposed that Agatha might be daughter of a documented German Count Cristinus (explaining the name Christina for Agatha's daughter) by Oda of Haldensleben, hypothesized to be maternal granddaughter of Vladimir I of Kiev by a German kinswoman of Emperor Henry III. Parsons also noted that Edward could have married twice, with the contradictory primary record in part reflecting confusion between distinct wives.[21] Recently, a Polish hypothesis has appeared. John P. Ravilious has proposed that Agatha was daughter of Mieszko II Lambert of Poland by his German wife, making her kinswoman of both Emperors Henry, as well as sister of a Hungarian queen, the wife of Béla I.[22]

Notes and references 1.^ Complete Genealogy of the House of Rurik 2.^ Historia Regum, vol.II, pp.190-192 3.^ Foundations(Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy), vol.1, no.4, July 2004, pps.302-303, ISSN 1479-5078 4.^ René Jetté. "Is the Mystery of the Origins of Agatha, Wife of Edward the Exile, Finally Solved?", in New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 150 (October 1996), pp. 417-432; Gabriel Ronay, The lost King of England : the East European adventures of Edward the Exile,

Woodbridge, Suffolk ; Wolfeboro, N.H., USA : Boydell Press, 1989, ISBN 0-85115-541-3, pp. 109-121. 5.^ Edward Augustus Freeman, The History of the Norman Conquest: its causes and its results, Third Edition, Revised, Oxford:Clarendon Press, 1877, pp. 668-673. 6.^ Ronay, The lost King of England, pp. 109-121.

7.^ e.g. Sandor Fest, "The sons of Edmund Ironside Anglo-Saxon King at the Court of St. Stephen", in Archivum Europae Centro-Orientalis vol. 4 (1938), pp. 115-145; G. Andrews Moriarty, "Agatha, wife of the Atheling Eadward", in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 106 (1952), pp. 52-60; Gregory Lauder-Frost, "Agatha-The Ancestry Dispute", in The Scottish Genealogist, Vol. 49, No.3 (September 2002), pp. 71-72. 8.^ Jozsef Herzog, "Skóciai Szent Margit származásának kérdése" [The problem of St Margaret of Scotland's Scottish origins], in Turul vol. 53 (1939), pp. 1-42; Marcellus D. R. von Redlich, "The Parentage of Agatha, Wife of Prince Edward the Exile", National Genealogical Society Quarterly, vol. 28 (1940), pp. 105-109; G. Andrews Moriarty, "Agatha, wife of the Atheling Eadward", in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 106 (1952), pp. 52-60; Szabolcs de Vajay. "Agatha, Mother St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland", in Duquesne Review, vol. 7, no. 2 (Spring 1962), pp. 71-80; Gábor Klaniczay, Holy rulers and blessed princesses: dynastic cults in medieval central Europe, Cambridge University Press, 2002, p. 132-133 [1] 9.^ Szabolcs de Vajay. "Agatha, Mother St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland", in Duquesne Review, vol. 7, no. 2 (Spring 1962), pp. 71-80. 10.^ e.g. Ronay, The lost King of England; Frederick Lewis Weis, Ancestral Roots fo Sixty Colonists who came to New England between 1623 and 1650, sixth edition, Walter Lee Sheppard, ed., p. 3. 11.^ René Jetté, "Is the Mystery of the Origins of Agatha, Wife of Edward the Exile, Finally Solved?", in New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 150 (October 1996): 417-432. 12.^ David Faris and Douglas Richardson supported the Liudolf connection, "The Origin of Agatha-The Debate Continues: The Parents of Agatha, Wife of Edward The Exile" in New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 152, (April 1998). Norman Ingham supported Jetté in two articles: "A Slavist's View of Agatha, Wife of Edward the Exile, as a Possible Daughter of Yaroslav the Wise" in New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 152 (1998), pp. 216-23; "Has a Missing Daughter of Iaroslav Mudryi Been Found?" in Russian History, vol. 25 (1998 [pub. 1999]), pp. 231-70. Gregory Lauder-Frost, summarized numerous early sources and the various theories: "Agatha-The Ancestry Dispute", in The Scottish Genealogist, Vol. 49, No.3 (September 2002), pp. 71-72. He follows Moriarty in discounting the Herzog/de Vajay theories, both leaning towards Saint Stephen as her father. 13.^ It has been suggested that Agatha is one of four or five Yaroslav's daughters represented next to him in the famous eleventh-century fresco in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. It is known that Yaroslav's other daughters married Henry I of France and Harald III of Norway. At the time of their marriages, both Harald and Andrew were, just like Edward, the landless pretenders to foreign thrones, who found shelter and support in distant but powerful Kiev. 14.^ Pointedly criticized by John Carmi Parsons in his article "Edward the Aetheling's Wife, Agatha", in The Plantagenet Connection, Summer/Winter 2002, pp. 31-54. Donald C. Jackman, "A Greco-Roman Onomastic Fund", in Onomastique et Parente dans l'Occident medieval, Prosographica et Genealogica, Vol. 3 (2000), pp. 14-56, shows several genealogical groupings of individuals in Germany at this time, including Agatha, with seemingly Eastern names. He indicates several possible sources (e.g. the marriages of Emperor Otto II and of Vladimir I of Kiev, and the supposed marriage of Emperor Louis the Blind, to Byzantine brides) for the introduction of these names into the western European dynasties. 15.^ ?.?. ???????, ?.?. ?????????. ????? ????? ? ??????? ?????? ? X-XVI ??.: ????????????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?????????????. Moscow: Indrik, 2006. ISBN 5-85759-339-5. Page 463. 16.^ According to one theory, Agatha was not a daughter but sister of Yaroslav. Indeed, the last wife of Yaroslav's father, Vladimir I, seems to have been a German princess, who could have been described as "filia germani imperatoris Henrici". It is generally accepted that their daughter Dobronega married Casimir I of Poland about the same year when Edward is thought to have married Agatha (judging by the date when their eldest child was born). If Agatha was Yaroslav's sister (rather than daughter as Jette thought), she would still have close ties to the Hungarian royal family. For instance, one of Yaroslav's sisters was the wife of Ladislas the Bald, a paternal uncle of Andrew I. 17.^ It has been argued that Ingigerd's original Christian name was Margaret. Whatever the truth, the names Margaret and Cristina were not explicitly recorded in Sweden before the twelfth century. For details, see: ?.?. ?????????. ??????????-??????-????: ????????-?????????????? ??????. Moscow, 2002. Pages 60-61. 18.^ Andrew's second son was actually named David. Current scholarship

traces these names to the famous oration of Ilarion of Kiev, in which he likened Vladimir (i.e., grandfather of Andrew's wife) to the victorious David and Yaroslav (i.e., Andrew's father-in-law) to the wise Solomon. The comparison became so popular that later historians assigned to Yaroslav the sobriquet "Wise". 19.^ Mladjov, Ian. "Reconsidering Agatha, Wife of Eadward the Exile", in The Plantagenet Connection, vol. 11, Summer/Winter 2003, pp. 1-85. See also a summary in "The Bulgarian Descent of HM Simeon II", in Sega: April

13, 2002 and here. 20.^ Her father was a Dyrrachian notable, Ioannes Khrysilios. 21.^ Parsons, "Edward the Aetheling's Wife, Agatha", pp 52-54. 22.^ John P. Ravilious, "The Ancestry of Agatha, Mother of St. Margaret of Scotland", The Scottish Genealogist, vol. 56, pp. 70-84.

Child of Edward Exile and Agatha Von Braunchweig is:

1409685383i. Saint Margaret of Scotland, born 1045; died 1093; married Malcolm III MacDuncan Canmore of Scotland

2819370774. Robert de Montaigne, born 1031; died 1095. He married 2819370775. Maude de Montgomery.

2819370775. Maude de Montgomery, born 1041; died 1107. She was the daughter of 5638741550. Roger de Montgomery de Shrewsbury and 5638741551. Mabel Taivas de Bellame.

Child of Robert de Montaigne and Maude de Montgomery is:

1409685387i. Mathilde de Toulouse, born 1058; died 1117; married Raymond de Toulouse

2819370776. Hughes de la Roche Foucauld, born 1020; died 1050. He was the son of 5638741552. Foucauld de la Roche and 5638741553. Gersende de Chatellerault. He married 2819370777. Gerberge de Chatelleault.

2819370777. Gerberge de Chatelleault, born 1034; died 1050.

Child of Hughes Foucauld and Gerberge de Chatelleault is:

1409685388i. Chbhtelibbrhault Boson, born 1050; died 1075; married Eleanor de Thours

2819370778. Aimery von Thouars, born 1015; died 1093. He was the son of 5638741556. Geoffroi de Thours and 5638741557. Aenor de Thours. He married 2819370779. Auremgarde de Mouloon.

2819370779. Auremgarde de Mouloon, born 1017; died 1054.

Child of Aimery von Thouars and Auremgarde de Mouloon is:

1409685389i. Eleanor de Thours, born 1054; died 1075; married Chbhtelibbrhault Boson

2819370780. Archimbard de Bouchard He was the son of 5638741560. Hughes d'Isle Bouchard. He married 2819370781. Agnes de l'isle Bouchard.

2819370781. Agnes de l'isle Bouchard

Child of Archimbard de Bouchard and Agnes Bouchard is:

1409685390i. Barthelemy d'Isle Bouchard, married Gerberge

2819370806. WilliamI, Count of Burgundy, born 1020; died 1087. He was the son of 5638741612. ReginaldI, Count of Burgundy and 5638741613. Alice of Normandy. He married 2819370807.

Stephanie.

2819370807. Stephanie

Notes for WilliamI, Count of Burgundy: William I (1020 – 12 November 1087), called the Great (le Grand or Tête Hardie, "the Rash"), was Count of Burgundy and Mâcon from 1057 to 1087. He was a son of Renaud I and Alice of Normandy, daughter of Richard II, Duke of Normandy. William was the father of several notable children, including Pope Callixtus II.

In 1057, he succeeded his father and reigned over a territory larger than that of the Franche-Comté itself. In 1087, he died in Besançon and was buried there in the cathedral of St John.

William married a woman named Stephanie.[1]

They had many children:

Renaud II, William's successor, died on First Crusade Stephen I, successor to Renaud II, Stephen died on the Crusade of 1101 Raymond, married (1090) Urraca, the reigning queen of Castile Guy of Vienne, elected pope, in 1119 at the Abbey of Cluny. as Calixtus II Sybilla (or Maud), married (1080) Eudes I of Burgundy Gisela of Burgundy, married (1090) Humbert II of Savoy and then Renier I of Montferrat William Eudes Hugh III, Archbishop of Besançon Clementia married Robert II, Count of Flanders and was Regent, during his absence. She married secondly Godfrey I, Count of Leuven and was possibly the mother of Joscelin of Louvain. Stephanie married Lambert, Prince de Royans (died 1119) Ermentrude, married (1065) Theodoric I (perhaps) Bertha wife of Alphonso VI of Castile and maybe another daughter

Child of William and Stephanie is:

1409685403i. Gisela of Burgundy, Marchioness of Montferrat, born 1075; died 1135.

2819370976. Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury He married 2819370977. Countess of Ponthieu Agnes.

2819370977. Countess of Ponthieu Agnes She was the daughter of 5638741954. GuyI, Count of Ponthieu.

Notes for Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Robert de Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury (1052–after 1130), also spelled Belleme or Belesme, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman, and one of the most prominent figures in the competition for the succession to England and Normandy between the sons of William the Conqueror. He is also known as Robert II de Montgommery, seigneur of Bellême.

He was the eldest son of Roger of Montgomery, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and Mabel of Belleme.

Robert's first notable act, as a young man, was to take part in the 1077 revolt of the young Robert Curthose against William the Conqueror, an act he shared with many other Norman nobles of his generation. The rebellion was put down and the participants pardonned. William did require that ducal garrisons be placed in the important baronial castles, which would make future rebellion much more difficult.

Robert's mother, Mabel, was killed in 1082, whereupon Robert inherited her property which stretched across the hilly border region between Normandy and Maine. It is due to this early inheritance that Robert has come be known as of Bellême rather than of Montgomery.

William the Conqueror died in 1087 and Robert's first act on hearing the news was to expel the ducal garrisons from his castles. Robert Curthose was the new duke of Normandy, but he was unable to keep order and so Robert of Bellême had a free hand to make war against his less powerful neighbours.

Rebellion of 1088 The next year in the Rebellion of 1088, Odo of Bayeux rebelled in an attempt to place Curthose on the English throne in place of William Rufus. At Curthose's request Robert went to England, where he joined in the rebels' defence of Rochester Castle. The rebels were permitted to leave after the surrender of the castle and failure of the rebellion.

Robert returned to Normandy. Odo had preceded him, had obtained the confidence of the duke, and convinced Curthose that Robert was a danger to the security of the duchy. Thus Robert was arrested and imprisoned upon his

disembarkation. (The duke's younger brother Henry, who was on the same ship, was also arrested.)

Robert's father Earl Roger came over from England, and, taking over his son's castles, defied Curthose. The duke captured several of the castles, but he soon tired of the matter and released Robert.

Once released, Robert returned to his wars and depredations against his neighbours in southern Normandy. He did help Curthose in putting down a revolt by the citizens of Rouen, but his motive seems to have been in large part to seize as many wealthy townspeople and their goods as possible. Curthose in turn subsequently helped Robert in some of his fights against his neighbours.

In 1094 one of Robert's most important castles, Domfront, was taken over by the duke's brother Henry (later Henry I of England), who never relinquished it and was to be an enemy of Robert for the rest of his life.

Later that year (1094) Robert's father earl Roger died. Robert's younger brother Hugh of Montgomery, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury inherited the English lands and titles, while Robert inherited his father's Norman properties, which included good part of central and southern Normandy, in part adjacent to the Bellême territories he had already inherited from his mother.

In 1098 Robert's younger brother Hugh died, and Robert inherited the English properties that had been their father's, including the Rape of Arundel and the Earldom of Shrewsbury.

Robert was one of the great magnates who joined Robert Curthose's 1101 invasion of England, along with his brothers Roger the Poitevin and Arnulf of Montgomery and his nephew William of Mortain. This invasion, which aimed to depose Henry I, ended in the Treaty of Alton. The treaty called for amnesty for the participants but allowed traitors to be punished. Henry had a series of charges drawn up against Robert in 1102, and when Robert refused to answer for them, gathered his forces and besieged and captured Robert's English castles. Robert lost his English lands and titles (as did his brothers), was banished from England, and returned to Normandy.

He was one of Curthose's commanders at the Battle of Tinchebrai and by flight from the field avoided being captured as Curthose was. With Normandy now under Henry's rule, he submitted and was allowed to retain his Norman fiefs. But after various conspiracies and plans to free Curthose, Robert was seized and imprisoned in 1112. He spent the rest of his life in prison; the exact date of his death is not known.

Family and children Robert married Agnes of Ponthieu, by whom he had one child, William III of Ponthieu, who via his mother inherited the county of Ponthieu.

References J. F. A. Mason, "Roger de Montgomery and His Sons (1067-1102)", Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 5th series vol. 13 (1963) 1-28 Victoria Chandler, "The Last of the Montgomerys:Roger the Poitevin and Arnulf, Historical Research 147, February 1989. Kathleen Thompson, "Robert of Bellême Reconsidered", Anglo-Norman Studies 13 (1991) 263-284

Notes for Countess of Ponthieu Agnes: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Agnes of Ponthieu (c. 1080 – aft. 1105) was the daughter of Count Guy I of Ponthieu. Enguerrand, the son of Count Guy, died at a youthful age. Guy then made his brother Hugh heir presumptive, but he also died before Guy (died 1100). Agnes became count Guy's heiress, and was married to Robert of Bellême. Their son William III of Ponthieu succeeded to the county of Ponthieu after the death of Agnes (between 1105 and 1111), and the imprisonment of his father in 1112.

Child of Robert Bellême and Countess Agnes is:

1409685488i. WilliamIII, Count of Ponthieu, married Helie of Burgundy

Generation No. 33

5638739726. Adelbert of Upper Lorraine, born 1000. He was the son of 11277479452. Gerhard of Metz de Bas-Alsace and 11277479453. Gisele of Metz de Bas-Alsace. He married 5638739727. Clemence de Foix.

5638739727. Clemence de Foix, born 1002.

Child of Adelbert Lorraine and Clemence de Foix is:

2819369863i. Stephanie Etienette de Longwy, born 1040; died 1088; married William of Burgundy

5638741504. Geoffrey de Gastinois, born 970; died 1000. He married 5638741505. Beatrice de Macon. 5638741505. Beatrice de Macon She was the daughter of 11277483011. Ermentrude de Roucy.

Child of Geoffrey de Gastinois and Beatrice de Macon is:

2819370752i. Geoffrey d'Anjou Gastinois, born 1000; died 1046; married Ermengarde of Anjou

5638741506. Foulques of Anjou, born 967; died 1040. He married 5638741507. Hildegarde of Anjou. 5638741507. Hildegarde of Anjou, born 964; died 1046.

Child of Foulques Anjou and Hildegarde Anjou is:

2819370753i. Ermengarde of Anjou, born 1018; died 1076; married Geoffrey d'Anjou Gastinois

5638741508. Amauri de Montfort, born 990; died 1031. He was the son of 11277483016. Guillaume de Heinault de Gastinois de Montfort and 11277483017. Albreda Montfort de Esperon. He married 5638741509. Bertrade de Gometz.

5638741509. Bertrade de Gometz, born 1001; died 1051. She was the daughter of 11277483018. Guillaume de Gometz de la Ferte.

Child of Amauri de Montfort and Bertrade de Gometz is:

2819370754i. Simon de Montfort, born 1014; died 1087; married Agnes d'Evreux

5638741510. Richard d'Evreaux, born 986; died 1067. He was the son of 11277483020. Robert de Evreaux of Rouen and 11277483021. Herleve de Rouen. He married 5638741511. Adelaide de Toni of Barcelona.

5638741511. Adelaide de Toni of Barcelona, born 1004; died 1051. She was the daughter of 11277483022. Raymond Borrel de Barcelona and 11277483023. Ermesinde de Carcassone.

Child of Richard d'Evreaux and Adelaide Barcelona is:

2819370755i. Agnes d'Evreux, born 1030; died 1116; married Simon de Montfort

5638741516. Robert de Chateau du Loire He was the son of 11277483032. Aimon de Chateau du Loire and 11277483033. Hildeburge de Belesme.

Child of Robert de Chateau du Loire is:

2819370758i. Gervase de Chateau du Loire, married Erenburg

5638741520. Richard of Normandy, born 963. He was the son of 11277483040. RichardI, Duke of Normandy and 11277483041. Duchess of Normandy Gunnora. He married 5638741521. Judith of Brittany. 5638741521. Judith of Brittany, born 982; died 1017. She was the daughter of 11277483042. Conan I of Brittany and 11277483043. Ermengarde d'Anjou.

Notes for Richard of Normandy: Richard II (born 23 August 970, in Normandy, France – 28 August 1026, in Normandy), called the Good (French: Le Bon), was the eldest son and heir of Richard I the Fearless and Gunnora.[1]

Richard succeeded his father as Duke of Normandy in 996 but the first five years of his reign were spent with Count Ralph of Ivry wielding power and putting down a peasant insurrection.[2]

When he took power he strengthened his alliance with the Capetians by helping Robert II of France against the duchy of Burgundy. He formed a new alliance with Brittany by marrying his sister Hawise to Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany and by his own marriage to Geoffrey's sister, Judith.

He also repelled an English attack on the Cotentin Peninsula that was led by Ethelred II of England. He pursued a reform of the Norman monasteries.

Connections to England In 1013 AD, England was invaded by the Danes and Æthelred the Unready fled to his brother-in-law in Normandy. His marriage to Emma of Normandy, sister of Richard, had made them unpopular among the English.

Connections to Norway In 1015 AD, Olaf II of Norway was crowned king. Prior to this, Prince Olaf had been in England and on his way to unite Norway he wintered with Duke Richard II of Normandy. In 881 AD, this region had been conquered by the Norsemen. As Duke Richard was an ardent Christian, and the Normans had converted to Christianity, Prince Olaf was baptized in Rouen.

Marriages Richard attempted to improve relations with England through his sister Emma of Normandy's marriage to King Ethelred, but she was strongly disliked by the English. However, this connection later gave his grandson, William the Conqueror, part of his claim to the throne of England.

He married firstly (996) Judith (982-1017), daughter of Conan I of Brittany, by whom he had the following issue:

Richard (c. 1002/4), duke of Normandy Alice (c. 1003/5), married Renaud I, Count of Burgundy Robert (c. 1005/7), duke of Normandy William (c. 1007/9), monk at Fécamp, d. 1025 Eleanor (c. 1011/3), married to Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders Matilda (c. 1013/5), nun at Fecamp, d. 1033 Secondly he married Poppa of Envermeu, by whom he had the following issue:

Mauger (c. 1019), Archbishop of Rouen William (c. 1020/5), count of Arques [edit] Other marriages / childrenTraditionally, Richard had a third wife named Astrid (Estritha), daughter of Sweyn Forkbeard, King of England, Denmark, and Norway, and Sigrid the Haughty. This is extremely unlikely, however, given the political situation.

An illegitimate daughter of Richard I, sometimes called "Papia", is also at times given as a daughter of Richard II. Tancred of Hauteville's two wives Muriella and Fredensenda are likewise given as daughters of "Duke Richard of Normandy", referring to either Richard I or Richard II.

References: Normandy portal 1.^ Burke, John Bernard (1852). The Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales, with Their Descendants, Sovereigns and Subjects. BiblioBazaar (2009). pp. ii–iii, Section V. ISBN 1115404474. http://books.google.com/books?id=oJoH-3-xlnIC&lpg=RA1-PA59&vq=richard%20II&pg=RA1-PR2#v=onepage& q&f=false. Retrieved 2010-11-08. 2.^ Francois Neveux. A Brief History of The Romans. Constable and Robinson. 2008; p. 74

Notes for Judith of Brittany: Judith of Brittany (982–1017) was the daughter of Conan I, Duke of Brittany and Ermengarde of Anjou, and the mother of Robert the Magnificent.

She was the first wife of Richard the Good, Duke of Normandy, whom she married in 996. They had six children:

Richard (c. 1002/4), duke of Normandy Adelaide (c. 1003/5), married Renaud I, Count of Burgundy Robert (c. 1005/7), duke of Normandy William (c. 1007/9), monk at Fécamp, d. 1025 Eleanor (c. 1011/3), married to Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders Matilda (c. 1013/5), nun at Fecamp, d. 1033 The duchess Judith died in 1017 and was buried in the abbey of Bernay, which she had founded.

Child of Richard Normandy and Judith Brittany is:

2819370760i. Robert de Normandy, born 1000; died 1035; married Harleve Arlette Harlette de Falais

5638741522. Fulbert de Failaise, born 978. He married 5638741523. Duxia de Failaise. 5638741523. Duxia de Failaise

Child of Fulbert de Failaise and Duxia de Failaise is:

2819370761i. Harleve Arlette Harlette de Falais, born 1003; died 1050; married Robert de Normandy

5638741524. Badouin IV, born 980 in Flanders; died 1035. He was the son of 11277483048. Arnold II of Flanders and 11277483049. Rosela Susanna d'Ivrea. He married 5638741525. Otgiva.

5638741525. Otgiva, born 982 in Luxembourg; died 1030. She was the daughter of 11277483050. Frederick of Luxembourg and 11277483051. Ermentrude von Gleiber.

Child of Badouin and Otgiva is:

2819370762i. Badouin de Flanders, born 1012; died 1067; married Adela Capet of France

5638741526. Robert Capet II, King of France, born 972; died 1031. He was the son of 11277483052. Hughes de Paris and 11277483053. Adelais de Poitou. He married 5638741527. Constance de Toulouse.

5638741527. Constance de Toulouse, born 986; died 1032. She was the daughter of 11277483054. William Taillefer and 11277483055. Arsinde D'Anjou.

Notes for Robert Capet II, King of France: Robert II (27 March 972 – 20 July 1031), called the Pious (French: le Pieux) or the Wise (French: le Sage), was King of France from 996 until his death. The second reigning member of the House of Capet, he was born in Orléans to Hugh Capet and Adelaide of Aquitaine.

Immediately after his own coronation, Robert's father Hugh began to push for the coronation of Robert. "The essential means by which the early Capetians were seen to have kept the throne in their family was through the association of the eldest surviving son in the royalty during the father's lifetime," Andrew W. Lewis has observed, in tracing the phenomenon in this line of kings who lacked dynastic legitimacy.[2] Hugh's claimed reason was that he was planning an expedition against the Moorish armies harassing Borrel II of Barcelona, an invasion which never occurred, and that the stability of the country necessitated a co-king, should he die while on expedition.[3] Ralph Glaber, however, attributes Hugh's request to his old age and inability to control the nobility.[4] Modern scholarship has largely imputed to Hugh the motive of establishing a dynasty against the claims of electoral power on the part of the aristocracy, but this is not the typical view of contemporaries and even some modern scholars have been less sceptical of Hugh's "plan" to campaign in Spain.[5] Robert was eventually crowned on 25 December 987.[6] A measure of Hugh's success is that when Hugh died in 996, Robert continued to reign without any succession dispute, but during his long reign actual royal power dissipated into the hands of the great territorial magnates.

Robert had begun to take on active royal duties with his father in the early 990s. In 991, he helped his father prevent

the French bishops from trekking to Mousson in the Kingdom of Germany for a synod called by Pope John XV, with whom Hugh was then in disagreement.

Marital problems As early as 989, having been rebuffed in his search for a Byzantine princess,[7] Hugh Capet arranged for Robert to marry the recently-widowed daughter of Berengar II of Italy, Rozala, who took the name of Susannah upon becoming Queen.[8] She was many years his senior. She was the widow of Arnulf II of Flanders, with whom she had children, the oldest of whom was of age to assume the offices of count of Flanders. Robert divorced her within a year of his father's death. He tried instead to marry Bertha, daughter of Conrad of Burgundy, around the time of his father's death. She was a widow of Odo I of Blois, but was also Robert's cousin. For reasons of consanguinity, Pope Gregory V refused to sanction the marriage, and Robert was excommunicated. After long negotiations with Gregory's successor, Sylvester II, the marriage was annulled.

Finally, in 1001, Robert entered into his final and longest-lasting marriage to Constance of Arles, the daughter of William I of Provence. She was an ambitious and scheming woman, who made life miserable for her husband by encouraging her sons to revolt against their father.

Piety Robert, however, despite his marital problems, was a very devout Catholic, hence his sobriquet "the Pious." He was musically inclined, being a composer, chorister, and poet, and making his palace a place of religious seclusion, where he conducted the matins and vespers in his royal robes. However, to contemporaries, Robert's "piety" also resulted from his lack of toleration for heretics: he harshly punished them. Indeed, he is credited with advocating forced conversions of local Jewry, as well as mob violence against Jews who refused.[9] Furthermore, Robert reinstated the Roman imperial custom of burning heretics at the stake.[10]

Military career Robert II dispenses alms to the poor: "Robert had a kindly feeling for the weak and poor" – from François Guizot, A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times.The kingdom Robert inherited was not large, and in an effort to increase his power, he vigorously pursued his claim to any feudal lands which became vacant, which action usually resulted in war with a counter-claimant. In 1003, his invasion of the Duchy of Burgundy was thwarted and it would not be until 1016 that he was finally able to get the support of the Church and be recognized as Duke of Burgundy.

The pious Robert made few friends and many enemies, including his own sons: Hugh Magnus, Henry, and Robert. They turned against their father in a civil war over power and property. Hugh died in revolt in 1025. In a conflict with Henry and the younger Robert, King Robert's army was beaten and he retreated to Beaugency outside Paris, his capital. He died in the middle of the war with his sons on 20 July 1031 at Melun. He was interred with Constance in Saint Denis Basilica. He was succeeded by his son Henry, in both France and Burgundy.

Children Robert had no children from his short-lived marriage to Susanna. His illegal marriage to Bertha gave him one stillborn son in 999, but only Constance gave him surviving children:[11]

Hedwig (or Advisa), Countess of Auxerre (c. 1003 – after 1063), married Renauld I, Count of Nevers on 25 January 1016 and had issue. Hugh Magnus, co-king (1007 – 17 September 1025) Henry I, successor (4 May 1008 – 4 August 1060) Adela, Countess of Contenance (1009 – 5 June 1063), married (1) Richard III of Normandy and (2) Count Baldwin V of Flanders. Robert (1011 – 21 March 1076) Odo or Eudes (1013–c.1056), who may have been mentally retarded and died after his brother's failed invasion of Normandy Constance (born 1014, date of death unknown), married Manassès de Dammartin Robert also left an illegitimate son: Rudolph, Bishop of Bourges.

Notes 1.^ Fulk Nerra, the neo-Roman consul, 987–1040: a political biography of the Angevin count

2.^ Andrew W. Lewis, "Anticipatory Association of the Heir in Early Capetian France" The American Historical Review 83.4 (October 1978:906–927) p. 907; the last co-king was Philip Augustus, who was co-king to the ailing Louis VII. 3.^ Lewis, 908. 4.^ Lewis, 914. 5.^ Lewis, passim. 6.^ Fawtier, Robert: Capétiens et la France, Macmillan, 1960. 7.^ The letter compopsed by Gerbert survives, though no Byzantine response is recorded: Constance B. Bouchard, 'Consanguinity and Noble Marriages in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries" Speculum 56.2 (April 1981:268–287) pp 274, 276. 8.^ The most complete account of the marriages of Robert II remains that of Charles Pfister, Etudes sur le règne de Robert le Pieux (Paris 1885:41–69); see Constance Bouchard 1981:273ff. 9.^ The Complete Jewish Guide to France?. http://books.google.com/books?ei=m72tS6G6IYP78AaHkYTcCw&ct=result&q=king+Robert+II+of+France+jews+ forced&btnG=Search+Books. 10.^ MacCulloch, Diarmaid. "A History of Christianity". Penguin Books, 2010, p. 396. 11.^ "Foundation for Medieval Genealogy". http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CAPET.htm#_Toc154137001. Retrieved 21 June 2007. [edit] SourcesLewis, Andrew W. "Anticipatory Association of the Heir in Early Capetian France." The American Historical Review, Vol. 83, No. 4. (Oct., 1978), pp 906–927. Jessee, W. Scott. "A missing Capetian princess: Advisa, daughter of King Robert II of France". Medieval Prosopography, 1990.

Notes for Constance de Toulouse: Constance of Arles (986 – 25 July 1034), also known as Constance of Provence, was the third wife and queen of King Robert II of France. She was the daughter of William I, count of Provence and Adelais of Anjou, daughter of Fulk II of Anjou. She was the half-sister of Count William II of Provence.

In 1003, she was married to King Robert, after his divorce from his second wife, Bertha of Burgundy. The marriage was stormy; Bertha's family opposed her, and Constance was despised for importing her Provençal kinfolk. Robert's friend, Hugh of Beauvais, tried to convince the king to repudiate her in 1007. Constance's response was to have Beauvais murdered by the knights of her kinsman, Fulk Nerra. In 1010 Robert even went to Rome, accompanied by his former wife Bertha, to seek permission to divorce Constance and remarry Bertha. Constance encouraged her sons to revolt against their father, and then favored her younger son, Robert, over her elder son, Henri.

During the famous trial of Herefast de Crepon (who was alleged to be involved with a heretical sect of canons, nuns, and clergy in 1022[1]), the crowd outside the church in Orleans became so unruly that, according to Moore:

At the king's command, Queen Constance stood before the doors of the Church, to prevent the common people from killing them inside the Church, and they were expelled from the bosom of the Church. As they were being driven out, the queen struck out the eye of Stephen, who had once been her confessor, with the staff which she carried in her hand. The symbolism, or reality, of putting an eye out is used often in medieval accounts to show the ultimate sin of breaking of one's oath, whether it be heresy, or treason to ones lordship, or in this case both. Stephen's eye was put out by the hand of a Queen wielding a staff (royal scepters were usually tipped with a cross) thus symbolically providing justice for the treasoned lord on earth and in heaven.

At Constance's urging, her eldest son Hugh Magnus was crowned co-king alongside his father in 1017. Hugh Magnus demanded his parents share power with him, and rebelled against his father in 1025. He died suddenly later that year, an exile and a fugitive. Robert and Constance quarrelled over which of their surviving sons should inherit the throne; Robert favored their second son Henri, while Constance favored their third son, Robert. Despite his mother's protests, Henry was crowned in 1027. Fulbert, bishop of Chartres wrote a letter claiming that he was "frightened away" from the consecration of Henry "by the savagery of his mother, who is quite trustworthy when she promises evil."

Constance encouraged her sons to rebel, and Henri and Robert began attacking and pillaging the towns and castles belonging to their father. Robert attacked Burgundy, the duchy he had been promised but had never received, and Henry seized Dreux. At last King Robert agreed to their demands and peace was made which lasted until the king's death.

King Robert died in 1031, and soon Constance was at odds with both her elder son Henri and her younger son Robert. Constance seized her dower lands and refused to surrender them. Henri fled to Normandy, where he received aid, weapons and soldiers from his brother Robert. He returned to besiege his mother at Poissy but Constance escaped to Pontoise. She only surrendered when Henri began the siege of Le Puiset and swore to slaughter all the inhabitants.

Constance died in 1034, and was buried beside her husband Robert at Saint-Denis Basilica.

Children Constance and Robert had seven children:

1.Advisa, Countess of Auxerre (c. 1003 – after 1063), married Count Renaud I of Nevers 2.Hugh Magnus, co-king (1007 – 17 September 1025) 3.Henri (4 May 1008 – 4 August 1060) 4.Adela, Countess of Contenance (1009 – 5 June 1063), married (1) Duke Richard III of Normandy (2) Count Baldwin V of Flanders 5.Robert I, Duke of Burgundy (1011 – 21 March 1076) 6.Eudes (1013–1056) 7.Constance (born 1014, date of death unknown), married Manasses de Dammartin

References 1.^ 1 "The heresy was sui generis, probably an amalgam of neoplatonic speculation and of inferences made from the search, familiar to biblical scholars of the time, for an inner meaning beneath the literal surface of the text of Scripture 'written on animal skins.' The radical nature of the denials of the adherents of the doctrines of incarnation and resurrection, have led some historians to argue that the heresy was imported, to some degree ready-made, and that it represents a fragmentary influence from the developed heretical tradition of the movement of the Bogomils, then spreading from its cradle-land in Bulgaria into other parts ... But the absence of any external evidence of Bogomil missionizing at this time and a wider realization of the number of factors in Western society which fostered dissisence in the eleventh century ... have caused the theory to lose support. What seems most likely is that the heresy was intellectual in origin and a facet of the reawakening of learning in the late tenth and early eleventh centuries." Malcolm Lambert, Medieval Heresy: Popular Movements from the Gregorian Reform to the Reformation (New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1991) 16 - 17.

Sources Jessee, W. Scott. A missing Capetian princess: Advisa, daughter of King Robert II of France (Medieval Prosopography), 1990 Nolan, Kathleen D. Capetian Women, 2003. Moore, R.I. The Birth of Popular Heresy, 1975. Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 by Frederick Lewis Weis, Lines: 53-21, 101-21, 107-20, 108-21, 128-21, 141-21, 141A-21, 185-2. Lambert, Malcolm. Medieval Heresy: Popular Movements from the Gregorian Reform to the Reformation, 1991, 9 - 17.

Child of Robert Capet and Constance de Toulouse is:

2819370763i. Adela Capet of France, born 1009; died 1079; married Badouin de Flanders.

5638741528. Crinan (Grimus) `the Thane' of Atholl, born 978; died 1045. He was the son of 11277483056. Duncan Moarmer de Athole. He married 5638741529. Bethoc (Beatrix) MacKenneth of Scotland.

5638741529. Bethoc (Beatrix) MacKenneth of Scotland, born 984. She was the daughter of 11277483058. Malcolm MacKenneth of Alba II and 11277483059. Aelgifu.

Notes for Crinan (Grimus) `the Thane' of Atholl: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Crínán of Dunkeld (died 1045) was the lay abbot of the diocese of Dunkeld, and perhaps the Mormaer of Atholl. Crínán was progenitor of the House of Dunkeld, the dynasty which would rule Scotland until the later 13th century.

Crinán was married to Bethoc, daughter of King Malcolm II of Scotland (reigned 1005–1034). As Malcolm II had no son, the strongest hereditary claim to the Scottish throne descended through Bethóc, and Crinán's eldest son Donnchad I (reigned 1034–1040), became King of Scots. Some sources indicate that Malcolm II designated Duncan as his successor under the rules of tanistry because there were other possible claimants to the throne.

Crinán's second son, Maldred of Allerdale, held the title of Lord of Cumbria. It is said that from him, the Earls of Dunbar, for example Patrick Dunbar, 9th Earl of Dunbar, descend in unbroken male line.

Crinán was killed in battle in 1045 at Dunkeld.

Sir Iain Moncreiffe argued he belonged to a Scottish sept of the Irish Cenél Conaill royal dynasty.[1]

Crinán as Lay Abbot of Dunkeld The monastery of Saint Columba was founded on the north bank of the River Tay in the 6th century or early 7th century following the expedition of Columba into the land of the Picts. Probably originally constructed as a simple group of wattle huts, the monastery - or at least its church - was rebuilt in the 9th century by Kenneth I of Scotland (reigned 843–858). Caustantín of the Picts brought Scotland's share of the relics of Columba from Iona to Dunkeld at the same time others were taken to Kells in Ireland, to protect them from Viking raids. Dunkeld became the prime bishopric in eastern Scotland until supplanted in importance by St Andrews since the 10th century.

While the title of Hereditary Lay Abbot was a feudal position that was often exercised in name only, Crinán does seem to have acted as Abbot in charge of the monastery in his time. He was thus a man of high position in both clerical and secular society.

The magnificent semi-ruined Dunkeld Cathedral, built in stages between 1260 and 1501, stands today on the grounds once occupied by the monastery. The Cathedral contains the only surviving remains of the previous monastic society: a course of red stone visible in the east choir wall that may be re-used from an earlier building, and two stone 9th century-10th century cross-slabs in the Cathedral Museum.

Child of Crinan Atholl and Bethoc Scotland is:

2819370764i. Duncan `the Gracious' MacCrinan of Scotland I, born 1004; married Aelflaed (Sybil Biornsson) of

Northumbria

5638741532. Edmund II "Ironside", born 989; died 1016. He was the son of 11277483064. Athelred II and 11277483065. Elgiva. He married 5638741533. Edith (Ealdgyth).

5638741533. Edith (Ealdgyth), died Abt. 1015.

Notes for Edmund II "Ironside": Edmund Ironside or Edmund II (Old English: Eadmund II Isen-Healf) (c. 988/993 – 30 November 1016) was king of England from 23 April to 30 November 1016. His cognomen "Ironside" is not recorded until 1057, but may have been contemporary. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, it was given to him "because of his valour" in resisting the Danish invasion led by Cnut the Great.[1] He fought five battles against the Danes, ending in defeat

against Cnut on 18 October at the Battle of Assandun, after which they agreed to divide the kingdom, Edmund taking Wessex and Cnut the rest of the country. Edmund died shortly afterwards on 30 November, and Cnut became the king of all England.

Edmund was a signatory to charters from 993. He was the third of the six sons of King Æthelred the Unready and his first wife, Ælfgifu, who was probably the daughter of Earl Thored of Northumbria. His elder brothers were Æthelstan and Egbert (died c. 1005), and younger ones, Eadred, Eadwig and Edgar.[1] His mother died around 1000,[2] after which his father remarried, this time to Emma of Normandy, who had two sons, Edward the Confessor and Alfred.

Early life Æthelstan probably did not approve of the increasing influence of ealdorman Eadric Streona from 1007, and he seems to have formed a friendship with Sigeferth and Morcar, two of the leading thegns of the Five Boroughs of the East Midlands.[3] Æthelstan and Edmund were close, and they probably felt threatened by Emma's ambitions for her sons.[4] The Life of Edward the Confessor, written fifty years later, claimed that when Emma was pregnant with him, all Englishmen promised that if the child was a boy they would accept him as king.[1]

When Sweyn Forkbeard seized the throne at the end of 1013 and Æthelred fled to France, the brothers do not appear to have followed him, but stayed in England. Æthelstan died in June 1014 and left his brother estates and a sword which had belonged to king Offa of Mercia.[1] His will also reflected the close relationship between the brothers and the nobility of the east midlands.[5]

Struggle for power Sweyn died in February 1014, and the Five Boroughs accepted his son Cnut, who married a kinswoman of Sigeferth and Morcar, as king. However, Æthelred returned to England and launched a surprise attack which defeated the Vikings and forced Cnut to flee England. In 1015 Sigeferth and Morcar came to an assembly in Oxford, probably hoping for a royal pardon, but they were murdered by Eadric Streona. King Æthelred then ordered that Sigeferth's widow, Ealdgyth, be seized and brought to Malmesbury Abbey, but Edmund seized and married her in defiance of his father, probably to consolidate his power base in the east midlands.[6] He then received the submission of the people of the Five Boroughs. At the same time, Cnut launched a new invasion of England. In late 1015 Edmund raised an army, possibly assisted by his wife's and mother's links with the midlands and the north, but the Mercians under Eadric Streona joined the West Saxons in submitting to Cnut. In early 1016 the army assembled by Edmund dispersed when Æthelred did not appear to lead it, probably due to illness. Edmund then raised a new army and in conjunction with Earl Uhtred of Northumbria ravaged Eadric Streona's Mercian territories, but when Cnut occupied Northumbria Uhtred submitted to him, only to be killed by Cnut. Edmund went to London.[1]

King of England Arms of Edmund Ironside, as imagined by Matthew Paris in the first half of the 13th centuryÆthelred died on 23 April 1016, and the citizens and councillors in London chose Edmund as king and probably crowned him. He then mounted a last-ditch effort to revive the defence of England. While the Danes laid siege to London, Edmund headed for Wessex, where the people submitted to him and he gathered an army. He fought inconclusive battles against the Danes and their English supporters at Penselwood in Somerset and Sherston in Wiltshire. He then raised the siege of London and defeated the Danes near Brentford. They renewed the siege while Edmund went to Wessex to raise further troops, returning to again relieve London, defeat the Danes at Otford, and pursue Cnut into Kent. Eadric Streona now went over to Edmund, but at the decisive Battle of Assandun on 18 October, Eadric and his men fled and Cnut decisively defeated Edmund. There may have been one further battle in the Forest of Dean, after which the two kings negotiated a peace dividing the country between them. Edmund received Wessex while Cnut took Mercia and probably Northumbria.[1]

Death Shortly afterwards, on 30 November 1016, King Edmund died, probably in London. Cnut was now able to seize control as king of England. Edmund was buried at Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset. His

burial site is now lost. During the Dissolution of the Monasteries, any remains of a monument or crypt were destroyed. The location of his body is unknown.

Heirs Edmund had two children by Ealdgyth, Edward the Exile and Edmund. According to John of Worcester, Cnut sent them to the king of Sweden to be murdered, but the king instead sent them to Hungary, where Edmund died but Edward prospered. He returned to England in 1057 only to die within days of his arrival.[7]

Reputation In the view of M. K. Lawson, the intensity of Edmund's struggle against the Danes in 1016 is only matched by Alfred the Great's in 871, and contrasts with Æthelred's failure. Edmund's success in raising one army after another suggests that there was little wrong with the organs of government under competent leadership. He was "probably a highly determined, skilled and indeed inspiring leader of men". Cnut visited his tomb on the anniversary of his death and laid a cloak decorated with peacocks on it to assist in his salvation, peacocks symbolising resurrection.[1]

Shakespearean play? 18th-century portrait of EdmundEdmund Ironside is the name of an anonymous play in the Shakespeare Apocrypha, which has been attributed to Shakespeare on stylistic grounds.[8] Plays in the Shakespeare Apocrypha are not generally accepted as Shakespearean.[9]

In popular cultureEdmund is played by John Horn in the 1970 television movie The Ceremony of Innocence. He is one of the main characters in Justin Hill's novel Shieldwall (2011), first in the Conquest Trilogy. Edmund Ironside is a major character in Justin Hill's historical novel, Shieldwall, pub. 2011.

See alsoHouse of Wessex family tree

SourcesA nglo-Saxon Chronicle Clemoes, Peter. The Anglo-Saxons: Studies Presented to Bruce Dickins, 1959 The History Channel - England history to 1485

References 1.^ a b c d e f g M. K. Lawson, Edmund II, Oxford Online DNB, 2004 2.^ Simon Keynes, Æthelred the Unready, Oxford Online DNB, 2009 3.^ Simon Keynes, Æthelstan Ætheling, Oxford Online DNB, 2004 4.^ Ryan Lavelle, Aethelred II: King of the English, The History Press, 2008, pp. 172-173 5.^ Lavelle, op. cit., p. 172 6.^ Lavelle, op. cit., pp. 169-172 7.^ M. K. Lawson, Edward Ætheling, Oxford Online DNB, 2004 8.^ Eric Sams. (1986). Shakespeare's "Edmund Ironside": The Lost Play. Wildwood Ho. ISBN 0-7045-0547-9 9.^ Two Tough Nuts to Crack: Did Shakespeare Write the Shakespeare Portions of Sir Thomas More and Edward III? By Ward E. Y. Elliott and Robert J. Valenza, Claremont McKenna.

Notes for Edith (Ealdgyth): Ealdgyth (floruit 1015–1016), modern English Edith, may have been the name of the wife of Sigeferth son of Earngrim, thegn of the Seven Burghs, and later of King Edmund Ironside. She was probably the mother of Edmund's sons Edward the Exile and Edmund.

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Sigeferth and his brother Morcar, described as "foremost thegns of the Seven Burghs" were killed at an assembly of the English nobility at Oxford. Ealdorman Eadric Streona is said to have killed them "dishonourably" after having invited them to his rooms. The Seven Burghs, otherwise unknown, are presumed to have been the Five Burghs and Torksey and York. Following the killings, King Æthelred the Unready had the property of Sigeferth and Morcar seized and ordered that Sigeferth's widow, whose name the Chronicle does not record, should be detained at Malmesbury Abbey. The chronicle of John of Worcester calls her Ealdgyth.[1]

In the late summer of 1015, at some time between 15 August and 8 September, Edmund Ironside raised a revolt against his father King Æthelred. Either then, or perhaps even earlier, he removed Sigeferth's widow from Malmesbury, against his father's wishes, and married her. Sigeferth and Morcar's friends and allies supported

Edmund after this.[2] While two charters issued by Edmund which mention his wife survive from about this time, neither of them contain her name in the surviving texts.[3]

It is generally, but not universally, supposed that Ealdgyth, if that was her name, was the mother of Edmund Ironside's sons.[4] These were Edmund, who died young in exile, and Edward the Exile, who returned to England late in the reign of his uncle King Edward the Confessor and died soon afterwards. Whether she went into exile with her children following Edmund's death in 1016 is unknown.

One reason advanced for supposing that John of Worcester may have been mistaken in naming this woman Ealdgyth is that Sigeferth's brother Morcar had also been married to a woman named Ealdgyth. This Ealdgyth was the daughter of Ælfthryth, and niece of Ælfhelm, Ealdorman of York and Wulfric Spot. While Ealdgyth is a common female name in the period, this coincidence has raised the suspicion that the Worcester chronicler has confused Sigeferth's widow with his sister-in-law.[5]

Notes 1.^ Stafford, Unification and Conquest, pp. 67–68; Swanton, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, pp. 145–146, Ms. E, s.a. 1015, & p. 146, note 3; Williams, Æthelred, pp. 132–134 & p. 132, note 6. 2.^ Swanton, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, p. 146, Ms. E, s.a. 1015; Higham, Death of Anglo-Saxon England, p. 62; Williams, Æthelred, p. 134. 3.^ These are charters S 947 and S 948; Williams, Æthelred, p. 134 & note 13. 4.^ For dissent from the common view, see Howard, Ian (2003), Swein Forkbeard's Invasions and the Danish Conquest of England, 991–1017, Woodbridge: Boydell, p. 69, ISBN 0-85115-928-1 . 5.^ Williams, Æthelred, p. 132, note 6. Insley

References Higham, Nick (1997), The Death of Anglo-Saxon England, Stroud: Sutton, ISBN 0-7509-2469-1 Insley, Charles (2000), "Politics, Conflict and Kinship in Early Eleventh-Century Mercia", Midland History XXV. Stafford, Pauline (1989), Unification and Conquest: A Political and Social History of England in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries, London: Edward Arnold, ISBN 0-7131-6532-4 Stenton, Frank (1971), Anglo-Saxon England (3rd ed.), Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-280139-2 Swanton, Michael (1996), The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, New York: Routledge, ISBN 0-415-92129-5

Williams, Ann (2003), Æthelred the Unready: the ill-counselled king, London: Hambledon & London, ISBN 0-85285-382-4

Child of Edmund "Ironside" and Edith (Ealdgyth) is:

2819370766i. Edward the Exile, born 1016; died 1057; married Agatha Von Braunchweig

5638741534. Liudolf He married 5638741535. Gertrud of Nordgau. 5638741535. Gertrud of Nordgau

Child of Liudolf and Gertrud Nordgau is:

2819370767i. Agatha Von Braunchweig, born 1025 in Hungary; died 1070; married Edward the Exile

5638741550. Roger de Montgomery de Shrewsbury, born 1022; died 1094. He was the son of 11277483100. Roger de Montgomery and 11277483101. Josceiline de Ponteaudemer. He married 5638741551. Mabel Taivas de Bellame.

5638741551. Mabel Taivas de Bellame, born 1026; died 1079. She was the daughter of 11277483102. William de Taivas and 11277483103. Hildeburge de Beaumont.

Child of Roger de Shrewsbury and Mabel de Bellame is:

2819370775i. Maude de Montgomery, born 1041; died 1107; married Robert de Montaigne

5638741552. Foucauld de la Roche He was the son of 11277483104. Josceline d'Lusignan and 11277483105. Aymer de Lusignan. He married 5638741553. Gersende de Chatellerault.

5638741553. Gersende de Chatellerault

Child of Foucauld de la Roche and Gersende de Chatellerault is:

2819370776i. Hughes de la Roche Foucauld, born 1020; died 1050; married Gerberge de Chatelleault

5638741556. Geoffroi de Thours, born 980; died 1043. He married 5638741557. Aenor de Thours. 5638741557. Aenor de Thours

Child of Geoffroi de Thours and Aenor de Thours is:

2819370778i. Aimery von Thouars, born 1015; died 1093; married Auremgarde de Mouloon

5638741560. Hughes d'Isle Bouchard He was the son of 11277483120. Bouchard d'Isle Bouchard and 11277483121. Hermengarde de Villaines.

Child of Hughes d'Isle Bouchard is:

2819370780i. Archimbard de Bouchard, married Agnes de l'isle Bouchard

5638741612. ReginaldI, Count of Burgundy He married 5638741613. Alice of Normandy. 5638741613. Alice of Normandy She was the daughter of 11277483226. RichardII, Duke of Normandy and 11277483227. Judith of Brittany.

Notes for ReginaldI, Count of Burgundy: Reginald I, Count Palatine of Burgundy was the second Count of the Free County of Burgundy. Born in 986, he was the son of Otto-William, Count of Burgundy (the first Count) and Ermentrude of Reims and Roucy.

In 1016, Reginald married Alice of Normandy.

He succeeded to the County on his father's death in 1026.

Reginald was succeeded by his son, William I, on his death in 1057.

Notes for Alice of Normandy: Alice (or Adeliza, Adelaide or Aelis) was born circa 1002 and died around 1038, was the daughter of Duke Richard II of Normandy (972-1026) and Judith of Brittany (c. 982-1017).

Family She married Renaud I of Burgundy and had the following children:

1.William I of Burgundy (1020–1087) 2.Gui de Brionne or Guy of Burgundy (c. 1025-1069), educated at the court of Normandy, who would succeed the Duchy of Normandy against his cousin William of Normandy (later William the Conqueror), but had to leave his county of Brionne and Vernon in Normandy, after being at the head of the coalition of the barons of Normandy, which was defeated at the Battle of Val-ès-Dunes in 1047. It is known that Guy de Brionne found refuge with his uncle Geoffrey II of Anjou. He later attempted to usurp the county of Burgundy to his brother William. 3.Hugh (c. 1037 - c. 1086), Viscount of Lons-le-Saunier, sire Montmorot, Navilly and Scey married to Aldeberge Scey. They had a son Montmorot Thibert, founder of the house Montmorot (alias Montmoret).

4.Falcon or Fouques of Burgundy (in fate unknown).

Child of Reginald and Alice Normandy is:

2819370806i. WilliamI, Count of Burgundy, born 1020; died 1087; married Stephanie

5638741954. GuyI, Count of Ponthieu He was the son of 11277483908. EnguerrandII, Count of Ponthieu and 11277483909. Adelaide.

Notes for GuyI, Count of Ponthieu: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Guy I of Ponthieu (died 13 October 1100) was born sometime in the mid to late 1020s. He was the son of Count Enguerrand II and the grandson of Hugh II.

The Ponthievin alliance with Duke William of Normandy had earlier been secured by the marriage of Enguerrand's and Guy's sister to Duke William's uncle, William of Talou (Enguerrand himself was married to Duke William's sister, Adelaide). William of Talou had built a strong castle at Arques, and from it (in 1053) he defied his nephew the youthful Duke of Normandy. As "family", the comital house of Ponthieu supported the rebellion.

Duke William put Arques under siege, and then remained mobile with another force in the countryside nearby. He was aware that Normandy was being threatened by the armies of King Henry of France, who wanted to bring his young, former vassal to heel; and that Normandy's erstwhile allies from Ponthieu would also be coming to break the siege of Arques. Young Count Enguerrand led a Ponthievin army into the Talou to relieve Arques, and arrived first, but Duke William successfully ambushed them and Enguerrand was killed (legend says, within sight and sound of the walls of Arques, from which his sister witnessed the demise of her brother). Upon learning of this serious reverse, the vacillating Henry withdrew his forces at once back across the Norman border. William of Talou was compelled to surrender Arques and was banished for life. (Alternatively, the story goes that Henry reinforced Arques, and Duke William lured part of the French army, including Enguerrand and the Ponthievins, away by a feigned flight, then turned on them and won a battle: Henry then withdrew, forcing the surrender of Arques not long after.)

With the death of his older brother (who was without male issue or heirs), Guy assumed the comital duties: this is the first mention of Guy in the historical record.

In February 1054, Henry was again ready to chastise Duke William: he reentered the duchy with a large army of his own liegemen and an Angevin army led by Count Geoffrey of Anjou. This combined force moved down the Seine toward Rouen, while Henry's brother Eudes "led" a second army, along with Guy and Count Rainald of Clairmont. The Franco-Ponthievin army was undisciplined, and fragmented out of control to plunder and pillage the countryside around Mortemer. They were attacked suddenly by Normans from Eu and other districts of northeastern Normandy. In the Battle of Mortemer, Guy's younger brother Waleran was mortally wounded, and Guy himself was captured. He spent two years as a prisoner in Normandy, while his uncle, Bishop Guy of Amiens, ruled Ponthieu as regent.

Evidently, from this point on, Count Guy was a vassal of Duke William of Normandy.

In 1064, Harold Godwinson, the Earl of Wessex, was shipwrecked on the shores of Ponthieu and captured by Count Guy. Duke William demanded the release of the earl, and Count Guy delivered Harold Godwinson up after being paid a ransom for him. Harold was not released from Normandy until he too had sworn on the Holy Relics to be Duke William's vassal, and to aid him to the throne of England. (This story is pictured prominently in the Bayeux Tapestry.)

In 1066, Harold accepted the crown of England upon the death of Edward the Confessor, thus precipitating the war that resulted in the Norman Conquest.

According to a very convincing interpretation of The Carmen de Hastingae Proelio, Hugh, another of Guy's brothers, was a participant in the Battle of Hastings, and had a hand in the slaying of Harold. Guy I had a son, Enguerrand, who must have died before the Carmen was composed (no later than 1068): when the Carmen refers to Hugh, Guy's brother, as "the noble heir of Ponthieu", we must assume Enguerrand's death as a fact, either at the time of the Conquest, or shortly before

His daughter, Agnes, married Robert of Bellême. Their son, William III of Ponthieu, assumed the comital title upon the death of his mother, sometime before 1111.

Sources Barlow, Frank (ed.) (1999). The Carmen de Hastingae Proelio of Guy, Bishop of Amiens (new ed. ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-820758-1. van Houts, Elisabeth M.C. (ed.) (1992). The Gesta Normannorum Ducum of William of Jumièges, Orderic Vitalis,

and Robert of Torigni (vol. 1 (books I-IV) ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-822271-8. FMG on the Counts of Ponthieu

Child of GuyI, Count of Ponthieu is:

2819370977i. Countess of Ponthieu Agnes, married Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury

Generation No. 34

11277479452. Gerhard of Metz de Bas-Alsace, born 958. He married 11277479453. Gisele of Metz de Bas-Alsace.

11277479453. Gisele of Metz de Bas-Alsace, born 976. She was the daughter of 22554958906. Gerhard de Bas-Alsace and 22554958907. Eve of Luxembourg.

Child of Gerhard de Bas-Alsace and Gisele de Bas-Alsace is:

5638739726i. Adelbert of Upper Lorraine, born 1000; married Clemence de Foix

11277483011. Ermentrude de Roucy, born 958.

Child of Ermentrude de Roucy is:

5638741505i. Beatrice de Macon, married Geoffrey de Gastinois

11277483016. Guillaume de Heinault de Gastinois de Montfort, born 960; died 1000. He married 11277483017. Albreda Montfort de Esperon.

11277483017. Albreda Montfort de Esperon, born 969; died 1022.

Child of Guillaume de Montfort and Albreda de Esperon is:

5638741508i. Amauri de Montfort, born 990; died 1031; married Bertrade de Gometz

11277483018. Guillaume de Gometz de la Ferte

Child of Guillaume de Gometz de la Ferte is:

5638741509i. Bertrade de Gometz, born 1001; died 1051; married Amauri de Montfort

11277483020. Robert de Evreaux of Rouen, born 964; died 1035. He married 11277483021. Herleve de Rouen.

11277483021. Herleve de Rouen

Child of Robert Rouen and Herleve de Rouen is:

5638741510i. Richard d'Evreaux, born 986; died 1067; married Adelaide de Toni of Barcelona

11277483022. Raymond Borrel de Barcelona, born 972; died 1019. He married 11277483023. Ermesinde de Carcassone.

11277483023. Ermesinde de Carcassone, born 975; died 1057.

Child of Raymond de Barcelona and Ermesinde de Carcassone is:

5638741511i. Adelaide de Toni of Barcelona, born 1004; died 1051; married Richard d'Evreaux

11277483032. Aimon de Chateau du Loire He married 11277483033. Hildeburge de Belesme. 11277483033. Hildeburge de Belesme

Child of Aimon du Loire and Hildeburge de Belesme is:

5638741516i. Robert de Chateau du Loire

11277483040. RichardI, Duke of Normandy, born 933; died 996. He was the son of 22554966080. William Longsword of Normandy and 22554966081. Sprota.

He married 11277483041. Duchess of Normandy Gunnora.

11277483041. Duchess of Normandy Gunnora, born 942; died 1031.

Notes for RichardI, Duke of Normandy: Richard I of Normandy (born 28 August 933, in Fécamp Normandy, France died 20 November 996, in Fécamp) was the duke of Normandy from 942 to 996; he is considered the first to actually have held that title. He was called Richard the Fearless (French, Sans Peur).

He was born to William I of Normandy, ruler of Normandy, and Sprota. He was still a boy of around 10 years of age when his father died on 17 December 942. His mother was a Breton concubine captured in war and bound to William by a Danish marriage. After William died, Sprota became the wife of Esperleng, a wealthy miller; Rodulf of Ivry was their son and Richard's half-brother.

Life Richard was still a boy when his father died, and so he was powerless to stop Louis IV of France when he seized Normandy and split the lands, giving lands in lower Normandy to Hugh the Great. Louis kept him in confinement in his youth at Lâon, but he escaped with the assistance of Osmond de Centville, Bernard de Senlis (who had been a companion of Rollo of Normandy), Ivo de Bellèsme, and Bernard the Dane (ancestor of families of Harcourt and Beaumont).

In 946, Richard agreed to "commend" himself to Hugh, Count of Paris. He then allied himself with the Norman and Viking leaders, drove Louis out of Rouen, and took back Normandy by 947. The rest of his reign was mainly peaceful, apart from conflict with Theobald I, Count of Blois marked by the restoration of Church lands and monasteries.

Richard cemented his alliance with Hugh, marrying his daughter Emma. When Hugh died, Richard became vassal to his son Hugh Capet who became king in 987. Although married to Emma, they produced no offspring, his children being the product of a relationship with Gonnor, a woman of Danish origin who gave him an heir, Richard.[1]

He later quarrelled with Ethelred II of England regarding Danish invasions of England because Normandy had been buying up much of the stolen booty.

Richard was bilingual, having been well educated at Bayeux. He was more partial to his Danish subjects than to the Franks. During his reign, Normandy became completely Gallicized and Christianized. He introduced the feudal system and Normandy became one of the most thoroughly feudalized states on the continent. He carried out a major reorganization of the Norman military system, based on heavy cavalry.

Marriages

His first marriage (960) was to Emma, daughter of Hugh "The Great" of France, and Hedwiga de Sachsen. (She is not to be confused with Emma of France.) They were betrothed when both were very young. She died 19 Mar 968, with no issue.

Richard & his children According to Robert of Torigni, not long after Emma's death, Duke Richard went out hunting and stopped at the house of a local forester. He became enamoured of the forester's wife, Seinfreda, but she being a virtuous woman, suggested he court her unmarried sister, Gunnor, instead. Gunnor became his mistress, and her family rose to prominence. Her brother, Herefast de Crepon, may have been involved in a controversial heresy trial. Gunnor was, like Richard, of Norse descent, being a Dane by blood. Richard finally married her to legitimize their children:

Richard II "the Good", Duke of Normandy (996), died 1026. Robert, Archbishop of Rouen, Count of Evreux, died 1037. Mauger, Earl of Corbeil, died after 1033 Robert Danus, died between 985 and 989 another son (On tapestry name looks like Lillam, Gillam, Willam)

Emma of Normandy (c.985-1052) wife of two kings of England. Maud of Normandy, wife of Odo II of Blois, Count of Blois, Champagne and Chartres Hawise of Normandy (b. ca. 978), d. 21 February 1034. m. Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany [edit] MistressesRichard was known to have had several other mistresses and produced children with many of them. Known children are:

Geoffrey, Count of Eu, (b. ca. 970) William, Count of Eu (ca. 972-26 January 1057/58)[2] m. Leseline de Turqueville (d. 26 January 1057/58). Beatrice of Normandy, Abbess of Montvilliers d.1034 m. Ebles of Turenne (d.1030 (divorced) Robert "Papia" m. Gilbert de St Valery (based on a claim his wife as a daughter of "Richard of Normandy" -- the only Richard who chronologically fits is Richard I. Name is not confirmed in any source. ref) [edit] Possible other childrenLate chroniclers claimed that two of the De Hautevilles of Naples/Sicily were nephews of "Duke Richard". As the two were children of Tancred of Hauteville by different mothers, this would mean that both of Tancred's wives had been sisters of a Duke Richard, and by chronology, of Richard II, although this is not backed up by contemporary source. If true, Richard would have had at least two more illegitimate children:

Fressenda (ca. 995-ca. 1057) Muriella

Death He died in Fecamp, France on 20 November 996 of natural causes.

Notes for Duchess of Normandy Gunnora: Gunnora (or Gunnor) (c. 936 – 1031) was the wife and consort of Richard I of Normandy. Her parentage is unknown, earliest sources reporting solely that she was of Danish ancestry and naming siblings including brother Herfast de Crepon who is sometimes erroneously given as her father.

She was living with her sister Seinfreda, the wife of a local forester, when Richard, hunting nearby, heard of the beauty of the forester's wife. He is said to have ordered Seinfreda to come to his bed, but the lady substituted her unmarried sister, Gunnora. Richard, it is said, was pleased that by this subterfuge he had been saved from committing adultery, and the two became lovers. Gunnora long acted as Richard's mistress or wife by more danico, but when Richard was prevented from nominating their son Robert to be Archbishop of Rouen, the two were married, making their children legitimate in the eyes of the church.

Gunnora, both as mistress and duchess, was able to use her influence to see her kin favored, and several of the most prominent Conquest-era Norman magnates, including the Montgomery, Warenne, Mortimer, Vernon/Redvers, and Fitz Osbern families, were descendants of her brother and sisters.

Richard and Gunnora were parents to several children:

Richard II "the Good", Duke of Normandy (966) Robert, Archbishop of Rouen, Count of Evreux, died 1037. Mauger, Earl of Corbeil, died after 1033. Robert Danus, died between 985 and 989 Emma of Normandy (c. 985-1052) wife of two kings of England. Maud of Normandy, wife of Odo II of Blois, Count of Blois, Champagne and Chartres Hawise of Normandy, wife of Geoffrey I of Brittany

Child of Richard and Duchess Gunnora is:

5638741520i. Richard of Normandy, born 963; married Judith of Brittany

11277483042. Conan I of Brittany He married 11277483043. Ermengarde d'Anjou. 11277483043. Ermengarde d'Anjou

Child of Conan Brittany and Ermengarde d'Anjou is:

5638741521i. Judith of Brittany, born 982; died 1017; married Richard of Normandy

11277483048. Arnold II of Flanders, born 961 in Flanders; died 987. He married 11277483049. Rosela Susanna d'Ivrea.

11277483049. Rosela Susanna d'Ivrea, born 950; died 1003.

Child of Arnold Flanders and Rosela d'Ivrea is:

5638741524i. Badouin IV, born 980 in Flanders; died 1035; married Otgiva

11277483050. Frederick of Luxembourg He married 11277483051. Ermentrude von Gleiber. 11277483051. Ermentrude von Gleiber

Child of Frederick Luxembourg and Ermentrude von Gleiber is:

5638741525i. Otgiva, born 982 in Luxembourg; died 1030; married Badouin IV

11277483052. Hughes de Paris, born 938 in France; died 996. He was the son of 22554966104. Hughes 'The Great' and 22554966105. Hedwig von Sachsen. He married 11277483053. Adelais de Poitou.

11277483053. Adelais de Poitou, born 945 in France; died 1006. She was the daughter of 22554966106. Guillaume III and 22554966107. Adele.

Child of Hughes de Paris is:

Child of Hughes de Paris and Adelais de Poitou is:

5638741526i. Robert CapetII, King of France, born 972; died 1031; married (2) Constance de Toulouse

11277483054. William Taillefer, born 953; died 993. He was the son of 22554966108. Boso II of Arles and 22554966109. Constance de Provence. He married 11277483055. Arsinde D'Anjou 984.

11277483055. Arsinde D'Anjou, born 954. She was the daughter of 22554966110. FulkII, Count of Anjou and 22554966111. Gerberge de Gatinais.

Notes for William Taillefer: William I (c. 950 – 993, after 29 August), called the Liberator, was Count of Provence from 968 to his abdication. In 975 or 979, he took the title of marchio or margrave. He is often considered the founder of the county of Provence. He and his elder brother Rotbold II, sons of Boso II of Arles and Constance of Viennois, daughter of Charles-Constantine, both carried the title of comes or count concurrently, but it is unknown if they were joint-counts of the whole of Provence or if the region was divided. His brother never bore any other title than count so long as William lived, so the latter seems to have attained a certain supremacy.

In 980, he was installed as Count of Arles. His sobriquet comes from his victories against the Saracens by which he liberated Provence from their threat, which had been constant since the establishment of a base at Fraxinet. At the Battle of Tourtour in 973, with the assistance of the counts of the High Alps and the viscounts of Marseille and Fos, he definitively routed the Saracens, chasing them forever from Provence. He reorganised the region east of the Rhône, which he conquered from the Saracens and which had been given him as a gift from King Conrad of Burgundy. Also by royal consent, he and his descendants controlled the fisc in Provence. With Isarn, Bishop of Grenoble, he repopulated Dauphiné and settled an Italian count named Ugo Blavia near Fréjus in 970 in order to bring that land back to cultivation. For all this, he figures prominently in Ralph Glaber's chronicle with the title of dux and he appears in a charter of 992 as pater patriae.

He donated land to Cluny and retired to become a monk, dying at Avignon, where he was buried in the church of Saint-Croix at Sarrians. He was succeeded as margrave by his brother. His great principality began to diminish soon after his death as the castles of his vassals, which he had kept carefully under ducal control, soon became allods of their possessors.

Marriage and issue He married 1st Arsenda, daughter of Arnold of Comminges and their son was:

William II of Provence He married 2nd (against papal advice) in 984, Adelaide of Anjou, daughter of Fulk II of Anjou and Gerberga, and their daughter was:

Constance of Arles (973–1034), married Robert II of France

Sources Lewis, Archibald R. The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050. University of Texas Press: Austin, 1965.

Notes for Arsinde D'Anjou: Adelaide[1] (c. 947–1026),[2] called the White,[3] was the daughter of Fulk II of Anjou and Gerberga. She was therefore the sister of Geoffrey Greymantle. She was married five times to some of France's most important noblemen.

Her first marriage, probably before 960, was to Stephen, Viscount of Gévaudan. Her second marriage was to Raymond III, Count of Toulouse and Prince of Gothia, in 975. He died in 978.

In 982, she married Louis V of France, the young son of Lothair of France, and the two were crowned King and Queen of Aquitaine on the same day at Brioude. The large difference in age between the spouses was cause for a quick divorce in 984.

She fled then to Arles, where she contracted, against papal advice, a marriage with William I of Provence in 984. She gave him a daughter, Constance of Arles, who later married Robert II of France.

Her final marriage was to Otto-William, Count of Burgundy.

Notes 1.^ Variously given as Alice, Adelais, Adalais, or Azalais. 2.^ Adélaïde Blanche d'Anjou 3.^ "la Blanche."

Child of William Taillefer and Arsinde D'Anjou is:

5638741527i. Constance de Toulouse, born 986; died 1032; married Robert CapetII, King of France

11277483056. Duncan Moarmer de Athole, born 950.

Child of Duncan Moarmer de Athole is:

5638741528i. Crinan (Grimus) `the Thane' of Atholl, born 978; died 1045; married Bethoc (Beatrix) MacKenneth of

Scotland

11277483058. Malcolm MacKenneth of Alba II, born 954; died 1034. He was the son of 22554966116. Kenneth MacAlpin of Alba II and 22554966117. Lady of Leinster. He married 11277483059. Aelgifu.

11277483059. Aelgifu

Notes for Malcolm MacKenneth of Alba II: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Máel Coluim mac Cináeda (Modern Gaelic: Maol Chaluim mac Choinnich,[1] known in modern anglicized regnal lists as Malcolm II; died 25 November 1034),[2] was King of the Scots from 1005 until his death.[3] He was a son

of Cináed mac Maíl Coluim; the Prophecy of Berchán says that his mother was a woman of Leinster and refers to him as Máel Coluim Forranach, "the destroyer".[4]

To the Irish annals which recorded his death, Máel Coluim was ard rí Alban, High King of Scotland. In the same way that Brian Bóruma, High King of Ireland, was not the only king in Ireland, Máel Coluim was one of several kings within the geographical boundaries of modern Scotland: his fellow kings included the king of Strathclyde, who ruled much of the south-west, various Norse-Gael kings of the western coasts and the Hebrides and, nearest and most dangerous rivals, the Kings or Mormaers of Moray. To the south, in the kingdom of England, the Earls of Bernicia and Northumbria, whose predecessors as kings of Northumbria had once ruled most of southern Scotland, still controlled large parts of the south-east.[5]

Cináed mac Duib (Modern Gaelic: Coinneach mac Dhuibh)[1] anglicised as Kenneth III, and nicknamed An Donn, "the Chief" or "the Brown",[2] (before 967–25 March 1005) was King of Scots from 997 to 1005. He was the son of Dub (Dub mac Maíl Coluim). Many of the Scots sources refer to him as Giric son of Kenneth son of Dub, which is taken to be an error.[3]

The only event reported in Kenneth's reign is the killing of Dúngal mac Cináeda by Gille Coemgáin mac Cináeda, by the Annals of the Four Masters s.a. 999. It is not certain that this refers to events in Scotland, and whether one or both were sons of this Kenneth, or of Kenneth II of Scotland, or some other person or persons, is not known.[4] Kenneth was killed in battle at Monzievaird in Strathearn by Malcolm II (Máel Coluim mac Cináeda) in 1005.[5]

Whether Boite mac Cináeda was a son of this Kenneth, or of Kenneth II, is uncertain, although most propose this Kenneth. A son, or grandson of Boite, was reported to be killed by Malcolm II in 1032 in the Annals of Ulster.[6]

Kenneth's granddaughter, Gruoch daughter of Boite (Gruoch ingen Boite meic Cináeda) — Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth — was wife firstly of Gille Coemgáin, Mormaer of Moray, and secondly of King Macbeth; her son by Gille Coemgáin, Lulach (Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin), would briefly succeed Macbeth as King of Scotland. The meic Uilleim, descendants of William fitz Duncan by his first marriage, were probably descended from Kenneth; and the Clann Mac Aoidh or Clan Mackay claim descent from Kenneth III through Lulach's daughter.[7]

Notes

1.^ Cináed mac Duib is the Mediaeval Gaelic form. 2.^ The former is probable because later English-speaking sources called him "Grim"; Old Irish donn has similar meaning to Old English greimm, which means "power" or "authority"; see Skene, Chronicles, p. 98; Hudson, Celtic Kings, p. 105. 3.^ Duncan, p. 22; Smyth, pp. 220–221 and 225, prefers to assume that Kenneth had a son, Giric, who ruled jointly with his father; also ESSH, p.522, note 4. 4.^ ESSH, p.520, note 5; Smyth, pp. 221–222, makes Gille Coemgáin the son of this Kenneth following ESSH, p. 580. 5.^ Annals of Ulster and Chronicon Scotorum, s.a. 1005; the various versions of the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba and the Prophecy of Berchán agree on the site of the battle; ESSH, pp 522–524. Duncan, p. 22, suggests that the killer's name should be read as Giric mac Cináeda, "Giric son of Kenneth", a brother of Malcolm. If not, this Giric was presumably also killed at about this time. 6.^ This Cináed and Boite's son, Smyth, pp. 220–221; Duncan, p. 32. See also ESSH, p. 571, note 7. 7.^ Duncan, pp. 102–103.

References

Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500–1286, volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. ISBN 1-871615-03-8 Duncan, A.A.M., The Kingship of the Scots 842–1292: Succession and Independence. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2002. ISBN 0-7486-1626-8 Smyth, Alfred P. Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80-1000. Reprinted, Edinburgh:

Edinburgh UP, 1998. ISBN 0-7486-0100-7 [edit] External linksCELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork includes the Annals of Ulster,

Tigernach, the Four Masters and Innisfallen, the Chronicon Scotorum, the Lebor Bretnach (which includes the Duan Albanach), Genealogies, and various Saints' Lives. Most are translated into English, or translations are in progress. (CKA) The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba

Child of Malcolm Alba and Aelgifu is:

5638741529i. Bethoc (Beatrix) MacKenneth of Scotland, born 984; married Crinan (Grimus) `the Thane' of Atholl

11277483064. Athelred II, born 968; died 1016. He was the son of 22554966128. Edgar the Peaceful and 22554966129. wife of Edgar Ælfthryth. He married 11277483065. Elgiva.

11277483065. Elgiva, born 970; died 1002. She was the daughter of 22554966130. Thored.

Notes for Athelred II: Æthelred the Unready, or Æthelred II[1][2] (c. 968 – 23 April 1016), was king of England (978–1013 and 1014–1016). He was son of King Edgar and Queen Ælfthryth. Æthelred was only about 10 (no more than 13) when his half-brother Edward was murdered. Æthelred was not personally suspected of participation, but as the murder was committed at Corfe Castle by the attendants of Ælfthryth, it made it more difficult for the new king to rally the nation against the military raids by Danes, especially as the legend of St Edward the Martyr grew.

From 991 onwards, Æthelred paid tribute or Danegeld to the Danish King.

In 1002, Æthelred ordered a massacre of Danish settlers.

In 1003, King Sweyn invaded England.

In 1013, Æthelred fled to Normandy and was replaced by Sweyn, who was also king of Denmark. However, Æthelred returned as king after Sweyn died in 1014.

"Unready" is a mistranslation of Old English unræd (meaning bad-counsel) – a twist on his name "Æthelred" (meaning noble-counsel). A better translation would be Redeless - without counsel (Rede).

Notes for Elgiva: Ælfgifu of York (fl. c. 970-1002) was the first wife of King Æthelred (r. 968-1016), by whom she bore many offspring, including Edmund Ironside. It is most probable that she was a daughter of Thored, earl of southern Northumbria.

Her name and paternity do not surface in the sources until sometime after the Conquest. The first to offer any information at all, Sulcard of Westminster (fl. 1080s), merely describes her as being ―of very noble English stock‖ (ex nobilioribus Anglis), without naming her,[1] while in in the early 12th century, William of Malmesbury has nothing to report. All primary evidence comes from two Anglo-Norman historians. John of Worcester, in a chronicle which is thought to rely on earlier material compiled c. 1100, tells that Æthelred's first wife was Ælfgifu, daughter of the nobleman Æthelberht (comes Agelberhtus) and the mother of Edmund, Æthelstan, Eadwig and Eadgyth.[2] Writing in the 1150s, Ailred of Rievaulx had reason to identify Æthelred's first wife as a daughter of earl (comes) Thored and the mother of Edmund, though he supplies no name.[3] Ailred had been seneschal at the court of King David I of Scotland (r. 1124–53), whose mother Margaret descended from King Æthelred and his first wife. Although his testimony is late, his proximity to the royal family may have given him access to genuine information.[4]

Problem of fatherhood These two accounts are irreconcilable at the point of ascribing two different fathers to Æthelred's first wife (in both cases, Edmund's mother). One way out of it would be to assume the existence of two different wives before the arrival of Queen Emma, Æthelred's Norman wife, although this interpretation presents difficulties of its own, especially as the sources envisage a single woman.[5] Historians generally favour the view that John of Worcester was in error about the father's name, as Æthelberht's very existence is under suspicion:[6] if Latin comes is to be

interpreted as a gloss on the office of ealdorman, only two doubtful references to one or two duces (ealdormen) of this name can be put forward that would fit the description.[7] All in all, the combined evidence suggests that Æthelred's first wife was Ælfgifu, the daughter of Earl Thored. This magnate is likely to have been the Thored who was a son of Gunnar and earl of (southern) Northumbria.[8]

Marriage and offspring Based largely on the careers of her sons, Ælfgifu's marriage has been dated approximately to the (mid-)980s.[8] Considering Thored's authority as earl of York and apparently, the tenure of that office without royal appointment, the union would have signified an important step for the West-Saxon royal family by which it secured a foothold in the north.[9] Such a politically weighty union would help explain the close connections maintained by Ælfgifu's eldest sons Edmund and Æthelstan with noble families based in the northern Danelaw.[10]

The marriage produced six sons, all of whom were named after Æthelred's predecessors, and an unknown number of daughters. The eldest sons Æthelstan, Ecgberht, Eadred and Edmund first attest charters in 993, while the younger sons Eadwig and Edgar first make an appearance in them in 997 and 1001 respectively.[11] Some of these sons seem to have spent part of their childhood in fosterage elsewhere, possibly with Æthelred's mother Ælfthryth.[12]

The only ætheling to become king was Edmund Ironside, whose brief reign came to an end when Cnut won a series of victories and so conquered England (1016). Æthelred gave three of his daughters in marriage to ealdormen, presumably in order to secure the loyalties of his nobles and so to consolidate a defence system against Viking attacks.[13]

Sons Æthelstan (born before 993, d. 1014) Ecgberht (born before 993, d. 1005) Edmund (II) Ironside (born before 993, d. 1016) Eadred (d. 1012 x 1015) Eadwig (born before 997, exiled and killed 1017) Edgar (born before 1001, d. 1012 x 1015)

Daughters Eadgyth (born before 993), married Eadric Streona, ealdorman of Mercia.[14] Ælfgifu, married ealdorman Uhtred of Northumbria.[15] (possibly) Wulfhild, who married Ulfcytel (Snillingr) (d. 1016), apparently ealdorman of East Anglia.[16] possibly an unnamed daughter who married the Æthelstan who was killed fighting the Danes at the Battle of Ringmere in 1010. He is called Æthelred's aðum, meaning either son-in-law or brother-in-law.[16] Ann Williams, however, argues that the latter meaning is the appropriate one and refers to Æthelstan as being Ælfgifu's brother.[17] possibly unnamed daughter, who became abbess of Wherwell.[18]

Life and death Unlike her mother-in-law, Ælfthryth, Ælfgifu was not anointed queen and never signed charters.[19] She did, however, make at least some impression on the contemporary record. In a will issued between 975/980 and 987, the thegn Beorhtric and his wife bequeathed to their ―lady‖ (hlæfdige) an armlet worth 30 gold mancuses and a stallion, calling upon her authority to oversee the implementation of the arrangements set out by will.[20] In a will of later date (AD 990 x 1001), in which she is addressed as ―my lady‖ (mire hlæfdian), the noblewoman Æthelgifu promised a bequest of 30 mancuses of gold.[21] Just as little is known of Ælfgifu's life, so the precise date and circumstances of her death cannot be recovered.[22] In any event, she appears to have died by 1002, possibly in childbirth, when Æthelred took to wife Emma, daughter of Count Richard of Rouen, who received or adopted her predecessor's Anglo-Saxon name, Ælfgifu.

Notes 1.^ Sulcard of Winchester, Prologus de construccione Westmonasterii, ed. Scholz, pp. 74, 89; Williams, Æthelred the Unready, p. 169, note 30. 2.^ John of Worcester, Chronicon ex Chronicis (West-Saxon regnal list at the end of Chronicle). 3.^ '[...] cum jam de filia Torethi nobilissimi comitis filium suscepisset Edmundum.'--Ailred of Rievaulx, Genealogia regum Anglorum.

4.^ Keynes, ―Æthelred.‖ 5.^ This possibility is raised, for instance, by Stafford, Queen Emma, p. 66 and 66 note 3. It is also considered, but subsequently rejected by Williams, Æthelred the Unready, p. 25. 6.^ Williams, Æthelred the Unready, p. 25; Keynes, ―Æthelred‖; Handbook of British Chronology, p. 27. 7.^ His name is only attested for an ealdorman (dux) on the witness lists for two spurious royal charters relating to grants in Tavistock and Exeter. S 838 (AD 981) and S 954 (AD 1019). The latter subscription may be an error for Æthelweard; see Williams, Æthelred the Unready. p. 169 note 29. 8.^ a b Williams, Æthelred the Unready, p. 24. 9.^ Williams, Æthelred the Unready, p. 24-5. 10.^ Keynes, ―Æthelred‖; Williams, Æthelred the Unready, p. 25. 11.^ S 876 (AD 993), S 891 (AD 997), S 899 (AD 1001). 12.^ Keynes, ―Æthelred‖ 13.^ Stafford, The Reign of Æthelred II.34-5. 14.^ John of Worcester, Chronicon, AD 1009. 15.^ De Obsessione Dunelmi § 2; Handbook of British Chronology, p. 27. 16.^ a b Handbook of British Chronology, p. 27. 17.^ Williams, Æthelred the Unready, p. 24. 18.^ Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (MS E) 1048; Handbook of British Chronology, p. 27. 19.^ Ryan Lavelle, Aethelred II: King of the English, The History Press, 2008, p. 56 20.^ S 1511 (975 or 980 x 987). 21.^ S 1497 (c. AD 990x 1001). 22.^ It has been suggested that she died in giving birth. Trow, Cnut: Emperor of the North, p. 54.

Primary sources Ailred of Rievaulx, De genealogia regum Anglorum ("On the Genealogy of the English Kings"), ed. R. Twysden, De genealogia regum Anglorum. Rerum Anglicarum scriptores 10. London, 1652. 1.347–70. Patrologia Latina 195 (711–38) edition available from Documenta Catholica; tr. M. L. Dutton and J. P. Freeland, Aelred of Rievaulx, The Historical Works. Kalamazoo, 2005. Anglo-Saxon charters S 1511 (possibly AD 980 x 987) S 1497 (c. AD 990 x 1001) Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, ed. D. Dumville and S. Keynes, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: a collaborative edition. 8 vols. Cambridge, 1983 Tr. Michael J. Swanton, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. 2nd ed. London, 2000. John of Worcester, Chronicon ex Chronicis, ed. Benjamin Thorpe, Florentii Wigorniensis monachi chronicon ex chronicis. 2 vols. London, 1848–49 Tr. J. Stevenson, Church Historians of England. 8 vols.: vol. 2.1. London, 1855; pp. 171–372. Sulcard of Westminster, Prologus de construccione Westmonasterii, ed. B. W. Scholz, ―Sulcard of Westminster. Prologus de construccione Westmonasterii.‖ Traditio; 20 (1964); pp. 59–91. William of Malmesbury, Gesta regum Anglorum, ed. and tr. R. A. B. Mynors, R. M. Thomson and M. Winterbottom, William of Malmesbury. Gesta Regum Anglorum: The History of the English Kings. (Oxford Medieval Texts.) 2 vols.; vol 1. Oxford, 1998. [edit] Secondary sourcesFryde, E. et al. Handbook of British Chronology. 3d ed. Cambridge, 1996. Keynes, Simon. ―Æthelred II (c.966x8–1016).‖ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press, 200.4 Accessed 1 Sept 2007. Stafford, Pauline. "The Reign of Æthelred II. A Study in the Limitations on Royal Policy and Action." In Ethelred the Unready. Papers from the Millenary Conference, ed. D. Hill. BAR British series 59. Oxford, 1978. 15-46. Stafford, Pauline. Queen Emma and Queen Edith: Queenship and Women‘s Power in Eleventh-Century England. Oxford, 1997. Trow, M.J. Cnut: Emperor of the North. Sutton, 2005. Williams, Ann. Æthelred the Unready: The Ill-Counselled King. London, 2003.

Child of Athelred and Elgiva is:

5638741532i. Edmund II "Ironside", born 989; died 1016; married Edith (Ealdgyth)

11277483100. Roger de Montgomery He married 11277483101. Josceiline de Ponteaudemer. 11277483101. Josceiline de Ponteaudemer, born 989.

Child of Roger de Montgomery and Josceiline de Ponteaudemer is:

5638741550i. Roger de Montgomery de Shrewsbury, born 1022; died 1094; married Mabel Taivas de Bellame

11277483102. William de Taivas, born 1000; died 1098. He married 11277483103. Hildeburge de Beaumont.

11277483103. Hildeburge de Beaumont, born 995; died 1067.

Child of William de Taivas and Hildeburge de Beaumont is:

5638741551i. Mabel Taivas de Bellame, born 1026; died 1079; married Roger de Montgomery de Shrewsbury

11277483104. Josceline d'Lusignan He married 11277483105. Aymer de Lusignan. 11277483105. Aymer de Lusignan

Child of Josceline d'Lusignan and Aymer de Lusignan is:

5638741552i. Foucauld de la Roche, married Gersende de Chatellerault

11277483120. Bouchard d'Isle Bouchard He married 11277483121. Hermengarde de Villaines. 11277483121. Hermengarde de Villaines

Child of Bouchard Bouchard and Hermengarde de Villaines is:

5638741560i. Hughes d'Isle Bouchard

11277483226. RichardII, Duke of Normandy, born 970; died 1026. He was the son of 11277483040. RichardI, Duke of Normandy. He married 11277483227. Judith of Brittany.

11277483227. Judith of Brittany, born 982; died 1017.

Notes for RichardII, Duke of Normandy: Richard II (born 23 August 970, in Normandy, France – 28 August 1026, in Normandy), called the Good (French: Le Bon), was the eldest son and heir of Richard I the Fearless and Gunnora.[1]

Richard succeeded his father as Duke of Normandy in 996 but the first five years of his reign were spent with Count Ralph of Ivry wielding power and putting down a peasant insurrection.[2]

When he took power he strengthened his alliance with the Capetians by helping Robert II of France against the duchy of Burgundy. He formed a new alliance with Brittany by marrying his sister Hawise to Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany and by his own marriage to Geoffrey's sister, Judith.

He also repelled an English attack on the Cotentin Peninsula that was led by Ethelred II of England. He pursued a reform of the Norman monasteries.

Connections to England In 1013 AD, England was invaded by the Danes and Æthelred the Unready fled to his brother-in-law in Normandy. His marriage to Emma of Normandy, sister of Richard, had made them unpopular among the English.

Connections to Norway In 1015 AD, Olaf II of Norway was crowned king. Prior to this, Prince Olaf had been in England and on his way to unite Norway he wintered with Duke Richard II of Normandy. In 881 AD, this region had been conquered by the Norsemen. As Duke Richard was an ardent Christian, and the Normans had converted to Christianity, Prince Olaf was baptized in Rouen.

Richard attempted to improve relations with England through his sister Emma of Normandy's marriage to King Ethelred, but she was strongly disliked by the English. However, this connection later gave his grandson, William the Conqueror, part of his claim to the throne of England.

He married firstly (996) Judith (982-1017), daughter of Conan I of Brittany, by whom he had the following issue:

Richard (c. 1002/4), duke of Normandy Alice (c. 1003/5), married Renaud I, Count of Burgundy Robert (c. 1005/7), duke of Normandy William (c. 1007/9), monk at Fécamp, d. 1025 Eleanor (c. 1011/3), married to Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders Matilda (c. 1013/5), nun at Fecamp, d. 1033 Secondly he married Poppa of Envermeu, by whom he had the following issue:

Mauger (c. 1019), Archbishop of Rouen William (c. 1020/5), count of Arques [edit] Other marriages / childrenTraditionally, Richard had a third wife named Astrid (Estritha), daughter of Sweyn Forkbeard, King of England, Denmark, and Norway, and Sigrid the Haughty. This is extremely unlikely, however, given the political situation.

An illegitimate daughter of Richard I, sometimes called "Papia", is also at times given as a daughter of Richard II. Tancred of Hauteville's two wives Muriella and Fredensenda are likewise given as daughters of "Duke Richard of Normandy", referring to either Richard I or Richard II.

References: Normandy portal 1.^ Burke, John Bernard (1852). The Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales, with Their Descendants, Sovereigns and Subjects. BiblioBazaar (2009). pp. ii–iii, Section V. ISBN 1115404474. http://books.google.com/books?id=oJoH-3-xlnIC&lpg=RA1-PA59&vq=richard%20II&pg=RA1-PR2#v=onepage& q&f=false. Retrieved 2010-11-08. 2.^ Francois Neveux. A Brief History of The Romans. Constable and Robinson. 2008; p. 74

Notes for Judith of Brittany: Judith of Brittany (982–1017) was the daughter of Conan I, Duke of Brittany and Ermengarde of Anjou, and the mother of Robert the Magnificent.

She was the first wife of Richard the Good, Duke of Normandy, whom she married in 996. They had six children:

Richard (c. 1002/4), duke of Normandy Adelaide (c. 1003/5), married Renaud I, Count of Burgundy Robert (c. 1005/7), duke of Normandy William (c. 1007/9), monk at Fécamp, d. 1025 Eleanor (c. 1011/3), married to Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders Matilda (c. 1013/5), nun at Fecamp, d. 1033 The duchess Judith died in 1017 and was buried in the abbey of Bernay, which she had founded.

Child of Richard and Judith Brittany is:

5638741613i. Alice of Normandy, married ReginaldI, Count of Burgundy

11277483908. EnguerrandII, Count of Ponthieu He was the son of 22554967816. HughII, Count of Ponthieu. He married 11277483909. Adelaide.

11277483909. Adelaide

Notes for EnguerrandII, Count of Ponthieu: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Enguerrand II was the son of Hugh II count of Ponthieu. He assumed the county upon the death of his father on

November 20, 1052.

The Ponthievin alliance with duke William of Normandy had earlier been secured by the marriage of Enguerrand's sister, to duke William's uncle, William of Talou. Enguerrand was married to duke William's sister, Adelaide, by whom he had 3 children. However, because of some consanguinity there, or another infraction not now known, Enguerrand was excommunicated at the papal council held at Reims in October 1049.

William of Talou had built a strong castle at Arques, and from it (in 1053) he defied his nephew the youthful duke of Normandy: as "family", the comital house of Ponthieu supported the rebellion.

Duke William put Arques under siege, and then remained mobile with another force in the countryside nearby. He was aware that Normandy was being threatened by the armies of King Henry of France — who wanted to bring his young, former vassal to heel; and that Normandy's erstwhile allies from Ponthieu would also be coming to break the siege of Arques. Young count Enguerrand led a Ponthievin army of relief into the Talou and arrived first: but duke William successfully ambushed them on October 25, 1053 and Enguerrand was killed (legend says, within sight and sound of the walls of Arques, from which his sister witnessed the demise of her brother). Upon learning of this serious reverse, the vacillating Henry withdrew his forces at once back across the Norman border. William of Talou was compelled to surrender Arques and was banished for life. (Alternatively, the story goes that king Henry reinforced Arques, and duke William lured part of the French army, including Enguerrand and the Ponthievins, away by a feigned flight, then turned on them and won a battle: Henry then withdrew, forcing the surrender of Arques not long after.)

Enguerrand's only son (or possibly his brother by one account), Guy I became count of Ponthieu in his place.

Child of Enguerrand and Adelaide is:

5638741954i. GuyI, Count of Ponthieu

Generation No. 35

22554958906. Gerhard de Bas-Alsace, born 938. He married 22554958907. Eve of Luxembourg. 22554958907. Eve of Luxembourg, born 952; died 1006. She was the daughter of 45109917814. Siegfried of Luxembourg de Cleves de Alsace and 45109917815. Edith Hedwig de Longwy.

Child of Gerhard de Bas-Alsace and Eve Luxembourg is:

11277479453 i. Gisele of Metz de Bas-Alsace, born 976; married Gerhard of Metz de Bas-Alsace

22554966080. William Longsword of Normandy, born 891. He was the son of 45109932160. Rolf Rognvaldsson of Normandy and 45109932161. Poppa de Valois of Normandy. He married 22554966081. Sprota.

22554966081. Sprota

Notes for William Longsword of Normandy: William I Longsword (French: Guillaume Longue-Épée, Latin: Willermus Longa Spata, Scandinavian: Vilhjálmr Langaspjót) (893 – 17 December 942) was the second Duke of Normandy from his father's death until his own assassination. The title dux (duke) was not in use at the time and has been applied to early Norman rulers retroactively. William actually used the title comes (count).

Biography Little is known about his early years. He was born in Bayeux or Rouen to Rollo and his wife Poppa. All that is known of Poppa is that she was a Christian, and the daughter to Berengar of Rennes, the previous lord of Brittania Nova, which eventually became western Normandy. According to the William's planctus, he was baptised a Christian.

William succeeded Rollo sometime around 927 and, early in his reign, faced a rebellion from Normans who felt he had become too Gallicised and also from Bretons. According to Orderic Vitalis, the leader was Riouf of Evreux.[1]

After putting down the rebellion, William attacked Brittany and ravaged the territory. Resistance to the Normans was led by Alan Wrybeard and Beranger but shortly ended with the Wrybeard fleeing to England and Beranger seeking reconciliation. However, it was not through invasion that he gained Breton territory but by politics, receiving Contentin and Avranchin as a gift from the Rudolph, King of France.

In 935, William married Luitgarde, daughter of Herbert II of Vermandois whose dowry gave him the lands of Longueville, Coudres and Illiers l'Eveque. His expansion northwards, including the fortress of Montreuil brought him into conflict with Arnulf I of Flanders.

The funerary monument of William Longsword in the cathedral of Rouen, France. The monument is from the XIVth century.In 939 William became involved in a war with Arnulf I of Flanders, which soon became intertwined with the other conflicts troubling the reign of Louis IV. It began with Herluin appealing to William for help to regain the castle of Montreuil from Arnulf. Losing the castle was a major setback in Arnulf's ambitions and William's part in it gained him a deadly enemy. He was ambushed and killed by followers of Arnulf on 17 December 942 at Picquigny on the Somme while at a meeting to settle their differences.

His son Richard the Fearless, child of his first wife, Sprota, succeeded him.

Child of William Longsword of Normandy is:

Child of William Normandy and Sprota is:

11277483040 i. RichardI, Duke of Normandy, born 933; died 996; married (1) Duchess of Normandy Gunnora

22554966104. Hughes 'The Great', born 895 in Paris, France; died 956. He was the son of 45109932208. Robert I and 45109932209. Beatrice de Vermandois. He married 22554966105. Hedwig von Sachsen.

22554966105. Hedwig von Sachsen, born in Germany; died 965. She was the daughter of 45109932210. Heinrich von Sachsen and 45109932211. Unknown.

Child of Hughes Great' and Hedwig von Sachsen is:

11277483052 i. Hughes de Paris, born 938 in France; died 996; married (2) Adelais de Poitou

22554966106. Guillaume III, born 925 in Aguitaine; died 963. He married 22554966107. Adele. 22554966107. Adele, born in Normandy; died 962.

Child of Guillaume and Adele is:

11277483053 i. Adelais de Poitou, born 945 in France; died 1006; married Hughes de Paris

22554966108. Boso II of Arles He married 22554966109. Constance de Provence. 22554966109. Constance de Provence, died 961.

Child of Boso Arles and Constance de Provence is:

11277483054 i. William Taillefer, born 953; died 993; married Arsinde D'Anjou 984.

22554966110. FulkII, Count of Anjou, born 909; died 958. He was the son of 45109932220. FulkI, Count of Anjou and 45109932221. Rosalie de Loches. He married 22554966111. Gerberge de Gatinais.

22554966111. Gerberge de Gatinais, born 913.

Notes for FulkII, Count of Anjou: Fulk II of Anjou (died 958[1]), son of Fulk the Red, was count of Anjou from 942 to his death.[2]

He was often at war with the Bretons. He seems to have been a man of culture, a poet and an artist. He was

succeeded by his son Geoffrey Greymantle.

Fulk II died at Tours. Fulk's date of death 11 November 958 is given by Christian Settipani in his work La Noblesse du Midi Carolingien, but it's unclear upon what primary evidence this is based.

By his spouse, Gerberge, he had several children:

Adelais of Anjou, married five times Geoffrey I, Count of Anjou, married Adelaide of Vermandois

Children of Fulk and Gerberge de Gatinais are:

11277483055 i. Arsinde D'Anjou, born 954; married William Taillefer 984. ii. GeoffreyI, Count of Anjou, married Adele of Meaux

Notes for GeoffreyI, Count of Anjou: Geoffrey I of Anjou (died July 21, 987), known as Grisegonelle ("Greymantle"), was count of Anjou from 960 to 987.[1] He succeeded his father Fulk II. He cultivated the loyal support of a group of magnates, some of whom he inherited from his father,[2] others whom he recruited: men such as Alberic of Vihiers, Cadilo of Blaison, Roger I (le "vieux") of Loudon, Joscelin of Rennes, castellan of Baugé, Suhard I of Craon, Tobert of Buzençais and members of the Bouchard clan, and encouraged them to see their own dynastic interests as tied to the success of the Angevin count.[3] He succeeded in establishing a group of fideles upon whom his son, Fulk called "Nerra", was able to depend in establishing Anjou as a cohesive regional power in an age of territorial disintegration.[4] In preparing the way, Geoffrey was the first count in the west of France to associate his son in the comital title.[5]

Geoffrey allied with the Count of Nantes against the Count of Rennes, and allied with Hugh Capet, fearing an invasion by the Count of Blois. He was one of the men responsible for bringing Hugh to the throne of France.

He married Adele of Meaux (934–982), daughter of Robert of Vermandois and Adelais de Vergy. Their children were:

1.Gottfried of Anjou (-987) 2.Fulk III of Anjou. 3.Ermengarde of Anjou (b. 965), married Conan I of Rennes. 4.Gerberga (b. 973), married Count William IV of Angoulême. He married, secondly, to Adelaise de Chalon in Mar 979 and had one child:

1.Maurice of Anjou (980 - 1012), married to a daughter of Aimery, Count of Saintes and had one son.

Notes 1.^ Refer to Bernard S. Bachrach, "Fulk Nerra: Neo-Roman Consul, 987-1040" (California, 1993) 261 and 262 for a useful genealogy of the Angevin comital line. 2.^ "Although the documentation for the later ninth and early tenth centuries in Anjou is not good, enough material does survive to suggest a noteworthy continuity in the entourage of the Angevins counts" concludes Bernard S. Bachrach, "Enforcement of the Forma Fidelitatis: The Techniques Used by Fulk Nerra, Count of the Angevins (987-1040)" Speculum 59.4 (October 1984:796-819) p. 801, note 26. 3.^ Bachrach 1984:799f. 4.^ Other exceptions to the disintegration of the pagus, in addition to the example of Anjou, were Normandy and Flanders. (François Marignier, "Political and monastic structures in France at the end of the tenth and the beginning of the eleventh centuries", in Frederic L. Cheyette, ed. and tr., Lordship and Community in Medieval Europe (New York) 1967:106, 125. 5.^ Bachrach 1984:802.

Notes for Adele of Meaux: Adele of Meaux (c. 950-c. 980) Also known as "Adele of Vermandois" was a daughter of Robert of Vermandois and Adelaide-Werra de Chalon.

She married twice, first to Lambert, Count of Chalon, and then to Geoffrey I of Anjou, and had children with

each.

Children

With Lambert of Chalon:

Hugh I of Autun, Bishop of Auxerre (-1039) Mahaut of Autun, Count of Chalon (-1019) Aelis of Chalon, who married Guido I of Macon

With Geoffrey I of Anjou:

Gottfried of Anjou (-987) Fulk III of Anjou (972-1040) Ermengarde of Anjou, who married Conan I of Rennes Gerberga (b. 973), married Count William IV of Angoulême. .

22554966116. Kenneth MacAlpin of Alba II, born 932. He was the son of 45109932232. Malcolm MacAlpin of Alba I. He married 22554966117. Lady of Leinster.

22554966117. Lady of Leinster, born 932.

Notes for Kenneth MacAlpin of Alba II: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Dub mac Maíl Coluim (Modern Gaelic: Dubh mac Mhaoil Chaluim),[1] sometimes anglicised as Duff MacMalcolm,[2] called Dén, "the Vehement"[3] and Niger, "the Black"[4] (died 967) was king of Alba. He was son of Malcolm I (Máel Coluim mac Domnaill) and succeeded to the throne when Indulf (Ildulb mac Causantín) was killed in 962.

While later chroniclers such as John of Fordun supplied a great deal of information on Dub's life and reign, including tales of witchcraft and treason, almost all of this is rejected by modern historians. There are very few sources for the reign of Dub, of which the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba and a single entry in the Annals of Ulster are the closest to contemporary.

The Chronicle records that during Dub's reign bishop Fothach, most likely bishop of St Andrews or of Dunkeld, died. The remaining report is of a battle between Dub and Cuilén, son of king Ildulb. Dub won the battle, fought "upon the ridge of Crup", in which Duchad, abbot of Dunkeld, sometimes supposed to be an ancestor of Crínán of Dunkeld, and Dubdon, the mormaer of Atholl, died.

The various accounts differ on what happened afterwards. The Chronicle claims that Dub was driven out of the kingdom. The Latin material interpolated in Andrew of Wyntoun's Orygynale Cronykl states that he was murdered at Forres, and links this to an eclipse of the sun which can be dated to 20 July 966. The Annals of Ulster report only: "Dub mac Maíl Coluim, king of Alba, was killed by the Scots themselves"; the usual way of reporting a death in internal strife, and place the death in 967. It has been suggested that Sueno's Stone, near Forres, may be a monument to Dub, erected by his brother Kenneth II (Cináed mac Maíl Coluim). It is presumed that Dub was killed or driven out by Cuilén, who became king after Dub's death, or by his supporters.

Dub left at least one son, Kenneth III (Cináed mac Dub). Although his descendants did not compete successfully for the kingship of Alba after Cináed was killed in 1005, they did hold the mormaerdom of Fife. The MacDuib (or MacDuff) held the mormaerdom, and later earldom, until 1371.

External links: Annals of Ulster, part 1, at CELT (translated) The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba

Notes 1.^ Dub mac Maíl Coluim is the Mediaeval Gaelic form. The modern form, Dubh, has the sense of "dark" or "black", especially in reference to hair colour 2.^ This form was used in older histories, but is not commonly used today 3.^ Duan Albanach, 23 here 4.^ Chronicle of the Kings of Alba and related Scoto-Latin texts. Niger is a literal Latin translation of the Gaelic Dub, which may itself have been an epithet rather than a given name: the Duan Albanach refers to him as Dubhoda dén, Dubod the vehement or impetuous [edit] ReferencesDuncan, A.A.M., The Kingship of the Scots 842–1292: Succession and Independence. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2002. ISBN 0-7486-1626-8 Smyth, Alfred P., Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80–1000. Edinburgh UP, Edinburgh, 1984. ISBN 0-7486-0100-7

Child of Kenneth Alba and Lady Leinster is:

11277483058 i. Malcolm MacKenneth of Alba II, born 954; died 1034; married Aelgifu

22554966128. Edgar the Peaceful He was the son of 45109932256. Edmund I. He married 22554966129. wife of Edgar Ælfthryth.

22554966129. wife of Edgar Ælfthryth

Notes for Edgar the Peaceful: Edgar the Peaceful, or Edgar I (Old English: Eadgar) (c. 7 August 943 – 8 July 975), also called the Peaceable, was a king of England (r. 959–75). Edgar was the younger son of Edmund I of England. He is venerated in the Orthodox Church.

His cognomen, "The Peaceable", was not necessarily a comment on the deeds of his life, for he was a strong leader, shown by his seizure of the Northumbrian and Mercian kingdoms from his older brother, Eadwig, in 958.[citation needed] A conclave of nobles held Edgar to be king north of the Thames, and Edgar aspired to succeed to the English throne.[citation needed]

Government Though Edgar was not a particularly peaceable man, his reign was a peaceful one. The Kingdom of England was at its height. Edgar consolidated the political unity achieved by his predecessors. By the end of Edgar's reign, England was sufficiently unified that it was unlikely to regress back to a state of division among rival kingships, as it had to an extent under Eadred's reign.

Edgar and Dunstan Upon Eadwig's death in October 959, Edgar immediately recalled Dunstan (eventually canonised as St. Dunstan) from exile to have him made Bishop of Worcester (and subsequently Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury). Dunstan remained Edgar's advisor throughout his reign.

Coins of Edgar I (959–975).[edit] Benedictine ReformThe Monastic Reform Movement that restored the Benedictine Rule to England's undisciplined monastic communities peaked during the era of Dunstan, Æthelwold, and Oswald. (Historians continue to debate the extent and significance of this movement.)

Coronation at Bath (AD 973) Edgar the Peaceful sits aboard a barge manned by eight kings, as it moves up the River Dee.Edgar was crowned at Bath and anointed with his wife Ælfthryth, setting a precedent for a coronation of a queen in England itself.[1] Edgar's coronation did not happen until 973, in an imperial ceremony planned not as the initiation, but as the culmination of his reign (a move that must have taken a great deal of preliminary diplomacy). This service, devised by Dunstan himself and celebrated with a poem in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, forms the basis of the present-day British coronation ceremony. The symbolic coronation was an important step; other kings of Britain came and gave their allegiance to Edgar shortly afterwards at Chester. Six kings in Britain, including the King of Scots and the King of Strathclyde, pledged their faith that they would be the king's liege-men on sea and land. Later chroniclers made

the kings into eight, all plying the oars of Edgar's state barge on the River Dee. Such embellishments may not be factual, but the main outlines of the "submission at Chester" appear true. (See History of Chester.)

Death (AD 975). Edgar died on 8 July 975 at Winchester, and was buried at Glastonbury Abbey. He left two sons, the elder named Edward, who was probably his illegitimate son by Æthelflæd (not to be confused with the Lady of the Mercians), and Æthelred, the younger, the child of his wife Ælfthryth. He was succeeded by Edward. Edgar also had a daughter, possibly illegitimate, by Wulfryth, who later became abbess of Wilton. She was joined there by her daughter, Edith of Wilton, who lived there as a nun until her death. Both women were later regarded as saints.[2]

From Edgar‘s death to the Norman Conquest, there was not a single succession to the throne that was not contested. Some see Edgar‘s death as the beginning of the end of Anglo-Saxon England, followed as it was by three successful 11th-century conquests — two Danish and one Norman.

Genealogy For a more complete genealogy including ancestors and descendants, see House of Wessex family tree.

Notes for wife of Edgar Ælfthryth: Ælfthryth (c.945 to c.1000, also Alfrida, Elfrida or Elfthryth) was the second or third wife of King Edgar of England. Ælfthryth was the first king's wife known to have been crowned and anointed as Queen of the Kingdom of England. Mother of King Æthelred the Unready, she was a powerful political figure. She was linked to the murder of her stepson King Edward the Martyr and appeared as a stereotypical bad queen and evil stepmother in many medieval histories.

Ælfthryth was the daughter of Ealdorman Ordgar. Her mother was a member of the royal family of Wessex. The family's power lay in the west of Wessex. Ordgar was buried in Exeter and his son Ordwulf founded, or refounded, Tavistock Abbey.[1]

Ælfthryth was first married to Æthelwald, son of Æthelstan Half-King as recorded by Byrhtferth of Ramsey in his Life of Saint Oswald of Worcester.[2] Later accounts, such as that preserved by William of Malmesbury, add vivid detail of unknown reliability.

According to William, the beauty of Ordgar's daughter Ælfthryth was reported to King Edgar. Edgar, looking for a Queen, sent Æthewald to see Ælfthryth, ordering him "to offer her marriage [to Edgar] if her beauty were really equal to report." When she turned out to be just as beautiful as was said, Æthelwald married her himself and reported back to Edgar that she was quite unsuitable. Edgar was eventually told of this, and decided to repay Æthelwald's betrayal in like manner. He said that he would visit the poor woman, which alarmed Æthelwald. He asked Ælfthryth to make herself as unattractive as possible for the king's visit, but she did the opposite. Edgar, quite besotted with her, killed Æthelwald during a hunt.[3]

The historical record does not record the year of Æthelwald's death, let alone its manner. No children of Æthelwald and Ælfthryth are known.

Edgar's queen Edgar had two children before he married Ælfthryth, both of uncertain legitimacy. Edward was probably the son of Æthelflæd, and Eadgifu, later known as Saint Edith of Wilton, the daughter of Wulfthryth.[4] Sound political reasons encouraged the match between Edgar, whose power base was centred in Mercia, and Ælfthryth, whose family were powerful in Wessex. In addition to this, and her link with the family of Æthelstan Half-King, Ælfthryth also appears to have been connected to the family of Ælfhere, Ealdorman of Mercia.[5]

Edgar married Ælfthryth in either 964 or 965. In 966 Ælfthryth gave birth to a son who was named Edmund. In King Edgar's charter (S 745) regranting privileges to New Minster, Winchester that same year, the infant Edmund is called "clito legitimus" (legitimate ætheling), and appears before Edward in the list of witnesses. Edmund died young, circa 970, but in 968 Ælfthryth had given birth to a second son who was called Æthelred.[6]

King Edgar organised a second coronation, perhaps to bolster his claims to be ruler of all of Britain at Bath on 11 May 973. Here Ælfthryth was also crowned and anointed, granting her a status higher than any recent queen.[7] The only model of a queen's coronation was that of Judith of Flanders, but this had taken place outside of England. In the new rite, the emphasis lay on her role as protector of religion and the nunneries in the realm. She took a close interest in the well-being of several abbeys, and as overseer of Barking Abbey deposed and later reinstated the abbess.[8]

Queen dowager Edgar died in 975 leaving two young sons, Edward and Æthelred. Edward was almost an adult, and his successful claim for the throne was supported by many key figures including Archbishops Dunstan and Oswald and the brother of Ælfthryth's first husband, Æthelwine, Ealdorman of East Anglia. Supporting the unsuccessful claim of Æthelred were his mother, the Queen dowager, Bishop Æthelwold of Winchester, and Ælfhere, Ealdorman of Mercia.[9]

On 18 March 978, while visiting Ælfthryth at Corfe Castle, King Edward was killed by servants of the Queen, leaving the way clear for Æthelred to be installed as king. Edward was soon considered a martyr, and later medieval accounts blamed Ælfthryth for his murder. Due to Æthelred's youth, Ælfthryth served as regent for her son until his coming of age in 984. By then her earlier allies Æthelwold and Ælfhere had died, and Æthelred rebelled against his old advisers, preferring a group of younger nobility. She disappears from the list of charter witnesses from around 983 to 993, when she reappears in a lower position. She remained an important figure, being responsible for the care of Æthelred's children by his first wife, Ælfgifu. Æthelred's eldest son, Æthelstan Ætheling, prayed for the soul of the grandmother "who brought me up" in his will in 1014.[10]

Although her reputation was damaged by the murder of her stepson, Ælfthryth was a religious woman, taking an especial interest in monastic reform when Queen. In about 986 she founded Wherwell Abbey as a Benedictine nunnery, and late in life she retired there. She died at Wherwell on 17 November of 999, 1000 or 1001.[11]

In popular culture Ælfthryth was played by Jessie Royce Landis in the 1970 television movie The Ceremony of Innocence.

Notes 1.^ Stafford, Unification, pp. 52–53. 2.^ PASE; Stafford, Unification, pp. 52–53. 3.^ Malmesbury, pp. 139–140 (Book 2, § 139. 4.^ Cyril Hart, Edward the Martyr, Oxford Online DNB, 2004 5.^ Higham, pp. 6–7; Stafford, Unification, pp. 52–53. 6.^ Higham, pp. 6–7; Miller, "Edgar"; Stafford, "Ælfthryth". 7.^ Miller, "Edgar"; Stafford, "Ælfthryth". 8.^ Honeycutt, Lois (2003). Matilda of Scotland: a Study in Medieval Queenship. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. pp. 36–37. 9.^ Higham, pp. 7–14; Stafford, Unification, pp. 57–59. 10.^ Higham, pp. 7–14; Stafford, "Ælfthryth"; Stafford, Unification, pp. 57–59, Lavelle, pp. 86–90 11.^ Stafford, "Ælfthryth" [edit] References"Ælfthryth 8 (Female) Queen of King Edgar, 964-975, d.999x1001; daughter of Ordgar". Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England. http://www.pase.ac.uk/jsp/DisplayPerson.jsp?personKey=8094. Retrieved 2007-09-06. [dead link] Higham, Nick, The Death of Anglo-Saxon England. Stroud: Sutton, 1997. ISBN 0-7509-2469-1 Miller, Sean, "Edgar" in Michael Lapidge (ed.), The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England. Oxford: Blackwell, 1999. ISBN 0-631-22492-0 Lavelle, Ryan, Aethelred II: King of the English. Stroud: The History Press, 2008. ISBN 978 0 7524 4678 3 Stafford, Pauline, "Ælfthryth" in Michael Lapidge (ed.), The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England. Oxford: Blackwell, 1999. ISBN 0-631-22492 0 Stafford, Pauline, Unification and Conquest: A Political and Social History of England in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries. London: Edward Arnold, 1989. ISBN 0-7131-6532-4 William of Malmesbury. Joseph Stevenson. ed. Malmesbury's History of the Kings. http://books.google.com/books?id=mxy_gvWgEQUC. Retrieved 2007-09-08.

Child of Edgar Peaceful and wife Ælfthryth is:

11277483064 i. Athelred II, born 968; died 1016; married Elgiva

22554966130. Thored

Notes for Thored: Thored (Old English: Ðoreð or Þoreð; fl. 979–992) was a 10th century ealdorman of York, ruler of the southern half of the old Kingdom of Northumbria on behalf of the king of England. He was the son of either Gunnar or Oslac, northern ealdormen. If he was the former, he may had attained adulthood by the 960s, when a man of his name raided Westmorland. Other potential appearances in the records are likewise uncertain until 979, the point from which Thored's period as ealdorman can be accurately dated.

Although historians differ in their opinions about his relationship, if any, to Kings Edgar the Peaceable and Edward the Martyr, it is generally thought that he enjoyed a good relationship with King Æthelred II. His daughter Ælfgifu married Æthelred. Thored was ealdorman in Northumbria for much of his reign, disappearing from the sources in 992 after being appointed by Æthelred to lead an expedition against the Vikings.

Thored appears to have been of at least partially Scandinavian origin, suggested by the title applied to him in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle entry for 992. Here, the ealdorman of Hampshire is called by the English title "ealdorman", while Thored himself is styled by the Scandinavian word eorl (i.e. Earl).[1]

Two accounts of Thored's origins have been offered by modern historians. The first is that he was a son of Oslac, ealdorman of York from 966 until his exile in 975.[2] This argument is partly based on the assertion by the Historia Eliensis, that Oslac had a son named Thorth (i.e. "Thored").[3] The other suggestion, favoured by most historians, is that he was the son of a man named Gunnar.[4] This Gunnar is known to have held land in the East and North Ridings of Yorkshire.[5]

If the latter suggestion is correct, then Thored's first appearance in history is the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle recension D (EF)'s entry for 966, which recorded the accession of Oslac to the ealdormanry of southern Northumbria:

In this year, Thored, Gunnar's son, harried Westmoringa land, and, in this same year, Oslac succeeded to the office of ealdorman.[6]

The Anglo-Saxon scholar Frank Stenton believed that this was an act of regional faction-fighting, rather than, as had been suggested by others, Thored carrying out the orders of King Edgar the Peaceable.[7] This entry is, incidentally, the first mention of Westmoringa land, that is, Westmorland.[7] Gunnar seems to have been ealdorman earlier in the decade, for in one charter (surviving only in a later cartulary) dated to 963 and three Abingdon charters dated to 965, an ealdorman (dux) called Gunnar is mentioned.[8]

Thored may be the Thored who appears for the first time in charter attestations during the reign of King Edgar (959–75), his earliest possible appearance being in 964, witnessing a grant of land in Kent by King Edgar to St Peter's, Ghent. This is uncertain because the authenticity of this particular charter is unclear.[9] A charter issued by Edgar in 966, granting land in Oxfordshire to a woman named Ælfgifu, has an illegible ealdorman witness signature beginning with Þ, which may be Thored.[10]

Ealdorman O: Draped bust of Æthelred II left. +ÆÐELRED REX ANGLOR R: Long cross. +EAD?OLD MO CÆNT 'LonCross' penny of Æthelred II, moneyer Eadwold, Canterbury, c. 997-1003. The cross made cutting the coin into half-pennies or farthings (quarter-pennies) easier. (Note spelling Ead?old in inscription, using Anglo-Saxon letter wynn in place of modern w.)

Thored's governorship as ealdorman, based on charter attestations, cannot be securely dated before 979.[11] He did attest royal charters during the reign of Æthelred II, the first in 979,[12] six in 983,[13] one in 984,[14] three in 985,[15] one in 988,[16] appearing in such attestations for the last time in 989.[12] It is

possible that such appearances represent more than one Thored, though that is not a generally accepted theory.[17] His definite

predecessor, Oslac, was expelled from England in 975.[18] The historian Richard Fletcher thought that Oslac's downfall may have been the result of opposing the succession of Edward the Martyr, enemy and brother of Æthelred II.[19] What is known about Thored's time as ealdorman is that he did not have a good relationship with Oswald, Archbishop of York (971–92). In a memorandum written by Oswald, a group of estates belonging to the archdiocese of York was listed, and Oswald noted that "I held them all until Thored came to power; then was St Peter [to whom York was dedicated] robbed".[20] One of the estates allegedly lost was Newbald, an estate given by King Edgar to a man named Gunnar, suggesting to historian Dorothy Whitelock that Thored may just have been reclaiming land "wrongly alienated from his family".[21]

His relationship with King Edgar is unclear, particularly given the uncertainty of Thored's paternity, Oslac being banished from England in 975, the year of Edgar's death.[2] Richard Fletcher, who thought Thored was the son of Gunnar, argued that Thored's raid on Westmorland was caused by resentment derived from losing out on the ealdormanry to Oslac, and that Edgar thereafter confiscated various territories as punishment.[5] The evidence for this is that Newbald, granted by Edgar to Gunnar circa 963, was bought by Archbishop Osketel from the king sometime before 971, implying that the king had seized the land.[5]

Thored's relationship with the English monarchy under Æthelred II seems to have been good. Ælfgifu, the first wife of King Æthelred II, was probably Thored's daughter.[22] Evidence for this is that in the 1150s Ailred of Rievaulx in his De genealogia regum Anglorum wrote that the wife of Æthelred II was the daughter of an ealdorman (comes) called Thored (Thorth).[23] Historian Pauline Stafford argued that this marriage was evidence that Thored had been a local rather than royal appointment to the ealdormanry of York, and that Æthelred II's marriage was an attempt to woo Thored.[24] Stafford was supported in this argument by Richard Fletcher.[25]

Death Modern imaginative depiction of the ship of Óláfr Tryggvason, the "Long Serpent" (Illustration by Halfan Egedius)The date of Thored's death is uncertain, but his last historical appearance came in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, recension C (D, E), under the year 992, which reported the death of Archbishop Oswald and an expedition against a marauding Scandinavian fleet:

In this year the holy Archbishop Oswald left this life and attained the heavenly life, and Ealdorman Æthelwine [of East Anglia] died in the same year. Then the king and all his counsellors decreed that all the ships that were any use should be assembled at London. And the king then entrusted the expedition to the leadership of Ealdorman Ælfric (of Hampshire), Earl Thored and Bishop Ælfstan [.of London or of Rochester.] and Bishop Æscwig [of Dorchester], and they were to try if they could entrap the Danish army anywhere at sea. Then Ealdorman Ælfric sent someone to warn the enemy, and then in the night before the day on which they were to have joined battle, he absconded by night from the army, to his own disgrace, and then the enemy escaped, except that the crew of one ship was slain. And then the Danish army encountered the ships from East Anglia and from London, and they made a great slaughter there and captured the ship, all armed and equipped, on which the ealdorman was.[26]

.

Scandinavians led by Óláfr Tryggvason had been raiding England's coast since the previous year, when they killed Ealdorman Brihtnoth of Essex at the Battle of Maldon.[27]

Historians think that Thored was either killed fighting these Scandinavians, or else survived, but became disgraced through defeat or treachery.[28] Fletcher speculated that Thored was removed from office and replaced by the Mercian Ælfhelm as a result of his failure against the Scandinavians.[29] Another historian, William Kapelle, believed Thored was removed because of his Scandinavian descent, an argument based on the Worcester Chronicle's claim, added to the text borrowed from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, that Fræna, Godwine and Frythegyst fled a battle against the Danes in the following year because "they were Danish on their father's side".[30]

A man named Æthelstan who died at the Battle of Ringmere in 1010, "the king's aþum", was probably Thored's son.[31] The term aþum means either "son-in-law" or "brother-in-law", so this Æthelstan could also have been Thored's grandson by an unknown intermediary.[32] Thored's immediate successor was Ælfhelm, who appears witnessing charters as ealdorman from 994.[33]

Notes 1.^ Whitelock, "Dealings of the Kings", p. 79; entry quoted below 2.^ a b ASC MS D, http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/d/d-L.html , E, http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/e/e-L.html, retrieved 2009-03-26 , s.a. 966, 975; Oslac 7, Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England (PASE), http://www.pase.ac.uk/pase/apps/DisplayPerson.jsp?personKey=7707, retrieved 2009-03-26 [dead link]; Williams, Smyth and Kirby, Biographical Dictionary, s.v. "Oslac ealdorman 963–75", p. 194, s.v. "Thored ealdorman 979–92", p. 223 3.^ Fletcher, Bloodfeud, pp. 70–1; Whitelock, "Dealings of the Kings", pp. 77–8 4.^ Fletcher, Bloodfeud, p. 71; Stenton, "Pre-Conquest Westmorland", p. 218; Woolf, Pictland to Alba, p. 211 5.^ a b c Fletcher, Bloodfeud, p. 71 6.^ ASC MS D, http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/d/d-L.html, retrieved 2009-03-26 , s.a. 966; Stenton, "Pre-Conquest Westmorland", p. 218; Whitelock, English Historical Documents, vol. i, p. 227 7.^ a b Stenton, "Pre-Conquest Westmorland", p. 218 8.^ Whitelock, "Dealings of the Kings", p. 78 9.^ Sawyer 728, Anglo-Saxons.net, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+728, retrieved 2009-03-26 10.^ Sawyer 738, Anglo-Saxons.net, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+738, retrieved 2009-03-26 ; Keynes, Atlas of Attestations, Table LVI (2 of 3) 11.^ Fletcher, Bloodfeud, p. 70 12.^ a b Sawyer 834, Anglo-Saxons.net, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+834, retrieved 2009-03-26 13.^ Sawyer 848, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+848 ; Sawyer 846, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+846 ; Sawyer 844, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+844 ; Sawyer 851, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+851 ; Sawyer 843, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+843 ; Sawyer 845, Anglo-Saxons.net, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+845, retrieved 2009-03-26 14.^ Sawyer 855, Anglo-Saxons.net, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+855, retrieved 2009-03-26 15.^ Sawyer 856, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+856 ; Sawyer 858, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+858 ; Sawyer 860, Anglo-Saxons.net, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+860, retrieved 2009-03-26 16.^ Sawyer 872, Anglo-Saxons.net, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+872, retrieved 2009-03-26 17.^ Thored 4, http://www.pase.ac.uk/pase/apps/DisplayPerson.jsp?personKey=7822 , Thored 5, http://www.pase.ac.uk/pase/apps/DisplayPerson.jsp?personKey=12627 , Thored 6, http://www.pase.ac.uk/pase/apps/DisplayPerson.jsp?personKey=11845 and Thored 7, PASE, http://www.pase.ac.uk/pase/apps/DisplayPerson.jsp?personKey=15414, retrieved 2009-03-26 [dead link]; compare Keynes, Atlas of Attestations, Tables LVI and LXII 18.^ Fletcher, Bloodfeud, p. 44; see also William, Smyth & Kirby, Biographical Dictionary, s.v. "Oslac, ealdorman 963–75", p. 194; Whitelock, Historical Documents, vol. i, p. 229 19.^ Fletcher, Bloodfeud, p. 45 20.^ Whitelock, "Dealings of the Kings", p. 79 21.^ Whitelock, "Dealings of the Kings", p. 79. n. 6 22.^ Williams, Smyth and Kirby, Biographical Dictionary, s.v. "Thored ealdorman 979–92", p. 223 23.^ Keynes, "Æthelred II"; Whitelock, "Dealings of the Kings", p. 80 24.^ Stafford, Unification and Conquest, pp. 57–8 25.^ Fletcher, Bloodfeud, p. 72 26.^ Whitelock (ed.), English Historical Documents, vol. i, p. 234; ASC MS C, http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/c/c-L.html , D, http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/d/d-L.html , E, http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/e/e-L.html, retrieved 2009-03-26 , s.a. 992 27.^ Whitelock (ed.), English Historical Documents, vol. i, p. 234; ASC MS A, http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/a/a-L.html , which gives Óláfr's name as the leader; also MS C, http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/c/c-L.html , D, http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/d/d-L.html , E, http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/e/e-L.html, retrieved 2009-03-26 , s.a. 991 28.^ Fletcher, Bloodfeud, p. 72; Kapelle, Norman Conquest, pp. 14–5; Stafford, Unification and Conquest, p. 60; Whitelock, "Dealings of the Kings", p. 80 29.^ Fletcher, Bloodfeud, pp. 72–3

30.^ Darlington and McGurk, Chronicle of John of Worcester, vol. ii, pp. 442, 443; Kapelle, Norman Conquest, p. 15 31.^ Suggested in Williams, Smyth and Kirby, Biographical Dictionary, s.v. "Thored ealdorman 979–92", p. 223 32.^ Whitelock (ed.), English Historical Documents, vol. i, p. 243, n. 4 33.^ Sawyer 880, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+880 ; Sawyer 881, Anglo-Saxons.net, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=seek&query=S+881, retrieved 2009-03-22 ; Keynes, Atlas of Attestations, Table LXII (1 of 2)

References The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: An edition with TEI P4 markup, expressed in XML and translated to XHTML1.1 using XSL, Tony Jebson, 2007, http://asc.jebbo.co.uk/, retrieved 2009-03-26 Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England, The Prosopography of Anglo-Saxon England Database Project, 2005, http://www.pase.ac.uk/pase/apps/persons, retrieved 2009-03-26 [dead link] Fletcher, Richard (2003), Bloodfeud: Murder and Revenge in Anglo-Saxon England, London: Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-028692-6 Kapelle, William E. (1979), The Norman Conquest of the North: The Region and Its Transformation, 1000–1135, London: Croom Helm Ltd, ISBN 0-7099-0040-6 Keynes, Simon (2002), An Atlas of Attestations in Anglo-Saxon Charters, c. 670–1066, ASNC Guides, Texts, and Studies, 5, Cambridge: Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic Studies, University of Cambridge, ISBN 0-9532697-6-0, ISSN 1475-8520 Miller, Sean, New Regesta Regum Anglorum, Anglo-Saxons.net, http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=show&page=Charters, retrieved 2009-03-26 Stafford, Pauline (1989), Unification and Conquest: A Political and Social History of England in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries, London: Edward Arnold, ISBN 0-7131-6532-4 Stenton, Frank (1970), "Preconquest Westmorland", in Stenton, Dorothy Mary, Preparatory to 'Anglo-Saxon England': Being the Collected Papers of Frank Merry Stenton, Oxford: Clarendon Press, pp. 214–23, ISBN 0-19-822314-5 , reprinted from Royal Commission on Historical Monuments: Westmorland, 1936, pp. xlviii–lv Whitelock, Dorothy (1959), "The Dealings of the Kings of England with Northumbria", in Clemoes, Peter, The Anglo-Saxons: Studies in some Aspects of their History and Culture presented to Bruce Dickins, London: Bowes & Bowes, pp. 707–88 Whitelock, Dorothy, ed. (1979), English Historical Documents. [Vol.1], c.500–1042, London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, ISBN 0-19-520101-9 Williams, Ann; Smyth, Alfred P.; Kirby, D. P. (1991), A Biographical Dictionary of Dark Age Britain: England, Scotland and Wales, c.500–c.1050, London: Seaby, ISBN 1-85264-047-2 Woolf, Alex (2007), From Pictland to Alba, 789–1070, The New Edinburgh History of Scotland, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 978-0-7486-1234-5

Child of Thored is:

11277483065 i. Elgiva, born 970; died 1002; married Athelred II

22554967816. HughII, Count of Ponthieu He was the son of 45109935632. EnguerrandI, Count of Ponthieu and 45109935633. Adelaide.

Notes for HughII, Count of Ponthieu: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Hugh II of Ponthieu was count of Ponthieu and lord of Abbeville, the son of Enguerrand I of Ponthieu. Evidently Hugh II was the half brother of Guy, who became the bishop of Amiens; Fulk, who became the abbot of Forest l'Abbaye; and Robert. However, it is possible that both Robert and Hugh II were the sons of Enguerrand's first wife, and Guy and Fulk the sons of a later wife that Enguerrand I married when he was in his forties.

Hugh II was married to Bertha of Aumale, Countess of Aumale. They had at least five children: Enguerrand II who succeeded Hugh II as Count of Ponthieu; Robert; Hugh (whose name is inferred by evidence contained within The Carmen de Hastingae Proelio); Waleran, and a daughter who was married to William of Talou, the count of Arques, and uncle to duke William of Normandy (the Conqueror).

Child of HughII, Count of Ponthieu is:

11277483908 i. EnguerrandII, Count of Ponthieu, married Adelaide

Generation No. 36

45109917814. Siegfried of Luxembourg de Cleves de Alsace, born 922 in Moselgau, France; died 998. He was the son of 90219835628. Wigeric of Luxembourg von Aachen and 90219835629. Kunigunde of France. He married 45109917815. Edith Hedwig de Longwy.

45109917815. Edith Hedwig de Longwy, born 934; died 992. She was the daughter of 90219835630. Eberhard of Lower Alsace and Nordgau and 90219835631. Luitgard of Tiers.

Child of Siegfried de Alsace and Edith de Longwy is:

22554958907 i. Eve of Luxembourg, born 952; died 1006; married Gerhard de Bas-Alsace

45109932160. Rolf Rognvaldsson of Normandy, born 846; died 931. He married 45109932161. Poppa de Valois of Normandy.

45109932161. Poppa de Valois of Normandy, born 870. She was the daughter of 90219864322. Pepin of Berenger and Baueaux.

Notes for Rolf Rognvaldsson of Normandy: Rollo (c. 846 – c. 931), baptised Robert and so sometimes numbered Robert I to distinguish him from his descendants, was a Norse nobleman of Norwegian or Danish descent and founder and first ruler of the Viking principality in what soon became known as Normandy. His descendants were the Dukes of Normandy.

The name "Rollo" is a Latin translation due to the clerics from the Old Norse name Hrólfr, modern Scandinavian name Rolf (cf. the latinization of Hrólfr into the similar Roluo in the Gesta Danorum), but Norman people called him Rouf, and later Rou too (see Wace's Roman de Rou).[1] He married Poppa. All that is known of Poppa is that she was a Christian, and the daughter to Berengar of Rennes, the previous lord of Brittania Nova, which eventually became western Normandy.

Rollo was a powerful Viking leader of contested origin. Dudo of St. Quentin, in his De moribus et actis primorum Normannorum ducum (Latin), tells of a powerful Danish nobleman at loggerheads with the king of Denmark, who had two sons, Gurim and Rollo; upon his death, Rollo was expelled and Gurim killed. William of Jumièges also mentions Rollo's prehistory in his Gesta Normannorum Ducum, but states that he was from the Danish town of Fakse. Wace, writing some 300 years after the event in his Roman de Rou, also mentions the two brothers (as Rou and Garin), as does the Orkneyinga Saga.

Norwegian and Icelandic historians identified Rollo instead with Ganger Hrolf (Hrolf, the Walker), a son of Rognvald Eysteinsson, Earl of Møre, in Western Norway, based on medieval Norwegian and Icelandic sagas. The oldest source of this version is the Latin Historia Norvegiae, written in Norway at the end of the 12th century. This Hrolf fell foul of the Norwegian king Harald Fairhair, and became a Jarl in Normandy. The nickname "the Walker" came from being so big that no horse could carry him.

The question of Rollo's Danish or Norwegian origins was a matter of heated dispute between Norwegian and Danish historians of the 19th and early 20th century, particularly in the run-up to Normandy's 1000-year-anniversary in 1911. Today, historians still disagree on this question, but most would now agree that a certain conclusion can never be reached.

In 885, Rollo was one of the lesser leaders of the Viking fleet which besieged Paris under Sigfred. Legend has it that an emissary was sent by the king to find the chieftain and negotiate terms. When he asked for this information, the Vikings replied that they were all chieftains in their own right. In 886, when Sigfred retreated in return for tribute, Rollo stayed behind and was eventually bought off and sent to harry Burgundy.

Later, he returned to the Seine with his followers (known as Danes, or Norsemen). He invaded the area of northern France now known as Normandy.

In 911 Rollo's forces launched a failed attack on Paris before laying siege to Chartres. The Bishop of Chartres, Joseaume, appeals for help were answered by the Robert, Marquis of Neustria, Richard, Duke of Burgundy and Manasses, Count of Dijon. On 20 July 911, at the Battle of Chartres, they defeated Rollo despite the absence of many French barons and also the absence of the French King Charles the Simple.[2]

In the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte (911) with King Charles, Rollo pledged feudal allegiance to the king, changed his name to the Frankish version, and converted to Christianity, probably with the baptismal name Robert.[3] In return, King Charles granted Rollo land between the Epte and the sea as well as Brittany and the hand of the Kings daughter, Gisela. He was also the titular ruler of Normandy, centred around the city of Rouen. There exists some argument among historians as to whether Rollo was a "duke" (dux) or whether his position was equivalent to that of a "count" under Charlemagne.

According to legend, when required to kiss the foot of King Charles, as a condition of the treaty, he refused to perform so great a humiliation, and when Charles extended his foot to Rollo, Rollo ordered one of his warriors to do so in his place. His warrior then lifted Charles' foot up to his mouth causing the king to fall to the ground.[4]

Statue of Rollo in RouenAfter 911, Rollo stayed true to his word of defending the shores of the Seine river in accordance to the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, however he also continued to act like a Viking chief with attacks on Flanders.

After Charles was deposed by Robert I, Rollo considered his oath to the King of France to be over. It started a period of expansion westwards. Negotiations with French barons ended with Rollo being given Le Mans and Bayeux and continued with the seizure of Bessin in 924. The following year saw the Normans attack Picardy.

Rollo began to divide the land between the Epte and Risle rivers among his chieftains and settled there with a de facto capital in Rouen. Eventually[when?] Rollo's men intermarried with the local women, and became more settled as Normans.[clarification needed] At the time of his death, Rollo's territory extended as far west as the Vire River.

Family 14th century depiction of the marriage of Rollo and GiselaRollo married twice:

1. Poppa, the daughter of Berengar II of Neustria and had issue:

William Longsword Gerloc Crispina, who married Grimaldus I of Monaco Gerletta Kadlin, who married a Scottish King called Bjolan, and had at least a daughter called Midbjorg, she was taken captive by and married Helgi Ottarson. 2. Gisela of France (d.919), the daughter of Charles III of France.

Sometime around 927, Rollo passed the fief in Normandy to his son, William Longsword. Rollo may have lived for a few years after that, but certainly died before 933. According to the historian Adhemar, 'As Rollo's death drew near, he went mad and had a hundred Christian prisoners beheaded in front of him in honour of the gods whom he had worshipped, and in the end distributed a hundred pounds of gold around the churches in honour of the true God in whose name he had accepted baptism.' Even though Rollo had converted to Christianity, some of his prior religious roots surfaced at the end.

Legacy Rollo is the great-great-great-grandfather of William the Conqueror. Through William, he is an ancestor of the present-day British royal family, as well as an ancestor of all current European monarchs and a great many

pretenders to abolished European thrones. A genetic investigation into the remains of Rollo's grandson Richard I and great-grandson Richard II has been announced, with the intention of discerning the origins of the famous Viking warrior.[5]

The "Clameur de Haro" in the Channel Islands is, supposedly, an appeal to Rollo.

Children of Rolf Normandy and Poppa Normandy are:

22554966080 i. William Longsword of Normandy, born 891; married (2) Sprota

45109932208. Robert I, born in France; died 923 in France. He was the son of 90219864416. Eudes and 90219864417. Theoderada. He married 45109932209. Beatrice de Vermandois.

45109932209. Beatrice de Vermandois, born 880 in Vermandois, France. She was the daughter of 90219864418. Herbert I and 90219864419. Beatrice.

Child of Robert and Beatrice de Vermandois is:

22554966104 i. Hughes 'The Great', born 895 in Paris, France; died 956; married Hedwig von Sachsen

45109932210. Heinrich von Sachsen, born 876; died 936. He was the son of 90219864420. Otto von Sachsen. He married 45109932211. Unknown.

45109932211. Unknown

Child of Heinrich von Sachsen and Unknown is:

22554966105 i. Hedwig von Sachsen, born in Germany; died 965; married Hughes 'The Great'

45109932220. FulkI, Count of Anjou, born 870; died 942. He was the son of 90219864440. Ingelger and 90219864441. Adelais. He married 45109932221. Rosalie de Loches.

45109932221. Rosalie de Loches

Notes for FulkI, Count of Anjou: Fulk I of Anjou (about 870 – 942), called the Red, was son of viscount Ingelger of Angers and Resinde "Aelinde" D'Amboise, was the first count of Anjou from 898 to 941. He increased the territory of the viscounty of Angers and it became a county around 930. During his reign he was permanently at war with the Normans and the Bretons. He occupied the county of Nantes in 907, but abandoned it to the Bretons in 919. He married Rosalie de Loches. He died around 942 and was succeeded by his son Fulk II. The modern day Queen of the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II, is a descendant of his, along with various other European monarchs.

Child of Fulk and Rosalie de Loches is:

22554966110 i. FulkII, Count of Anjou, born 909; died 958; married Gerberge de Gatinais

45109932232. Malcolm MacAlpin of Alba I, born 897. He was the son of 90219864464. Donald Dasachtach of Scots II.

Notes for Malcolm MacAlpin of Alba I: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Máel Coluim mac Domnaill (anglicised Malcolm I) (c. 900–954) was king of Scots (before 943 – 954), becoming king when his cousin Causantín mac Áeda abdicated to become a monk. He was the son of Domnall mac Causantín.

Since his father was known to have died in the year 900, Malcolm must have been born no later than 901, by the 940s he was no longer a young man, and may have become impatient in awaiting the throne. Willingly or not—the 11th-century Prophecy of Berchán, a verse history in the form of a supposed prophecy, states that it was not a

voluntary decision that Constantine II abdicated in 943 and entered a monastery, leaving the kingdom to Malcolm.[1]

Seven years later the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba says:

[Malcolm I] plundered the English as far as the river Tees, and he seized a multitude of people and many herds of cattle: and the Scots called this the raid of Albidosorum, that is, Nainndisi. But others say that Constantine made this raid, asking of the king, Malcolm, that the kingship should be given to him for a week's time, so that he could visit the English. In fact, it was Malcolm who made the raid, but Constantine incited him, as I have said.[2]

Woolf suggests that the association of Constantine with the raid is a late addition, one derived from a now-lost saga or poem.[3]

In 945 Edmund of Wessex, having expelled Amlaíb Cuaran (Olaf Sihtricsson) from Northumbria, devastated Cumbria and blinded two sons of Domnall mac Eógain, king of Strathclyde. It is said that he then "let" or "commended" Strathclyde to Máel Coluim in return for an alliance.[4] What is to be understood by "let" or "commended" is unclear, but it may well mean that Máel Coluim had been the overlord of Strathclyde and that Edmund recognised this while taking lands in southern Cumbria for himself.[5]

The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba says that Máel Coluim took an army into Moray "and slew Cellach". Cellach is not named in the surviving genealogies of the rulers of Moray, and his identity is unknown.[6]

Máel Coluim appears to have kept his agreement with the late English king, which may have been renewed with the new king, Edmund having been murdered in 946 and succeeded by his brother Edred. Eric Bloodaxe took York in 948, before being driven out by Edred, and when Amlaíb Cuaran again took York in 949–950, Máel Coluim raided Northumbria as far south as the Tees taking "a multitude of people and many herds of cattle" according to the Chronicle.[7] The Annals of Ulster for 952 report a battle between "the men of Alba and the Britons [of Strathclyde] and the English" against the foreigners, i.e. the Northmen or the Norse-Gaels. This battle is not reported by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and it is unclear whether it should be related to the expulsion of Amlaíb Cuaran from York or the return of Eric Bloodaxe.[8]

The Annals of Ulster report that Máel Coluim was killed in 954. Other sources place this most probably in the Mearns, either at Fetteresso following the Chronicle, or at Dunnottar following the Prophecy of Berchán. He was buried on Iona.[9] Máel Coluim's sons Dub and Cináed were later kings.

Notes 1.^ Woolf, Pictland to Alba, p. 175; Anderson, Early Sources, pp. 444–448; Broun, "Constantine II". 2.^ Anderson, Early Sources, pp. 452–453. 3.^ Woolf, Pictland to Alba, pp. 178–181. 4.^ Early Sources, pp. 449–450. 5.^ ASC Ms. A, s.a. 946; Duncan, pp. 23–24; but see also Smyth, pp. 222–223 for an alternative reading. 6.^ It may be that Cellach was related to Cuncar, Mormaer of Angus, and that this event is connected with the apparent feud that led to the death of Máel Coluim's son Cináedin 977. 7.^ Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Ms. D, s.a. 948, Ms. B, s.a. 946; Duncan, p. 24. 8.^ Early Sources, p. 451. The corresponding entry in the Annals of the Four Masters, s.a. 950, states that the Northmen were the victors, which would suggest that it should be associated with Eric. 9.^ Early Sources, pp. 452–454. Some versions of the Chronicle, and the Chronicle of Melrose, are read as placing Máel Coluim's death at Blervie, near Forres.

References For primary sources see also External links below.

Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500–1286, volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. ISBN 1-871615-03-8 Duncan, A.A.M., The Kingship of the Scots 842–1292: Succession and Independence. Edinburgh University Press,

Edinburgh, 2002. ISBN 0-7486-1626-8 Smyth, Alfred P. Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80-1000. Reprinted, Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, 1998. ISBN 0-7486-0100-7

Child of Malcolm MacAlpin of Alba I is:

22554966116 i. Kenneth MacAlpin of Alba II, born 932; married Lady of Leinster

45109932256. Edmund I. He was the son of 90219864512. Edward the Elder.

Notes for Edmund I: Edmund I (Old English: Eadmund) (922 – 26 May 946), called the Elder, the Deed-doer, the Just, or the Magnificent, was King of England from 939 until his death. He was a son of Edward the Elder and half-brother of Athelstan. Athelstan died on 27 October 939, and Edmund succeeded him as king.

Shortly after his proclamation as king he had to face several military threats. King Olaf III Guthfrithson conquered Northumbria and invaded the Midlands. When Olaf died in 942 Edmund reconquered the Midlands. In 943 he became the god-father of King Olaf of York. In 944, Edmund was successful in reconquering Northumbria. In the same year his ally Olaf of York lost his throne and left for Dublin in Ireland. Olaf became the king of Dublin as Olaf Cuaran and continued to be allied to his god-father. In 945 Edmund conquered Strathclyde but ceded the territory to King Malcolm I of Scotland in exchange for a treaty of mutual military support. Edmund thus established a policy of safe borders and peaceful relationships with Scotland. During his reign, the revival of monasteries in England began.

Louis IV of France One of Edmund's last political movements of which we have some knowledge is his role in the restoration of Louis IV of France to the throne. Louis, son of Charles the Simple and Edmund's half-sister Eadgifu, had resided at the West-Saxon court for some time until 936, when he returned to be crowned King of France. In the summer of 945, he was captured by the Norsemen of Rouen and subsequently released to Duke Hugh the Great, who however, held him in custody. The chronicler Richerus claims that Eadgifu wrote letters both to Edmund and to Otto I in which she requested support for her son; Edmund responded to her plea by sending angry threats to Hugh, who however, brushed them aside.[1] Flodoard's Annales, one of Richerus' sources, report:

Edmund, king of the English, sent messengers to Duke Hugh about the restoration of King Louis, and the duke accordingly made a public agreement with his nephews and other leading men of his kingdom. [...] Hugh, duke of the Franks, allying himself with Hugh the Black, son of Richard, and the other leading men of the kingdom, restored to the kingdom King Louis.[2][3]

Death and succession On 26 May, 946, Edmund was murdered by Leofa, an exiled thief, while celebrating St Augustine's Mass Day in Pucklechurch (South Gloucestershire).[4] John of Worcester and William of Malmesbury add some lively detail by suggesting that Edmund had been feasting with his nobles, when he spotted Leofa in the crowd. He attacked the intruder in person, but in the event, Edmund and Leofa were both killed.[5]

Edmund's sister Eadgyth, wife to Otto I, died (earlier) the same year, as Flodoard's Annales for 946 report.[6]

Edmund was succeeded as king by his brother Edred, king from 946 until 955. Edmund's sons later ruled England as:

Eadwig of England, King from 955 until 957, king of only Wessex and Kingdom of Kent from 957 until his death on 1 October 959. Edgar of England, king of only Mercia and Northumbria from 957 until his brother's death in 959, then king of England from 959 until 975.

See also Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury.

Notes 1.^ Richerus, Historiae, Book 2, chapters 49-50. See MGH online. 2.^ Dorothy Whitelock (tr.), English Historical Documents c. 500-1042. 2nd ed. London, 1979. p. 345. 3.^ Edmundus, Anglorum rex, legatos ad Hugonem principem pro restitutione Ludowici regis dirigit: et idem princeps proinde conventus publicos eumnepotibus suis aliisque regni primatibus agit. [...] Hugo, dux Francorum, ascito secum Hugo Nneigro, filio Richardi, ceterisque regni primatibus Ludowicum regem, [...] in regnum restituit. (Flodoard, Annales 946.) 4.^ "Here King Edmund died on St Augustine‘s Day [26 May]. It was widely known how he ended his days, that Liofa stabbed him at Pucklechurch. And Æthelflæd of Damerham, daughter of Ealdorman Ælfgar, was then his queen." Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, MS D, tr. Michael Swanton. 5.^ John of Worcester, Chronicon AD 946; William of Malmesbury, Gesta regum, book 2, chapter 144. The description of the circumstances remained a popular feature in medieval chronicles, such as Higden's Polychronicon: "But William, libro ij° de Regibus, seyth (says) that this kyng kepyng a feste at Pulkirchirche, in the feste of seynte Austyn, and seyng a thefe, Leof by name, sytte [th]er amonge hys gestes, whom he hade made blynde afore for his trespasses -- (quem rex prios propter scelera eliminaverat, whom the King previously due to his crimes did excile) -- , arysede (arrested) from the table, and takenge that man by the heire of the hedde, caste him unto the grownde. Whiche kynge was sleyn -- (sed nebulonis arcano evisceratus est) -- with a lyttle knyfe the [th]e man hade in his honde [hand]; and also he hurte mony men soore with the same knyfe; neverthelesse he was kytte (cut) at the laste into smalle partes by men longyng to the kynge." Polychronicon, 1527. See Google Books 6.^ Edmundus rex Transmarinus defungitur, uxor quoque regis Othonis, soror ipsius Edmundi, decessit. "Edmund, king across the sea, died, and the wife of King Otto, sister of the same Edmund, died also." (tr. Dorothy Whitelock, English Historical Documents c. 500-1042. 2nd ed. London, 1979. p. 345). [edit] ReferencesFlodoard, Annales, ed. Philippe Lauer, Les Annales de Flodoard. Collection des textes pour servir à l'étude et à l'enseignement de l'histoire 39. Paris: Picard, 1905.

Child of Edmund I is:

22554966128 i. Edgar the Peaceful, married wife of Edgar Ælfthryth

45109935632. EnguerrandI, Count of Ponthieu, died 1045. He was the son of 90219871264. HughI, Count of Ponthieu and 90219871265. Gisèle Capet. He married 45109935633. Adelaide.

45109935633. Adelaide

Notes for EnguerrandI, Count of Ponthieu: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Enguerrand I was the son of Hugh I count of Ponthieu.

He was apparently married twice. By his first wife Adelaide, daughter of Arnulf, Count of Holland he had his heir, count Hugh II, and possibly a son named Robert (although Robert might have been a younger half-brother of Hugh II's). His other sons, Guy, Bishop of Amiens and Fulk (later abbot of Forest l'Abbaye), were evidently sons by the second wife. She has been identified as the wife of a count Arnold II of Boulogne who died in battle against Enguerrand I. He was in his forties when he took the widow of his erstwhile enemy to wife.

Enguerrand died around 1045 "at a great age."

Child of Enguerrand and Adelaide is:

22554967816 i. HughII, Count of Ponthieu

Generation No. 37

90219835628. Wigeric of Luxembourg von Aachen, born 881. He was the son of 180439671256. Sigebert of Verdun and 180439671257. Kunigund of Provence. He married 90219835629. Kunigunde of France 910.

90219835629. Kunigunde of France, born 880.

Child of Wigeric von Aachen and Kunigunde France is:

45109917814 i. Siegfried of Luxembourg de Cleves de Alsace, born 922 in Moselgau, France; died 998; married Edith

Hedwig de Longwy

90219835630. Eberhard of Lower Alsace and Nordgau, born 900. He married 90219835631. Luitgard of Tiers.

90219835631. Luitgard of Tiers, born 914; died 986.

Child of Eberhard Nordgau and Luitgard Tiers is:

45109917815 i. Edith Hedwig de Longwy, born 934; died 992; married Siegfried of Luxembourg de Cleves de Alsace

90219864322. Pepin of Berenger and Baueaux, born 846; died 896. He was the son of 180439728644. Pepin II, Lord of Peronne Quentin of Vermandois and 180439728645. Rothaide of Bobbio.

Notes for Pepin of Berenger and Baueaux: Berengar II (died 896) was the Count of Bayeux and Rennes and Margrave of the Breton March from 886 until his death a decade later.

Roland and his successors under Guy of Nantes were aristocrats from Maine. Berengar's kin became the first bilingual Breton and Gallo speaking lords holding residence within Brittany (Rennes and Penthièvre, rather than the Loire Valley-predominant Nantes or Vannes, which nevertheless had at least one Franco-Saxon conflict in Angers), as a consequence of the Breton nobility being more or less broken under the Norman invasions of the 880s and as a reward for holding his ground against their attacks.

Berengar may have been son of Henry of Franconia, himself perhaps a member of the Senior Capets through the Babenberg lineage. This has been suggested because (1) Berengar named his supposed daughter with the feminine form of Poppo, a name common among the Babenbergs, and (2) the main Capetian branch had traditionally held the Breton March. There have been alternatives suggested, making him Saxon.

Berengar is speculated to have married the daughter of Gurvand, Duke of Brittany, by which relationship he attained the countship of Rennes. This would make him brother-in-law of Judicael, Duke of Brittany. He is thought to be the Berengar of Bayeux whose daughter Poppa was captured in a raid and married to Rollo of Normandy. Various reconstructions make him father, grandfather, or great-grandfather of Judicael Berengar, later Count of Rennes.

Child of Pepin of Berenger and Baueaux is:

45109932161 i. Poppa de Valois of Normandy, born 870; married (1) Rolf Rognvaldsson of Normandy; married (2) Rolf

Rognvaldsson of Normandy

90219864416. Eudes, born 860 in France. He was the son of 180439728832. Robert 'Fortis' and 180439728833. Adelaide. He married 90219864417. Theoderada.

90219864417. Theoderada

Child of Eudes and Theoderada is:

45109932208 i. Robert I, born in France; died 923 in France; married Beatrice de Vermandois

90219864418. Herbert I He married 90219864419. Beatrice. 90219864419. Beatrice, born in Morvois.

Child of Herbert and Beatrice is:

45109932209 i. Beatrice de Vermandois, born 880 in Vermandois, France; married Robert I

90219864420. Otto von Sachsen, died 912. He was the son of 180439728840. Ludolph von Sachsen and 180439728841. Hedwige de Friuli.

Child of Otto von Sachsen is:

45109932210 i. Heinrich von Sachsen, born 876; died 936; married Unknown

90219864440. Ingelger, born in Rennes; died 888. He married 90219864441. Adelais. 90219864441. Adelais

Notes for Ingelger: Ingelger (or Ingelgarius) (died 888) was a Frankish nobleman, who stands at the head of the Plantagenet dynasty. Later generations of his family believed he was the son of Tertullus (Tertulle) and Petronilla.[1] He was born in Rennes.

Around 877 he inherited his father Tertullus's lands in accordance with the Capitulary of Quierzy which Charles the Bald had issued. His father's holdings from the king included Château-Landon in beneficium, and he was a casatus in the Gâtinais and Francia. Contemporary records refer to Ingelger as a miles optimus, a great military man.[2]

Later family tradition makes his mother a relative of Hugh the Abbot,[3] an influential counselor of both Louis II and Louis III of France, from whom he received preferment. By Louis II Ingelger was appointed viscount of Orléans, which city was under the rule of its bishops at the time.[2] At Orléans Ingelger made a matrimonial alliance with one of the leading families of Neustria, the lords of Amboise. He married Adelais, whose maternal uncles were Adalard, Archbishop of Tours, and Raino, Bishop of Angers. Later Ingelger was appointed prefect (military commander) at Tours, then ruled by Adalard.[2]

At some point Ingelger was appointed Count of Anjou, at a time when the county stretched only as far west as the Mayenne River. Later sources credit his appointment to his defence of the region from Vikings,[4] but modern scholars have been more likely to see it as a result of his wife's influential relatives.[2] He was buried in the church of Saint-Martin at Châteauneuf-sur-Sarthe. He was succeeded by his son Fulk the Red.[4]

External links: Halphen, Louis and René Poupardin. Chroniques des Comtes d'Anjou et des Seigneurs d'Amboise. Steve Lane, trans. Paris: Picard, 1913. Part of Medieval Sourcebook. The Legendary Ancestry of Fulko Rufus Contains a well thought-out and referenced discussion of Ingelger's probable ancestry. Fulk Nerra, the Neo-Roman Consul 987-1040: A Political Biography of the Angevin Count by Bernard S. Bachrach

References 1.^ The anonymous twelfth-century Gesta Consulum Andegavorum names his father as Tertullus nobilem dux, but both the name Tertullus and the title dux are unusual. Another twelfth-century source, the Chronicon Turonensis (c.1180) records that Ingelger was nepos Hugonis ducis Burgundiæ, a nephew of Hugh, Duke of Burgundy—chronologically stretched. Modern scholars are divided as to the historicity of Tertullus and Petronilla. 2.^ a b c d Bernard S. Bachrach (1993), Fulk Nerra, the Neo-Roman Consul, 987–1040: A Political Biography of the Angevin Count (Berkely: University of California Press, ISBN 0 520 07996 5), 4–5. 3.^ This man is distinct from abbot Hugh, son of Charlemagne, but the two are frequently confused, resulting in some 19th century sources erroneously naming Petronilla as granddaughter of Charlemagne. 4.^ a b Anjou: Chapter 1. Comtes d'Anjou at Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Medieval Lands Project.

Child of Ingelger and Adelais is:

45109932220 i. FulkI, Count of Anjou, born 870; died 942; married Rosalie de Loches

90219864464. Donald Dasachtach of Scots II, born 862; died 900. He was the son of 180439728928. Constantine of Alba I.

Notes for Donald Dasachtach of Scots II:

[Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

•ID: I16001

•Name: Donald Dasachtach of Scots II.

•_AKAN: Domnall II. 1

•_AKAN: Domnall mac Causantin 2

•Nickname: The Madman 2

•Sex: M

•Change Date: 5 MAR 2009

•Birth: 0862 3 2

•Event: Title King of Alba 2

•Event: Title FROM 0889 TO 0900 6th King of Scots 4 1 3

•Note: Donald became king on the death or deposition of Giric (Giric mac Dúngail), the date of which is not certainly known but usually placed in 889.

•Death: 0900 in Forres, Moray, Scotland of Killed in Battle against Danes 3 2 4

•Burial: Iona 4

•OBJE:

•FORM: JPEG

•FILE: C:\BK6\weterb\Picture\Donald Dasachtach of Scots II.jpg

Domnall mac Causantín (Modern Gaelic: Dòmhnall mac Chòiseim),[1] anglicised as Donald II (died 900) was King of the Picts or King of Scotland (Alba) in the late 9th century. He was the son of Constantine I (Causantín mac Cináeda). Donald is given the epithet Dásachtach, "the Madman", by the Prophecy of Berchán.[2]

Donald became king on the death or deposition of Giric (Giric mac Dúngail), the date of which is not certainly known but usually placed in 889. The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba reports:

― Doniualdus son of Constantini held the kingdom for 11 years [889–900]. The Northmen wasted Pictland at this time. In his reign a battle occurred between Danes and Scots at Innisibsolian where the Scots had victory. He was killed at Opidum Fother [modern Dunnottar] by the Gentiles.[3] ‖

It has been suggested that the attack on Dunnottar, rather than being a small raid by a handful of pirates, may be associated with the ravaging of Scotland attributed to Harald Fairhair in the Heimskringla.[4] The Prophecy of Berchán places Donald's death at Dunnottar, but appears to attribute it to Gaels rather than Norsemen; other sources report he died at Forres.[5] Donald's death is dated to 900 by the Annals of Ulster and the Chronicon Scotorum, where he is called king of Alba, rather that king of the Picts. He was buried on Iona.

The change from king of the Picts to king of Alba is seen as indicating a step towards the kingdom of the Scots, but historians, while divided as to when this change should be placed, do not generally attribute it to Donald in view of his epithet.[6] The consensus view is that the key changes occurred in the reign of Constantine II (Causantín mac Áeda),[7] but the reign of Giric has also been proposed.[8]

The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba has Donald succeeded by his cousin Constantine II. Donald's son Malcolm (Máel Coluim mac Domnall) was later king as Malcolm I. The Prophecy of Berchán appears to

suggest that another king reigned for a short while between Donald II and Constantine II, saying "half a day will he take sovereignty". Possible confirmation of this exists in the Chronicon Scotorum, where the death of "Ead, king of the Picts" in battle against the Uí Ímair is reported in 904. This, however, is thought to be an error, referring perhaps to Ædwulf, the ruler of Bernicia, whose death is reported in 913 by the other Irish annals.[9]

Child of Donald Dasachtach of Scots II is:

45109932232 i. Malcolm MacAlpin of Alba I, born 897.

90219864512. Edward the Elder He was the son of 180439729024. Alfred the Great and 180439729025. Ealhswith.

Notes for Edward the Elder: Edward the Elder (Old English: Eadweard se Ieldra) (c. 874-7[1] – 17 July 924) was an English king. He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex. He captured the eastern Midlands and East Anglia from the Danes in 917 and became ruler of Mercia in 918 upon the death of Æthelflæd, his sister.

All but two of his charters give his title as "king of the Anglo-Saxons" (Anglorum Saxonum rex).[2] He was the second king of the Anglo-Saxons as this title was created by Alfred.[2] Edward's coinage reads "EADVVEARD REX."[3] The chroniclers record that all England "accepted Edward as lord" in 920.[4] But the fact that York continued to produce its own coinage suggests that Edward's authority was not accepted in Viking-ruled Northumbria.[5] Edward's eponym "the Elder" was first used in Wulfstan's Life of St Æthelwold (tenth century) to distinguish him from the later King Edward the Martyr.

Of the five children born to Alfred and Ealhswith who survived infancy, Edward was the second-born and the elder son. Edward's birth cannot be certainly dated. His parents married in 868 and his eldest sibling Æthelflæd was born soon afterwards as she was herself married in 883. Edward was probably born rather later, in the 870s, and probably between 874 and 877.[6]

Asser's Life of King Alfred reports that Edward was educated at court together with his youngest sister Ælfthryth. His second sister, Æthelgifu, was intended for a life in religion from an early age, perhaps due to ill health, and was later abbess of Shaftesbury. The youngest sibling, Æthelweard, was educated at a court school where he learned Latin, which suggests that he too was intended for a religious life. Edward and Ælfthryth, however, while they learned the English of the day, received a courtly education, and Asser refers to their taking part in the "pursuits of this present life which are appropriate to the nobility".[7]

The first appearance of Edward in the sources is in 892, in a charter granting land at North Newnton, near Pewsey in Wiltshire, to ealdorman Æthelhelm, where he is called filius regis, the king's son.[8] Although he was the reigning king's elder son, Edward was not certain to succeed his father. Until the 890s, the obvious heirs to the throne were Edward's cousins Æthelwold and Æthelhelm, sons of Æthelred, Alfred's older brother and predecessor as king. Æthelwold and Æthelhelm were around ten years older than Edward. Æthelhelm disappears from view in the 890s, seemingly dead, but a charter probably from that decade shows Æthelwold witnessing before Edward, and the order of witnesses is generally believed to relate to their status.[9] As well as his greater age and experience, Æthelwold may have had another advantage over Edward where the succession was concerned. While Alfred's wife Ealhswith is never described as queen and was never crowned, Æthelwold and Æthelhelm's mother Wulfthryth was called queen.[10]

Succession and early reign Silver brooch imitating a coin of Edward the Elder, c. 920, found in Rome, Italy. British Museum.When Alfred died, Edward's cousin Æthelwold, the son of King Æthelred of Wessex, rose up to claim the throne and began Æthelwold's Revolt. He seized Wimborne, in Dorset, where his father was buried, and Christchurch (then in Hampshire, now in Dorset). Edward marched to Badbury and offered battle, but Æthelwold refused to leave Wimborne. Just when it looked as if Edward was going to attack Wimborne, Æthelwold left in the night, and joined the Danes in Northumbria, where he was announced as King. In the meantime, Edward is alleged to have been crowned at Kingston upon Thames on 8 June 900 [11]

In 901, Æthelwold came with a fleet to Essex, and encouraged the Danes in East Anglia to rise up. In the following year he attacked English Mercia and northern Wessex. Edward retaliated by ravaging East Anglia, but when he retreated south the men of Kent disobeyed the order to retire, and were intercepted by the Danish army. The two sides met at the Battle of the Holme on 13 December 902. According to the

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Danes "kept the place of slaughter", but they suffered heavy losses, including Æthelwold and a King Eohric, possibly of the East Anglian Danes.[12]

Relations with the North proved problematic for Edward for several more years.

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle mentions that he made peace with the East Anglian and Northumbrian Danes "of necessity". There is also a mention of the regaining of Chester in 907, which may be an indication that the city was taken in battle.[13]

In 909, Edward sent an army to harass Northumbria. In the following year, the Northumbrians retaliated by attacking Mercia, but they were met by the combined Mercian and West Saxon army at the Battle of Tettenhall, where the Northumbrian Danes were destroyed. From that point, they never raided south of the River Humber.

Edward then began the construction of a number of fortresses (burhs), at Hertford, Witham and Bridgnorth. He is also said to have built a fortress at Scergeat, but that location has not been identified. This series of fortresses kept the Danes at bay. Other forts were built at Tamworth, Stafford, Eddisbury and Warwick. These burhs were built to the same specifications (within centimetres) as those within the territory that his father had controlled; it has been suggested on this basis that Edward actually built them all.[14]

Achievements Edward extended the control of Wessex over the whole of Mercia, East Anglia and Essex, conquering lands occupied by the Danes and bringing the residual autonomy of Mercia to an end in 918, after the death of his sister, Æthelflæd. Ætheflæd's daughter, Ælfwynn, was named as her successor, but Edward deposed her, bringing Mercia under his direct control. He had already annexed the cities of London and Oxford and the surrounding lands of Oxfordshire and Middlesex in 911. By 918, all of the Danes south of the Humber had submitted to him. By the end of his reign, the Norse, the Scots and the Welsh had acknowledged him as "father and lord".[15] This recognition of Edward's overlordship in Scotland led to his successors' claims of suzerainty over that Kingdom.

Edward reorganized the Church in Wessex, creating new bishoprics at Ramsbury and Sonning, Wells and Crediton. Despite this, there is little indication that Edward was particularly religious. In fact, the Pope delivered a reprimand to him to pay more attention to his religious responsibilities.[16]

He died leading an army against a Welsh-Mercian rebellion, on 17 July 924 at Farndon-Upon-Dee and was buried in the New Minster in Winchester, Hampshire, which he himself had established in 901. After the Norman Conquest, the minster was replaced by Hyde Abbey to the north of the city and Edward's body was transferred there. His last resting place is currently marked by a cross-inscribed stone slab within the outline of the old abbey marked out in a public park.

The portrait included here is imaginary and was drawn together with portraits of other Anglo-Saxon era monarchs by an unknown artist in the 18th century. Edward's eponym the Elder was first used in the 10th century, in Wulfstan's Life of St Æthelwold, to distinguish him from the later King Edward the Martyr.

Family Edward had four siblings, including Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, and Ælfthryth, Countess of Flanders. King Edward had about fourteen children from three marriages (or according to some sources, an extramarital relationship and two marriages).

Edward first married Ecgwynn around 893. Conflicting information is given about her by different sources, none of which pre-date the Conquest.[17][18] Their children were:

The future King Athelstan (c.893 - 939) A daughter, name unknown, who married Sihtric Cáech

In 899, Edward married Ælfflæd, a daughter of Æthelhelm, the ealdorman of Wiltshire.[19] Their children were:

Eadgifu (902 - after 955), who married Charles the Simple Ælfweard of Wessex (904 - 924) Eadgyth (910 - 946), who married Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Eadhild, who married Hugh the Great, Duke of Paris Ælfgifu who married "a prince near the Alps", sometimes identified with Conrad of Burgundy or Boleslaus II of Bohemia

Eadflæd, who became a nun Eadhild, who also became a nun Edward married for a third time, about 919, to Eadgifu,[19] the daughter of Sigehelm, the ealdorman of Kent. Their children were

Edmund (922 - 946) Eadred (died 955) Saint Edburga of Winchester (died 960) Eadgifu, married "Louis, Prince of Aquitaine", whose identity is disputed Edward also had a son, Edwin Ætheling (died 933), but it is unclear who his mother was.

Eadgifu outlived her husband and her sons, and was alive during the reign of her grandson, King Edgar. William of Malmsbury's history De antiquitate Glastonie ecclesiae claims that Edward's second wife, Ælfflæd, was also alive after Edward's death, but this is the only known source for that claim.

References 1.^ Barbara Yorke; Higham (2001) pp.25-26. 2.^ a b Simon Keynes; Higham (2001), p. 57. 3.^ Higham (2001), p. 67 4.^ Higham (2001), p. 206 5.^ Higham (2001), pp.73, 206. 6.^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography; Yorke. 7.^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography; Yorke; Asser, c. 75. 8.^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography; PASE; S 348; Yorke. 9.^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography; S 356; Yorke. 10.^ Asser, c. 13; S 340; Yorke. Check Stafford, "King's wife". 11.^ "England: Anglo-Saxon Consecrations: 871-1066". http://www.archontology.org/nations/england/anglosaxon/01_coron.php#edward_elder. 12.^ Frank Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, Oxford University Press, 1971, pp. 321-2; Bernard Cornwell, Æthelwold of Wessex: King of the Pagans 13.^ "Edward the Elder: Reconquest of the Southern Danelaw". http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=person&id=EdwardtheElder#4. 14.^ Was Alfred really that great? David Keys. BBC History magazine, January 2009 volume 10 no. 1 pages 10-11 15.^ "Edward the Elder: "Father and Lord" of the North". http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=person&id=EdwardtheElder#5. 16.^ "English Monarchs: Edward the Elder". http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/saxon_7.htm. 17.^ "Edward the Elder, king of the Anglo-Saxons". http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=person&id=EdwardtheElder. 18.^ Lappenberg (1845), pp. 98-99. 19.^ a b Lappenberg (1845), p.99. Higham, N.J.; Hill, D.H., eds (2001). Edward the Elder, 899–924. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-21497-1. Lappenberg, Johann; Benjamin Thorpe, translator (1845). A History of England Under the Anglo-Saxon Kings. J. Murray. [edit] Further readingSmyth, Alfred P. (1996-03-14). King Alfred the Great. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0198229896.

Child of Edward the Elder is:

45109932256 i. Edmund I

90219871264. HughI, Count of Ponthieu He was the son of 180439742528. Hildouin III de Ponthieu and 180439742529. Hersende la Pieuse de Ramerupt. He married 90219871265. Gisèle Capet.

90219871265. Gisèle Capet She was the daughter of 180439742530. Hugh Capet and 180439742531. Adelaide of Aquitaine.

Notes for Hugh I, Count of Ponthieu:

Hugh I of Ponthieu (ca. 970 – ca. 1000), son of Hildouin III de Ponthieu and Hersende la Pieuse de Ramerupt, countesse of Arcis. He was also known as Hugo Miles.

He was chosen by Hugh Capet, duke of France (not yet king), to be "advocate of the abbey of Saint-Riquier and castellan of Abbeville". He also received Hugh Capet's daughter, Gisela, in marriage.

Hugh's origins are unknown, and the date which he received his fief is only "ascertainable within broad limits" as c.980. He is not known to have ever styled himself Count of Ponthieu.

Family He married ca. 994 Gisèle Capet, daughter of Hugh Capet and Adelaide of Aquitaine. Enguerrand I of Ponthieu was first to take the comital title after killing Arnold II of Boulogne in battle, sometime between 1024 and 1027, and marrying his widow. Thus, the counts of Ponthieu, who figure prominently in early Norman history, were even newer to their status as landed lords than the Normans. Guy of Ponthieu was also his son.

Child of Hugh and Gisèle Capet is:

45109935632 i. EnguerrandI, Count of Ponthieu, died 1045; married Adelaide

Generation No. 38

180439671256. Sigebert of Verdun, born 860. He married 180439671257. Kunigund of Provence. 180439671257. Kunigund of Provence, born 873. She was the daughter of 360879342514. Boso of

Provence de Vienne d' Autun.

Child of Sigebert Verdun and Kunigund Provence is:

90219835628 i. Wigeric of Luxembourg von Aachen, born 881; married Kunigunde of France 910.

180439728644. PepinII, Lord of Peronne Quentin of Vermandois, born 817; died 848. He was the son of 360879457288. Bernhard of Italy and 360879457289. Cunigunde of Parma. He married 180439728645. Rothaide of Bobbio.

180439728645. Rothaide of Bobbio, born 815.

Notes for PepinII, Lord of Peronne Quentin of Vermandois: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Pepin (born c. 815) was the first count of Vermandois, lord of Senlis, Péronne, and Saint Quentin.[1] He was the son of King Bernard of Italy and Cunigunda.[1]

Pepin first appears in 834 as a count to the north of the Seine and then appears as same again in 840. In that year, he supported Lothair I against Louis the Pious.

Pepin's wife is unknown, but has been recorded as Rothaide de Bobbio. His heir inherited much Nibelungid territory and so historian K. F. Werner hypothesised a marriage to a daughter of Theodoric Nibelung. Their children were:

Bernard (c. 844-after 893), count of Laon Gerberge (born c. 854), who married Diedrich De Gaud Pepin (c. 846-893), count of Senlis and lord of Valois (877-893) Herbert I of Vermandois[2] (c. 850-907) Beatrix (born c. 854)

Maud (born c. 857), who married Malahule Ragnaldsson of More Adelaide (born c. 858) Cunigunda

Child of Pepin and Rothaide Bobbio is:

90219864322 i. Pepin of Berenger and Baueaux, born 846; died 896.

180439728832. Robert 'Fortis', born in France; died 866 in Anjou, France. He married 180439728833. Adelaide.

180439728833. Adelaide, born in Holy Roman Empire. She was the daughter of 360879457666. Louis I 'The Pious', King of France and 360879457667. Ermengarde.

Child of Robert 'Fortis' and Adelaide is:

90219864416 i. Eudes, born 860 in France; married Theoderada

180439728840. Ludolph von Sachsen, died 864. He married 180439728841. Hedwige de Friuli. 180439728841. Hedwige de Friuli, born 826 in Germany; died 913 in Germany. She was the

daughter of 360879457682. Eberhard of Italy de Friuli and 360879457683. Gisele d'Aquitaine of the Holy Roman Empire.

Child of Ludolph von Sachsen and Hedwige de Friuli is:

90219864420 i. Otto von Sachsen, died 912.

180439728928. Constantine of Alba I, born 836; died 876. He was the son of 360879457856. Kenneth MacAlpin of Scotland.

Notes for Constantine of Alba I: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Causantín or Constantín mac Cináeda (Modern Gaelic Còiseam mac Choinnich) (died 877) was a king of the Picts. He is often known as Constantine I, in reference to his place in modern lists of kings of Scots, though contemporary sources described Constantín only as a Pictish king. A son of Cináed mac Ailpín ("Kenneth MacAlpin"), he succeeded his uncle Domnall mac Ailpín as Pictish king following the latter's death on 13 April 862. It is likely that Constantín's (Constantine I) reign witnessed increased activity by Vikings, based in Ireland and Northumbria, in northern Britain and he died fighting one such invasion.

Very few records of ninth century events in northern Britain survive. The main local source from the period is the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, a list of kings from Cináed mac Ailpín (died 858) to Cináed mac Maíl Coluim (died 995). The list survives in the Poppleton Manuscript, a thirteenth century compilation. Originally simply a list of kings with reign lengths, the other details contained in the Poppleton Manuscript version were added from the tenth century onwards.[1] In addition to this, later king lists survive.[2] The earliest genealogical records of the descendants of Cináed mac Ailpín may date from the end of the tenth century, but their value lies more in their context, and the information they provide about the interests of those for whom they were compiled, than in the unreliable claims they contain.[3] The Pictish king-lists originally ended with this Constantín, who was reckoned the seventieth and last king of the Picts.[4]

For narrative history the principal sources are the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the Irish annals. While Scandinavian sagas describe events in 9th century Britain, their value as sources of historical narrative, rather than documents of social history, is disputed.[5] If the sources for north-eastern Britain, the lands of the kingdom of Northumbria and the former Pictland, are limited and late, those for the areas on the Irish Sea and Atlantic coasts—the modern regions of north-west England and all of northern and western Scotland—are non-existent, and archaeology and toponymy are of primary importance.[6]

Languages and names Writing a century before Constantín was born, Bede recorded five languages in Britain. Latin, the common language of the church, Old English, the language of the Angles and Saxons, Irish, spoken on the western coasts of Britain and in Ireland, Brythonic, ancestor of the Welsh language, spoken in large parts of western Britain, and Pictish, spoken in northern Britain. By the ninth century a sixth language, Old Norse, had arrived with the Vikings.

Amlaíb and Ímar Viking activity in northern Britain appears to have reached a peak during Constantín's reign. Viking armies were led by a small group of men who may have been kinsmen. Among those noted by the Irish annals, the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle are Ívarr—Ímar in Irish sources—who was active from East Anglia to Ireland, Halfdán—Albdann in Irish, Healfdene in Old English— and Amlaíb or Óláfr. As well as these leaders, various others related to them appear in the surviving record.[7]

Viking activity in Britain increased in 865 when the Great Heathen Army, probably a part of the forces which had been active in Francia, landed in East Anglia.[8] The following year, having obtained tribute from the East Anglian King Edmund, the Great Army moved north, seizing York, chief city of the Northumbrians.[9] The Great Army defeated an attack on York by the two rivals for the Northumbrian throne, Osberht and Ælla, who had put aside their differences in the face of a common enemy. Both would-be kings were killed in the failed assault, probably on 21 March 867. Following this, the leaders of the Great Army are said to have installed one Ecgberht as king of the Northumbrians.[10] Their next target was Mercia where King Burgred, aided by his brother-in-law King Æthelred of Wessex, drove them off.[11]

While the kingdoms of East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria were under attack, other Viking armies were active in the far north. Amlaíb and Auisle (Ásl or Auðgísl), said to be his brother, brought an army to Fortriu and obtained tribute and hostages in 866. Historians disagree as to whether the army returned to Ireland in 866, 867 or even in 869.[12] Late sources of uncertain reliability state that Auisle was killed by Amlaíb in 867 in a dispute over Amlaíb's wife, the daughter of Cináed. It is unclear whether, if accurate, this woman should be identified as a daughter of Cináed mac Ailpín, and thus Constantín's sister, or as a daughter of Cináed mac Conaing, king of Brega.[13] While Amlaíb and Auisle were in north Britain, the Annals of Ulster record that Áed Findliath, High King of Ireland, took advantage of their absence to destroy the longphorts along the northern coasts of Ireland.[14] Áed Findliath was married to Constantín's sister Máel Muire. She later married Áed's successor Flann Sinna. Her death is recorded in 913.[15]

In 870, Amlaíb and Ívarr attacked Dumbarton Rock, where the River Leven meets the River Clyde, the chief place of the kingdom of Alt Clut, south-western neighbour of Pictland. The siege lasted four months before the fortress fell to the Vikings who returned to Ireland with many prisoners, "Angles, Britons and Picts", in 871. Archaeological evidence suggests that Dumbarton Rock was largely abandoned and that Govan replaced it as the chief place of the kingdom of Strathclyde, as Alt Clut was later known.[16] King Artgal of Alt Clut did not long survive these events, being killed "at the instigation" of Constantín son of Cináed two years later. Artgal's son and successor Run was married to a sister of Constantín.[17]

Amlaíb disappears from Irish annals after his return to Ireland in 871. According to the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba he was killed by Constantín either in 871 or 872 when he returned to Pictland to collect further tribute.[18] His ally Ívarr died in 873.[19]

Last days of the Pictish kingdom In 875, the Chronicle and the Annals of Ulster again report a Viking army in Pictland. A battle, fought near Dollar, was a heavy defeat for the Picts; the Annals of Ulster say that "a great slaughter of the Picts resulted". Although there is agreement that Constantín was killed fighting Vikings in 877, it is not clear where this happened. Some believe he was beheaded on a Fife beach, following a battle at Fife Ness, near Crail. William Forbes Skene read the Chronicle as placing Constantín's death at Inverdovat (by Newport-on-Tay), which appears to match the Prophecy of Berchán.

The account in the Chronicle of Melrose names the place as the "Black Cave" and John of Fordun calls it the "Black Den". Constantín was buried on Iona.

Aftermath Constantín's son Domnall and his descendants represented the main line of the kings of Alba and later Scotland.

Notes 1.^ Woolf, Pictland to Alba, pp. 87–93; Dumville, "Chronicle of the Kings of Alba". 2.^ Anderson, Kings and Kingship, reproduces these lists and discusses their origins, further discussed by Broun, Irish origins. 3.^ Broun, Irish Identity, pp. 133–164; Woolf, Pictland to Alba, pp. 220–221. 4.^ Broun, Irish Identity, p. 168–169; Anderson, Kings and Kingship, p. 78 5.^ Woolf, Pictland to Alba, pp. 277–285; Ó Corrain, "Vikings in Scotland and Ireland"... 6.^ Woolf, Pictland to Alba, p. 12. 7.^ Downham, Smyth, Woolf. 8.^ Check Nelson. 9.^ Downham, Keynes, Woolf. 10.^ Downham, Higham, Keynes, O Corrain, Smyth, Woolf. 11.^ Keynes ... 12.^ Downham, O Corrain, Smyth, Woolf, AU 866.1. 13.^ Downham, ??, FAA. 14.^ Byrne? O Corrain? AU 866.4 15.^ Woolf, AU 913.1, Byrne p. 857, poss. same as Amlaíb's wife. 16.^ AU 870.6, AU 871.2, Woolf, Downham, Smyth. 17.^ AU 872.5, Smyth, Woolf. 18.^ Woolf, Downham. 19.^ Woolf, Downham, AU 873.3

References The Annals of Ulster, AD 431–1201, CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, 2003, http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100001A/index.html, retrieved 2007-10-02 Chronicon Scotorum, CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, 2003, http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100016/, retrieved 2007-10-29 Lebor Bretnach (The Irish version of the Historia Britonum of Nennius), CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, 2002, http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100028/, retrieved 2008-10-04 Anderson, Alan Orr (1990), Early Sources of Scottish History A.D. 500 to 1286, I (2nd ed.), Stamford: Paul Watkins, ISBN 1-871615-03-8 Anderson, Alan Orr (1908), Scottish Annals from English Chroniclers A.D. 500 to 1286, London: D. Nutt, http://www.archive.org/details/scottishannalsfr00andeuoft Anderson, M. O. (1980), Kings and Kingship in Early Scotland (2nd ed.), Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, ISBN 0-7011-1604-8 Bannerman, John (1999), "The Scottish Takeover of Pictland and the relics of Columba", in Broun, Dauvit; Clancy, Thomas Owen, Spes Scotorum: Hope of Scots. Saint Columba, Iona and Scotland, Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, pp. 71–94, ISBN 0-567-08682-8 Broun, Dauvit (1999), "Dunkeld and the origins of Scottish Identity", in Broun, Dauvit; Clancy, Thomas Owen, Spes Scotorum: Hope of Scots. Saint Columba, Iona and Scotland, Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, pp. 96–111, ISBN 0-567-08682-8 Broun, Dauvit (1999), The Irish Identity of the Kingdom of the Scots in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries, Woodbridge: Boydell Press, ISBN 0-85115-375-5 Broun, Dauvit; Clancy, Thomas Owen (1999), Spes Scotorum: Hope of Scots. Saint Columba, Iona and Scotland, Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, ISBN 0-567-08682-8 Costambeys, Marios (2004), "Hálfdan (d. 877)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/49260, retrieved 2007-10-25 Costambeys, Marios (2004), "Ívarr (d. 873)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/49261, retrieved 2007-10-25 Crawford, Barbara (1987), Scandinavian Scotland, Studies in the Early History of Britain, Leicester: Leicester University Press, ISBN 0-7185-1282-0 Downham, Clare (2007), Viking Kings of Britain and Ireland: The Dynasty of Ívarr to A.D. 1014, Edinburgh: Dunedin, ISBN 1-903765-89-0

Dumville, David (2000), "The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba", in Taylor, Simon, Kings, clerics and chronicles in Scotland 500–1297, Dublin: Four Courts Press, pp. 73–86, ISBN 1-85182-516-9 Duncan, A. A. M. (1978), Scotland: The Making of the Kingdom, The Edinburgh History of Scotland, 1 (2nd ed.), Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-901824-83-6 Duncan, A. A. M. (2002), The Kingship of the Scots 842–1292: Succession and Independence, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-7486-1626-8 Foster, Sally M. (2004) [1996], Picts, Gaels and Scots: Early Historic Scotland, London: Batsford, ISBN 0-7134-8874-3 Herbert, Máire (2000), "Ri Éirenn, Ri Alban: kingship and identity in the ninth and tenth centuries", in Taylor, Simon (PDF), Kings, clerics and chronicles in Scotland 500–1297, Dublin: Four Courts Press, pp. 62–72, ISBN 1-85182-516-9, http://www.ucc.ie/academic/smg/CDI/PDFs_articles/Herbert_RiAlban.pdf Higham, N. J. (1993), The Kingdom of Northumbria AD 350–1100, Stroud: Sutton, ISBN 0-86299-730-5 Hudson, Benjamin (2004), "Óláf the White (fl. 853–871)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/49263, retrieved 2007-10-25 MacQuarrie, Alan (1997), The Saints of Scotland: Essays in Scottish Church History AD 450–1093, Edinburgh: John Donald, ISBN 0-85976-446-X Murphy, Dennis, ed. (1896), The Annals of Clonmacnoise, being annals of Ireland from the earliest period to A.D. 1408, Dublin: Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, http://www.archive.org/details/annalsofclonmacn00royauoft, retrieved 2007-12-01 Ó Corráin, Donnchadh (1997), "Ireland, Wales, Man and the Hebrides", in Sawyer, Peter, The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 83–109, ISBN 0-19-285434-8 Ó Corráin, Donnchadh (1998), "The Vikings in Scotland and Ireland in the Ninth Century" (PDF), Peritia 12: 296–339, http://www.ucc.ie/celt/Vikings%20in%20Scotland%20and%20Ireland.pdf, retrieved 2007-12-01 Radner, Joan N., ed. (1975), Fragmentary Annals of Ireland, CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100017/index.html, retrieved 2007-02-10 Sawyer, Peter, ed. (1997), The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-285434-8 Smyth, Alfred P. (1984), Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80–1000, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-7486-0100-7 Swanton, Michael (1996), The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, New York: Routledge, ISBN 0-415-92129-5 Taylor, Simon, ed. (2000), Kings, clerics and chronicles in Scotland 500–1297, Dublin: Four Courts Press, ISBN 1-85182-516-9 Woolf, Alex (2007), From Pictland to Alba, 789–1070, The New Edinburgh History of Scotland, 2, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-7486-1234-5

Child of Constantine of Alba I is:

90219864464 i. Donald Dasachtach of Scots II, born 862; died 900.

180439729024. Alfred the Great He married 180439729025. Ealhswith. 180439729025. Ealhswith, born 852; died 905.

Notes for Alfred the Great: Alfred the Great (Old English: Ælfred, Ælfr?d, "elf counsel"; 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.

Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great".[1] Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself "King of the Anglo-Saxons". Details of his life are described in a work by the 10th century Welsh scholar and bishop Asser. Alfred was a learned man who encouraged education and improved his kingdom's legal system and military structure. He is regarded as a saint by some Catholics, but has never been officially canonized.[2] The Anglican Communion venerates him as a Christian hero, with a feast day of 26 October,[3] and he may often be found depicted in stained glass in Church of England parish churches.

Alfred was born in the village of Wanating, now Wantage, Oxfordshire. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf of Wessex, by his first wife, Osburga.[4]

At the age of five years, Alfred is said to have been sent to Rome where, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle,[5] he was confirmed by Pope Leo IV who "anointed him as king". Victorian writers interpreted this as an anticipatory coronation in preparation for his ultimate succession to the throne of Wessex. However, his succession could not have been foreseen at the time, as Alfred had three living elder brothers. A letter of Leo IV shows that Alfred was made a "consul"; a misinterpretation of this investiture, deliberate or accidental, could explain later confusion.[6] It may also be based on Alfred's later having accompanied his father on a pilgrimage to Rome where he spent some time at the court of Charles the Bald, King of the Franks, around 854–855. On their return from Rome in 856, Æthelwulf was deposed by his son Æthelbald. With civil war looming, the magnates of the realm met in council to hammer out a compromise. Æthelbald would retain the western shires (i.e., traditional Wessex), and Æthelwulf would rule in the east. King Æthelwulf died in 858; meanwhile Wessex was ruled by three of Alfred's brothers in succession.[citation needed]

Bishop Asser tells the story of how as a child Alfred won a prize of a volume of poetry in English, offered by his mother to the first of her children able to memorize it. This story may be true,[says who?] or it may be a myth intended to illustrate the young Alfred's love of learning.[original research?] Legend also has it that the young Alfred spent time in Ireland seeking healing. Alfred was troubled by health problems throughout his life. It is thought that he may have suffered from Crohn's disease. Statues of Alfred in Winchester and Wantage portray him as a great warrior. Evidence suggests he was not physically strong, and though not lacking in courage, he was more noted for his intellect than a warlike character.[7]

During the short reigns of the older two of his three elder brothers, Æthelbald of Wessex and Æthelbert of Wessex, Alfred is not mentioned. However, his public life began with the accession of his third brother, Æthelred of Wessex, in 866. It is during this period that Bishop Asser applied to him the unique title of "secundarius", which may indicate a position akin to that of the Celtic tanist, a recognised successor closely associated with the reigning monarch. It is possible that this arrangement was sanctioned by Alfred's father, or by the Witan, to guard against the danger of a disputed succession should Æthelred fall in battle. The arrangement of crowning a successor as royal prince and military commander is well known among other Germanic tribes, such as the Swedes and Franks, to whom the Anglo-Saxons were closely related.

In 868, Alfred is recorded as fighting beside Æthelred in an unsuccessful attempt to keep the invading Danes out of the adjoining Kingdom of Mercia.[5] For nearly two years, Wessex was spared attacks because Alfred paid the Vikings to leave him alone. However, at the end of 870, the Danes arrived in his homeland. The year which followed has been called "Alfred's year of battles". Nine engagements were fought with varying outcomes, though the place and date of two of these battles have not been recorded. In Berkshire, a successful skirmish at the Battle of Englefield on 31 December 870 was followed by a severe defeat at the siege and Battle of Reading on 5 January 871; then, four days later, Alfred won a brilliant victory at the Battle of Ashdown on the Berkshire Downs, possibly near Compton or Aldworth. Alfred is particularly credited with the success of this latter battle. However, later that month, on 22 January, the English were defeated at the Battle of Basing and, on the 22 March at the Battle of Merton (perhaps Marden in Wiltshire or Martin in Dorset), in which Æthelred was killed. The two unidentified battles may have occurred in between.[8]

In April 871, King Æthelred died, and Alfred succeeded to the throne of Wessex and the burden of its defence, despite the fact that Æthelred left two under-age sons, Æthelhelm and Æthelwold. This was in accordance with the agreement that Æthelred and Alfred had made earlier that year in an assembly at Swinbeorg. The brothers had agreed that whichever of them outlived the other would inherit the personal property that King Æthelwulf in his will had left jointly to his sons. The deceased's sons would receive only whatever property and riches their father had settled upon them and whatever additional lands their uncle had acquired. The unstated premise was that the surviving brother would be king. Given the ongoing

Danish invasion and the youth of his nephews, Alfred's succession probably went uncontested. Tensions between Alfred and his nephews, however, would arise later in his reign.[citation needed]

Coin of Alfred, king of Wessex, London, 880 (based upon a Roman model). Obv: King with royal band in profile, with legend: ÆLFRED REX "King Ælfred".While he was busy with the burial ceremonies for his brother, the Danes defeated the English in his absence at an unnamed spot, and then again in his presence at Wilton in May.[8] The defeat at Wilton smashed any remaining hope that Alfred could drive the

invaders from his kingdom. He was forced, instead, to ̳make peace‘ with them. The sources do not tell what the terms of the peace were. Bishop Asser claimed that the 'pagans' agreed to vacate the realm and made good their promise; and, indeed, the Viking army did withdraw from Reading in the autumn of 871 to take up winter quarters in Mercian London. Although not mentioned by Asser or by the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Alfred probably also paid the Vikings cash to leave, much as the Mercians were to do in the following year.[9] Hoards dating to the Viking occupation of London in 871/2 have been excavated at Croydon, Gravesend, and Waterloo Bridge; these finds hint at the cost involved in making peace with the Vikings. For the next five years, the Danes occupied other parts of England.[10] However, in 876 under their new leader, Guthrum, the Danes slipped past the English army and attacked and occupied Wareham in Dorset. Alfred blockaded them but was unable to take Wareham by assault.[8] Accordingly, he negotiated a peace which involved an exchange of hostages and oaths, which the Danes swore on a "holy ring" associated with the worship of Thor.[5] The Danes, however, broke their word and, after killing all the hostages, slipped away under cover of night to Exeter in Devon. There, Alfred blockaded them, and with a relief fleet having been scattered by a storm, the Danes were forced to submit. They withdrew to Mercia, but, in January 878, made a sudden attack on Chippenham, a royal stronghold in which Alfred had been staying over Christmas, "and most of the people they killed, except the King Alfred, and he with a little band made his way by wood and swamp, and after Easter he made a fort at Athelney in the marshes of Somerset, and from that fort kept fighting against the foe".[5] From his fort at Athelney, an island in the marshes near North Petherton, Alfred was able to mount an effective resistance movement, rallying the local militias from Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire.[8]

Alfred the Great is scolded by his subject, a neatherd's wife, for not turning the breads but readily eating them when they are baked in her cottage.A popular legend, originating from 12th century chronicles,[11] tells how when he first fled to the Somerset Levels, Alfred was given shelter by a peasant woman who, unaware of his identity, left him to watch some cakes she had left cooking on the fire. Preoccupied with the problems of his kingdom, Alfred accidentally let the cakes burn.

870 was the low-water mark in the history of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. With all the other kingdoms having fallen to the Vikings, Wessex alone was still resisting.[12]

Counterattack and victory King Alfred's Tower (1772) on the supposed site of Egbert's Stone the mustering place before the Battle of Ethandun.[13]In the seventh week after Easter [4–10 May 878], around Whitsuntide, Alfred rode to ̳Egbert's Stone‘ east of Selwood, where he was met by "all the people of Somerset and of Wiltshire and of that part of Hampshire which is on this side of the sea [that is, west of Southampton Water], and they rejoiced to see him".[5] Alfred‘s emergence from his marshland stronghold was part of a carefully planned offensive that entailed raising the fyrds of three shires. This meant not only that the king had retained the loyalty of ealdormen, royal reeves and king‘s thegns (who were charged with levying and leading these forces), but that they had maintained their positions of authority in these localities well enough to answer Alfred‘s summons to war. Alfred‘s actions also suggest a finely honed system of scouts and messengers.[citation needed] Alfred won a decisive victory in the ensuing Battle of Ethandun, which may have been fought near Westbury, Wiltshire.[8] He then pursued the Danes to their stronghold at Chippenham and starved them into submission. One of the terms of the surrender was that Guthrum convert to Christianity; and three weeks later the Danish king and 29 of his chief men were baptised at Alfred's court at Aller, near Athelney, with Alfred receiving Guthrum as his spiritual son.[8] The "unbinding of the chrism" took place with great ceremony eight days later at the royal estate at Wedmore in Somerset, after which Guthrum fulfilled his promise to leave Wessex. There is no contemporary evidence that Alfred and Guthrum agreed upon a formal treaty at this time; the so-called Treaty of Wedmore is an invention of modern historians. The Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum, preserved in Old English in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (Manuscript 383), and in a Latin compilation known as Quadripartitus, was negotiated later, perhaps in 879 or 880, when King Ceolwulf II of Mercia was deposed.[14] That treaty divided up the kingdom of Mercia. By its terms the boundary between Alfred‘s

and Guthrum‘s kingdoms was to run up the River Thames, to the River Lea; follow the Lea to its source (near Luton); from there extend in a straight line to Bedford; and from Bedford follow the River Ouse to Watling Street. In other words, Alfred succeeded to Ceolwulf‘s kingdom, consisting of western Mercia; and Guthrum incorporated the eastern part of Mercia into an enlarged kingdom of East Anglia (henceforward known as the Danelaw). By terms of the treaty, moreover, Alfred was to have control over the Mercian city of London and its mints — at least for the time being.[15] The disposition of Essex, held by West Saxon kings since the days of Egbert, is unclear from the treaty, though, given Alfred‘s political and military superiority, it would have been surprising if he had conceded any disputed territory to his new godson.

The Quiet Years, Restoration of London Plaque in the City of London noting the restoration of the Roman walled city by AlfredWith the signing of the Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum, an event most commonly held to have taken place around 880 when Guthrum‘s people began settling East Anglia, Guthrum was neutralized as a threat.[16] In conjunction with this agreement an army of Danish left the island and sailed to Ghent. Alfred however was still forced to contend with a number of Danish threats. A year later in 881 Alfred fought a small sea battle against four Danish ships ―On the high seas‖.[17] Two of the ships were destroyed and the others surrendered to Alfred‘s forces.[18] Similar small skirmishes with independent Viking raiders would have occurred for much of the period as they had for decades.

In the year 883, though there is some debate over the year, King Alfred because of his support and his donation of alms to Rome received a number of gifts from the Pope Marinus.[19] Among these gifts was reputed to be a piece of the true cross, a true treasure for the devout Saxon king. According to Asser because of Pope Marinus‘ friendship with King Alfred the pope granted an exemption to any Anglo-Saxons residing within Rome from tax or tribute.[20]

After the signing of the treaty with Guthrum, Alfred was spared any large scale conflicts for some time. Despite this relative peace the king was still forced to deal with a number of Danish raids and incursions. Among these was a raid taking place in Kent, an allied country in Southeast England during the year 885, quite possibly the largest raid since the battles with Guthrum. Asser‘s account of the raid places the Danish raiders at the Saxon city of Rochester,[17] where they built a temporary fortress in order to besiege the city. In response to incursion Alfred led an Anglo-Saxon force against the Danes who, instead of engaging the army of Wessex, fled to their beached ships and sailed to another part of Britain. The retreating Danish force supposedly left Britain the following summer.[21]

Not long after the failed Danish raid in Kent Alfred dispatched his fleet to East Anglia. The purpose of this expedition is debated, though Asser claims that it was for the sake of plunder.[21] After traveling up the River Stour, the fleet was met by Danish vessels that numbered 13 or 16 (sources vary on the number) and a battle ensued.[21] The Anglo-Saxon Fleet emerged victorious and as Huntingdon accounts,―laden with spoils.‖[22] The victorious fleet was then caught unaware when attempting to leave the River Stour and was attacked by a Danish force at the mouth of the river. The Danish fleet was able to defeat Alfred's fleet which may have been weakened in the previous engagement.[23]

A year later in 886 Alfred reoccupied the city of London and set out to make it habitable again.[24] Alfred entrusted the city to the care of his son-in law Æthelred, ealdorman of Mercia. The restoration of London progressed through the later half of the 880‘s and is believed to have revolved around a new street plan, added fortifications in addition to the existing Roman walls, and some believe the construction of matching fortifications on the South bank of the River Thames.[25] This is also the time period almost all chroniclers agree the Saxon people of pre-unification England submitted to Alfred.[26] This was not, however, the point in which Alfred came to be known as King of England; in fact he would never adopt the title for himself. In truth the power which Alfred wielded over the English peoples at this time seemed to stem largely from the military might of the West Saxons, Alfred‘s political connections having the ruler of Mercia as his son-in-law, and Alfred‘s keen administration talents.

Between the restoration of London and the resumption of large scale Danish attacks in the early 890‘s Alfred‘s reign was rather uneventful. The relative peace of the late 880‘s was marred by the death of Alfred's sister, Æthelswith, who died en route to Rome in 888.[27] In the same year the Archbishop of Canterbury, Æthelred also passed away. One year later Guthrum, or Athelstan by his baptized name, Alfred‘s former enemy and king of East Anglia died and was buried in Hadleigh, Suffolk.[28] Guthrum‘s passing marked a change in the political sphere Alfred dealt with. Guthrum‘s death created a power vacuum which would stir up other power–hungry warlords eager to take his place in the following years. The quiet years of Alfred‘s life were coming to a close, and war was on the horizon.

Further Viking attacks repelledAfter another lull, in the autumn of 892 or 893, the Danes attacked again. Finding their position in mainland Europe precarious, they crossed to England in 330 ships in two divisions. They entrenched themselves, the larger body at Appledore, Kent, and the lesser, under Hastein, at Milton, also in Kent. The invaders brought their wives and children with them, indicating a meaningful attempt at conquest and colonisation. Alfred, in 893 or 894, took up a position from which he could observe both forces. While he was in talks with Hastein, the Danes at Appledore broke out and struck northwestwards. They were overtaken by Alfred's oldest son, Edward, and were defeated in a general engagement at Farnham in Surrey. They took refuge on an island

in the Hertfordshire Colne, where they were blockaded and were ultimately forced to submit. The force fell back on Essex and, after suffering another defeat at Benfleet, coalesced with Hastein's force at Shoebury.[8]

Alfred had been on his way to relieve his son at Thorney when he heard that the Northumbrian and East Anglian Danes were besieging Exeter and an unnamed stronghold on the North Devon shore. Alfred at once hurried westward and raised the Siege of Exeter. The fate of the other place is not recorded. Meanwhile, the force under Hastein set out to march up the Thames Valley, possibly with the idea of assisting their friends in the west. But they were met by a large force under the three great ealdormen of Mercia, Wiltshire and Somerset, and forced to head off to the northwest, being finally overtaken and blockaded at Buttington. Some identify this with Buttington Tump at the mouth of the River Wye, others with Buttington near Welshpool. An attempt to break through the English lines was defeated. Those who escaped retreated to Shoebury. Then, after collecting reinforcements, they made a sudden dash across England and occupied the ruined Roman walls of Chester. The English did not attempt a winter blockade, but contented themselves with destroying all the supplies in the neighbourhood. Early in 894 (or 895), want of food obliged the Danes to retire once more to Essex. At the end of this year and early in 895 (or 896), the Danes drew their ships up the River Thames and River Lea and fortified themselves twenty miles (32 km) north of London. A direct attack on the Danish lines failed but, later in the year, Alfred saw a means of obstructing the river so as to prevent the egress of the Danish ships. The Danes realised that they were outmanoeuvred. They struck off north-westwards and wintered at Cwatbridge near Bridgnorth. The next year, 896 (or 897), they gave up the struggle. Some retired to Northumbria, some to East Anglia. Those who had no connections in England withdrew back to the continent.[8]

Alfred the Great silver offering penny, 871-899. Legend: AELFRED REX SAXONUM "Ælfred King of the Saxons".Wessex's history of failures preceding his success in 878 emphasized to Alfred that the traditional system of battle he had inherited played to the Danes' advantage. While both the Anglo-Saxons and the Danes attacked settlements to seize wealth and other resources, they employed very different strategies. In their raids, the Anglo-Saxons traditionally preferred to attack head-on by assembling their forces in a shield wall, advancing against their target and overcoming the oncoming wall marshaled against them in defense. In contrast, the Danes preferred to choose easy targets, mapping cautious forays designed to avoid risking all their accumulated plunder with high-stake attacks for more. Alfred determined their strategy was to launch smaller scaled attacks from a secure and reinforced defensible base which they could retreat to should their raiders meet strong resistance. These bases were prepared in advance, often by capturing an estate and augmenting its defenses with surrounding ditches, ramparts and palisades. Once inside the fortification, Alfred realized, the Danes enjoyed the advantage, better situated to outlast their opponents or crush them with a counter attack as the provisions and stamina of the besieging forces waned.[29]

The means by which they marshaled the forces to defend against marauders also left the Anglo-Saxons vulnerable to the Vikings. It was only after the raids were underway that a call went out to landowners to gather men for battle, and large regions could be devastated before the newly assembled army arrived. And although the landowners were obliged to the king to supply these men when called, during the attacks in 878, many of them opportunistically abandoned their king and collaborated with Guthrum.[30]

With these lessons in mind, Alfred capitalized on the relatively peaceful years immediately following his victory at Ethandrun by focusing on an ambitious restructuring of his kingdom's military defenses. When the Viking raids resumed in 892, Alfred was better prepared to confront them with a standing, mobile field army, a network of garrisons, and a small fleet of ships navigating the rivers and estuaries.[31]

Burghal systemAt the center of Alfred's reformed military defence system was a network of fortresses, or burhs, distributed at strategic points throughout the kingdom.[32] There were thirty-three total spaced approximately 30 kilometres (20 mi) distant, enabling the military to confront attacks anywhere in the

kingdom within a single day.[33][34] Alfred's burhs, (later termed boroughs), consisted mainly of massive earthen walls surrounded by wide ditches, probably reinforced with wooden revetments and palisades.[35] The size of the burhs ranged from tiny outposts such as Pilton to large fortifications in established towns, the largest at Winchester.[36] Many of the burhs were twin towns that straddled a river and connected by a fortified bridge, like those built by Charles the Bald a generation before. The double-burh blocked passage on the river, forcing Viking ships to navigate under a garrisoned bridge lined with men armed with stones, spears, or arrows. Other burhs were sited near fortified royal villas allowing the king better control over his strongholds.[37]

This network of well-garrisoned burhs posed significant obstacles to Viking invaders, especially those laden with booty. The system threatened Viking routes and communications making it far more dangerous for the Viking raiders. However the Vikings lacked both the equipment necessary to undertake a siege against the burh and a developed doctrine of siegecraft, having tailored their methods of fighting to rapid strikes and unimpeded retreats to well defended fortifications. The only means left to them was to starve the burh into submission, but this allowed the king time to send assistance with his mobile field army or garrisons from neighbouring burhs. In such cases, the Vikings were extremely vulnerable to pursuit by the king's joint military forces.[38] Alfred's burh system posed such a formidable challenge against Viking attack that when the Vikings returned in 892 and successfully stormed a half-made, poorly garrisoned fortress up the Lympne estuary in Kent, the Anglo-Saxons were able to limit their penetration to the outer frontiers of Wessex and Mercia.[39]

Alfred's burghal system was revolutionary in its strategic conception and potentially expensive in its execution. His contemporary biographer Asser wrote that many nobles balked at the new demands placed upon them even though they were for "the common needs of the kingdom".[40][41] The cost of building the burhs was great in itself, but this paled before the cost of upkeep for these fortresses and the maintenance of their standing garrisons. A remarkable early tenth-century document, known as the Burghal Hidage, provides a formula for determining how many men were needed to garrison a borough, based on one man for every 5.5 yards (5 meters) of wall. This calculates to a total of 27,071 soldiers needed system wide, or approximately one in four of all the free men in Wessex.[42]

In 868, Alfred married Ealhswith, daughter of a Mercian nobleman, Æthelred Mucil, Ealdorman of the Gaini. The Gaini were probably one of the tribal groups of the Mercians. Ealhswith's mother, Eadburh, was a member of the Mercian royal family.[80]

They had five or six children together, including Edward the Elder, who succeeded his father as king, Æthelflæd, who would become Queen of Mercia in her own right, and Ælfthryth who married Baldwin II the Count of Flanders. His mother was Osburga daughter of Oslac of the Isle of Wight, Chief Butler of England. Asser, in his Vita Ælfredi asserts that this shows his lineage from the Jutes of the Isle of Wight. This is unlikely as Bede tells us that they were all slaughtered by the Saxons under Cædwalla. In 2008 the skeleton of Queen Eadgyth, granddaughter of Alfred the Great was found in Magdeburg Cathedral in Germany. It was confirmed in 2010 that these remains belong to her — one of the earliest members of the English royal family.[81]

References Abels, Richard P. (1988). Lordship and Military Obligation in Anglo-Saxon England. British Museum Press. pp. 58–78. ISBN 978-0714105529. Abels, Richard (1998). Alfred the Great: War, Kingship and Culture in Anglo-Saxon England. Longman. ISBN 9780582040472. Alfred (1969), "Saxon Chronicles", in J.A. Giles, Memorials of King Alfred: being essays on the history and antiquities of England during the ninth century, the age of King Alfred, by various authors, Burt Franklin research & source works series, New York: Burt Franklin Asser (1969), "Life of King Alfred", in J.A. Giles, Memorials of King Alfred: being essays on the history and antiquities of England during the ninth century, the age of King Alfred, by various authors, Burt Franklin research & source works series, New York: Burt Franklin Asser (1983), "Life of King Alfred", in Keynes, Simon; Lapidge, Michael, Alfred the Great: Asser's Life of King Alfred & Other Contemporary Sources, Penguin Classics, pp. 67–112 Bradshaw, Anthony (1999), The Burghal Hidage: Alfred's Towns, http://www.ogdoad.force9.co.uk/alfred/alfhidage.htm Fleming, Robin (1985). Monastic lands and England's defence in the Viking Age. 100. pp. 247-65. Gifford, Edwin; Gifford, Joyce (2003). "Alfred's new longships". In Reuter, Timothy. Alfred the Great (Studies in early medieval Britain). pp. 281–89. ISBN 9780754609575. Gross, Ernie (1990). This Day In Religion. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.. ISBN 978-1555700454. Hull, Lise E. (2006). Britain's Medieval Castles. Westport, CT: Praeger. ISBN 9780275984144. Huntingdon, Henry (1969), "Histories", in J.A. Giles, Memorials of King Alfred: being essays on the history and antiquities of England during the ninth century,

the age of King Alfred, by various authors, Burt Franklin research & source works series, New York: Burt Franklin

Keynes, Simon; Lapidge, Michael (1983). Alfred the Great, Asser's Life of King Alfred and other contemporary sources. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin. pp. 7–65. ISBN 0-14-044409-2. Keynes, Simon (1998), "Alfred and the Mercians", in Blackburn, Mark A.S.; Dumville, David N., Kings, currency, and alliances: history and coinage of southern England in the ninth century, Woodbridge: Boydell & Brewer, pp. 1–46, ISBN 9780851155982 Keynes, Simon (2001), "Edward, King of the Anglo-Saxons", in Higham, N.J.; Hill, D.H., Edward the Elder 899-924, Routledge, pp. 44–45, ISBN 978-0415214971 Medlycott, Adolphus (1905). India and the Apostle Thomas: an inquiry. London: David Nutt. p. 80. http://books.google.com/books?id=YdxJAAAAMAAJ&vq=alfred&pg=PA80. Pauli, Reinhold (1857), "Alfred's embassies", in Thorpe, Benjamin, The life of Alfred the Great, London: Henry Bohn, p. 146, http://books.google.com/books?id=-iILAAAAYAAJ&q=146 Pratt, David (2007). The political thought of King Alfred the Great. Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life and Thought: Fourth Series. 67. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521803502. Savage, Anne (1988). Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. Papermac. pp. 288. ISBN 0333488814. Snyder, Christopher A., ed (2008). The Early Peoples of Britain and Ireland. ABC-CLIO. p. 23. ISBN 9781846450099. Vince, Alan (1990). Saxon London: An Archaeological Investigation. The Archaeology of London series. Batsford Ltd.. ISBN 978-1852640194. Woodruff, Douglas (1993). The Life And Times of Alfred the Great. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 9780297831945. Wormald, Patrick (2001). The Making of English Law: King Alfred to the Twelfth Century. pp. 528. ISBN 9780631227403.

Notes for Ealhswith: Ealhswith or Ealswitha, (born c. 852 in Mercia, died 905) was the daughter of a Mercian nobleman, Æthelred Mucil, Ealdorman of the Gaini. She was married in 868 to Alfred the Great, before he became king of Wessex.[1] In accordance with ninth century West Saxon custom, she was not given the title of queen. [2]

Ealswith was the daughter of Æthelred and his wife Eadburh. She was related to the royal house of Mercia through her mother.[3]

After Alfred's death in 899, Ealhswith became a nun. She died on 5 December 905, and is buried in St. Mary's Abbey, Winchester, Hampshire.[4]

Elswitha Hall in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, built in the 18th Century, is named after her.

ChildrenThe children of Alfred and Ealhswith included[5]:

Æthelflæd (ca 869 - 912), Lady of the Mercians. Married Æthelred, Ealdorman of western Mercia in 889. Eadmund, Asser mentions Eadmund as a son of Alfred. Edward the Elder (ca 872-924), King of Wessex Elfreda, The book of Hydes mentions Elfreda as a daughter. She is not mentioned by Asser. Æthelgifu (?-896) Nun at Shaftesbury Abbey, Dorset, elected Abbess in 888 Ælfthryth (877 - 929) Married Baldwin II, Count of Flanders. Æthelweard (Ethelward the Atheling) (880 - 920)

Child of Alfred Great and Ealhswith is:

90219864512 i. Edward the Elder

180439742528. Hildouin III de Ponthieu He married 180439742529. Hersende la Pieuse de Ramerupt. 180439742529. Hersende la Pieuse de Ramerupt

Child of Hildouin de Ponthieu and Hersende de Ramerupt is:

90219871264 i. HughI, Count of Ponthieu, married Gisèle Capet

180439742530. Hugh Capet, born 939; died 996. He married 180439742531. Adelaide of Aquitaine. 180439742531. Adelaide of Aquitaine She was the daughter of 360879485062. WilliamIII, Duke of

Aquitaine and 360879485063. Adeleid.

Notes for Hugh Capet: Hugh Capet[1] (c. 939 – 24 October 996), called in contemporary sources "Hugh the Great" (Latin: Hugo Magnus),[2] was the first King of France of the eponymous Capetian dynasty from his election to succeed the Carolingian Louis V in 987 until his death.

The son of Hugh the Great, Duke of France, and Hedwige of Saxony, daughter of the German king Henry the Fowler, Hugh was born in 939. His paternal family, the Robertians, were powerful landowners in the Île-de-France. His grandfather had been King Robert I and his grandmother Beatrice was a Carolingian, a daughter of Herbert I of Vermandois. This makes him the great-great-great-great-great grandson of Charlemagne through both of his parents, through Louis the Pious and Pepin of Italy. King Odo was his grand-uncle and King Rudolph the son-in-law of his grandfather, King Robert I. Hugh was born into a well-connected and powerful family with many ties to the reigning nobility of Europe.[3] But for all this, Hugh's father was never king. When Rudolph died in 936, Hugh the Great organised the return of Louis d'Outremer, son of Charles the Simple, from his exile at the court of Athelstan of England. Hugh's motives are unknown, but it is presumed that he acted to forestall Rudolph's brother and successor as Duke of Burgundy, Hugh the Black, from taking the French throne, or to prevent it from falling into the grasping hands of Herbert II of Vermandois or Richard the Fearless, Duke of Normandy.[4]

In 956, Hugh inherited his father's estates and became one of the most powerful nobles in the much-reduced West Frankish kingdom. However, as he was not yet an adult, his uncle Bruno, Archbishop of Cologne, acted as regent. Young Hugh's neighbours made the most of the opportunity. Theobald I of Blois, a former vassal of Hugh the Great, took the counties of Chartres and Châteaudun. Further south, on the border of the kingdom, Fulk II of Anjou, another former client of Hugh the Great, carved out a principality at Hugh's expense and that of the Bretons.[5]

A denier of Hugh Capet when he was Duke of France, calling him "duke by the grace of God" (Dux Dei Gratia). Minted at Paris (Parisi Civita)The realm in which Hugh grew up, and of which he would one day be king, bore no resemblance to modern France. Hugh's predecessors did not call themselves rois de France ("Kings of France"), and that title was not used until the time of his distant descendant Philip II Augustus. Kings ruled as rex Francorum ("King of the Franks") and the lands over which they ruled comprised only a very small part of the former Carolingian Empire. The eastern Frankish lands, the Holy Roman Empire, were ruled by the Ottonian dynasty, represented by Hugh's first cousin Otto II and then by Otto's son, Otto III. The lands south of the river Loire had largely ceased to be part of the West Frankish kingdom in the years after Charles the Simple was deposed in 922. The Duchy of Normandy and the Duchy of Burgundy were largely independent, and Brittany entirely so, although from 956 Burgundy was ruled by Hugh's brothers Odo and Henry.[6]

From 977 to 986, Hugh Capet allied himself with the German emperors Otto II and Otto III and with Archbishop Adalberon of Reims to dominate the Carolingian king, Lothair. By 986, he was king in all but name. After Lothair's son Louis died in May of 987, Adalberon and Gerbert of Aurillac convened an assembly of nobles to elect Hugh Capet as their king. In front of an electoral assembly at Senlis, Adalberon gave a stirring oration and pleaded to the nobles:

Crown the Duke. He is most illustrious by his exploits, his nobility, his forces. The throne is not acquired by hereditary right; no one should be raised to it unless distinguished not only for nobility of birth, but for the goodness of his soul.[7]

He was elected and crowned rex Francorum at Noyon in Picardy on 3 July 987, by the prelate of Reims, the first of the Capetian house. Immediately after his coronation, Hugh began to push for the coronation of his son Robert. Hugh's own claimed reason was that he was planning an expedition against the Moorish

armies harassing Borrel II of Barcelona, an invasion which never occurred, and that the stability of the country necessitated two kings should he die while on expedition.[8] Ralph Glaber, however, attributes Hugh's request to his old age and inability to control the nobility.[9] Modern scholarship has largely imputed to Hugh the motive of establishing a dynasty against

the pretension of electoral power on the part of the aristocracy, but this is not the typical view of contemporaries and even some modern scholars have been less sceptical of Hugh's "plan" to campaign in Spain.[10] Robert was eventually crowned on 25 December that same year.

Hugh Capet possessed minor properties near Chartres and Angers. Between Paris and Orléans he possessed towns and estates amounting to approximately 400 square miles (1,000 km2). His authority ended there, and if he dared travel outside his small area, he risked being captured and held for ransom, though, as God's anointed, his life was largely safe. Indeed, there was a plot in 993, masterminded by Adalberon, Bishop of Laon and Odo I of Blois, to deliver Hugh Capet into the custody of Otto III. The plot failed, but the fact that no one was punished illustrates how tenuous his hold on power was. Beyond his power base, in the rest of France, there were still as many codes of law as there were fiefdoms. The "country" operated with 150 different forms of currency and at least a dozen languages.[citation needed] Uniting all this into one cohesive unit was a formidable task and a constant struggle between those who wore the crown of France and its feudal lords. As such, Hugh Capet's reign was marked by numerous power struggles with the vassals on the borders of the Seine and the Loire.

While Hugh Capet's military power was limited and he had to seek military aid from Richard I of Normandy, his unanimous election as king gave him great moral authority and influence. Adémar de Chabannes records, probably apocryphally, that during an argument with the Count of Auvergne, Hugh demanded of him: "Who made you count?" The count riposted: "Who made you king?".[11]

Hugh made Arnulf Archbishop of Reims in 988, even though Arnulf was the nephew of his bitter rival, Charles of Lorraine. Charles thereupon succeeded in capturing Reims and took the archbishop prisoner. Hugh, however, considered Arnulf a turncoat and demanded his deposition by Pope John XV. The turn of events outran the messages, when Hugh captured both Charles and Arnulf and convoked a synod at Reims in June 991, which obediently deposed Arnulf and chose as his successor Gerbert of Aurillac. These proceedings were repudiated by Rome, although a second synod had ratified the decrees issued at Reims. John XV summoned the French bishops to hold an independent synod outside the King's realm, at Aachen, to reconsider the case. When they refused, he called them to Rome, but they protested that the unsettled conditions en route and in Rome made that impossible. The Pope then sent a legate with instructions to call a council of French and German bishops at Mousson, where only the German bishops appeared, the French being stopped on the way by Hugh and Robert.

Through the exertions of the legate, the deposition of Arnulf was finally pronounced illegal. After Hugh's death, Arnulf was released from his imprisonment and soon restored to all his dignities.

Hugh Capet died on 24 October 996 in Paris and was interred in the Saint Denis Basilica. His son Robert continued to reign.

Most historians regard the beginnings of modern France with the coronation of Hugh Capet. This is because, as Count of Paris, he made the city his power centre. The monarch began a long process of exerting control of the rest of the country from there.

He is regarded as the founder of the Capetian dynasty. The direct Capetians, or the House of Capet, ruled France from 987 to 1328; thereafter, the Kingdom was ruled by cadet branches of the dynasty. All French kings through Louis Philippe, and all royal pretenders since then, have belonged to the dynasty.

Marriage and issue Hugh Capet married Adelaide, daughter of William Towhead, Count of Poitou. Their children are as follows:

Robert II, who became king after the death of his father Hedwig, or Hathui, who married Reginar IV, Count of Hainaut Gisela, or Gisele A number of other daughters are less reliably attested.[12]

Notes 1.^ Capet is a byname of uncertain meaning distinguishing him from his father Hugh the Great. Folk etymology connects it with "cape", other suggested etymologies derive it from terms for chief, mocker or big head. His father's

byname is presumed to have been retrospective, meaning Hugh the Elder, this Hugh being Hugh the Younger, Capet being a 12th century addition; James, p. 183. 2.^ Jonathan Jarrett, ―Sales, Swindles and Sanctions: Bishop Sal·la of Urgell and the Counts of Catalonia‖, International Medieval Congress, Leeds, 11 July 2005, published in the Appendix, Pathways of Power in late-Carolingian Catalonia, PhD dissertation, Birkbeck College (2006), 300. 3.^ For a fuller explanation of the descent and relationships of Hugh, see the genealogical tables in Riché, Les Carolingiens, pp. 399 ff. 4.^ James, pp 183–184; Theis, pp 65–66. 5.^ Theis, pp. 69–70. 6.^ James, pp. iii, 182–183; Gauvard, pp. 163–168; Riché, pp. 285 ff. 7.^ Harriet Harvey Wood, The Battle of Hastings: The Fall of Anglo-Saxon England, Atlantic, 2008, p. 46 8.^ Lewis, 908. 9.^ Lewis, 914. 10.^ Lewis, passim. 11.^ Bordenove, pp. 265–266 12.^ Thus Gauvard, p. 531.

References Bordenove, Georges. Les Rois qui ont fait la France: Hugues Capet, le Fondateur. Paris: Marabout, 1986. ISBN 2-501-01099-X Gauvard, Claude. La France au Moyen Âge du Ve au XVe siècle. Paris: PUF, 1996. 2-13-054205-0 James, Edward. The Origins of France: From Clovis to the Capetians 500–1000. London: Macmillan, 1982. ISBN 0312588623 Riché, Pierre. Les Carolingiens: Une famille qui fit l'Europe. Paris: Hachette, 1983. 2-012-78551-0 Theis, Laurent. Histoire du Moyen Âge français: Chronologie commentée 486–1453. Paris: Perrin, 1992. 2-87027-587-0 Lewis, Anthony W. "Anticipatory Association of the Heir in Early Capetian France." The American Historical Review, Vol. 83, No. 4. (Oct., 1978), pp 906–927.

Notes for Adelaide of Aquitaine: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Adele or Adelaide of Aquitaine (or Adelaide of Poitiers) (c. 945 or 952 – 1004) was the daughter of William III, Duke of Aquitaine and Adele of Normandy, daughter of Rollo of Normandy.

Her father used her as security for a truce with Hugh Capet, whom she married in 970. In 987, after the death of Louis V, the last Carolingian king of France, Hugh was elected the new king with Adelaide as queen. They were proclaimed at Noyon and blessed at Reims. They were the founders of the Capetian dynasty of France.

Children Adeleide and Hugh's children were: Hedwig, Countess of Mons (or Hadevide, or Avoise) (c. 969–after 1013), wife of Reginar IV, Count of Mons Robert II (972–1031), the future king of France. Crowned co-king 987 in order to consolidate the new dynasty Gisèle, Countess of Ponthieu(c. 970–1002), wife of Hugh I, Count of Ponthieu

Child of Hugh Capet and Adelaide Aquitaine is:

90219871265 i. Gisèle Capet, married HughI, Count of Ponthieu

Generation No. 39

360879342514. Boso of Provence de Vienne d' Autun He was the son of 721758685028. Thierry d'Autun of Italy and Metz and 721758685029. Aude de Martel.

Child of Boso of Provence de Vienne d' Autun is:

180439671257 i. Kunigund of Provence, born 873; married Sigebert of Verdun

Child of Boso of Provence de Vienne d' Autun is:

360879457288. Bernhard of Italy, born 797; died 818. He was the son of 721758914576. Pepin of Italy and 721758914577. Bertha de Toulouse. He married 360879457289. Cunigunde of Parma.

360879457289. Cunigunde of Parma, born 797; died Aft. 835.

Notes for Bernhard of Italy: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Bernard (797, Vermandois, Picardy – 17 April 818, Milan, Lombardy) was the King of the Lombards from 810 to 818. He plotted against his uncle, Emperor Louis the Pious, when the latter's Ordinatio Imperii made Bernard a vassal of his cousin Lothair. When his plot was discovered, Louis had him blinded, a procedure which killed him.

Bernard was the illegitimate son of King Pepin of Italy, the second legitimate son of the Emperor Charlemagne. In 810, Pepin died from an illness contracted at a siege of Venice; although Bernard was illegitimate, Charlemagne allowed him to inherit Italy. Bernard married Cunigunda of Laon in 813. They had one son, Pepin, Count of Vermandois.

Prior to 817, Bernard was a trusted agent of his grandfather, and of his uncle. His rights in Italy were respected, and he was used as an intermediary to manage events in his sphere of influence - for example, when in 815 Louis the Pious received reports that some Roman nobles had conspired to murder Pope Leo III, and that he had responded by butchering the ringleaders, Bernard was sent to investigate the matter.

A change came in 817, when Louis the Pious drew up an Ordinatio Imperii, detailing the future of the Frankish Empire. Under this, the bulk of the Frankish territory went to Louis' eldest son, Lothair; Bernard received no further territory, and although his Kingship of Italy was confirmed, he would be a vassal of Lothair. This was, it was later alleged, the work of the Empress, Ermengarde, who wished Bernard to be displaced in favour of her own sons. Resenting Louis' actions, Bernard began plotting with a group of magnates: Eggideo, Reginhard, and Reginhar, the last being the grandson of a Thuringian rebel against Charlemagne, Hardrad. Anshelm, Bishop of Milan and Theodulf, Bishop of Orléans, were also accused of being involved: there is no evidence either to support or contradict this in the case of Theodulf, whilst the case for Anshelm is murkier.[1][2]

Bernard's main complaint was the notion of his being a vassal of Lothair. In practical terms, his actual position had not been altered at all by the terms of the decree, and he could safely have continued to rule under such a system. Nonetheless, "partly true" reports came to Louis the Pious that his nephew was planning to set up an 'unlawful' - i.e. independent - regime in Italy.[1]

Louis the Pious reacted swiftly to the plot, marching south to Chalon. Bernard and his associates were taken by surprise; Bernard travelled to Chalon in an attempt to negotiate terms, but he and the ringleaders were forced to surrender to him. Louis had them taken to Aix-la-Chapelle, where they were tried and condemned to death. Louis 'mercifully' commuted their sentences to blinding, which would neutralize Bernard as a threat without actually killing him; however, the process of blinding (carried out by means of pressing a red-hot stiletto to the eyeballs) proved so traumatic that Bernard died in agony two days after the procedure was carried out. At the same time, Louis also had his half-brothers Drogo, Hugh and Theoderic tonsured and confined to monasteries, to prevent other Carolingian off-shoots challenging the main line. He also treated those guilty or suspected of conspiring with Bernard treated harshly: Theodulf of Orleans was imprisoned, and died soon afterwards; the lay conspirators were blinded, the clerics deposed and imprisoned; all lost lands and honours.[1][2][3]

His Kingdom of Italy was reabsorbed into the Frankish empire, and soon after bestowed upon Louis' eldest son Lothair. In 822, Louis made a display of public penance at Attigny, where he confessed before all the court to having sinfully slain his nephew; he also welcomed his half-brothers back into his favour. These actions possibly stemmed from guilt over his part in Bernard's death. It has been argued by some historians that his behaviour left

him open to clerical domination, and reduced his prestige and respect amongst the Frankish nobility.[1] Others, however, point out that Bernard's plot had been a serious threat to the stability of the kingdom, and the reaction no less a threat; Louis' display of penance, then, "was a well-judged gesture to restore harmony and re-establish his authority."[3]

References 1.^ a b c d McKitterick, Rosamond, The Frankish Kingdoms under the Carolingians 2.^ a b Riche, Pierre, The Carolingians, p. 148 3.^ a b McKitterick, Rosamond, The New Cambridge History, 700-900

Sources McKitterick, Rosamond, The Frankish Kingdoms under the Carolingians Riche, Pierre, The Carolingians McKitterick, Rosamond, The New Cambridge History, 700-900

Child of Bernhard Italy and Cunigunde Parma is:

180439728644 i. PepinII, Lord of Peronne Quentin of Vermandois, born 817; died 848; married Rothaide of Bobbio

360879457666. Louis I 'The Pious', King of France He married 360879457667. Ermengarde. 360879457667. Ermengarde

Child of Louis Pious' and Ermengarde is:

180439728833 i. Adelaide, born in Holy Roman Empire; married Robert 'Fortis'

360879457682. Eberhard of Italy de Friuli He was the son of 721758915364. Hunroch of Fruili and 721758915365. Engletrude of Paris. He married 360879457683. Gisele d'Aquitaine of the Holy Roman Empire.

360879457683. Gisele d'Aquitaine of the Holy Roman Empire, born 820; died 874. She was the daughter of 721758915366. Louis of the Holy Roman Empire and 721758915367. Judith of Bavaria.

Child of Eberhard de Friuli and Gisele Empire is:

180439728841 i. Hedwige de Friuli, born 826 in Germany; died 913 in Germany; married Ludolph von Sachsen

360879457856. Kenneth MacAlpin of Scotland, born 810; died 859. He was the son of 721758915712. Alpin mac Echdach.

Notes for Kenneth MacAlpin of Scotland: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Cináed mac Ailpín (Modern Gaelic: Coinneach mac Ailpein),[1] commonly Anglicised as Kenneth MacAlpin and known in most modern regnal lists as Kenneth I (died 13 February 858) was king of the Picts and, according to national myth, first king of Scots, earning him the posthumous nickname of An Ferbasach, "The Conqueror".[2] Kenneth's undisputed legacy was to produce a dynasty of rulers who claimed descent from him and was the founder of the dynasty which ruled Scotland for much of the medieval period.

The Kenneth of myth, conqueror of the Picts and founder of the Kingdom of Alba, was born in the centuries after the real Kenneth died. In the reign of Kenneth II (Cináed mac Maíl Coluim), when the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba was compiled, the annalist wrote:

So Kinadius son of Alpinus, first of the Scots, ruled this Pictland prosperously for 16 years. Pictland was named after the Picts, whom, as we have said, Kinadius destroyed. ... Two years before he came to Pictland, he had received the kingdom of Dál Riata. In the 15th century Andrew of Wyntoun's Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland, a history in verse, added little to the account in the Chronicle:

Quhen Alpyne this kyng was dede, He left a sowne wes cal'd Kyned, Dowchty man he wes and stout, All the Peychtis he put out. Gret bataylis than dyd he, To pwt in freedom his cuntre! When humanist scholar George Buchanan wrote his history Rerum Scoticarum Historia in the 1570s, a great deal of lurid detail had been added to the story. Buchanan included an account of how Kenneth's father had been murdered by the Picts, and a detailed, and entirely unsupported, account of how Kenneth avenged him and conquered the Picts. Buchanan was not as credulous as many, and he did not include the tale of MacAlpin's treason, a story from Giraldus Cambrensis, who reused a tale of Saxon treachery at a feast in Geoffrey of Monmouth's inventive Historia Regum Britanniae.

Later 19th century historians such as William Forbes Skene brought new standards of accuracy to early Scottish history, while Celticists such as Whitley Stokes and Kuno Meyer cast a critical eye over Welsh and Irish sources. As a result, much of the misleading and vivid detail was removed from the scholarly series of events, even if it remained in the popular accounts. Rather than a conquest of the Picts, instead the idea of Pictish matrilineal succession, mentioned by Bede and apparently the only way to make sense of the list of Kings of the Picts found in the Pictish Chronicle, advanced the idea that Kenneth was a Gael, and a king of Dál Riata, who had inherited the throne of Pictland through a Pictish mother. Other Gaels, such as Caustantín and Óengus, the sons of Fergus, were identified among the Pictish king lists, as were Angles such as Talorcen son of Eanfrith, and Britons such as Bridei son of Beli.[3]

Modern historians would reject parts of the Kenneth produced by Skene and subsequent historians, while accepting others. Medievalist Alex Woolf, interviewed by The Scotsman in 2004, is quoted as saying:

The myth of Kenneth conquering the Picts - it‘s about 1210, 1220 that that‘s first talked about. There‘s actually no hint at all that he was a Scot. ... If you look at contemporary sources there are four other Pictish kings after him. So he‘s the fifth last of the Pictish kings rather than the first Scottish king."[dead link][4] Many other historians could be quoted in terms similar to Woolf.[5]

A feasible synopsis of the emerging consensus, may be put forward, namely, that the kingships of Gaels and Picts underwent a process of gradual fusion,[6] starting with Kenneth, and rounded off in the reign of Constantine II. The Pictish institution of kingship provided the basis for merger with the Gaelic Alpin dynasty. The meeting of King Constantine and Bishop Cellach at the Hill of Belief near the (formerly Pictish) royal city of Scone in 906 cemented the rights and duties of Picts on an equal basis with those of Gaels (pariter cum Scottis). Hence the change in styling from King of the Picts to King of Alba. The legacy of Gaelic as the first national language of Scotland does not obscure the foundational process in the establishment of the Scottish kingdom of Alba.

Background Kenneth's origins are uncertain, as are his ties, if any, to previous kings of the Picts or Dál Riata. Among the genealogies contained in the Rawlinson B 502 manuscript, dating from around 1130, is the supposed descent of Malcolm II of Scotland. Medieval genealogies are unreliable sources, but many historians still accept Kenneth's descent from the established Cenél nGabráin, or at the very least from some unknown minor sept of the Dál Riata. The manuscript provides the following ancestry for Kenneth:

...Cináed son of Alpín son of Eochaid son of Áed Find son of Domangart son of Domnall Brecc son of Eochaid Buide son of Áedán son of Gabrán son of Domangart son of Fergus Mór ...[7]

Leaving aside the shadowy kings before Áedán son of Gabrán, the genealogy is certainly flawed insofar as Áed Find, who died c. 778, could not reasonably be the son of Domangart, who was killed c. 673. The conventional account would insert two generations between Áed Find and Domangart: Eochaid mac Echdach, father of Áed Find, who died c. 733, and his father Eochaid.

Although later traditions provided details of his reign and death, Kenneth's father Alpin is not listed as among the kings in the Duan Albanach, which provides the following sequence of kings leading up to Kenneth:

Naoi m-bliadhna Cusaintin chain, The nine years of Causantín the fair;,

a naoi Aongusa ar Albain, The nine of Aongus over Alba; cethre bliadhna Aodha áin, The four years of Aodh the noble; is a tri déug Eoghanáin. And the thirteen of Eoghanán. Tríocha bliadhain Cionaoith chruaidh, The thirty years of Cionaoth the hardy, [citation needed]

It is supposed that these kings are the Constantine son of Fergus and his brother Óengus II (Angus II), who have already been mentioned, Óengus's son Uen (Eóganán), as well as the obscure Áed mac Boanta, but this sequence is considered doubtful if the list is intended to represent kings of Dál Riata, as it should if Kenneth were king there.[8]

That Kenneth was a Gael is not widely rejected, but modern historiography distinguishes between Kenneth as a Gael by culture and/or in ancestry, and Kenneth as a king of Gaelic Dál Riata. Kings of the Picts before him, from Bridei son of Der-Ilei, his brother Nechtan as well as Óengus I son of Fergus and his presumed descendants were all at least partly Gaelicised.[9] The idea that the Gaelic names of Pictish kings in Irish annals represented translations of Pictish ones was challenged by the discovery of the inscription Custantin filius Fircus(sa), the latinised name of the Pictish king Caustantín son of Fergus, on the Dupplin Cross.[10]

Other evidence, such as that furnished by place-names, suggests the spread of Gaelic culture through western Pictland in the centuries before Kenneth. For example, Atholl, a name used in the Annals of Ulster for the year 739, has been thought to be "New Ireland", and Argyll derives from Oir-Ghàidheal, the land of the "eastern Gaels".

Reign Compared with the many questions on his origins, Kenneth's ascent to power and subsequent reign can be dealt with simply. Kenneth's rise can be placed in the context of the recent end of the previous dynasty, which had dominated Fortriu for two or four generations. This followed the death of king Uen son of Óengus of Fortriu, his brother Bran, Áed mac Boanta "and others almost innumerable" in battle against the Vikings in 839. The resulting succession crisis seems, if the Pictish Chronicle king-lists have any validity, to have resulted in at least four would-be kings warring for supreme power.

Kenneth's reign is dated from 843, but it was probably not until 848 that he defeated the last of his rivals for power. The Pictish Chronicle claims that he was king in Dál Riata for two years before becoming Pictish king in 843, but this is not generally accepted. In 849, Kenneth had relics of Columba, which may have included the Monymusk Reliquary, transferred from Iona to Dunkeld. Other that these bare facts, the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba reports that he invaded Saxonia six times, captured Melrose and burnt Dunbar, and also that Vikings laid waste to Pictland, reaching far into the interior.[11] The Annals of the Four Masters, not generally a good source on Scottish matters, do make mention of Kenneth, although what should be made of the report is unclear:

Gofraid mac Fergusa, chief of Airgíalla, went to Alba, to strengthen the Dal Riata, at the request of Kenneth MacAlpin.[12]

The reign of Kenneth also saw an increased degree of Norse settlement in the outlying areas of modern Scotland. Shetland, Orkney, Caithness, Sutherland, the Western Isles and the Isle of Man, and part of Ross were settled; the links between Kenneth's kingdom and Ireland were weakened, those with southern England and the continent almost broken. In the face of this, Kenneth and his successors were forced to consolidate their position in their kingdom, and the union between the Picts and the Gaels, already progressing for several centuries, began to strengthen. By the time of Donald II, the kings would be called kings neither of the Gaels or the Scots but of Alba.[13]

Kenneth died from a tumour on 13 February 858 at the palace of Cinnbelachoir, perhaps near Scone. The annals report the death as that of the "king of the Picts", not the "king of Alba". The title "king of Alba" is not used until the time of Kenneth's grandsons, Donald II (Domnall mac Causantín) and Constantine II (Constantín mac Áeda). The Fragmentary Annals of Ireland quote a verse lamenting Kenneth's death:

Because Cináed with many troops lives no longer there is weeping in every house; there is no king of his worth under heaven as far as the borders of Rome.[14]

Kenneth left at least two sons, Constantine and Áed, who were later kings, and at least two daughters. One daughter married Run, king of Strathclyde, Eochaid being the result of this marriage. Kenneth's daughter Máel Muire married two important Irish kings of the Uí Néill. Her first husband was Aed Finliath of the Cenél nEógain. Niall Glúndub, ancestor of the O'Neill, was the son of this marriage. Her second husband was Flann Sinna of Clann Cholmáin. As the wife and mother of kings, when Máel Muire died in 913, her death was reported by the Annals of Ulster, an unusual thing for the male-centred chronicles of the age.

See alsoScotland in the Early Middle Ages Scotland in the High Middle Ages

Notes 1.^ Cináed mac Ailpín is the Mediaeval Gaelic form. A more accurate rendering in modern Gaelic would be Cionaodh mac Ailpein, since Coinneach is historically a separate name. However, in the modern language, both names have converged. 2.^ Skene, Chronicles, p. 83. 3.^ That the Pictish succession was matrilineal is doubted. Bede in the Ecclesiastical History, I, i, writes: "when any question should arise, they should choose a king from the female royal race, rather than the male: which custom, as is well known, has been observed among the Picts to this day." Bridei and Nechtan, the sons of Der-Ilei, were the Pictish kings in Bede's time, and are presumed to have claimed the throne through maternal descent. Maternal descent, "when any question should arise" brought several kings of Alba and the Scots to the throne, including John Balliol, Robert Bruce and Robert II, the first of the Stewart kings. 4.^ Johnston, Ian. "First king of the Scots? Actually he was a Pict".The Scotsman, October 2, 2004. 5.^ For example, Foster, Picts, Gaels and Scots, pp. 107–108; Broun, "Kenneth mac Alpin"; Forsyth, "Scotland to 1100", pp. 28–32; Duncan, Kingship of the Scots, pp. 8–10. Woolf was selected to write the relevant volume of the new Edinburgh History of Scotland, to replace that written by Duncan in 1975. 6.^ After Herbert, Rí Éirenn, Rí Alban, kingship and identity in the ninth and tenth centuries, p. 71. 7.^ Genealogies from Rawlinson B 502: ¶1696 Genelach Ríg n-Alban. 8.^ See Broun, Pictish Kings, for a discussion of this question. 9.^ For the descendants of the first Óengus son of Fergus, again see Broun, Pictish Kings. 10.^ Foster, Picts, Gaels and Scots, pp.95–96; Fergus would appear as Uurgu(i)st in a Pictish form. 11.^ Regarding Dál Riata, see Broun, "Kenneth mac Alpin"; Foster, Picts, Gaels and Scots, pp. 111–112. 12.^ Annals of the Four Master, for the year 835 (probably c. 839). The history of Dál Riata in this period is simply not known, or even if there was any sort of Dál Riata to have a history. Ó Corráin's "Vikings in Ireland and Scotland", available as etext, and Woolf, "Kingdom of the Isles", may be helpful. 13.^ Lynch, Michael, A New History of Scotland 14.^ Fragmentary Annals, FA 285.

References

John Bannerman, "The Scottish Takeover of Pictland" in Dauvit Broun & Thomas Owen Clancy (eds.) Spes Scotorum: Hope of Scots. Saint Columba, Iona and Scotland. T & T Clark, Edinburgh, 1999. ISBN 0-567-08682-8 Dauvit Broun, "Kenneth mac Alpin" in Michael Lynch (ed.) The Oxford Companion to Scottish History. Oxford: Oxford UP, ISBN 0-19-211696-7 Dauvit Broun, "Pictish Kings 761-839: Integration with Dál Riata or Separate Development" in Sally Foster (ed.) The St Andrews Sarcophagus Dublin: Four Courts Press, ISBN 1-85182-414-6 Dauvit Broun, "Dunkeld and the origins of Scottish Identity" in Dauvit Broun and Thomas Owen Clancy (eds), op. cit. Thomas Owen Clancy, "Caustantín son of Fergus" in Lynch (ed.), op. cit. A.A.M. Duncan,The Kingship of the Scots 842–1292: Succession and Independence. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-7486-1626-8 Katherine Forsyth, "Scotland to 1100" in Jenny Wormald (ed.) Scotland: A History. Oxford: Oxford UP, ISBN 0-19-820615-1 Sally Foster, Picts, Gaels and Scots: Early Historic Scotland. London: Batsford, ISBN 0-7134-8874-3 Máire Herbert, "Ri Éirenn, Ri Alban: kingship and identity in the ninth and tenth centuries" in Simon Taylor (ed.), Kings, clerics and chronicles in Scotland 500–1297. Dublin: Fourt Courts Press, ISBN 1-85182-516-9 Michael A. O'Brien (ed.) with intr. by John V. Kelleher, Corpus genealogiarum Hiberniae. DIAS. 1976. / partial

digital edition: Donnchadh Ó Corráin (ed.), Genealogies from Rawlinson B 502. University College, Cork: Corpus of Electronic Texts. 1997. Donnchadh Ó Corráin, "Vikings in Ireland and Scotland in the ninth century" in Peritia 12 (1998), pp. 296–339. Etext (pdf) Alex Woolf, "Constantine II" in Lynch (ed.), op. cit. Alex Woolf, "Kingdom of the Isles" in Lynch (ed.), op. cit.

Child of Kenneth MacAlpin of Scotland is:

180439728928 i. Constantine of Alba I, born 836; died 876.

360879485062. WilliamIII, Duke of Aquitaine He was the son of 721758970124. Duke of Aquitaine Ebalus. He married 360879485063. Adeleid.

360879485063. Adeleid She was the daughter of 45109932160. Rolf Rognvaldsson of Normandy and 45109932161. Poppa de Valois of Normandy.

Notes for WilliamIII, Duke of Aquitaine: William III (915 – 3 April 963), called Towhead (French: Tête d'étoupe, Latin: Caput Stupe) from the colour of his hair, was the "Count of the Duchy of Aquitaine" from 959 and Duke of Aquitaine from 962 to his death. He was also the Count of Poitou (as William I) from 935 and Count of Auvergne from 950. The primary sources for his reign are Ademar of Chabannes, Dudo of Saint-Quentin, and William of Jumièges.

William was son of Ebalus Manzer and Emilienne. He was born in Poitiers. He claimed the Duchy of Aquitaine from his father's death, but the royal chancery did not recognise his ducal title until the year before his own death.

Shortly after the death of King Rudolph in 936, he was constrained to forfeit some land to Hugh the Great by Louis IV. He did it with grace, but his relationship with Hugh thenceforward deteriorated. In 950, Hugh was reconciled with Louis and granted the duchies of Burgundy and Aquitaine. He tried to conquer Aquitaine with Louis's assistance, but William defeated them. Lothair, Louis's successor, feared the power of William. In August 955 he joined Hugh to besiege Poitiers, which resisted successfully. William, however, gave battle and was routed.

After the death of Hugh, his son Hugh Capet was named duke of Aquitaine, but he never tried to take up his fief, as William reconciled with Lothair.

He was given the abbey of Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand, which remained in his house after his death. He also built a library in the palace of Poitiers.

Family background, marriage and issue His father was duke Ebles Manzer, who already was a man in his middle years when he was born in about 913. According to the chronicle of Ademar de Chabannes, his mother was daughter of Rollo of Normandy. On the other hand, the less reliable Dodo has William III himself to marry in about 936 a daughter of Rollo. The lady (more likely his mother) was Geirlaug, in gallic usage Gerloc.

William III married a lady named or renamed Adele, perhaps about 936, which might have been a match arranged by William I of Normandy for him.

With his wife Adeleid, they had at least one child whose filiation is clearly attested:

William, his successor in Aquitaine. He abdicated to the abbey of Saint-Cyprien in Poitiers and left the government to his son. Many genealogies accept the high likelihood that their daughter was:

Adelaide, who married Hugh Capet But her parentage is not reliably testimonied in documentation of their epoch, instead it is regarded only as a good possibility by usual modern genealogical literature.

See also Dukes of Aquitaine family tree.

Notes for Adeleid: Gerloc (or Geirlaug), baptised in Rouen as Adela (or Adèle) in 912, was the daughter of Rollo, first duke of Normandy, and his wife, Poppa of Bayeux. She was the sister of Duke William Longsword.

In 935, she married William Towhead, the future count of Poitou and duke of Aquitaine. She gave him two children before dying on 14 October 962:

William IV of Aquitaine Adelaide of Aquitaine, wife of Hugh Capet

Child of William and Adeleid is:

180439742531 i. Adelaide of Aquitaine, married Hugh Capet

Generation No. 40

721758685028. Thierry d'Autun of Italy and Metz He was the son of 1443517370056. Childebrand of Macon, Autun, and Vexin. He married 721758685029. Aude de Martel.

721758685029. Aude de Martel, born Abt. 730. She was the daughter of 1443517370058. Charles Martel and 1443517370059. Rotrude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia.

Child of Thierry Metz and Aude de Martel is:

360879342514 i. Boso of Provence de Vienne d' Autun

721758914576. Pepin of Italy, born 778; died 810. He was the son of 1443517829152. King of France Charles'Charlemagne' and 1443517829153. Hildegard of Vinzgouw. He married 721758914577. Bertha de Toulouse.

721758914577. Bertha de Toulouse, born 777. She was the daughter of 1443517829154. William de Toulouse and 1443517829155. Guibor of Hornbach.

Notes for Pepin of Italy: Pepin (April 777 – 8 July 810) was the son of Charlemagne and king of the Lombards (781–810) under the authority of his father.

Pepin was the second son of Charlemagne by his then-wife Hildegard.[1] He was born Carloman, but when his half-brother Pepin the Hunchback betrayed their father, the royal name Pepin passed to him. He was made king of Lombardy[2] after his father's conquest of the Lombards, in 781, and crowned by Pope Hadrian I with the Iron Crown of Lombardy.

He was active as ruler of Lombardy and worked to expand the Frankish empire. In 791, he marched a Lombard army into the Drava valley and ravaged Pannonia, while his father marched along the Danube into Avar territory. Charlemagne left the campaigning to deal with a Saxon revolt in 792. Pepin and Duke Eric of Friuli continued, however, to assault the Avars' ring-shaped strongholds. The great Ring of the Avars, their capital fortress, was taken twice. The booty was sent to Charlemagne in Aachen and redistributed to all his followers and even to foreign rulers, including King Offa of Mercia. A celebratory poem, De Pippine regis Victoria Avarica, was composed after Pepin forced the Avar khagan to submit in 796.[3] This poem was composed at Verona, Pepin's capital after 799 and the centre of Carolingian Renaissance literature in Italy. The Versus de Verona (c.800), an urban encomium of the city, likewise praises king Pepin.[4]

His activities included a long, but unsuccessful siege of Venice in 810. The siege lasted six months and Pepin's army was ravaged by the diseases of the local swamps and was forced to withdraw. A few months later Pepin died.

He married Bertha, whose ancestry is not known from any reliable source although spuriously she has been called

the daughter of William of Gellone, count of Toulouse. He and Bertha had five daughters : (Adelaide, married Lambert I of Nantes; Atala; Gundrada; Bertha; and Tetrada), all of whom but the eldest were born between 800 and Pepin's death and died before their grandfather's death in 814. Pepin also had an illegitimate son Bernard. Pepin was expected to inherit a third of his father's empire, but he predeceased him. The Lombard crown passed on to his illegitimate son Bernard, but the empire went to Pepin's younger brother Louis the Pious.

Child of Pepin Italy and Bertha de Toulouse is:

360879457288 i. Bernhard of Italy, born 797; died 818; married Cunigunde of Parma

721758915364. Hunroch of Fruili He married 721758915365. Engletrude of Paris. 721758915365. Engletrude of Paris

Child of Hunroch Fruili and Engletrude Paris is:

360879457682 i. Eberhard of Italy de Friuli, married Gisele d'Aquitaine of the Holy Roman Empire

721758915366. Louis of the Holy Roman Empire, born 778 in Casseneuil, France; died June 20, 840 in Ingelheim,Rhinehessen,Hesse, Germany. He was the son of 1443517829152. King of France Charles'Charlemagne' and 1443517830733. Hildegarde Von Linzgau of Swabia of Vinzgau. He married 721758915367. Judith of Bavaria.

721758915367. Judith of Bavaria, born 800 in Altdorf,Bayern,Andech,Germany; died 843 in Tours, Indre et Loire, France. She was the daughter of 1443517830734. Guelph von Altdorf of Allemania and 1443517830735. Edith of Saxony de Chelles.

Child of Louis Empire and Judith Bavaria is:

360879457683 i. Gisele d'Aquitaine of the Holy Roman Empire, born 820; died 874; married Eberhard of Italy de Friuli

721758915712. Alpin mac Echdach, born 778; died 841. He was the son of 1443517831424. Eochaid Annuine mac Eda.

Notes for Alpin mac Echdach: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Alpín mac Eochaid may refer to two persons. The first person is a presumed king of Dál Riata in the late 730s. The second is the father of Kenneth MacAlpin (Cináed mac Ailpín). The name Alpín is taken to be a Pictish one, derived from the Anglo-Saxon name Ælfwine; Alpín's patronymic means son of Eochaid or son of Eochu.

Alpín father of King Kenneth Irish annals such as the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of Innisfallen name Kenneth's father as one Alpín. This much is reasonably certain.

The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba usually begins with Kenneth, but some variants include a reference to Kenneth's father: "[Alpín] was killed in Galloway, after he had entirely destroyed and devastated it. And then the kingdom of the Scots was transferred to the kingdom [variant: land] of the Picts."

John of Fordun (IV, ii) calls Kenneth's father "Alpin son of Achay" (Alpín son of Eochu) and has him killed in war with the Picts in 836; Andrew of Wyntoun's version mixes Fordun's war with the Picts with the Chronicle version which has him killed in Galloway.

[edit] Alpín of Dál RiataThe genealogies produced for Kings of Scots in the High Middle Ages traced their ancestry through Kenneth MacAlpin, through the Cenél nGabráin of Dál Riata to Fergus Mór, and then to legendary Irish kings such as Conaire Mór and the shadowy Deda mac Sin.

These genealogies, perhaps oral in origin, were subjected to some regularisation by the scribes who copied them into sources such as the Chronicle of Melrose, the Poppleton Manuscript and the like. Either by accident, or by design, a

number of kings were misplaced, being moved from the early 8th century to the late 8th and early 9th century.

The original list is presumed to have resembled the following:

1. Eochaid mac Domangairt 2. Ainbcellach mac Ferchair 3. Eógan mac Ferchair 4. Selbach mac Ferchair 5. Eochaid mac Echdach 6. Dúngal mac Selbaig 7. Alpín 8. Muiredach mac Ainbcellaig 9. Eógan mac Muiredaig 10. Áed Find 11. Fergus mac Echdach After modification to link this list of kings of Dál Riata to the family of Kenneth MacAlpin, the list is presumed to have been in this form:

1. Eochaid mac Domangairt 2. Ainbcellach mac Ferchair 3. Eógan mac Ferchair 8. Muiredach mac Ainbcellaig 9. Eogan mac Muiredaig 10. Áed Find 11. Fergus mac Echdach 4. Selbach mac Ferchair (called Selbach mac Eógain) 5. Eochaid mac Echdach (called Eochaid mac Áeda Find) 6. Dúngal mac Selbaig (name unchanged) 7. Alpín (called Alpín mac Echdach)

However, the existence of the original Alpín is less than certain. No king in Dál Riata of that name is recorded in the Irish annals in the early 730s. A Pictish king named Alpín, whose father's name is not given in any Irish sources, or even from the Pictish Chronicle king-lists, is known from the late 720s, when he was defeated by Óengus mac Fergusa and Nechtan mac Der-Ilei. For the year 742, the Annals of Ulster are read was referring to the capture of "Elffin son of Crop" (the former reading had besieged rather than captured). Whether Álpin son of Crup is related to the Álpin of the 720s is unknown.

References Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500–1286, volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. ISBN 1-871615-03-8 Broun, Dauvit, The Irish Identity of the Kingdom of the Scots in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries. Boydell, Woodbridge, 1999. ISBN 0-85115-375-5 Broun, Dauvit, "Pictish Kings 761–839: Integration with Dál Riata or Separate Development" in Sally M. Foster (ed.), The St Andrews Sarcophagus: A Pictish masterpiece and its international connections. Four Courts, Dublin, 1998. ISBN 1-85182-414-6

Child of Alpin mac Echdach is:

360879457856 i. Kenneth MacAlpin of Scotland, born 810; died 859.

721758970124. Duke of Aquitaine Ebalus

Notes for Duke of Aquitaine Ebalus: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Ebalus or Ebles Manzer or Manser (c. 870 – 935) was Count of Poitou and Duke of Aquitaine on two occasions:

from 890 to 892 and from 902 (Poitou) and 927 (Aquitaine) to his death.

Ebles was an illegitimate son of Ranulf II of Aquitaine. "Manzer" or "Mamzer" was a shameful designation that meant bastard, son of a prostitute, or illegitimate.[1] It appears that Ebles did not mind his name, and his "illegitimacy became a part of his style."[2]

Upon the death of his father (who was poisoned), Ebles assumed his father‘s mantle and acquired the role of Count of Poitou. But Ebles could not hold onto the title for long. Aymar, a descendant of one of Ramnulf II‘s predecessedors, challenged Ebles right to rule, as Ebles was merely a bastard son. In 892, Aymar, who was supported by Eudes of France, successfully overthrew Ebles, and Ebles fled to the safety of his father‘s allies, Count Gerald of Aurillac and William the Pious, count of Avergne and Duke of Aquitaine.[3] William the Pious had taken Ebles under his care and assured the boy‘s education after the death of Ebles‘ father.[4]

In 902, Ebles, with the assistance of William the Pious, a distant relative, conquered Poitiers while Aymar was away, and restablished himself in his former position. Charles III, who knew Ebles as a childhood companion, then formally invested Ebles with the title, Count of Poitou. Ebles would hold this title until this death.[4]

The comital title was the only one to which he ever had legitimate investiture. Ebles allotted the abbey of Saint-Maixent to Savary, Viscount of Thouars, who had been his constant supporter. He restructured Poitou by creating new viscounties in Aulnay and Melle and dissolved the title and position of Viscount of Poitou upon the death of its holder, Maingaud, in 925.

In 904, he conquered the Limousin.

In 911 he, with two other French commanders were aligned in opposition to Rollo, a Danish invader who had plundered the countryside. Ebles and the other two commanders intended to lead their armies in defense of the city of Chartes. Part of Rollo‘s army camped on a hill (Mont-Levis) north of the city, while the rest were stationed on the plains outside Chartes.[5]

On Saturday, July 20, 911, the battle between the French and Danish armies commenced. "Rollo and his forces were shamefully routed, smitten, as the legend tells, with corporeal blindness. A panic assuredly fell upon the heroic commander, a species of mental infirmity discernible in his descendants: the contagious terror unnerved the host. Unpursued, they dispersed and fled without resistance." At the end of the day, 6,800 Danes lay dead on the field of battle.[6]

Ebles was somewhat slow in arriving at Chartres, so he was unable to "take his due share in the conflict." His victorious partners proudly boasted of their success, and mocked Ebles and his tardy army. To redeem his honor and quiet the ridicule, Ebles accepted a challenge to confront the remant of the Danish army that remained camped on the Mont-Levis. But instead of driving the Danes away, Ebles‘ army was defeated soundly. "In the dark of the night, the Northmen, sounding their horns and making a terrible clamour, rushed down the mount and stormed" Ebles camp. Ebles fled and hid in a drum in a fuller‘s workshop. His cowardice and dishonor was derided in a popular French ballad of the Plantagenet age.[7]

When Ebles‘ benefactor, William the Pious, died, William was succeeded as Duke of Aquitaine by William the Younger. In 927, William the Younger died, and he left his title to his brother Acfred; but Acfred did not live even a year. Acfred made Ebles his heir, and in 928 Ebles assumed the titles Duke of Aquitaine, Count of Berry, Count of Auvergne, and Velay[8]

In 929, King Rudolph started trying to reduce the power of Ebles. He withdrew from him access to Berry, then in 932 he transferred the titles of Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Auvergne to the Count of Toulouse, Raymond Pons. Moreover, the territory of La Marche, which was under the control of the lord of Charroux, vassal of Ebles, was transformed into an independent county.

Marriage and issue Ebles' first wife was Aremburga, whom he married before 10 Oct 892.[4] His second wife was Emilienne, whom he married in 911. When Emilienne died in 913, Ebles married Adele the following year.[9] Adele has been commonly

referred to as the daughter of Edward the Elder.[10] Some sources believe that Adele was the same person as Edward's daughter, Ælfgifu, but that the confusion equating Ælfgifu to Adele arose from the fact that English historians did not recognize her name after it was translated into French. She has also been called Adela, Adele, Alaine, or Aliana.

Ebalus had two children by Adele:[11]

Ebalus, Bishop of Limoges and Treasurer of St. Hilary of Poitiers[12] William III of Aquitaine married Gerloc, daughter of Rollo of Normandy

Child of Duke of Aquitaine Ebalus is:

360879485062 i. WilliamIII, Duke of Aquitaine, married Adeleid

Generation No. 41

1443517370056. Childebrand of Macon, Autun, and Vexin He was the son of 2887034740112. Theodoret.

Child of Childebrand of Macon, Autun, and Vexin is:

721758685028 i. Thierry d'Autun of Italy and Metz, married Aude de Martel

1443517370058. Charles Martel, born 676 in Heristal, Neustria; died October 26, 741 in Cressy Sur Oise, Neustria. He was the son of 2887034740116. Pepin de Heristal and 2887034740117. Alphaida of Heristal. He married 1443517370059. Rotrude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia.

1443517370059. Rotrude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia

Notes for Charles Martel: Charles Martel (Latin: Carolus Martellus) (c. 688 – 22 October 741),[1][2][3][4][5] literally Charles the Hammer, was a Frankish military and political leader, who served as Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings and ruled de facto during an interregnum (737–43) at the end of his life, using the title Duke and Prince of the Franks. In 739 he was offered the title of Consul by the Pope, but he refused.[6] He is remembered for winning the Battle of Tours (also known as the Battle of Poitiers) in 732, in which he defeated an invading Muslim army and halted northward Islamic expansion in western Europe.[7]

A brilliant general, he is considered to be a founding figure of the Middle Ages, often credited with a seminal role in the development of feudalism and knighthood, and laying the groundwork for the Carolingian Empire.[8][9] He was also the father of Pepin the Short and grandfather of Charlemagne.

Martel was born in Herstal, the illegitimate son of duke Pepin II and his concubine Alpaida.[10][11] In German-speaking countries he is known as Karl Martell. Alpaida also bore Pepin another son, Childebrand.

Contesting for power The Frankish kingdoms at the time of the death of Pepin of Heristal. Note that Aquitaine (yellow) was outside of Arnulfing authority and Neustria and Burgundy (pink) were united in opposition to further Arnulfing dominance of the highest offices. Only Austrasia (green) supported an Arnulfing mayor, first Theudoald then Charles. Note that the German duchies to the east of the Rhine were de facto outside of Frankish suzerainty at this time.In December 714, Pepin of Heristal died. Prior to his death, he had, at his wife Plectrude's urging, designated Theudoald, his grandson by their son Grimoald, his heir in the entire realm. This was immediately opposed by the nobles because Theudoald was a child of only eight years of age. To prevent Charles using this unrest to his own advantage, Plectrude had him imprisoned in Cologne, the city which was destined to be her capital. This prevented an uprising on his behalf in Austrasia, but not in Neustria. Civil war of 715-718In 715, the Neustrian noblesse proclaimed Ragenfrid mayor of their palace on behalf of, and apparently with the support of, Dagobert III, the youngest of which, who in theory had the legal authority to select a mayor, though by this time the Merovingian dynasty had lost most such powers.

The Austrasians were not to be left supporting a woman and her young son for long. Before the end of the year, Charles Martel had escaped from prison and been acclaimed mayor by the nobles of that kingdom. The Neustrians had been attacking Austrasia and the nobles were waiting for a strong man to lead them against their invading countrymen. That year, Dagobert died and the Neustrians proclaimed Chilperic II king without the support of the rest of the Frankish people.

In 717, Chilperic and Ragenfrid together led an army into Austrasia. The Neustrians allied with another invading force under Radbod, King of the Frisians and met Charles in battle near Cologne, which was still held by Plectrude. Charles had little time to gather men, or prepare, and the result was the only defeat of his life. According to Strauss and Gustave, Martel fought a brilliant battle, but realized he could not prevail because he was outnumbered so badly, and retreated. In fact, he fled the field as soon as he realized he did not have the time or the men to prevail, retreating to the mountains of the Eifel to gather men, and train them. The king and his mayor then turned to besiege their other rival in the city and took it and the treasury, and received the recognition of both Chilperic as king and Ragenfrid as mayor. Plectrude surrendered on Theudoald's behalf.

Military genius At this juncture, however, events turned in favor of Charles. Having made the proper preparations, he fell upon the triumphant army near Malmedy as it was returning to its own province, and, in the ensuing Battle of Amblève, routed it. The few troops who were not killed or captured fled. Several things were notable about this battle, in which Charles set the pattern for the remainder of his military career: first, he appeared where his enemies least expected him, while they were marching triumphantly home and far outnumbered him. He also attacked when least expected, at midday, when armies of that era traditionally were resting. Finally, he attacked them how they least expected it, by feigning a retreat to draw his opponents into a trap. The feigned retreat, next to unknown in Western Europe at that time - it was a traditionally eastern tactic — required both extraordinary discipline on the part of the troops and exact timing on the part of their commander. Charles, in this battle, had begun demonstrating the military genius that would mark his rule. The result was an unbroken victory streak that lasted until his death.

In Spring 717, Charles returned to Neustria with an army and confirmed his supremacy with a victory at the Battle of Vincy, near Cambrai. He chased the fleeing king and mayor to Paris, before turning back to deal with Plectrude and Cologne. He took her city and dispersed her adherents. However, he allowed both Plectrude and the young Theudoald to live and treated them with kindness—unusual for those Dark Ages, when mercy to a former jailer, or a potential rival, was rare. On this success, he proclaimed Clotaire IV king of Austrasia in opposition to Chilperic and deposed the archbishop of Rheims, Rigobert, replacing him with Milo, a lifelong supporter.

Consolidation of power After subjugating all Austrasia, he marched against Radbod and pushed him back into his territory, even forcing the concession of West Frisia (later Holland). He also sent the Saxons back over the Weser and thus secured his borders—in the name of the new king Clotaire, of course. In 718, Chilperic responded to Charles' new ascendancy by making an alliance with Odo the Great (or Eudes, as he is sometimes known), the duke of Aquitaine, who had made himself independent during the civil war in 715, but was again defeated, at the Battle of Soissons, by Charles. The king fled with his ducal ally to the land south of the Loire and Ragenfrid fled to Angers. Soon Clotaire IV died and Odo gave up on Chilperic and, in exchange for recognising his dukedom, surrendered the king to Charles, who recognised his kingship over all the Franks in return for legitimate royal affirmation of his mayoralty, likewise over all the kingdoms (718).

The Saracen Army outside Paris, 730-32, in a early nineteenth-century depiction by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld[edit] Foreign wars from 718-732The ensuing years were full of strife. Between 718 and 723, Charles secured his power through a series of victories: he won the loyalty of several important bishops and abbots (by donating lands and money for the foundation of abbeys such as Echternach), he subjugated Bavaria and Alemannia, and he defeated the pagan Saxons.

Having unified the Franks under his banner, Charles was determined to punish the Saxons who had invaded Austrasia. Therefore, late in 718, he laid waste their country to the banks of the Weser, the Lippe, and the Ruhr. He defeated them in the Teutoburg Forest. In 719, Charles seized West Frisia without any great resistance on the part of

the Frisians, who had been subjects of the Franks but had seized control upon the death of Pippin. Although Charles did not trust the pagans, their ruler, Aldegisel, accepted Christianity, and Charles sent Willibrord, bishop of Utrecht, the famous "Apostle to the Frisians" to convert the people. Charles also did much to support Winfrid, later Saint Boniface, the "Apostle of the Germans."

When Chilperic II died the following year (720), Charles appointed as his successor the son of Dagobert III, Theuderic IV, who was still a minor, and who occupied the throne from 720 to 737. Charles was now appointing the kings whom he supposedly served, rois fainéants who were mere puppets in his hands; by the end of his reign they were so useless that he didn't even bother appointing one. At this time, Charles again marched against the Saxons. Then the Neustrians rebelled under Ragenfrid, who had left the county of Anjou. They were easily defeated (724), but Ragenfrid gave up his sons as hostages in turn for keeping his county. This ended the civil wars of Charles' reign.

The next six years were devoted in their entirety to assuring Frankish authority over the dependent Germanic tribes. Between 720 and 723, Charles was fighting in Bavaria, where the Agilolfing dukes had gradually evolved into independent rulers, recently in alliance with Liutprand the Lombard. He forced the Alemanni to accompany him, and Duke Hugbert submitted to Frankish suzerainty. In 725 and 728, he again entered Bavaria and the ties of lordship seemed strong. From his first campaign, he brought back the Agilolfing princess Swanachild, who apparently became his concubine. In 730, he marched against Lantfrid, duke of Alemannia, who had also become independent, and killed him in battle. He forced the Alemanni capitulation to Frankish suzerainty and did not appoint a successor to Lantfrid. Thus, southern Germany once more became part of the Frankish kingdom, as had northern Germany during the first years of the reign.

But by 731, his own realm secure, Charles began to prepare exclusively for the coming storm from the south and west.

In 721, the emir of Córdoba had built up a strong army from Morocco, Yemen, and Syria to conquer Aquitaine, the large duchy in the southwest of Gaul, nominally under Frankish sovereignty, but in practice almost independent in the hands of the Odo the Great, the Duke of Aquitaine, since the Merovingian kings had lost power. The invading Muslims besieged the city of Toulouse, then Aquitaine's most important city, and Odo (also called Eudes, or Eudo) immediately left to find help. He returned three months later just before the city was about to surrender and defeated the Muslim invaders on June 9, 721, at what is now known as the Battle of Toulouse. This critical defeat was essentially the result of a classic enveloping movement by Odo's forces. (After Odo originally fled, the Muslims became overconfident and, instead of maintaining strong outer defenses around their siege camp and continuous scouting, they did neither.) Thus, when Odo returned, he was able to launch a near complete surprise attack on the besieging force, scattering it at the first attack, and slaughtering units caught resting or that fled without weapons or armour.

Due to the situation in Iberia, Martel believed he needed a virtually fulltime army—one he could train intensely—as a core of veteran Franks who would be augmented with the usual conscripts called up in time of war. (During the Early Middle Ages, troops were only available after the crops had been planted and before harvesting time.) To train the kind of infantry that could withstand the Muslim heavy cavalry, Charles needed them year-round, and he needed to pay them so their families could buy the food they would have otherwise grown. To obtain money he seized church lands and property, and used the funds to pay his soldiers. The same Charles who had secured the support of the ecclesia by donating land, seized some of it back between 724 and 732. Of course, Church officials were enraged, and, for a time, it looked as though Charles might even be excommunicated for his actions. But then came a significant invasion.

Eve of Tours Historian Paul K. Davis said in 100 Decisive Battles "Having defeated Eudes, he turned to the Rhine to strengthen his northeastern borders - but in 725 was diverted south with the activity of the Muslims in Acquitane." Martel then concentrated his attention to the Umayyads, virtually for the remainder of his life.[12] Indeed, 12 years later, when he had thrice rescued Gaul from Umayyad invasions, Antonio Santosuosso noted when he destroyed an Umayyad army sent to reinforce the invasion forces of the 735 campaigns, "Charles Martel again came to the rescue."[13] It has been noted that Charles Martel could have pursued the wars against the Saxons—but he was determined to prepare for what he thought was a greater danger.

It is also vital to note that the Muslims were not aware, at that time, of the true strength of the Franks, or the fact that they were building a real army instead of the typical barbarian hordes that had dominated Europe after Rome's fall. The Arab Chronicles, the history of that age, show that Arab awareness of the Franks as a growing military power came only after the Battle of Tours when the Caliph expressed shock at his army's catastrophic defeat.

Battle of Tours Main article: Battle of Tours Lead-up and importance: It was under one of their ablest and most renowned commanders, with a veteran army, and with every apparent advantage of time, place, and circumstance, that the Arabs made their great effort at the conquest of Europe north of the Pyrenees.[14] —Edward Shepherd Creasy, The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World The Cordoban emirate had previously invaded Gaul and had been stopped in its northward sweep at the Battle of Toulouse, in 721. The hero of that less celebrated event had been Odo the Great, Duke of Aquitaine, who was not the progenitor of a race of kings and patron of chroniclers. It has previously been explained how Odo defeated the invading Muslims, but when they returned, things were far different. The arrival in the interim of a new emir of Cordoba, Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi, who brought with him a huge force of Arabs and Berber horsemen, triggered a far greater invasion. Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi had been at Toulouse, and the Arab Chronicles make clear he had strongly opposed the Emir's decision not to secure outer defenses against a relief force, which allowed Odo and his relief force to attack with impunity before the Islamic cavalry could assemble or mount. Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi had no intention of permitting such a disaster again. This time the Umayyad horsemen were ready for battle, and the results were horrific for the Aquitanians. Odo, hero of Toulouse, was badly defeated in the Muslim invasion of 732 at the battle prior to the Muslim sacking of Bordeaux, and when he gathered a second army, at the Battle of the River Garonne—Western chroniclers state, "God alone knows the number of the slain"— and the city of Bordeaux was sacked and looted. Odo fled to Charles, seeking help. Charles agreed to come to Odo's rescue, provided Odo acknowledged Charles and his house as his overlords, which Odo did formally at once. Charles was pragmatic; while most commanders would never use their enemies in battle, Odo and his remaining Aquitanian nobles formed the right flank of Charles's forces at Tours.

The Battle of Tours earned Charles the cognomen "Martel" ('Hammer') for the merciless way he hammered his enemies. Many historians, including Sir Edward Creasy, believe that had he failed at Tours, Islam would probably have overrun Gaul, and perhaps the remainder of Western Europe. Gibbon made clear his belief that the Umayyad armies would have conquered from Rome to the Rhine, and even England, having the English Channel for protection, with ease, had Martel not prevailed. Creasy said "the great victory won by Charles Martel ... gave a decisive check to the career of Arab conquest in Western Europe, rescued Christendom from Islam, [and] preserved the relics of ancient and the germs of modern civilization." Gibbon's belief that the fate of Christianity hinged on this battle is echoed by other historians including John B. Bury, and was very popular for most of modern historiography. It fell somewhat out of style in the 20th century, when historians such as Bernard Lewis contended that Arabs had little intention of occupying northern France. More recently, however, many historians have tended once again to view the Battle of Tours as a very significant event in the history of Europe and Christianity. Equally, many, such as William Watson, still believe this battle was one of macrohistorical world-changing importance, if they do not go so far as Gibbon does rhetorically.

In the modern era, Matthew Bennett and his co-authors of Fighting Techniques of the Medieval World, published in 2005, argue that "few battles are remembered 1,000 years after they are fought ... but the Battle of Poitiers, (Tours) is an exception ... Charles Martel turned back a Muslim raid that had it been allowed to continue, might have conquered Gaul." Michael Grant, author of History of Rome, grants the Battle of Tours such importance that he lists it in the macrohistorical dates of the Roman era.

It is important to note however that modern Western historians, military historians, and writers, essentially fall into three camps. The first, those who believe Gibbon was right in his assessment that Martel saved

Christianity and Western civilization by this battle are typified by Bennett, Paul Davis, Robert Martin, and educationalist Dexter B. Wakefield who writes in An Islamic Europe:

A Muslim France? Historically, it nearly happened. But as a result of Martel‘s fierce opposition, which ended Muslim advances and set

the stage for centuries of war thereafter, Islam moved no farther into Europe. European schoolchildren learn about the Battle of Tours in much the same way that American students learn about Valley Forge and Gettysburg."[15] The second camp of contemporary historians believe that a failure by Martel at Tours could have been a disaster, destroying what would become Western civilization after the Renaissance. Certainly all historians agree that no power would have remained in Europe able to halt Islamic expansion had the Franks failed. William E. Watson, one of the most respected historians of this era, strongly supports Tours as a macrohistorical event, but distances himself from the rhetoric of Gibbon and Drubeck, writing, for example, of the battle's importance in Frankish and world history in 1993:

There is clearly some justification for ranking Tours-Poitiers among the most significant events in Frankish history when one considers the result of the battle in light of the remarkable record of the successful establishment by Muslims of Islamic political and cultural dominance along the entire eastern and southern rim of the former Christian, Roman world. The rapid Muslim conquest of Palestine, Syria, Egypt and the North African coast all the way to Morocco in the seventh century resulted in the permanent imposition by force of Islamic culture onto a previously Christian and largely non-Arab base. The Visigothic kingdom fell to Muslim conquerors in a single battle on the Rio Barbate in 711, and the Hispanic Christian population took seven long centuries to regain control of the Iberian Peninsula. The Reconquista, of course, was completed in 1492, only months before Columbus received official backing for his fateful voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Had Charles Martel suffered at Tours-Poitiers the fate of King Roderick at the Rio Barbate, it is doubtful that a "do-nothing" sovereign of the Merovingian realm could have later succeeded where his talented major domus had failed. Indeed, as Charles was the progenitor of the Carolingian line of Frankish rulers and grandfather of Charlemagne, one can even say with a degree of certainty that the subsequent history of the West would have proceeded along vastly different currents had ̳Abd ar-Rahman been victorious at Tours-Poitiers in 732.[16]

The final camp of Western historians believe that the importance of the battle is dramatically overstated. This view is typified by Alessandro Barbero, who writes, "Today, historians tend to play down the significance of the battle of Poitiers, pointing out that the purpose of the Arab force defeated by Charles Martel was not to conquer the Frankish kingdom, but simply to pillage the wealthy monastery of St-Martin of Tours".[17] Similarly, Tomaž Mastnak writes:

Modern historians have constructed a myth presenting this victory as having saved Christian Europe from the Muslims. Edward Gibbon, for example, called Charles Martel the savior of Christendom and the battle near Poitiers an encounter that changed the history of the world... This myth has survived well into our own times... Contemporaries of the battle, however, did not overstate its significance. The continuators of Fredegar's chronicle, who probably wrote in the mid-eighth century, pictured the battle as just one of many military encounters between Christians and Saracens - moreover, as only one in a series of wars fought by Frankish princes for booty and territory... One of Fredegar's continuators presented the battle of Poitiers as what it really was: an episode in the struggle between Christian princes as the Carolingians strove to bring Aquitaine under their rule.[18] However, it is vital to note, when assessing Charles Martel's life, that even those historians who dispute the significance of this one battle as the event that saved Christianity, do not dispute that Martel himself had a huge effect on Western European history. Modern military historian Victor Davis Hanson acknowledges the debate on this battle, citing historians both for and against its macrohistorical placement:

Recent scholars have suggested Poitiers, so poorly recorded in contemporary sources, was a mere raid and thus a construct of western myth-making or that a Muslim victory might have been preferable to continued Frankish dominance. What is clear is that Poitiers marked a general continuance of the successful defense of Europe, (from the Muslims). Flush from the victory at Tours, Charles Martel went on to clear southern France from Islamic attackers for decades, unify the warring kingdoms into the foundations of the Carolingian Empire, and ensure ready and reliable troops from local estates.[19] [edit]

After ToursIn the subsequent decade, Charles led the Frankish army against the eastern duchies, Bavaria and Alemannia, and the southern duchies, Aquitaine and Provence. He dealt with the ongoing conflict with the Frisians and Saxons to his northeast with some success, but full conquest of the Saxons and their incorporation into the Frankish empire would wait for his grandson Charlemagne, primarily because Martel concentrated the bulk of his efforts against Muslim expansion.

So instead of concentrating on conquest to his east, he continued expanding Frankish authority in the west, and denying the Emirate of Córdoba a foothold in Europe beyond Al-Andalus. After his victory at Tours, Martel

continued on in campaigns in 736 and 737 to drive other Muslim armies from bases in Gaul after they again attempted to get a foothold in Europe beyond Al-Andalus.

Wars from 732-737 Between his victory of 732 and 735, Charles reorganized the kingdom of Burgundy, replacing the counts and dukes with his loyal supporters, thus strengthening his hold on power. He was forced, by the ventures of Radbod, duke of the Frisians (719-734), son of the Duke Aldegisel who had accepted the missionaries Willibrord and Boniface, to invade independence-minded Frisia again in 734. In that year, he slew the duke, who had expelled the Christian missionaries, in the battle of the Boarn and so wholly subjugated the populace (he destroyed every pagan shrine) that the people were peaceful for twenty years after.

The dynamic changed in 735 because of the death of Odo the Great, who had been forced to acknowledge, albeit reservedly, the suzerainty of Charles in 719. Though Charles wished to unite the duchy directly to himself and went there to elicit the proper homage of the Aquitainians, the nobility proclaimed Odo's son, Hunald of Aquitaine, whose dukedom Charles recognised when the Umayyads invaded Provence the next year, and who equally was forced to acknowledge Charles as overlord as he had no hope of holding off the Muslims alone.

This naval Arab invasion was headed by Abdul Rahman's son. It landed in Narbonne in 736 and moved at once to reinforce Arles and move inland. Charles temporarily put the conflict with Hunold on hold, and descended on the Provençal strongholds of the Umayyads. In 736, he retook Montfrin and Avignon, and Arles and Aix-en-Provence with the help of Liutprand, King of the Lombards. Nîmes, Agde, and Béziers, held by Islam since 725, fell to him and their fortresses were destroyed. He crushed one Umayyad army at Arles, as that force sallied out of the city, and then took the city itself by a direct and brutal frontal attack, and burned it to the ground to prevent its use again as a stronghold for Umayyad expansion. He then moved swiftly and defeated a mighty host outside of Narbonnea at the River Berre, but failed to take the city. Military historians believe he could have taken it, had he chosen to tie up all his resources to do so—but he believed his life was coming to a close, and he had much work to do to prepare for his sons to take control of the Frankish realm. A direct frontal assault, such as took Arles, using rope ladders and rams, plus a few catapults, simply was not sufficient to take Narbonne without horrific loss of life for the Franks, troops Martel felt he could not lose. Nor could he spare years to starve the city into submission, years he needed to set up the administration of an empire his heirs would reign over. He left Narbonne therefore, isolated and surrounded, and his son would return to liberate it for Christianity.

Notable about these campaigns was Charles' incorporation, for the first time, of heavy cavalry with stirrups to augment his phalanx. His ability to coordinate infantry and cavalry veterans was unequaled in that era and enabled him to face superior numbers of invaders, and to decisively defeat them again and again. Some historians believe the Battle against the main Muslim force at the River Berre, near Narbonne, in particular was as important a victory for Christian Europe as Tours.[20]

Further, unlike his father at Tours, Rahman's son in 736-737 knew that the Franks were a real power, and that Martel personally was a force to be reckoned with. He had no intention of allowing Martel to catch him unawares and dictate the time and place of battle, as his father had, and concentrated instead on seizing a substantial portion of the coastal plains around Narbonne in 736 and heavily reinforced Arles as he advanced inland. They planned from there to move from city to city, fortifying as they went, and if Martel wished to stop them from making a permanent enclave for expansion of the Caliphate, he would have to come to them, in the open, where, he, unlike his father, would dictate the place of battle. All worked as he had planned, until Martel arrived, albeit more swiftly than the Moors believed he could call up his entire army. Unfortunately for Rahman's son, however, he had overestimated the time it would take Martel to develop heavy cavalry equal to that of the Muslims. The Caliphate believed it would take a generation, but Martel managed it in five short years. Prepared to face the Frankish phalanx, the Muslims were totally unprepared to face a mixed force of heavy cavalry and infantry in a phalanx. Thus, Charles

again championed Christianity and halted Muslim expansion into Europe, as the window was closing on Islamic ability to do so. These defeats, plus those at the hands of Leo in Anatolia, were the last great attempt at expansion by the Umayyad Caliphate before the destruction of the dynasty at the Battle of the Zab, and the rending of the Caliphate forever, especially the utter destruction of the Umayyad army at River Berre near Narbonne in 737.

InterregnumIn 737, at the tail end of his campaigning in Provence and Septimania, the king, Theuderic IV, died. Martel, titling himself maior domus and princeps et dux Francorum, did not appoint a new king and nobody

acclaimed one. The throne lay vacant until Martel's death. As the historian Charles Oman says (The Dark Ages, pg 297), "he cared not for name or style so long as the real power was in his hands."

Gibbon has said Martel was "content with the titles of Mayor or Duke of the Franks, but he deserved to become the father of a line of kings," which he did. Gibbon also says of him, "in the public danger, he was summoned by the voice of his country."

The interregnum, the final four years of Charles' life, was more peaceful than most of it had been and much of his time was now spent on administrative and organisational plans to create a more efficient state. Though, in 738, he compelled the Saxons of Westphalia to do him homage and pay tribute, and in 739 checked an uprising in Provence, the rebels being under the leadership of Maurontus. Charles set about integrating the outlying realms of his empire into the Frankish church. He erected four dioceses in Bavaria (Salzburg, Regensburg, Freising, and Passau) and gave them Boniface as archbishop and metropolitan over all Germany east of the Rhine, with his seat at Mainz. Boniface had been under his protection from 723 on; indeed the saint himself explained to his old friend, Daniel of Winchester, that without it he could neither administer his church, defend his clergy, nor prevent idolatry. It was Boniface who had defended Charles most stoutly for his deeds in seizing ecclesiastical lands to pay his army in the days leading to Tours, as one doing what he must to defend Christianity. In 739, Pope Gregory III begged Charles for his aid against Liutprand, but Charles was loath to fight his onetime ally and ignored the Papal plea.

Notes for Rotrude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia: Charles Martel married twice:

His first wife was Rotrude of Treves, (690–724) (daughter of Leudwinus, Bishop of Trier). They had the following children:

Hiltrud (d. 754), married Odilo I, Duke of Bavaria Carloman Landrade (Landres), married Sigrand, Count of Hesbania Auda, Aldana, or Alane, married Thierry IV, Count of Autun and Toulouse Pepin the Short

Rotrude of Treves (variously spelled Chrotrude, Chrotrud, Rotrude, Chotrude, Chrotude, Chrotrudis), also known as Rotrou of Treves, was possibly born in Austrasia in an uncertain year; and died 724. There was a tentative suggestion that she might be the daughter of St. Leutwinus, Bishop of Treves, Bishop of Trier. She married Charles Martel, son of Pepin of Heristal.

Child of Charles Martel and Rotrude Austrasia is:

721758685029 i. Aude ―Aldana‖ de Martel, born Abt. 730; married (1) Thierry d'Autun of Italy and Metz; married (2)

Makir Theuderic of Toulouse

1443517829152. King of France Charles'Charlemagne', born April 06, 742 in Inngelheim, Aachen, Germany; died February 01, 813/14 in Aix la Chapelle,Austrasia,France. He was the son of 2887035658304. Pepin of the Franks and 2887035658305. Bertrada of Leon. He married 1443517829153. Hildegard of Vinzgouw.

1443517829153. Hildegard of Vinzgouw, born 758; died 783. She was the daughter of 2887035658306. Gerold of Vinzgau and 2887035658307. Emma.

Notes for King of France Charles'Charlemagne': [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Charlemagne ( /'??rl?me?n/, also /'??rl?ma?n/; French pronunciation: [?a?.l?.ma?]; German: Karl der Große; Latin: Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus, meaning Charles the Great; possibly 742 – 28 January 814) was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans (Imperator Romanorum) from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he

conquered Italy and was crowned Imperator Augustus by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800. His rule is also associated with the Carolingian Renaissance, a revival of art, religion, and culture through the medium of the Catholic Church. Through his foreign conquests and internal reforms, Charlemagne helped define both Western Europe and the Middle Ages. He is numbered as Charles I in the regnal lists of Germany, the Holy Roman Empire, and France.

The son of King Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon, a Frankish queen, he succeeded his father in 768 and was initially co-ruler with his brother Carloman I. It has often been suggested that the relationship between Charlemagne and Carloman was not good, but it has also been argued that tensions were exaggerated by Carolingian chroniclers.[3] Nevertheless conflict was prevented by the sudden death of Carloman in 771, in unexplained circumstances. Charlemagne continued the policy of his father towards the papacy and became its protector, removing the Lombards from power in Italy, and leading an incursion into Muslim Spain, to which he was invited by the Muslim governor of Barcelona. Charlemagne was promised several Iberian cities in return for giving military aid to the governor; however, the deal was withdrawn. Subsequently, Charlemagne's retreating army experienced its worst defeat at the hands of the Basques, at the Battle of Roncesvalles (778) (memorialised, although heavily fictionalised, in the Song of Roland). He also campaigned against the peoples to his east, especially the Saxons, and after a protracted war subjected them to his rule. By forcibly Christianizing the Saxons and banning on penalty of death their native Germanic paganism, he integrated them into his realm and thus paved the way for the later Ottonian dynasty.

Today he is regarded not only as the founding father of both French and German monarchies, but also as a Pater Europae (father of Europe)[4]: his empire united most of Western Europe for the first time since the Romans, and the Carolingian renaissance encouraged the formation of a common European identity.[5]

By the 6th century, the West Germanic Franks were Christianised and Francia, ruled by the Merovingians, had become the most powerful of the kingdoms which succeeded the Western Roman Empire. But following the Battle of Tertry, the Merovingians declined into a state of powerlessness, for which they have been dubbed the do-nothing kings (rois fainéants). Almost all government powers of any consequence were exercised by their chief officer, the mayor of the palace or major domus.

In 687, Pippin of Herstal, mayor of the palace of Austrasia, ended the strife between various kings and their mayors with his victory at Tertry and became the sole governor of the entire Frankish kingdom. Pippin himself was the grandson of two of the most important figures of the Austrasian Kingdom, Saint Arnulf of Metz and Pippin of Landen. Pippin the Middle was eventually succeeded by his illegitimate son Charles, later known as Charles Martel (the Hammer). After 737, Charles governed the Franks without a king on the throne but declined to call himself "king". Charles was succeeded by his sons Carloman and Pepin the Short, the father of Charlemagne. To curb separatism in the periphery of the realm, the brothers placed on the throne Childeric III, who was to be the last Merovingian king.

After Carloman resigned his office, Pepin, with Pope Zachary's approval, had Childeric III deposed. In 751, Pepin was elected and anointed King of the Franks and in 754 Pope Stephen II again anointed him and his young sons, now heirs to the great realm which already covered most of western and central Europe. Thus was the Merovingian dynasty replaced by the Carolingian dynasty, named after Pepin's father, Charles Martel.

Under the new dynasty, the Frankish kingdom spread to encompass an area including most of Western Europe. The division of that kingdom formed France and Germany;[6] and the religious, political, and artistic evolutions originating from a centrally positioned Francia made a defining imprint on the whole of Western Europe.

Charlemagne is believed to have been born in 741; however, several factors have led to a reconsideration of this date. First, the year 742 was calculated from his age given at death, rather than from attestation in primary sources. Another date is given in the Annales Petaviani, that of 2 April[not in citation given] 747.[7] In that year, 2 April was at Easter. The birth of an emperor at Eastertime is a coincidence likely to provoke comment, but there was no such comment documented in 747, leading some to suspect that the Easter birthday was a pious fiction concocted as a way of honoring the Emperor. Other commentators weighing the primary records have suggested that his birth was one year later, in 748. At present, it is impossible to be certain of the date of the birth of Charlemagne. The best guesses include 1 April 747, after 15 April 747, or 1 April 748, in Herstal (where his father was born, a town close

to Liège in modern day Belgium), the region from where both the Merovingian and Carolingian families originated. He went to live in his father's villa in Jupille when he was around seven, which caused Jupille to be listed as a possible place of birth in almost every history book. Other cities have been suggested, including, Prüm, Düren, Gauting and Aachen.

Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. Tenth-century copy of a lost original from about 830.Dubbed Charles le Magne "Charles the Great", he was named after his grandfather, Charles Martel. The name derives from Germanic *karlaz "free man, commoner",[8] which gave German Kerl "man, guy" and English churl. His name, however, is first attested in its Latin form, "Carolus" or "Karolus."

In many European languages, the very word for "king" derives from Charles' name (e.g., Polish: król, Czech: král, Slovak: král, Hungarian: király, Lithuanian: karalius, Latvian: karalis, Russian: ??????, Macedonian: ????, Bulgarian: ????, Serbian: ????, Croatian: kralj, Turkish: kral)

Charlemagne's native language was undoubtedly[citation needed] a form of Germanic idiom; however, the specifics as to which remain a matter of controversy. It was probably a Germanic dialect of the Ripuarian Franks, but linguists[who?] differ on its identity and chronology. Some linguists go so far as to say that he did not speak Old Frankish. Old Frankish is reconstructed from its descendant, Old Low Franconian, which would give rise to the Dutch language and to the modern dialects in the German North Rhineland, which were dubbed Ripuarian in modern times. Another important source are loanwords in Old French. Linguists know very little about Old Frankish, as it is attested mainly as phrases and words in the law codes of the main Frankish tribes (especially those of the Salian and Ripuarian Franks), which are written in Latin interspersed with Germanic elements.[9] The Franconian language had been replaced with an Old High German form in the area comprising the contemporary Southern Rhineland, The Palatinate South Hessen and Northern parts of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The present Dutch language area along with the modern Ripuarian areas in the North Rhine region preserved a form of Franconian dubbed Old Low Franconian or Old Dutch.

The area of Charlemagne's birth does not make determination of his native language easier. Most historians agree he was born around Liège, like his father, but some say he was born in or around Aachen, some 50 km (31 mi) away. At that time, this was an area of some linguistic diversity. Dialects around Liège (around 750) included:

Old East Low Franconian in the city, north and northwest; the closely related Old Ripuarian Franconian to the east and in Aachen; and Gallo-Romance (the ancestor of the Walloon dialect of Old French) in the south and southwest. The names he gave his children may be indicators of the language he spoke, as all of his daughters received Old High German names.

Apart from his native language he also spoke Latin "as fluently as his own tongue" and understood a bit of Greek: Grecam vero melius intellegere quam pronuntiare poterat, "He understood Greek better than he could pronounce it."[10]

According to a fifteenth century Irish source, he also spoke Arabic. In the 'Gabhaltais Shearluis Mhoir' or 'Conquests of Charlemagne' from the Book of Lismore edited by Douglas Hyde, ch. 10, p. 35:

When Agiolandus heard the Saracen language from Charles he marvelled at it greatly. For when Charles was a youth he had been among the Paynims in the city which is called Toletum (Toledo) and he had learnt the language of the Saracens in that city.

Charlemagne was the eldest child of Pepin the Short (714 – 24 September 768, reigned from 751) and his wife Bertrada of Laon (720 – 12 July 783), daughter of Caribert of Laon and Bertrada of Cologne. Records name only Carloman, Gisela, and a short-lived child named Pippin as his younger siblings. The semi-mythical Redburga, wife of King Egbert of Wessex, is sometimes claimed to be his sister (or sister-in-law or niece), and the legendary material makes him Roland's maternal uncle through a lady Bertha.

Much of what is known of Charlemagne's life comes from his biographer, Einhard, who wrote a Vita Caroli Magni

(or Vita Karoli Magni), the Life of Charlemagne. Einhard says of the early life of Charles:

It would be folly, I think, to write a word concerning Charles' birth and infancy, or even his boyhood, for nothing has ever been written on the subject, and there is no one alive now who can give information on it. Accordingly, I determined to pass that by as unknown, and to proceed at once to treat of his character, his deeds, and such other facts of his life as are worth telling and setting forth, and shall first give an account of his deeds at home and abroad, then of his character and pursuits, and lastly of his administration and death, omitting nothing worth knowing or necessary to know.

On the death of Pepin, the kingdom of the Franks was divided—following tradition—between Charlemagne and Carloman. Charles took the outer parts of the kingdom, bordering on the sea, namely Neustria, western Aquitaine, and the northern parts of Austrasia, while Carloman retained the inner parts: southern Austrasia, Septimania, eastern Aquitaine, Burgundy, Provence, and Swabia, lands bordering on Italy.

Charlemagne had twenty (20) children over the course of his life with eight of his ten known wives or concubines. Nonetheless, he only had four legitimate grandsons, the four sons of his third son, Louis. In addition, he had a grandson (Bernard of Italy, the only son of his third son, Pippin of Italy), who was born illegitimate but included in the line of inheritance. So, despite twenty children, the claimants to his inheritance were few.

His first relationship was with Himiltrude. The nature of this relationship is variously described as concubinage, a legal marriage, or a Friedelehe.[40] (Charlemagne put her aside when he married Desiderata.) The union with Himiltrude produced two children: Amaudru, a daughter[41] Pippin the Hunchback (ca. 769–811)

After her, his first wife was Desiderata, daughter of Desiderius, king of the Lombards; married in 770, annulled in 771. His second wife was Hildegard (757 or 758–783), married 771, died 783. By her he had nine children: Charles the Younger (ca. 772–4 December 811), Duke of Maine, and crowned King of the Franks on 25 December 800 Carloman, renamed Pippin (April 777–8 July 810), King of Italy Adalhaid (774), who was born whilst her parents were on campaign in Italy. She was sent back to Francia, but died before reaching Lyons Rotrude (or Hruodrud) (775–6 June 810) Louis (778–20 June 840), twin of Lothair, King of Aquitaine since 781, crowned King of the Franks/co-emperor in 813, senior Emperor from 814 Lothair (778–6 February 779/780), twin of Louis, he died in infancy[42] Bertha (779–826) Gisela (781–808) Hildegarde (782–783) His third wife was Fastrada, married 784, died 794. By her he had: Theodrada (b.784), abbess of Argenteuil Hiltrude (b.787) His fourth wife was Luitgard, married 794, died childless.

Concubinages and illegitimate children His first known concubine was Gersuinda. By her he had: Adaltrude (b.774) His second known concubine was Madelgard. By her he had: Ruodhaid (775–810), abbess of Faremoutiers His third known concubine was Amaltrud of Vienne. By her he had: Alpaida (b.794) His fourth known concubine was Regina. By her he had: Drogo (801–855), Bishop of Metz from 823 and abbot of Luxeuil Abbey Hugh (802–844), archchancellor of the Empire His fifth known concubine was Ethelind. By her he had:

Richbod (805–844), Abbott of Saint-Riquier Theodoric (b. 807)

Notes for Hildegard of Vinzgouw: Hildegard (758 – 30 April 783) was the Germanic daughter of count Gerold of Vinzgouw and Emma of Alamannia, daughter of Hnabi, Duke of Alamannia. Hildegard was the second wife of Charlemagne,[1] who married her about 771. They had the following children:

Charles, (772 or 773-811), Count of Maine from 781, joint King of the Franks with Charlemagne from 800 Adelaide (773-773 or 774-774) Pippin (773 or 777-810), born Carloman and later renamed at baptism, king of Italy from 781 Rotrude (or Hruodrud) (777-810) Louis the Pious, king of Aquitaine from 781, emperor from 813 (sole Emperor from 814) until 840 Lothair, twin brother of Louis, died young in 780 Bertha (779-823?) Gisela (781-808?) Hildegarde (782-783?) [edit] References1.^ As described by historians such as Pierre Riché (The Carolingians, p.86.), Lewis Thorpe (Two Lives of Charlemagne, p.216) and others. Other historians list Himiltrude, described by Einhard as a concubine, as Charlemagne's first wife, and reorder his subsequent wives; accordingly Hildegard is sometimes numbered as his third wife. See Dieter Hägemann (Karl der Große. Herrscher des Abendlands, Ullstein 2003, p. 82f.), Collins (Charlemagne, p. 40.).

Children of King Charles'Charlemagne' and Hildegarde Vinzgau are:

721758915366 i. Louis of the Holy Roman Empire, born 778 in Casseneuil, France; died June 20, 840 in

Ingelheim,Rhinehessen,Hesse, Germany; married Judith of Bavaria

Child of King Charles'Charlemagne' and Hildegard Vinzgouw is:

721758914576 i. Pepin of Italy, born 778; died 810; married Bertha de Toulouse

1443517829154. William de Toulouse, born 764. He was the son of 2887035658308. Makir Theuderic of Toulouse and 721758685029. Aude “Aldana”de Martel. He married 1443517829155. Guibor of Hornbach.

1443517829155. Guibor of Hornbach

Notes for William de Toulouse: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Saint William of Gellone (755 – 28 May (traditional) 812/4) was the second Count of Toulouse from 790 until his replacement in 811. His Occitan name is Guilhem, and he is known in French as Guillaume d'Orange, Guillaume Fierabrace, and the Marquis au court nez.

He is the hero of the Chanson de Guillaume, an early chanson de geste, and of several later sequels, which were categorized by thirteenth-century poets as the geste of Garin de Monglane. Another early product of oral traditions about William is a Latin Vita ("Biography"), written before the 11th century, according to Jean Mabillon, or during the 11th century according to the Bollandist Godfrey Henschen.

William was born in northern France in the mid-8th century. He was a cousin of Charlemagne (his mother Aldana was daughter of Charles Martel) and the son of Thierry IV, Count of Autun and only nominally of Toulouse. As a kinsman and trusted comes he spent his youth in the court of Charlemagne. When the abducted count of Toulouse Chorso was released on unfavourable conditions by the Basque Adalric, Charlemagne deposed him and appointed his trustee of Frankish stock William instead (790). He in turn successfully subdued the Gascons.

In 793, Hisham I (called by the Franks Hescham), the successor of Abd ar-Rahman I, proclaimed a holy war against the Christians to the north. He amassed an army of 100,000 men, half of which attacked the Kingdom of Asturias while the other half invaded Languedoc, penetrating as far as Narbonne.

William met this force and defeated them. He met the Muslim forces again near the river Orbieu at Villedaigne but was defeated, though his obstinate resistance exhausted the Muslim forces so much that they retreated to Spain. In 801, William commanded along with Louis King of Aquitaine a large expedition of Franks, Burgundians, Provençals, Aquitanians, Gascons (Basques) and Goths that captured Barcelona from the Moors.

In 804, he founded the monastery of Gellone (now Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert) near Lodève in the diocese of Maguelonne, which he placed under the general control of Benedict of Aniane, whose monastery was nearby. He retired as a monk there in 806 where he eventually died on the 28 May 812 (or 814). His feast is on that date.

Among his gifts to the abbey he founded was a piece of the True Cross, a present from his cousin Charlemagne, who reportedly wept at his death. Charlemagne had received the relic from the Patriarch of Jerusalem according to the Vita of William. When he died, it was said the bells at Orange rang on their own accord. He mentioned both his family and monastery in his will. [1]. He granted property to Gellone and placed the monastery under the perpetual control of the abbots of Aniane. It became a subject of contention however as the reputation of William grew. So many pilgrims were attracted to Gellone that his corpse was exhumed from the modest site in the narthex and given a more prominent place under the choir, to the intense dissatisfaction of the Abbey of Aniane. A number of forged documents and assertions were produced on each side that leave details of actual history doubtful. The Abbey was a major stop for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Its late 12th century Romanesque cloister, systematically dismantled during the French revolution, found its way to The Cloisters in New York. The Sacramentary of Gellone, dating to the late 8th century, is a famous manuscript.

[edit] William in romanceMain article: La Geste de Garin de Monglane William's faithful service to Charlemagne is portrayed as an example of feudal loyalty. William's career battling Saracens is sung in epic poems in the 12th and 13th century cycle called La Geste de Garin de Monglane, some two dozen chansons de geste that actually center around William, the great-grandson of the largely legendary Garin.

One section of the cycle, however, is devoted to the feats of his father, there named Aymeri de Narbonne, who has received Narbonne as his seigniory after his return from Spain with Charlemagne. Details of the "Aymeri" of the poem are conflated with a later historic figure who was truly the viscount of Narbonne from 1108 to 1134. In the chanson he is awarded Ermengart, daughter of Didier, and sister of Boniface, king of the Lombards. Among his seven sons and five daughters (one of whom marries Louis the Pious) is William.

The defeat of the Moors at Orange was given legendary treatment in the 12th century epic La Prise d'Orange. There, he was made Count of Toulouse in the stead of the disgraced Chorso, then King of Aquitaine in 778. He is difficult to separate from the legends and poems that gave him feats of arms, lineage and titles: Guillaume Fièrebras, Guillaum au Court-Nez (broken in a battle with a giant), Guillaum de Narbonne, Guillaume d'Orange. His wife is said to have been a converted Saracen, Orable later christened Guibourc.

Later references In 1972 historian Arthur Zuckerman published A Jewish Princedom in Feudal France, a book about the dynasty of Makhir of Narbonne published by Columbia University Press. In that book Zuckerman argued that it was possible that William of Gellone was in fact one of the sons of Makhir, who he identified with the individual known in medieval sources as "Theodoric, King of the Jews of Septimania." Zuckerman made no definitive conclusions on this point, and the suggestion has since been refuted. (Graboïs, Aryeh, "Une Principaute Juive dans la France du Midi a l'Époque Carolingienne?",

Annales du Midi, 85: 191-202 (1973); N.L. Taylor, "Saint William, King David, and Makhir: a Controversial Medieval Descent", The American Genealogist, 72: 205-223.)

William, listed under the name "Guillem de Gellone", is a prominent figure in the pseudohistorical book Holy Blood Holy Grail. The book claims that William was the son of Theodoric, and that since Theodoric was Merovingian, that meant that William was Merovingian as well, and plus was a "Jew of royal blood". The book goes on to state that "modern scholarship and research have proved Guillem's Judaism beyond dispute." It should be noted, however, that

many other claims in the book which were listed as "fact", were later proven to be false (such as the existence of the Priory of Sion), because the authors were basing much of their researches on "medieval documents" which were later shown to be forgeries.

The importance of citing William's noble heritage and Judaism, was so that the authors could prove a genealogical link between the House of David, the Merovingian nobility, and France, in order to make a case that the Holy Grail was actually the bloodline of Jesus that had worked its way into the bloodline of Frankish royalty. This line of reasoning was later incorporated into the plot of the bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code and from there into various television documentaries.

Preceded by Torson Count of Toulouse 790–811 Succeeded by Beggo

References Wikimedia Commons has media related to: William of Gellone

Catholic Encyclopedia: St William of Gellone "L'Abbaye de Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert" (in French) Metropolitan Museum:The Saint-Guilhem Cloister

Child of William de Toulouse and Guibor Hornbach is:

721758914577 i. Bertha de Toulouse, born 777; married Pepin of Italy

1443517829152. King of France Charles'Charlemagne', born April 06, 742 in Inngelheim, Aachen, Germany; died February 01, 813/14 in Aix la Chapelle,Austrasia,France. He was the son of 2887035658304. Pepin of the Franks and 2887035658305. Bertrada of Leon. He married 1443517830733. Hildegarde Von Linzgau of Swabia of Vinzgau.

1443517830733. Hildegarde Von Linzgau of Swabia of Vinzgau, born 758; died May 04, 783 in Bur at Metz. She was the daughter of 2887035661466. Gerold of Allemani of Vinzgau and 2887035661467. Imma of Swabia of Allemania.

Notes for King of France Charles'Charlemagne': [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Charlemagne ( /'??rl?me?n/, also /'??rl?ma?n/; French pronunciation: [?a?.l?.ma?]; German: Karl der Große; Latin: Carolus Magnus or Karolus Magnus, meaning Charles the Great; possibly 742 – 28 January 814) was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans (Imperator Romanorum) from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned Imperator Augustus by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800. His rule is also associated with the Carolingian Renaissance, a revival of art, religion, and culture through the medium of the Catholic Church. Through his foreign conquests and internal reforms, Charlemagne helped define both Western Europe and the Middle Ages. He is numbered as Charles I in the regnal lists of Germany, the Holy Roman Empire, and France.

The son of King Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon, a Frankish queen, he succeeded his father in 768 and was initially co-ruler with his brother Carloman I. It has often been suggested that the relationship between Charlemagne and Carloman was not good, but it has also been argued that tensions were exaggerated by Carolingian chroniclers.[3] Nevertheless conflict was prevented by the sudden death of Carloman in 771, in unexplained circumstances. Charlemagne continued the policy of his father towards the papacy and became its protector, removing the Lombards from power in Italy, and leading an incursion into Muslim Spain, to which he was invited by the Muslim governor of Barcelona. Charlemagne was promised several Iberian cities in return for giving military aid to the governor; however, the deal was withdrawn. Subsequently, Charlemagne's retreating army experienced its worst defeat at the hands of the Basques, at the Battle of Roncesvalles (778) (memorialised, although heavily

fictionalised, in the Song of Roland). He also campaigned against the peoples to his east, especially the Saxons, and after a protracted war subjected them to his rule. By forcibly Christianizing the Saxons and banning on penalty of death their native Germanic paganism, he integrated them into his realm and thus paved the way for the later Ottonian dynasty.

Today he is regarded not only as the founding father of both French and German monarchies, but also as a Pater Europae (father of Europe)[4]: his empire united most of Western Europe for the first time since the Romans, and the Carolingian renaissance encouraged the formation of a common European identity.[5]

By the 6th century, the West Germanic Franks were Christianised and Francia, ruled by the Merovingians, had become the most powerful of the kingdoms which succeeded the Western Roman Empire. But following the Battle of Tertry, the Merovingians declined into a state of powerlessness, for which they have been dubbed the do-nothing kings (rois fainéants). Almost all government powers of any consequence were exercised by their chief officer, the mayor of the palace or major domus.

In 687, Pippin of Herstal, mayor of the palace of Austrasia, ended the strife between various kings and their mayors with his victory at Tertry and became the sole governor of the entire Frankish kingdom. Pippin himself was the grandson of two of the most important figures of the Austrasian Kingdom, Saint Arnulf of Metz and Pippin of Landen. Pippin the Middle was eventually succeeded by his illegitimate son Charles, later known as Charles Martel (the Hammer). After 737, Charles governed the Franks without a king on the throne but declined to call himself "king". Charles was succeeded by his sons Carloman and Pepin the Short, the father of Charlemagne. To curb separatism in the periphery of the realm, the brothers placed on the throne Childeric III, who was to be the last Merovingian king.

After Carloman resigned his office, Pepin, with Pope Zachary's approval, had Childeric III deposed. In 751, Pepin was elected and anointed King of the Franks and in 754 Pope Stephen II again anointed him and his young sons, now heirs to the great realm which already covered most of western and central Europe. Thus was the Merovingian dynasty replaced by the Carolingian dynasty, named after Pepin's father, Charles Martel.

Under the new dynasty, the Frankish kingdom spread to encompass an area including most of Western Europe. The division of that kingdom formed France and Germany;[6] and the religious, political, and artistic evolutions originating from a centrally positioned Francia made a defining imprint on the whole of Western Europe.

Charlemagne is believed to have been born in 741; however, several factors have led to a reconsideration of this date. First, the year 742 was calculated from his age given at death, rather than from attestation in primary sources. Another date is given in the Annales Petaviani, that of 2 April[not in citation given] 747.[7] In that year, 2 April was at Easter. The birth of an emperor at Eastertime is a coincidence likely to provoke comment, but there was no such comment documented in 747, leading some to suspect that the Easter birthday was a pious fiction concocted as a way of honoring the Emperor. Other commentators weighing the primary records have suggested that his birth was one year later, in 748. At present, it is impossible to be certain of the date of the birth of Charlemagne. The best guesses include 1 April 747, after 15 April 747, or 1 April 748, in Herstal (where his father was born, a town close to Liège in modern day Belgium), the region from where both the Merovingian and Carolingian families originated. He went to live in his father's villa in Jupille when he was around seven, which caused Jupille to be listed as a possible place of birth in almost every history book. Other cities have been suggested, including, Prüm, Düren, Gauting and Aachen.

Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. Tenth-century copy of a lost original from about 830.Dubbed Charles le Magne "Charles the Great", he was named after his grandfather, Charles Martel.

The name derives from Germanic *karlaz "free man, commoner",[8] which gave German Kerl "man, guy" and English churl. His name, however, is first attested in its Latin form, "Carolus" or "Karolus."

In many European languages, the very word for "king" derives from Charles' name (e.g., Polish: król, Czech: král, Slovak: král, Hungarian: király, Lithuanian: karalius, Latvian: karalis, Russian: ??????, Macedonian: ????, Bulgarian: ????, Serbian: ????, Croatian: kralj, Turkish: kral)

Charlemagne's native language was undoubtedly[citation needed] a form of Germanic idiom; however, the specifics as to which remain a matter of controversy. It was probably a Germanic dialect of the Ripuarian Franks, but linguists[who?] differ on its identity and chronology. Some linguists go so far as to say that he did not speak Old Frankish. Old Frankish is reconstructed from its descendant, Old Low Franconian, which would give rise to the Dutch language and to the modern dialects in the German North Rhineland, which were dubbed Ripuarian in modern times. Another important source are loanwords in Old French. Linguists know very little about Old Frankish, as it is attested mainly as phrases and words in the law codes of the main Frankish tribes (especially those of the Salian and Ripuarian Franks), which are written in Latin interspersed with Germanic elements.[9] The Franconian language had been replaced with an Old High German form in the area comprising the contemporary Southern Rhineland, The Palatinate South Hessen and Northern parts of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The present Dutch language area along with the modern Ripuarian areas in the North Rhine region preserved a form of Franconian dubbed Old Low Franconian or Old Dutch.

The area of Charlemagne's birth does not make determination of his native language easier. Most historians agree he was born around Liège, like his father, but some say he was born in or around Aachen, some 50 km (31 mi) away. At that time, this was an area of some linguistic diversity. Dialects around Liège (around 750) included:

Old East Low Franconian in the city, north and northwest; the closely related Old Ripuarian Franconian to the east and in Aachen; and Gallo-Romance (the ancestor of the Walloon dialect of Old French) in the south and southwest. The names he gave his children may be indicators of the language he spoke, as all of his daughters received Old High German names.

Apart from his native language he also spoke Latin "as fluently as his own tongue" and understood a bit of Greek: Grecam vero melius intellegere quam pronuntiare poterat, "He understood Greek better than he could pronounce it."[10]

According to a fifteenth century Irish source, he also spoke Arabic. In the 'Gabhaltais Shearluis Mhoir' or 'Conquests of Charlemagne' from the Book of Lismore edited by Douglas Hyde, ch. 10, p. 35:

When Agiolandus heard the Saracen language from Charles he marvelled at it greatly. For when Charles was a youth he had been among the Paynims in the city which is called Toletum (Toledo) and he had learnt the language of the Saracens in that city.

Charlemagne was the eldest child of Pepin the Short (714 – 24 September 768, reigned from 751) and his wife Bertrada of Laon (720 – 12 July 783), daughter of Caribert of Laon and Bertrada of Cologne. Records name only Carloman, Gisela, and a short-lived child named Pippin as his younger siblings. The semi-mythical Redburga, wife of King Egbert of Wessex, is sometimes claimed to be his sister (or sister-in-law or niece), and the legendary material makes him Roland's maternal uncle through a lady Bertha.

Much of what is known of Charlemagne's life comes from his biographer, Einhard, who wrote a Vita Caroli Magni (or Vita Karoli Magni), the Life of Charlemagne. Einhard says of the early life of Charles:

It would be folly, I think, to write a word concerning Charles' birth and infancy, or even his boyhood, for nothing has ever been written on the subject, and there is no one alive now who can give information on it. Accordingly, I determined to pass that by as unknown, and to proceed at once to treat of his character, his deeds, and such other facts of his life as are worth telling and setting forth, and shall first give an account of his deeds at home and abroad, then of his character and pursuits, and lastly of his administration and death, omitting nothing worth knowing or necessary to know.

On the death of Pepin, the kingdom of the Franks was divided—following tradition—between Charlemagne and Carloman. Charles took the outer parts of the kingdom, bordering on the sea, namely Neustria, western Aquitaine, and the northern parts of Austrasia, while Carloman retained the inner parts:

southern Austrasia, Septimania, eastern Aquitaine, Burgundy, Provence, and Swabia, lands bordering on Italy.

Charlemagne had twenty (20) children over the course of his life with eight of his ten known wives or concubines.

Nonetheless, he only had four legitimate grandsons, the four sons of his third son, Louis. In addition, he had a grandson (Bernard of Italy, the only son of his third son, Pippin of Italy), who was born illegitimate but included in the line of inheritance. So, despite twenty children, the claimants to his inheritance were few.

His first relationship was with Himiltrude. The nature of this relationship is variously described as concubinage, a legal marriage, or a Friedelehe.[40] (Charlemagne put her aside when he married Desiderata.) The union with Himiltrude produced two children: Amaudru, a daughter[41] Pippin the Hunchback (ca. 769–811) After her, his first wife was Desiderata, daughter of Desiderius, king of the Lombards; married in 770, annulled in 771. His second wife was Hildegard (757 or 758–783), married 771, died 783. By her he had nine children: Charles the Younger (ca. 772–4 December 811), Duke of Maine, and crowned King of the Franks on 25 December 800 Carloman, renamed Pippin (April 777–8 July 810), King of Italy Adalhaid (774), who was born whilst her parents were on campaign in Italy. She was sent back to Francia, but died before reaching Lyons Rotrude (or Hruodrud) (775–6 June 810) Louis (778–20 June 840), twin of Lothair, King of Aquitaine since 781, crowned King of the Franks/co-emperor in 813, senior Emperor from 814 Lothair (778–6 February 779/780), twin of Louis, he died in infancy[42] Bertha (779–826) Gisela (781–808) Hildegarde (782–783) His third wife was Fastrada, married 784, died 794. By her he had: Theodrada (b.784), abbess of Argenteuil Hiltrude (b.787) His fourth wife was Luitgard, married 794, died childless. [edit] Concubinages and illegitimate childrenHis first known concubine was Gersuinda. By her he had: Adaltrude (b.774) His second known concubine was Madelgard. By her he had: Ruodhaid (775–810), abbess of Faremoutiers His third known concubine was Amaltrud of Vienne. By her he had: Alpaida (b.794) His fourth known concubine was Regina. By her he had: Drogo (801–855), Bishop of Metz from 823 and abbot of Luxeuil Abbey Hugh (802–844), archchancellor of the Empire His fifth known concubine was Ethelind. By her he had: Richbod (805–844), Abbott of Saint-Riquier Theodoric (b. 807)

Children of King Charles'Charlemagne' and Hildegarde Vinzgau are:

721758915366 i. Louis of the Holy Roman Empire, born 778 in Casseneuil, France; died June 20, 840 in

Ingelheim,Rhinehessen,Hesse, Germany; married Judith of Bavaria

Child of King Charles'Charlemagne' and Hildegard Vinzgouw is:

721758914576 i. Pepin of Italy, born 778; died 810; married Bertha de Toulouse

1443517830734. Guelph von Altdorf of Allemania, born Abt. 776 in Altdorf, Bavaria; died Abt. 830. He was the son of 2887035661468. Guelph 'Welf' of Altdorf. He married 1443517830735. Edith of Saxony de Chelles.

1443517830735. Edith of Saxony de Chelles, born 780.

Child of Guelph Allemania and Edith de Chelles is:

721758915367 i. Judith of Bavaria, born 800 in Altdorf,Bayern,Andech,Germany; died 843 in Tours, Indre et Loire,

France; married Louis of the Holy Roman Empire

1443517831424. Eochaid Annuine mac Eda, born 760; died 819. He was the son of 2887035662848. ed I Find mach Echach.

Child of Eochaid Annuine mac Eda is:

721758915712 i. Alpin mac Echdach, born 778; died 841.

Generation No. 42

2887034740112. Theodoret He was the son of 5774069480224. Nivelon of Burgundy.

Child of Theodoret is:

1443517370056 i. Childebrand of Macon, Autun, and Vexin

2887034740116. Pepin de Heristal, born 635 in Heristal, Leige, Belgium; died December 20, 714 in Jupille, Leige, Belgium. He was the son of 5774069480232. Ansegise of the Palace of Austrasia and 5774069480233. St. Begga. He married 2887034740117. Alphaida of Heristal.

2887034740117. Alphaida of Heristal, born 654 in Heristal, Leige, Belgium; died 705 in Orplegrandmonast, Brabant, Vosages, France. She was the daughter of 5774069480234. Alberic zu Bavaria and 5774069480235. Adele de Poiters.

Notes for Pepin de Heristal: Pepin (also Pippin, Pipin, or Peppin) of Herstal, or Heristal, (635/45 – 16 December 714) was the Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia from 680 to his death and of Neustria and Burgundy from 687 to 695. He was also the first mayor of the palace to "reign" as Duke and Prince of the Franks and he by far overshadowed the Merovingian rois fainéants.

Biography Pepin, sometimes called Pepin II and Pepin the Middle was the grandson and namesake of Pepin I the Elder by the marriage of Pepin I's daughter Begga and Ansegisel, son of Arnulf of Metz. That marriage united the two houses of the Pippinids and the Arnulfings which created what would be called the Carolingian dynasty. Pepin II was probably born in Herstal (Héristal), modern Belgium (where his centre of power lay), whence his byname (sometimes "of Heristal").

As mayor of Austrasia, Pepin and Martin, the duke of Laon, fought the Neustrian mayor Ebroin, who had designs on all Francia. Ebroin defeated the Austrasians at Lucofao (Bois-du-Fay, near Laon) and came close to uniting all the Franks under his rule; however, he was assassinated in 681, the victim of a combined attack by his numerous enemies. Pepin immediately made peace with his successor, Waratton.

However, Waratton's successor, Berthar, and the Neustrian king Theuderic III, who, since 679, was nominal king of all the Franks, made war on Austrasia. The king and his mayor were decisively defeated at the Battle of Tertry (Textrice) in the Vermandois in 687. Berthar and Theuderic withdrew themselves to Paris, where Pepin followed and eventually forced on them a peace treaty with the condition that Berthar leave his office. Pepin was created mayor in all three Frankish kingdoms (Austrasia, Neustria, and Burgundy) and began calling himself Duke and Prince of the Franks (dux et princeps Francorum). In the ensuing quarrels, Berthar killed his mother-in-law Ansfled and fled. His wife Anstrude married Pepin's eldest son Drogo, Duke of Champagne, and Pepin's place in Neustria was secured.

Base silver coin of Nemfidius, patriarch of Provence, 700-710, minted at Marseille during the reign of Pepin of Herstal.Over the next several years, Pepin subdued the Alemanni, Frisians, and Franconians, bringing them within the Frankish sphere of influence. He also began the evangelisation of Germany. In 695, he placed Drogo in the

Burgundian mayorship and his other son, Grimoald, in the Neustrian one.

St Hubert of Liège offers his services to Pepin of Heristal.Around 670, Pepin had married Plectrude, who had inherited substantial estates in the Moselle region. She was the mother of Drogo of Champagne and Grimoald II, both of whom died before their father. However, Pepin also had a mistress named Alpaida (or Chalpaida) who bore him two more sons: Charles and Childebrand. Just before Pepin's death, Plectrude convinced him to disinherit his bastards in favour of his grandson, Theudoald, the son of Grimoald, who was still young (and amenable to Plectrude's control). Pepin died suddenly at an old age on 16 December 714, at Jupille (in modern Belgium). His legitimate grandchildren claimed themselves to be Pepin's true successors and, with the help of Plectrude, tried to maintain the position of mayor of the palace after Pepin's death. However, Charles had gained favor among the Austrasians, primarily for his military prowess and ability to keep them well supplied with booty from his conquests. Despite the efforts of Plectrude to silence her rival's child by imprisoning him, he became the sole mayor of the palace --and de facto ruler of Francia-- after a civil war which lasted for more than three years after Pepin's death.

Sources Oman, Charles. The Dark Ages 476–918. London: Rivingtons, 1914. Wallace-Hadrill, J. M., translator. The Fourth Book of the Chronicle of Fredegar with its Continuations. Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1960. Bachrach, Bernard S., translator. Liber Historiae Francorum. 1973.

Notes for Alphaida of Heristal: Alpaida (Elfide, Chalpaida) was Pepin II's (635 or 640 - December 16, 714) concubine and mother to Pepin II's two illegitimate sons, Charles Martel (Charles the Hammer) (d. October 22, 741) and Childebrand (b. 678, Heristal d. 751).

Children of Pepin de Heristal and Alphaida Heristal are:

i. Childebrand of Austrasia, born 684. 1443517370058 ii. Charles Martel, born 676 in Heristal, Neustria; died October 26, 741 in Cressy Sur Oise, Neustria;

married (1) Rotroude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia; married (2) Rotrude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia

2887035658304. Pepin of the Franks, born 714 in Austrasia; died September 28, 768 in St. Denis, France. He was the son of 1443517370058. Charles Martel and 5774071316609. Rotroude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia. He married 2887035658305. Bertrada of Leon.

2887035658305. Bertrada of Leon, born 719 in Laon, Austrasia; died 783 in Choisy,Bourgogne. She was the daughter of 5774071316610. Heribert Caribert de Laon and 5774071316611. Bertrada Blance Fleur de Laon.

Notes for Pepin of the Franks: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Pepin (or Pippin) (died 24 September 768), called the Short (Pépin le Bref)[1] or the Younger (Pippin der Jüngere), rarely the Great (Pippin der Grosse),[2] was the first King of the Franks (752–68) of the Carolingian dynasty. In 741 he and his brother Carloman succeeded their father, Charles Martel, as mayors of the palace and de facto rulers of the kingdom during an interregnum (737–43). After the retirement of Carloman (747), Pepin obtained the permission of Pope Zachary to depose the last of the Merovingian kings, Childeric III, and assume the throne (752). As he was named for his grandfather, Pepin of Heristal, in turn named for his grandfather, Pepin of Landen, both mayors of the palace, Pepin the Short has sometimes been numbered Pepin III.

Pepin's father Charles Martel died in 741. He divided the rule of the Frankish kingdom between Pepin and his elder brother, Carloman, his surviving sons by his first wife: Carloman became Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia, Pepin became Mayor of the Palace of Neustria. Grifo, Charles's son by his second wife, Swanahild (also known as Swanhilde), demanded a share in the inheritance, but he was imprisoned in a monastery by his two half-brothers.

In the Frankish realm the unity of the kingdom was essentially connected with the person of the king. So Carloman, to secure this unity, raised the Merovingian Childeric to the throne (743). Then in 747 Carloman either resolved to or was pressured into entering a monastery. This left Francia in the hands of Pepin as sole mayor of the palace and dux et princeps Francorum.

At the time of Carloman's retirement, Grifo escaped his imprisonment and fled to Duke Odilo of Bavaria, who was married to Hiltrude, Pepin's sister. Pepin put down the renewed revolt led by his half-brother and succeeded in completely restoring the boundaries of the kingdom.

Under the reorganization of Francia by Charles Martel, the dux et princeps Francorum was the commander of the armies of the kingdom, in addition to his administrative duties as mayor of the palace, and specifically commander of the standing guard which Charles Martel had begun maintaining year-round since Toulouse in 721.

Anointed a first time in 752 in Soissons by the archbishop of Mainz, Pepin added to his power after Pope Stephen II traveled all the way to Paris to anoint him a second time in a lavish ceremony at the Basilica of St Denis in 754, bestowing upon him the additional title of patricius Romanorum (Patrician of the Romans) and is the first recorded crowning of a civil ruler by a Pope. As life expectancies were short in those days, and Pepin wanted family continuity, the Pope also anointed Pepin's sons, Charles (eventually known as Charlemagne) and Carloman.

Pepin was subject to the decisions of Childeric III who had only the title of King but no power. Since Pepin had control over the magnates and actually had the power of the king, he now addressed to Pope Zachary a suggestive question:

In regard to the kings of the Franks who no longer possess the royal power: is this state of things proper? Hard pressed by the Lombards, Pope Zachary welcomed this move by the Franks to end an intolerable condition and lay the constitutional foundations for the exercise of the royal power. The Pope replied that such a state of things is not proper: the de facto power is more important than the de jure power.

After this decision the throne was declared vacant. Childeric III was deposed and confined to a monastery. He was the last of the Merovingians.

According to ancient custom, Pepin was then elected King of the Franks by an assembly of Frankish nobles, with a large portion of his army on hand (in case the nobility inclined not to honor the Papal bull). Meanwhile, Grifo continued his rebellion, but was eventually killed in the battle of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in 753.

Pepin's first major act as king was to go to war against the Lombard king Aistulf, who had expanded into the ducatus Romanus. Victorious, he forced the Lombard king to return property seized from the Church. He confirmed the Papacy in possession of Ravenna and the Pentapolis, the so-called Donation of Pepin, whereby the Papal States were established and the temporal reign of the Papacy began.[3] At about 752, he turned his attention to Septimania first investing Narbonne, but didn't manage to capture it from Iberian Muslim invaders up to 7 years later in 759,[4] when they were driven out to Hispania.

However, Aquitaine still remained under Waifer's Basque-Aquitanian rule out of Frankish reach. Waifer appears to have confiscated Church lands, maybe distributing them among his troops. In 760, denouncing this actions, Pepin ravaged with fire and sword most of Aquitaine and in retaliation counts loyal to Waifer ravaged Burgundy. Pepin in turn attacked the Aquitanian-held (urban, non-Frankish 'Romans') Clermont and Bourbon, defended by Waifer's Basque troops, who were overcome, captured and deported into northern France.

In 763, Pepin advanced further into the heart of Waifer‘s domains and captured major strongholds (Poitiers, Limoges, Angouleme, etc.), after which Waifer counterattacked and war got bitter. Pepin opted to spread terror, burning villas, destroying vineyards and depopulating monasteries. By 765, the brutal

tactics seemed to pay off for the Franks, who destroyed resistance in central Aquitaine (Waifer's capital city Toulouse fell in 767) and devastated the whole region. As a result, Aquitanian nobles and Basques from beyond the Garonne too saw no option but to accept a pro-Frankish peace treaty (Fronsac, c. 768). Waifer escaped but was assassinated by his own frustrated followers

Pepin died during a campaign, in 768. He was interred in the church of Saint Denis. His wife Bertrada was also interred there in 783. Charlemagne rebuilt the Basilica in honor of his parents and placed markers at the entrance.[5]

The Frankish realm was divided according to the Salic law between his two sons: Charlemagne and Carloman I.

Historical opinion often seems to regard him as the lesser son and lesser father of two greater men, though a great man in his own right. He continued to build up the heavy cavalry which his father had begun. He maintained the standing army that his father had found necessary to protect the realm and form the core of its full army in wartime. He not only contained the Iberian Muslims as his father had, but drove them out of the country. He continued his father's expansion of the Frankish church (missionary work in Germany and Scandinavia) and the institutional infrastructure (feudalism) that would prove the backbone of medieval Europe.

His rule, while not as great as either his father's or son's, was historically important and of great benefit to the Franks as a people. Pepin's assumption of the crown, and the title of Patrician of Rome, were harbingers of his son's imperial coronation which is usually seen as the founding of the Holy Roman Empire. He made the Carolingians de jure what his father had made them de facto — the ruling dynasty of the Franks and the foremost power of Europe. While not known as a great general, he was undefeated during his lifetime.

Family.[6]

In 741, Pepin married Bertrada of Laon. Her father, Charibert, was the son of Pepin II's brother, Martin of Laon. They are known to have had eight children, at least three of whom survived to adulthood:

Charles (2 April 742 – 28 January 814), (Charlemagne) Carloman (751 – 4 December 771) Gisela (757–810) Pepin, died in infancy. Chrothais, died young, buried in Metz. Adelais, died young, buried in Metz. Two unnamed daughters[7]

Notes 1.^ Perhaps a reference to his practice of wearing his hair short, in contrast to the long hair that was a mark of his predecessors. Paul Edward Dutton, Charlemagne's Mustache: And Other Cultural Clusters of a Dark Age (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008). 2.^ Pierre Riché, The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe (Philadelphia, 1993), 65. Even more rarely his name may be spelled "Peppin". 3.^ "Pepin the Short". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. 4.^ "The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050". THE LIBRARY OF IBERIAN RESOURCES ONLINE. http://libro.uca.edu/lewis/sfc1.htm. Retrieved 26 September 2010. 5.^ Basilique Saint-Denis. 6.^ Gerd Treffer: Die französischen Königinnen. Von Bertrada bis Marie Antoinette (8.-18. Jahrhundert). Pustet, Regensburg (1996) pp. 23-29, ISBN 3791715305, ISBN 978-3791715308 7.^ Medieval Lands - Franks, Carolingian Kings Retrieved on 8 November 2008

Notes for Bertrada of Leon: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Bertrada of Laon, also called Bertha Broadfoot (cf. Latin: Regina pede ancae i.e. the queen with the goose-foot), (between 710 and 727 – June 12, 783) was a Frankish queen.

Biography She was born in Laon, in today's Aisne, France, the daughter of Caribert of Laon. She married Pepin the Short, the

son of Charles Martel, the Frankish "Mayor of the Palace", in 740, although the union was not canonically sanctioned until several years later. Eleven years later, in 751, Pepin and Bertrada became King and Queen of the Franks, following Pepin's successful coup against the Frankish Merovingian monarchs.

Bertrada and Pepin are known to have had four children, three sons and one daughter: of these, Charles (Charlemagne), Carloman, and Gisela survived to adulthood, whilst Pepin died in infancy. Charlemagne and Carloman would inherit the two halves of their father's kingdom when he died, and Gisela became a nun.

Bertrada lived at the court of her elder son Charles, and according to Einhard their relationship was excellent. She recommended him to marry his first wife, Desiderata, a daughter of the Lombard king Desiderius, but he soon divorced her. Einhard claims this was the only episode that ever strained relations between mother and son. Bertrada lived with Charlemagne until her death in 783; the king buried her in Saint Denis Basilica with great honors.

Child of Pepin Franks and Bertrada Leon is:

1443517829152 i. King of France Charles'Charlemagne', born April 06, 742 in Inngelheim, Aachen, Germany; died

February 01, 813/14 in Aix la Chapelle,Austrasia,France; married (1) Hildegarde Von Linzgau of Swabia of Vinzgau; married (2) Hildegard of Vinzgouw

2887035658306. Gerold of Vinzgau He married 2887035658307. Emma. 2887035658307. Emma She was the daughter of 5774071316614. Hnabi.

Notes for Gerold of Vinzgau: Gerold of Vinzgau (also Vintzgouw or Anglachgau; d. 784/786 or 795) was a count in Kraichgau and Anglachgau. His daughter married King Charlemagne in 771. In 784 generous donations to the monastery of Lorsch by Gerold and Emma are recorded.

Marriage and issue

He married by 758 to Emma (d. 789 or 798 or after 784), daughter of Hnabi, Duke of Alamannia. They had the following:

Gerold Udalrich Hildegard, born in 758, married King Charlemagne in 771. probably Adrian, Count of Orléans, father of Odo I, Count of Orléans Eric of Friuli (?), not listed on the site of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy Through Udalrich, Gerold is reckoned as the founder of the family of the Udalrichings.

Child of Gerold Vinzgau and Emma is:

1443517829153 i. Hildegard of Vinzgouw, born 758; died 783; married King of France Charles'Charlemagne'

2887035658308. Makir Theuderic of Toulouse, born 720; died 782. He was the son of 5774071316616. Hanini bar Adoi David and 5774071316617. Rolande de Laon. He married 721758685029. Aude “Aldana”de Martel.

721758685029. Aude “Aldana”de Martel, born Abt. 730. She was the daughter of 1443517370058. Charles Martel and 1443517370059. Rotrude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia.

Notes for Makir Theuderic of Toulouse: Theuderic (Thierry) I DE SEPTIMANIE Exilarch of Narbonne in Septimania 2550 Born: Abt 720, Babylon Died: Before 804, <Narbonne, Aude, France>

Thierry IV or Theoderic IV (ca. 720 – ca. 782) was a Frankish noble. Count of Autun and Toulouse; he was a son of

Sigebert V, and grandson of Sigebert IV of Raze. Thierry married Auda, daughter of Charles Martel, sister of Pepin III.

Children William of Gellone (755 – 28 May 812/4) Alda of Gellone (born ca. 770); married Fredalon

Another name for Theuderic was Natronai al-Makir Judiarch of Narbonne, Makhir of the Caliph 771-793.

Duke of Toulouse

Theodoric I of Septimania was received by Charlemagne and was given the title "King of the Jews". His ancestry is possibly one of the greatest lineages of antiquity. Theodoric, claimed (or others do for him) descent not only from the Merovingian Kings, but lineal descent from King David himself. Both the king and the Pope acknowledged this pedigree. Also called Makhir Natronai ben Habibi the Resh Galuta. Also called Rabbi Makir ha-David. Also called Dietrich.

"The evidence is sketchy and muddled at this distance, but a persistant account of Theodoric I has it that he was the Jewish Exilarch in Narbonne, and that he succeeded in establishing a regionally autonomous Jewish-led state around Narbonne. Makhir has been identified as being Makhir Natronai, Resh Galuta in Baghdad, ousted from that position by a cousin in 771. If true, it would be a matter of considerable interest; the Baghdad Exilarchs were reputed to be lineal descendents of the ancient Hebrew King David.What is fairly clear is that Septimania achieved an independent position in this era by some means or other, with the status of a Duchy or even possibly a Kingdom."

He was sent by Haroun Al-Rashid, Calif of Baghdad to Charlemagne, King of the West at his request, who wanted to establish in Europe a middle class based on a Jewish nucleus between 786 and 793.

Child of Makir Toulouse and Aude ―Aldana‖ de Martel is:

1443517829154 i. William de Toulouse, born 764; married Guibor of Hornbach

2887035661466. Gerold of Allemani of Vinzgau He married 2887035661467. Imma of Swabia of Allemania.

2887035661467. Imma of Swabia of Allemania

Child of Gerold Vinzgau and Imma Allemania is:

1443517830733 i. Hildegarde Von Linzgau of Swabia of Vinzgau, born 758; died May 04, 783 in Bur at Metz;

married King of France Charles'Charlemagne'

2887035661468. Guelph 'Welf' of Altdorf

Child of Guelph 'Welf' of Altdorf is:

1443517830734 i. Guelph von Altdorf of Allemania, born Abt. 776 in Altdorf, Bavaria; died Abt. 830; married Edith

of Saxony de Chelles

2887035662848. ed I Find mach Echach, born 714; died 778. He was the son of 5774071325696. Eochaid III.

Child of ed I Find mach Echach is:

1443517831424 i. Eochaid Annuine mac Eda, born 760; died 819.

Generation No. 43

5774069480224. Nivelon of Burgundy He was the son of 11548138960448. Childebrand of Austrasia.

Child of Nivelon of Burgundy is:

2887034740112 i. Theodoret

5774069480232. Ansegise of the Palace of Austrasia, born Bet. 602 - 607 in Austrasia; died 685 in Andene Monastery, France. He was the son of 11548138960464. Arnulf 'Arnoul' de Heristal and 11548138960465. Oda de Savou. He married 5774069480233. St. Begga.

5774069480233. St. Begga, born 615 in Landen, Liege, Belgium; died 693. She was the daughter of 11548138960466. Pepin of Landen and 11548138960467. Itte of Laden.

Notes for Ansegise of the Palace of Austrasia: Ansegisel (also Ansgise, Ansegus, or Anchises) (c. 602 or 610 – murdered before 679 or 662) was the son of Saint Arnulf, bishop of Metz and his wife Saint Doda. He served King Sigbert III of Austrasia (634-656) as a duke (Latin dux, a military leader) and domesticus. He was killed sometime before 679, slain in a feud by his enemy Gundewin.

Marriage and issue He married sometime after 639 to Saint Begga, the daughter of Pepin of Landen. They had the following children:

Pippin II (635 or 640-December 16, 714), mayor of the palace of Austrasia Possibly Clotilda of Heristal (650-699), married King Theodoric III of Neustria

Notes for St. Begga: Saint Begga (also Begue, Begge) (615 – 17 December 693) was the daughter of Pepin of Landen, mayor of the palace of Austrasia, and his wife Itta. On the death of her husband, she took the veil, founded seven churches, and built a convent at Andenne on the Meuse River (Andenne sur Meuse) where she spent the rest of her days as abbess. She was buried in Saint Begga's Collegiate Church in Andenne. Some hold that the Beguine movement which came to light in the 12th century was actually founded by St. Begga; and the church in the beguinage of Lier, Belgium, has a statue of St. Begga standing above the inscription: St. Begga, our foundress.

The Lier beguinage dates from the 13th century. More than likely, however, the Beguines derived their name from that of the priest Lambert le Begue, under whose protection the witness and ministry of the Beguines flourished.[1][2]

She married Ansegisel, son of Arnulf, Bishop of Metz, and had three children:

Pepin of Heristal Martin of Laon Clotilda of Heristal, who was married to Theuderic III of the Franks

Veneration She is commemorated as a saint on her feast days, 6 September and 17 December.

St. Begga's Feast Day is 17 December.[3]

Footnotes 1.^ J. A. Ryckel ab Oorbeeck, Vita S. Beggae Ducissae Brabantiae Andetennensium, Begginarum et Beggardorum fundatricis vetus (Louvain, 1631) 2.^ McDonnell, Beguines and Beghards, pp. 179, n. 51 and 430-31 3.^ www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=263 [edit] References Saint Begga (615-693) on Familypedia

Attwater, Donald and Catherine Rachel John. The Penguin Dictionary of Saints. 3rd edition. New York: Penguin Books, 1993; ISBN 0140513124 Les ancêtres de Charlemagne, 1989, Christian Settipani Excerpt from Butler's lives of the saints

Saint Begga profile History of Andenne, Belgium A. Dunbar, A Dictionary of Saintly Women (London, 1904), I, pp. 111–12 F. Baix, "Begge," in Dictionnaire d'histoire et de gdographie ecclesiastiques, VII, ed. A. Baudrillart (Paris, 1934), cols. 441-48 F. Rousseau, "Le monastere merovingien d'Andenne", A travers I'histoire de Namur, du Namurois et de la Wallonie. Recueil d'articles de Felix Rousseau (n.p., 1977), pp. 279–313 Genealogiae ducum Brabantiae, Ed. J. Heller, MGH SS, XXV, pp. 385–413, ref Genealogia ampliata, 1270 A dictionary of saintly women, vol. 1, by Agnes Baillie Cunninghame Dunbar

Child of Ansegise Austrasia and St. Begga is:

2887034740116 i. Pepin de Heristal, born 635 in Heristal, Leige, Belgium; died December 20, 714 in Jupille, Leige,

Belgium; married Alphaida of Heristal

5774069480234. Alberic zu Bavaria, born 635. He married 5774069480235. Adele de Poiters. 5774069480235. Adele de Poiters, born 638. She was the daughter of 11548138960470. Bodilon de Poiters and 11548138960471. Sigrada de Dijon of the Moselle.

Child of Alberic Bavaria and Adele de Poiters is:

2887034740117 i. Alphaida of Heristal, born 654 in Heristal, Leige, Belgium; died 705 in Orplegrandmonast,

Brabant, Vosages, France; married Pepin de Heristal

1443517370058. Charles Martel, born 676 in Heristal, Neustria; died October 26, 741 in Cressy Sur Oise, Neustria. He was the son of 2887034740116. Pepin de Heristal and 2887034740117. Alphaida of Heristal. He married 5774071316609. Rotroude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia.

5774071316609. Rotroude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia She was the daughter of 11548142633218. Leutwinus de Treves and 11548142633219. Princess of Chrodobertus II of Palatine.

Notes for Charles Martel: Charles Martel (Latin: Carolus Martellus) (c. 688 – 22 October 741),[1][2][3][4][5] literally Charles the Hammer, was a Frankish military and political leader, who served as Mayor of the Palace under the Merovingian kings and ruled de facto during an interregnum (737–43) at the end of his life, using the title Duke and Prince of the Franks. In 739 he was offered the title of Consul by the Pope, but he refused.[6] He is remembered for winning the Battle of Tours (also known as the Battle of Poitiers) in 732, in which he defeated an invading Muslim army and halted northward Islamic expansion in western Europe.[7]

A brilliant general, he is considered to be a founding figure of the Middle Ages, often credited with a seminal role in the development of feudalism and knighthood, and laying the groundwork for the Carolingian Empire.[8][9] He was also the father of Pepin the Short and grandfather of Charlemagne.

Martel was born in Herstal, the illegitimate son of duke Pepin II and his concubine Alpaida.[10][11] In German-speaking countries he is known as Karl Martell. Alpaida also bore Pepin another son, Childebrand.

Contesting for power The Frankish kingdoms at the time of the death of Pepin of Heristal. Note that Aquitaine (yellow) was outside of Arnulfing authority and Neustria and Burgundy (pink) were united in opposition to further Arnulfing dominance of the highest offices. Only Austrasia (green) supported an Arnulfing mayor, first Theudoald then Charles. Note that the German duchies to the east of the Rhine were de facto outside of Frankish suzerainty at this time.In December 714, Pepin of Heristal died. Prior to his death, he had, at his wife Plectrude's urging, designated Theudoald, his grandson by their son Grimoald, his heir in the entire realm. This was immediately opposed by the nobles because Theudoald was a child of only eight years of age. To prevent Charles using this unrest to his own advantage, Plectrude had him imprisoned in Cologne, the city which was destined to be her capital. This prevented an uprising on his behalf in Austrasia, but not in Neustria. Civil war of 715-718In 715, the Neustrian

noblesse proclaimed Ragenfrid mayor of their palace on behalf of, and apparently with the support of, Dagobert III, the youngest of which, who in theory had the legal authority to select a mayor, though by this time the Merovingian dynasty had lost most such powers.

The Austrasians were not to be left supporting a woman and her young son for long. Before the end of the year, Charles Martel had escaped from prison and been acclaimed mayor by the nobles of that kingdom. The Neustrians had been attacking Austrasia and the nobles were waiting for a strong man to lead them against their invading countrymen. That year, Dagobert died and the Neustrians proclaimed Chilperic II king without the support of the rest of the Frankish people.

In 717, Chilperic and Ragenfrid together led an army into Austrasia. The Neustrians allied with another invading force under Radbod, King of the Frisians and met Charles in battle near Cologne, which was still held by Plectrude. Charles had little time to gather men, or prepare, and the result was the only defeat of his life. According to Strauss and Gustave, Martel fought a brilliant battle, but realized he could not prevail because he was outnumbered so badly, and retreated. In fact, he fled the field as soon as he realized he did not have the time or the men to prevail, retreating to the mountains of the Eifel to gather men, and train them. The king and his mayor then turned to besiege their other rival in the city and took it and the treasury, and received the recognition of both Chilperic as king and Ragenfrid as mayor. Plectrude surrendered on Theudoald's behalf.

Military genius At this juncture, however, events turned in favor of Charles. Having made the proper preparations, he fell upon the triumphant army near Malmedy as it was returning to its own province, and, in the ensuing Battle of Amblève, routed it. The few troops who were not killed or captured fled. Several things were notable about this battle, in which Charles set the pattern for the remainder of his military career: first, he appeared where his enemies least expected him, while they were marching triumphantly home and far outnumbered him. He also attacked when least expected, at midday, when armies of that era traditionally were resting. Finally, he attacked them how they least expected it, by feigning a retreat to draw his opponents into a trap. The feigned retreat, next to unknown in Western Europe at that time - it was a traditionally eastern tactic — required both extraordinary discipline on the part of the troops and exact timing on the part of their commander. Charles, in this battle, had begun demonstrating the military genius that would mark his rule. The result was an unbroken victory streak that lasted until his death.

In Spring 717, Charles returned to Neustria with an army and confirmed his supremacy with a victory at the Battle of Vincy, near Cambrai. He chased the fleeing king and mayor to Paris, before turning back to deal with Plectrude and Cologne. He took her city and dispersed her adherents. However, he allowed both Plectrude and the young Theudoald to live and treated them with kindness—unusual for those Dark Ages, when mercy to a former jailer, or a potential rival, was rare. On this success, he proclaimed Clotaire IV king of Austrasia in opposition to Chilperic and deposed the archbishop of Rheims, Rigobert, replacing him with Milo, a lifelong supporter.

Consolidation of power After subjugating all Austrasia, he marched against Radbod and pushed him back into his territory, even forcing the concession of West Frisia (later Holland). He also sent the Saxons back over the Weser and thus secured his borders—in the name of the new king Clotaire, of course. In 718, Chilperic responded to Charles' new ascendancy by making an alliance with Odo the Great (or Eudes, as he is sometimes known), the duke of Aquitaine, who had made himself independent during the civil war in 715, but was again defeated, at the Battle of Soissons, by Charles. The king fled with his ducal ally to the land south of the Loire and Ragenfrid fled to Angers. Soon Clotaire IV died and Odo gave up on Chilperic and, in exchange for recognising his dukedom, surrendered the king to Charles, who recognised his kingship over all the Franks in return for legitimate royal affirmation of his mayoralty, likewise over all the kingdoms (718).

The Saracen Army outside Paris, 730-32, in a early nineteenth-century depiction by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld[edit] Foreign wars from 718-732The ensuing years were full of strife. Between 718 and 723, Charles secured his power through a series of victories: he won the loyalty of several important bishops and abbots (by donating lands and money for the foundation of abbeys such as Echternach), he subjugated Bavaria and Alemannia, and he defeated the pagan Saxons.

Having unified the Franks under his banner, Charles was determined to punish the Saxons who had invaded Austrasia. Therefore, late in 718, he laid waste their country to the banks of the Weser, the Lippe, and the Ruhr. He defeated them in the Teutoburg Forest. In 719, Charles seized West Frisia without any great resistance on the part of

the Frisians, who had been subjects of the Franks but had seized control upon the death of Pippin. Although Charles did not trust the pagans, their ruler, Aldegisel, accepted Christianity, and Charles sent Willibrord, bishop of Utrecht, the famous "Apostle to the Frisians" to convert the people. Charles also did much to support Winfrid, later Saint Boniface, the "Apostle of the Germans."

When Chilperic II died the following year (720), Charles appointed as his successor the son of Dagobert III, Theuderic IV, who was still a minor, and who occupied the throne from 720 to 737. Charles was now appointing the kings whom he supposedly served, rois fainéants who were mere puppets in his hands; by the end of his reign they were so useless that he didn't even bother appointing one. At this time, Charles again marched against the Saxons. Then the Neustrians rebelled under Ragenfrid, who had left the county of Anjou. They were easily defeated (724), but Ragenfrid gave up his sons as hostages in turn for keeping his county. This ended the civil wars of Charles' reign.

The next six years were devoted in their entirety to assuring Frankish authority over the dependent Germanic tribes. Between 720 and 723, Charles was fighting in Bavaria, where the Agilolfing dukes had gradually evolved into independent rulers, recently in alliance with Liutprand the Lombard. He forced the Alemanni to accompany him, and Duke Hugbert submitted to Frankish suzerainty. In 725 and 728, he again entered Bavaria and the ties of lordship seemed strong. From his first campaign, he brought back the Agilolfing princess Swanachild, who apparently became his concubine. In 730, he marched against Lantfrid, duke of Alemannia, who had also become independent, and killed him in battle. He forced the Alemanni capitulation to Frankish suzerainty and did not appoint a successor to Lantfrid. Thus, southern Germany once more became part of the Frankish kingdom, as had northern Germany during the first years of the reign.

But by 731, his own realm secure, Charles began to prepare exclusively for the coming storm from the south and west.

In 721, the emir of Córdoba had built up a strong army from Morocco, Yemen, and Syria to conquer Aquitaine, the large duchy in the southwest of Gaul, nominally under Frankish sovereignty, but in practice almost independent in the hands of the Odo the Great, the Duke of Aquitaine, since the Merovingian kings had lost power. The invading Muslims besieged the city of Toulouse, then Aquitaine's most important city, and Odo (also called Eudes, or Eudo) immediately left to find help. He returned three months later just before the city was about to surrender and defeated the Muslim invaders on June 9, 721, at what is now known as the Battle of Toulouse. This critical defeat was essentially the result of a classic enveloping movement by Odo's forces. (After Odo originally fled, the Muslims became overconfident and, instead of maintaining strong outer defenses around their siege camp and continuous scouting, they did neither.) Thus, when Odo returned, he was able to launch a near complete surprise attack on the besieging force, scattering it at the first attack, and slaughtering units caught resting or that fled without weapons or armour.

Due to the situation in Iberia, Martel believed he needed a virtually fulltime army—one he could train intensely—as a core of veteran Franks who would be augmented with the usual conscripts called up in time of war. (During the Early Middle Ages, troops were only available after the crops had been planted and before harvesting time.) To train the kind of infantry that could withstand the Muslim heavy cavalry, Charles needed them year-round, and he needed to pay them so their families could buy the food they would have otherwise grown. To obtain money he seized church lands and property, and used the funds to pay his soldiers. The same Charles who had secured the support of the ecclesia by donating land, seized some of it back between 724 and 732. Of course, Church officials were enraged, and, for a time, it looked as though Charles might even be excommunicated for his actions. But then came a significant invasion.

Eve of Tours Historian Paul K. Davis said in 100 Decisive Battles "Having defeated Eudes, he turned to the Rhine to strengthen his northeastern borders - but in 725 was diverted south with the activity of the Muslims in Acquitane." Martel then concentrated his attention to the Umayyads, virtually for the remainder of his life.[12] Indeed, 12 years later, when he had thrice rescued Gaul from Umayyad invasions, Antonio Santosuosso noted when he destroyed an Umayyad army sent to reinforce the invasion forces of the 735 campaigns, "Charles Martel again came to the rescue."[13] It has been noted that Charles Martel could have pursued the wars against the Saxons—but he was determined to prepare for what he thought was a greater danger.

It is also vital to note that the Muslims were not aware, at that time, of the true strength of the Franks, or the fact that they were building a real army instead of the typical barbarian hordes that had dominated Europe after Rome's fall. The Arab Chronicles, the history of that age, show that Arab awareness of the Franks as a growing military power came only after the Battle of Tours when the Caliph expressed shock at his army's catastrophic defeat.

Battle of ToursMain article: Battle of Tours Lead-up and importanceIt was under one of their ablest and most renowned commanders, with a veteran army, and with every apparent advantage of time, place, and circumstance, that the Arabs made their great effort at the conquest of Europe north of the Pyrenees.[14] —Edward Shepherd Creasy, The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World The Cordoban emirate had previously invaded Gaul and had been stopped in its northward sweep at the Battle of Toulouse, in 721. The hero of that less celebrated event had been Odo the Great, Duke of Aquitaine, who was not the progenitor of a race of kings and patron of chroniclers. It has previously been explained how Odo defeated the invading Muslims, but when they returned, things were far different. The arrival in the interim of a new emir of Cordoba, Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi, who brought with him a huge force of Arabs and Berber horsemen, triggered a far greater invasion. Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi had been at Toulouse, and the Arab Chronicles make clear he had strongly opposed the Emir's decision not to secure outer defenses against a relief force, which allowed Odo and his relief force to attack with impunity before the Islamic cavalry could assemble or mount. Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi had no intention of permitting such a disaster again. This time the Umayyad horsemen were ready for battle, and the results were horrific for the Aquitanians. Odo, hero of Toulouse, was badly defeated in the Muslim invasion of 732 at the battle prior to the Muslim sacking of Bordeaux, and when he gathered a second army, at the Battle of the River Garonne—Western chroniclers state, "God alone knows the number of the slain"— and the city of Bordeaux was sacked and looted. Odo fled to Charles, seeking help. Charles agreed to come to Odo's rescue, provided Odo acknowledged Charles and his house as his overlords, which Odo did formally at once. Charles was pragmatic; while most commanders would never use their enemies in battle, Odo and his remaining Aquitanian nobles formed the right flank of Charles's forces at Tours.

The Battle of Tours earned Charles the cognomen "Martel" ('Hammer') for the merciless way he hammered his enemies. Many historians, including Sir Edward Creasy, believe that had he failed at Tours, Islam would probably have overrun Gaul, and perhaps the remainder of Western Europe. Gibbon made clear his belief that the Umayyad armies would have conquered from Rome to the Rhine, and even England, having the English Channel for protection, with ease, had Martel not prevailed. Creasy said "the great victory won by Charles Martel ... gave a decisive check to the career of Arab conquest in Western Europe, rescued Christendom from Islam, [and] preserved the relics of ancient and the germs of modern civilization." Gibbon's belief that the fate of Christianity hinged on this battle is echoed by other historians including John B. Bury, and was very popular for most of modern historiography. It fell somewhat out of style in the 20th century, when historians such as Bernard Lewis contended that Arabs had little intention of occupying northern France. More recently, however, many historians have tended once again to view the Battle of Tours as a very significant event in the history of Europe and Christianity. Equally, many, such as William Watson, still believe this battle was one of macrohistorical world-changing importance, if they do not go so far as Gibbon does rhetorically.

In the modern era, Matthew Bennett and his co-authors of Fighting Techniques of the Medieval World, published in 2005, argue that "few battles are remembered 1,000 years after they are fought ... but the Battle of Poitiers, (Tours) is an exception ... Charles Martel turned back a Muslim raid that had it been allowed to continue, might have conquered Gaul." Michael Grant, author of History of Rome, grants the Battle of Tours such importance that he lists it in the macrohistorical dates of the Roman era.

It is important to note however that modern Western historians, military historians, and writers, essentially fall into three camps. The first, those who believe Gibbon was right in his assessment that Martel saved

Christianity and Western civilization by this battle are typified by Bennett, Paul Davis, Robert Martin, and educationalist Dexter B. Wakefield who writes in An Islamic Europe:

A Muslim France? Historically, it nearly happened. But as a result of Martel‘s fierce opposition, which ended Muslim advances and set the stage for centuries of war thereafter, Islam moved no farther into Europe. European schoolchildren learn about the Battle of Tours in much the same way that American students learn about Valley

Forge and Gettysburg."[15] The second camp of contemporary historians believe that a failure by Martel at Tours could have been a disaster, destroying what would become Western civilization after the Renaissance. Certainly all historians agree that no power would have remained in Europe able to halt Islamic expansion had the Franks failed. William E. Watson, one of the most respected historians of this era, strongly supports Tours as a macrohistorical event, but distances himself from the rhetoric of Gibbon and Drubeck, writing, for example, of the battle's importance in Frankish and world history in 1993:

There is clearly some justification for ranking Tours-Poitiers among the most significant events in Frankish history when one considers the result of the battle in light of the remarkable record of the successful establishment by Muslims of Islamic political and cultural dominance along the entire eastern and southern rim of the former Christian, Roman world. The rapid Muslim conquest of Palestine, Syria, Egypt and the North African coast all the way to Morocco in the seventh century resulted in the permanent imposition by force of Islamic culture onto a previously Christian and largely non-Arab base. The Visigothic kingdom fell to Muslim conquerors in a single battle on the Rio Barbate in 711, and the Hispanic Christian population took seven long centuries to regain control of the Iberian Peninsula. The Reconquista, of course, was completed in 1492, only months before Columbus received official backing for his fateful voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Had Charles Martel suffered at Tours-Poitiers the fate of King Roderick at the Rio Barbate, it is doubtful that a "do-nothing" sovereign of the Merovingian realm could have later succeeded where his talented major domus had failed. Indeed, as Charles was the progenitor of the Carolingian line of Frankish rulers and grandfather of Charlemagne, one can even say with a degree of certainty that the subsequent history of the West would have proceeded along vastly different currents had ̳Abd ar-Rahman been victorious at Tours-Poitiers in 732.[16] The final camp of Western historians believe that the importance of the battle is dramatically overstated. This view is typified by Alessandro Barbero, who writes, "Today, historians tend to play down the significance of the battle of Poitiers, pointing out that the purpose of the Arab force defeated by Charles Martel was not to conquer the Frankish kingdom, but simply to pillage the wealthy monastery of St-Martin of Tours".[17] Similarly, Tomaž Mastnak writes:

Modern historians have constructed a myth presenting this victory as having saved Christian Europe from the Muslims. Edward Gibbon, for example, called Charles Martel the savior of Christendom and the battle near Poitiers an encounter that changed the history of the world... This myth has survived well into our own times... Contemporaries of the battle, however, did not overstate its significance. The continuators of Fredegar's chronicle, who probably wrote in the mid-eighth century, pictured the battle as just one of many military encounters between Christians and Saracens - moreover, as only one in a series of wars fought by Frankish princes for booty and territory... One of Fredegar's continuators presented the battle of Poitiers as what it really was: an episode in the struggle between Christian princes as the Carolingians strove to bring Aquitaine under their rule.[18] However, it is vital to note, when assessing Charles Martel's life, that even those historians who dispute the significance of this one battle as the event that saved Christianity, do not dispute that Martel himself had a huge effect on Western European history. Modern military historian Victor Davis Hanson acknowledges the debate on this battle, citing historians both for and against its macrohistorical placement:

Recent scholars have suggested Poitiers, so poorly recorded in contemporary sources, was a mere raid and thus a construct of western myth-making or that a Muslim victory might have been preferable to continued Frankish dominance. What is clear is that Poitiers marked a general continuance of the successful defense of Europe, (from the Muslims). Flush from the victory at Tours, Charles Martel went on to clear southern France from Islamic attackers for decades, unify the warring kingdoms into the foundations of the Carolingian Empire, and ensure ready and reliable troops from local estates.[19] [edit] After ToursIn the subsequent decade, Charles led the Frankish army against the eastern duchies, Bavaria and Alemannia, and the southern duchies, Aquitaine and Provence. He dealt with the ongoing conflict with the Frisians and Saxons to his northeast with some success, but full conquest of the Saxons and

their incorporation into the Frankish empire would wait for his grandson Charlemagne, primarily because Martel concentrated the bulk of his efforts against Muslim expansion.

So instead of concentrating on conquest to his east, he continued expanding Frankish authority in the west, and denying the Emirate of Córdoba a foothold in Europe beyond Al-Andalus. After his victory at Tours, Martel continued on in campaigns in 736 and 737 to drive other Muslim armies from bases in Gaul after they again attempted to get a foothold in Europe beyond Al-Andalus.

Wars from 732-737 Between his victory of 732 and 735, Charles reorganized the kingdom of Burgundy, replacing the counts and dukes with his loyal supporters, thus strengthening his hold on power. He was forced, by the ventures of Radbod, duke of the Frisians (719-734), son of the Duke Aldegisel who had accepted the missionaries Willibrord and Boniface, to invade independence-minded Frisia again in 734. In that year, he slew the duke, who had expelled the Christian missionaries, in the battle of the Boarn and so wholly subjugated the populace (he destroyed every pagan shrine) that the people were peaceful for twenty years after.

The dynamic changed in 735 because of the death of Odo the Great, who had been forced to acknowledge, albeit reservedly, the suzerainty of Charles in 719. Though Charles wished to unite the duchy directly to himself and went there to elicit the proper homage of the Aquitainians, the nobility proclaimed Odo's son, Hunald of Aquitaine, whose dukedom Charles recognised when the Umayyads invaded Provence the next year, and who equally was forced to acknowledge Charles as overlord as he had no hope of holding off the Muslims alone.

This naval Arab invasion was headed by Abdul Rahman's son. It landed in Narbonne in 736 and moved at once to reinforce Arles and move inland. Charles temporarily put the conflict with Hunold on hold, and descended on the Provençal strongholds of the Umayyads. In 736, he retook Montfrin and Avignon, and Arles and Aix-en-Provence with the help of Liutprand, King of the Lombards. Nîmes, Agde, and Béziers, held by Islam since 725, fell to him and their fortresses were destroyed. He crushed one Umayyad army at Arles, as that force sallied out of the city, and then took the city itself by a direct and brutal frontal attack, and burned it to the ground to prevent its use again as a stronghold for Umayyad expansion. He then moved swiftly and defeated a mighty host outside of Narbonnea at the River Berre, but failed to take the city. Military historians believe he could have taken it, had he chosen to tie up all his resources to do so—but he believed his life was coming to a close, and he had much work to do to prepare for his sons to take control of the Frankish realm. A direct frontal assault, such as took Arles, using rope ladders and rams, plus a few catapults, simply was not sufficient to take Narbonne without horrific loss of life for the Franks, troops Martel felt he could not lose. Nor could he spare years to starve the city into submission, years he needed to set up the administration of an empire his heirs would reign over. He left Narbonne therefore, isolated and surrounded, and his son would return to liberate it for Christianity.

Notable about these campaigns was Charles' incorporation, for the first time, of heavy cavalry with stirrups to augment his phalanx. His ability to coordinate infantry and cavalry veterans was unequaled in that era and enabled him to face superior numbers of invaders, and to decisively defeat them again and again. Some historians believe the Battle against the main Muslim force at the River Berre, near Narbonne, in particular was as important a victory for Christian Europe as Tours.[20]

Further, unlike his father at Tours, Rahman's son in 736-737 knew that the Franks were a real power, and that Martel personally was a force to be reckoned with. He had no intention of allowing Martel to catch him unawares and dictate the time and place of battle, as his father had, and concentrated instead on seizing a substantial portion of the coastal plains around Narbonne in 736 and heavily reinforced Arles as he advanced inland. They planned from there to move from city to city, fortifying as they went, and if Martel wished to stop them from making a permanent enclave for expansion of the Caliphate, he would have to come to them, in the open, where, he, unlike his father, would dictate the place of battle. All worked as he had planned, until Martel arrived, albeit more swiftly than the Moors believed he could call up his entire army. Unfortunately for Rahman's son, however, he had overestimated the time it would take Martel to develop heavy cavalry equal to that of the Muslims. The Caliphate believed it would take a generation, but Martel managed it in five short years. Prepared to face the Frankish phalanx, the Muslims were totally unprepared to face a mixed force of heavy cavalry and infantry in a phalanx. Thus, Charles again championed Christianity and halted Muslim expansion into Europe, as the window was closing on Islamic ability to do so. These defeats, plus those at the hands of Leo in Anatolia, were the last great

attempt at expansion by the Umayyad Caliphate before the destruction of the dynasty at the Battle of the Zab, and the rending of the Caliphate forever, especially the utter destruction of the Umayyad army at River Berre near Narbonne in 737.

InterregnumIn 737, at the tail end of his campaigning in Provence and Septimania, the king, Theuderic IV, died. Martel, titling himself maior domus and princeps et dux Francorum, did not appoint a new king and nobody acclaimed one. The throne lay vacant until Martel's death. As the historian Charles Oman says (The Dark Ages, pg 297), "he cared not for name or style so long as the real power was in his hands."

Gibbon has said Martel was "content with the titles of Mayor or Duke of the Franks, but he deserved to become the father of a line of kings," which he did. Gibbon also says of him, "in the public danger, he was summoned by the voice of his country."

The interregnum, the final four years of Charles' life, was more peaceful than most of it had been and much of his time was now spent on administrative and organisational plans to create a more efficient state. Though, in 738, he compelled the Saxons of Westphalia to do him homage and pay tribute, and in 739 checked an uprising in Provence, the rebels being under the leadership of Maurontus. Charles set about integrating the outlying realms of his empire into the Frankish church. He erected four dioceses in Bavaria (Salzburg, Regensburg, Freising, and Passau) and gave them Boniface as archbishop and metropolitan over all Germany east of the Rhine, with his seat at Mainz. Boniface had been under his protection from 723 on; indeed the saint himself explained to his old friend, Daniel of Winchester, that without it he could neither administer his church, defend his clergy, nor prevent idolatry. It was Boniface who had defended Charles most stoutly for his deeds in seizing ecclesiastical lands to pay his army in the days leading to Tours, as one doing what he must to defend Christianity. In 739, Pope Gregory III begged Charles for his aid against Liutprand, but Charles was loath to fight his onetime ally and ignored the Papal plea.

Notes for Rotroude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Rotrude of Treves (variously spelled Chrotrude, Chrotrud, Rotrude, Chotrude, Chrotude, Chrotrudis), also known as Rotrou of Treves, was possibly born in Austrasia in an uncertain year; and died 724. There was a tentative suggestion that she might be the daughter of St. Leutwinus, Bishop of Treves, Bishop of Trier. She married Charles Martel, son of Pepin of Heristal.

Children of Rotrude and Charles Hiltrud (d. 754), married Odilo I, Duke of Bavaria Carloman Landrade (Landres), married Sigrand, Count of Hesbania Auda, Aldana, or Alane, married Thierry IV, Count of Autun and Toulouse Pippin the Younger

Children of Charles Martel and Rotroude Austrasia are:

2887035658304 i. Pepin of the Franks, born 714 in Austrasia; died September 28, 768 in St. Denis, France; married

Bertrada of Leon ii. Carloman of the Palace of the Franks, married Gertrude of Bavaria

Child of Charles Martel and Rotrude Austrasia is:

721758685029 i. Aude de Martel, born Abt. 730; married (1) Thierry d'Autun of Italy and Metz; married (2) Makir

Theuderic of Toulouse

5774071316610. Heribert Caribert de Laon He was the son of 11548142633221. Bertrada of Prüm. He married 5774071316611. Bertrada Blance Fleur de Laon.

5774071316611. Bertrada Blance Fleur de Laon

Notes for Heribert Caribert de Laon: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Caribert (also spelled Charibert and Heribert), Count of Laon, was the maternal grandfather of Charlemagne. He was the father of Charles's mother, Bertrada of Laon. Only his mother is known from contemporary records. In 721, Caribert signed, with his mother Bertrada of Prüm (also known as Bertha or Beltrada of the Merovingians), the foundation act of the Abbey of Prüm. The same year, also with his mother, he made a donation to the Abbey of Echternach. By 744, his daughter Bertrada of Laon (by Bertrada of Cologne) had married Pepin the Short, mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy and later king of the Franks. He died before 762, as stated in an act of his daughter and son-in-law.

Child of Heribert de Laon and Bertrada de Laon is:

2887035658305 i. Bertrada of Leon, born 719 in Laon, Austrasia; died 783 in Choisy,Bourgogne; married Pepin of

the Franks

5774071316614. Hnabi He was the son of 11548142633228. Huoching.

Notes for Hnabi: Hnabi or Nebi (c. 710 – c. 788) was an Alemannic duke in the eighth century. He was a son of Huoching and perhaps a grandson of the duke Gotfrid, which would make him a scion of the Agilolfing dynasty of Bavaria. He was the founder of the "old" line of the Ahalolfings. Around 724 he was one of the joint founders of the monastery of Reichenau.

By his wife Hereswind Hnabi left at least two children, Ruadbert (Rodbert, Robert), who was count in the Hegau, and Imma or Emma (died c. 785), who married Gerold of Vintzgau and was the mother of Eric of Friuli and Hildegard, wife of Charlemagne. Rodbert son of Hnabi is mentioned in a St. Gall document dated 770. Imma is mentioned in documents of Lorsch, Fulda and St. Gall between 779 and 804.

The genealogy of Hildegard is recorded in the ninth-century Vita Hiudowici by Thegan of Trier: "the duke Gotfrid begat Huoching, Huoching begat Hnabi, Hnabi begat Emma, Emma herself the most blessed queen Hildegard" (Gotfridus dux genuit Huochingum, Huochingus genuit Nebi, Nebi genuit Immam, Imma vero Hiltigardem beatissimam reginam). Scholars have cast doubt on Huoching being the son of Gotfrid, comparing the father-and-son pair of Huoching and Hnabi to that of Hoc and Hnaef in Anglo-Saxon tradition.[1]

Child of Hnabi is:

2887035658307 i. Emma, married Gerold of Vinzgau

5774071316616. Hanini bar Adoi David He was the son of 11548142633232. Bustanai ben Hanini David and 11548142633233. Izdundad Sasanid of Persia. He married 5774071316617. Rolande de Laon.

5774071316617. Rolande de Laon She was the daughter of 11548142633234. Norbert de Aguitaine and 11548142633235. Bertrada of Francia of Austrasia.

Child of Hanini David and Rolande de Laon is:

2887035658308 i. Makir Theuderic of Toulouse, born 720; died 782; married Aude de Martel

5774071325696. Eochaid III, born 690; died 733. He was the son of 11548142651392. Eochaid of Dalraida II.

Notes for Eochaid III: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Eochaid mac Eochaid was king of Dál Riata (modern western Scotland) from 726 until 733. He was a son of Eochaid mac Domangairt.

Eochaid came to power as king of Dál Riata in 726, presumably deposing Dúngal mac Selbaig. Selbach may have tried to restore his son to power, and fought against Eochaid's supporters at Irros Foichnae in 727, but without apparent success. The annals vary as to whether the despatch of a fleet from Dál Riata to Ireland to aid Flaithbertach mac Loingsig in his war with Áed Allán should be placed in the reign of Eochaid, or that of his successor.

At his death in 733, Eochaid is named king rather than lord of Dál Riata, which may suggest that after the defeat of Dúngal and Selbach his reign was unchallenged. His son, Áed Find, was later king of Dál Riata.

As Dál Riata certainly maintained a separate existence until 736, Eochaid must have had a successor, or successors. It appears that he was succeeded by Muiredach mac Ainbcellaig, who had replaced Dúngal mac Selbaig as king of the Cenél Loairn.

Child of Eochaid III is:

2887035662848 i. ed I Find mach Echach, born 714; died 778.

Generation No. 44

11548138960448. Childebrand of Austrasia, born 684. He was the son of 2887034740116. Pepin de Heristal and 2887034740117. Alphaida of Heristal.

Child of Childebrand of Austrasia is:

5774069480224 i. Nivelon of Burgundy

11548138960464. Arnulf 'Arnoul' de Heristal, born August 15, 582 in Heristal, Austrasia; died 640 in Ramiremont Monastery, France. He was the son of 23096277920928. Bodegeisel of Aquitaine and 23096277920929. Oda. He married 11548138960465. Oda de Savou.

11548138960465. Oda de Savou, born Abt. 586 in Old Saxony; died Aft. 615 in Treves, Germny.

Notes for Arnulf 'Arnoul' de Heristal: Saint Arnulf of Metz (c. 582, Lay-Saint-Christophe, Meurthe-et-Moselle — 640) was a Frankish bishop of Metz and advisor to the Merovingian court of Austrasia, who retired to the Abbey of Remiremont.

Arnulf was born to an important Frankish family at an uncertain date around 582. His father was Baudgise or Baudegisel II of Aquitaine or Carthage (d. 588), Palace Mayor and Duke of Sueve. His mother was Oda. In his younger years he was called to the Merovingian court of king Theudebert II (595-612) of Austrasia and sent to serve as dux at the Schelde. Later he became bishop of Metz. During his career he was attracted to religious life, and he retired to become a monk. After his death he was canonized as a saint. In French he is also known as Arnoul or Arnoulf. In English he is also known as Arnold.

Arnulf gave distinguished service at the Austrasian court under Theudebert II After the death of Theudebert in 612 he was made bishop of Metz. The rule of Austrasia came into the hands of Brunhilda, the grandmother of Theudebert, who ruled also in Burgundy in the name of her great-grandchildren. In 613 Arnulf joined his politics with Pippin of Landen and led the opposition of Frankish nobles against Queen Brunhilda. The revolt led to her overthrow, torture, and eventual execution, and the subsequent reunification of Frankish lands under Chlothachar II.

Chlothachar later made his son Dagobert I king of Austrasia and he ruled with the help of his advisor Arnulf. Not satisfied with his position, as a bishop he was involved in the murder of Chrodoald in 624, an important leader of the Frankish Agilolfings family and a protégé of Dagobert.

From 623 (with Pippin of Landen, then the Mayor of the Palace), Arnulf was an adviser to Dagobert I. He retired around 628 to a hermitage at a mountain site in the Vosges, to realize his lifelong resolution to become a monk and a hermit. His friend Romaric, whose parents were killed by Brunhilda, had preceded him to the mountains and together with Amatus had already established Remiremont Abbey there. Arnulf settled there, and remained there until his death twelve years later.

Arnulf was married ca 596 to a woman whom later sources give the name of Dode or Doda, (born ca 584), and had children. Chlodulf of Metz was his oldest son, but more important is his second son Ansegisel, who married Begga daughter of Pepin I, Pippin of Landen. Arnulf is thus the male-line grandfather of Charles Martel and great-great grandfather of Charlemagne.

Arnulf was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. In iconography he is portrayed with a rake in his hand.

Shortly after 800, most likely in Metz, a brief genealogy of the Carolingians was compiled, modelled in style after the genealogy of Jesus in the New Testament. According to this source, Arnulf's father was a certain Arnoald, who in turn was the son of a nobilissimus Ansbertus and Blithilt (or Blithilde), an alleged and otherwise unattested daughter of Chlothar I. This late attribution of royal Merovingian descent at a time when the Carolingian dynasty was at the peak of its power contrasts clearly with the contemporary Vita Sancti Arnulfi's failure to mention any such a connection: The Vita, written shortly after the saint's death, merely states that he was of Frankish ancestry, from "sufficiently elevated and noble parentage, and very rich in worldly goods",[1] without making any claims to royal blood. While modern historians generally dismiss the later Carolingian genealogy as spurious,[2] it constitutes an important link in Christian Settipani's suggested line of unbroken descent from antiquity via Flavius Afranius Syagrius.

There are three legends associated with Arnulf:

The Legend of the Ring Arnulf was tormented by the violence that surrounded him and feared that he had played a role in the wars and murders that plagued the ruling families. Obsessed by these sins, Arnulf went to a bridge over the Moselle river. There he took off his bishop‘s ring and threw it into the river, praying to God to give him a sign of absolution by returning the ring to him. Many penitent years later, a fisherman brought to the bishop‘s kitchen a fish in the stomach of which was found the bishop‘s ring. Arnulf repaid the sign of God by immediately retiring as bishop and becoming a hermit for the remainder of his life.

The Legend of the Fire At the moment Arnulf resigned as bishop, a fire broke out in the cellars of the royal palace and threatened to spread throughout the city of Metz. Arnulf, full of courage and feeling unity with the townspeople, stood before the fire and said, ―If God wants me to be consumed, I am in His hands.‖ He then made the sign of the cross at which point the fire immediately receded.

The Legend of the Beer Mug It was July 642 and very hot when the parishioners of Metz went to Remiremont to recover the remains of their former bishop. They had little to drink and the terrain was inhospitable. At the point when the exhausted procession was about to leave Champigneulles, one of the parishioners, Duc Notto, prayed ―By his powerful intercession the Blessed Arnold will bring us what we lack.‖ Immediately the small remnant of beer at the bottom of a pot multiplied in such amounts that the pilgrims thirst was quenched and they had enough to enjoy the next evening when they arrived in Metz.

Sources 1.^ Vita Arnulfi c. 1, MG. SS. rer. Merov. 2, p. 432. 2.^ Cf. R. Schieffer, Die Karolinger, Verlag W. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart / Berlin / Köln, 2nd ed., 1997. Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints, edited, revised and supplemented by Thurston and Attwater. Christian Classics, Westminster, Maryland. Christian Settipani - La Préhistoire des Capétiens, Première Partie. Saint ARNOUL - ancêtre de Charlemagne et des Européens, edited by Imp. Louis Hellenbrand. Le Comité d'Historicité Européene de la Lorraine, Metz, France, 1989.

Child of Arnulf de Heristal and Oda de Savou is:

5774069480232 i. Ansegise of the Palace of Austrasia, born Bet. 602 - 607 in Austrasia; died 685 in Andene

Monastery, France; married St. Begga

11548138960466. Pepin of Landen, born 580; died 640. He was the son of 23096277920932. Carloman and 23096277920933. Gertrude of Bavaria. He married 11548138960467. Itte of Laden.

11548138960467. Itte of Laden, born 592 in Landen, Austrasia, France; died 652 in Abbey, Nivelles,

Brabane, Belgium. She was the daughter of 23096277920934. Arnoaldus Arnulf and 23096277920935. Oda von Swabia.

Notes for Pepin of Landen: Pepin (also Peppin, Pipin, or Pippin) of Landen (c. 580 – 27 February 640), also called the Elder or the Old, was the Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia under the Merovingian king Dagobert I from 623 to 629. He was also the mayor for Sigebert III from 639 until his own death.

Pepin's father is named Carloman by the Chronicle of Fredegar, the chief source for his life. His byname comes from his probable birthplace: Landen, modern Belgium. He is sometimes called Pepin I and his other nicknames (Elder and Old) come from his position at the head of the family called the Pippinids after him. Through the marriage of his daughter Begga to Ansegisel, a son of Arnulf of Metz, the clans of the Pippinids and the Arnulfings were united, giving rise to a family which would eventually rule the Franks as the Carolingians.

In 613, several leading magnates of Austrasia and Burgundy abandoned Brunhilda, the great-grandmother and regent of their king, Sigebert II, and turned to Chlothar II of Neustria for support, promising not to rise in defense of the queen-regent and recognizing Chlothar as rightful regent and guardian of the young king. Chief among these leading men were Warnachar II, Rado, Arnulf, and Pepin. The latter two were described by Fredegar as the "two most powerful barons of Austrasia" and they made some agreement with Chlothar at Andernach. However, while Rado was confirmed as mayor in Austrasia and Warnachar in Burgundy, Pepin did not receive his reward until 623, when he was appointed mayor in Austrasia after Chlothar made his young son Dagobert king there. Arnulf, his lifelong friend, was appointed adviser to the new king alongside him.

Pepin was praised by his contemporaries for his good government and wise counsel. Though some enemies tried to turn the king against him, their plots were foiled and Pepin remained on good terms with the king until 629, when, for reasons unknown, he retired (or was retired) to his estates, where he remained for the next decade, until Dagobert's death.

On his death, Pepin came out of retirement to take on the mayoralty in Austrasia for the heir Sigebert III and to oversee the distribution of the treasury between Sigebert and his brother, Clovis II, and his stepmother Nanthild, who was ruling on Clovis' behalf in Neustria and Burgundy. Sigebert's share of the inheritance was amicably surrendered, partly because of the friendship between Pepin and the Burgundian mayor of the palace, Aega. Pepin and Arnulf's successor as chief counselor to the king, Cunibert, Bishop of Cologne, received the treasure at Compiègne and brought it back to Metz. Not long after, both Pepin and Aega died. He was so popular in Austrasia that, though he was never canonized, he was listed as a saint in some martyrologies. His feast day was 21 February.

He left two daughters and two sons by his equally famous wife, Itta:

Begga, married the aforementioned Ansegisel and later canonized Gertrude, entered the convent of Nivelles founded by her mother, also later canonized Grimoald, later mayor of the palace like his father Bavo (or Allowin), became a hermit and later canonized [edit] SourcesOman, Charles. The Dark Ages 476–918. London: Rivingtons, 1914. Wallace-Hadrill, J. M., translator. The Fourth Book of the Chronicle of Fredegar with its Continuations. Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1960.

Child of Pepin Landen and Itte Laden is:

5774069480233 i. St. Begga, born 615 in Landen, Liege, Belgium; died 693; married Ansegise of the Palace of

Austrasia

11548138960470. Bodilon de Poiters, born 600. He was the son of 23096277920940. Gondoald de Poiters de Meaux. He married 11548138960471. Sigrada de Dijon of the Moselle.

11548138960471. Sigrada de Dijon of the Moselle, born 618; died 643. She was the daughter of 23096277920942. Ansoud of Alsace and 23096277920943. Daughter of Leutharius de Narbonne.

Children of Bodilon de Poiters and Sigrada Moselle are:

5774069480235 i. Adele de Poiters, born 638; married Alberic zu Bavaria

ii. Warnius Guerin de Poiters, married Kunza de Metz

11548142633218. Leutwinus de Treves He was the son of 23096285266436. Warnius Guerin de Poiters and 23096285266437. Kunza de Metz. He married 11548142633219. Princess of Chrodobertus II of Palatine.

11548142633219. Princess of Chrodobertus II of Palatine

Child of Leutwinus de Treves and Princess Palatine is:

5774071316609 i. Rotroude de Treves Alemania of Austrasia, married Charles Martel

11548142633221. Bertrada of Prüm

Child of Bertrada of Prüm is:

5774071316610 i. Heribert Caribert de Laon, married Bertrada Blance Fleur de Laon

11548142633228. Huoching He was the son of 23096285266456. Gotfrid.

Notes for Huoching: Huoching of Alamannia (ca. 675-744) was an Alamannic nobleman. According to the 9th century Vita Hiudowici by Thegan, he was the son of Gotfrid Agilolfing (ca. 650-709). Huoching's son Hnabi (Nebi) was the founder of the Ahalolfings dynasty which rose to prominence in Alamannia in the Carolingian period. The Agilofing descent has been doubted in scholarship. Wenskus ([year needed]:497-500) has suggested a connection of Huoching and Hnabi to the historical Nibelungs. Jänichen (1976) compares the father-and-son pair Hoc and Hnaef in Old English heroic poetry (Beowulf, Finnsburgh fragment, Widsith) suggesting that Huoching and Hnabi are the historical template for these names in later heroic poetry. In this, Jänichen is following a suggestion made as early as 1849 by John Mitchell Kemble in History of the Saxons in England (p. 419).

Child of Huoching is:

5774071316614 i. Hnabi

11548142633232. Bustanai ben Hanini David, died 670. He was the son of 23096285266464. Haninai of Parsua. He married 11548142633233. Izdundad Sasanid of Persia.

11548142633233. Izdundad Sasanid of Persia She was the daughter of 23096285266466. Yazdagird III of Persia and 23096285266467. Princess of Byzantium Manyanh.

Notes for Bustanai ben Hanini David: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Bostanai (Hebrew: ???????) was the first exilarch under Arabian rule; he flourished about the middle of the seventh century. The name is Aramaized from the Persian "bustan" or "bostan" (as proper name see Ferdinand Justi, Iranisches Namenbuch, p. 74). Almost the only exilarch of whom anything more than the name is known, he is frequently made the subject of legends.

Bostanai was the son of the exilarch Hananiah. Hai Gaon, in "Sha'are ?ede?," p. 3a, seems to identify Bostanai with Haninai, and tells that he was given for wife a daughter of the Persian king Chosroes II (died 628), by the calif Omar (died 644). (See Rapoport, in "Bikkure ha-'Ittim," x.83; B. Goldberg, in "Ha-Maggid," xiii.363). Abraham ibn Daud, however, in his "Sefer ha-?abbalah" (Adolphe Neubauer's Medieval Jewish Chronicles, i.64), says that it was the last Sassanid king, Yezdegerd (born 624; died 651-652; see Nöldeke, "Tabari," pp. 397 et seq.), who gave his daughter to Bostanai. But in that case it could have been only Calif Ali (656-661), and not Omar, who thus honored the exilarch (see "Ma'aseh Bet David"). It is known also that Ali gave a friendly reception to the contemporary Gaon Isaac (Sherira II's "Letter," ed. Neubauer, ib. p. 35; Abraham ibn Daud, ib. p. 62); and it is highly probable, therefore, that he

honored the exilarch in certain ways as the official representative of the Jews. The office of the exilarch, with its duties and privileges, as it existed for some centuries under the Arabian rule, may be considered to begin with Bostanai.

The relation of Bostanai to the Persian princess (called "Dara" in "Ma'aseh Bet David," or "Azdad-war" (Nöldeke, "Isdundad"), according to a genizah fragment, had an unpleasant sequel. The exilarch lived with her without having married her, and according to the rabbinical law she should previously have received her "letter of freedom," for, being a prisoner of war, she had become an Arabian slave, and as such had been presented to Bostanai.

After the death of Bostanai his sons insisted that the princess, as well as her son, was still a slave, and, as such, was their property. The judges were divided in opinion, but finally decided that the legitimate sons of the exilarch should grant letters of manumission to the princess and her son in order to testify to their emancipation. This decision was based on the ground that Bostanai had probably lived in legitimate marriage with this woman, and, although there were no proofs, had presumably first emancipated and then married her.

Nevertheless, the descendants of the princess were not recognized as legitimate 300 years afterward (Hai Gaon, l.c.). The statement in the genizah specimen (see bibliography below) is doubtless dictated by enmity to the exilarch; Abraham ibn Daud's statement (l.c.) is contrariwise prejudiced in favor of the exilarch; but compare genizah fragment published by Schechter In Jew. Quart. Rev. xiv.242-246.

The name "Bostanai" gave rise to the following legend: The last Persian king (Hormuzd), inimical to the Jews, decided to extinguish the royal house of David, no one being left of that house but a young woman whose husband had been killed shortly after his marriage, and who was about to give birth to a child. Then the king dreamed that he was in a beautiful garden ("bostan"), where he uprooted the trees and broke the branches, and, as he was lifting up his ax against a little root, an old man snatched the ax away from him and gave him a blow that almost killed him, saying: "Are you not satisfied with having destroyed the beautiful trees of my garden, that you now try to destroy also the last root? Truly, you deserve that your memory perish from the earth." The king thereupon promised to guard the last plant of the garden carefully. No one but an old Jewish sage was able to interpret the dream, and he said: "The garden represents the Davidic line, all of whose descendants you have destroyed except a woman with her unborn boy. The old man whom you saw was David, to whom you promised that you would take care that his house should be renewed by this boy." The Jewish sage, who was the father of the young woman, brought her to the king, and she was assigned to rooms fitted up with princely splendor, where she gave birth to a boy, who received the name "Bostanai," from the garden ("bostan") which the king had seen in his dream.

The veracity of this account was disputed by Rabbi Sherira Gaon who claimed his own lineage traces to a pre-Bostanaian branch of the Davidic line.[1]

The figure of the wasp in the escutcheon of the exilarch was made the subject of another legend. The king had taken delight in the clever boy, and, spending one day with him, saw, as he stood before him, a wasp sting him on the temple. The blood trickled down the boy's face, yet he made no motion to chase the insect away. The king, upon expressing astonishment at this, was told by the youth that in the house of David, of which he had come, they were taught, since they themselves had lost their throne, neither to laugh nor to lift up the hand before a king, but to stand in motionless respect (Sanh. 93b). The king, moved thereby, showered favors upon him, made him an exilarch, and gave him the power to appoint judges of the Jews and the heads of the three academies, Nehardea, Sura, and Pumbedita. In memory of this Bostanai introduced a wasp into the escutcheon of the exilarchate.

The genizah fragment says that the incident with the wasp occurred in the presence of the calif Omar, before whom Bostanai as a youth of sixteen had brought a dispute with a sheikh, who filled his office during the exilarch's minority, and then refused to give it up. Bostanai was exilarch when Persia fell into the hands of the Arabians, and when Ali came to Babylon, Bostanai went to meet him with a splendid retinue, whereby the calif was so greatly pleased that he asked for Bostanai's blessing. The calif, on

learning that Bostanai was not married, gave him Dara, the daughter of the Persian king, as wife; and the exilarch was permitted to make her a Jewess and to marry her legitimately. She bore him many children, but their legitimacy was assailed after their father's death by the exilarch's other sons ("Ma'aseh Bostanai," several times printed under different titles; see Benjacob, s.v.). This legend was made known only in the sixteenth century (compare Isaac Akrish), but the Seder 'Olam Zu??a, composed in the beginning of the ninth century, drew upon the legends of the garden and the wasp (see Mar Zutra II).

The name "Dara" for the Persian princess in Christian sources occurs also as that of Chosroes' daughter (Richter, "Arsaciden," p. 554, Leipzig, 1804). The legend glorifying Bostanai probably originated in Babylon, while the

genizah fragment, branding all the descendants of Bostanai as illegitimate, being descendants of a slave and unworthy to fill high office, comes from Palestine. This latter view is of course erroneous, as may be gathered from Hai's remark, above mentioned, for the post-Bostanaite house of exilarchs was not descended from the princess. It is true, however, that the Bostanaites were hated by the scholars and the pious men, probably in part because Anan, founder of the Karaite etc., was a descendant of Bostanai (see Sherira's "Letter," ed. Neubauer, i.33). Benjamin of Tudela says that he was shown the grave of Bostanai near Pumbedita.

Notes 1.^ "SHERIRA B. ?ANINA". Jewish Encyclopedia. 1901–1906. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=617&letter=S&search=Sherira%20gaon. "Sherira boasted that his genealogy could be traced back to the pre-Bostanaian branch of that family, which, he claimed, on account of the deterioration of the exilarchate had renounced its claims thereto, preferring instead the scholar's life".

Sources This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain. This article is an evolution of the corresponding article in the public-domain Jewish Encyclopedia, which gives the following bibliography:

Nehemiah Brüll's Jahrb. ii.102-112; Heinrich Grätz, Gesch. der Juden, 3d ed., pp. 113, 114, 347, 379-384; Isaac Halevy, Dorot ha-Rishonim, pp. 314, 315; Isaak Markus Jost, Geschichte der Israeliten, v.228, 316-319; Felix Lazarus, "Die Häupter der Vertriebenen," in Brüll's Jahrb. x.24-25, 174; Margoliouth, in Jew. Quart. Rev. xiv.303-307, giving a genizah fragment concerning Bostanai; Lehmann, Bostenai (fiction), in his Aus Vergangenheit und Gegenwart, ii.1; translated into Hebrew under the same title by S. J. F. (Fuenn, Vilna, 1881); Fürst, in Orient. Lit. xii.51; Steinschneider, Cat. Bodl. col. 610, 1085, 1086.

Child of Bustanai David and Izdundad Persia is:

5774071316616 i. Hanini bar Adoi David, married Rolande de Laon

11548142633234. Norbert de Aguitaine He married 11548142633235. Bertrada of Francia of Austrasia. 11548142633235. Bertrada of Francia of Austrasia She was the daughter of

23096285266470. Theodoric Merovic of the Franks and 23096285266471. Dode de Heristal.

Child of Norbert de Aguitaine and Bertrada Austrasia is:

5774071316617 i. Rolande de Laon, married Hanini bar Adoi David

11548142651392. Eochaid of Dalraida II, born 660; died 697. He was the son of 23096285302784. Domongart De Dalraida II and 23096285302785. Spondana ingen Enfidaig.

Notes for Eochaid of Dalraida II: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

•ID: I44062

•Name: Eochaid De Dalraida II.

•Nickname: Crook-Nose 1 2

•Sex: M

•Change Date: 5 MAR 2009

•Birth: 660 1 2

•Event: Title FROM 695 TO 697 King of Dál Riata 2

•Death: 697 of Killed in battle 2 1 3

Eochaid mac Domangairt (died ca. 697) was a king of Dál Riata (modern western Scotland) in about 697. He was a member of the Cenél nGabráin, the son of Domangart mac Domnaill and father of Eochaid mac Echdach; Alpín mac Echdach may also be a son of this Eochaid.

He is named in Dál Riata king-lists, the Duan Albanach and the Synchronisms of Flann Mainistrech. In some sources he is called Eochaid Crook-Nose (Riannamail), but modern readings take this is a being a garbled reference to Fiannamail ua Dúnchado rather than an epithet.

The killing of Eochu nepos Domnaill, Eochaid grandson of Domnall Brecc, is reported in the Annals of Ulster for 697.

References Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500–1286, volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. ISBN 1-871615-03-8 Broun, Dauvit, The Irish Identity of the Kingdom of the Scots in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries. Boydell, Woodbridge, 1999. ISBN 0-85115-375-5

Child of Eochaid of Dalraida II is:

5774071325696 i. Eochaid III, born 690; died 733.

Generation No. 45

23096277920928. Bodegeisel of Aquitaine, died 588. He was the son of 46192555841856. Gondolfus. He married 23096277920929. Oda.

23096277920929. Oda

Child of Bodegeisel Aquitaine and Oda is:

11548138960464 i. Arnulf 'Arnoul' de Heristal, born August 15, 582 in Heristal, Austrasia; died 640 in Ramiremont

Monastery, France; married Oda de Savou

23096277920932. Carloman He married 23096277920933. Gertrude of Bavaria. 23096277920933. Gertrude of Bavaria She was the daughter of 46192555841866. Garibald of Bavaria.

Child of Carloman and Gertrude Bavaria is:

11548138960466 i. Pepin of Landen, born 580; died 640; married Itte of Laden

23096277920934. Arnoaldus Arnulf, born Bet. 535 - 540. He was the son of 46192555841868. Ansbertus de Moselle and 46192555841869. Blithilde of Cologne. He married 23096277920935. Oda von Swabia.

23096277920935. Oda von Swabia She was the daughter of 46192555841868. Ansbertus de Moselle and 46192555841871. Bertha of Kent.

Child of Arnoaldus Arnulf and Oda von Swabia is:

11548138960467 i. Itte of Laden, born 592 in Landen, Austrasia, France; died 652 in Abbey, Nivelles, Brabane,

Belgium; married Pepin of Landen

23096277920940. Gondoald de Poiters de Meaux, born 560. He was the son of 46192555841880. Theodo.

Child of Gondoald de Poiters de Meaux is:

11548138960470 i. Bodilon de Poiters, born 600; married Sigrada de Dijon of the Moselle

23096277920942. Ansoud of Alsace, born 605. He married 23096277920943. Daughter of Leutharius de Narbonne.

23096277920943. Daughter of Leutharius de Narbonne, born Abt. 605. She was the daughter of 46192555841886. Ega Leutharius de Narbonne of the Moselles and 46192555841887. Gerberga de

Franconia.

Child of Ansoud Alsace and Daughter de Narbonne is:

11548138960471 i. Sigrada de Dijon of the Moselle, born 618; died 643; married Bodilon de Poiters

23096285266436. Warnius Guerin de Poiters He was the son of 11548138960470. Bodilon de Poiters and 11548138960471. Sigrada de Dijon of the Moselle. He married 23096285266437. Kunza de Metz.

23096285266437. Kunza de Metz

Child of Warnius de Poiters and Kunza de Metz is:

11548142633218 i. Leutwinus de Treves, married Princess of Chrodobertus II of Palatine

23096285266456. Gotfrid

Notes for Gotfrid: Gotfrid, Gotefrid, or Gottfried (Latin: Gotfridus or Cotefredus; died 709) was the Duke of Alemannia in the late seventh century and until his death. He was of the house of the Agilolfing, which was the dominant ruling family in Bavaria.

In a document dated to the year 700 in Cannstatt, Gotfrid at the request of a priest named Magulfus donated the castle of Biberburg to the monastery of Saint Gall.

Gotfrid fought a war over his de facto independence with the mayor of the palace Pepin of Heristal. The war was unfinished when Gotfrid died in 709. His sons, Lantfrid and Theudebald, had the support of Pepin and succeeded him.

Gotfrid married a daughter of Theodo of Bavaria and his third son, Odilo, later ruled in Bavaria. From his son Huoching (Huocin, Houchi, or Hug) came the later stock of the Ahalolfings. His daughter Regarde married Hildeprand of Spoleto, and he left a youngest son named Liutfrid.

Child of Gotfrid is:

11548142633228 i. Huoching

23096285266464. Haninai of Parsua, died 589. He was the son of 46192570532928. Kafnai of Parsua.

Child of Haninai of Parsua is:

11548142633232 i. Bustanai ben Hanini David, died 670; married Izdundad Sasanid of Persia

23096285266466. Yazdagird III of Persia, born 600; died 651. He was the son of 46192570532932. Prince of Sasanian Persia Shahrihar. He married 23096285266467. Princess of Byzantium Manyanh.

23096285266467. Princess of Byzantium Manyanh She was the daughter of 46192570532934. ConstantineIII, Empeor of Byzantium and 46192570532935. Princess of Sassinian Persia Gregoria.

Notes for Yazdagird III of Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Yazdegerd III or Yazdgerd III (also spelled Yazdiger or Yazdigerd, Persian: "made by God") was the twenty-ninth and last king of the Sassanid dynasty of Iran and a grandson of Khosrau II (590–628). His father was Shahryar, whose mother was Miriam, the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Maurice.[1] Yazdegerd III ascended the throne on 16 June 632 after a series of internal conflicts.

Yazdegerd was born in central Iran, reigned as a youth and had never truly exercised authority. The Muslim conquest of Persia began in his first year of reign, and ended with the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah. Yazdegerd sought an alliance with Emperor Heraclius, who was an old rival of the Persian Empire.

Following the battle of al-Qadisiyyah, the Arabs occupied Ctesiphon, and the young king fled eastward into Media

going from one district to another, until at last he was killed by a local miller for his purse at Merv in 651.[2]

The legend is that he was killed by a miller who robbed him of his clothes and jewellery, but there is a strong suspicion that the governor of Merv, was the real culprit.[3]

Ferdowsi a contemporary of Mahmud of Ghazni recounts the killing of Yazdegerd by the miller at the behest of Mahuy Suri

― Mahui sends the miller to cut off his head on pain of losing his own, and having none of his race left alive. His chiefs hear this and cry out against him, and a Mobed of the name of Radui tells him that to kill a king or prophet will bring evil upon him and his son, and is supported in what he says by a holy man of the name of Hormuzd Kharad Shehran, and Mehronush. The miller most unwillingly goes in and stabs him with a dagger in the middle. Mahui's horsmen all go and see him and take off his clothing and ornaments, leaving him on the ground . All the nobles curse Mahui and wish him the same fate.[4]

The Zoroastrian religious calendar, which is still in use today, uses the regnal year of Yazdegerd III as its base year. Its calendar era (year numbering system), which is accompanied by a Y.Z. suffix, thus indicates the number of years since the emperor's coronation in 632 AD.

Yazdegerd's son Peroz II fled to China. His daughter Shahrbanu is believed to be the wife of Husayn ibn Ali; his other daughter Izdundad was married to Bustanai ben Haninai, the Jewish exilarch. The Bahá'í religious leader Bahá'u'lláh's ancestry can be traced back to Yazdegerd III.[5][6]

Notes 1.^ Encyclopædia Britannica 15th ed. 2.^ Iran - Encyclopædia Britannica Online 3.^ Katouzian, Homa, Iranian history and politics: The dialectic of state and society, p. 33. 4.^ The Shah-Namah of Fardusi, trans. Alexander Rogers (LPP Publication), p. 547. 5.^ Smith, Peter (2000). "Zoroastrianism". A concise encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 369. ISBN 1-85168-184-1. 6.^ Balyuzi, H.M. (1985). Eminent Bahá'ís in the time of Bahá'u'lláh. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. pp. 309–312. ISBN 0-85398-152-3. http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/index/diglib/abulfadl.htm.

Child of Yazdagird Persia and Princess Manyanh is:

11548142633233 i. Izdundad Sasanid of Persia, married Bustanai ben Hanini David

23096285266470. Theodoric Merovic of the Franks, born 628; died 705. He was the son of 46192570532940. Clovis of Nuestria and Burgundy and 46192570532941. Bathild. He married 23096285266471. Dode de Heristal.

23096285266471. Dode de Heristal, born 630; died 714. She was the daughter of 46192570532942. Ansegisel and 46192570532943. Begga.

Child of Theodoric Franks and Dode de Heristal is:

11548142633235 i. Bertrada of Francia of Austrasia, married Norbert de Aguitaine

23096285302784. Domongart De Dalraida II, born 630; died 673. He was the son of 46192570605568. Domnall Brecc De Dalraida. He married 23096285302785. Spondana ingen Enfidaig 675.

23096285302785. Spondana ingen Enfidaig

Notes for Domongart De Dalraida II: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

•ID: I44063

•Name: Domongart De Dalraida II.

•_AKAN: MacDomnaill 1

•Sex: M

•Change Date: 5 MAR 2009

•Birth: 630 2 1

•Event: Title King of Scots 1

•Death: 673 2 1

/Domangart Reti of Dalriada I. b: abt 0465 d: abt 0507

/Gabran (Gabhran) MacDomangart of Argyll b: 500 d: BET 558 AND 560 | | /Cairbre Lifiochair (Lifechar) MacCormaic d: 0284 =>

| | /Fiachaidh Sraibhthine (Scrabhtaine) of Ireland V. d: 322

| | | \Aine ingen Finn Uí Éremóin | | /Muireadeach Tirech MacFiachach II. d: 356 | | | \Aife (Aoife) of Gall Gaedal | | /Eochaid (Eochu) Mugmedon of Ireland d: 365 | | | \Muirion b: abt 0336 | | /Brion (Brian) MacEchach of Ireland | | | \Mong Finn (Fionn) ingen Fiodhaig d: 365 | \Feldelm Foltchain b: abt 475 | \Rossa of Laigin /Aidan MacGabran of Argyll b: CA 533 d: 17 APR 0609 | \Fedelm ingen Feidelmid /Eochaid Buide MacAidan of Argyll I. b: 583/84 d: BET 629 AND 631 | \Domelch verch Mælgwn o Gwynedd b: CA 525 /Domnall Brecc De Dalraida b: 595 d: BET 0642 AND 0643 Domongart De Dalraida II. b: 630 d: 673

\N. N. ingen Gwid

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Domangart mac Domnaill (died 673) was a king in Dál Riata (modern western Scotland) and the son of Domnall Brecc. It is not clear whether he was over-king of Dál Riata or king of the Cenél nGabráin.

Domangart is not listed by the Duan Albanach but is included in other sources, such as genealogies of William the Lion, and that of Causantín mac Cuilén found with the Senchus fer n-Alban. In these genealogies he is noted as the father of Eochaid mac Domangairt.

The Annals of Ulster for 673 report: "The killing of Domangart, son of Domnall Brecc, the king of Dál Riata." Some king-lists state that in his time the Cenél Comgaill separated from the Cenél nGabráin.

It is not clear who succeeded Domangart as king of Dál Riata, if he was such, or as king of the Cenél nGabráin. Known kings after Domangart include Máel Dúin mac Conaill and Domnall Donn of the Cenél nGabráin and Ferchar Fota of the Cenél Loairn is assigned a long reign of 21 years by the Duan Albanach and other king-lists, and this would place the beginning of his rule close to the death of Domangart.

[edit] ReferencesAnderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500–1286, volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. ISBN 1-871615-03-8 Bannerman, John, Studies in the History of Dalriada. Scottish Academic Press, Edinburgh, 1974. ISBN 0-7011-2040-1 Broun, Dauvit, The Irish Identity of the Kingdom of the Scots in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries. Boydell, Woodbridge, 1999. ISBN 0-85115-375-

Child of Domongart De Dalraida and Spondana Enfidaig is:

11548142651392 i. Eochaid of Dalraida II, born 660; died 697.

Generation No. 46

46192555841856. Gondolfus, died Aft. 598. He was the son of 92385111683712. Munderic and 92385111683713. Artemia.

Child of Gondolfus is:

23096277920928 i. Bodegeisel of Aquitaine, died 588; married Oda

46192555841866. Garibald of Bavaria He was the son of 92385111683732. Theobald of Bavaria and 92385111683733. Wisigarda of the Lombards.

Child of Garibald of Bavaria is:

23096277920933 i. Gertrude of Bavaria, married Carloman

46192555841868. Ansbertus de Moselle, died 570. He was the son of 92385111683736. Ansbertus Ferreolus of Schelde and 92385111683737. Deuteria Industria de Rhiems. He married 46192555841869. Blithilde of Cologne.

46192555841869. Blithilde of Cologne, born 525. She was the daughter of 92385111683738. Cloderic of Cologne and 92385111683739. Agliofinginne of Cologne.

Child of Ansbertus de Moselle and Blithilde Cologne is:

23096277920934 i. Arnoaldus Arnulf, born Bet. 535 - 540; married Oda von Swabia

Children of Ansbertus de Moselle and Bertha Kent are:

23096277920935 i. Oda von Swabia, married Arnoaldus Arnulf

ii. Erchenaud von Schelde de Moselle, born 560; married Luedefindus

46192555841868. Ansbertus de Moselle, died 570. He was the son of 92385111683736. Ansbertus Ferreolus of Schelde and 92385111683737. Deuteria Industria de Rhiems. He married 46192555841871. Bertha of Kent.

46192555841871. Bertha of Kent, born 539 in Paris, France; died 612. She was the daughter of 92385111683742. Charibert of Paris and 92385111683743. Ingoberge of Paris.

Notes for Bertha of Kent: Saint Bertha (or Saint Aldeberge) (539 – c. 612) was the Queen of Kent whose influence led to the introduction of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England. She was canonized as a saint for her role in its establishment during that period of English history.

Bertha was the daughter of Charibert I, Merovingian King of Paris.[1] When she married the pagan King Æthelberht of Kent, she brought her chaplain, Liudhard, with her to England.[2] She restored a Christian church in Canterbury, which dated from Roman times, dedicating it to Saint Martin of Tours. The present St Martin's at Canterbury occupies the same site. Augustine of Canterbury, whose Gregorian mission was sent by Pope Gregory I to preach the Gospel in England in 596, owed much of his favorable reception to the influence of Bertha.

Anglo-Saxon records indicate that Saint Bertha had two children:

Eadbald of Kent Æthelburg of Kent

References:

1.^ Gregory of Tours (539-594), History of the Franks, Book 4 at fordham.edu 2.^ Bede, Ecclesiastical History

Child of Ansbertus de Moselle and Blithilde Cologne is:

23096277920934 i. Arnoaldus Arnulf, born Bet. 535 - 540; married Oda von Swabia

Children of Ansbertus de Moselle and Bertha Kent are:

23096277920935 i. Oda von Swabia, married Arnoaldus Arnulf

ii. Erchenaud von Schelde de Moselle, born 560; married Luedefindus

46192555841880. Theodo He was the son of 92385111683760. Theodo and 92385111683761. Maria Geneva de Bourgogne.

Child of Theodo is:

23096277920940 i. Gondoald de Poiters de Meaux, born 560.

46192555841886. Ega Leutharius de Narbonne of the Moselles, born 560. He was the son of 92385111683772. Erchenaud von Schelde de Moselle and 92385111683773. Luedefindus. He married 46192555841887. Gerberga de Franconia.

46192555841887. Gerberga de Franconia, born 564; died 646. She was the daughter of 92385111683774. Richemeres of Franconia and 92385111683775. Gertrudis of Franconia.

Child of Ega Moselles and Gerberga de Franconia is:

23096277920943 i. Daughter of Leutharius de Narbonne, born Abt. 605; married Ansoud of Alsace

46192570532928. Kafnai of Parsua, died 581. He was the son of 92385141065856. Mar Ahunai of Parsua.

Child of Kafnai of Parsua is:

23096285266464 i. Haninai of Parsua, died 589.

46192570532932. Prince of Sasanian Persia Shahrihar He was the son of 92385141065864. Khusraw II and 92385141065865. Shirin.

Child of Prince of Sasanian Persia Shahrihar is:

23096285266466 i. Yazdagird III of Persia, born 600; died 651; married Princess of Byzantium Manyanh

46192570532934. ConstantineIII, Empeor of Byzantium He was the son of 92385141065868. HeracliusI, Emperor of Byzantium and 92385141065869. Fatia Eudoxia, Empress of Byzantium. He married 46192570532935. Princess of Sassinian Persia Gregoria.

46192570532935. Princess of Sassinian Persia Gregoria She was the daughter of 92385141065870. Emperor of Sasanian Persia Shah-Varez and 92385141065871. Princess of Sasanian Persia Dukhtzanan.

Child of Constantine and Princess Gregoria is:

23096285266467 i. Princess of Byzantium Manyanh, married Yazdagird III of Persia

46192570532940. Clovis of Nuestria and Burgundy, born 610; died 681. He was the son of 92385141065880. Dagobert Clothair of the Sicambrian Franks and 92385141065881. Nanthild of Austrasia. He married 46192570532941. Bathild.

46192570532941. Bathild, born 609; died 685.

Child of Clovis Burgundy and Bathild is:

23096285266470 i. Theodoric Merovic of the Franks, born 628; died 705; married Dode de Heristal

46192570532942. Ansegisel, born 602; died 662. He was the son of 92385141065884. Bishop of Metz Arnoul and 92385141065885. St. Doda of Saxony. He married 46192570532943. Begga.

46192570532943. Begga, born 615; died 693. She was the daughter of 92385141065887. Itta.

Notes for Ansegisel: Ansegisel (also Ansgise, Ansegus, or Anchises) (c. 602 or 610 – murdered before 679 or 662) was the son of Saint

Arnulf, bishop of Metz and his wife Saint Doda. He served King Sigbert III of Austrasia (634-656) as a duke (Latin dux, a military leader) and domesticus. He was killed sometime before 679, slain in a feud by his enemy Gundewin.

Marriage and issue

He married sometime after 639 to Saint Begga, the daughter of Pepin of Landen. They had the following children:

Pippin II (635 or 640-December 16, 714), mayor of the palace of Austrasia Possibly Clotilda of Heristal (650-699), married King Theodoric III of Neustria

Notes for Begga: Saint Begga (also Begue, Begge) (615 – 17 December 693) was the daughter of Pepin of Landen, mayor of the palace of Austrasia, and his wife Itta. On the death of her husband, she took the veil, founded seven churches, and built a convent at Andenne on the Meuse River (Andenne sur Meuse) where she spent the rest of her days as abbess. She was buried in Saint Begga's Collegiate Church in Andenne. Some hold that the Beguine movement which came to light in the 12th century was actually founded by St. Begga; and the church in the beguinage of Lier, Belgium, has a statue of St. Begga standing above the inscription: St. Begga, our foundress.

The Lier beguinage dates from the 13th century. More than likely, however, the Beguines derived their name from that of the priest Lambert le Begue, under whose protection the witness and ministry of the Beguines flourished.[1][2]

Child of Ansegisel and Begga is:

23096285266471 i. Dode de Heristal, born 630; died 714; married Theodoric Merovic of the Franks

46192570605568. Domnall Brecc De Dalraida, born 595. He was the son of 92385141211136. Eochaid Buide MacAidan of Argyll I.

Notes for Domnall Brecc De Dalraida: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Domnall Brecc (Welsh: Dyfnwal Frych; English: Donald the Freckled) (d. 642 in Strathcarron) was king of Dál Riata, in modern Scotland, from about 629 until 642. He was the son of Eochaid Buide.

He first appears in 622, when the Annals of Tigernach report his presence at the battle of Cend Delgthen (probably in the east midlands of Ireland) as an ally of Conall Guthbinn of Clann Cholmáin. This is the only battle known where Domnall Brecc fought on the winning side.

Domnall suffered four defeats after he broke Dál Riata's alliance with the Cenél Conaill clan of the Uí Néill. In Ireland, Domnall and his ally Congal Cáech of the Dál nAraidi were defeated by Domnall mac Áedo of the Cenél Conaill, the High King of Ireland, at the Battle of Mag Rath (Moira, County Down) in 637. He also lost to the Picts in 635 and 638 and lastly to Eugein I of Alt Clut at Strathcarron in 642, where he was killed.

A stanza interpolated into the early 9th Century Welsh poem Y Gododdin refers to these events:

I saw an array that came from Pentir, And bore themselves splendidly around the conflagration. I saw a second one, rapidly descending from their township, Who had risen at the word of the grandson of Nwython.[1] I saw great sturdy men who came with the dawn, And the head of Dyfnwal Frych, ravens gnawed it.

Domnall's son Domangart mac Domnaill was later to be king of Dál Riata and from him the later kings of the Cenél nGabráin were descended. A second son, Cathasach, died c. 650, and a grandson of Domnall, also called Cathasach, died c. 688.

Notes 1.^ Eugein was the grandson of Nwython (Neithon).

References Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500–1286, volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. ISBN 1-871615-03-8

Child of Domnall Brecc De Dalraida is:

23096285302784 i. Domongart De Dalraida II, born 630; died 673; married Spondana ingen Enfidaig 675.

Generation No. 47

92385111683712. Munderic, born 500; died 532. He was the son of 92385111683738. Cloderic of Cologne and 92385111683739. Agliofinginne of Cologne. He married 92385111683713. Artemia.

92385111683713. Artemia

Child of Munderic and Artemia is:

46192555841856 i. Gondolfus, died Aft. 598.

92385111683732. Theobald of Bavaria, born 545. He was the son of 184770223367464. Theodon of Bavaria. He married 92385111683733. Wisigarda of the Lombards.

92385111683733. Wisigarda of the Lombards She was the daughter of 184770223367466. Wacchon of Lombardy and 184770223367467. Austricuse Austigusa Ostragotha.

Child of Theobald Bavaria and Wisigarda Lombards is:

46192555841866 i. Garibald of Bavaria

92385111683736. Ansbertus Ferreolus of Schelde, born 493. He was the son of 184770223367472. Tonantius Ferreolus of Rome and 184770223367473. Dode. He married 92385111683737. Deuteria Industria de Rhiems.

92385111683737. Deuteria Industria de Rhiems

Child of Ansbertus Schelde and Deuteria de Rhiems is:

46192555841868 i. Ansbertus de Moselle, died 570; married (1) Blithilde of Cologne; married (2) Bertha of Kent

92385111683738. Cloderic of Cologne, born 475; died 509. He was the son of 184770223367476. King of Cologne Siegbert. He married 92385111683739. Agliofinginne of Cologne.

92385111683739. Agliofinginne of Cologne, born 475.Children of Cloderic Cologne and Agliofinginne Cologne are: i. Munderic, born 500; died 532; married Artemia

46192555841869 ii. Blithilde of Cologne, born 525; married Ansbertus de Moselle

92385111683742. Charibert of Paris, born 517; died 567. He was the son of 184770223367484. Clothair of the Franks and 184770223367485. Ingonde of the Franks. He married 92385111683743.

Ingoberge of Paris.

92385111683743. Ingoberge of Paris, born 520; died 593.

Notes for Charibert of Paris: Charibert I (c. 517–November or December 567) was the Merovingian King of Paris, the second-eldest son of

Chlothar I and Ingund. His elder brother was Gunthar, who died sometime before their father's death.

In 556, Chlothar sent Charibert and his next youngest brother Guntram against their younger brother Chram who was in revolt. Chramn was hiding out on Black Mountain in the Limousin. Negotiations failed and the two armies prepared for battle. A thunderstorm prevented any engagement and Chramn sent forged letters to his brothers, falsely reporting their father's death. Charibert and Guntram immediately returned to Burgundy to secure their positions.

On Chlothar's actual death in 561, the Frankish kingdom was divided between his sons in a new configuration. Each son ruled a distinct realm, which was not necessarily geographically coherent but could contain two unconnected regions, from a chief city after which his kingdom is called. Charibert received Neustria (the region between the Somme and the Loire), Aquitaine, and Novempopulana with Paris as his capital. His chief cities were Rouen, Tours, Poitiers, Limoges, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Cahors, and Albi. Guntram received Burgundy, then Sigebert received Austrasia (including Rheims) with his capital at Metz, and the youngest brother Chilperic received a compact kingdom with Soissons as its capital.

Charibert and his wife Ingoberga had a daughter, Bertha (539–c. 612). Charibert also had several concubines. By Merofleda, a wool-carder's daughter, and her sister Marcovefa, he had daughters: Berteflede (a nun in Tours) and Clothilde (a nun in St. Croix, Poitiers). By Theodogilda (or Theudechild), a cowherd's daughter; Charibert had his only son, who died in infancy. His brutal behavior resulted in his excommunication,[1] the first ever of a Merovingian king.

Charibert was scarcely more than king at Paris when he married his daughter Bertha to Ethelbert, the pagan King of Kent. She took with her Bishop Liudhard as her private confessor. Her influence in the Kentish court was instrumental in the success of St. Augustine of Canterbury's mission in 597.

Though Charibert was eloquent and learned in the law, he was one of the most dissolute of the early Merovingians. He was excommunicated, and his early death in 567 was brought on by his excesses. He was buried in Blavia castellum, a military fort in the Tractatus Armoricani. At his death his brothers divided his realm between them, agreeing at first to hold Paris in common. His surviving queen (out of four), Theudechild, proposed a marriage with Guntram, though a council held at Paris in 557 had outlawed such matches as incestuous. Guntram decided to house her more safely, though unwillingly, in a nunnery at Arles.

The main source for Charibert's life is Gregory of Tours' History of the Franks (Book IV, 3,16,22,26 and IX, 26), and from the English perspective Bede's Ecclesiastic History of the English People.

References 1.^ http://books.google.co.jp/books?id=l-pwoTFp31kC&pg=PA362&lpg=PA362&dq=charibert+I+excommunicated&s ource=bl&ots=H6wl4OZCh8&sig=SIlUX0SxVpaFMJiGwW4y3tM8ZRQ&hl=en&ei=hhlVTbX-B4KkuAOCkdjM BA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBgQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=charibert%20I%20ex communicated&f=false [edit] Sources Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Charibert I

Bachrach, Bernard S. Merovingian Military Organization, 481–751. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1971. Historia Francorum Books I-IX at Medieval Sourcebook.

Child of Charibert Paris and Ingoberge Paris is:

46192555841871 i. Bertha of Kent, born 539 in Paris, France; died 612; married Ansbertus de Moselle

92385111683760. Theodo He married 92385111683761. Maria Geneva de Bourgogne.

92385111683761. Maria Geneva de Bourgogne, born 490. She was the daughter of 184770223367522. Godogisel Geneva de Bourgogne.

Child of Theodo and Maria de Bourgogne is:

46192555841880 i. Theodo

92385111683772. Erchenaud von Schelde de Moselle, born 560. He was the son of 46192555841868. Ansbertus de Moselle and 46192555841871. Bertha of Kent. He married 92385111683773. Luedefindus.

92385111683773. Luedefindus

Child of Erchenaud de Moselle and Luedefindus is:

46192555841886 i. Ega Leutharius de Narbonne of the Moselles, born 560; married Gerberga de Franconia

92385111683774. Richemeres of Franconia, born 538; died 605. He married 92385111683775. Gertrudis of Franconia.

92385111683775. Gertrudis of Franconia, born 540; died 655. She was the daughter of 184770223367550. Ausbert and 184770223367551. Blithtilda.

Child of Richemeres Franconia and Gertrudis Franconia is:

46192555841887 i. Gerberga de Franconia, born 564; died 646; married Ega Leutharius de Narbonne of the Moselles

92385141065856. Mar Ahunai of Parsua, died 560. He was the son of 184770282131712. Mar Zutra II of Parsua.

Child of Mar Ahunai of Parsua is:

46192570532928 i. Kafnai of Parsua, died 581.

92385141065864. Khusraw II He was the son of 184770282131728. HormizdIV, Emperor of Sasanian Persia and 184770282131729. Princess of the Ephtalites. He married 92385141065865. Shirin.

92385141065865. Shirin

Notes for Khusraw II: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Khosrau II (Khosrow II, Chosroes II, or Xosrov II in classical sources, sometimes called Parvez, "the Ever Victorious" – (in Persian: ?), was the twenty-second Sassanid King of Persia, reigning from 590 to 628. He was the son of Hormizd IV (reigned 579–590) and the grandson of Khosrau I (reigned 531–579).

Khosrau II was inferior to his grandfather in terms of proper education and discipline. He was haughty, cruel, and given to luxury; he was neither a warrior-general nor an administrator and, despite his brilliant victories, did not personally command his armies in the field, relying instead on the strategy and loyalty of his generals. Nevertheless, historian Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari describes him as:

Excelling most of the other Persian kings in bravery, wisdom and forethought, and none matching him in military might and triumph, hoarding of treasures and good fortunes, hence the epithet Parviz, meaning victorious.[1]

According to legend, Khosrau had a shabestan in which over 3,000 concubines resided.[1]

Khosrau II was raised to the throne by the same magnates who had rebelled against his father Hormizd IV. Soon after being crowned, Khosrau had his father blinded, then executed. However, at the same time, General Bahram Chobin had proclaimed himself King Bahram VI (590–591), exemplifying Khosrau's difficulty in maintaining control of his kingdom.

The war with the Byzantine Empire, which had begun in 571, had not yet come to an end. So, Khosrau II fled to Syria, and, subsequently, to Constantinople, where the Emperor Maurice (582–602) agreed to assist Khosrau in regaining his throne. In return, the Byzantines would re-gain sovereignty over the cities of Amida, Carrhae, Dara and Miyafariqin. Furthermore, Persia was required to cease intervening in the affairs of Iberia and Armenia,

effectively ceding control of Lazistan to the Byzantines.[2][3]

A large percentage of the leading bureaucrats, administrators, governors, and military commanders, along with the majority part of the Persian military, acknowledged Khosrau II as the King of Persia. Therefore, in 591, Khosrau returned to Ctesiphon with Byzantine aid and subsequently defeated Bahram VI at the Battle of Blarathon. Bahram fled to the Turks of Central Asia, and settled in Ferghana.[4] However, a few years later, he was killed by a hired assassin send by Khosrau II.[5] Then, peace with Byzantium was concluded. For his aid, Maurice received the Persian provinces of Armenia and Georgia, and received the abolition of the subsidies which had formerly been paid to the Persians.

Towards the beginning of his reign, Khosrau II favoured the Christians. However, when in 602 Maurice was murdered by his General Phocas (602–610), who usurped the Roman (Byzantine) throne, Khosrau launched an offensive against Constantinople, ostensibly to avenge Maurice's death, but clearly his aim included the annexation of as much Byzantine territory as was feasible. His armies invaded and plundered Syria and Asia Minor, and in 608 advanced into Chalcedon.

In 613 and 614, Damascus and Jerusalem were besieged and captured by General Shahrbaraz, and the True Cross was carried away in triumph. Soon afterwards, General Shahin marched through Anatolia, defeating the Byzantines numerous times, and then conquered Egypt in 618. The Romans could offer but little resistance, as they were torn apart by internal dissensions, and pressed by the Avars and Slavs, who were invading the Empire from across the Danube River.

Khosrau's forces also invaded Taron at times during his reign.[6]

Richard Nelson Frye speculates that one major mistake of Khosrau II, which was to have severe consequences in the future, was the capture, imprisonment, and execution of Nu'aman III, King of the Lakhmids of Al-Hira, in approximately 600, presumably because of the failure of the Arab king to support Khosrau during his war against the Byzantines. (Nu'aman was crushed by elephants according to some accounts.) Afterwards the central government took over the defense of the western frontiers to the desert and the buffer state of the Lakhmids vanished. This ultimately facilitated the invasion and loss of Lower Iraq less than a decade after Khosrau's death by the forces of the Islamic Caliphs.[7]

Ultimately, in 622, the Eastern Roman Emperor Heraclius (who had succeeded Phocas in 610 and ruled until 641) was able to take the field with a powerful force. In 624, he advanced into northern Media, where he destroyed the great fire-temple of Ganzhak (Gazaca). Several years later, in 626, he captured Lazistan (Colchis). Later that same year, Persian general Shahrbaraz advanced to Chalcedon and attempted to capture Constantinople with the help of Persia's Avar allies. His maneuver failed as his forces were defeated, and he withdrew his army from Anatolia later in 628.

Following the Khazar invasion of Transcaucasia in 627, Heraclius defeated the Persian army at the Battle of Nineveh and advanced towards Ctesiphon. Khosrau II fled from his favourite residence, Dastgerd (near Baghdad), without offering resistance. Meanwhile, some of the Persian grandees freed his eldest son Kavadh II (he ruled briefly in 628), whom Khosrau II had imprisoned, and proclaimed him King on the night of 23–4 February, 628.[8] Four days afterwards, Khosrau II was murdered in his palace. Meanwhile, Heraclius returned in triumph to Constantinople and in 629 the True Cross was returned to him and Egypt evacuated, while the Persian empire, from the apparent greatness which it had reached ten years ago, sank into hopeless anarchy. It was overtaken by the armies of the first Islamic Caliphs beginning in 634.

Notes for Shirin: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Shirin (? – 628 a.d.) (Persian: ?) was a wife of the Sassanid Persian Shahanshah (king of kings), Khosrau II. In the revolution after the death of Khosrau's father Hormizd IV, the General Bahram Chobin took power over the Persian empire. Shirin fled with Khosrau to Syria where they lived under the protection of Byzantine emperor Maurice. In

591, Khosrau returned to Persia to take control of the empire and Shirin was made queen. She used her new influence to support the Christian minority in Iran, but the political situation demanded that she do so discreetly. Initially she belonged to the Church of the East, the so-called Nestorians, but later she joined the monophysitic church of Antioch, now known as the Syriac Orthodox Church. After conquering Jerusalem in 614, the Persians supposedly captured the cross of Jesus and brought it to their capital Ctesiphon, where Shirin took the cross in her palace.

The earliest source mentioning Shirin is the Ecclesiastical history of Evagrius Scholasticus, where she is mentioned as "Sira". It preserves letter sent by Khosrau II to the shrine of Saint Sergius in Resafa. One dated to 592/593 includes the following passage[1]: "At the time when I [Khosrau II] was at Beramais, I begged of thee, O holy one, that thou wouldest come to my aid, and that Sira might conceive: and inasmuch as Sira was a Christian and I a heathen, and our law forbids us to have a Christian wife, nevertheless, on account of my favourable feelings towards thee, I disregarded the law as respects her, and among my wives I have constantly esteemed, and do still esteem her as peculiarly mine." [2]

"Thus I resolved to request of thy goodness, O Saint, that she might conceive: and I made the request with a vow, that, if Sira should conceive, I would send the cross she wears to thy venerable sanctuary. On this account both I and Sira purposed to retain this cross in memory of thy name, O Saint, and in place of it to send five thousand staters, as its value, which does not really exceed four thousand four hundred staters. From the time that I conceived this request and these intentions, until I reached Rhosochosron, not more than ten days elapsed, when thou, O Saint, not on account of my worthiness but thy kindness, appearedst to me in a vision of the night and didst thrice tell me that Sira should conceive, while, in the same vision, thrice I replied, It is well."[2]

"From that day forward Sira has not experienced the custom of women, because thou art the granter of requests; though I, had I not believed thy words, and that thou art holy and the granter of requests, should have doubted that she would not thenceforward experience the custom of women. From this circumstance I was convinced of the power of the vision and the truth of thy words, and accordingly forthwith sent the same cross and its value to thy venerable sanctuary, with directions that out of that sum should be made a disc, and a cup for the purposes of the divine mysteries, as also a cross to be fixed upon the holy table, and a censer, all of gold: also a Hunnish veil adorned with gold. Let the surplus of the sum belong to thy sanctuary, in order that by virtue of thy fortune, O saint, thou mayest come to the aid of me and Sira in all matters, and especially with respect to this petition; and that what has been already procured for us by thy intercession, may be consummated according to the compassion of thy goodness, and the desire of me and Sira; so that both of us, and all persons in the world, may trust in thy power and continue to believe in thee."[2]

Theophylact Simocatta gives a similar account with additional information. "In the following year the Persian king [Khosrau II] proclaimed as queen Seirem [Shirin] who was of Roman birth and Christian religion, and of an age blossoming for marriage, slept with her. ... "In the third year he entreated Sergius, the most efficacious in Persia, that a child by Seirem be granted to him. Shortly afterwards this came to pass for him.[3] The Roman (Byzantine) ancestry of Shirin is contradicted by Sebeos: "[Xosrov], in accordance with their Magian religion, had numerous wives. He also took Christian wives, and had an extremely beautiful Christian wife from the land of Xuzhastan named Shirin, the Bambish, queen of queens [tiknats' tikin]. She constructed a monastery and a church close to the royal abode, and settled priests and deacons there alloting from the court stipends and money for clothing. She lavished gold and silver [on the monastery]. Bravely, with her head held high she preached the gospel of the Kingdom, at court, and none of the grandee mages dared open his mouth to say anything—large or small—about Christians. When, however, days passed and her end approached, many of the mages who had converted to Christianity, were martyred in various places." [4]

The Khuzistan Chronicle, written by an Aramean Christian from Khuzistan [Iran] probably in 680 is described as the Syriac counterpart of the Armenian work of Sebeos. We read about the relationship between the bishop Isho Yahb and the persian king Khosrau II. Parvez (590-628) : "Isho Yahb was treated respectfully throughout his life, by the king himself and his two christian wives Shirin the Aramean and Mary the Roman". (Theodor. Nöldeke: Die von Guidi herausgegebene syrische Chronik, Wien 1893, p. 10)

The Chronicle of Séert (Siirt) is an anonymously authored historiographical text written by the Nestorian Church in Persia and the Middle East, possibly as early as the 9th century AD. The text deals with ecclesiastical, social, and

political issues of the Christian church giving a history of its leaders and notable members. LVIII. - History of Khosrau Parvez, son of Hormizd "Khosrau, by gratitude for Maurice, ordered to rebuild churches and to honor the Christians. He built himself two churches for Marie (Maryam) and a big church and a castle in the country of Beth Laspar for his wife Shirin, the Aramean." (Patrologia Orientalis, Tome VII. - Fascicule 2, Histoire Nestorienne (Chronique de Séert), Seconde Partie (1), publiée et traduite par Mgr Addai Scher, Paris 1911, Published Paris : Firmin-Didot 1950 p. 467)

Child of Khusraw and Shirin is:

46192570532932 i. Prince of Sasanian Persia Shahrihar

Child of Khusraw II is:

92385141065868. Heraclius I, Emperor of Byzantium He was the son of 184770282131736. Heraclianus of Carthage and 184770282131737. Epiphania of Carthage. He married 92385141065869. Fatia Eudoxia, Empress of Byzantium.

92385141065869. Fatia Eudoxia, Empress of Byzantium She was the daughter of 184770282131738. Flavius of Byzantium.

Child of Heraclius and Fatia Eudoxia is:

46192570532934 i. ConstantineIII, Empeor of Byzantium, married Princess of Sassinian Persia Gregoria

92385141065870. Emperor of Sasanian Persia Shah-Varez He married 92385141065871. Princess of Sasanian Persia Dukhtzanan.

92385141065871. Princess of Sasanian Persia Dukhtzanan She was the daughter of 184770282131742. Chosroe II Parvez, Emperor of Sasanian Persia and 184770282131743. Princess of Byzantium Miriam.

Child of Emperor Shah-Varez and Princess Dukhtzanan is:

46192570532935 i. Princess of Sassinian Persia Gregoria, married ConstantineIII, Empeor of Byzantium

92385141065880. Dagobert Clothair of the Sicambrian Franks He was the son of 184770282131760. Clothar of the Franks and 184770282131761. Altrude. He married 92385141065881. Nanthild of Austrasia.

92385141065881. Nanthild of Austrasia, born 587; died 665. She was the daughter of 184770282131762. Sandrgisisle of Austrasia.

Child of Dagobert Franks and Nanthild Austrasia is:

46192570532940 i. Clovis of Nuestria and Burgundy, born 610; died 681; married Bathild

92385141065884. Bishop of Metz Arnoul, born 582; died 640. He married 92385141065885. St. Doda of Saxony.

92385141065885. St. Doda of Saxony

Notes for Bishop of Metz Arnoul: Saint Arnulf of Metz (c. 582, Lay-Saint-Christophe, Meurthe-et-Moselle — 640) was a Frankish bishop of Metz and advisor to the Merovingian court of Austrasia, who retired to the Abbey of Remiremont.

Arnulf was born to an important Frankish family at an uncertain date around 582. His father was Baudgise or Baudegisel II of Aquitaine or Carthage (d. 588), Palace Mayor and Duke of Sueve. His mother was Oda. In his younger years he was called to the Merovingian court of king Theudebert II (595-612) of Austrasia and sent to serve as dux at the Schelde. Later he became bishop of Metz. During his career he was attracted to religious life, and he retired to become a monk. After his death he was canonized as a saint. In French he is also known as Arnoul or Arnoulf. In English he is also known as Arnold.

Arnulf gave distinguished service at the Austrasian court under Theudebert II After the death of Theudebert in 612 he was made bishop of Metz. The rule of Austrasia came into the hands of Brunhilda, the grandmother of Theudebert, who ruled also in Burgundy in the name of her great-grandchildren. In 613 Arnulf joined his politics

with Pippin of Landen and led the opposition of Frankish nobles against Queen Brunhilda. The revolt led to her overthrow, torture, and eventual execution, and the subsequent reunification of Frankish lands under Chlothachar II.

Chlothachar later made his son Dagobert I king of Austrasia and he ruled with the help of his advisor Arnulf. Not satisfied with his position, as a bishop he was involved in the murder of Chrodoald in 624, an important leader of the Frankish Agilolfings family and a protégé of Dagobert.

From 623 (with Pippin of Landen, then the Mayor of the Palace), Arnulf was an adviser to Dagobert I. He retired around 628 to a hermitage at a mountain site in the Vosges, to realize his lifelong resolution to become a monk and a hermit. His friend Romaric, whose parents were killed by Brunhilda, had preceded him to the mountains and together with Amatus had already established Remiremont Abbey there. Arnulf settled there, and remained there until his death twelve years later.

Arnulf was married ca 596 to a woman whom later sources give the name of Dode or Doda, (born ca 584), and had children. Chlodulf of Metz was his oldest son, but more important is his second son Ansegisel, who married Begga daughter of Pepin I, Pippin of Landen. Arnulf is thus the male-line grandfather of Charles Martel and great-great grandfather of Charlemagne.

Arnulf was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. In iconography he is portrayed with a rake in his hand.

Genealogy Shortly after 800, most likely in Metz, a brief genealogy of the Carolingians was compiled, modelled in style after the genealogy of Jesus in the New Testament. According to this source, Arnulf's father was a certain Arnoald, who in turn was the son of a nobilissimus Ansbertus and Blithilt (or Blithilde), an alleged and otherwise unattested daughter of Chlothar I. This late attribution of royal Merovingian descent at a time when the Carolingian dynasty was at the peak of its power contrasts clearly with the contemporary Vita Sancti Arnulfi's failure to mention any such a connection: The Vita, written shortly after the saint's death, merely states that he was of Frankish ancestry, from "sufficiently elevated and noble parentage, and very rich in worldly goods",[1] without making any claims to royal blood. While modern historians generally dismiss the later Carolingian genealogy as spurious,[2] it constitutes an important link in Christian Settipani's suggested line of unbroken descent from antiquity via Flavius Afranius Syagrius.

[edit] LegendsThere are three legends associated with Arnulf:

[edit] The Legend of the RingArnulf was tormented by the violence that surrounded him and feared that he had played a role in the wars and murders that plagued the ruling families. Obsessed by these sins, Arnulf went to a bridge over the Moselle river. There he took off his bishop‘s ring and threw it into the river, praying to God to give him a sign of absolution by returning the ring to him. Many penitent years later, a fisherman brought to the bishop‘s kitchen a fish in the stomach of which was found the bishop‘s ring. Arnulf repaid the sign of God by immediately retiring as bishop and becoming a hermit for the remainder of his life.

[edit] The Legend of the FireAt the moment Arnulf resigned as bishop, a fire broke out in the cellars of the royal palace and threatened to spread throughout the city of Metz. Arnulf, full of courage and feeling unity with the townspeople, stood before the fire and said, ―If God wants me to be consumed, I am in His hands.‖ He then made the sign of the cross at which point the fire immediately receded.

[edit] The Legend of the Beer MugIt was July 642 and very hot when the parishioners of Metz went to Remiremont to recover the remains of their former bishop. They had little to drink and the terrain was inhospitable. At the point when the exhausted procession was about to leave Champigneulles, one of the parishioners, Duc Notto, prayed ―By his powerful intercession the Blessed Arnold will bring us what we lack.‖ Immediately the small remnant of beer at the bottom of a pot multiplied in such amounts that the pilgrims thirst was quenched and they had enough to enjoy the next evening when they arrived in Metz.

Sources 1.^ Vita Arnulfi c. 1, MG. SS. rer. Merov. 2, p. 432.

2.^ Cf. R. Schieffer, Die Karolinger, Verlag W. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart / Berlin / Köln, 2nd ed., 1997. Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints, edited, revised and supplemented by Thurston and Attwater. Christian Classics, Westminster, Maryland. Christian Settipani - La Préhistoire des Capétiens, Première Partie. Saint ARNOUL - ancêtre de Charlemagne et des Européens, edited by Imp. Louis Hellenbrand. Le Comité d'Historicité Européene de la Lorraine, Metz, France, 1989.

Child of Bishop Arnoul and St. Saxony is:

46192570532942 i. Ansegisel, born 602; died 662; married Begga

92385141065887. Itta

Child of Itta is:

46192570532943 i. Begga, born 615; died 693; married Ansegisel

92385141211136. Eochaid Buide MacAidan of Argyll I, born April 583. He was the son of 184770282422272. Aidan MacGabran of Argyll.

Notes for Eochaid Buide MacAidan of Argyll I: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Eochaid Buide was king of Dál Riata from around 608 until 629. "Buide" refers to the colour yellow, as in the colour of his hair.

He was a younger son of Áedán mac Gabráin and became his father's chosen heir upon the death of his elder brothers. Adomnán's Life of Saint Columba has Columba foresee that Eochaid, then a child, will succeed his father in preference to his adult brothers Artúr, Eochaid Find and Domangart.

In the last two years of his reign, 627–629, Eochaid was apparently co-ruler with Connad Cerr, who predeceased him. Eochaid was followed by his son Domnall Brecc.

Eochaid's other sons named by the Senchus fer n-Alban are Conall Crandomna, Failbe (who died at the Battle of Fid Eoin), Cú-cen-máthair (whose death is reported in the Annals of Ulster for 604), Conall Bec, Connad or Conall Cerr (who may be the same person as Connad Cerr who died at Fid Eoin), Failbe, Domangart and Domnall Donn (not the same person as Domnall Donn unless his obituary is misplaced by 45 years like that of Ferchar mac Connaid)

According to the Fled Dúin na nGéd, Eochaid Buide was the grandfather of Congal Cáech. The story has anachronistic features as it has Eochaid alive at the time of the battle of Mag Rath (securely dated to within a year of 637), but it is chronologically feasible that Congal Cáech could have been the son of Eochaid's daughter if the identification of Cú-cen-máthair and the dating of his death is correct.

Child of Eochaid Buide MacAidan of Argyll I is:

46192570605568 i. Domnall Brecc De Dalraida, born 595.

Generation No. 48

184770223367464. Theodon of Bavaria, born 525. He was the son of 369540446734928. Theodon of Bavaria.

Child of Theodon of Bavaria is:

92385111683732 i. Theobald of Bavaria, born 545; married Wisigarda of the Lombards

184770223367466. Wacchon of Lombardy, born 500. He married 184770223367467. Austricuse Austigusa Ostragotha.

184770223367467. Austricuse Austigusa Ostragotha She was the daughter of 369540446734934. Elemundo of the Gepides.

Child of Wacchon Lombardy and Austricuse Ostragotha is:

92385111683733 i. Wisigarda of the Lombards, married Theobald of Bavaria

184770223367472. Tonantius Ferreolus of Rome, born 473; died 511. He was the son of 369540446734944. Ferreolus of Rome and 369540446734945. Papinilla Avitus of Rome. He married 184770223367473. Dode.

184770223367473. Dode, born 475. She was the daughter of 369540446734946. Clodereius.

Child of Tonantius Rome and Dode is:

92385111683736 i. Ansbertus Ferreolus of Schelde, born 493; married Deuteria Industria de Rhiems

184770223367476. King of Cologne Siegbert, born 455; died 509. He was the son of 369540446734952. Childebert and 369540446734953. Amalaberge.

Child of King of Cologne Siegbert is:

92385111683738 i. Cloderic of Cologne, born 475; died 509; married Agliofinginne of Cologne

184770223367484. Clothair of the Franks, born 497; died 561. He was the son of 369540446734968. Clovis Chlodovech of Cologne and 369540446734969. Chrotechilde of Burgundy. He married 184770223367485. Ingonde of the Franks.

184770223367485. Ingonde of the Franks, born 499. She was the daughter of 369540446734970. Bertaire of Thuringia.

Notes for Clothair of the Franks: Chlothar I[1] (c. 497 – 29 November 561), called the Old (le Vieux), King of the Franks, was one of the four sons of Clovis. He was born circa 497, in Soissons (now in Aisne département, Picardie, France).

On the death of his father in 511, he received, as his share of the kingdom, the town of Soissons, which he made his capital; the cities of Laon, Noyon, Cambrai, and Maastricht; and the lower course of the Meuse River. But he was very ambitious, and sought to extend his domain.

The division of Gaul upon Chlothar's death (561).He was the chief instigator of the murder of his brother Chlodomer's children in 524, and his share of the spoils consisted of the cities of Tours and Poitiers. He took part in various expeditions against Burgundy and, after the destruction of that kingdom in 534, obtained Grenoble, Die, and some of the neighbouring cities.

When the Ostrogoths ceded Provence to the Franks, he received the cities of Orange, Carpentras, and Gap. In 531, he marched against the Thuringii with his nephew Theudebert I and in 542, with his brother Childebert I against the Visigoths of Spain. On the death of his great-nephew Theodebald in 555, Chlothar annexed his territories. On Childebert's death in 558 he became sole king of the Franks.

He also ruled over the greater part of Germany, made expeditions into Saxony, and for some time exacted from the Saxons an annual tribute of 500 cows. The end of his reign was troubled by internal dissensions, his son Chram rising against him on several occasions. Following Chram into Brittany, where the rebel had taken refuge, Chlothar shut him up with his wife and children in a cottage, which he set on fire. Overwhelmed with remorse, he went to Tours to implore forgiveness at the tomb of St Martin, and died shortly afterwards at the royal palace at Compiègne.

Family Chlothar's first marriage was to Guntheuc, widow of his own brother Chlodomer, sometime around 524. They had no children. His second marriage, which occurred around 532, was to Radegund, daughter of Bertachar, King of

Thuringia, whom he and his brother Theuderic defeated. She was later canonized. They also had no children. His third and most successful marriage was to Ingund, by whom he had five sons and two daughters:

Gunthar, predeceased father Childeric, predeceased father Charibert, King of Paris Guntram, King of Burgundy Sigebert, King of Austrasia Chlothsind, married Alboin, King of the Lombards His next marriage was to a sister of Ingund, Aregund, with whom he had a son, Chilperic, King of Soissons. His last wife was Chunsina (or Chunsine), with whom he had one son, Chram, who became his father's enemy and predeceased him. Chlothar may have married and repudiated Waldrada

Notes for Ingonde of the Franks: Ingonde, Ingund, or Ingunda (born c.499, Thuringia) was the daughter of King Baderic of Thuringia (c.480 - c.529). She was the wife of Clotaire I and queen of the Franks. She was the mother of Charibert I, Guntram, and Sigebert I. She was the sister of one of Clotaire's other wives, Aregund.[1]

Child of Clothair Franks and Ingonde Franks is:

92385111683742 i. Charibert of Paris, born 517; died 567; married Ingoberge of Paris

184770223367522. Godogisel Geneva de Bourgogne, born 450. He was the son of 369540446735044. Gondobad Gondioc de Bourgogne.

Child of Godogisel Geneva de Bourgogne is:

92385111683761 i. Maria Geneva de Bourgogne, born 490; married Theodo

184770223367550. Ausbert, born 500; died 570. He married 184770223367551. Blithtilda. 184770223367551. Blithtilda, born 513; died 600. She was the daughter of 369540446735102. Wambert Ferreolus of the Sigermerus Franks and 369540446735103. Deuteria.

Child of Ausbert and Blithtilda is:

92385111683775 i. Gertrudis of Franconia, born 540; died 655; married Richemeres of Franconia

184770282131712. Mar Zutra II of Parsua, died 520. He was the son of 369540564263424. Hanini of Parsua and 369540564263425. Havah.

Child of Mar Zutra II of Parsua is:

92385141065856 i. Mar Ahunai of Parsua, died 560.

184770282131728. HormizdIV, Emperor of Sasanian Persia He was the son of 369540564263456. Khushraw (Chrosroe I) of Kings and 369540564263457. Princess of Turkey. He married 184770282131729. Princess of the Ephtalites.

184770282131729. Princess of the Ephtalites She was the daughter of 369540564263458. King of the Ephtalites Khurad.

Notes for HormizdIV, Emperor of Sasanian Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Hormizd IV, son of Khosrau I, reigned as the twenty-first King of Persia from 579 to 590.[1]

He seems to have been imperious and violent, but not without some kindness of heart. Some very characteristic stories are told of him by Tabari (Theodor Nöldeke, Geschichte d. Perser und Araber unter den Sasaniden, 264 ff.).

His father's sympathies had been with the nobles and the priests. Hormizd IV protected the common people and introduced a severe discipline in his army and court. When the priests demanded a persecution of the Christians, he declined on the ground that the throne and the government could only be safe if it gained the goodwill of both concurring religions. The consequence was that Hormizd IV raised a strong opposition in the ruling classes, which led to many executions and confiscations.

When Hormizd IV came to the throne in 579, he killed his brothers. From his father he had inherited an ongoing war against the East Roman (Byzantine) Empire and against the Turks in the east. Negotiations of peace had just begun with the Emperor Tiberius II, but Hormizd IV haughtily declined to cede anything of the conquests of his father. Therefore the accounts given of him by the Byzantine authors, Theophylact Simocatta (iii.16 ff), Menander Protector and John of Ephesus (vi.22), who give a full account of these negotiations, are far from favourable.

Map of the Roman-Persian frontierDetermined to teach the haughty prince a lesson, the Roman General Maurice crossed the frontier and invaded Kurdistan. The next year, he even planned to penetrate into Media and Southern Mesopotamia but the Ghassanid king al-Mundhir allegedly betrayed the Roman cause by informing Hormizd IV of the Roman Emperor's plans. Maurice was forced to retreat in a hurry but during the course his retreat to the Roman frontier, he drew the Persian general Adarmahan into an engagement and defeated him.

In 582, the Persian general Tamkhosrau crossed the Perso-Roman frontier and attacked Constantina, but was defeated and killed. However, the deteriorating physical condition of the Roman Emperor Tiberius forced Maurice to return to Constantinople immediately. Meanwhile John Mystacon, who had replaced Maurice, attacked the Persians at the junction of the Nymphius and the Tigris but was defeated and forced to withdraw. Another defeat brought about his replacement by Philippicus.

Philippicus spent the years 584 and 585 making deep incursions into Persian territory.[2] The Persians retaliated by attacking Monocartium and Martyropolis in 585. Philippicus inflicted a heavy defeat on them at Solachon in 586 and besieged the fortress of Chlomaron. After an unsuccessful siege, Philippicus retreated and made a stand at Amida. Soon, however, he relinquished command to Heraclius in 587.

In the year 588, the Roman troops mutinied and taking advantage of this mutiny, Persian troops once again attacked Constantina but were repulsed. The Romans retaliated with an equally unsuccessful invasion of Arzanene, but defeated another Persian offensive at Martyropolis.

In 589, the Persians attacked Martyropolis and captured it after defeating Philippicus twice. Philippicus was recalled and was replaced by Comentiolus under whose command the Romans defeated the Persians at Sisauranon. The Romans now laid siege to Martyropolis but at the height of the siege news circulated in Persia about a Turkish invasion.

The Turks had occupied Balkh and Herat and were penetrating into the heart of Persia when Hormizd IV finally dispatched a contingent under the general Bahram Chobin to fight them back. Bahram marched upon Balkh and defeated the Turks killing their Khan and capturing his son.

Soon after the threat from the north was exterminated, Bahram was sent to fight the Romans on the western frontier. He was initially successful, raiding in Svaneti as well as warding off both Iberian and Roman offensives against Caucasian Albania, but was defeated by the Roman general Romanus in a subsequent battle on the river Araxes. Hormizd, jealous of the rising fame of Bahram, wished to humiliate him and sent him a complete set of women's garments to wear. Bahram responded by writing him an extremely offensive letter. Enraged, Hormizd sent Persian soldiers to arrest Bahram but they moved over to Bahram's side. Now Bahram moved to Persia with a large army to depose the haughty monarch and place himself on the throne.

Besides, Hormizd's behavior had now turned so unbearable that his son, Khusrau broke into open revolt. With a civil war brewing in Persia, Hormizd did not survive on the Persian throne for long. The magnates deposed and blinded Hormizd IV and proclaimed his son Khosrau II King. The sources do not agree on how Hormizd was killed: Theophylact Simocatta states (iv.7) that Khosrau killed him a few days after his father was blinded; the Armenian historian Sebeos (History, Ch.10.75) states that Hormizd's own courtiers killed him.

References 1.^ Williams, Henry Smith (1909). The historians' history of the world: a comprehensive narrative of the rise and development of nations as recorded by over two thousand of the great writers of all ages, Volume 8. Hooper & Jackson, Ltd., 2.^ Edwards, Iorwerth Eiddon Stephen (1970). The Cambridge Ancient History. Cambridge University Press. pp. 102. ISBN 0521325919. http://books.google.com/books?id=Qf8mrHjfZRoC&pg=PA102&lpg=PA102&dq=Philippicus+-711+general&sour ce=web&ots=1c2UWgahNy&sig=C5CR_qG_iv07z8TUNFZ8LPwzHNY&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum= 1&ct=result.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Child of Hormizd and Princess Ephtalites is:

92385141065864 i. Khusraw II, married (1) Shirin

184770282131736. Heraclianus of Carthage He married 184770282131737. Epiphania of Carthage. 184770282131737. Epiphania of Carthage

Child of Heraclianus Carthage and Epiphania Carthage is:

92385141065868 i. HeracliusI, Emperor of Byzantium, married Fatia Eudoxia, Empress of Byzantium

184770282131738. Flavius of Byzantium

Child of Flavius of Byzantium is:

92385141065869 i. Fatia Eudoxia, Empress of Byzantium, married HeracliusI, Emperor of Byzantium

184770282131742. Chosroe II Parvez, Emperor of Sasanian Persia He married 184770282131743. Princess of Byzantium Miriam.

184770282131743. Princess of Byzantium Miriam She was the daughter of 369540564263486. Maurice Tiberius, Emperor of Byzantium and 369540564263487. Empress of Byzanium Constantia.

Child of Chosroe Parvez and Princess Miriam is:

92385141065871 i. Princess of Sasanian Persia Dukhtzanan, married Emperor of Sasanian Persia Shah-Varez

184770282131760. Clothar of the Franks, born 564; died 628. He married 184770282131761. Altrude. 184770282131761. Altrude, born 565; died 630.

Child of Clothar Franks and Altrude is:

92385141065880 i. Dagobert Clothair of the Sicambrian Franks, married Nanthild of Austrasia

184770282131762. Sandrgisisle of Austrasia

Child of Sandrgisisle of Austrasia is:

92385141065881 i. Nanthild of Austrasia, born 587; died 665; married Dagobert Clothair of the Sicambrian Franks

184770282422272. Aidan MacGabran of Argyll, born 533. He was the son of 369540564844544. Gabran (Gabhran) MacDomangart of Argyll and 369540564844545. Fedelm ingen Feidelmid.

Notes for Aidan MacGabran of Argyll: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

•ID: I44066

•Name: Aidan MacGabran of Argyll

•Nickname: The Treacherous 1

•Sex: M

•Change Date: 10 OCT 2009

•Birth: CA 533 2 1

•Event: Title Duke of Britons 1

•Event: Title 574 6th King of Dalriada 2 1 3

•Note: Crowned 574 in Scotland.

•Death: 17 APR 0609 in Kilkerran 2 3 1

•Burial: Kilkerran 2

•Note: Poss. retired early to monastery leaving his sons (esp. Artur of Camelot) as military commanders. 1

Father: Gabran (Gabhran) MacDomangart of Argyll b: 500 Mother: Fedelm ingen Feidelmid

Marriage 1 Domelch verch Mælgwn o Gwynedd b: CA 525 Children 1. Eochaid Buide MacAidan of Argyll I. b: 583/84 2. Artur of Dalriada

Sources: 1.Author: Allen, Jamie Title: Jamie Allen's Family Tree and Ancient Genealogical Allegations Abbrev: Jamie Allen's Family Tree 2.3.Author: Ruddy, Michael Title: Ruddy, Michael, Ancestors of Abbrev: Ruddy, Michael, Ancestors of Publication: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mruddy/html/

Áedán mac Gabráin (pronounced ['aiða?n mak 'gavra?n?] in Old Irish) was a king of Dál Riata from circa 574 until his death, perhaps on 17 April 609. The kingdom of Dál Riata was situated in modern Argyll and Bute, Scotland, and parts of County Antrim, Ireland. Genealogies record that Áedán was a son of Gabrán mac Domangairt.

He was a contemporary of Saint Columba, and much that is recorded of his life and career comes from hagiography such as Adomnán of Iona's Life of Saint Columba. Áedán appears as a character in Old Irish and Middle Irish language works of prose and verse, some now lost.

The Irish annals record Áedán's campaigns against his neighbours, in Ireland, and in northern Britain, including expeditions to the Orkney Islands, the Isle of Man, and the east coast of Scotland. As recorded by Bede, Áedán was decisively defeated by Æthelfrith of Bernicia at the Battle of Degsastan. Áedán may have been deposed, or have abdicated, following this defeat.

The sources for Áedán's life include Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum; Irish annals, principally the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of Tigernach; and Adomnán's Life of Saint Columba. The Senchus fer n-Alban, a census and genealogy of Dál Riata, purports to record his ancestry and that of his immediate descendants. None of these sources are contemporary. Adomnán's work was written in the very late 7th century, probably to mark the centenary of Columba's death. It incorporates elements from a now lost earlier life of Columba, De virtutibus sancti Columbae, by Cumméne Find. This was written perhaps as early as 640. However, neither the elements incorporated from Cumméne's work nor Adomnán's own writings can be treated as simple history. Bede's history was written some 30 years after Adomnán's. The surviving Irish annals contain elements of a chronicle kept at Iona from the middle of the 7th century onwards, so that these too are retrospective when dealing with Áedán's time.[1]

The Rawlinson B 502 manuscript, dated to c. 1130, contains the tale Gein Branduib maic Echach ocus Aedáin maic Gabráin (The Birth of Brandub son of Eochu and of Aedán son of Gabrán). In this story, Áedán is the twin brother of Brandub mac Echach, a King of Leinster who belonged to the Uí Cheinnselaig kindred. Áedán is exchanged at birth for one of the twin daughters of Gabrán, born the same night, so that each family might have a son. The

Prophecy of Berchán also associates Áedán with Leinster. John Bannerman concluded that "[t]here seems to be no basis of fact behind these traditions."[2] Francis John Byrne suggested that the Echtra was written by a poet at the court of Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó, an 11th-century descendant of Brandub, and was written to cement an alliance between Diarmait and the Scots king Máel Coluim mac Donnchada ("Malcolm III"), who claimed to be a descendant of Áedán.[3] A lost Irish tale, Echtra Áedáin mac Gabráin (The Adventures of Áedán son of Gabrán), appears in a list of works, but its contents are unknown.[4] Áedán is a character in the epic Scéla Cano meic Gartnáin, but the events which inspired the tale appear to have taken place in the middle of the 7th century.[5] He also appears in the tale Compert Mongáin.[6] Áedán additionally appears in a variety of Welsh sources, making him one of the few non-Britons to figure into Welsh tradition.[7]

[edit] NeighboursÁedán was the chief king in Dál Riata, ruling over lesser tribal kings. The Senchus fer n-Alban records the sub-divisions of Dál Riata in the 7th and 8th centuries, but no record from Áedán's time survives. According to the Senchus, Dál Riata was divided into three sub-kingdoms in the 7th century, each ruled by a kin group named for their eponymous founder. These were the Cenél nGabráin, named for Áedán's father, who ruled over Kintyre, Cowal and Bute; the Cenél Loairn of northern Argyll; and the Cenél nÓengusa of Islay. Within these there were smaller divisions or tribes which are named by the Senchus.[8] Details of the Irish part of the kingdom are less clear.

Looking outward, Dál Riata's neighbours in north Britain were the Picts and the Britons of the Hen Ogledd, the Brythonic-speaking parts of what is now Northern England and southern Lowland Scotland. The most powerful British kingdom in the area was Alt Clut, later known as Strathclyde and Cumbria. Late in Áedán's life, the kingdom of Bernicia would become the greatest power in north Britain.[9]

In Ireland, Dál Riata formed part of Ulster, ruled by Báetán mac Cairill of the Dál Fiatach. The other major grouping in Ulster were the disunited tribes of the Cruithne (or Picts), later known as the Dál nAraidi. The most important Cruithne king in Áedán's time was Fiachnae mac Báetáin. Beyond the kingdom of Ulster, and generally hostile to it, were the various kingdoms and tribes of the Uí Néill and their subjects and allies. Of the Uí Néill kings, Áed mac Ainmuirech of the Cenél Conaill, Columba's first cousin once removed, was the most important during Áedán's reign.[10]

[edit] Reign Footprint used in king-making ceremonies, DunaddAdomnán, the Senchus fer n-Alban and the Irish annals record Áedán as a son of Gabrán mac Domangairt (died c. 555–560). A Welsh poem states that Áedán's mother was a daughter of King Dumnagual Hen of Alt Clut.[11] The Welsh text Bonedd Gwyr y Gogledd (The Descent of the Men of the North) also indicates a descent from Dumnagual, although the genealogy is much confused.[12] Áedán's brother Eoganán is known from Adomnán and his death is recorded c. 597.[13] The Senchus names three other sons of Gabrán, namely Cuildach, Domnall, and Domangart.[14] Although nothing is known of Cuildach and Domangart or their descendants, Adomnán mentions a certain Ioan, son of Conall, son of Domnall, "who belonged to the royal lineage of the Cenél nGabráin",[15] but this is generally read as meaning that Ioan was a kinsman of the Cenél nGabráin, and his grandfather named Domnall is not thought to be the same person as Áedán's brother Domnall.[16]

Áedán was about forty years old when he became king, following the death of his uncle Conall mac Comgaill in 574.[17] His succession as king may have been contested; Adomnán states that Columba had favoured the candidacy of Áedán's brother Eoganán.[18] Adomnán claims that Áedán was ordained as king by Columba, the first example of an ordination known in Britain and Ireland.[19]

In 574, following the account of Conall's death, the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of Tigernach record a battle in Kintyre, called the Battle of Teloch, or Delgu. The precise location of the battle is unidentified. The annals agree that "Dúnchad, son of Conall, son of Comgall, and many others of the allies of the sons of Gabrán, fell."[20] In 575, the Annals of Ulster report "the great convention of Druim Cett", at Mullagh or

Daisy Hill near Limavady, with Áed mac Ainmuirech and Columba in attendance.[21] Adomnán reports that Áedán was present at the meeting.[22] The purpose of the meeting is not entirely certain, but one agreement made there concerned the status of Áedán's kingdom. Áedán and Áed agreed that while the fleet of Dál Riata would serve the Uí Néill, no tribute would be paid to them, and warriors would only be provided from the Dál Riata lands in Ireland.[23]

The reason for this agreement is thought to have been the threat posed to Áedán, and also to Áed, by Báetán mac

Cairill. Báetán is said to have forced the king of Dál Riata to pay homage to him at Rosnaree on Islandmagee. Áedán is thought to be the king in question, and Ulster sources say that Báetán collected tribute from Scotland.[24] Following Báetán's death in 581, the Ulstermen abandoned the Isle of Man, which they had captured in Báetán's time, perhaps driven out by Áedán who is recorded as fighting there c. 583.[25] Earlier, c. 580, Áedán is said to have raided Orkney, which had been subject to Bridei son of Maelchon, King of the Picts, at an earlier date.[26]

Áedán's campaigns on the Isle of Man have sometimes been confused with the battle against the Miathi mentioned by Adomnán. The Miathi appear to have been the Maeatae, a tribe in the area of the upper river Forth. This campaign was successful, but Áedán's sons Artúr and Eochaid Find were killed in battle according to Adomnán.[27] This battle may have taken place c. 590 and be recorded as the Battle of Leithreid or Leithrig.[28]

The Prophecy of Berchán says of Áedán: "Thirteen years (one after another) [he will fight against] the Pictish host (fair the diadem)." The only recorded battle between Áedán and the Picts appears to have been fought in Circinn, in 599 or after, where Áedán was defeated. The annals mention the deaths of his sons here.[29] It has been suggested that this battle was confused with the "Battle of Asreth" in Circinn, fought c. 584, in which Bridei son of Maelchon was killed. This battle is described as being "fought between the Picts themselves".[30]

A number of Welsh traditions point to warfare between Áedán and King Rhydderch Hael of Alt Clut, the north British kingdom later known as Strathclyde. Adomnán reports that Rhydderch sent a monk named Luigbe to Iona to speak with Columba "for he wanted to learn whether he would be slaughtered by his enemies or not". A Welsh triad names Áedán's plundering of Alt Clut as one of the "three unrestrained plunderings of Britain", and the poem Peiryan Vaban tells of a battle between Áedán and Rhydderch.[31] The lost Irish epic Orgain Sratha Cluada is usually thought to refer to the attack on Alt Clut in 870 by Vikings, but MacQuarrie suggests that it may refer to an attack by Áedán on Rhydderch.[32]

[edit] Degsastan and afterDegsastan appears not to have been the first battle between Áedán and the Bernicians. The death of his son Domangart in the land of the Saxons is mentioned by Adomnán, and it is presumed that Bran died in the same otherwise unrecorded battle.[33]

Of the roots of this conflict, Bede mentions only that Áedán was alarmed by Æthelfrith's advance. Wherever the Battle of Degsastan was fought, Bede saw it as lying within Northumbria. The battle was a decisive victory for Æthelfrith, and Bede says, carefully, that "[f]rom that day until the present, no king of the Irish in Britain has dared to do battle with the English." Although victorious, Æthelfrith suffered losses; Bede tells us his brother Theodbald was killed with all his following. Theodbald appears to be called Eanfrith in Irish sources, which name his killer as Máel Umai mac Báetáin of the Cenél nEógain, son of High-King Báetán mac Ninnedo. The Irish poem Compert Mongáin says that the king of Ulster, Fiachnae mac Báetáin of the Dál nAraidi, aided Áedán against the Saxons, perhaps at Degsastan. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle mentions that Hering, son of King Hussa of Bernicia, was present, apparently fighting with Áedán.[34]

After the defeat of Degsastan, the annals report nothing of Áedán until his death around six years later, perhaps on 17 April 609, the date supplied by the Martyrology of Tallaght, composed c. 800. The Annals of Tigernach give his age as 74.[35] The Prophecy of Berchán places his death in Kintyre and says "[h]e will not be king at the time of his death", while the 12th century Acta Sancti Lasriani claims that he was expelled from the kingship. John of Fordun, writing in the 14th century, believed that Áedán had been buried at Kilkerran in Kintyre.[36]

[edit] Áedán's descendantsÁedán was succeeded by his son Eochaid Buide. Adomnán gives an account of Columba's prophecy that Eochaid's older brothers would predecease their father.[37] Áedán's other sons are named by the Senchus fer n-Alban as Eochaid Find, Tuathal, Bran, Baithéne, Conaing, and

Gartnait.[38] Adomnán also names Artúr, called a son of Conaing in the Senchus, and Domangart, who is not included in the Senchus. Domangart too may have been a grandson rather than a son of Áedán, most likely another son of Conaing. The main line of Cenél nGabráin kings were the descendants of Eochaid Buide through his son Domnall Brecc, but the descendants of Conaing successfully contested for the throne throughout the 7th century and into the 8th.[39]

It has been suggested that Gartnait son of Áedán could be the same person as Gartnait son of Domelch, king of the Picts, whose death is reported around 601, but this rests on the idea of Pictish matriliny, which has been criticised. Even less certainly, it has been argued that Gartnait's successor in the Pictish king-lists, Nechtan, was his grandson,

and thus Áedán's great-grandson.[40]

Of Áedán's daughters, less is known. Maithgemm, also recorded as Gemma, married a prince named Cairell of the Dál Fiatach. The names of Áedán's wives are not recorded, but one was said to be British, and another may have been a Pictish woman named Domelch, if indeed the Gartnait son of Domelch and Gartnait son of Áedán are one and the same.[41]

[edit] Notes1.^ Hughes; Bannerman; Fraser. 2.^ Bannerman, pp. 89–90 3.^ Byrne, "Ireland and her neighbours", p. 897. Fraser, p. 296, notes that "the 'discovery' of a genealogical link" was a common result of an alliance. 4.^ MacQuarrie, p. 109. The Echtra Áedáin mac Gabráin is listed in "Scéla: Catalogue of medieval Irish narratives & literary enumerations". http://volny.cz/enelen/sc.htm. Retrieved 2006-12-26. 5.^ M.O. Anderson, pp. 154–155. MacQuarrie, pp. 167–170, discusses the tale, describing it as a "pseudo-historical romance". 6.^ Wiley, Dan M. (2004) "The Cycles of the Kings: Compert Mongáin" Hastings College. Retrieved 2009-09-16. 7.^ Bromwich, p. 273. 8.^ Bannerman, pp 47–49 and 108–118; Charles-Edwards, pp. 296–297. 9.^ An overview of the politics of northern Britain can be found in, for example, Yorke, pp. 33–97. 10.^ See, for example, Byrne, Irish kings, pp. 106ff.; Charles-Edwards, pp. 54–67, 293–299, & pp. 481ff. 11.^ Adomnán, I, 49; Bannerman, pp. 80 and 88–89; Anderson, ESSH, pp. cxxix–clvii. 12.^ Bromwich, 256–257. 13.^ Adomnán, III, 5; Anderson, ESSH, p. 118; Bannerman, p. 90. 14.^ Anderson, ESSH, p. cl; Bannerman, p. 48. 15.^ Adomnán, II, 22. 16.^ Adomnán, II, 22, translator's note 258; Bannerman, p. 107. 17.^ Bannerman, p. 81. 18.^ Adomnán, III, 5. 19.^ Adomnán, III, 5 and translator's note 358; Broun; Byrne, Irish kings, p. 159; Yorke, p. 241. 20.^ Bannerman, pp. 81–82; Anderson, ESSH, pp. 78–79; M.O. Anderson, p. 149, suggests that Báetán mac Cairill may have been the enemy against whom the battle was fought. 21.^ Anderson, ESSH, p. 79. The date of Druim Cett has been disputed. Sharpe, in the editor's notes to Adomnán's Life, note 204, proposes a much later date, c. 590. Sharpe is followed by Meckler ("The Annals of Ulster and the date of the meeting at Druim Cett", Peritia, vol. 11, 1997) but this is challenged by Jaski ("Druim Cett revisited", Peritia, vol. 12, 1998). Charles-Edwards, Early Christian Ireland, p. 491, takes the meeting to have been "some years later" than 575. 22.^ Adomnán, I, 48. 23.^ Anderson, ESSH, p. 83, note 2; M.O. Anderson, pp. 148–149; Bannerman, pp. 1–2; Byrne, Irish kings, p. 110. 24.^ Anderson, ESSH, pp.87–88; Bannerman, pp. 2–4; Byrne, Irish kings, pp. 109–111; Ó Cróinín, Early Medieval Ireland, pp. 50–51. 25.^ Anderson, ESSH, p. 89; Bannerman, pp. 83–84; Ó Cróinín, pp. 50–51. 26.^ Adomnán, II, 42, and translator's note 324; Anderson, ESSH, p. 86; Bannerman, pp. 79 & 83. 27.^ Adomnán, I, 8–9 and translator's note 81; Bannerman, pp. 82–83. Bannerman, pp. 90–91, notes that Artúr is the son of Conaing, son of Áedán in the Senchus fer n-Alban. 28.^ Anderson, ESSH, p. 94; Bannerman, pp. 84–85 and 91. 29.^ Bannerman, pp. 84–86. 30.^ The Battle of Asreth is apparently misdated, appearing under 752 in the Annals of Tigernach; see M.O. Anderson, pp. 30–31 & 36–37. 31.^ Adomnán, I, 15 and translator's note 89; Bannerman, pp. 88–89. 32.^ MacQuarrie, p. 109. 33.^ Adomnán, I, 9; Bannerman, pp. 85 and 91–92. 34.^ Bede, I, 34; Bannerman, pp.86–88; Byrne, Irish kings, p. 111; Kirby, pp. 70–72. MacQuarrie, pp. 103–104, notes some textual inconsistencies in the Irish sources, and suggests that the "Battle of the Saxons" recorded in the Irish annals may not be Bede's "Battle of Degsastan". 35.^ Bannerman, pp.80–81; Fraser, Caledonia to Pictland, p. 141. 36.^ Bannerman, pp. 80–81 and 86–87.

37.^ Adomnán, I, 9. 38.^ The name Conaing implies a familiarity with Anglo-Saxons and their language as it is derived from Old English cyning, king; Byrne, Irish kings, pp.111–112. The appearance of two sons named Eochaid is not an error, as noted by Charles-Edwards, p. 6. 39.^ Adomnán, I, 9; Anderson, ESSH, pp.95–96; Bannerman, pp. 47–49, 90–96 and 103. 40.^ Anderson, ESSH, pp. 121–123 and 145; Bannerman, pp. 93–94, Smyth, p.70. On Pictish matriliny in general, see Woolf. That the Pictish king Nechtan and Nechtan son of Cano are the same person is questionable: see M.O. Anderson, pp. 116 & 154; MacQuarrie, pp. 167–170. 41.^ Bannerman, pp. 88–89. A daughter named Conchenn is mentioned in some very late tales. [edit] ReferencesAdomnán (1995), Sharpe, Richard, ed., Life of St Columba, London: Penguin, ISBN 0-14-044462-9 Anderson, Alan Orr (1990), Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500–1286, I (2nd ed.), Stamford: Paul Watkins, ISBN 1-871615-03-8 Anderson, M. O. (1980), Kings and Kingship in Early Scotland (2nd ed.), Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, ISBN 0-7011-1604-8 Bannerman, John (1974), Studies in the History of Dalriada, Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, ISBN 0-7011-2040-1 Bede (1990), Farmer, D. H.; Sherley-Price, Leo, eds., Ecclesiastical History of the English People, London: Penguin, ISBN 0-14-044565-X Bromwich, Rachel (2006), Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Triads of the Island of Britain, University of Wales Press, ISBN 0-7083-1386-8 Broun, Dauvit (2001), "Aedán mac Gabráin", in Lynch, Michael, The Oxford Companion to Scottish History, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-211696-7 Byrne, Francis John (2005), "Ireland and her neighbours, c.1014–c.1072", in Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí, Prehistoric and Early Ireland, A New History of Ireland, I, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 862–898, ISBN 0-19-922665-8 Byrne, Francis John (1973), Irish Kings and High-Kings, London: Batsford, ISBN 0-7134-5882-8 Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), Early Christian Ireland, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-39395-0 Fraser, James E. (2009), From Caledonia to Pictland: Scotland to 795, The New Edinburgh History of Scotland, 1, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-7486-1232-1 Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí (1995), Early Medieval Ireland: 400–1200, London: Longman, ISBN 0-582-01565-0 Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí (2005), "Ireland 400–800", in Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí, Prehistoric and Early Ireland, A New History of Ireland, I, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 182–234, ISBN 0-19-922665-8 Kirby, D. P. (1991), The Earliest English Kings, London: Unwin, ISBN 0-04-445692-1 MacQuarrie, Alan (1997), The Saints of Scotland: Essays in Scottish Church History AD 450–1093, Edinburgh: John Donald, ISBN 0-85976-446-X Smyth, Alfred P. (1984), Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80–1000, Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, ISBN 0-7486-0100-7 Woolf, Alex (1998), "Pictish matriliny reconsidered", The Innes Review 49 (2): 147–167, doi:10.3366/inr.1998.49.2.147, ISSN 0020-157X Yorke, Barbara (2006), The Conversion of Britain: Religion, Politics and Society in Britain, c.600–800, London: Longman, ISBN 0-582-77292-3

Child of Aidan MacGabran of Argyll is:

92385141211136 i. Eochaid Buide MacAidan of Argyll I, born April 583.

Generation No. 49

369540446734928. Theodon of Bavaria, born 495.

Child of Theodon of Bavaria is:

184770223367464 i. Theodon of Bavaria, born 525.

369540446734934. Elemundo of the Gepides

Child of Elemundo of the Gepides is:

184770223367467 i. Austricuse Austigusa Ostragotha, married Wacchon of Lombardy

369540446734944. Ferreolus of Rome He was the son of 739080893469888. Sigimaerus of Auverne. He married 369540446734945. Papinilla Avitus of Rome.

369540446734945. Papinilla Avitus of Rome, born 453.

Child of Ferreolus Rome and Papinilla Rome is:

184770223367472 i. Tonantius Ferreolus of Rome, born 473; died 511; married Dode

369540446734946. Clodereius

Child of Clodereius is:

184770223367473 i. Dode, born 475; married Tonantius Ferreolus of Rome

369540446734952. Childebert, born 425. He was the son of 739080893469904. Clovis and 739080893469905. Basina. He married 369540446734953. Amalaberge.

369540446734953. Amalaberge, born 435; died 478. She was the daughter of 739080893469906. Clodoweg and 739080893469907. Wedelphe.

Child of Childebert and Amalaberge is:

184770223367476 i. King of Cologne Siegbert, born 455; died 509.

369540446734968. Clovis Chlodovech of Cologne, born 466; died 511. He was the son of 739080893469936. Childeric of the Franks and 739080893469937. Bassina of the Franks. He married 369540446734969. Chrotechilde of Burgundy.

369540446734969. Chrotechilde of Burgundy, born 492; died 545.

Notes for Clovis Chlodovech of Cologne: Clovis (c. 466–511) (Ch-)Leuthwig (Ludwig, Louis) was the first King of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler. He was also the first Catholic King to rule over Gaul (France). He was the son of Childeric I and Basina. In 481, when he was fifteen, he succeeded his father.[1] The Salian Franks were one of two Frankish tribes who were then occupying the area west of the lower Rhine, with their center in an area known as Toxandria, between the Meuse and Scheldt (in what is now the Netherlands and Belgium). Clovis' power base was to the southwest of this, around Tournai and Cambrai along the modern frontier between France and Belgium. Clovis conquered the neighboring Salian Frankish kingdoms and established himself as sole king of the Salian Franks before his death. The small church in which he was baptized is now named Saint-Remi, and a statue of him being baptized by Saint Remigius can be seen there. Clovis and his wife Clotilde are buried in the St. Genevieve church (St. Pierre) in Paris. An important part of Clovis' legacy is that he reduced the power of the Romans in 486 by beating the Roman ruler Syagrius in the battle of Soissons.[2]

Clovis was converted to Catholicism, as opposed to the Arian Christianity common among the Goths who ruled most of Gaul at the time, at the instigation of his wife, Clotilde, a Burgundian Gothic princess who was a Catholic in spite of the Arianism which surrounded her at court. He was baptized in a small church which was on or near the site of the Cathedral of Rheims, where most future French kings would be crowned. This act was of immense importance in the subsequent history of Western and Central Europe in general, for Clovis expanded his dominion over almost all of the old Roman province of Gaul (roughly modern France). He is considered the founder of the Merovingian dynasty which ruled the Franks for the next two centuries.

In primary sources Clovis's name is spelled in a number of variants: the Frankish form Chlodovech was Latinized as Chlodovechus, from which came the Latin name Ludovicus, which evolved into the French form Louis. Clovis ruled the Franks from 481 to 511 AD. The name features prominently in subsequent

history: three other Merovingian Kings have been called Clovis, while nine Carolingian rulers and thirteen other French kings and one Holy Roman Emperor have been called Louis. Nearly every European language has developed its own spelling of his name. Louis (French), "Chlodwig" and Ludwig (German), Lodewijk (Dutch), ??????? (Russian), Luis (Spanish), Luigi (Italian), and Lewis (English) are just seven of the over 100 possible variations. Scholars differ about the exact meaning of his

(first) name. Most believe that Chlodovech is composed out of the Germanic roots Chlod- and -vech. Chlod- = (modern English) loud, with its oldest connotation praised. -vech = "fighter" (modern English). Compare in modern Dutch luid (hard sound or noise), luiden (verb - the oldest meaning is: to praise aloud) and vechten (verb - to fight). Chlodovech means "praised fighter".[3]

[edit] History[edit] Frankish consolidation Clovis I leading the Franks to victory in the Battle of Tolbiac, in Ary Scheffer's 19th Century painting.In 486, with the help of Ragnachar, Clovis defeated Syagrius, the last Roman official in northern Gaul, who ruled the area around Soissons in present-day Picardy.[4] This victory at Soissons extended Frankish rule to most of the area north of the Loire. After this, Clovis secured an alliance with the Ostrogoths through the marriage of his sister Audofleda to their king, Theodoric the Great. He followed this victory with another in 491 over a small group of Thuringians east of the Frankish territories. Later, with the help of the other Frankish sub-kings, he narrowly defeated the Alamanni in the Battle of Tolbiac.

[edit] Christian kingClovis had previously married the Christian Burgundian princess Clotilde (later canonized as St. Clotilde), and, according to Gregory of Tours, as a result of his victory at Tolbiac (traditionally set in 496), he converted to her Catholic faith. Conversion to Trinitarian Christianity set Clovis apart from the other Germanic kings of his time, such as those of the Visigoths and the Vandals, who had converted from pagan beliefs to Arian Christianity. It also ensured him of the support of the Catholic Gallo-Roman aristocracy in his later campaign against the Visigoths, which drove them from southern Gaul (507). According to legend, it was only by invoking the God of his Christian wife, Clotilde, that he defeated his enemy. Clotilde was almost certainly instrumental in Clovis' conversion to Catholic faith.

Clovis was baptised at Rheims on Christmas 496, 498 or 506 by Saint Remigius.[5] The conversion of Clovis to Catholic Christianity, the religion of the majority of his subjects, strengthened the bonds between his Roman subjects, led by their Catholic bishops, and their Germanic conquerors. Nevertheless, Bernard Bachrach has argued that this conversion from his Frankish paganism alienated many of the other Frankish sub-kings and weakened his military position over the next few years. William Daly, in order more directly to assess Clovis's allegedly barbaric and pagan origins,[6] was obliged to ignore the bishop Saint Gregory of Tours and base his account on the scant earlier sources, a sixth-century "vita" of Saint Genevieve and letters to or concerning Clovis from bishops and Theodoric.

In the "interpretatio romana", Gregory of Tours gave the Germanic gods that Clovis abandoned the names of roughly equivalent Roman gods, such as Jupiter and Mercury.[7] Taken literally, such usage would suggest a strong affinity of early Frankish rulers for the prestige of Roman culture, which they may have embraced as allies and federates of the Empire during the previous century.[citation needed]

Though he fought a battle at Dijon in the year 500, Clovis did not successfully subdue the Burgundian kingdom. It appears that he somehow gained the support of the Arvernians in the following years, for they assisted him in his defeat of the Visigothic kingdom of Toulouse in the Battle of Vouillé (507) which eliminated Visigothic power in Gaul and confined the Visigoths to Hispania and Septimania; the battle added most of Aquitaine to Clovis's kingdom.[4] He then established Paris as his capital,[4] and established an abbey dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul on the south bank of the Seine. Later it was renamed Sainte-Geneviève Abbey, in honor of the patron saint of Paris.[8]

According to Gregory of Tours, following the Battle of Vouillé, the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius I, granted Clovis the title of consul. Since Clovis's name does not appear in the consular lists, it is likely he was granted a suffect consulship.

Gregory of Tours recorded Clovis's systematic campaigns following his victory in Vouillé to eliminate the other Frankish "reguli" or sub-kings. These included Sigobert the Lame and his son Chlodoric the

Parricide; Chararic, another king of the Salian Franks; Ragnachar of Cambrai, his brother Ricchar, and their brother Rignomer of Le Mans.

[edit] Later years and death Gaul after Clovis's death.Shortly before his death, Clovis called a synod of Gallic bishops to meet in Orléans to

reform the church and create a strong link between the Crown and the Catholic episcopate. This was the First Council of Orléans. Thirty-three bishops assisted and passed thirty-one decrees on the duties and obligations of individuals, the right of sanctuary, and ecclesiastical discipline. These decrees, equally applicable to Franks and Romans, first established equality between conquerors and conquered.

Tomb of Clovis I at the Basilica of St Denis in Saint Denis.Clovis I is traditionally said to have died on 27 November 511; however, the Liber Pontificalis suggests that he was still alive in 513.[9] After his death, Clovis was put to rest in the Abbey of St Genevieve in Paris. The remains of Clovis were later relocated to Saint Denis Basilica in the mid to late 18th century.

Upon his death his realm was divided among his four sons: Theuderic, Chlodomer, Childebert, and Clotaire. This partitioning created the new political units of the Kingdoms of Rheims, Orléans, Paris and Soissons and inaugurated a period of disunity which was to last, with brief interruptions, until the end (751) of his Merovingian dynasty.

Legacy Clovis is remembered for three main accomplishments:

1.The Unification of the Frankish nation. 2.The Conquest of Gaul. 3.His conversion to Christianity. By the first act, he assured the influence of his people beyond the borders of Gaul, something no petty regional king could accomplish. By the second act, he laid the foundations of a later nation-state: France. Finally, by the third act, he made himself the ally of the papacy and its protector as well as that of the people, who were mostly Catholics.

Detracting perhaps, from this legacy, is his aforementioned division of the state. This was done not along national or even largely geographical lines, but primarily to assure equal income amongst his sons after his death. While it may or may not have been his intention, this division was the cause of much internal discord in Gaul. This precedent led in the long run to the fall of his dynasty, for it was a pattern repeated in future reigns.[10] Clovis did bequeath to his heirs the support of both people and church such that, when the magnates were ready to do away with the royal house, the sanction of the Pope was sought first.

Footnotes 1.^ The date 481 is arrived at by counting back from the Battle of Tolbiac, which Gregory of Tours places in the fifteenth year of Clovis' reign. 2.^ Frassetto, Michael, Encyclopedia of barbarian Europe, (ABC-CLIO, 2003), 126 3.^ Etymologisch Woordenboek van het Nederlands, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2003-, for the words luid (loud) and vechten (to fight) 4.^ a b c "Iron Age Braumeisters of the Teutonic Forests". BeerAdvocate. http://beeradvocate.com/news/stories_read/668. Retrieved 2006-06-02. 5.^ Geary, Patrick J. (1988) Before France and Germany: the creation and transformation of the Merovingian world. Oxford; p. 84 6.^ Daly, William M., "Clovis: How Barbaric, How Pagan?" Speculum 69.3 (July 1994:619-664) 7.^ James, Edward (1985) Gregory of Tours' Life of the Fathers. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press; p. 155 n. 12. 8.^ The abbey was demolished in 1802. All that remains is the "Tour Clovis," a Romanesque tower which now lies within the grounds of the Lycée Henri-IV, just east of The Panthéon, and the parish Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, which was built on the abbey territory. 9.^ Collins, Roger, Early Medieval Europe 10.^ "The Rise of the Carolingians or the Decline of the Merovingians?" (pdf) General information Daly, William M. (1994) "Clovis: How Barbaric, How Pagan?" Speculum, 69:3 (1994), 619–664. James, Edward (1982) The Origins of France: Clovis to the Capetians, 500–1000. London: Macmillan, 1982. Kaiser, Reinhold (2004) "Das römische Erbe und das Merowingerreich", in: Enzyklopädie deutscher Geschichte; 26. Munich (German) Oman, Charles (1914) The Dark Ages 476-918. London: Rivingtons

Wallace-Hadrill, J. M. (1962) The Long-haired Kings. London

Notes for Chrotechilde of Burgundy: Saint Clotilde (475–545), also known as Clothilde, Clotilda, Clotild, Rotilde or Chroctechildis, was the second wife of the Frankish king Clovis I. Venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, she was instrumental to her husband's famous conversion to Christianity and, in her later years, was known for her almsgiving and penitential works of mercy.

Clotilde was born at the Burgundian court of Lyon the daughter of King Chilperic II of Burgundy. Upon the death of Chilperic's father King Gondioc in 473, he and his brothers Gundobad and Godegisel had divided their heritage; Chilperic II apparently reigning at Lyon, Gundobald at Vienne and Godegesil at Geneva.

According to Gregory of Tours (538–594), Chilperic II was slain by his brother Gundobad in 493, and his wife drowned with a stone hung around her neck, while of his two daughters, Chrona took the veil and Clotilde was exiled.

Clotilde and her sons, Grandes Chroniques de Saint-DenisIn 493 Clotilde married the Merovingian Clovis, King of the Franks, who had just conquered northern Gaul. The marriage produced the following children:

Ingomer, died young Chlodomer (495–524), King of the Franks at Orléans from 511 Childebert I (496–558), King of the Franks at Paris from 511 Chlothar I (497–561), King of the Franks at Soissons from 511, King of all Franks from 558 Clotilde (died 531), married Amalaric, King of the Visigoths Clotilde was brought up in the Catholic faith and did not rest until her husband had abjured paganism and embraced the Catholic faith (according to Gregory of Tours' Historia Francorum [History of the Franks]) in the middle of battle with the Alemanni at Tolbiac in 496. He officially converted the same year, baptised by Bishop Remigius of Reims. With him she built at Paris the Church of the Holy Apostles, afterwards known as the Abbey of St Genevieve. After Clovis' death in 511, she retired to the Abbey of St. Martin at Tours.

In 523 Clotilde finally took revenge for the murder of her father, when she incited her sons against her cousin King Sigismund of Burgundy, the son of Gundobad, and provoked the Burgundian War, which led to Sigismund's deposition and imprisonment, and his assassination the following year. In turn, her eldest son Chlodomer was killed during the following Burgundian campaign under Sigismund's successor King Godomar at the Battle of Vézeronce. Clotilde tried in vain to protect the rights of her three grandsons, the children of Chlodomer, against the claims of her surviving sons Childebert and Chlothar. Chlothar had two of them killed, while only Clodoald (Cloud) managed to escape and later chose an ecclesiastical career. She was equally unsuccessful in her efforts to prevent the civil discords between her children.

Clotilde died in 544 or 545 at Tours; she was buried at her husband's side, in the Church of the Holy Apostles (Abbey of St Genevieve).

Child of Clovis Cologne and Chrotechilde Burgundy is:

184770223367484 i. Clothair of the Franks, born 497; died 561; married Ingonde of the Franks

369540446734970. Bertaire of Thuringia He was the son of 739080893469940. Basin von Thuringia and 739080893469941. Menia von Thuringia.

Notes for Bertaire of Thuringia: Baderic, Baderich, Balderich or Boderic (ca. 480 – 529), son of Bisinus and Basina, was a co-king of the Thuringii. He and his brothers Hermanfrid and Berthar succeeded their father Bisinus. After Hermanfrid defeated Berthar in

battle, he invited King Theuderic I of Metz to help him defeat Baderic in return for half of the kingdom. Theuderic I agreed and Baderic was defeated and killed in 529. Hermanfrid became the sole king.

Child of Bertaire of Thuringia is:

184770223367485 i. Ingonde of the Franks, born 499; married Clothair of the Franks

369540446735044. Gondobad Gondioc de Bourgogne, born 421. He was the son of 739080893470088. Gonthaires Gunderic de Bourgogne and 739080893470089. Caratene of the Suevi.

Child of Gondobad Gondioc de Bourgogne is:

184770223367522 i. Godogisel Geneva de Bourgogne, born 450.

369540446735102. Wambert Ferreolus of the Sigermerus Franks, born 480. He was the son of 739080893470204. Adelbert of the Sigermerus Franks and 739080893470205. Argotta. He married 369540446735103. Deuteria.

369540446735103. Deuteria, born 495. She was the daughter of 739080893470206. Afranius Syagris Gallo-Roman.

Child of Wambert Franks and Deuteria is:

184770223367551 i. Blithtilda, born 513; died 600; married Ausbert

369540564263424. Hanini of Parsua He married 369540564263425. Havah. 369540564263425. Havah She was the daughter of 739081128526850. Huna VI.

Notes for Hanini of Parsua: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Exilarch (Hebrew: ??? ???? Rosh Galut, Aramaic: ??? ????? Reish Galuta lit. "head of the exile", Greek: Æchmalotarcha) refers to the leaders of the Diaspora Jewish community following the deportation of the population of Judah into Babylonian exile after the destruction of the kingdom of Judah. The people in exile were called golah (Jeremiah 28:6, 29:1; Ezekiel passim) or galut (Jeremiah 29:22).

The Greek term has continued to be applied to the position, notwithstanding changes to the position over time, which was at most times purely honorific. The origin of this dignity is not known, but the princely post was hereditary in a family that traced its descent from the royal Davidic line. It was recognized by the state and carried with it certain prerogatives. The first historical documents referring to it date from the time when Babylon was part of the Parthian Empire. The office lasted to the middle of the sixth century CE, under different regimes (the Arsacids and Sassanids). During the beginning of sixth century Mar-Zutra II formed a politically independent state where he ruled from Mahoza for about seven years. He was eventually defeated by Kavadh I, King of Persia.[1] The position was restored in the seventh century, under Arab rule. Exilarchs continued to be appointed through the 11th century. Under Arab rule, Muslims treated the exilarch with great pomp and circumstance.

The history of the exilarchate falls naturally into two periods, separated by the beginning of the Arabic rule in Babylonia. Nothing is known about the office before the 2nd century, including any details about its founding or beginnings. It can merely be said in general that the golah, the Jews living in compact masses in various parts of Babylon, tended gradually to unite and create an organization, and that this tendency, together with the high regard in which the descendants of the house of David living in Babylon were held, brought it about that a member of this house was recognized as "head of the golah." The dignity became hereditary in this house, and was finally recognized by the state, and hence became an established political institution, first of the Arsacid and then of the Sassanid empire.

Such was the exilarchate as it appears in Talmudic literature, the chief source for its history during the first period, and which provides our only information regarding the rights and functions of the exilarchate.

For the second, Arabic, period, there is a very important and trustworthy description of the institution of the exilarchate (See the

sections Installation ceremonies and Income and privileges); this description is also important for the first period, because many of the details may be regarded as having persisted from it.

Notes for Havah: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Hava(h) married Haninai, son of Maremar, s. of Zutra, s. of Kahana, s. of Nathan, s. of Kahana. This was the second time a title had passed through a female in accordance with Numbers 27:8 and Numbers 36:8 which regulates it. She was the daughter and only child of:

Huna VI (reigned 484-508, being restored after an interim).

Child of Hanini Parsua and Havah is:

184770282131712 i. Mar Zutra II of Parsua, died 520.

369540564263456. Khushraw (Chrosroe I) of Kings He was the son of 739081128526912. Kavadh I (Kobad), Emperor of Sasanian Persia. He married 369540564263457. Princess of Turkey.

369540564263457. Princess of Turkey

Notes for Khushraw (Chrosroe I) of Kings: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Khosrau I (also called Chosroes I in classical sources, most commonly known in Persian as Anushirvan or Anushirwan, Persian: ????????? meaning the immortal soul), also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just (????????? ???? , Anushiravan-e-adel or ????????? ?????, Anushiravan-e-dadgar) (r. 531–579), was the favourite son and successor of Kavadh I (488–531), twentieth Sassanid Emperor (Great King) of Persia, and the most famous and celebrated of the Sassanid Emperors.

He laid the foundations of many cities and opulent palaces, and oversaw the repair of trade roads as well as the building of numerous bridges and dams. During Khosrau I's ambitious reign, art and science flourished in Persia and the Sassanid Empire reached its peak of glory and prosperity. His rule was preceded by his father's and succeeded by Hormizd IV.

Khosrau I's father, Kavadh I, was involved with a group of Zoroastrians called the Mazdakites. The Mazdakites believed in an egalitarian society and many lower class peasants supported the Mazdakite revolution.[1] Kavadh, wanting to centralize power by taking power away from the great noble families, supported this movement. Upon Kavadh's death in 531, the Mazdakites gave their loyalty to Kavadh's eldest son, Kawus, while the noble families and the Zoroastrian Magi gave their support to Khosrau I. Khosrau presented himself as an anti-Mazdakite supporter.[2] He, much like his father, believed in a strong centralized government. Khosrau met his brother Kawus in war and defeated him as well as his Mazdakite followers. Subsequently Mazdak, as well as a majority of his followers, were executed for his heretical beliefs and Khosrau took the Sassanian throne.[3] At Khosrau's succession, Byzantine and Sassanian Persia were in open conflict with each other. Neither empire was able to get an advantage of the other, causing Emperor Justinian and King Khosrau to agree on a peace treaty in 531.[4]

Khosrau I was married to the daughter of a Turkish khaqan named in Armenian sources as Kayen[5] and in the Persian sources as Qaqim-khaqan[6]

Khosrau I represents the epitome of the philosopher king in the Sassanian Empire. Upon his ascension to the throne, Khosrau did not restore power to the feudal nobility or the magi, but centralized his government.[7] Khosrau's reign is considered to be one of the most successful within the Sassanian empire. The peace agreement between Rome and Persia in 531 gave Khosrau the chance to consolidate power and focus his attention on interior improvement.[8] His reforms and military campaigns marked a renaissance of the Sassanian empire, which spread philosophic beliefs as

well as trade goods from the far east to the far west.

[edit] ReformsThe internal reforms under Khosrau were much more important than those on the exterior frontier. The subsequent reforms resulted in the rise of a bureaucratic state at the expense of the great noble families, strengthening the central government and the power of the Shahanshah. The army too was reorganized and tied to the central government rather than local nobility allowing greater organization, faster mobilization and a far greater cavalry corps. Reforms in taxation provided the empire with stability and a much stronger economy, allowing prolonged military campaigns as well as greater revenues for the bureaucracy.[9]

[edit] Tax ReformsKhosrau's tax reforms have been praised by several scholars, the most notable of which is F. Altheim.[10] The tax reforms, which were started under Kavadh I and completely implemented by Khosrau, strengthened the royal court by a great deal.[11] Prior to Khosrau and Kavadh's reigns, a majority of the land was owned by seven great noble families: Suren, Waraz, Karen, Aspahbadh, Spandiyadh, Mihran, and Zik.[12] These great landowners enjoyed tax exemptions from the Sassanian empire, and were tax collectors within their local provincial areas.[13]

Minted Coin of Khosrau I.With the outbreak of the Mazdakite revolution, there was a great uprising of peasants and lower class citizens who grabbed large portions of land under egalitarian values. As a result of this there was great confusion on land possession and ownership. Khosrau surveyed all the land within the empire indiscriminately and began to tax all land under a single program. Tax revenues that previously went to the local noble family now went to the central government treasury.[14] The fixed tax that Khosrau implemented created a more stable form of income for the treasury.

Because the tax did not vary, the treasury could estimate fairly well how much they were going to make in revenue for the year.[15] Prior to Khosrau's tax reforms, taxes were collected based on the yield that the land had produced. This system was changed to one which calculated and averaged taxation based on the water rights for each piece of property. Lands which grew date palms and olive trees used a slightly different method of taxation based on the amount of producing trees that the land contained.[16] These tax reforms of Khosrau were the stepping stone which enabled subsequent reforms in the bureaucracy and the military to take place.

[edit] Bureaucracy Reforms Khosrau I seated on a throneThe hallmark of Khosrau's bureaucratic reform was the creation of a new social class. Before the Sassanian empire consisted of only three social classes, magi, nobles, and peasants/commoners. Khosrau added a fourth class to this hierarchy between the nobles and the peasants, called the deghans. The deghans were small land owning citizens of the Sassanian empire and were considered lower nobility.

Khosrau promoted honest government officials based on trust and honesty, rather than corrupt nobles and magi.[17] The small landowning deghans were favored over the high nobles because they tended to be more trustworthy and owned their loyalty to the Shah for their position in the bureaucracy.[18] The rise of deghans became the backbone of the empire because they were now held the majority of land and positions in local and provincial administration.[19]

The reduction of power of the great families helped to improve the empire. This was because previously, each great family ruled a large chunk of land and each had their own king. The name Shahanshah, meaning King of Kings, derived from the fact that there were many feudal kings in Sassanian Persia with the Shahanshah as the ruler of them all. Their fall from power meant their control was redirected to the central government and all taxes now came to the central government rather than to the local nobility.

[edit] Military ReformsMajor reforms to the military made the Persian army capable of fighting sustained wars and on multiple fronts as well deploy armies faster.[20] Prior to Khosrau's reign, much like other aspects of the empire, the military was dependent on the feudal lords of the great families to provide soldiers and cavalry. Each family would provide their own army and equipment when called by the

Shahanshah. This system was replaced with the emergence of the lower deghan nobility class, who was paid and provided by the central government.[21]

The main force of the Sassanian army was the Savaran cavalry. Previously only nobles could enlist into the Savaran

cavalry which was very limited and created shortages in well trained soldiers. Now that the deghan class was considered nobility, they were able to join the cavalry force and boosted the number of cavalry force significantly.[22]

The military reform focused more on organization and training of troops. The cavalry was still the most important aspect of the Persian military, with foot archers being less important, and mass peasant forces being on the bottom of the spectrum.

Khosrau discarded the old satrap system and replaced it with four military districts with a spahbad, or general, in charge of each district.[23] Before the reforms of Khusrau, the General of the Iranians (Eran-spahbed) controlled the military of the entire empire.[24] The four zones consisted of Mesopotamia in the west, the Caucasus region in the north, the Persian gulf in the central and southwest region, and Central Asia in the east. This new ―quatro‖ system not only created a more efficient military system but also ―[administration] of a vast, multiregional, multicultural, and multiracial empire.‖[25]

[edit] Military[edit] EquipmentBy Khosrau's reign, super-heavy cavalrymen were discontinued and replaced with a more efficient form of cavalry. New ―composite‖ cavalrymen were now the main cavalry force, trained to use both lances as well as bows. These versatile knights came in response of defeats from central Asian nomads. The composite cavalrymen wore spangenhelm style helmets, chain mail, and small shields. Their armor was lighter than previous Savaran cavalrymen, but they continued to carry heavy lances as well as bow case containing two bows. These composite cavalrymen proved to be much more versatile on the battlefield and were much more fluid.[26]

[edit] War With JustinianIn 532, Khosrau and Justinian, emperor of the Eastern Roman/Byzantine Empire concluded Pax Perpetuum, or the Eternal Peace in hopes of settling all land disputes between the Romans and Sassanians.[27][28] In 540, Khosrau broke the Pax Perpetuum and struck Mesopotamia and Syria. He then moved out to Antioch, taking a path that was south of the usual military route in order to extract tributes from towns along the way to Antioch.[29] The walls of Antioch had been greatly damaged during an earthquake in 525-526, and the Romans had not since repaired them because of western military campaigns, which made it much easier to conquer.[30] Khosrau sacked and burned the city at which point Justinian sued for peace, giving Khosrau a large amount of money. While traveling back to Persia, Khosrau took ransoms from multiple Byzantine towns at which point Justinian called off his truce and prepared to send his great commander Belisarius to move against the Sassanians.[31]

Map of Sassanian military campaigns.There were many motives behind Khosrau's strike against the Byzantines during their Eternal Peace. Emissaries from the Ostrogoth kingdom in the west appealed to Khosrau to put pressure on the eastern front of East Rome.[32] Gothic envoys spoke to Khosrau's court and spoke of Justinian's goal to unite the world under Roman rule. The Gothic envoys persuasively informed Khosrau that if Persia did not act soon, they would soon become victims of Byzantine aggression.[33] It was the Persian military's fear that once the Roman army had conquered the west, they would turn east and strike down Persia. In order to prevent this, Khosrau preemptively struck Antioch.[34] There were also pressure and unrest in both Arabia and Armenian who were both eager for war.[35]

A year after his sack of Antioch, Khosrau brought his army north to Lazica on request of the Lazic King to fend off Byzantine raids into his territory. At the same time, Belisarius arrived in Mesopotamia and began attacking the city of Nisbis. Although Belisarius had greatly outnumbered the city garrison, the city was too well fortified and he was forced to ravage the country around the Nisbis subsequently getting recalled back west.[36]

After successful campaigns in Armenia, Khosrau was encouraged once again to attack Syria. Khosrau turned south towards Edessa and besieged the city. Edessa was now a much more important city than Antioch was, but the garrison which occupied the city was able to resist the siege. The Persians were forced to retreat from Edessa, but were able to forge a five year truce with the Byzantine Empire. Four

years into the five year truce, rebellion against Sassanian control broke out in Lazica. In response, a Byzantine army was sent to support the people of Lazica, effectively ending the established truce and thus continuing the Lazic Wars.[37]

[edit] Lazic WarsThe Lazic wars are intertwined with Khosrau's war with Justinian insomuch as there were many

battles which overlapped each other, yet they are generally considered different wars. Whereas Khosrau's wars with Justinian were fought at the sake of fighting Romans, the Lazic wars were often fought on behalf of Lazic and Armenian citizens, or in defense of Sassanian outposts in Lazica.

The Caucasus region, especially northern Armenia, has always been a major area of Romano-Sassanian rivalry.[38] The Lazic wars began when the Sassanians intervened on Byzantine encroachments on behalf of the King of Lazica. Khosrau was able to penetrate deep into Lazica and secure the fortress city of Petra, located on the coast of the Black Sea, which provided Persia with a strategic port.[39]

Khosrau was forced to pull out of Lazica, leaving only a 1,500 man garrison in Petra to defend the territory while he went to deal with Belisarius in Mesopotamia.[40] In 542, Justinian attempted to make a truce with Khosrau, but rather than sending peace delegates, Justinian sent a massive 30,000 man army into Armenia. Sassanian general Nabed's army of 4,000 was severely outnumbered and was forced to retreat to the town of Anglon in Armenia.[41] The Byzantine army pursued the Sassanians into the town but to Byzantines' dismay, they walked into an ambush and were completely routed. This massive defeat in 543 gave Sassanians the offensive in the Lazic war as well as in the war against Justinian.[42]

Justinian and Khosrau declared a five year truce in 545 but war continued to ravage the Caucasus region. An uprising of anti-Sassanian control struck the Lazica region in 547. In response, Justinian sent 8,000 troops in support of Lazic King Gubazes.[43] A Byzantine-Lazic army besieged the city of Petra, holding a garrison of 1,500 Sassanian troops. As a result, 1,200 of the Sassanian soldiers were killed, but the Byzantine-Lazic coalition was soon forced to retreat when a relief army of 30,000 pro-Sassanian troop arrived.[44]

In 549 the previous truce between Justinian and Khosrau was disregarded and full war broke out once again between Persians and Romans. The last major decisive battle of the Lazic wars came in 556 when Byzantine general Martin defeated a massive Sassanian force led by a Persian nakhvaegan (field marshal).[45] Negotiations between Khosrau and Justinian opened in 556, leading to the establishment of a 51 year peace agreement in 561 in which Persians would leave Lazica in return for an annual payment of gold.[46]

According to ancient historian Meander Protector, a minor official in Justinian's court, there were 12 points to the treaty, stated in the following passage:

― 1. Through the pass at the place called Tzon and through the Caspian Gates the Persians shall not allow the Huns or Alans or other barbarians access to the Roman Empire, nor shall the Romans either in that area or on any other part of the Persian frontier send an army against the Persians.

2. The Saracen allies of both states shall themselves also abide by these agreements and those of the Persians shall not attack the Romans, nor those of the Romans the Persians.

3. Roman and Persian merchants of all kinds of goods, as well as similar tradesmen, shall conduct their business according to the established practice through the specified customs posts.

4. Ambassadors and all others using the public post to deliver messages, both those traveling to Roman and those to Persian territory, shall be honoured each according to his status and rank and shall receive the appropriate attention. They shall be sent back without delay, but shall be able to exchange the trade goods which they have brought without hindrance or any impost.

5. It is agreed that Saracen and all other barbarian merchants of either state shall not travel by strange roads but shall go by Nisibis and Daras, and shall not cross into foreign territory without official permission. But if they dare anything contrary to the agreement (that is to say, if they engage in tax-dodging, so-called), they shall be hunted down by the officers of the frontier and handed over for punishment together with the merchandise which they are carrying, whether Assyrian or Roman.

6. If anyone during the period of hostilities defected either from the Romans to the Persians or from the Persians to the Romans and if he should give himself up and wish to return to his home, he shall not be prevented from so doing and no obstacle shall be put in his way. But those who in time of peace defect and desert from one side to the other

shall not be received, but every means shall be used to return them, even against their will, to those from whom they fled.

7. Those who complain that they have suffered some hurt at the hands of subjects of the other state shall settle the dispute equitably, meeting at the border either in person or through their own representatives before the officials of both states, and in this manner the guilty party shall make good the damage.

8. Henceforth, the Persians shall not complain to the Romans about the fortification of Daras. But in future neither state shall fortify or protect with a wall any place along the frontier, so that no occasion for dispute shall arise from such an act and the treaty be broken.

9. The forces of one state shall not attack or make war upon a people or any other territory subject to the other, but without inflicting or suffering injury shall remain where they are so that they too might enjoy the peace.

10. A large force, beyond what is adequate to defend the town, shall not be stationed at Daras, and the general of the East shall not have his headquarters there, in order that this not lead to incursions against or injury to the Persians. It was agreed that if some such should happen, the commander at Daras should deal with the offence.

11. If a city causes damage to or destroys the property of a city of the other side not in legitimate hostilities and with a regular military force but by guile and theft (for there are such godless men who do these things to provide a pretext for war), it was agreed that the judges stationed on the frontiers of both states should make a thorough investigation of such acts and punish them. If these prove unable to check the damage that neighbours are inflicting on each other, it was agreed that the case should be referred to the general of the East on the understanding that if the dispute were not settled within six months and the plaintiff had not recovered his losses, the offender should be liable to the plaintiff for a double indemnity. It was agreed that if the matter were not settled in this way, the injured party should send a deputation to the sovereign of the offender. If within one year the sovereign does not give satisfaction and the plaintiff does not receive the double indemnity due to him, the treaty shall be regarded as broken in respect of this clause.

12. Here you might find prayers to God and imprecations to the effect that may God be gracious and ever an ally to him who abides by the peace, but if anyone with deceit wishes to alter any of the agreements, may God be his adversary and enemy.

13. The treaty is for fifty years, and the terms of the peace shall be in force for fifty years, the year being reckoned according to the old fashion as ending with the threehundred- and-sixty-fifth day.[47]

‖

[edit] War in the EastWith a stable peace agreement with the Byzantines in the west, Khosrau was now able to focus his attention on the eastern Hephthalites.[48] Even with the growth of Persian military power under Khosrau's reforms, the Sassanians were still uneasy at the prospect of attacking the Hephthalite on their own and began to seek allies.[49] Their answer came in the form of Turkic incursions into Central Asia.[50] The movement of Turkic people into Central Asia very quickly made them natural enemies and competitors to the Hephthalites.[51]

The Hephthalites were a strong military power but they lacked the organization to fight on multiple fronts.[52] The Persians and the Turkic tribes made an alliance and launched a two pronged attack on the Hephthalites, taking advantage of their disorganization and disunity. As a result, the Turkic tribes took the territory north of the Oxus river, while the Persians annexed land to the south.[53]

Friendly relations between Turks and Persians quickly deteriorated after the conquest of Hephthalite peoples. Both Turks and Persians wanted to dominate the Silk Road and the trade industry between the west and the far east.[54] In 568 a Turkish embassy was sent to Byzantine to propose an alliance and two

pronged attack on the Sassanian Empire. Fortunately for the Persians, nothing ever came from this proposal.[55]

[edit] Campaign in Yemen Against EthiopiaIn 522, before Khosrau's reign, a group of monophysite Ethiopians led an attack on the dominant Himyarites of southern Arabia. The local Arab leader was able to resist the attack, and appealed to the Sassanians for aid, while the Ethiopians subsequently turned towards the Byzantines for help. The

Ethiopians sent another force across the Red Sea and this time successfully killed the Arab leader and replaced him with an Ethiopian man to be king of the region.[56]

In 531, Justinian suggested that the Ethiopians of Yemen should cut out the Persians from Indian trade by maritime trade with the Indians. The Ethiopians never met this request because an Ethiopian general named Abraha took control of the Yemenite throne and created an independent nation.[57] After Abraha's death one of his sons, Ma'd-Karib, went into exile while his half-brother took the throne. After being denied by Justinian, Ma'd-Karib sought help from Khosrau, who sent a small fleet and army under commander Vahriz to depose the current king of Yemen. After capturing the capital city San'a'l, Ma'd-Karib's son, Saif, was put on the throne.[58]

Justinian was ultimately responsible for Sassanian maritime presence in Yemen. By not providing the Yemenite Arabs support, Khosrau was able to help Ma'd-Karib and subsequently established Yemen as a principality of the Sassanian Empire.[59]

[edit] War With Justin IIJustinian died in 565 and left Justin II to succeed the throne. In 555, The Sassanian governor of Armenia built a fire temple at Dvin and put to death a popular and influential member of the Mamikonian noble family. This execution created tremendous civil unrest and led to a revolt and massacre of the Governor and his personal guard in 571. Justin II took advantage of this revolt and used it as an excuse to stop paying annual payments to Khosrau, effectively putting an end to the 51 year peace treaty that was established ten years earlier. The Armenians were considered allies to the Byzantine Empire and a Byzantine army was sent into Sassanian territory and besieged Nisbis in 572.[60]

Justin was succeeded by Tiberius, a high ranking military officer in 578.[61] Khosrau invaded Armenia once again feeling that he had the upper hand, and was initially successful. Soon after, the tables turned and the Byzantines gained a lot of local support. Another truce was attempted to be made in 578, but was abandoned when the Sassanian's gained a great victory. The war turned again when Byzantine commander Maurice entered the field and captured many Sassanian settlements.[62] The revolt came to an end when Khosrau gave amnesty to Armenia and brought them back into the Sassanian empire. Peace negotiations were once again brought back up, but abruptly ended with the death of Khosrau in 579.[63]

[edit] Building ProjectsKhosrau's reign marked an expansion in building. Khosrau constructed a number of walls on his frontiers to protect from nomadic incursions as well as other enemies. On the southeast frontier he built a wall called the Wall of the Arabs in order to prevent Arab nomads from raiding his empire. In the northeast he built a wall to protect the interior of his empire from the Hephthalite and Turkish threat that was growing on his boarder.[64] His wall building campaign was also extended into the Caucasus region where he built massive walls at Derbent.[65]

After the conquest of Antioch in 541, Khosrau built a new city near Ctesiphon for the inhabitants he captured. He called this new city Weh Antiok Khusrau or literally, ―better than Antioch Khosrau built this.‖[66] Local inhabitants of the area called the new city Rumagan, meaning ―town of the Greeks‖ and Arabs called the city al-Rumiyya. Along with Weh Antiok, Khosrau built a number of fortified cities.[67]

Khosrau I greatly improved the road system within the Sassanian empire. These roads greatly improved the quickness that the armies were able to move, increasing the efficiency of the military. This led to greater defense of the empire as well as much quicker transportation of military intelligence. Chains of stations were also built along the roads. This allowed couriers to travel much more quickly and have safe resting stops as well as provide travelers with shelter.[68]

[edit] Philosopher KingKhosrau I was known to be a great patron of philosophy and knowledge. He accepted refugees coming from the Eastern Roman Empire when Justinian closed the neo-Platonist schools in Athens in 529.[69] He was greatly interested in Indian philosophy, science, math, and medicine. He sent multiple embassies and gifts to the Indian court and requested them to send back

philosophers to teach in his court in return.[70] Khosrau made many translations of texts from Greek, Sanskrit, and Syriac into Middle Persian.[71] Khosrau received the title of ―Plato's Philosopher King‖ by the Greek refugees that he allowed into his empire because of his great interest in Platonic philosophy.[72]

Sassanian Plate depicting Khosrau I.A synthesis of Greek, Persian, Indian, and Armenian learning traditions took place within the Sassanian Empire. One outcome of this synthesis created what is known as bimaristani, the first hospital that introduced a concept of segregating wards according to pathology. Greek pharmacology fused with traditions from the Iranian plateau and India resulted in significant advances in medicine.[73] According to historian Richard Frye, this great influx of knowledge created a renaissance during, and proceeding Khosrau's reign.[74]

Intellectual games such as chess and backgammon demonstrated and celebrated the diplomatic relationship between Khosrau and a ―great king of India.‖ The vizier of the Indian king invented chess as a cheerful, playful challenge to King Khosrau. When the game was sent to Sassanian Persia it came with a letter which read, ―As your name is the King of Kings, all your emperorship over us connotes that your wise men should be wiser than ours. Either you send us an explanation of this game of chess or send revenue and tribute us.‖[75] Khosrau's grand vizier successfully solved the riddle and figured out how to play chess. In response the wise vizier created the game backgammon and sent it to the Indian court with the same message. The King was not able to solve the riddle and was forced to pay tribute.[76]

[edit] GundishapurKhosrau I is known to have either founded or greatly expanded the academy of Gundeshapur, located in the city of Jundishapur.[77] The Academy was built in order to provide a place for incoming Greek refugees to study and share their knowledge.[78] The foundation of this learning center introduced the studies of philosophy, medicine, physics, poetry, rhetoric, and astronomy into the Sassanian court.[79] Gundeshapur became the focal point of the combination of Greek and Indian sciences along with Persian and Aramaic traditions. The cosmopolitan which was introduced by the institution of Gundeshapur became a catalyst for modern studies.

[edit] LegacyAlthough Khosrau's achievements were highly successful and helped centralize the empire, they did not last long after his death. The local officials and great noble families resented the fact that their power had been stripped away from them and began to regain power quickly after his death.[80] Khosrau's reign had a major impact on Islamic culture and political life. Many of his policies and reforms where brought into the Islamic nation in their transformation from a decentralized oligarchical into an imperial empire.[81]

There are a considerable amount of Islamic work that was inspired by the reign of Khosrau I, for example the Kitab al-Taj of Jahiz.[82] There are a considerable amount of Islamic texts that refer to Khosrau's reign that it is sometimes hard to tell what is fact and what is fallacy.[83]

His reign signifies the promotion and possibly even the creation of the Silk Road between ancient China, India, and the western world.[84] Richard Frye makes the argument that Khosrau's rationale behind his numerous wars with the Byzantine empire as well as the eastern Hephthalites was to establish the Sassanian dominance on this trade route.

References Frye, Richard N. The Heritage of Persia. Costa Mesa: Mazda Publishers, 1993. 240-269. Howard-Johnston, James. ―State and Society in Late Antique Iran,‖ in The Sassanian Era. Edited by Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis and Sarah Stewart. London: I.B. Tauris & Co 2008, 118-129. Dignas, Beate and Winter, Engelbert. Rome and Persia in Late Antiquity : Neighbours and Rivals. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2007 Canepa, Matthew P. The Twos Eyes of Earth. Berkley: University of California 2009. Daryaee, Touraj. Sasanian Persia: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. London: I.B. Tauris & Co. 2009. Farrokh, Dr. Kaveh. Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War. Oxford: Osprey Publishing 2007. Frye, Richard R. ―THE REFORMS OF CHOSROES ANUSHIRVAN ('OF THE IMMORTAL SOUL').‖ The History of Ancient Iran. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/fryehst.html

Child of Khushraw Kings and Princess Turkey is:

184770282131728 i. HormizdIV, Emperor of Sasanian Persia, married Princess of the Ephtalites

369540564263458. King of the Ephtalites Khurad

Child of King of the Ephtalites Khurad is:

184770282131729 i. Princess of the Ephtalites, married HormizdIV, Emperor of Sasanian Persia

369540564263486. Maurice Tiberius, Emperor of Byzantium He married 369540564263487. Empress of Byzanium Constantia.

369540564263487. Empress of Byzanium Constantia She was the daughter of 739081128526974. TiberiusII, Emperor of Byzantium and 739081128526975. Empress of Byzantium Anastasia.

Child of Maurice Tiberius and Empress Constantia is:

184770282131743 i. Princess of Byzantium Miriam, married Chosroe II Parvez, Emperor of Sasanian Persia

369540564844544. Gabran (Gabhran) MacDomangart of Argyll, born 500. He was the son of 739081129689088. Domangart Reti of Dalriada I and 739081129689089. Feldelm Foltchain. He married 369540564844545. Fedelm ingen Feidelmid.

369540564844545. Fedelm ingen Feidelmid

Notes for Gabran (Gabhran) MacDomangart of Argyll: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

•ID: I44067

•Name: Gabran (Gabhran) MacDomangart of Argyll

•Nickname: The Treacherous 1

•Sex: M

•Change Date: 5 MAR 2009

•Birth: 500 2

•Event: Title FROM 538 TO 558 4th King of Dalriada & Scots 2 1

•Death: BET 558 AND 560 2 1

Father: Domangart Reti of Dalriada I. b: abt 0465 Mother: Feldelm Foltchain b: abt 475

Marriage 1 Luan of the Gododdin b: CA 510

Marriage 2 Fedelm ingen Feidelmid Children 1. Aidan MacGabran of Argyll b: CA 533

Gabrán mac Domangairt was king of Dál Riata in the middle of the 6th century. He is the eponymous ancestor of the Cenél nGabraín.

The historical evidence for Gabrán is limited to the notice of his death in the Irish annals. It is possible that his death should be linked to a migration or flight from Bridei mac Maelchon, but this may be no more than coincidence.[1]

Gabrán's chief importance is as the presumed ancestor of the Cenél nGabraín,[2] a kingroup which dominated the kingship of Dál Riata until the late 7th century and continued to provide kings thereafter. Kings of Alba and of Scotland traced their descent through Gabrán to his grandfather Fergus Mór, who was seen as the ultimate founder of the royal house as late as the 16th and 17th centuries, long after the Gaelic origins of the kingdom had ceased to have any real meaning.

Unlike the Cenél Loairn, the Senchus Fer n-Alban does not list any kindreds within the Cenél nGabraín. However,

probable descendants of Gabrán, such as Dúnchad mac Conaing and his many kinsmen, would appear to have disputed the succession with the descendants of Eochaid Buide grandson of Gabrán, so that this absence of explicit segments in the kindred may be misleading.[3] A genealogy of David I of Scotland in the Book of Ballymote notes the following divisions:

After Áedán mac Gabráin, between the main line, called "the sons of Eochaid Buide" and "the children of Cináed mac Ailpín", and the "sons of Conaing" After Eochaid Buide, between the main line and the "children of Fergus Goll" and the "children of Connad Cerr ... or the men of Fife", although modern studies make Connad Cerr a member of the Cenél Comgaill After Eochaid mac Domangairt, between the main line and the Cenél Comgaill The domain of the Cenél nGabraín appears to have been centred in Kintyre and Knapdale and may have included Arran, Jura and Gigha. The title king of Kintyre is used of a number of presumed kings of the Cenél nGabrain. Two probable royal sites are known, Dunadd, which lies at the northern edge of their presumed lands, and Aberte (or Dún Aberte), which is very likely the later Dunaverty on the headland beside Southend, Kintyre.

Kilmartin may have been an important early Christian site by reason of its proximity to Dunadd and its dedication to Saint Martin of Tours, as may Kilmichael Glassary. However, there appears to be no religious site of the importance of Lismore in the lands of the rival Cenél Loairn.

Child of Gabran Argyll and Fedelm Feidelmid is:

184770282422272 i. Aidan MacGabran of Argyll, born 533.

Generation No. 50

739080893469888. Sigimaerus of Auverne He was the son of 739080893469904. Clovis and 1478161786939777. Bassina of Thuringia.

Child of Sigimaerus of Auverne is:

369540446734944 i. Ferreolus of Rome, married Papinilla Avitus of Rome

739080893469904. Clovis, born 398; died 448. He was the son of 1478161786939808. Pharamond and 1478161786939809. Argotta. He married 739080893469905. Basina.

739080893469905. Basina

Notes for Clovis: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Chlodio

Born c. 392/395[1] Died 445[1]/448 Consort Basina (daughter of Wedelphus, an alleged king of the Thuringii) [1] Offspring Merovech (disputed) Father Theudemeres or Pharamond (both disputed) Mother unknown or Argotta (disputed)

Chlodio (c. 392/395[1]–445[1]/448; also spelled Clodio, Clodius, Clodion, Cloio or Chlogio) was a king of the Salian Franks from the Merovingian dynasty. He was known as the Long-Haired King and lived in Thuringian territory at the castle of Duisburg. He became chief of the Thérouanne area in 414 AD. From there, he invaded the Roman Empire in 428, defeating a Roman force at Cambrai, and settled in Northern Gaul, where other groups of Salians were already settled. Although he was attacked by the Romans, he was able to maintain his position and, 3

years later in 431, he extended his kingdom south to the Somme River in the future Francia. In 448, 20 years after his reign began, Chlodio was defeated at an unidentified place called Vicus Helena by Flavius Aëtius, the commander of the Roman Army in Gaul.

Like all Merovingian kings, Chlodio had long hair as a ritual custom. His successor may have been Merovech, after whom the dynasty was named 'Merovingian'. The non-contemporary Liber Historiae Francorum says his father was Pharamond, who many believe to have been a legendary person linked to the lineage sometime in the 8th century. Current historical research suggests that Pharamond may indeed have been the same person as Varazdat a deposed regent and prince of the exiled Siunia Dynasty;[2] however, the familial relationships cannot be proven with absolutely certainty. The Chronicle of Fredegar makes Chlodio son of Theudemeres, one of the leaders of the Salian Franks and king of Thérouanne (409-414), and genealogist Christian Settipani leaned toward this solution.[3]

Child of Clovis and Basina is:

369540446734952 i. Childebert, born 425; married (1) Amalaberge

Child of Clovis is:

739080893469906. Clodoweg He married 739080893469907. Wedelphe. 739080893469907. Wedelphe

Child of Clodoweg and Wedelphe is:

369540446734953 i. Amalaberge, born 435; died 478; married Childebert

739080893469936. Childeric of the Franks, born 440; died 481. He was the son of 1478161786939872. Merovech. He married 739080893469937. Bassina of the Franks.

739080893469937. Bassina of the Franks, died 470. She was the daughter of 1478161786939874. Genebald.

Notes for Childeric of the Franks: Childeric I (c. 440 – 481/82) was a Merovingian king of the Salian Franks and the father of Clovis.

He succeeded his father Merovech as king, traditionally in 457 or 458 (?). With his Frankish warband he was established with his capital at Tournai, on lands which he had received as a foederatus of the Romans, and for some time he kept the peace with his allies.

In 463 in Orléans, in conjunction with the Roman General Aegidius, who was based in Soissons, he defeated the Visigoths, who hoped to extend their dominion along the banks of the Loire River. After the death of Aegidius, he first assisted Comes ("count") Paul of Angers, together with a mixed band of Gallo-Romans and Franks, in defeating the Goths and taking booty. Saxon raiders under the command of a certain Adovacrius (perhaps, but not surely Odoacer) reached Angers but Childeric arrived the next day and a battle ensued. Count Paul was killed and Childeric took the city. Childeric, having delivered Angers, followed a Saxon warband to the islands on the Atlantic mouth of the Loire, and massacred them there. In a change of alliances, he also joined forces with Odoacer, according to Gregory of Tours, to stop a band of the Alamanni who wished to invade Italy.

The stories of his expulsion by the Franks, whose women he was taking; of his eight-year stay in Thuringia with King Basin and his wife Basina; of his return when a faithful servant advised him that he could safely do so by sending to him half of a piece of gold which he had broken with him; and of the arrival in Tournai of Queen Basina, whom he married, come from Gregory of Tours' Libri Historiarum (Book ii.12).

He died in 481 and was buried in Tournai, leaving a son, Clovis, afterwards king of the Franks.

Tomb Childeric's tomb was discovered in 1653 (May 27) by a Mason doing repairs in the church of Saint-Brice in Tournai, a city in modern Belgium. Numerous precious objects were found, including a richly ornamented sword, a torse-like

bracelet, jewels of gold and garnet cloisonné, gold coins, a gold bull's head and a ring with the inscription CHILDERICI REGIS ("of Childeric the king"), which identified the tomb. Some 300 golden bees were also found. Archduke Leopold William, governor of the Southern Netherlands (today's Belgium), had the find published in Latin. The treasure went first to the Habsburgs in Vienna, then as a gift to Louis XIV, who was not impressed with the treasure and stored it in the royal library, which became the Bibliothèque Nationale de France during the Revolution. Napoleon was more impressed with Childeric's bees and when he was looking for a heraldic symbol to trump the Bourbon fleur-de-lys, he settled on Childeric's bees as symbols of the French Empire.

On the night of November 5–6, 1831, the treasure of Childeric was among 80 kilos of treasure stolen from the Library and melted down for the gold. A few pieces were retrieved from where they had been hidden in the Seine, including two of the bees. The record of the treasure, however, now exists only in the fine engravings made at the time of its discovery and in some reproductions made for the Habsburgs.

References Edward James: The Franks. Oxford, 1988.

Northvegr website: Gregory of Tours, Historia Francorum "A note on Childeric's bees": the discovery of his tomb: follow the links for the engravings of Childeric's treasure and the two remaining gold bees. Image of the fittings for Childeric's sword

Notes for Bassina of the Franks: Basina was a daughter of the Thuringian king Basin and Basina, a Saxon princess.

She left her husband, king Bisinus and went to Roman Gaul. She herself took the initiative to ask for the hand of Childeric I, king of the Franks, and married him. For as she herself said, "I want to have the most powerful man in the world, even if I have to cross the ocean for him". This remark of hers may have been related to Childeric's successful invasion of the Roman Empire and his attempt to settle a Frankish kingdom on Roman soil.

Basina's name is probably Low Franconian for 'female boss'. She is the mother of the man who is remembered as the founder of the Frankish realm and modern France. She (not her husband Childeric) named her son Chlodovech, but he is better remembered under his Latinized name Clovis I. The simple fact that Chlodovech's name comes from Basina is remarkable since it was a common practice for the Franks to name a son after a member of the family of the male-line of ancestors.

Through the ages historians have been intrigued by the story of Basina since she obviously acted as a player and not as bystander — which is not uncommon for the women of the Franks, but highly uncommon for the Italians.

Children of Childeric Franks and Bassina Franks are:

i. Adelbert of the Sigermerus Franks, married Argotta; born 460. 369540446734968 ii. Clovis Chlodovech of Cologne, born 466; died 511; married Chrotechilde of Burgundy

739080893469940. Basin von Thuringia He was the son of 369540446734952. Childebert. He married 739080893469941. Menia von Thuringia.

739080893469941. Menia von Thuringia

Child of Basin von Thuringia and Menia von Thuringia is:

369540446734970 i. Bertaire of Thuringia

739080893470088. Gonthaires Gunderic de Bourgogne, born 400. He was the son of 1478161786940176. Gundicar Gebica de Bourgogne. He married 739080893470089. Caratene of the Suevi.

739080893470089. Caratene of the Suevi, born 403.

Child of Gonthaires de Bourgogne and Caratene Suevi is:

369540446735044 i. Gondobad Gondioc de Bourgogne, born 421.

739080893470204. Adelbert of the Sigermerus Franks He was the son of 739080893469936. Childeric of the Franks and 739080893469937. Bassina of the Franks. He married 739080893470205. Argotta.

739080893470205. Argotta, born 460.

Child of Adelbert Franks and Argotta is:

369540446735102 i. Wambert Ferreolus of the Sigermerus Franks, born 480; married Deuteria

739080893470206. Afranius Syagris Gallo-Roman, born 450.

Child of Afranius Syagris Gallo-Roman is:

369540446735103 i. Deuteria, born 495; married Wambert Ferreolus of the Sigermerus Franks

739081128526850. Huna VI He was the son of 1478162257053700. Kahane II.

Child of Huna VI is:

369540564263425 i. Havah, married Hanini of Parsua

739081128526912. Kavadh I (Kobad), Emperor of Sasanian Persia He was the son of 1478162257053824. Emperor of Sasanian Persia Peroz.

Notes for Kavadh I (Kobad), Emperor of Sasanian Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Kavad or Kavadh I (Persian: ???? Qabad) (born 449, ruled 488–531) was the son of Peroz I (457–484) and the nineteenth Sassanid king of Persia, reigning from 488 to 531. He was crowned by the nobles in place of his deposed and blinded uncle Balash (484–488).

The date of his birth is unclear; John Malalas claims that at his death he was 82 years old, hence born in 449, but Procopius mentions that he had barely entered puberty when his father Peroz was killed with his entire army during a campaign against the Hephthalites in 484. After this disaster, only few members of the royal line remained; according to Procopius, of the ca. 30 sons of Peroz, Kavadh was the only one to remain alive. At first, his uncle Balash assumed the throne, reigning until 488, when a coup deposed him and brought Kavadh to the throne.

Kavadh I gave his support to the communistic sect founded by Mazdak, son of Bamdad, who demanded that the rich should divide their wives and their wealth with the poor. His intention evidently was, by adopting the doctrine of the Mazdakites, to break the influence of the magnates. But in 496 he was deposed and incarcerated in the "Castle of Oblivion (Lethe)" in Susiana, and his brother Djamasp (496–498) was raised to the throne.

Return from exile Kavadh, however, escaped and found refuge with the Hephthalites, whose king gave him his daughter in marriage and aided him to return to Persia. In 498 Kavadh became king again and punished his opponents. He had to pay a tribute to the Ephthalites and applied for subsidies to Rome, which had before supported the Persians. But now the Emperor Anastasius I (491–518) refused subsidies, expecting that the two rival powers of the East would exhaust one another in war. At the same time he intervened in the affairs of the Persian part of Armenia and restored Iberia to Iran's effective control.

War and succession Kavadh I joined the Ephthalites and began war against the Byzantine Empire. In 502 he took Theodosiopolis (Erzurum) in Armenia; in 503 Amida (Diarbekr) on the Tigris. In 505 an invasion of Armenia by the western Huns from the Caucasus led to an armistice, during which the Romans paid subsidies to the Persians for the maintenance of the fortifications on the Caucasus.

When Justin I (518–527) came to the throne in Constantinople, the conflict began anew. His Arab vassal, al-Mundhir IV ibn al-Mundhir, laid waste Mesopotamia and slaughtered the monks and nuns. In 531 Belisarius was defeated at the Battle of Callinicum. Shortly afterwards Kavadh died, at the age of eighty-two, in September 531.

During his last years his favourite son Khosrau I had had great influence over him and had been proclaimed successor over his older brothers, Kawus (Caoses) and Zames. He also induced Kavadh to break with the Mazdakites, whose doctrine had spread widely and caused great turmoil throughout Persia.

Effect on Sassanid Empire In 529 Mazdaki doctrine was formally refuted in a theological discussion held before the throne of the king by the orthodox Magians, and its adherents were slaughtered and persecuted everywhere; Mazdak himself was hanged. Kavadh I evidently was, as Procopius (Pers. i.6) calls him, an unusually clear-sighted and energetic ruler. Although he could not free himself from the yoke of the Hephthalites, he succeeded in restoring order in the interior and fought with success against the Romans. He built some towns which were named after him, and began to regulate taxation.

Child of Kavadh I (Kobad), Emperor of Sasanian Persia is:

369540564263456 i. Khushraw (Chrosroe I) of Kings, married Princess of Turkey

739081128526974. TiberiusII, Emperor of Byzantium He married 739081128526975. Empress of Byzantium Anastasia.

739081128526975. Empress of Byzantium Anastasia She was the daughter of 1478162257053950. Flavius Joannes and 1478162257053951. Praejecta of Illyria.

Child of Tiberius and Empress Anastasia is:

369540564263487 i. Empress of Byzanium Constantia, married Maurice Tiberius, Emperor of Byzantium

739081129689088. Domangart Reti of Dalriada I, born 465; died 507. He married 739081129689089. Feldelm Foltchain.

739081129689089. Feldelm Foltchain, born Abt. 475. She was the daughter of 1478162259378178. Brion (Bian) MacEchach and 1478162259378179. Rossa of Laigin.

Notes for Domangart Reti of Dalriada I: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Domangart Réti was king of Dál Riata in the early 6th century, following the death of his father, Fergus Mór.

He had at least two sons: Comgall and Gabrán, both of whom became kings in succession. The Tripartite Life of St. Patrick states that he was present at the death of the saint, circa 493. Domangart died around 507 and was succeeded by Comgall.

His byname, Réti, appears in Adomnán's Life of Saint Columba, in the form Corcu Réti, perhaps a synonym for Dál Riata. Corcu, a Primitive Irish language term for a kin group, usually combined with the name of a divine or mythical ancestor, is apparently similar to the term Dál. Alternatively, rather that representing an alternative name for all of Dál Riata, it has been suggested Corcu Réti was the name given to the kin group which later divided to form the Cenél nGabráin of Kintyre and the Cenél Comgaill of Cowal, thus excluding the Cenél nÓengusa of Islay and the Cenél Loairn of middle and northern Argyll.

Notes for Feldelm Foltchain: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

•ID: I44070

•Name: Feldelm Foltchain

•Nickname: The Fair 1

•_AKAN: Fedelmia 1

•Sex: F

•Change Date: 5 MAR 2009

•Birth: abt 475 1 2

•Event: Title Queen of Dalriada 1

Father: Brion (Brian) MacEchach of Ireland Mother: Rossa of Laigin

Marriage 1 Domangart Reti of Dalriada I. b: abt 0465 Children 1. Gabran (Gabhran) MacDomangart of Argyll b: 500

/Tuathal Techtmar I. b: 56 d: 106 =>

/Felim Rachtmar "the Lawgiver" MacTuathal d: 119

| \Baine ingen Scal /Conn Ceadchathach MacFeideilmid d: 157 /Airt `the Solitary' Aoinfhear MacConn d: 195 /Cormac Ulfhada (Ulfhota; `Longbeard') MacAirt d: 0266 /Cairbre Lifiochair (Lifechar) MacCormaic d: 0284 | \Eithne Thaebfhota ingen Cathaír Már Uí Éremóin /Fiachaidh Sraibhthine (Scrabhtaine) of Ireland V. d: 322 | \Aine ingen Finn Uí Éremóin /Muireadeach Tirech MacFiachach II. d: 356 | \Aife (Aoife) of Gall Gaedal /Eochaid (Eochu) Mugmedon of Ireland d: 365 | \Muirion b: abt 0336 /Brion (Brian) MacEchach of Ireland | \Mong Finn (Fionn) ingen Fiodhaig d: 365 Feldelm Foltchain b: abt 475

\Rossa of Laigin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Child of Domangart Dalriada and Feldelm Foltchain is:

369540564844544 i. Gabran (Gabhran) MacDomangart of Argyll, born 500; married Fedelm ingen Feidelmid

Generation No. 51

739080893469904. Clovis, born 398; died 448. He was the son of 1478161786939808. Pharamond and 1478161786939809. Argotta. He married 1478161786939777. Bassina of Thuringia.

1478161786939777. Bassina of Thuringia She was the daughter of 2956323573879554. Wedelphe of Thurinigia and 2956323573879555. Basina.

Notes for Clovis: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Chlodio

Born c. 392/395[1] Died 445[1]/448 Consort Basina (daughter of Wedelphus, an alleged king of the Thuringii) [1] Offspring Merovech (disputed) Father Theudemeres or Pharamond (both disputed) Mother unknown or Argotta (disputed)

Chlodio (c. 392/395[1]–445[1]/448; also spelled Clodio, Clodius, Clodion, Cloio or Chlogio) was a king of the Salian Franks from the Merovingian dynasty. He was known as the Long-Haired King and lived in Thuringian territory at the castle of Duisburg. He became chief of the Thérouanne area in 414 AD. From there, he invaded the Roman Empire in 428, defeating a Roman force at Cambrai, and settled in Northern Gaul, where other groups of Salians were already settled. Although he was attacked by the Romans, he was able to maintain his position and, 3 years later in 431, he extended his kingdom south to the Somme River in the future Francia. In 448, 20 years after his reign began, Chlodio was defeated at an unidentified place called Vicus Helena by Flavius Aëtius, the commander of the Roman Army in Gaul.

Like all Merovingian kings, Chlodio had long hair as a ritual custom. His successor may have been Merovech, after whom the dynasty was named 'Merovingian'. The non-contemporary Liber Historiae Francorum says his father was Pharamond, who many believe to have been a legendary person linked to the lineage sometime in the 8th century. Current historical research suggests that Pharamond may indeed have been the same person as Varazdat a deposed regent and prince of the exiled Siunia Dynasty;[2] however, the familial relationships cannot be proven with absolutely certainty. The Chronicle of Fredegar makes Chlodio son of Theudemeres, one of the leaders of the Salian Franks and king of Thérouanne (409-414), and genealogist Christian Settipani leaned toward this solution.[3]

Child of Clovis and Bassina Thuringia is:

739080893469888 i. Sigimaerus of Auverne

1478161786939808. Pharamond, born 380; died Bet. 427 - 430. He was the son of 2956323573879616. Marcomir and 2956323573879617. Ildegonde de Lombardi. He married 1478161786939809. Argotta 394.

1478161786939809. Argotta

Notes for Pharamond: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

King PharamondPharamond or Faramund is a legendary early king of the Franks, first referred to in the anonymous 8th century Carolingian text Liber Historiae Francorum, also known as the Gesta regnum Francorum. In this work, which is customarily dated to 727, the anonymous author begins by writing of a mythical Trojan origin for the Franks. The emphasis of the Liber was upon "construct[ing] a specific past for a particular group of people."[1]

Contents: 1 Legend 2 Historical sources 3 Pharamond in later culture 4 Notes 5 References

LegendThe story is told of the election of the first Frankish king.[2] It says that after the death of Sunno, his brother Marcomer, leader of the Ampsivarii and Chatti, proposed to the Franks that they should have one single king,

contrary to their tradition. The Liber adds that Pharamond, named as Marchomir's son, was chosen as this first king (thus beginning the tradition of long-haired kings of the Franks), and then states that when he died, his son Chlodio was raised up as the next king. The work says no more of him.

Because there is no reference in any source prior to this work[3] to this figure named Pharamond, who is placed prior to Chlodio (that is, before ca. 428), scholars consider him a legendary rather than historical figure.[4] As a matter of fact in several sources, for example Gregory of Tours, multiple kings are attested to rule simultaneously in later times.[citation needed] It is thus a dubious matter to assume that, even if Pharamond existed, he was ever recognized as sole king. The first king of the Franks who may have been close to this position was Clovis I, but after his death his empire was divided again amongst his sons, who ruled again simultaneously.

The myth of Pharamond has led to new legends and romances in later times. In past times this has led to attempts to falsely write Pharamond into Prosper Tiro.[5] Martin Bouquet at a much later date invented an entire history of Pharamond.[1]

Historical sourcesGregory of Tours, in his Annales Francici notes in 420 "Pharamond reigns in France" ("Pharamundus regnat in Francia" - Annales Francici, page 151)

Sigebert of Gembloux names him as King of the Franks between Marcomer and Chlodio ("Post Marcomirum filius ejus Faramundus fuit, rex crinitus, a quo Franci crinitos reges habere coeperunt. Post quem Clodius filius ejus regnans Francis a Thoringia advectis Gallias invasit, et capta urbe Tornaco Cameracum usque progressus multos Romanorum in Galliis peremit" [2]). He keeps the mythical origin for Marcomer.

Saint Gregory's writes about a group of Trojans that escaped to the Maeotian marshes, then into pannonia, becoming the Sicambri (a subdivision of the Franks), who inhabited the region along with the Alans. The Alan presence in Pannonia is historical around 370, as part of their migrations to Gaul, and later to Hispania, where they ruled until the arrival of the Visigoths. He says that later, the Franks migrated to Germania led by Marcomer, and established themselves along the Rhine. After Marcomer's death, Pharemundus, or Faramundus succeeded him as chieftain.

In Gesta Francorum (c.1100), chapter 8 describes how the Franks changed their laws under Pharamond . ([3] page 229)

Pharamond in later cultureA Pharamond appears as the king of France in the Prose Tristan and later Arthurian works.

Pharamond is mentioned in William Shakespeare's Henry V, Act I, Scene 2, as the originator of the Salic law banning women from succession to the throne of France.

He appears as the title character in the opera Faramondo by George Frideric Handel.

Pharamond is also a minor character of the Sandman and Lucifer comics.

Notes1.^ McKitterick, History and Memory in the Carolingian World, p.8 2.^ Liber Historiæ Francorum 4-5, MGH Scriptores rerum Merovingicarum II, ed. B. Krusch, Hanover, 1888, pp. 245-246 3.^ Wood, Ian. The Merovingian Kingdoms, 450-751. 1. Essex, England: Longman Group Limited, 1994. p.37 4.^ Wood, The Merovingian Kingdoms, p. 36. 5.^ Gibbon, Edward. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. ed. Rev. H. H. Milman. Boston: Phillips, Samson, and Company, 1852. Vol. 3, p.314 Ftn.169. 6 vols. References Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pharamond

Liber Historiae Francorum, translated by Bernard S. Bachrach. Coronado Press, 1973. Gregory of Tours. Historia Francorum. McKitterick, Rosamond. History and Memory in the Carolingian World. 1st Ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Wood, Ian. The Merovingian Kingdoms. Pearson Education, 1994.

Child of Pharamond and Argotta is:

739080893469904 i. Clovis, born 398; died 448; married (1) Basina; married (2) Bassina of Thuringia

1478161786939872. Merovech

Notes for Merovech: Merovech (Latin: Meroveus or Merovius) is the semi-legendary founder of the Merovingian dynasty of the Salian Franks (although Chlodio may in fact be the founder), which later became the dominant Frankish tribe. He allegedly lived in the first half of the fifth century. His name is a Latinization of a form close to the Old High German given name Marwig, lit. "famed fight" (cf. mari "famous" + wig "fight") compare modern Dutch mare "renowned" and vecht "fight".[1] The first Frankish royal dynasty called themselves Merovingians ("descendants of Meroveus") after him.

There is little information about him in the later histories of the Franks. Gregory of Tours only names him once as the father of Childeric I while putting doubt on his descent from Chlodio.[2] Many admit today that this formulation finds its explanation in a legend reported by Fredegar.[3] The Chronicle of Fredegar interpolated on this reference by Gregory by adding Merovech was the son of the queen, Chlodio's wife; but his father was a sea-god, bistea Neptuni.[4] No other historical evidence exists that Merovech ever lived. Some researchers have noted that Merovech, the Frankish chieftain, may have been the namesake of a certain god or demigod honored by the Franks prior to their conversion to Christianity. It has been suggested Merovech refers to or is reminiscent to the Dutch river Merwede,[5] nowadays part of the Rhine-Meus-Scheldt delta but historically a main subsidiary of the Rhine, in the area where, according to Roman historians, the Salian Franks once dwelled. Another theory[6] considers this legend to be the creation of a mythological past needed to back up the fast-rising Frankish rule in Western Europe.

According to another legend, Merovech was conceived when Pharamond's wife encountered a Quinotaur, a sea monster which could change shapes, while swimming. Though never stated, it is implied that she was impregnated by it. This legend was related by Fredegar in the seventh century and may have been known earlier. The legend is probably a back-formation or folk etymology used to explain the Salian Franks' origin as a sea coast dwelling people and was based on the name itself. The "Mero-" or "Mer-" element in the name suggests a sea or ocean (see Old English "mere," Latin "mare," or even the Modern English word "mermaid", etc.). The "Salian" in "Salian Franks" may be a reference to salt, a reminder of their pre-migration home on the shores of the North Sea (alternatively, it may refer to the Isala or IJssel river behind which their homeland, the Salland, may have been located). The legend could also be explained in a much easier way. The sea monster could have been a foreign conqueror, coming from the sea, taking the dead king's (Chlodio or Pharamond) wife to legitimise his rule.

The legend about Merovech's conception was adapted in 1982 by authors Henry Lincoln and Richard Leigh in their book Holy Blood Holy Grail, as the seed of a new idea. They hypothesized that this "descended from a fish" legend was actually referring to the concept that the Merovingian line had married into the bloodline of Jesus Christ, since the symbol for early Christians had also been a fish. This theory, with no other basis than Lincoln and Leigh's hypothesis, was further popularized in 2003 via Dan Brown's bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code.[7][8]

There is also a fictional character called The Merovingian in the movies The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (portrayed by Lambert Wilson). The character is modeled as an ancient and powerful leader of exiles. He also has extensive knowledge of the inner workings of the universe and uses this knowledge to support his decadent lifestyle.

See also Battle of the Catalaunian Plains

Notes1.^ Green, D.H. Language and History in the Early Germanic World. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1998. 2.^ Gregory of Tours - The History of the Franks, II.9 3.^ Christian Settipani - Addenda to Les Ancêtres de Charlemagne, 1990 [1]

4.^ Pseudo-Fredegar, Hist. III, 9 5.^ Emil Rückert: Oberon von Mons und die Pipine von Nivella; Weidmann'sche Buchhandlung, Leipzig, Germany, 1836 6.^ see M. Todd's, The Early Germans 7.^ Behind the Da Vinci Code, 2006, History Channel documentary about Henry Lincoln 8.^ Holy Blood Holy Grail, Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, Henry Lincoln, 1982

Child of Merovech is:

739080893469936 i. Childeric of the Franks, born 440; died 481; married Bassina of the Franks

1478161786939874. Genebald, born 354. He was the son of 2956323573879748. Dagobert.

Child of Genebald is:

739080893469937 i. Bassina of the Franks, died 470; married Childeric of the Franks

1478161786940176. Gundicar Gebica de Bourgogne, born 380. He was the son of 2956323573880352. Godomar de Bourgogne.

Child of Gundicar Gebica de Bourgogne is:

739080893470088 i. Gonthaires Gunderic de Bourgogne, born 400; married Caratene of the Suevi

1478162257053700. Kahane II He was the son of 2956324514107400. Mar Zutra I "The Pious" 25th Exilarch.

Child of Kahane II is:

739081128526850 i. Huna VI

1478162257053824. Emperor of Sasanian Persia Peroz He was the son of 2956324514107648. YazdagirdII, Emperor of Sasanian Persia and 2956324514107649. Empress of Sasanian Persia

Dinak.

Notes for Emperor of Sasanian Persia Peroz: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Peroz I (also Pirooz; Peirozes (Priscus, fr. 33); Perozes (Procopius, De Bello Pers. I. 3 and Agathias iv. 27; the modern form of the name is Perooz, Piruz, or the Arabized Ferooz, Firuz; Persian: ????? "the Victor"), was the seventeenth Sassanid King of Persia, who ruled from 457 to 484. Peroz I was the eldest son of Yazdegerd II of Persia (438–457).

On the death of Peroz I's father, Yazdegerd II, the younger son of the deceased Emperor, Hormizd, seized the throne in the absence of his elder brother Peroz who had been posted as the Governor of distant Sistan forcing Peroz to seek the protection of the Hephthalites. The Hephthalite monarch, Khush-Nevaz was only too glad to welcome him and aid him in his war against Hormizd. So, with Hephthalite assistance, Peroz led an army against Hormizd, defeated him and held him captive. Sources differ as to what happened to Hormizd after his capture. Some say that he was put to death. However, the Persian historian, Mirkhond says that Peroz pardoned his younger brother and amicably spared his life.

Reign Peroz ruled from 457 to 484. He is said to have favored Nestorianism and persecuted Chalcedonians. Historians regard him as a fearless monarch and give him the epithet, Peroz the Victorious.

Events The civil war in Persia had affected the nation so much as to cost a province. Vatche, the king of Aghouank (Albania), rebelled against Persian rule and declared himself independent while the brothers were busy fighting amongst each other. So once Peroz I ascended the throne in the year 457, he led an army into Albania and completely subjugated the nation. He then dismissed his allies the Hephthalites with costly presents and proceeded to rule the nation in moderation and justice.

Seven-year famine 464-471Historians of the period record the occurrence of a seven-year famine which devastated the crops and ruined the country. Sources say that the wells became dry and that there was not a trickle of water either in the Tigris or the Euphrates. Eventually the crops failed and thousands perished.

Historians record that Peroz I showed an extreme rigidness of character in the face of such an adversity and great wisdom in dealing with the catastrophe. As a result of his wisdom and benevolence, Persia gradually recovered from the famine.

First campaign against the Huns No sooner had Persia recovered from the famine, than war broke out with the Huns of the north. Provoked by an insult heaped upon him by Khush-Newaz, Peroz led an invasion of the Hephthalite country forcing them to retreat. But when Peroz pursued the Hephthalites to the hills, he suffered a crushing defeat, was captured and forced to surrender his son Kavadh I to Khush-Newaz as a hostage, until the ransom was paid.[1]

Trouble in Armenia In 481, Peroz was defeated by the Kushans. Soon afterwards, Iberia broke into revolt and declared its independence. Peroz sent the Persian Governor of Armenia to Iberia to quell the rebellion. But no sooner had he left the province, that Armenia rose in rebellion and chose an Armenian Christian called Bargatide as its Emperor.

The Persian Governor, Adar-Vishnasp after restoring Persian rule in Iberia rushed to Armenia to quell the rebellion but was squarely defeated. Peroz responded by sending two large armies to the region, one under Adar-Narseh into Armenia and the other against Iberia.

Sahag, the Armenian king, was killed and Mihran was wreaking havoc in Persia, but just when success was within grasp, Peroz blundered by recalling Mihran and entrusting the command to one Hazaravough. Hazaravough too did not remain long in Armenia and was recalled in a few months. This policy of rotating military commanders frequently ensured that Armenia was lost to the Persians for the time being.

Second campaign against the Huns and death Towards the end of his reign, Peroz gathered an army of 50,000-100,000 men and, placing his brother Balash at the head of the government in Ctesiphon, he invaded the Hephthalites in order to avenge the insult heaped upon him during the first campaign. He set up his position at Balkh and rejected the terms of peace offered by Khush-Newaz. However, when a showdown with the Persians seemed imminent, Khush-Newaz sent a small body of troops in advance in order to trick Peroz into an ambuscade. The plan was successful, and the Persians were defeated with great slaughter, Peroz being one of the victims. Khush-Newaz, however, treated the body of his erstwhile friend with dignity and dispatched it to Persia to be buried with full honors. Balash was crowned the next Emperor of Persia.

Soon afterwards, the Hephthalites invaded and plundered Persia. Persia, however, was saved when a noble Persian from the Parthian family of Karen, Zarmihr (or Sokhra/Sufra), raised Balash (484–488), one of Peroz I's brothers, to the throne.

Notes 1.^ The Cambridge history of Iran: The Seleucid, Parthian and Sasanian Periods, Vol.1, Ed. Harold Bailey, (Cambridge University Press, 1983), 148.

References This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. Wigram, W. A. (2004). An introduction to the history of the Assyrian Church, or, The Church of the Sassanid Persian Empire, 100–640 A.D.. Gorgias Press. ISBN 1593331037.

Child of Emperor of Sasanian Persia Peroz is:

739081128526912 i. Kavadh I (Kobad), Emperor of Sasanian Persia

1478162257053950. Flavius Joannes He was the son of 2956324514107900. Flavius Pompeius and

2956324514107901. Anastasia. He married 1478162257053951. Praejecta of Illyria.

1478162257053951. Praejecta of Illyria She was the daughter of 2956324514107902. Dulcissimus of Illyria and 2956324514107903. Vigilantia II of Illyria.

Child of Flavius Joannes and Praejecta Illyria is:

739081128526975 i. Empress of Byzantium Anastasia, married TiberiusII, Emperor of Byzantium

1478162259378178. Brion (Bian) MacEchach He was the son of 2956324518756356. Eochaid (Eochu) Mugmedon of Ireland and 2956324518756357. Mongfind. He married 1478162259378179. Rossa of Laigin.

1478162259378179. Rossa of Laigin

Notes for Brion (Bian) MacEchach: The older half-brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages and one of the three brothers whose descendants were known as the Connachta,[1] Brión is said to have been king of Connacht. According to the traditional Irish chronology, his father died in 362.[2] Brión's descendants, the Uí Briúin, gave rise to many Kings of Connacht and its ruling families over the next thousand years. A descendant of his via the Uí Briúin Ai was Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair, who became High King of Ireland in 1166.

"The Violent Death of Crimthann mac Fidaig and of the Three Sons of Eochaid Muigmedón" gives the story of the sons of Eochaid Mugmedón. According to this saga, Brión was the favorite son of his mother Mongfind, sister of Crimthann mac Fidaig (d. 367), the king of Munster. She wanted Brión to succeed Eochaid but upon his death, war broke out with her stepson Niall Noigiallach (d. 405). When she realized the war was not going in her favor she arranged for Crimthann to become high king and sent Brión away to learn soldiering. On Brión's return after seven years, Mongfind poisoned her brother in order to get the throne for Brión.

However, Niall acquired the throne and made Brión his champion and levier of his rents and hostages. Brión took the throne of Connacht leading to war with his brother Fiachrae. Brión defeated Fiachrae at the Battle of Damchluain (near Tuam, County Galway) who was taken captive to Tara. However, Fiachrae's son Nath Í rallied forces and defeated Brión who was slain at a second Battle of Damchluain. Brión was buried at Ross Camm. Fiachrae was released and became the new king of Connacht.[3]

Descendants According to Tirechan, Patrick visited the "halls of the sons of Brion" at Duma Selchae in Mag nAi, but does not give their names. An equilvant passage in the Vita Tripartita, possibly of 9th-centry origin, names six sons. "A series of later sources daing from the eleventh century onward, meanwhile, enumerates Brion's progeny as no less than twenty-four. No doubt the increasing power of the Ui Briuin was responsible for this dramatic swelling of the ranks, as tribes and dynasties newly coming under Ui Briuin sway were furnished with ancestries that would link them genealogically to their overlords. Into this category fall the Ui Bruin Umaill, and likely also the Ui Bruin Ratha and Ui Bruin Sinna." (p485, "Ui Bruin", Anne Connon, in "Medieval Ireland:An Encyclopedia").

Children of Brion MacEchach and Rossa Laigin are:

739081129689089 i. Feldelm Foltchain, born Abt. 475; married Domangart Reti of Dalriada I

ii. Duach Galach, King of Connaught

Generation No. 52

2956323573879554. Wedelphe of Thurinigia He married 2956323573879555. Basina. 2956323573879555. Basina

Child of Wedelphe Thurinigia and Basina is:

1478161786939777 i. Bassina of Thuringia, married Clovis

2956323573879616. Marcomir, born Abt. 347. He was the son of 5912647147759232. Clodius and 5912647147759233. Blesinde. He married 2956323573879617. Ildegonde de Lombardi.

2956323573879617. Ildegonde de Lombardi

Child of Marcomir and Ildegonde de Lombardi is:

1478161786939808 i. Pharamond, born 380; died Bet. 427 - 430; married Argotta 394.

2956323573879748. Dagobert, born 347. He was the son of 5912647147759496. Unknown.

Child of Dagobert is:

1478161786939874 i. Genebald, born 354.

2956323573880352. Godomar de Bourgogne, born 350. He was the son of 5912647147760704. Gibicea de Bourgogne.

Child of Godomar de Bourgogne is:

1478161786940176 i. Gundicar Gebica de Bourgogne, born 380.

2956324514107400. Mar Zutra I "The Pious" 25th Exilarch He was the son of 5912649028214800. Huna IV.

Child of Mar Zutra I "The Pious" 25th Exilarch is:

1478162257053700 i. Kahane II

2956324514107648. YazdagirdII, Emperor of Sasanian Persia He was the son of 5912649028215296. Varahan V (Bahram), Emperor of Sasanian Persia. He married 2956324514107649. Empress of Sasanian Persia Dinak.

2956324514107649. Empress of Sasanian Persia Dinak

Child of Yazdagird and Empress Dinak is:

1478162257053824 i. Emperor of Sasanian Persia Peroz

2956324514107900. Flavius Pompeius He was the son of 5912649028215800. Flavius Hypatius and 5912649028215801. Magna of Rome. He married 2956324514107901. Anastasia.

2956324514107901. Anastasia

Child of Flavius Pompeius and Anastasia is:

1478162257053950 i. Flavius Joannes, married Praejecta of Illyria

2956324514107902. Dulcissimus of Illyria He married 2956324514107903. Vigilantia II of Illyria. 2956324514107903. Vigilantia II of Illyria She was the daughter of 5912649028215806. Peter Sabatus of Illyria and 5912649028215807. Vigilantia of Illyria.

Child of Dulcissimus Illyria and Vigilantia Illyria is:

1478162257053951 i. Praejecta of Illyria, married Flavius Joannes

2956324518756356. Eochaid (Eochu) Mugmedon of Ireland, died 365. He was the son of 5912649037512712. Muireadach Tireh MacFiachach II. He married 2956324518756357. Mongfind.

2956324518756357. Mongfind

Notes for Eochaid (Eochu) Mugmedon of Ireland: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Eochaid Mugmedón ("slave-lord", pronounced ['?x?ð 'm??v??ð?n]), according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, was a High King of Ireland of the 4th century, best known as the father of Niall of the Nine Hostages and ancestor of the Uí Néill and Connachta dynasties. He is not mentioned in the list

of kings of Tara in the Baile Chuind (The Ecstasy of Conn), but is included in the synthetic lists of High Kings in the Lebor Gabála

Érenn, the Irish annals, Geoffrey Keating's history, and the Laud Synchronisms.

According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn[1] and its derivative works, Eochaid was the son of the former High King Muiredach Tírech, a descendant of Conn Cétchathach. Muiredach was overthrown and killed by Cáelbad son of Cronn Bradruí, an Ulster king, but Cálbad only ruled one year before Eochaid killed him and took the throne. The Lebor Gabála says he extracted the bórama or cow-tribute from Leinster without a battle. However, Keating records that he was defeated in the Battle of Cruachan Claonta by the Leinster king Énnae Cennsalach.[2]

According to the saga "The Adventures of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon",[3] he is said to have had two wives: Mongfind, daughter of Fidach, who bore him four sons, Brion, Ailill, Fiachrae and Fergus; and Cairenn Chasdub, daughter of Sachell Balb, king of the Saxons, who bore him his most famous son, Niall. Mongfind is said to have hated Cairenn, and forced her to expose her child, but the baby was rescued and raised by a poet called Torna. When Niall grew up he returned to Tara and rescued his mother from the servitude Mongfind had placed her under. Mongfind appears to have originally been a supernatural personage: the saga "The Death of Crimthann mac Fidaig" says the festival of Samhain was commonly called the "Festival of Mongfind", and prayers were offered to her on Samhain eve.[4] Although it is probably anachronistic for Eochaid to have had a Saxon wife, T. F. O'Rahilly argues that the name Cairenn is derived from the Latin name Carina, and that it is plausible that she might have been a Romano-Briton.[5] Indeed, Keating describes her not as a Saxon but as the "daughter of the king of Britain".[6]

After ruling for seven or eight years, Eochaid died of an illness at Tara, and was succeeded by Mongfind's brother Crimthann mac Fidaig, king of Munster. Keating dates his reign to 344-351, the Annals of the Four Masters to 357-365.[7] Daniel P. McCarthy, based on the Irish annals, dates his death to 362.[8]

Child of Eochaid Ireland and Mongfind is:

1478162259378178 i. Brion (Bian) MacEchach, married Rossa of Laigin

Generation No. 53

5912647147759232. Clodius, born 330. He was the son of 11825294295518464. Dagobert and 11825294295518465. Hastila. He married 5912647147759233. Blesinde.

5912647147759233. Blesinde She was the daughter of 11825294295518466. Chlodomer de Alemaine.

Child of Clodius and Blesinde is:

2956323573879616 i. Marcomir, born Abt. 347; married Ildegonde de Lombardi

5912647147759496. Unknown, born Abt. 300; died 378. He was the son of 11825294295518992. Theodomir and 11825294295518993. Hastila.

Child of Unknown is:

2956323573879748 i. Dagobert, born 347.

5912647147760704. Gibicea de Bourgogne, born 317.

Child of Gibicea de Bourgogne is:

2956323573880352 i. Godomar de Bourgogne, born 350.

5912649028214800. Huna IV He was the son of 11825298056429600. Nathan.

Child of Huna IV is:

2956324514107400 i. Mar Zutra I "The Pious" 25th Exilarch

5912649028215296. Varahan V (Bahram), Emperor of Sasanian Persia He was the son of 11825298056430592. YazdagridI, Emperor of Sasanian Persia and 11825298056430593.

Shusandukht.

Notes for Varahan V (Bahram), Emperor of Sasanian Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Bahram V[1] (Persian: ?????) was the fourteenth Sassanid King of Persia (421–438). Also called Bahram Gur or Bahramgur (Persian: ????? ???), he was a son of Yazdegerd I (399–421),[2] after whose sudden death (or assassination) he gained the crown against the opposition of the grandees by the help of Mundhir, the Arab dynast of al-Hirah.

Bahram V began his reign with a systematic persecution of the Christians, among whom was James Intercisus.

[edit] War with RomeThe persecution of James Intercisus led to a war with the Eastern Romans.

In the year 421, the Romans sent their general Ardaburius with an extensive contingent into Armenia. Ardaburius defeated the Persian commander Narseh and proceeded to plunder the province of Arzanene and lay siege to Nisibis. Ardaburius abandoned the siege in the face of an advancing army under Bahram, who in turn besieged Theodosiopolis (probably Theodosiopolis in Osroene).

Peace was then concluded between the Persians and Romans (422) with a return to status quo ante bellum.

[edit] Relations with ArmeniaThe situation in Armenia occupied Bahram immediately after the conclusion of peace with Rome. Armenia had been without a king since Bahram's brother Shapur had vacated the country in 418. Bahram now desired that a descendant of the royal line of kings, a scion of the Arshakunis, should be on the throne of Armenia. With this intention in mind, he selected an Arshakuni named Artaxias IV (Artashes), a son of Vramshapuh, and made him King of Armenia.

But the newly appointed king did not have a good character. The frustrated nobles petitioned Bahramgur to remove Artaxias and admit Armenia into the Persian Empire so that the province would be under the direct control of the Sassanian Emperor[citation needed]. However, the annexation of Armenia by Persia was strongly opposed by the Armenian patriarch Isaac of Armenia, who felt the rule of a Christian better than that of a non-Christian regardless of his character or ability. Despite his strong protests, however, Armenia was annexed by Bahram, who placed it under the charge of a Persian governor in 428.

[edit] Invasion of the HunsDuring the later part of Bahram V's reign, Persia was invaded from the northeast by Hephthalite hordes who ravaged northern Iran under the command of their Great Khan. They crossed the Elburz into Khorasan and proceeded as far as the ancient town of Rei. Unprepared, Bahram initially made an offer of peace and submission which was well-received by the Khan of the Hephthalites. But crossing Tabaristan, Hyrcania and Nishapur by night, he took the Huns unawares and massacred them along with their Khan, taking the Khan's wife hostage. The retreating Huns were pursued and slaughtered up to the Oxus. One of Bahram's generals followed the Huns deep into Hun territory and destroyed their power. His portrait which survived for centuries on the coinage of Bukhara (in contemporary Uzbekistan) is considered to be an evidence of his victory over the Huns.

Bahram Gur is a great favorite in Persian literature and poetry. "Bahram and the Indian princess in the black pavilion." Depiction of a Khamsa (Quintet) by the great Persian poet Nizami, mid-16th-century Safavid era.[edit] LegendsNumerous legends have been associated with Bahram. One account says that he aided an Indian king in his war against China and that, in return for his help, the Indian king made over the provinces of Makran and Sindh to Persia. The Lurs of Persia, it is argued, are the descendants of musicians sent to Persia by the grateful Indian monarch. However there does not exist any historical proof in support of this story. Other accounts suggest that he married an Indian princess. However, the conclusion of such a marriage alliance is regarded as highly dubious once again due to lack of evidence.

Another legend, found in the Shahnameh, is about Bahram slaying two lions and gaining the crown between them.

The sculpture of Bahram Gur in Azneft square.[edit] LegacyBahram V has left behind a rich and colorful legacy, with numerous legends and fantastical tales. His fame has survived the downplay of Zoroastrianism and the

anti-Iranian measures of the Umayyads and the Mongols, and many of the stories have been incorporated in contemporary Islamic lore.

His legacy even survives outside Iran. He is the king who receives the Three Princes of Serendip in the tale that gave rise to the word Serendipity. He is believed to be the inspiration for the legend of Bahramgur prevalent in the Punjab.

He is a great favourite in Persian tradition, which relates many stories of his valour and beauty; of his victories over the Romans, Turks, Indians, and Africans; and of his adventures in hunting and in love. He is called Bahram Gur, "Onager," on account of his love for hunting, and in particular, hunting onagers.

For example, the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, by Edward Fitzgerald, quatrain 17:

"They say the Lion and the Lizard keep The Courts where Jamshyd gloried and drank deep: And Bahram, that great Hunter - the Wild Ass Stamps o'er his Head, and he lies fast asleep."

To which Fitzgerald adds the following footnote (1st edition, 1859): "Bahram Gur - Bahram of the Wild Ass from his fame in hunting it - a Sassanian sovereign, had also his seven palaces, each of a different colour; each with a Royal mistress within; each of whom recounts to Bahram a romance. The ruins of three of these towers are yet shown by the peasantry; as also the swamp in which Bahram sunk while pursuing his Gur.

Some have judged Bahram V to have been rather a weak monarch, after the heart of the grandees and the priests. He is said to have built many great fire-temples, with large gardens and villages (Tabari).

[edit] CoinsThe coins of Bahram V are chiefly remarkable for their crude and coarse workmanship and for the number of the mints from which they were issued. The mint-marks include Ctesiphon, Ecbatana, Ispahan, Arbela, Ledan, Nehavend, Assyria, Chuzistan, Media, and Kerman or Carmania. The headdress has the mural crown in front and behind, but interposes between these two detached fragments a crescent and a circle, emblems, no doubt, of the sun and moon gods. The reverse shows the usual fire-altar, with guards, or attendants, watching it. The king's head appears in the flame upon the altar.

Notes 1.^ In the Western sources he is also called Gororanes (Theodoret, Historia Ecclesiastica, V.37.6). 2.^ The Oriental Biographical Dictionary, Ed. Thomas William Beale, (Asiatic Society, 1881), 66.

References Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bahram V

Encyclopedia Iranica, "Bahram V Gor ", O. Klíma Encyclopedia Iranica, "Bahram V Gor in Persian Legend and Literature", W. L. Hanaway, Jr

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. The Civilizations of the Ancient Near East by George Rawlinson Tales of the Punjab by Flora Annie Steel Persian Literature in Translation The ackard Humanities Institute: Haft Paikar: TRANSLATED FROM THE PERSIAN,WITH A COMMENTARY, BY C. E. WILSON, B.A. (LOND.)- Romanticized story about Bahram Gur

Child of Varahan V (Bahram), Emperor of Sasanian Persia is:

2956324514107648 i. YazdagirdII, Emperor of Sasanian Persia, married Empress of Sasanian Persia Dinak

5912649028215800. Flavius Hypatius He was the son of 11825298056431600. Pompeius of Rome and 11825298056431601. Manichaea of Rome. He married 5912649028215801. Magna of Rome.

5912649028215801. Magna of Rome

Child of Flavius Hypatius and Magna Rome is:

2956324514107900 i. Flavius Pompeius, married Anastasia

5912649028215806. Peter Sabatus of Illyria He married 5912649028215807. Vigilantia of Illyria. 5912649028215807. Vigilantia of Illyria

Child of Peter Illyria and Vigilantia Illyria is:

2956324514107903 i. Vigilantia II of Illyria, married Dulcissimus of Illyria

5912649037512712. Muireadach Tireh MacFiachach II, died 356. He was the son of 11825298075025424. Fiachaidh Sraibhthine of Ireland.

Notes for Muireadach Tireh MacFiachach II: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Muiredach Tirech, son of Fiacha Sraibhtine, was a legendary High King of Ireland of the fourth century. He gained power by exiling the three Collas, who had killed his father. The Collas later returned and tried to provoke him into trying to kill them. When he didn't, they entered his service and led his armies. He was overthrown by Cáelbad. ―In the beginning of the fourth century, Muiredeach Tireach, High King of Ireland, directed his nephews, the three Collas, to face north and win sword land for themselves. On the ruins of the old kingdom of Uladh they founded a new kingdom — of Oirghialla — which was henceforth for nearly a thousand years to play an important part in the history of Northern Ireland, and which was possessed afterwards by their descendants, the MacMahons, O'Hanlons, O'Carrolls, and Maguires.‖ Story of the Irish Race, Seumus MacManus

Child of Muireadach Tireh MacFiachach II is:

2956324518756356 i. Eochaid (Eochu) Mugmedon of Ireland, died 365; married Mongfind

Generation No. 54

11825294295518464. Dagobert, born 300. He was the son of 23650588591036928. Genebald. He married 11825294295518465. Hastila.

11825294295518465. Hastila

Child of Dagobert and Hastila is:

5912647147759232 i. Clodius, born 330; married Blesinde

11825294295518466. Chlodomer de Alemaine He was the son of 23650588591036932. Guindomar Alamaine and 23650588591036933. Unknown of Toxandrie.

Child of Chlodomer de Alemaine is:

5912647147759233 i. Blesinde, married Clodius

11825294295518992. Theodomir, born 295; died 360. He was the son of 23650588591037984. Richimir. He married 11825294295518993. Hastila.

11825294295518993. Hastila

Child of Theodomir and Hastila is:

5912647147759496 i. Unknown, born Abt. 300; died 378.

11825298056429600. Nathan He was the son of 23650596112859200. Kahane I.

Child of Nathan is:

5912649028214800 i. Huna IV

11825298056430592. YazdagridI, Emperor of Sasanian Persia He was the son of 23650596112861184. ShapurIII, Emperor of Persia. He married 11825298056430593. Shusandukht.

11825298056430593. Shusandukht She was the daughter of 23650596112861186. Nathan II of the Jewish Exiles in Babylon.

Notes for YazdagridI, Emperor of Sasanian Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Yazdegerd I, or Izdekerti ("made by God", modern Persian:?????? ???; in Greek accounts ?sd????d??, Isdigerdes), was the thirteenth Sassanid king of Persia and ruled from 399 to 421. He is believed by some to be the son of Shapur III (383–388)[1] and by others to be son of Bahram IV[citation needed] (388–389). He succeeded to the Persian throne on the assassination of Bahram IV in 399 and ruled for twenty-one years till his death in 421.

Yazdegerd I's reign was largely uneventful. The king is described as being of a peaceful disposition. There were cordial relations between Persia and the Eastern Roman Empire as well as between Persia and the Western Roman Empire. Early during his reign, Yazdegerd was entrusted the care of the Roman prince Theodosius by his father Arcadius on the latter's death in 408, and Yazdegerd faithfully defended the life, power and possessions of the Roman prince.

Yazdegerd promoted Christianity in the early years of his reign and later opposed it. His alternate persecution of Zoroastrians and later Christians earned him the epithets of Al Khasha[2] or "the Harsh" and Al Athim or "the Wicked" and Yazdegerd the Sinner.[3] However, his general disposition towards the citizens of the Persian Empire was good. They gave him the epithet of Ramashtras or "the most quiet".[4]

The later part of his reign was occupied by his attempts to convert Armenia to Zoroastrianism. During his last days, there took place a civil war between his sons. Bahram V emerged victorious and claimed the throne. Yazdegerd I died in 421 and was succeeded by his son Bahram V or Bahramgur. When Bahram IV was assassinated in 399, his son Yazdegerd succeeded him.[5] The Persian soldiers who had murdered Bahram IV did not hurt him on account of his excellent character and fine disposition. The general tenor of his rule was quite peaceful.

[edit] Relations with RomeThe Ostrogoth invasion of 386, the revolt of Maximus in 387, the Antioch revolt of 387, the invasion of Gaul in 388, the massacres at Thessalonika and the rebellion of Argobastes and Eugenius in 393 had severely weakened the Roman Empire. Between 386 and 398, Gildo the Moor ruled an independent kingdom in Africa, and in 395 the Goths took to arms under their leader Alaric.[6] But Yazdegerd on his accession to the throne desisted from assuming any aggressive posture towards the Eastern Roman Emperor Arcadius or the Western Roman Emperor Honorius. Yazdegerd's extreme tranquility and his reluctance to invade the Roman Empire earned him the epithet "Ramashtras," "the most quiet," or "the most firm," he justified his assumption of it by a complete abstinence from all military expeditions.[4]

Adoption of Theodosius On the ninth year of his reign, it is believed, Yazdegerd was entrusted the care of Prince Theodosius by his father Arcadius, the Eastern Roman Emperor.[4] It was strange that Arcadius chose neither his younger-brother Honorius nor any of his distinguished subjects for the purpose and instead entrusted his son to the charge of the Persian monarch. He accompanied the appointment by a solemn appeal to the magnanimity of Isdigerd, whom he exhorted at some length to defend with all his force, and guide with his best wisdom, the young king and his kingdom. One writer even goes to the extent of claiming that Arcadius gifted Yazdegerd a thousand pounds of pure gold in return for his favour. When Arcadius died, and the testament was opened, information of its contents was sent to Isdigerd, who at once accepted the charge assigned to him, and addressed a letter to the Senate of Constantinople, in

which he declared his determination to punish any attempt against his ward with the extremest severity. Flattered, he performed his newfound role with utmost sincerity providing him the best possible education and assistance.

A eunuch named Antiochus was selected and sent to Constantinople to look after the young Emperor.[7] He was, for

many years, the prince's intimate companion. He was supposed to have been killed or expelled from the kingdom by Pulcheria, elder sister of Theodosius. However, even after Antiochus' end, Yazdegerd continued his aid to the young monarch.[7]

However, these narratives were written a century and a half after the death of Arcadius, and have been rejected by modern scholars due to the silence of contemporary writers as outweighing the positive statements of the later ones.

Religious policy According to Wein, Yazdegerd I was a wise, benevolent, and astute ruler.[8] He was also known for his religious tolerance, towards both Christians and Jews. For example, the Talmud (Ksubos, 61a) relates that Ameimar, Rav Ashi, and Mar Zutra would sit in his court. However, excessive zeal of the Christian bishop of Ctesiphon, Abdaas, provoked a reaction, and when he tried to burn the Great Fire temple of Ctesiphon, Yazdegerd I turned against the Christians (see following).

Early inclination towards Christianity See also: Maruthas

During the early part of his reign, Yazdegerd inclined towards Christianity. George Rawlinson feels that Yazdegerd may even himself wanted to convert to Christianity.[2] Antiochus openly wrote in favor of Christians, and this rapidly increased conversions to Christianity.[2] He openly persecuted the Magi, the Zoroastrian high-priests, who were sworn enemies of Christians.

Yazdegerd is believed to have been an ardent follower of at least two prominent Christian bishops: Marutha, bishop of Mesapotamia, and Abdaas, the bishop of Ctesiphon.[2] Marutha in particular exerted a great amount of influence over the Persian Emperor, and it was at his insistence that Yazdegerd issued a declaration in 410 giving Christians the freedom of worship.[9] This proclamation is sometimes regarded as "the Edict of Milan for the Assyrian Church".[10]

According to the Byzantine historian Procopius, "From the start, Yazdegerd was a sovereign whose nobility of character had won for him the greatest renown. He gave his Christian subjects such freedom, even support that they prayed daily for the safety of 'the victorious and glorious king' ".[11] A contemporary Christian account says that "the good and clement King Yazdegerd did well to the poor and wretched".[12][13]

Yazdegerd sent the Catholicos of Seleucia-Ctesiphon to mediate between the king and his brother who governed Pars. Another Catholicos was Yazdegerd's envoy to Theodosius.

Persecution of Christians See also: Abda of Kaskhar

Yazdegerd immediately switched sides when Abdaas burnt down the fire temple at Ctesiphon and refused to rebuild it. The burning evoked a strong reaction from the Magi, and Yazdegerd was forced to take action. Yazdegerd responded by authorizing Zoroastrian priests to destroy Christian churches all over the Empire. Christians were arrested in large numbers. There was widespread slaughter of Christians in the Persian Empire for the next five years. Christian churches all over the nation were destroyed, and Christians driven off from the kingdom.

A few Christian subjects boldly confessed their faith in Christ, but many others sought to conceal their beliefs. However, they were all arrested and slaughtered in large numbers. Thus Isdigerd alternately oppressed both Zoroastrians as well as Christians and earned the disaffection of both the parties. He earned the epithets of "Al-Khasha" or "the Harsh," and "Al-Athim" or "the Wicked".[2]

[edit] Relations with ArmeniaWhen indulging in the persecution of Christians in Persia, Yazdegerd also attempted to spread Zoroastrianism in Armenia.

In the year 413, Vram-Shapuh, the King of Armenia, died and the crown passed on to Artases, who was a boy of ten. Under these circumstances, Isaac, the Metropolitan of Armenia, proceeded to the court of

Ctesiphon, and petitioned Yazdegerd to replace Artases with Khosrov III who had been deposed twenty-one years earlier, and whom Bahram

IV had imprisoned in the "Castle of Oblivion".[14] Yazdegerd I released Khosrov III and reinstated him upon the throne of Armenia in order to stabilize the condition. However, Khosrov survived for only a year, and on his death, the throne became empty once again, leaving Armenia to chaos.[15] So Yazdegerd responded by placing his own son Shapur on the throne of Armenia, forcing him upon the reluctant nobles of Armenia.[15] Shapur concentrated on reconciliation and established friendly relations with the nobles. He made every effort to convert the Christian Armenians to Zoroastrianism, but was largely unsuccessful.[15] He ruled Armenia for four years and returned to Ctesiphon in 419 to capture the throne from the king Yazdegerd I, who was in his death-bed.[15]

Death Yazdegerd I died in the year 419 or 420. However, the circumstances surrounding Yazdegerd's death are not clear. According to popular legend, he was killed during his stay in Hyrcania by a fabulous horse which emerged magically from a stream. However, this is believed to be some sort of allusion to his death at the hands of his nobles.[16] However, Yazdegerd I is more likely to have died due to sickness than fallen a victim of conspiracy.

War of succession When Yazdegerd I was overcome by mortal illness in the year 419,[15] Shapur immediately rushed to Ctesiphon to claim the Sassanian throne leaving behind a viceroy to govern Armenia.[15] But the viceroy-designate was killed soon after Shapur left Armenia. A battle of succession followed and lasted for three years after Yazdegerd's death.[15] Shapur was treacherously killed by the courtiers in the initial stages of the battle. Bahram V arrived from Hira and captured the throne after defeating the Persian nobles with an Arab army in a three-year-long battle.[15] Narseh, another son of Yazdegerd I was appointed governor of Khorasan.

Coins of Yazdegerd I The coins of Yazdegerd are not of much artistic value. They all bear the head of a middle-aged man, with a short beard and hair gathered behind the head in a cluster of curls. The distinguishing mark is the inflated ball above the headdress which is adorned with a crescent in the front. On the reverse side of the coin is a fire-altar. The coins bear the legend: "Mazdisn bag ramashtras Izdikerti, malkan malka Airan," or "the Ormazd-worshipping divine most peaceful Isdigerd, king of the kings of Iran;" and on the reverse, Ramashtras Izdikerti, "the most peaceful Isdigerd".[15] In some cases, Yazdegerd's coins also bear the names of "Ardashatri" (Artaxerxes) or, "Varahran", probably a reference to Ardeshir, the founder of the Sassanid Empire and Yazdegerd I's son Bahram V or Bahramgur. Perhaps a more reasonable account of the matter would be that Yazdegerd had originally a son Ardeshir, whom he intended to make his successor, but that this son died or offended him, and that then he gave his place to Bahramgur.

Footnotes 1.^ Nöldeke, p. 73 n. 3 2.^ a b c d e Rawlinson 1882, p.275. 3.^ Arabic al-atòim, Tabari I, p. 847 4.^ a b c Rawlinson 1882, p.272. 5.^ Rawlinson 1882, p.269. 6.^ Rawlinson 1882, p.270. 7.^ a b Rawlinson 1882, p.273. 8.^ Wein 9.^ Asmussen, 1983, p. 940 10.^ Wigram, p. 89 11.^ Procopius(1.2, 8) 12.^ Nöldeke, p. 75 n. 13.^ Greatrex-Lieu, p. 32 14.^ Rawlinson 1882, p.277. 15.^ a b c d e f g h i Rawlinson 1882, p.278. 16.^ Nöldeke, p. 77 and 78

Child of Yazdagrid and Shusandukht is:

5912649028215296 i. Varahan V (Bahram), Emperor of Sasanian Persia

11825298056431600. Pompeius of Rome He married 11825298056431601. Manichaea of Rome. 11825298056431601. Manichaea of Rome

Child of Pompeius Rome and Manichaea Rome is:

5912649028215800 i. Flavius Hypatius, married Magna of Rome

11825298075025424. Fiachaidh Sraibhthine of Ireland, died 332. He was the son of 23650596150050848. Cairbre Lifiochar Mc Cormarc.

Notes for Fiachaidh Sraibhthine of Ireland: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Fiacha Sraibhtine, son of Cairbre Lifechair, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. On his father's death, Fothad Cairpthech and Fothad Airgthech, sons of Lugaid mac Con, had taken the throne jointly, but within the year Fothad Airgthech killed his brother. Fíacha and the fianna then defeated and killed Fothad in the Battle of Ollarba.

Fíacha's son, Muiredach Tirech, commanded his armies, as the king himself was not allowed to go into battle. Once, Muiredach led a victorious expedition to Munster. The three Collas — Colla Uais, Colla Fo Chri and Colla Menn, sons of Fíacha's brother Eochaid Doimlén — gave battle to Fíacha while Muiredach and his army were still in Munster. Fíacha's druid, Dubchomar, prophesied that if Fíacha was to defeat the Collas, none of his descendants would ever rule Ireland, and likewise, if the Collas won, none of their descendants would be king after them. Fíacha was defeated and killed in what became known as the Battle of Dubchomar.

Fíacha had ruled for 31, 33, 36 or 37 years. The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 273–306, the Annals of the Four Masters to 285-322.[1][2][3]

Family tree: Cormac mac Airt Eithne Ollamda Fionn mac Cumhaill

Cairbre Lifechair Aine

Fíacha Sroiptine Eochaid Doimlén

Muiredach Tirech Colla Uais Colla Fo Chrí Colla Menn

Eochaid Mugmedón

Uí Néill Connachta

References

1.^ R. A. Stewart Macalister (ed. & trans.), Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland Part V, Irish Texts Society, 1956, p. 341-343 2.^ Geoffrey Keating, Foras Feasa ar Éirinn 1.47 3.^ Annals of the Four Masters M285-322

Child of Fiachaidh Sraibhthine of Ireland is:

5912649037512712 i. Muireadach Tireh MacFiachach II, died 356.

Generation No. 55

23650588591036928. Genebald He was the son of 47301177182073856. Walter.

Child of Genebald is:

11825294295518464 i. Dagobert, born 300; married Hastila

23650588591036932. Guindomar Alamaine He was the son of 47301177182073864. Wondomaire von Alemaine. He married 23650588591036933. Unknown of Toxandrie.

23650588591036933. Unknown of Toxandrie She was the daughter of 47301177182073866. Ragaise de Toxandrie.

Child of Guindomar Alamaine and Unknown Toxandrie is:

11825294295518466 i. Chlodomer de Alemaine

23650588591037984. Richimir, born 270; died 350. He was the son of 47301177182075968. Clodomir.

Child of Richimir is:

11825294295518992 i. Theodomir, born 295; died 360; married Hastila

23650596112859200. Kahane I He was the son of 47301192225718400. Abba Mari.

Child of Kahane I is:

11825298056429600 i. Nathan

23650596112861184. ShapurIII, Emperor of Persia He was the son of 47301192225722368. ShapurII, Emperor of Persia.

Notes for ShapurIII, Emperor of Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Shapur III was the eleventh Sassanid King of Persia from 383 to 388. Shapur III succeeded his father Ardashir II in the year 383.[1]

Negotiations between the Romans and the Persians which had begun in the reign of Ardashir II culminated in a treaty of mutual friendship in the year 384.

According to this treaty, Armenia was partitioned between the Romans and the Persians. Therefore two kingdoms were formed, one a vassal of Rome and the other, of Persia. The smaller of these, which comprised the more western districts, which was assigned to Rome was committed to the charge of the Arshak III who had been made king by Manuel Mamikonian, the son of the unfortunate Pap of Armenia, and the grandson of the Arshak II contemporary with Julian. The larger portion, which consisted of the regions lying towards the east, passed under the suzerainty of Persia, and was handed over to an Arshakuni, named Khosrov III, a Christian. Thus friendly relations were established between Rome and Persia which survived for thirty-six years.

Shapur III left behind him a sculptured memorial, which is still to be seen in the vicinity of Kermanshah. It consists of two very similar figures, looking towards each other, and standing in an arched frame. On either side of the

figures are inscriptions in the Old Pahlavi character, whereby we are enabled to identify the individuals represented with the second and the third Shapur. They are identical in form, with the exception that the names in the right-hand inscription are "Shapur, Hormizd, Narses," while those in the left-hand one are "Shapur, Shapur, Hormizd." It has been supposed that the right-hand figure was erected by Shapur II and the other afterwards added by Shapur III; but the unity of the whole sculpture, and its inclusion under a single arch, seem to indicate that it was set up by a single sovereign, and was the fruit of a single conception. If this be so, we must necessarily ascribe it to the later of the two monarchs commemorated, i.e. to Shapur III, who must be supposed to have possessed more than usual filial piety, since the commemoration of their predecessors upon the throne is very rare among the Sassanians.

Shapur III died in 388, after reigning a little more than five years. He was a man of simple tastes, and was fond of spending his time outdoors in his tent. One version says that, on one such occasion, when he was thus enjoying himself, there was a violent hurricane which blew the tent under which he was sitting. The falling tent-pole struck him fatally on his head resulting in his death a few days later. However, though most of his subjects believed in the authencity of this story there were whispers that he could have been the victim of a conspiracy hatched by his courtiers.

References 1.^ Touraj Daryaee, Sasanian Persia, (I.B.Tauris Ltd, 2010), 20. 'The Civilizations of the Ancient Near East' by George Rawlinson, Project Gutenberg

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Child of ShapurIII, Emperor of Persia is:

11825298056430592 i. YazdagridI, Emperor of Sasanian Persia, married Shusandukht

23650596112861186. Nathan II of the Jewish Exiles in Babylon

Child of Nathan II of the Jewish Exiles in Babylon is:

11825298056430593 i. Shusandukht, married YazdagridI, Emperor of Sasanian Persia

23650596150050848. Cairbre Lifiochar Mc Cormarc, died 284. He was the son of 47301192300101696. Cormac Ulfhada Mac Airt.

Notes for Cairbre Lifiochar Mc Cormarc: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Cairbre Lifechair ("lover of the Liffey"), son of Cormac mac Airt, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to the throne after the death of Eochaid Gonnat. During his time Bresal Belach was king of Leinster, and refused to pay the bórama or cow-tribute to the High King, but Cairbre defeated him in the Battle of Dubchomar, and from then on exacted the bórama without a battle.

Reign According to the 8th-century text known as The Expulsion of the Déisi, Cairbre takes the throne when his father Cormac is blinded by Óengus Gaíbúaibthech of the Déisi, it being against the law for the king to have any physical blemish. The chronicles indicate that Eochaid Gonnat succeeded Cormac, but was soon succeeded by Cairbre following his death in battle.

According to Cath Gabhra (The Battle of Gabhra), a narrative of the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology, Cairbre married Aine, daughter of Fionn mac Cumhaill. During his reign, his sons Fiacha Sraibhtine and Eochaid Doimlen killed Óengus Gaíbúaibthech. To make peace, Cairbre betroths his daughter, Sgiam Sholais, to a Déisi prince. However, the fianna demand a tribute of twenty gold bars, which they claimed was customarily paid on such occasions. Cairbre decides the fianna have become too powerful, and raises a huge army from Ulster, Connacht and Leinster against them. They are joined by Goll mac Morna

and his followers, who turn against their comrades in the fianna, but Munster and the Déisi side with the fianna. Cairbre's army wins in the Battle of Gabhra, but Cairbre

himself falls in single combat against Fionn's grandson Oscar, who dies of his wounds shortly afterwards. Fionn himself either dies in the battle, or had been killed on the River Boyne the previous year. The only survivors of the fianna are Caílte mac Rónáin and Fionn's son Oisín.

Cairbre had ruled for seventeen, twenty-six or twenty-seven years. He was succeeded by Fothad Cairpthech and Fothad Airgthech, sons of Lugaid mac Con, ruling jointly. The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 245-272, the Annals of the Four Masters to 267-284.[1][2][3][4]

Child of Cairbre Lifiochar Mc Cormarc is:

11825298075025424 i. Fiachaidh Sraibhthine of Ireland, died 332.

Generation No. 56

47301177182073856. Walter, born 210. He was the son of 94602354364147712. Clodius III.

Children of Walter are:

i. Dagobert, born 230. 23650588591036928 ii. Genebald

47301177182073864. Wondomaire von Alemaine

Child of Wondomaire von Alemaine is:

23650588591036932 i. Guindomar Alamaine, married Unknown of Toxandrie

47301177182073866. Ragaise de Toxandrie He was the son of 94602354364147732. Gonobaud de Toxandrie.

Child of Ragaise de Toxandrie is:

23650588591036933 i. Unknown of Toxandrie, married Guindomar Alamaine

47301177182075968. Clodomir, born 251. He was the son of 94602354364151936. Dagobert.

Child of Clodomir is:

23650588591037984 i. Richimir, born 270; died 350.

47301192225718400. Abba Mari He was the son of 94602384451436800. Mar Ukba III.

Child of Abba Mari is:

23650596112859200 i. Kahane I

47301192225722368. ShapurII, Emperor of Persia He was the son of 94602384451444736. HormizdII, Emperor of Persia and 94602384451444737. Ifra Hormiz, Princess of Seistan.

Notes for ShapurII, Emperor of Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Shapur II the Great was the ninth King of the Persian Sassanid Empire from 309 to 379 and son of Hormizd II.[3] During his long reign, the Sassanid Empire saw its first golden era since the reign of Shapur I (241–272). His name is sometimes given in English as "Shahpour" or "Sapor".[4]

When King Hormizd II (302–309) died, Persian nobles killed his eldest son, blinded the second, and imprisoned the third (Hormizd, who afterwards escaped to the Roman Empire).[5] The throne was reserved for the unborn child of one of the wives of Hormizd II. It is said that Shapur II may have been the only king in history to be crowned in utero: the crown was placed upon his mother's belly. This child, named Shapur, was therefore born king; the

government was conducted by his mother and the magnates.

Conquests Dark green: the Sassanid empire; Medium green: contested territory; Light green: temporarily occupied in the seventh century during war with the Byzantine Empire, three hundred years after Shapur's reign.During the early years of the reign of Shapur, Arabs crossed the Persian Gulf from Bahrain to "Ardashir-Khora" of Pars and raided the interior. In retaliation, Shapur led an expedition through Bahrain, defeated the combined forces of the Arab tribes of "Taghlib", "Bakr bin Wael", and "Abd Al-Qays" and advanced temporarily into Yamama in central Najd. He resettled these tribes in Kerman and Hormizd-Ardashir. Arabs named him, as "Shabur Dhul-aktaf" or "Zol 'Aktaf" that means "The owner of the shoulders" after this battle.[6]

In 337, just before the death of Constantine I (324–337), Shapur II, probably provoked by religious differences, broke the peace concluded in 297 between Narseh (293–302) and Emperor Diocletian (284–305), which had been observed for forty years. This was the beginning of two long drawn-out wars (337–350 and 358-363) which were inadequately recorded. After crushing a rebellion in the south, Shapur II invaded Roman Mesopotamia and recaptured Armenia. Apparently 9 major battles were fought. The most renowned was the inconclusive Battle of Singara (Sinjar, in Iraq) in which the Roman emperor Constantius II was at first successful, capturing the Persian camp, only to be driven out by a surprise night attack after Shapur had rallied his troops (344-or 348?). Gibbon asserts that Shapur II invariably defeated Constantius, but there is reason to believe that the honours were fairly evenly shared between the two capable commanders. (Since Singara was on the Persian side of the Mesopotamian frontier, this alone may suggest that the Romans had not seriously lost ground in the war up to that time.) The most notable feature of this war was the consistently successful defence of the Roman fortress of Nisibis in Mesopotamia. Shapur besieged the fortress three times (337, 344? and 349) and was repulsed each time by Roman general Lucilianus.

Although often victorious in battles, Shapur II had made scarcely any progress. At the same time he was attacked in the east by Scythian Massagetae and other Central Asian tribes. He had to break off the war with the Romans and arrange a hasty truce in order to pay attention to the east (350). Most able and persistent of Shapur's opponents in the north east was Grumbates, ruler of the Xionites. After a prolonged struggle (353–358) they were forced to conclude a peace, and Grumbates agreed to enlist his light cavalrymen into the Persian army and accompany Shapur II in renewed war against the Romans.

In 358 Shapur II was ready for his second series of wars against Rome, which met with much more success. In 359, Shapur II invaded southern Armenia, but was held up by the valiant Roman defence of the fortress of Amida (Diyarbekir, in Turkey) which finally surrendered in 359 after a seventy-three day siege in which the Persian army suffered great losses. The delay forced Shapur to halt operations for the winter. Early the following spring he continued his operations against the Roman fortresses, capturing Singara and Bezabde (Cirze?). Constantius arrived from the west at this time, and unsuccessfully tried to recapture Bezabde. In 363 the Emperor Julian (361–363), at the head of a strong army, advanced to Shapur's capital at Ctesiphon and defeated a superior Sassanid army at the Battle of Ctesiphon; however, he was killed during his retreat back to Roman territory. His successor Jovian (363–364) made an ignominious peace, by which the districts beyond the Tigris which had been acquired in 298 were given to the Persians along with Nisibis and Singara, and the Romans promised to interfere no more in Armenia. The great success is represented in the rock-sculptures near the town Bishapur in Persis (Stolze, Persepolis, p. 141); under the hooves of the king's horse lies the body of an enemy, probably Julian, and a supplicant Roman, the Emperor Jovian, asks for peace.

Shapur II then invaded Armenia, where he took King Arshak II, the faithful ally of the Romans, prisoner by treachery and forced him to commit suicide. He then attempted to introduce Zoroastrian orthodoxy into Armenia. However, the Armenian nobles resisted him successfully, secretly supported by the Romans, who sent King Pap, the son of Arshak II, into Armenia. The war with Rome threatened to break out again,

but Valens sacrificed Pap, arranging for his assassination in Tarsus, where he had taken refuge (374). Shapur II subdued the Kushans and took control of the entire area now known as Afghanistan and Pakistan. Shapur II had conducted great hosts of captives from the Roman territory into his dominions, most of whom were settled in Susiana. Here he rebuilt Susa, after having killed the city's rebellious inhabitants.

By his death in 379 the Persian Empire was stronger than ever before, considerably larger than when he came to the

throne, the eastern and western enemies were pacified and Persia had gained control over Armenia.

Contributions Under Shapur II's reign the collection of the Avesta was completed, heresy and apostasy punished, and the Christians persecuted (see Abdecalas, Acepsimas of Hnaita). This was a reaction against the Christianization of the Roman Empire by Constantine I. He was successful in the east, and the great town Nishapur in Khorasan (eastern Parthia) was founded by him. He founded some other towns as well.

See also Raba

References 1.^ MacKenzie, David Niel (1998), "Eran, Eranšahr", Encyclopedia Iranica, 8, Costa Mesa: Mazda, http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v8f5/v8f545.html [dead link] 2.^ Touraj Daryaee, "Sasanian Persia", (I.B.Tauris Ltd, 2010), 16. 3.^ Touraj Daryaee, 16. 4.^ Gibbon, Edward. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. 5.^ [1] 6.^ Encyclopaedia Iranica: p.202. Link: [2]

Child of ShapurII, Emperor of Persia is:

23650596112861184 i. ShapurIII, Emperor of Persia

47301192300101696. Cormac Ulfhada Mac Airt, died 266. He was the son of 94602384600203392. Airt Aoinfher Mac Conn and 94602384600203393. Achtan.

Notes for Cormac Ulfhada Mac Airt: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Cormac mac Airt (son of Art), also known as Cormac ua Cuinn (grandson of Conn) or Cormac Ulfada (long beard), was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He is probably the most famous of the ancient High Kings, and may have been an authentic historical figure, although many legends have attached themselves to him, and his reign is variously dated as early as the 2nd century and as late as the 4th. He is said to have ruled from Tara, the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, for forty years, and under his rule Tara flourished. He was famous for his wise, true, and generous judgments. In the Annals of Clonmacnoise, translated in 1627, he is described as:

― "absolutely the best king that ever reigned in Ireland before himself...wise learned, valiant and mild, not given causelessly to be bloody as many of his ancestors were, he reigned majestically and magnificently". ‖

The hero Fionn mac Cumhaill is supposed to have lived in Cormac's time, and most of the stories of the Fenian Cycle are set during his reign.

Cormac's father was the former High King Art mac Cuinn. His mother was Achtan, daughter of Olc Acha, a smith (or druid) from Connacht. According to the saga "The Battle of Mag Mucrama", Olc gave Art hospitality the night before the Battle of Maigh Mucruimhe. It had been prophesied that a great dignity would come from Olc's line, so he offered the High King his daughter to sleep with that night, and Cormac was conceived[1] (Geoffrey Keating says that Achtan was Art's official mistress, to whom he had given a dowry of cattle).[2]

The story is told that Achtan had a vision as she slept next to Art. She saw herself with her head cut off and a great tree growing out of her neck. Its branches spread all over Ireland, until the sea rose and overwhelmed it. Another

tree grew from the roots of the first, but the wind blew it down. At that she woke up and told Art what she had seen. Art explained that the head of every woman is her husband, and that she would lose her husband in battle the next day. The first tree was their son, who would be king over all Ireland, and the sea that overwhelmed it was a fish-bone that he would die choking on. The second tree was his son, Cairbre Lifechair, who would be king after him, and the wind that blew him down was a battle against the fianna, in which he would fall. The following day Art was defeated and killed by his nephew Lugaid mac Con, who became the new High King.

Cormac was carried off in infancy by a she-wolf and reared with her cubs, but a hunter found him and brought him back to his mother. Achtan then took him to Fiachrae Cassán, who had been Art's foster-father. On the way they were attacked by wolves, but wild horses protected them.[3]

[edit] Rise to powerAt the age of thirty, armed with his father's sword, Cormac came to Tara, where he met a steward consoling a weeping woman. The steward explained that the High King had confiscated her sheep because they had cropped the queen's woad-garden. Cormac declared, "More fitting would be one shearing for another," because both the woad and the sheep's fleeces would grow again. When Lugaid heard this, he conceded that Cormac's judgement was superior to his and abdicated the throne.[4][5] Other traditions say that Cormac drove Lugaid out by force,[6][7] or that he left Tara because his druids had prophesied he would not live another six months if he stayed.[2] In all versions he went to his kin in Munster, where the poet Ferches mac Commain killed him with a spear as he stood with his back to a standing stone.

But Cormac was unable to claim the High Kingship, as the king of the Ulaid, Fergus Dubdétach, drove him into Connacht, and took the throne himself. He turned to Tadg mac Céin, a local nobleman whose father had been killed by Fergus, promising him as much land on the plain of Brega as he could drive his chariot round in a day if he would help him claim the throne. Tadg advised him to recruit his grandfather's brother Lugaid Láma. Cormac sought him out, and when he found him lying in a hunting-booth, wounded him in the back with a spear. Lugaid revealed that it had been he who had killed Cormac's father in the Battle of Maigh Mucruimhe, and Cormac demanded, as éraic for Art's life, that Lugaid give him Fergus' head.

Having recruited Tadg and Lugaid, Cormac marched against Fergus, and The Battle of Crinna began. Tadg led the battle, keeping Cormac out of the action at the rear. Lugaid took the head of Fergus' brother, Fergus Foltlebair, and brought it to Cormac's attendant, who told him this was not the head of the king of Ulster. He then took the head of Fergus's other brother, Fergus Caisfhiachlach, but again the attendant told him it was the wrong head. Finally he killed Fergus Dubdétach himself, and when the attendant confirmed he'd got the right man, Lugaid killed him and collapsed from exhaustion and loss of blood.

Tadg routed Fergus's army, and ordered his charioteer to make a circuit of the plain of Brega to include Tara itself. He was severely wounded, and fainted during the circuit. When he came to, he asked the charioteer if he had driven around Tara yet. When the charioteer answered no, Tadg killed him, but before he could complete the circuit himself, Cormac came upon him and ordered physicians to treat his wounds - treatment which took a whole year. Cormac took the throne, and Tadg ruled large tracts of land in the northern half of Ireland.[2]

[edit] FamilyAccording to the saga "The Melody of the House of Buchet",[8] Cormac married Eithne Táebfada, daughter of Cathaír Mór and foster-daughter of Buchet, a wealthy cattle-lord from Leinster whose hospitality was so exploited that he was reduced to poverty. However, in other traditions Eithne is the wife of Cormac's grandfather Conn Cétchathach. Keating[2] says the foster-daughter of Buchet that Cormac married was another Eithne, Eithne Ollamda, daughter of Dúnlaing, king of Leinster. Also according to Keating, Cormac took a second wife, Ciarnait, daughter of the king of the Cruthin, but Eithne,

out of jealousy of her beauty, forced her to grind nine measures of grain every day. Cormac freed her from this labour by having a watermill built.

Cormac is credited with three sons, Dáire, Cellach and Cairbre Lifechair, and ten daughters. Two of his daughters, Gráinne and Aillbe, married the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill. In the well-known story "The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne", Gráinne was betrothed to Fionn, but instead ran off with a young warrior of the fianna, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. Diarmuid and Fionn were eventually reconciled, but Fionn later contrived Diarmuid's death during a boar hunt, but was shamed by his son Oisín into making amends to Gráinne. Fionn and Gráinne were married, and Gráinne persuaded her sons not to make war against Fionn.[9]

[edit] ReignCormac's reign is recorded in some detail in the Irish annals.[7] He fought many battles, subduing the Ulaid and Connacht and leading a lengthy campaign against Munster. In the fourteenth year of his reign he is said to have sailed to Great Britain and made conquests there. In the fifteenth, thirty maidens were slaughtered in Tara by Dúnlaing, king of Leinster, for which Cormac had twelve Leinster princes put to death. In other texts he is said to have been temporarily deposed twice by the Ulaid, and to have once gone missing for four months. He is also said to have compiled the Psalter of Tara, a book containing the chronicles of Irish history, the laws concerning the rents and dues kings were to receive from their subjects, and records of the boundaries of Ireland.[10]

Although he is usually remembered as a wise and just ruler, one story presents him in a less flattering light. Having distributed all the cattle he had received as tribute from the provinces, Cormac found himself without any cattle to provision his own household after a plague struck his herds. A steward persuaded him to treat Munster as two provinces, the southern of which had never paid tax. He sent messengers to demand payment, but Fiachu Muillethan, the king of southern Munster, refused, and Cormac prepared for war. His own druids, who had never advised him badly, foresaw disaster, but he ignored them, preferring to listen to five druids from the sidhe supplied by his fairy lover, Báirinn.

Cormac marched to Munster and made camp on the hill of Druim Dámhgaire (Knocklong, County Limerick). His new druids' magic made the camp impregnable and his warriors unbeatable, dried up all sources of water used by the Munstermen, and nearly drove Fiacha to submission. But Fiacha in desperation turned to the powerful Munster druid Mug Ruith for aid, and his magic was too strong even for Cormac's fairy druids. He restored the water and conjured up magical hounds who destroyed the fairy druids. His breath created storms and turned men to stone. Cormac was driven out of Munster and compelled to seek terms.[11]

Cormac owned the wonderful gold cup given to him by the sea-god Manannan mac Lir in the Land of the Living. If three lies were spoken over it, it would break in three; three truths made it whole again. Cormac used this cup during his kingship to distinguish falsehood from truth. When Cormac died, the cup vanished, just as Manannan had predicted it would.

The 8th-century text The Expulsion of the Déisi describes enmity between Cormac and the group known as the Déisi, descendants of Cormac's great grandfather Fedlimid Rechtmar who had been his retainers. Cormac's son Cellach (or Conn) abducts Forach, the daughter of a Déisi leader. Her uncle Óengus Gaíbúaibthech comes to rescue her, but Cellach refuses to release her. Óengus runs Cellach through with his "dread spear", which has three chains attached to it; these chains wound one of Cormac's advisers and blind Cormac in one eye. Cormac fights seven battles against the Déisi, and expels them from their lands. After a period of wandering, they settled in Munster. Cormac, having lost an eye, moves into the Tech Cletig on the hill of Achall, as it was against the law for a disfigured king to sit in Tara. His duties as king are taken on by his son Cairbre Lifechair.[2][7][12][13] Death After ruling for forty years Cormac choked to death on a salmon bone. Some versions blame this on a curse laid by a druid because Cormac had converted to Christianity. Some versions of the Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronise his reign with that of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180). Keating dates his reign to 204-244; the Annals of the Four Masters to 226-266. An entry in the Annals of Ulster dates his death as late as 366.[3] He was succeeded by Eochaid Gonnat.

Child of Cormac Ulfhada Mac Airt is:

23650596150050848 i. Cairbre Lifiochar Mc Cormarc, died 284.

Generation No. 57

94602354364147712. Clodius III He was the son of 189204708728295424. Bartherus.

Child of Clodius III is:

47301177182073856 i. Walter, born 210.

94602354364147732. Gonobaud de Toxandrie He was the son of 189204708728295464. Marcomir de Toxandrie.

Child of Gonobaud de Toxandrie is:

47301177182073866 i. Ragaise de Toxandrie

94602354364151936. Dagobert, born 230. He was the son of 47301177182073856. Walter.

Child of Dagobert is:

47301177182075968 i. Clodomir, born 251.

94602384451436800. Mar Ukba III, died 320. He was the son of 189204768902873600. Nehemiah I.

Notes for Mar Ukba III: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Nathan de-Zuzita, Jewish Amora sage of the 3d generation, whom according to Joseph ben ?ama (Shab. 56b), is to be identified with the exilarch 'U?ban ben Nehemiah, Joseph's contemporary (first half of the 4th century), who was a contrite sinner.

The Seder 'Olam Zu?a, too, in the list of the exilarchs[1], mentions an exilarch called "Nathan 'U?ban (Nathan de-?u?ita). Rashi gives two explanations for the surname "?u?ita," which means literally either "sparks" or "hair"[2]. Rashi explains that in touching the angel who received his repentance Nathan 'U?ban either emitted sparks, or the angel took him by the hair. In Sanh. 31b Rashi explains the nature of Nathan's sin and says that after Nathan's repentance a radiance was seen about his head: hence the name "de-?u?ita." According to the geonim ?ema? and Saadia, Nathan 'U?ban, when he was young, was wont to curl his hair, his surname "de-?u?ita" being derived from that habit. Another interpretation is that fire would flash out from his ?i?it, so that nobody could stand near him.

As to the nature of Nathan 'U?ban's sins and repentance see Rashi to Sanh. l.c. Rabbi A?ai of Shab?a, in his "She'eltot" (sections "Wa'era" and "Ki Tissa"), tells almost the same story as Rashi, of a man who was called "Nathan de-?u?ita," but without mentioning either that he was likewise called "'U?ban" or that he was an exilarch. Further, this story is related by Nissim ben Jacob in his "Ma'aseh Nissim," at great length, Nathan being placed in the time of Akiba—that is, not later than the first third of the 2nd century.

It may therefore be assumed either that there were two Nathan de-?u?itas, the second being identical with the exilarch 'U?ban b. Nehemiah, or that Joseph b. ?ama must be understood as comparing 'U?ban, in his repentance, to Nathan de-?u?ita, who was much earlier and, perhaps, was not an exilarch. It is true that in the Seder 'Olam Zu?a it is clearly affirmed that Nathan I was called also "'U?ban"; but in other details the three recensions of that work disagree with Joseph ben Hama, in that they leave it to be supposed that Nathan de-?u?ita was the son of Anan and not of Nehemiah, and that they represent him as the father of Huna the exilarch, who lived in the time of Judah ha-Nasi I. The Seder 'Olam Zu?a has in its list three exilarchs called "Nathan," the second being the grandson of the first, and the third the son of Abba ben Huna and father of Mar Zu?ra; it is the chronology of Nathan III that coincides with that of 'Ut?ban of Shab. 56b.

It may be added that Rashi (to Sanh. l.c.) confuses Nathan de-?u?ita 'U?ban with Mar 'U?ba, "ab bet din" in the time of Samuel, which time coincides with that of Nathan II. Lazarus (in the list of exilarchs in Brüll's "Jahrb." vol. x.) supposes that Nathan I reigned from about 260 to about 270, and Nathan II from 370 to about 400.

Child of Mar Ukba III is:

47301192225718400 i. Abba Mari

94602384451444736. HormizdII, Emperor of Persia He was the son of 189204768902889472. Nerseh of Armenia. He married 94602384451444737. Ifra Hormiz, Princess of Seistan.

94602384451444737. Ifra Hormiz, Princess of Seistan She was the daughter of 189204768902889474.

King of Seistan Vasudeva.

Notes for HormizdII, Emperor of Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Hormizd II, was the eighth Persian king of the Sassanid Empire, and reigned for seven years and five months, from 302 to 309. He was the son of Narseh (293–302).

Almost nothing is known of his reign. After his death his oldest son Adarnases (Adur-Narseh), who had a cruel disposition, was killed by the grandees after a very short reign;[1] another son, Hormizd, was held prisoner, while the throne was reserved for the child of his concubine, Shapur II. Another version has it that Shapur II was the son of Hormizd II's first wife, and that while still pregnant she was made to wear a crown over her pudenda so that the baby would be born as a king.[2]

Relief "The Equestrian Victory of Hormizd II"His son Hormizd escaped from prison in 323 with the help of his wife, and found refuge at the court of Constantine the Great (324–337) (Zosimus ii. 27; John of Antioch, fr. 178; Zonaras 13–5). In 363, Hormizd served against Persia in the army of the Roman emperor Julian (361–363); in turn his son, of the same name, later served as proconsul (Ammianus Marcellinus 26. 8. 12).

References 1.^ Touraj Daryaee, Sasanian Persia, (I.B.Tauris Ltd, 2010), 16. 2.^ Touraj Daryaee, 16.

Notes for Ifra Hormiz, Princess of Seistan: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

In prehistoric times, the Jiroft Civilization covered parts of Sistan and Kerman Province (possibly as early as the 3rd millennium BC).

Later the area was occupied by Aryan tribes related to the Indo-Aryans and Iranian Peoples. Eventually a kingdom known as Arachosia was formed, parts of which were ruled by the Medean Empire by 600 BC. The Medes were overthrown by the Achaemenid Persian Empire in 550 BC, and the rest Arachosia was soon annexed. In the 3rd century BC, Macedonian king Alexander the Great (known in East as Sikander) annexed the region during his conquest of the Persian Empire and founded the colony of "Alexandria in Arachosia" (modern Kandahar).

Alexander's Empire fragmented after his death, and Arachosia came under control of the Seleucid Empire, which traded it to the Mauryan dynasty of India in 305 BC. After the fall of the Mauryans, the region fell to their Greco-Bactrian allies in 180 BC, before breaking away and becoming part of the Indo-Greek Kingdom.

After the mid 2nd century BC, much of the Indo-Greek Kingdom was overrun by tribes known as the Indo-Scythians or Sakas, from which Sistan (from Sakastan) eventually derived its name. The Indo-Scythians were defeated around 100 BC by the Parthian Empire, which briefly lost the region to its Suren vassals (the Indo-Parthian) around 20 AD, before the region was conquered by the Kushan Empire in the mid 1st century AD. The Kushans were defeated by the Sassanid Persian Empire in the mid 3rd century, first becoming part of a vassal Kushansha state, before being overrun by the Hephthalites in the mid 5th century. Sassanid armies reconquered Sistan in by 565 AD, but lost the area to the Arab Rashidun Caliphate after the mid 640s. (For Sistan's history after the Islamic conquest, see History sections of Afghanistan and Iran).

[edit] Islamic Conquest― Sistan was invaded and conquered by expeditions from Kirman . The Muslim conquest of Sistan began in 23( 643/644) when Asim b Amr and Abdullah b Umar made an incursion and seized Zarang. The Sistanis concluded a treaty with the Muslims , to the effect that they should pay Kharaj . The commander of a Muslim army camped in Kirman Abd Allah B Amir sent Al Rabi B Ziyad (In Tarikh i Sistan it is Al Ziyalap-28) al Hinithi to Sistan . Rabi crossed that desert between Kirman and that province ie Sistan and reached Zaliq , a fortress between five farsangs of the Sistan frontier whose dihaqansurrendered to him . Rabi reduced two other localities (or

the fortress) of Karkuya mention of whose Fire Temple in the song of the Fire of Karakuya has come down to us in the annoymously written Tarikh i Sistan and Heisum without bloodshed . Falling back on Zaliq , Rabi projected the seizure of Zaranj of which though formerly it had submitted to the Muslims had once more to be subdued . Between Zaliq and Zarang , some minor localities like Zught ,Nasrudh and Sherwadh were taken with much fighting .

The Marzban of Zaranj Aparwez who commended at Zaranj strongly contested the advances of Rabi , but at last was obliged to surrender it to the Muslims . It is said that when Aparwez appeared before Rabi to discuss terms , he found the Arab general sitting on the corpse of a dead soldier .[2]

The Saffarids (861-1003 CE), one of the early Iranian dynasties of the Islamic era, were originally rulers of Sistan.

Sistan has a very strong connection with Zoroastrianism and during Sassanid times Lake Hamun was one of two pilgrimage sites for followers of that religion. In Zoroastrian tradition, the lake is the keeper of Zoroaster's seed and just before the final renovation of the world, three maidens will enter the lake, each then giving birth to the saoshyans who will be the saviours of mankind at the final renovation of the world.

The most famous archaeological sites in Sistan are Shahr-e Sukhteh and the site on Kuh-e Khwajeh, a hill rising up as an island in the middle of Lake Hamun.

The Vanished Paradise of Seistan

Quoted from:

George Curzon, Persia and the Persian Question, vol 1 (1892)

The derivation of the name Seistan or Sejestan from Sagastan, the country of the Sagan, or Sacae, has, says Sir H. Rawlinson, never been doubted by any writer of credit, either Arab or Persian ; although it is curious that a band of roving nomads, as were these Scythians, who descended hither from the north in the third century A.D., should have bequeathed a permanent designation to a country which they only occupied for a hundred years. (Some English writers, however, have derived it from saghes, a wood that is grown locally and is used as fuel by the Persians.) Expelled by the Sassanian monarch Varahran II (A.D. 275 -292) they have long vanished from history themselves; but in the name of the district they may claim a monumentum oare perennius.

At different epochs of history territories of very differing sizes have been called Seistan, according as the dominion of their rulers has been extended or curtailed. In its stricter application, however, the name has always been peculiar to the great lacustrine basin that receives the confluent waters of the Helmund and other rivers, whose channels converge at this point upon a depression in the land's surface, with very clearly defined borders, and a length from north to south of nearly 250 miles. It is certain that in olden days this depression was filled by the waters of a great lake; and, were all the artificial canals and irrigation channels, by which the river-contents are now reduced and exhausted, to be destroyed, I imagine that it would very soon relapse into its primeval conditions.

The modern Seistan may be said to comprise three main depressions, which, according to the season of the year and the extent of the spring floods, are converted alternately into lakes, swamps, or dry land. The first of these depressions consists of the twofold lagoon formed by the Harut Rud and the Farrah Rud flowing from the north, and by the Helmund and the Khash or Khushk Rud flowing from the south and east respectively. These two lakes or pools are connected by a thick reedbed called the Naizar, which, according to the amount of water that they contain, is either a marsh or a cane-brake. In flood time these two lakes, ordinarily distinct, unite their waters, and the conjoint inundation pours over the Naizar into the second great depression, known by the generic title of Hamun or Expanse, which stretches southwards like a vast shallow trough for many miles. When the British Commissioners were here in 1872, the Hamun was quite dry, and they marched to and fro across its bed. But in 1885-6, when some

of the members of the later Russo-Afghan Boundary Commission were proceeding this way from Quetta to the confines of Herat, it was found to be an immense lake, extending for miles, with the Kuh-i-Khwajah, a wellknown mountain and conspicuous landmark usually regarded as its western limit, standing up like an island in the middle. In times of abnormal flood the Hamun will itself overflow; and on such occasions the water, draining southwards through the SaTshela ravine, inundates the third of the great depressions to which I alluded, and which is known as the Zirreh Marsh. This was said at the time of the Commission not to have occurred within living memory, it being a far more common experience to find all the river-beds exhausted than all the lake-beds full ; and the Zirreh as a rule presents the familiar appearance of a salt desert. In 1885, however, a British officer exploring Western Beluchistan found water two feet deep flowing down the Sarshela or Shela, and forming an extensive Hamun in the northern part of the Zirreh, which was said to be over one hundred miles in circumference.

It will readily be understood from the above description how variable is the face of Seistan, and what a puzzle to writers its Protean comparative geography becomes. For not only do the lakes alternately swell, recede, and disappear - the area of displacement covering an extent, according to Rawlinson, of one hundred miles in length by fifty miles in width - but the rivers also are constantly shifting their beds, sometimes taking a sudden fancy for what has hitherto been an artificial canal, but which they soon succeed in converting into a very good imitation of a natural channel, in order to perplex some geographer of the future. It is not surprising, therefore, that while the country owes to the abundant alluvium thus promiscuously showered upon it its store of wealth and fertility, it also contains more ruined cities and habitations than are perhaps to be found within a similar space of ground anywhere in the world.

Such in brief outline is the physical conformation of Seistan. I will now proceed to its history. From the earliest times there has been something in Seistan that appealed vividly to the Persian imagination. The country was called Nimroz, from a supposed connection with Nimrod, 'the mighty hunter'; it was the residence of Jamshid, and the legendary birthplace of the great Rustam, son of Zal, and fifth in descent from Jamshid. King Arthur does not play as great a part in British legend as does the heroic Rustam in the myths of Iran. For, after all, Arthur was a mortal man (and, if we are to follow Tennyson, almost a nineteenth century gentleman), while Rustam fought with demons and jinns as well as against the pagan hordes of Turan and Afrasiab. Perhaps our Saint George of the Dragon would be a nearer parallel; and just as we stamp the record of his matchless daring upon our coinage, so do the Persians emblazon the great feats of Rustam upon gateway and door and pillar.

Seistan emerges into the clearer light of ascertained history in the time of Alexander the Great, when it was known as Drangiana (identical with the land of the Herodotean Sarangians). He probably passed this way on his march eastwards to India; whilst on his return therefrom, though he pursued a more southerly line himself, through Gedrosia (Mekran) to Carmania (Kerman), he despatched a light column under Craterus through Arachotia and Drangiana. Under the Sassanian monarchs Seistan was a flourishing centre of the Zoroastrian worship, and hither came the last sovereign of that dynasty, Yezdijird, flying from the victorious Arabs on his way to his fate at Aferv. It was under the succeeding regime that the province attained the climax of its material prosperity; and to this-the Arab-period are to be attributed the vast ruins of which I have previously spoken. In the ninth century a native dynasty known as the Sufari or Coppersmiths, was founded by one Yakub bin Leitb, a potter and a robber, but a soldier and a statesman who won by arms a shortlived empire that stretched from Shiraz to Kabul, but collapsed before the iron onset of Mabmud of Ghuzni in the succeeding century. El Istakhri, visiting Seistan at this epoch, described it as a country of populous cities, abundant canals, and great wealth; among its natural resources being included a rich gold mine that subsequently disappeared in an earthquake. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries Seistan, like most of its neighbours, experienced the two successive visitations of those scourges of mankind, Jenghiz Khan and Timur Beg, being turned from a smiling oasis into a ruinous waste, and suffering a murderous blow from which it has never recovered. The Sefavi

dynasty repeopled it under the local rule of the ancient reigning family of Kaiani, who claimed descent from Kai Kobad, the first Achaemenian king. But the march of time brought round the fated cycle of injury and desolation; and at the bands both of the Afghan invaders of 1722, and of Nadir Shah who expelled them, it completed its chronic tale of suffering. Remaining a portion of the mighty empire of the Afshar usurper till his death in 1747, it then passed to the sceptre of Ahmed Shah Abdali, the adventurous captain who, imitating his master's exploits, rode off and founded the Durani empire in Afghanistan. From this epoch dates its appearance on the stage of modern politics, and during the last thirty years upon the chess-board of Anglo-Indian diplomacy . . .

(For further information on the Helmund River, vide a paper by C. R. Markham on 'The Basin of the Helmund,' in

the Proceedings of the R. G. S. (New Series), Vol. i. P. 191.)

(The Kuh-i-Khwaiah, known also as Kuh-i-Rustam, is an isolated bluff composed of a crystalline black rock resembling basalt, and rising to a height of about 400 feet above the level of the Hamun, in which it constitutes a famous landmark for many miles. It was a stronghold of the old Kaianian dynasty who ruled Seistan, and is said to have been held for seven years by one of their number against the troops of Nadir Shah. It is also a place of popular resort among the Seistanis, for at No Ruz (March 21) a fair is held there, and the flattened summit is used as a race-course. For further information, vide 'Visit to the Kuh-i-Khwajah,' by Major B. Lovett, in the Journal of the R. G. S., Vol. xliv. p. 145 (1874). )

(When Sir C. MacGregor was exploring Beluchistan in 1877, he skirted the Zirreh Desert on the south for two days and a half without finding a solitary pool of brackish water. 'Nowhere was there the slightest sign of dampness. Everywhere it was the same-nothing but sand, and all the vegetation as dry as bones, crumbling into dust at the least touch.' At length, and with great difficulty, he did manage in one spot to extract a little fluid from the soil; and this was how, in his inimitable unvarnished way, he described it: 'If any should wish to save themselves the trouble of going to Zirreh to fetch Zirreh water, I think I could give a recipe, which would taste something like it. Take, then, the first nasty looking water you can find, mix salt with it till you make it taste as nasty as it looks, then impregnate it with gas from a London street-lamp, and add a little bilge-water. Shake vigorously, and it is ready for use.'- Wanderings in Balochistan, p. 183. )

(The great authority on the early history and inhabitants of Seistan is Sir H. Rawlinson's essay, entitled 'Notes on Seistan,' published in the Journal of the R. G. S. vol. xliii. pp. 272-294 (1873). Compare also the excellent and accurate summary of Dr. Bellew, From the Indus to the Tigris, pp. 248-262, and Inquiry into the Ethnography of Afghanistan, 1891. The chief modern inhabitants of Persian Seistan are the Seistanis, who occupy a servile position among other and dominant tribes; the Kaianis claiming descent from the Kai dynasty of Cyrus; the Kurd Galis, a branch of the Kurds of Kurdistan, who emigrated and established the Malik Kurd dynasty of Ghor, 1245-1383, A.D. ; Iranian elements known as Tajik; and Beluchis, of whom the principal tribes in Seistan are the Sarbandi, who were transported by Timur to Hamadan, but brought back by Nadir Shah, and the Shahreki.)

Child of Hormizd and Ifra Hormiz is:

47301192225722368 i. ShapurII, Emperor of Persia

94602384600203392. Airt Aoinfher Mac Conn, died 195. He was the son of 189204769200406784. Conn Ceadchathach Mac Feideilmid and 189204769200406785. Eithne Taebfada. He married 94602384600203393. Achtan.

94602384600203393. Achtan

Notes for Airt Aoinfher Mac Conn: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Art mac Cuinn ("son of Conn"), also known as Art Óenfer (literally "one man", used in the sense of "lone", "solitary", or "only son"),[1] was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland.

According to legend, he was not Conn's only son: he had a brother called Connla, who fell in love with a fairy woman, and went with her to Mag Mell, never to be seen again. After that, Art was alone and gained his nickname[2] (Geoffrey Keating says he had two brothers, Connla and Crionna, who were killed by their uncle

Eochaid Finn).[3] Another fairy woman, Bé Chuille, who had been banished to Ireland by the Tuatha Dé Danann, fell in love with Art, but, when she learned his father Conn was still alive and a widower, agreed to marry him instead, on the condition that Art be banished from Tara for a year. The injustice caused famine in Ireland, until Art forced Bé Chuille to leave as a forfeit in a game of fidchell.[4]

Art succeeded to the High Kingship after his brother-in-law Conaire Cóem, was killed by Nemed, son of Sroibcenn, in the battle of Gruitine. He ruled for twenty or thirty years. During his reign Conaire's sons took revenge against Nemed and his allies, the sons of Ailill Aulom, in the Battle of Cennfebrat in Munster. Ailill's foster-son Lugaid mac Con was wounded in the thigh in the battle, and was exiled from Ireland. He made an alliance with Benne Brit, son of the king of Britain, raised an army of foreigners, and returned to Ireland. He defeated and killed Art in the Battle of Maigh Mucruimhe in Connacht.[5] According to legend, Art was given hospitality by Olc Acha, a local smith, the night before the battle. It had been prophesied that a great dignity would come from Olc's line, and he gave Art his daughter Achtan to sleep with. Art's son Cormac was conceived that night.[6] However, according to Keating, Achtan was Art's official mistress, to whom he paid a dowry of cattle; his wife, and the mother of his other children, was Medb Lethderg.[7]

The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises Art's reign with that of the Roman emperor Commodus (180-192).[8] The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 143-173, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 165-195.

Child of Airt Mac Conn and Achtan is:

47301192300101696 i. Cormac Ulfhada Mac Airt, died 266.

Generation No. 58

189204708728295424. Bartherus He was the son of 378409417456590848. Hilderic.

Child of Bartherus is:

94602354364147712 i. Clodius III

189204708728295464. Marcomir de Toxandrie He was the son of 378409417456590928. Quintus Anicius Paulinus and 378409417456590929. Asinia Juliana Nichomacha.

Child of Marcomir de Toxandrie is:

94602354364147732 i. Gonobaud de Toxandrie

189204768902873600. Nehemiah I He was the son of 378409537805747200. Nathan I "Ukna", 11th Exilarch.

Child of Nehemiah I is:

94602384451436800 i. Mar Ukba III, died 320.

189204768902889472. Nerseh of Armenia He was the son of 378409537805778944. Shapur of Persia and 378409537805778945. Gurdzad.

Notes for Nerseh of Armenia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Narseh (whose name is also sometimes written as Narses or Narseus) was the seventh Sassanid King of Persia (293–302), and son of Shapur I (241–272).[1]

During the rule of his father Shapur I, Narseh had served as the Viceroy of Sistan, Baluchistan and Sindh. Prior to becoming King of Persia, he held the title Great King of Armenia.[2]

Narseh overthrew the increasingly unpopular Bahram III in 293 with the support of most of the nobility. The circumstances of Narseh's rise to power are detailed in the Paikuli inscription.

During Narses' time, Rome was ruled by Diocletian and it was with Diocletian and his son-in-law Galerius that Narses was engaged in eight years of constant warfare.

In 296, fed up with incursions made by the Armenian monarch Tiridates III, Narses invaded Armenia. Surprised by the sudden attack, Tiridates fled his kingdom. The Roman Emperor Diocletian dispatched his son-in-law Galerius with a large army to Tiridates's aid.

Galerius invaded Mesopotamia, which Narses had occupied hoping to check his advance. Three battles were fought subsequently, the first two of which were indecisive. In the third fought at Callinicum, Galerius suffered a complete defeat and was forced to retreat. Galerius crossed the Euphrates into Syria to join his father-in-law Diocletian at Antioch. On his arrival at Antioch, Galerius was rebuked by Diocletian who disgraced him for his shameful defeat at the hands of Narses. Vowing to take revenge, Galerius made preparations throughout the winter of 297 and invaded Armenia with 25,000 men.

Supported by the Armenians, Galerius surprised Narses in his camp at the Battle of Satala and inflicted a crushing defeat on the latter forcing him to flee in haste. His wife, prisoners, his sisters and a number of his children were captured apart from his prodigious military chest. Eastern Mesopotamia was recovered by the Romans and Tiridates was reinstated as the monarch of Armenia.

Anxious to make peace with the Romans, Narses dispatched his envoy Aphraban to Galerius with the following message:

"The whole human race knows that the Roman and Persian kingdoms resemble two great luminaries, and that, like a man's two eyes, they ought mutually to adorn and illustrate each other, and not in the extremity of their wrath to seek rather each other's destruction. So to act is not to act manfully, but is indicative rather of levity and weakness; for it is to suppose that our inferiors can never be of any service to us, and that therefore we had bettor get rid of them. Narses, moreover, ought not to be accounted a weaker prince than other Persian kings; thou hast indeed conquered him, but then thou surpassest all other monarchs; and thus Narses has of course been worsted by thee, though he is no whit inferior in merit to the best of his ancestors. The orders which my master has given me are to entrust all the rights of Persia to the clemency of Rome; and I therefore do not even bring with me any conditions of peace, since it is for the emperor to determine everything. I have only to pray, on my master's behalf, for the restoration of his wives and male children; if he receives them at your hands, he will be forever beholden to you, and will be better pleased than if he recovered them by force of arms. Even now my master cannot sufficiently thank you for the kind treatment which he hears you have vouchsafed them, in that you have offered them no insult, but have behaved towards them as though on the point of giving them back to their kith and kin. He sees herein that you bear in mind the changes of fortune and the instability of all human affairs."

But Galerius dismissed Aphraban without giving any definite answer, at the same time accusing the Persians of ill-treating Valerian. In the meantime, he consulted Diocletian at Nisibis who persuaded Galerius to offer terms of peace to the Persians.

Accordingly terms of peace were agreed upon, and were ratified by a treaty concluded by Narses with the Romans.

According to this treaty,

Five provinces beyond the Tigris were to be ceded to the Romans. One writer gives these provinces as Intilene, Sophene, Arzanene, Carduene, and Zabdicene; by another as Arzanene, Moxoene, Zabdicene, Rehimene, and Corduene.

The semi-independent kingdom of Armenia was to be extended up to the fortress of Zintha, in Media Persia was expected to relinquish all her rights over Iberia. Formal dealings between Persia and Rome

would henceforth be conducted at Nisibis. [edit] AbdicationNarses did not survive for long after the conclusion of this humiliating treaty. He abdicated in 301,

in favor of his son, Hormizd, probably ashamed at the humiliation he had suffered. He spent the last years of his life in self-renunciation.

It is not known for how long Narses survived his abdication. However, it is well-known that Narses was already dead by the time of Hormizd's death in 309 for the throne passed onto Hormizd's still-unborn son Shapur.

See also Narsieh

References1.^ Touraj Daryaee, Sasanian Persia, (I.B.Tauris Ltd, 2010), 10. 2.^ Touraj Daryaee, 11. Ursula Weber - Josef Wiesehöfer: König Narsehs Herrschaftsverständnis. In: Henning Börm - Josef Wiesehöfer (eds.): Commutatio et contentio. Studies in the Late Roman, Sasanian, and Early Islamic Near East. Wellem Verlag, Düsseldorf 2010, pp. 88–132.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. The Civilizations of the Ancient Near East Volume VII by George Rawlinson(Project Gutenberg)

Child of Nerseh of Armenia is:

94602384451444736 i. HormizdII, Emperor of Persia, married Ifra Hormiz, Princess of Seistan

189204768902889474. King of Seistan Vasudeva He was the son of 378409537805778948. VasudevaIII, King of Kushana.

Child of King of Seistan Vasudeva is:

94602384451444737 i. Ifra Hormiz, Princess of Seistan, married HormizdII, Emperor of Persia

189204769200406784. Conn Ceadchathach Mac Feideilmid, died 157. He was the son of 378409538400813568. Fedhlimidh (Felim) Rachtmar. He married 189204769200406785. Eithne Taebfada.

189204769200406785. Eithne Taebfada She was the daughter of 378409538400813570. Cathair Mor.

Notes for Conn Ceadchathach Mac Feideilmid: Conn Cétchathach ("of the Hundred Battles", pron. [k?n 'ke?dx??ax]), son of Fedlimid Rechtmar, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland, and the ancestor of the Connachta, and, through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties, which dominated Ireland in the early middle ages, and their descendants, including Scottish clans such as the Clan Donald.

The Annals of the Four Masters says that five roads to Tara, which had never been seen before, were discovered on the night of Conn's birth.[1] According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn, he took power after killing his predecessor Cathair Mór.[2] In other sources his predecessor is Dáire Doimthech.[3] The Lia Fáil, the coronation stone at Tara which was said to roar when the rightful king stood on it, roared under Conn for the first time since Cúchulainn split it with his sword when it failed to roar for Lugaid Riab nDerg.[4] In the saga Baile in Scáil ("The Phantom's Ecstatic Vision"), Conn treads on the stone by accident while walking the ramparts of Tara, implying that the stone had been lost and half-buried since Cúchulainn's time. A druid explains the meaning of the stone, and says the number of cries the stone made is the number of kings who will follow Conn, but he is not the man to name them. A magical mist arises, and a horseman approaches who throws three spears towards Conn, then asks him and the druid to follow him to his house, which stands on a plain by a golden tree. They enter, and are welcomed by a woman in a gold crown. First they see a silver vat, bound with gold hoops, full of red ale, and a golden cup and serving spoon. Then they see a phantom, a tall beautiful man, on a throne, who introduces himself as Lugh. The woman is the sovereignty of Ireland, and she serves Conn a meal consisting of an ox's rib 24 feet (7.3 m) long, and a boar's rib. When she serves drinks, she asks "To whom shall this cup be given?", and Lugh recites a poem which tells Conn how many years he will reign, and the names of

the kings who will follow him. Then they enter Lugh's shadow, and the house disappears, but the cup and serving spoon remain.[5][6] An earlier text, Baile Chuinn Cétchathaigh (The Ecstatic Vision of Conn of the Hundred Battles") gives a poetic list of kings, many of which are recognisable from the

traditional List of High Kings of Ireland, but without narrative context.[7]

Reign Conn had a long reign - twenty, twenty-five, thirty-five or even fifty years according to different versions of the Lebor Gabála–but spent much of it at war with Mug Nuadat, king of Munster. The Medieval Text Cath Maige Leana alleges that Mug Nuadat's father Mug Neit, son of Deirgtine expelled the kings of Munster from their kingdoms by hoarding food for seven years and then using it to provide for the men of Ireland during a famine which his Druids had earlier predicted. When the people of Munster begged for Mog Neit's provision, the latter demanded that they expel their kings, namely Conaire Coem and MacNiad mac Lugdach of the Clann Dedad. When the latter two kings fled to Conn for assistance and made alliances with him by marrying his two daughters Saraid and Sadb respectively, Mog Neit declared war on Conn. The kings gathered their armies and met for a battle in the plains of Co. Offaly. After Conn's vanguard defeated Mog Neit's at Magh Cruinn, the two armies fought a full-scale battle at Magh Siuil in which Mogh Neit was allegedly defeated and killed. Mogh Nuadat then led his people on a retreat southward and westward through Munster, pursued by Conn and his forces, who plundered the province. Conn's troops eventually camped near Bantry Bay in Co. Cork while Mug Nuadat camped in Killarney National Park. Mug Nuadat with a small force, allegedly fought Conn's army to a standstill and escaped with the help of a fleet to Great Beare Island. Conn restored Munster to his allied kings and withdrew his army. The text then alleges that Mug Nuadat fled to Spain and married Beara, daughter of Ebhear, king of Spain and after nine years in exile returned to Ireland with an army, landing near Bantry and forcing Conaire and MacNiad to submit to his overlordship. Mug Nuadat then allegedly gained the allegiance of Fiachu ba'hAiccid, king of Leinster and Breasal mac Brion, king of Ulster and marched his army to Magh nAi, where he forced Conn to make a treaty with him. Ireland was divided in two between them–Conn controlling the north, or Leth Cuinn ("Conn's Half"), and Mug controlling the south, or Leth Moga ("Mug's Half"), with the border lying between Galway in the west and Dublin in the east. The text claims that there was peace for fifteen years before Mug Nuadat broke the treaty and declared war, allied with Leinster and Ulster. Eochaid Muindearg, son of Mal mac Rochride, king of Ulster devastated Meath while Mug Nuadat led his army to Magh Leana, near Tullamore, Co. Offaly. Conn in the meantime retreated to his homeland of Connacht and gathered his forces, namely Conall mac Aonghus Feirt, king of Connacht and Goll mac Morna, leader of the Fianna of Connacht. Conn then irrupted into Meath with his small force, surprising, defeating and killing the king of Ulster in the plains between Edenderry, Co. Offaly and Clonard, Co. Meath. He then led his army southward to Magh Leana where he destroyed Mug Nuadat's army in a surprise night attack upon his camp; Mug Nuadat was then killed fighting gallantly against Conn's forces and Conn was afterward king of all Ireland. [8] However, Geoffrey Keating tells the story differently, alleging that the Clann Dedad kings of Munster were in fact Lugaid Allathach, Daire Dornmhor and Aonghus and that Mug Nuadat went to the king of Leinster, Daire Barrach, son of Cathair Mor and obtained an army from him with which to invade Munster. He defeated Aonghus and drove him out of his territory in Ui Liathain. Aonghus sought help from Conn and the latter gave him an army with which to return and reclaim his kingdom. Mug Nuadat then supposedly defeated Aonghus as well as a further nine attempts by Conn to drive him out of Munster in support of his allies. Thus, after gaining ten battles agains Conn, Mug Nuadat killed the three kings of Munster and forced Conn to divide Ireland with him. However, when hostilities broke out again and the armies were due to meet for battle at Magh Leana, Conn allegedly killed Mug in his bed, in an early morning attack.[9]

Legend has it that the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill was born in Conn's time. His father, Cumhall, a warrior in Conn's service, was a suitor of Muirne, daughter of the druid Tadg mac Nuadat, but Tadg refused his suit, so Cumhall abducted her. Conn went to war against him, and Cumhall was killed by Goll mac Morna in the Battle of Cnucha. But Muirne was already pregnant, and Tadg rejected her, ordering her to be burned. She fled to Conn, and Conn put her under the protection of Cumhall's brother-in-law Fiacal mac Conchinn. It was in Fiacal's house that she gave birth to a son, Deimne, who was later renamed Fionn.[10] When he was ten, Fionn came to Tara put himself into Conn's service. He learned that every year at

Samhain, the monster Aillen would put everyone at Tara to sleep with his music, and burn down the palace with his fiery breath. Fionn killed Aillen, having kept himself awake by pressing the head of his spear to his forehead, and warded off Aillen's flame with his magical cloak, and Conn made him head of the fianna in place of Goll.[11]

Family Conn had two sons, Connla and Art. Connla fell in love with a fairy woman from Mag Mell, and went with her to her otherworld home in her crystal boat, leaving Art alone. After that Art was known as Óenfer - the "lone" or "solitary".[12]

After Conn's wife Eithne Táebfada, daughter of Cathair Mór, died, another fairy woman, Bé Chuille, was banished by the Tuatha Dé Danann to Ireland. She had fallen in love with Art from a distance and sought him out in her currach, but when she met Conn and learned he was without a wife, agreed to marry him instead, on the condition that Art be banished from Tara for a year. The men of Ireland thought this unjust, and Ireland was barren during that year. The druids discovered that this was Bé Chuille's fault, and declared that the famine could be ended by the sacrifice of the son of a sinless couple in front of Tara. Conn went in search of this boy in Bé Chuille's currach. He landed on a strange island of apple-trees. The queen of the island had a young son, the result of her only sexual union. Conn told her that Ireland would be saved if the boy bathed in the water of Ireland, and she agreed. He took him back to Ireland, but when the druids demanded his death, he, Art and Fionn mac Cumhaill swore to protect him. Just then, a woman driving a cow carrying two bags approached, and the cow was sacrificed instead of the boy. The bags were opened: one contained a bird with one leg, the other a bird with twelve legs. The two birds fought, and the one-legged bird won. The woman said the twelve-legged bird represented the druids, and the one-legged bird the boy, and revealed herself as his mother. She told Conn that the famine would end if he would put Bé Chuille away, but he refused. Bé Chuille was later banished from Tara as the result of a series of challenges she and Art made each other over a game of fidchell.[13]

Death Conn was eventually killed by Tipraite Tírech, king of the Ulaid. The Lebor Gabála and the Annals say Tipraite defeated him in battle in Túath Amrois. Keating says Tipraite sent fifty warriors dressed as women from Emain Macha to kill him at Tara. His son-in-law Conaire Cóem succeeded him as High King, and Conn's son Art would later succeed him. The Lebor Gabála synchronises Conn's reign with that of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180). The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 116-136, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 122-157.

Child of Conn Mac Feideilmid and Eithne Taebfada is:

94602384600203392 i. Airt Aoinfher Mac Conn, died 195; married Achtan

Generation No. 59

378409417456590848. Hilderic He was the son of 756818834913181696. Sunno.

Child of Hilderic is:

189204708728295424 i. Bartherus

378409417456590928. Quintus Anicius Paulinus He was the son of 756818834913181857. Daughter of Asinia. He married 378409417456590929. Asinia Juliana Nichomacha.

378409417456590929. Asinia Juliana Nichomacha She was the daughter of 756818834913181858. Caius Asinius Iulianus.

Child of Quintus Paulinus and Asinia Nichomacha is:

189204708728295464 i. Marcomir de Toxandrie

378409537805747200. Nathan I "Ukna", 11th Exilarch He was the son of 756819075611494400. HunaII, 8th Exilarch and 756819075611494401. Abba Arikha.

Child of Nathan I "Ukna", 11th Exilarch is:

189204768902873600 i. Nehemiah I

378409537805778944. Shapur of Persia He was the son of 756819075611557888. Ardashir of Persia and 756819075611557889. Ziyanak. He married 378409537805778945. Gurdzad.

378409537805778945. Gurdzad

Notes for Shapur of Persia:

[Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Shapur I or also known as Shapur I the Great was the second Sassanid King of the Second Persian Empire. The dates of his reign are commonly given as 240/42 - 270/72, but it is likely that he also reigned as co-regent (together with his father) prior to his father's death in 242 (more probably than 240).[2]

Shapur was the son of Ardashir I (r. 226–240 [died 242]), the founder of the Sassanid dynasty and whom Shapur succeeded. His mother was Lady Myrod,[3] who—according to legend[4]—was an Arsacid princess. The Talmud cites a nickname for her, "Ifra Hurmiz", after her bewitching beauty.[5]

Shapur accompanied his father's campaigns against the Parthians, who - at the time - still controlled much of the Iranian plateau through a system of vassal states that the Persian kingdom had itself previously been a part of. Before an assembly of magnates, Ardashir "judged him the gentlest, wisest, bravest and ablest of all his children"[3] and nominated him as his successor. Shapur also appears as heir apparent in Ardashir's investiture inscriptions at Naqsh-e Rajab and Firuzabad. The Cologne Mani-Codex indicates that, by 240, Ardashir and Shapur were already reigning together.[3] In a letter from Gordian III to his senate, dated to 242, the "Persian Kings" are referred to in the plural. Synarchy is also evident in the coins of this period that portray Ardashir facing his youthful son, and which are accompanied by a legend that indicates that Shapur was already referred to as king.

The date of Shapur's coronation remains debated. 240 is frequently noted,[3] but Ardashir lived very probably until 242.[6] 240 also marks the year of the seizure and subsequent destruction of Hatra, about 100 km southwest of Nineveh and Mosul in present-day Iraq. According to legend, al-Nadirah, the daughter of the king of Hatra, betrayed her city to the Sassanids, who then killed the king and had the city razed. (Legends also have Shapur either marrying al-Nadirah, or having her killed, or both.)[7

Ardashir I had, towards the end of his reign, renewed the war against the Roman Empire. Shapur I conquered the Mesopotamian fortresses Nisibis and Carrhae and advanced into Syria. Timesitheus, father-in-law of the young emperor, Gordian III, drove him back and defeated him at the Battle of Resaena in 243, regaining Nisibis and Carrhae. Timesitheus died shortly afterward, and Philip the Arab (244–249) murdered Gordian III after his defeat at the Battle of Misiche. Philip then concluded a peace with the Persians in 244. With the Roman Empire debilitated by Germanic invasions and the continuous elevation of new emperors after the death of Trajan Decius (251), Shapur I resumed his attacks.

A fine cameo showing an equestrian combat of Shapur I and Valerian in which the Roman emperor is seized, according to Shapur‘s own statement, ―with our own hand‖, in year 256.Shapur conquered Armenia, invaded Syria, and plundered Antioch. Eventually, the Emperor Valerian (253–260) marched against him and by 257, Valerian had recovered Antioch and returned the province of Syria to Roman control. In 259, Valerian moved to Edessa, but an outbreak of plague killed many and weakened the Roman troops defending the city which was then besieged by the Persians. In 260, Valerian arranged a meeting with Shapur to negotiate a peace settlement but was betrayed by Shapur who seized him and held him prisoner for the remainder of his life.[8] Shapur advanced into Asia Minor, but was driven back by defeats at the hands of Balista, who captured the royal harem. Septimius Odenathus, prince of Palmyra, rose in his rear, defeated the Persian army and regained all the territories Shapur had occupied. Shapur was unable to resume the offensive and lost Armenia again.[9]

The Humiliation of Valerian by Shapur I. Pen and ink, Hans Holbein the Younger, c. 1521One of the great achievements of Shapur's reign was the defeat of the Roman Emperor Valerian. This is presented in a mural at Naqsh-e Rustam, where Shapur is represented on horseback wearing royal armour and crown. Before him kneels Philip the Arab, in Roman dress, asking for grace. In his right hand the king grasps the uplifted arms of what may be Valerian; one of his hands is hidden in his sleeve as the sign of submission. The same scene is repeated in other rock-face inscriptions. Shapur is said to have publicly shamed Valerian by using the Roman Emperor as a footstool when mounting his horse.[10] Other sources

contradict and note that in other stone carvings, Valerian is respected and never on his knees. This is supported by reports that Valerian and some of his army lived in relatively good conditions in the city of Bishapur and that Shapur enrolled the assistance of Roman engineers in his engineering and development plans.

The colossal statue of Shapur I standing in the Shapur cave, ist one of the most impressive sculptures of the Sassanid dynasty.

Builder of cities Shapur I left other reliefs and rock inscriptions. A relief at Naqsh-e Rajab near Istakhr, is accompanied by a Greek translation. Here Shapur I calls himself "the Mazdayasnian (worshipper of Ahuramazda), the divine Sapores, King of Kings of the Aryans, Iranians, and non-Aryans, of divine descent, son of the Mazdayasnian, the divine Artaxerxes, King of Kings of the Aryans, grandson of the divine king Papak." Another long inscription at Istakhr mentions the King's exploits in archery in the presence of his nobles. From his titles we learn that Shapur I claimed the sovereignty over the whole earth, although in reality his domain extended little farther than that of Ardashir I. Shapur I built the great town Gundishapur near the old Achaemenid capital Susa, and increased the fertility of the district by a dam and irrigation system - built by the Roman prisoners - that redirected part of the Karun River. The barrier is still called Band-e Kaisar, "the mole of the Caesar." He is also responsible for building the city of Bishapur, also built by Roman soldiers captured after the defeat of Valerian in 260.After being captured Valerian was continually tortured. According to Mitchiner, Shapur also used Valerian as a stepping stool to get onto his horse.[11]

Interactions with minorities Shapur is mentioned many times in the Talmud, as King Shabur. He had good relations with the Jewish community and was a friend of Shmuel, one of the most famous of the Babylonian Amoraim.

Under Shapur's reign, the prophet Mani, the founder of Manichaeism, began his preaching in Western Iran, and the King himself seems to have favoured his ideas. The Shapurgan, Mani's only treatise in the Middle Persian language, is dedicated to Shapur.

Bibliography 1.^ MacKenzie, David Niel (1998). "Eran, Eranšahr". Encyclopedia Iranica. 8. Costa Mesa: Mazda. http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v8f5/v8f545.html [dead link] 2.^ For the date of Ardashir's death (242) see J. Wiesehöfer, Ardasir, in: Encyclopedia Iranica. 3.^ a b c d Shahbazi, Shapur (2003). "Shapur I". Encyclopedia Iranica. Costa Mesa: Mazda. http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/sup/Shapur_I.html. 4.^ Herzfeld, E. E. (1988). Iran in the Ancient East. New York: Hacker Art Books. ISBN 0-87817-308-0. p. 287. 5.^ Talmud Bavli, Tractate Baba Basra 8a. See there note 56 in Artscroll edition(2004) 6.^ J. Wiesehöfer, Ardasir, in: Encyclopedia Iranica. 7.^ "Hatra". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc.. 2008. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9039509. Retrieved 8 December 2007 8.^ Valerian 9.^ The Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol.21, Ed. by Hugh Chisholm, (1911), 219. 10.^ Weigel, Richard D. (1998). "Valerian and Gallienus". De Imperatoribus Romanis. http://www.roman-emperors.org/gallval.htm. 11.^ Gangler, Anne, Heinz Gaube and Attilio Petruccioli, Bukhara, the eastern dome of Islam, (Edition Axel Menges, 2004), 33.

Child of Shapur Persia and Gurdzad is:

189204768902889472 i. Nerseh of Armenia

378409537805778948. VasudevaIII, King of Kushana He was the son of 756819075611557896. VasudevaII, King of Kushana.

Child of VasudevaIII, King of Kushana is:

189204768902889474 i. King of Seistan Vasudeva

378409538400813568. Fedhlimidh (Felim) Rachtmar, died 130. He was the son of 756819076801627136. Tuathal Teachtmar and 756819076801627137. Baine ingen Scal.

Notes for Fedhlimidh (Felim) Rachtmar: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Fedlimid Rechtmar ("the lawful, legitimate" or "the passionate, furious") or Rechtaid ("the judge, lawgiver")[1] son of Tuathal Techtmar, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. His mother was Báine, daughter of Scál. He took power after killing his predecessor, and his father's killer, Mal mac Rochride.[2] He is said to have instituted the principle of an eye for an eye into Irish law, after which the behaviour of the Irish improved.[3] The completion of the road construction around Tara is attributed to him.[4] He ruled for nine or ten years before dying in his bed, and was succeeded by Cathair Mór. One of his sons, Conn Cétchathach, would succeed Cathair. Two other sons, Fiacha Suigde, ancestor of the Dal Fiachrach Suighe, and Eochaid Finn, are named in medieval sources.[5] The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180). The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 104-113, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 110-119.[6]

Child of Fedhlimidh (Felim) Rachtmar is:

189204769200406784 i. Conn Ceadchathach Mac Feideilmid, died 157; married Eithne Taebfada

378409538400813570. Cathair Mor

Notes for Cathair Mor: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Cathair Mór ("the great"), son of Fedlimid Fir Urglais, a descendant of Mug Corb, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after the death of Fedlimid Rechtmar.[1] He is said to have had thirty sons, but only ten of them had children; several medieval dynasties of Leinster traced their ancestors to them.[2][3] His daughter Cochrann was said to have been the mother of the fenian hero Diarmuid Ua Duibhne.[4]

He features in the saga Esnada Tige Buchet ("The Melody of the House of Buchet"). Cathair's daughter Eithne Tháebfhota is fostered by a hospitable Leinsterman named Buchet who has many herds of cattle, but Cathair's sons so exploit Buchet's hospitality that he is left with only one bull and seven cows, and the king, now old and enfeebled, is unable to restrain them. Buchet and his family, including Eithne, are reduced to living in a hut in the forest in Kells, County Meath. Later, when Cormac mac Airt is king, he marries Eithne and restores Buchet's fortunes[5] (in other stories the king who marries Eithne is Cathair's successor Conn Cétchathach).[6] In another saga, Fotha Catha Cnucha ("The Cause of the Battle of Cnucha"), Cathair gives the hill of Almu (Knockaulin, County Kildare) to the druid Nuada son of Aichi. This hill will later be famous as the home of Nuada's great grandson Fionn mac Cumhaill.[7]

Cathair ruled for three years, at the end of which he was killed by the Luaigne of Tara, led by Conn Cétchathach. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180). The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 113-116, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 119-122.[8]

Child of Cathair Mor is:

189204769200406785 i. Eithne Taebfada, married Conn Ceadchathach Mac Feideilmid

Generation No. 60

756818834913181696. Sunno He was the son of 1513637669826363392. Farabert.

Child of Sunno is:

378409417456590848 i. Hilderic

756818834913181857. Daughter of Asinia She was the daughter of 1513637669826363714. Ascyllius of the Eastern Franks.

Child of Daughter of Asinia is:

378409417456590928 i. Quintus Anicius Paulinus, married Asinia Juliana Nichomacha

756818834913181858. Caius Asinius Iulianus

Child of Caius Asinius Iulianus is:

378409417456590929 i. Asinia Juliana Nichomacha, married Quintus Anicius Paulinus

756819075611494400. HunaII, 8th Exilarch He was the son of 1513638151222988800. 4th Exilarch Shaphat. He married 756819075611494401. Abba Arikha.

756819075611494401. Abba Arikha

Child of Huna and Abba Arikha is:

378409537805747200 i. Nathan I "Ukna", 11th Exilarch

756819075611557888. Ardashir of Persia, died 242. He married 756819075611557889. Ziyanak. 756819075611557889. Ziyanak She was the daughter of 1513638151223115778. Artabanus IV of Persia.

Notes for Ardashir of Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Ardeshir I (died 242 AD) was the founder of the Sassanid dynasty, was ruler of Istakhr (since 206?), subsequently Persia (since 208?), and finally "King of Kings of Persia" (since 226) with the overthrow of the Parthian Empire. The dynasty founded by Ardashir would rule for four centuries, until it was overthrown by the Rashidun Caliphate in 651.

Ardashir (Ardaxšer from Middle Persian and Parthian Artaxša?ra, Pahlavi 'rthštr, "Who has the Divine Order as his Kingdom") is also known as Ardeshir-i Papagan "Ardashir, son of Papag", and other variants of his name include Latinized Artaxares and Artaxerxes.

Ardeshir was born in the late 2nd century in Istakhr, what is present-day Fars in Iran,[1][2] then a vassal kingdom of the Parthian Arsacids. According to one tradition, he inherited the throne of Istakhr from his father Papag (sometimes written as Papak or Babak) who had deposed the previous king Gochihr to gain the throne for himself. His mother may have been named Rodhagh. Prior to succeeding his father, Ardashir is said to have ruled the town of Darabgerd and received the title of "argbadh". Upon Papag's death, Ardashir's elder brother Šapur ascended to the throne. However, Ardashir rebelled against his brother and took the kingship for himself in 208.

Most scholars have assumed that Ardashir's father was Papak, a vassal king, and his grandfather was Sasan. However, there is another theory of his lineage, which is found in the Middle Persian book Book of Deeds of Ardeshir Son of Papak. This story is later confirmed by Ferdowsi's Shahnameh. This theory suggests that Sasan married the daughter of Papak after the latter discovers that Sasan is of royal Achaemenid descent. Hence Ardashir was born. From here onwards Sasan disappears from the story and Papak is considered the father. Ardashir helped Papak conquer some parts of Fars. It is possible that after Papak's death, his son Shapur, had a short reign which was probably ended by an accidental death. Around 211/12 Ardashir became ruler of Papak's kingdom, which was confined to central Fars. Soon he

extended his realm into Kerman to the east and Elymais to the west, and demanding fealty from the local princes of Fars and gaining control over the neighboring provinces of Kerman, Isfahan, Susiana, and Mesene.[3]

This expansion came to the attention of the Arsacid Great King, Artabanus IV, who ordered his vassal, the ruler of Khuzestan, to confront Ardashir. It was Ardashir, however, who emerged victorious in that battle.[4] In 226, Artabanus IV himself invaded Fars to defeat the rebelling Ardashir. The latter won the first battle, but with heavy losses on both sides. In the second battle, the Parthians suffered a greater loss, and Ardashir was again deemed the victor. Their armies clashed once again in a final battle at Hormizdeghan, near the modern city of Bandar Abbas. At this encounter, the Parthian army was completely defeated, and Artabanus IV was killed. According to one account, Ardashir and Artabanus fought in close combat on horseback. Ardashir pretended to flee, turned around in the saddle and shot Artabanus through the heart.[5]

According to the hagiographic Book of the Deeds of Ardashir son of Babak, Ardashir I then went on to capture the western vassal states of the now-defunct Arsacid Empire.

Crowned in 226 as the Šahan šah Eran "king of kings [of] Iran"[6] (his consort Adhur-Anahid took the title "Queen of Queens"), Ardashir finally brought the over 400 year-old Parthian Empire to an end and began four centuries of Sassanid rule.

Over the next few years, Ardashir I further expanded his new empire to the east and northwest, conquering the provinces of Sistan, Gorgan, Khorasan, Margiana (in modern Turkmenistan), Balkh, and Chorasmia. Bahrain and Mosul were also added to Sassanid possessions. Furthermore, the Kings of Kushan, Turan, and Mekran recognized Ardashir as their overlord. In the West, assaults against Hatra, Armenia and Adiabene met with less success.

Religion and state According to historian Arthur Christensen, the Sassanid state as established by Ardashir I was characterized by two general trends which differentiated it from its Parthian predecessor: a strong political centralization and organized state sponsorship of Zoroastrianism.

The Parthian Empire had consisted of a loose federation of vassal kingdoms under the suzerainty of the Arsacid monarchs. In contrast, Ardashir I established a relatively strong central government by which to rule his dominions. The empire was divided into cantons, the dimensions of which were based on military considerations. These cantons were designed to resist the influence of hereditary interests and feudal rivalries. Local governors who descended from the ruling family bore the title of shah. In an attempt to protect royal authority from regional challenges, the personal domains of the Sassanids and branch families were scattered across the empire. While the old feudal princes (vaspuhragan) remained, they were required to render military service with their local troops (for the most part peasant levies). The lesser nobility was cultivated as a source of military strength, forming the elite cavalry of the army, and the royal household found a useful (and presumably reliable) military force through the hiring of mercenaries.

Zoroastrianism had existed in the Parthian Empire, and—according to tradition—its sacred literature had been collated during that era. Similarly, the Sassanids traced their heritage to the Temple of Anahita at Staxr, where Ardashir I's grandfather had been a dignitary. Under Ardashir however, Zoroastrianism was promoted and regulated by the state, one based on the ideological principle of divinely granted and indisputable authority. The Sassanids built fire temples and, under royal direction, an (apparently) "orthodox" version of the Avesta was compiled by a cleric named Tansar, and it was during the early period that the texts as they exist today were written down (until then these were orally transmitted). In the western provinces, a Zurvanite doctrine of the religion with Time as the First Principle appears to have competed with the Mazdaen form (as it is known from the Sassanid prototype of the Avesta).

In other domestic affairs, Ardashir I maintained his familial base in Fars, erecting such structures as the Ghal'eh Dokhtar and the Palace of Ardashir. Despite these impressive structures, he established his government at the old Arsacid capital of Ctesiphon on the Tigris River. He also rebuilt the city of Seleucia, located just across the river, which had been destroyed by the Romans in 165, renaming it Veh-Ardashir. Trade was promoted and important ports at Mesene and Charax were repaired or constructed.

War with Rome In the latter years of his reign, Ardashir I engaged in a series of armed conflicts with Persia's great rival to the west –

the Roman Empire.

Ardashir I's expansionist tendencies had been frustrated by his failed invasions of Armenia, where a branch of the Arsacids still occupied the throne. Given Armenia's traditional position as an ally of the Romans, Ardashir I may have seen his primary opponent not in the Armenian and Caucasian troops he had faced, but in Rome and her legions.

Ghaleh Dokhtar, or "The Maiden's Castle," Iran, built by Ardashir I in AD 209, before he was finally able to defeat the Parthian empire.In 230 Ardashir I led his army into the Roman province of Mesopotamia, unsuccessfully besieging the fortress town of Nisibis. At the same time, his cavalry ranged far enough past the Roman border to threaten Syria and Cappadocia. It seems that the Romans saw fit to attempt a diplomatic solution to the crisis, reminding the Persians of the superiority of Roman arms, but to no avail. Ardashir I campaigned unsuccessfully against Roman border outposts again the following year (231). As a result, the Roman emperor Alexander Severus (222–235) moved to the east, establishing his headquarters at Antioch, but experienced difficulties in bringing his troops together and thus made another attempt at diplomacy, which Ardashir I rebuffed.

Finally, in 232, Severus led his legions in a three-pronged assault on the Persians. However, the separate army groups did not advance in a coordinated fashion, and Ardashir was able to take advantage of the disorder and concentrate his forces against the enemy advancing through Armenia, where he was able to halt the Roman advance. Hearing of the Roman plans to march on his capital at Ctesiphon, Ardashir left only a token screening force in the north and met the enemy force that was advancing to the south, apparently defeating it in a decisive manner. However, one can discern that the Persians must have suffered considerable losses as well, as no attempt was made to pursue the fleeing Romans. Both leaders must have had reason to avoid further campaigning, as Severus returned to Europe in the following year (233) and Ardashir did not renew his attacks for several years, probably focusing his energies in the east.

In 237, Ardashir — along with his son and successor Shapur I (240/42–270/72), who was his co-ruler since 239/40 — again invaded Mesopotamia. The successful assaults on Nisibis and Carrhae and the shock this caused in Rome led the emperor to revive the Roman client-state of Osroene. In 240/41, Ardashir I and Shapur finally overcame the stubborn fortress of Hatra. Ardashir I died in the year 242, but Shapur was already crowned as "king of kings" in 240. .

Legacy Ardashir I was an energetic king, responsible for the resurgence not just of Persia but of Iranian-speaking peoples as a unified nation (ethnous as it appears in the Greek version of his successor's inscription on the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht), the strengthening of Zoroastrianism, and the establishment of a dynasty that would endure for four centuries. While his campaigns against Rome met with only limited success, he achieved more against them than the Parthians had done in many decades and prepared the way for the substantial successes his son and successor Shapur I would enjoy against the same enemy.

Notes 1.^ Ardashir I of Persia: Encyclopedia II - Ardashir I of Persia - Early years 2.^ The Sassanid Empire PersianEmpire.info History of the Persian Empire 3.^ Fischer, W.B.; Gershevitch, Ilya; Ehsan, Yarshster (1993). The Cambridge History of Iran. 3. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 052120092X. http://books.google.com/?id=Ko_RafMSGLkC. pp116-118 4.^ Azadmehr, Shahbaz (2003). History of Iran (????? ?????). Tehran: Entesharate Barbod. pp. 91–92. ISBN 9646381790. 5.^ Sykes, Percy (2004). History of Iran. Routledge. ISBN 0415326796. http://books.google.com/?id=KFji0kSxqNMC. pp 394 6.^ MacKenzie, David Niel (1998). "Eran, Eranšahr". Encyclopedia Iranica. 8. Costa Mesa: Mazda. http://www.iranica.com/articles/eran-eransah. [edit] ReferencesChristensen, A. 1965: "Sassanid Persia". The Cambridge Ancient History, Volume XII: The Imperial Crisis and Recovery (A.D. 193–324). Cook, S.A. et al., eds. Cambridge: University Press, pp 109–111, 118, 120, 126–130. Oranskij, I. M. 1977: Les Langues Iraniennes. Paris: Librairie C. Klincksieck, pp 71–76. ISBN 2-252-01991-3.

The Sassanid Empire (also spelled Sasanid Empire, Sassanian Empire, or Sasanian Empire), known to its inhabitants as Eranshahr and Eran in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran [4], was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651.[1][5] The Sassanid Empire, which succeeded the Parthian Empire, was recognized as one of the two main powers in Western Asia and Europe, alongside the Roman Empire and its successor, the Byzantine Empire, for a period of more than 400 years.[6]

The Sassanid Empire was founded by Ardashir I, after the fall of the Arsacid Empire and the defeat of the last Arsacid king, Artabanus IV. It lasted until Yazdegerd III lost control of his empire in a series of invasions from the Arab Caliphate. During its existence, the Sassanid Empire encompassed all of today's Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, the Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Dagestan), southwestern Central Asia, part of Turkey, certain coastal parts of the Arabian Peninsula, the Persian Gulf area, and areas of southwestern Pakistan, even stretching into India. The native name for the Sassanid Empire in Middle Persian is Eran Shahr which means Aryan Empire.[7] The vexilloid of the Sassanid Empire was the Derafsh Kaviani.[8][9][10]

The Sassanid era, during Late Antiquity, is considered to have been one of Persia's/Iran's most important and influential historical periods, and constituted the last great Iranian empire before the Muslim conquest and the adoption of Islam.[11] In many ways, the Sassanid period witnessed the peak of ancient Persian civilization. Persia influenced Roman civilization considerably during the Sassanid period.[12] The Sassanids' cultural influence extended far beyond the empire's territorial borders, reaching as far as Western Europe,[13] Africa,[14] China and India.[15] It played a prominent role in the formation of both European and Asian medieval art.[16]

Child of Ardashir Persia and Ziyanak is:

378409537805778944 i. Shapur of Persia, married Gurdzad

756819075611557896. VasudevaII, King of Kushana He was the son of 1513638151223115792. KanishkaIII, King of Kushana.

Child of VasudevaII, King of Kushana is:

378409537805778948 i. VasudevaIII, King of Kushana

756819076801627136. Tuathal Teachtmar He was the son of 1513638153603254272. Fiacha Fionn Ola and 1513638153603254273. Eithne of Alba. He married 756819076801627137. Baine ingen Scal.

756819076801627137. Baine ingen Scal

Notes for Tuathal Teachtmar: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

•ID: I44278

•Name: Tuathal Techtmar I.

•_AKAN: MacFiachach 1

•Sex: M

•Change Date: 5 MAR 2009

•Birth: 56 in Scotland 2 1

•Event: Title FROM 76 TO 106 106th (& first certainly historical) Monarch of Ireland 3 1 2

•Note: He was raised by his mother and grandfather in Alba (Scotland). He restored the true royal blood and heirs to their kingdoms and created the kingdom of Midhe (or Meath) = the middle kingdom.

•Death: 106 in Ceanngubha of Slain by Mal (107th Monarch) 2 1

•Note:

Tuathal Techtmar mac Fiachach, Ard-rí na h'Éireann was born 0056 at Scotland. He was the son of Fiacha Findfolaid mac Feradaig, Ard-rí na h'Éireann and Eithne of Scotland. Tuathal Techtmar mac Fiachach, Ard-rí na h'Éireann was a witness where Fiacha Findfolaid mac Feradaig, Ard-rí na h'Éireann left of children but one son only, who was in the womb of Eithne, daughter of the King of Alba Scotland. Tuathal was his the son's name 0056. 106th Monarch of Ireland between 0076 and 0106. Tuathal Techtmar mac Fiachach, Ard-rí na h'Éireann was one of the Irish princes in exile from his country, as noted by Tacitus in his "Life of Agricola," who waited on Agricola, then the Roman General in Britain, to solicit his support in the recovery of Ireland circa 0075. He was raised by his mother and grandfather in Alba (Scotland). He restored the true royal blood and heirs to their kingdoms and created the kingdom of Midhe (or Meath) = the middle kingdom. Also called Tuathal Teachtmar. Also called Tuathal Teachtmar. Also called Tuathal "the Legitimate" Teachmar means "the Legitimate." He married Baine ingen Scal, daughter of Scal (?). Tuathal Techtmar mac Fiachach, Ard-rí na h'Éireann was the father of Conn Cétchathach, Ard-rí na h'Éireann; son of Tuathal Teachtmar per O'Hart. Annals of Inisfallen Pre-Patrician: "Tuathal Techtmar reigned 30 years. It is to him the Bóruma Laigen was first paid." Tuathal Techtmar mac Fiachach, Ard-rí na h'Éireann died in 106 at Magh Line, at Moin An Chatha, Dal Araidhe, Ireland. After having been thirty years in the sovereignty of Ireland, was slain by Mal, son of Rochraidhe, King of Ulster, where the two rivers, Ollar and Ollarbha, spring. Ceanngubha is the name of the hill on which he was killed, as this quatrain proves: "Ollar and Ollarbha, "Ceann Gubha, lordly, noble, "Are not names given without a cause, "The day that Tuathal was killed." 2

Father: Fiache (Fiachaidh IV) Fionnolaidh MacFeredaig II. Mother: Eithne of Alba b: abt 0025

Marriage 1 Baine ingen Scal

Túathal Techtmar ("the legitimate"),[1] son of Fíachu Finnolach, was a High King of Ireland, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition. He is said to be the ancestor of the Uí Néill and Connachta dynasties through his grandson Conn of the Hundred Battles. The name may also have originally referred to an eponymous deity.[2]

Túathal was the son of a former High King deposed by an uprising of "subject peoples" who returned at the head of an army to reclaim his father's throne. The oldest source for Túathal's story, a 9th century poem by Mael Mura of Othain, says that his father, Fíacha Finnolach, was overthrown by the four provincial kings, Elim mac Conrach of Ulster, Sanb (son of Cet mac Mágach) of Connacht, Foirbre of Munster and Eochaid Ainchenn of Leinster, and that it was Elim who took the High Kingship. During his rule Ireland suffered famine as God punished this rejection of legitimate kingship. Túathal, aided by the brothers Fiacha Cassán and Findmall and their 600 men, marched on Tara and defeated Elim in battle at the hill of Achall. He then won battles against the Ligmuini, the Gailióin, the Fir Bolg, the Fir Domnann, the Ulaid, the Muma, the Fir Ól nÉcmacht and the Érainn, and assembled the Irish nobility at Tara to make them swear allegiance to him and his descendants.[3][4]

Later versions of the story suppress the involvement of the provincial nobility in the revolt, making the "subject peoples" the peasants of Ireland. The Lebor Gabála Érenn[5] adds the detail of Túathal's exile. His mother, Eithne Imgel, daughter of the king of Alba (originally meaning Britain, later Scotland), was pregnant when Fíachu was overthrown, and fled to her homeland where she gave birth to Túathal. Twenty years later Túathal and his mother returned to Ireland, joined up with Fiacha Cassán and Findmall, and marched on Tara to take the kingship.

The Annals of the Four Masters[6] features a similar revolt a few generations earlier, led by Cairbre Cinnchait, against the High King Crimthann Nia Náir. On this occasion Crimthann's son Feradach Finnfechtnach is the future king who escaped in his mother's womb, although the Annals claim he returned to reclaim his throne only five years later. The story repeats itself a few generations later with Elim's revolt against Fíachu, and the exile and return of Túathal. Geoffrey Keating[7] harmonises the two

revolts into one. He has Crimthann hand the throne directly to his son, Feradach, and makes Cairbre Cinnchait, whose ancestry he traces to the Fir Bolg, the leader of the revolt that

overthrew Fíachu, killing him at a feast. The pregnant Eithne flees as in the other sources. Cairbre rules for five years, dies of plague and is succeeded by Elim. After Elim had ruled for twenty years, the 20- or 25-year-old Túathal was prevailed upon to return. He landed with his forces at Inber Domnainn (Malahide Bay). Joining up with Fiacha Cassán and Findmall and their marauders, he marched on Tara where he was declared king. Elim gave battle at the hill of Achall near Tara, but was defeated and killed.

Túathal fought 25 battles against Ulster, 25 against Leinster, 25 against Connacht and 35 against Munster. The whole country subdued, he convened a conference at Tara, where he established laws and annexed territory from each of the four provinces to create the central province of Míde (Meath) around Tara as the High King's territory. He built four fortresses in Meath: Tlachtga, where the druids sacrificed on the eve of Samhain, on land taken from Munster; Uisneach, where the festival of Beltaine was celebrated, on land from Connacht; Tailtiu, where Lughnasadh was celebrated, on land from Ulster; and Tara, on land from Leinster.

He went on to make war on Leinster, burning the stronghold of Aillen (Knockaulin) and imposing the bórama, a heavy tribute of cattle, on the province. One story says this was because the king of Leinster, Eochaid Ainchenn, had married Túathal's daughter Dairine, but told Túathal she had died and so was given his other daughter, Fithir. When Fithir discovered Dairine was still alive she died of shame, and when Dairine saw Fithir dead she died of grief.

Túathal, or his wife Baine, is reputed to have built Ráth Mór, an Iron Age hillfort in the earthwork complex at Clogher, County Tyrone. He died in battle against Mal mac Rochride, king of Ulster, at Mag Line (Moylinny near Larne, County Antrim). His son, Fedlimid Rechtmar, later avenged him.

[edit] Historical context[edit] DatesThe Annals of the Four Masters gives the date of Túathal's exile as AD 56, his return as 76 and his death as 106. Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Érinn broadly agrees, dating his exile to 55, his return to 80 and his death to 100. The Lebor Gabála Érenn places him a little later, synchronising his exile with the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian (81-96), his return early in the reign of Hadrian (122-138) and his death in the reign of Antoninus Pius (138-161).

[edit] The first of the Goidels?The scholar T. F. O'Rahilly suggested that, as in many such "returned exile" stories, Túathal represented an entirely foreign invasion which established a dynasty in Ireland, whose dynastic propagandists fabricated an Irish origin for him to give him some spurious legitimacy. In fact, he proposed that Túathal's story, pushed back to the 1st or 2nd century BC, represented the invasion of the Goidels, who established themselves over the earlier populations and introduced the Q-Celtic language that would become Irish, and that their genealogists incorporated all Irish dynasties, Goidelic or otherwise, and their ancestor deities into a pedigree stretching back over a thousand years to the fictitious Míl Espáine.[8]

[edit] Romans in Ireland?Taking the native dating as broadly accurate, another theory has emerged. The Roman historian Tacitus mentions that Agricola, while governor of Roman Britain (AD 78 - 84), entertained an exiled Irish prince, thinking to use him as a pretext for a possible conquest of Ireland.[9] Neither Agricola nor his successors ever conquered Ireland, but in recent years archaeology has challenged the belief that the Romans never set foot on the island. Roman and Romano-British artefacts have been found primarily in Leinster, notably a fortified site on the promontory of Drumanagh, fifteen miles north of Dublin, and burials on the nearby island of Lambay, both close to where Túathal is supposed to have landed, and other sites associated with Túathal such as Tara and Clogher. However, whether this is evidence of trade, diplomacy or military activity is a matter of controversy. It is possible that the Romans may have given support to Túathal, or someone like him, to regain his throne in the interests of having a friendly neighbour who could restrain Irish raiding.[4][10] The 2nd century Roman poet Juvenal, who may have served in Britain under Agricola, wrote that "arms had been taken beyond the shores of Ireland",[11] and the coincidence of dates is striking.

Child of Tuathal Teachtmar and Baine Scal is:

378409538400813568 i. Fedhlimidh (Felim) Rachtmar, died 130.

Generation No. 61

1513637669826363392. Farabert, died 186. He was the son of 3027275339652726784. Clodomir IV and 3027275339652726785. Hafilda.

Child of Farabert is:

756818834913181696 i. Sunno

1513637669826363714. Ascyllius of the Eastern Franks

Child of Ascyllius of the Eastern Franks is:

756818834913181857 i. Daughter of Asinia

1513638151222988800. 4th Exilarch Shaphat, died 195. He was the son of 3027276302445977600. JohanenIII, 3rd Exilarch.

Child of 4th Exilarch Shaphat is:

756819075611494400 i. HunaII, 8th Exilarch, married Abba Arikha

1513638151223115778. Artabanus IV of Persia He was the son of 3027276302446231556. Vologaeses of Parthia.

Notes for Artabanus IV of Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Artabanus IV of Parthia ruled the Parthian Empire (c. 216 – 224). He was the younger son of Vologases V who died in 208. Artabanus rebelled against his brother Vologases VI, and soon gained the upper hand, although Vologases VI maintained himself in a part of Babylonia until about 228.[1]

The Roman emperor Caracalla, wishing to make use of this civil war for a conquest of the East in imitation of his idol, Alexander the Great, attacked the Parthians in 216. He crossed the Tigris, destroyed the towns and spoiled the tombs of Arbela, but when Artabanus advanced at the head of an army, he retired to Carrhae. There Caracalla was murdered by Martialis on April 8, 217. Caracalla's successor, the Praetorian Prefect of the Guard Macrinus, was defeated at Nisibis and concluded a peace with Artabanus, in which he gave up all the Roman conquests, restored the booty, and paid a heavy contribution to the Parthians.[2]

In Susa was found a stela, showing the king and the satrap Khwasak. The stela dates to year 215 and demonstrated that the city was at that time part of the Parthian empire. There are indications that it was before independent.

At about this time, Ardashir had begun his conquests in Persia and Carmania. This expansion came to the attention of the Arsacid Great King, Artabanus IV, who ordered his vassal, the ruler of Khuzestan, to confront Ardashir.[3] It was Ardashir, however, who emerged victorious in that battle. In 224, Artabanus IV himself invaded Fars to confront the rebelling Ardashir. The latter won the first battle, but with heavy losses on both sides. In the second battle, the Parthians suffered a greater loss, and Ardashir was again deemed the victor. Their armies clashed once again in a final battle at Hormozgan, near the modern city of Bandar Abbas. At this encounter, the Parthian army was completely defeated, and Artabanus IV was killed.[4] This ended the 400-year rule of the Arsacid Dynasty.

Child of Artabanus IV of Persia is:

756819075611557889 i. Ziyanak, married Ardashir of Persia

1513638151223115792. KanishkaIII, King of Kushana He was the son of 3027276302446231584. King of Kushana Vasudeva.

Child of KanishkaIII, King of Kushana is:

756819075611557896 i. VasudevaII, King of Kushana

1513638153603254272. Fiacha Fionn Ola He was the son of 3027276307206508544. Feredach Fionn-Feachtnach. He married 1513638153603254273. Eithne of Alba.

1513638153603254273. Eithne of Alba

Notes for Fiacha Fionn Ola: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Fiacha Finnolach,[1] son of Feradach Finnfechtnach, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing his predecessor, Fíatach Finn. He ruled for fifteen, seventeen, or twenty-seven years, depending on the source consulted, after which he, and the freemen of Ireland, were killed in an uprising of aithech-tuatha or "subject peoples", led, according to the Lebor Gabála Érenn and the Annals of the Four Masters, by Elim mac Conrach, or by Cairbre Cinnchait according to Geoffrey Keating. His wife Eithne, daughter of the king of Alba (Scotland), who was pregnant, fled home to Alba, where she gave birth to Fíachu's son, Tuathal Techtmar, who would ultimately return to Ireland to claim the throne. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of the Roman emperor Nerva (AD 96-98).[2] The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to AD 28-55,[3] that of the Annals of the Four Masters to AD 39-56.[4]

Child of Fiacha Ola and Eithne Alba is:

756819076801627136 i. Tuathal Teachtmar, married Baine ingen Scal

Generation No. 62

3027275339652726784. Clodomir IV He was the son of 6054550679305453568. Marcomir IV and 6054550679305453569. Athildis of Britain of Camulod. He married 3027275339652726785. Hafilda.

3027275339652726785. Hafilda, born Abt. 100. She was the daughter of 6054550679305453568. Marcomir IV and 6054550679305453569. Athildis of Britain of Camulod.

Child of Clodomir and Hafilda is:

1513637669826363392 i. Farabert, died 186.

3027276302445977600. JohanenIII, 3rd Exilarch He was the son of 6054552604891955200. Ist Exilarch of the 2nd Dynasty Ahijah.

Child of JohanenIII, 3rd Exilarch is:

1513638151222988800 i. 4th Exilarch Shaphat, died 195.

3027276302446231556. Vologaeses of Parthia

Child of Vologaeses of Parthia is:

1513638151223115778 i. Artabanus IV of Persia

3027276302446231584. King of Kushana Vasudeva He was the son of 6054552604892463168. HuvishkaI, King of Kushana.

Child of King of Kushana Vasudeva is:

1513638151223115792 i. KanishkaIII, King of Kushana

3027276307206508544. Feredach Fionn-Feachtnach He was the son of 6054552614413017088. Criamthann-Niadh-Nar and 6054552614413017089. Nar-Tath-Chaoch (Mar Tath Chabob) of the

Picts.

Notes for Feredach Fionn-Feachtnach: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

•ID: I44282

•Name: Feredac `the True' MacCrimthainan Nia Naire

•_AKAN: Fearadach Fionn Feachtnach 1

•Sex: M

•Change Date: 19 OCT 2009

•Event: Title FROM 14 AD TO 36 AD 102nd Monarch of Ireland 2 1 3

•Death: 36 AD in Teamhair, Ireland 3 1

Father: Criffan Crimthann (Criomthann) `Niadh-Nar' MacLugaid II. Mother: Naira (Mar Tath Chabob) of the Picts

Marriage 1 Spouse Unknown Children 1. Fiache (Fiachaidh IV) Fionnolaidh MacFeredaig II.

Feradach Finnfechtnach (modern spelling: Fearadhach Fionnfeachtnach - "fair-blessed"),[1] son of Crimthann Nia Náir, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. There is some disagreement in the sources over his position in the traditional sequence of High Kings.

The Lebor Gabála Érenn[2] and the Annals of the Four Masters[3] agree that he came to power after the death of Cairbre Cinnchait. The Annals say that when Cairbre overthrew his father, his mother, Baine, daughter of the king of Alba, was pregnant with him, but this would make him less than five years old when he came to the throne: it is likely this is a doublet of a similar story told of the later High King Tuathal Techtmar.[4] The Annals also add that Ireland was fertile during his reign, contrasting it with the barren reign of the usurper Cairbre. Geoffrey Keating[5] has Feradach succeed his father Crimthann, placing Cairbre's reign later. Keating relates that the judge Morann mac Máin (who in the Lebor Gabála and the Annals is the son of Cairbre and his wife Mani) lived in Feradach's time. Morann owned the id Morainn (Morann's collar or torc)[6] which would contract around the neck of a judge who made an unjust judgement until he made a just one, or of a witness who made a false testimony until he told the truth.

Feradach ruled for twenty years according to the Lebor Gabála and Keating, twenty-two according to the Annals, before dying a natural death at Tara. In all sources he was succeeded by Fíatach Finn. The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with that of the Roman emperor Domitian (AD 81-96) and the death of Pope Clement I (AD 99). The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to AD 5-25, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to AD 14-36.

References 1.^ Dictionary of the Irish Language, Compact Edition, Royal Irish Academy, 1990, pp. 296, 307 2.^ R. A. Stewart Macalister (ed. & trans.), Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland Part V, Irish Texts Society, 1956, p. 305 3.^ Annals of the Four Masters M14-36 4.^ T. F. O'Rahilly, Early Irish History and Mythology, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1946, pp 159-161 5.^ Geoffrey Keating, Foras Feasa ar Éirinn 1.38 6.^ Dictionary of the Irish Language, Compact Edition, Royal Irish Academy, 1990, pp. 379

Child of Feredach Fionn-Feachtnach is:

1513638153603254272 i. Fiacha Fionn Ola, married Eithne of Alba

Generation No. 63

6054550679305453568. Marcomir IV He was the son of 12109101358610907136. Odomir. He married 6054550679305453569. Athildis of Britain of Camulod.

6054550679305453569. Athildis of Britain of Camulod She was the daughter of 12109101358610907138. Coel Hen of North Britain and 12109101358610907139. Ystradwl Verch Cadfan Gadron.

Children of Marcomir and Athildis Camulod are:

3027275339652726785 i. Hafilda, born Abt. 100; married Clodomir IV 3027275339652726784 ii. Clodomir IV, married Hafilda

6054552604891955200. Ist Exilarch of the 2nd Dynasty Ahijah

Notes for Ist Exilarch of the 2nd Dynasty Ahijah: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Probably historical exilarch also found in the Seder Olam Zutta:

Nahum, probably the same person known as Nehunyon or Ahijah, roughly from the time of the Hadrianic persecution (135 CE)

Child of Ist Exilarch of the 2nd Dynasty Ahijah is:

3027276302445977600 i. JohanenIII, 3rd Exilarch

6054552604892463168. HuvishkaI, King of Kushana He was the son of 12109105209784926336. KanishkaI, King of Kushans.

Child of HuvishkaI, King of Kushana is:

3027276302446231584 i. King of Kushana Vasudeva

6054552614413017088. Criamthann-Niadh-Nar He was the son of 12109105228826034176. Lughaidh Sriabh-n Dearg and 12109105228826034177. Clothra (Clotherne) ingen Echach. He married 6054552614413017089. Nar-Tath-Chaoch (Mar Tath Chabob) of the Picts.

6054552614413017089. Nar-Tath-Chaoch (Mar Tath Chabob) of the Picts She was the daughter of 12109105228826034178. Laoch.

Notes for Criamthann-Niadh-Nar: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

•ID: I44283

•Name: Criffan Crimthann (Criomthann) `Niadh-Nar' MacLugaid II.

•Nickname: The Heroic 1

•Sex: M

•Change Date: 5 MAR 2009

•Event: Title -7 100th Monarch of Ireland 1 2

•Death: 9 of From a horse fall 2

•Note: Crimthann Nia Náire mac Lugaid, Ard-rí na h'Éireann ruled his eigth year over Ireland during the first year of the age of Christ 0001 AD at age of the world 5200. He ruled his first year over Ireland 0007 B.C.. 100th Monarch of Ireland 0007 B.C.. He witnessed the death of Ard-rí na h'Éireann Conchobar Abratruad mac Find Filed Uí Éremóin 0008 B.C; Killed by his successor, Crimhthann, son of Lughaidh Sriabh nDearg. Crimthann Nia Náire mac Lugaid, Ard-rí na h'Éireann died 0009 AD at Dun Crimhthainn, Edair, Ireland. In his sixteenth year in the sovereignty of Ireland, he died after returning from the famous

expedition upon which he had gone. He was the son of Lughaidh Sriabh nDearg mac Breas, Ard-rí na h'Éireann and Clothra ingen Echach Uí Éremóin. Crimthann Nia Náire mac Lugaid, Ard-rí na h'Éireann undertook an expedition from which he returned with him the wonderful

jewels, among which were a golden chariot, and a golden chess board, inlaid with a hundred transparent gems, and the Cedach Crimhthainn, which was a beautiful cloak, embroidered with gold. He brought a conquering sword, with many serpents of refined messy gold inlaid in it; a shield, with bosses of bright silver; a spear, from the wound inflicted by which no one recovered; a sling, from which no erring shot was discharged; and two greyhounds, with a silver chain between them, which chain was worth three hundred cumhals; with many other precious articles. "Nicknamed Niadh-Nar, as being ashamed of his incestuous birth, which the word Niah-Nar signifies to verify the truth of those unnatural births." Also called Crimthann Niadh-Nar. Also called Crimthann Niadh Nar. He was Crimhthann Niadhnair, son of Lughaidh. He married Naira of the Picts, daughter of Loich of the Picts.

Father: Lewy `of the Red Circles' of Ireland b: -34 Mother: Clothra (Clotherne) ingen Echach

Marriage 1 Naira (Mar Tath Chabob) of the Picts

Crimthann Nia Náir (nephew of Nár), son of Lugaid Riab nDerg, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. Lugaid is said to have fathered him on his own mother, Clothru, daughter of Eochu Feidlech.[1]

The Lebor Gabála Érenn says he overthrew the High King Conchobar Abradruad, but does not say he became High King himself - Conchobar was succeeded by Cairbre Cinnchait.[2] Geoffrey Keating[3] and the Annals of the Four Masters[4] agree that Crimthann succeeded Conchobar as High King and ruled for sixteen years. He is said to have gone on a voyage with his aunt Nár, a fairy woman, for a month and a fortnight, and returned with treasures including a gilded chariot, a golden fidchell board, a gold-embroidered cloak, a sword inlaid with gold serpents, a silver-embossed shield, a spear and a sling which never missed their mark, and two greyhounds with a silver chain between them. Soon after he returned he fell from his horse and died at Howth. Keating says he was succeeded by his son Feradach Finnfechtnach, the Annals of the Four Masters by Cairbre Cinnchait.

The Lebor Gabála places him in the reign of the Roman emperor Vespasian (AD 69-79). The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 12 BC - AD 5, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 8 BC - AD 9.

Child of Criamthann-Niadh-Nar and Nar-Tath-Chaoch Picts is:

3027276307206508544 i. Feredach Fionn-Feachtnach

Generation No. 64

12109101358610907136. Odomir, died 128. He was the son of 24218202717221814272. Richemer.

Child of Odomir is:

6054550679305453568 i. Marcomir IV, married Athildis of Britain of Camulod

12109101358610907138. Coel Hen of North Britain, born 125; died 170. He was the son of 24218202717221814276. Marius Siluria and 24218202717221814277. Julia of the Iceni. He married 12109101358610907139. Ystradwl Verch Cadfan Gadron.

12109101358610907139. Ystradwl Verch Cadfan Gadron, born 100. She was the daughter of 24218202717221814278. Guiderius Cyllin of Britain.

Child of Coel Britain and Ystradwl Gadron is:

6054550679305453569 i. Athildis of Britain of Camulod, married Marcomir IV

12109105209784926336. KanishkaI, King of Kushans He was the son of 24218210419569852672. Vema

KadiphisesII, King of the Kushans.

Child of KanishkaI, King of Kushans is:

6054552604892463168 i. HuvishkaI, King of Kushana

12109105228826034176. Lughaidh Sriabh-n Dearg He was the son of 24218210457652068352. Bress-Nar-Lothar and 24218210457652068353. Clothra ingen Echach Uí Éremóin. He married 12109105228826034177. Clothra (Clotherne) ingen Echach.

12109105228826034177. Clothra (Clotherne) ingen Echach

Notes for Lughaidh Sriabh-n Dearg: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

•ID: I44285

•Name: Lewy `of the Red Circles' of Ireland

•_AKAN: Lughaid Sriabh-N Dearg V. 1 2

•_AKAN: Lughaidh Sriabh nDearg mac Breas 2

•_AKAN: Ard-rí na h'Éireann 2

•Sex: M

•Change Date: 5 MAR 2009

•Birth: -34

•Event: Title FROM -34 TO -9 98th Monarch of Ireland 3 1 2

•Death: -9 of Killed himself by falling on his sword 1

•Note: Lughaidh Sriabh nDearg mac Breas, Ard-rí na h'Éireann died 0009 B.C.. After having been twenty six years in the sovereignty of Ireland, he died of grief. Some say he killed himself by falling upon his own sword. 98th Monarch of Ireland 0034 B.C.. He ruled his first year over Ireland 0034 B.C.. He was born. "His (Eochaid's) other daughter was named Clotherne, who was debauched by her own brothers, who in a drunken fit lay with her, all three, the product of which union was a son named Lugaidh, who had (a strange thing to be told) a red circle about his neck and another about his middle. To distinguish each brother's proportion of him, the head and face resembling Bress; the middle part between the two circles, Nar; and thence downward resembling the third brother, Lothar. For which he has the nickname of Sriabh ndearg, i.e., red circled." He was the son of Bress-Nar-Lothar mac Echach Uí Éremóin and Clothra ingen Echach Uí Éremóin. Also called Lewy "of the Red Circles". Also called Lugaid Reóderg mac Bres Nar Lothar. Also called Lughaidh Sriabh-n Dearg. Lughaidh Sriabh nDearg mac Breas, Ard-rí na h'Éireann associated with Clothra ingen Echach Uí Éremóin, daughter of Eochaid Feidlech mac Finn, Ard-ri na h'Éireann; Mother-son. 2

Father: Bress-Nar-Lothar mac Echach Uí Éremóin Mother: Clothra ingen Echach Uí Éremóin

Marriage 1 Clothra (Clotherne) ingen Echach

Lugaid Riab nDerg ("the red-striped") or Réoderg ("Red Sky"), son of the three findemna, triplet sons of Eochu Feidlech, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland.

He was conceived of incest. The night before the three findemna, Bres, Nár and Lothar, made war for the High Kingship against their father in the Battle of Druimm Criaich, their sister Clothru, concerned that her brothers could die without heirs, seduced all three of them, and a son, Lugaid, was conceived.[1] His epithet came from two red stripes around his neck and waist, dividing him into three: above the neck he resembled Nár; from the neck to the waist he resembled Bres; and from the waist down he resembled

Lothar.[2] Incest features further in Lugaid's story: he slept with Clothru himself, conceiving Crimthann Nia Náir.[3]

Rise to power The Lebor Gabála Érenn says he came to power after a five year interregnum following the death of Conaire Mór (six years according to the Annals of the Four Masters).[4] His foster-father, the Ulster hero Cúchulainn, split the Lia Fáil (coronation stone at Tara which roared when the rightful king stood or sat on it) with his sword when it failed to roar under Lugaid. It never roared again except under Conn of the Hundred Battles.[5]

Marriage His wife was Derbforgaill, a daughter of the king of Lochlann (Scandinavia), who had fallen in love with Cúchulainn from afar and come to Ireland with a handmaiden in the form of a pair of swans, linked by a golden chain, to seek him out. Cúchulainn and Lugaid were at Loch Cuan (Strangford Lough) and saw them fly past. Cúchulainn, at Lugaid's urging, shot a slingstone which hit Derbforgaill, penetrating her womb, and the two women fell on the beach in human form. Cúchulainn saved Derbforgaill's life by sucking the stone from her side, and she declared her love for him, but because he had sucked her side he could not marry her - evidently he had violated some geis or taboo. Instead he gave her to Lugaid. They married, and she bore him children.

Deaths of Derbforgaill and Lugaid One day in deep winter, the men of Ulster made pillars of snow, and the women competed to see who could urinate the deepest into the pillar and prove herself the most desirable to men. Derbforgaill's urine reached the ground, and the other women, out of jealousy, attacked and mutilated her, gouging out her eyes and cutting off her nose, ears, and hair. Lugaid noticed that the snow on the roof of her house had not melted, and realised she was close to death. He and Cúchulainn rushed to the house, but Derbforgaill died shortly after they arrived, and Lugaid died of grief. Cúchulainn avenged them by demolishing the house the women were inside, killing 150 of them.[6]

Alternatives For Lugaid Réoderg, an alternative tradition exists that he met his death at the hands of the Trí Rúadchinn Laigen, the "Three Reds of the Laigin" also involved in the death of Conaire Mór.[7] Lucius Gwynn suggested that what may have happened is an earlier King of Tara known as Lugaid Réoderg may have become confused with a separate and minor character from the Ulster Cycle associated with Cúchulainn.[8] T. F. O'Rahilly, on the other hand, believed the epithet Riab nDerg to simply be a corruption of the earlier Réoderg, meaning something like "of the red sky",[9] and does not believe them to be distinct legendary figures (see below).

Further analysis The view advanced by O'Rahilly was that Lugaid Riab nDerg is yet another emanation of the heroic mytho-dynastic figure Lugaid, closely associated with the prehistoric Érainn,[10] a population of late Iron Age Ireland who provide Irish legend with its earliest known Kings of Tara. One of their most notable representatives in that office is Lugaid's immediate predecessor, Conaire Mór.

Specifically, O'Rahilly believed Lugaid Riab nDerg to be the double of Lugaid mac Con Roí, whose alternative epithet was mac Trí Con "son of Three Hounds", and who himself is to some extent identical with Lugaid Mac Con.[11] The last, usually known simply as Mac Con "Hound's Son", is an Érainn king matching Conaire Mór in importance in Irish legend. Another is Cú Roí mac Dáire, or simply Dáire,[12] father of Lugaid mac Con Roí. A 'fourth' Lugaid and 'ancestor' of Mac Con was Lugaid Loígde.

Lugaid's reign He had ruled for twenty, twenty-five or twenty-six years. The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with that of the Roman emperor Claudius (AD 41-54). The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éireann dates his reign to 33-13 BC,[13] that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 33-9 BC.

Child of Lughaidh Dearg and Clothra Echach is:

6054552614413017088 i. Criamthann-Niadh-Nar, married Nar-Tath-Chaoch (Mar Tath Chabob) of the Picts

12109105228826034178. Laoch He was the son of 24218210457652068356. Daire.

Child of Laoch is:

6054552614413017089 i. Nar-Tath-Chaoch (Mar Tath Chabob) of the Picts, married Criamthann-Niadh-Nar

Generation No. 65

24218202717221814272. Richemer He was the son of 48436405434443628544. Ratherius.

Child of Richemer is:

12109101358610907136 i. Odomir, died 128.

24218202717221814276. Marius Siluria He was the son of 48436405434443628552. Avigagun of Siluria and 48436405434443628553. Venissa Julia Genuisa of Rome. He married 24218202717221814277. Julia of the Iceni.

24218202717221814277. Julia of the Iceni She was the daughter of 48436405434443628554. Prastagus of Iceni and 48436405434443628555. Boudicca of Iceni.

Child of Marius Siluria and Julia Iceni is:

12109101358610907138 i. Coel Hen of North Britain, born 125; died 170; married Ystradwl Verch Cadfan Gadron

24218202717221814278. Guiderius Cyllin of Britain He was the son of 48436405434443628556. Caratacus of Britain.

Child of Guiderius Cyllin of Britain is:

12109101358610907139 i. Ystradwl Verch Cadfan Gadron, born 100; married Coel Hen of North Britain

24218210419569852672. Vema KadiphisesII, King of the Kushans He was the son of 48436420839139705344. Kuvula Kadphises, King of the Kushans and 48436420839139705345. Princess of Peshwar.

Child of Vema KadiphisesII, King of the Kushans is:

12109105209784926336 i. KanishkaI, King of Kushans

24218210457652068352. Bress-Nar-Lothar He was the son of 48436420915304136704. Eochaidh Feidlioch and 48436420915304136705. Cloth-fionn. He married 24218210457652068353. Clothra ingen Echach Uí Éremóin.

24218210457652068353. Clothra ingen Echach Uí Éremóin

Notes for Bress-Nar-Lothar: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

•ID: I46758

•Name: Bress-Nar-Lothar mac Echach Uí Éremóin

•Sex: M

•Change Date: 5 MAR 2009

Marriage 1 Clothra ingen Echach Uí Éremóin

Child of Bress-Nar-Lothar and Clothra Éremóin is:

12109105228826034176 i. Lughaidh Sriabh-n Dearg, married Clothra (Clotherne) ingen Echach

24218210457652068356. Daire

Child of Daire is:

12109105228826034178 i. Laoch

Generation No. 66

48436405434443628544. Ratherius He was the son of 96872810868887257088. Antenor IV.

Notes for Ratherius: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

The PEDIGREE of Ratherius (King) of the FRANKS Born: abt. 45 Died: abt. 90

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wife/Partner: (missing) Child: Richemer I (King) of FRANKS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ____ ____ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ __ __ __

/ -- Bassanus Magnus of S. + ====> [ 99 ,,Y] / | OR: poss. Antenor of C. + ====> [ 69 ,,Y] / -- Clodimir I (King) of SICAMBRI / \ -- (NN; Princess) of N. + ====> [ 1] / -- Nicanor I (King) of SICAMBRI / -- Marcomir II (King) of SICAMBRI / \ -- (Princess) in BRITAIN + ====> [ 1] / -- Clodius I (King) of SICAMBRI / -- Antenor III (King) of SICAMBRI / -- Clodimir II (King) of SICAMBRI / -- Merodachus (King) of SICAMBRI (? - 95? BC) / -- Cassander (King) of SICAMBRI / -- Antharius (King) of the SICAMBRI / -- Francus (King) of the WEST FRANKS (57? BC - 5?) / -- Clodius II (King) of the FRANKS (37? BC - 20?) / -- Marcomir III (King) of the FRANKS (17? BC - 50?) / -- Clodomir III (King) of the FRANKS (3? - 63) / -- Antenor IV (King) of the WEST FRANKS (25? - 69?) / - Ratherius (King) of the FRANKS \ \ -- (missing)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

His 2-Great Grandchildren: Clodimir IV (King) of FRANKS ; (Miss) of the FRANKS

His (poss.) 5-Great Grandchildren: Childeric (Hilderic) (King) of FRANKS ; Eochaid (Eochu) Mugmedon of IRELAND ; Eochaid Fer da Giall MacDOMNAILL ; Strada `the Fair' of COMBRIA ; Coilus II of GLOUCESTER [alt ped]

The PEDIGREE of Bassanus Magnus (King) of SICAMBRI Born: ? Died: abt. 250 BC

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Wife/Partner: (NN; Princess) of NORGE Possible Child: Clodimir I (King) of SICAMBRI Alternative Father of Possible Child: poss. Antenor of the CIMMERIANS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ____ ____ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ __ __ __

/ -- Gentilanor of CIMME. + ====> [ 84 ,,Y] / -- Almadius (King) of the CIMMERIANS | \ -- (NN), wife of Gentilanor / | OR: poss. not of Ancient + ====> [ 17] / -- Dilulius I (King) of the CIMMERIANS / -- Helenus III (King) of the CIMMERIANS / -- Plaserius III (King) of the CIMMERIANS / -- Dilulius (Diluglio) II (King) of the CIMMERIANS / -- Marcomir (King) of the CIMMERIANS / -- Priam IV (King) of the CIMMERIANS / -- Helenus IV (King) of the CIMMERIANS / -- Antenor I (II; King) of the CIMMERIANS / -- Marcomir I (King) of SICAMBRI (? - 412? BC) / -- Antenor II (III; King) of SICAMBRI (? - 384? BC) / -- Priamus (V; Priam) (King) of SICAMBRI (? - 358? BC) / \ -- Cambra / -- Helenus V (King) of SICAMBRI (? - 339? BC) / -- Diocles (King) of SICAMBRI (? - 300? BC) / - Bassanus Magnus (King) of SICAMBRI

Bassanus Magnus b. -304 d. -250 From Rodovid EN Person:130815 Descendants (Inventory)Lineage Sicambri Sex Male Full name (at birth) Bassanus Magnus Parents ? Diocles of Parthia [Sicambri] b. -344 d. -300

Events -304 birth: Sicambri

child birth: ? Sedanus Magnus (Secundus) [Getae]

child birth: ? # Sedania Sicambri [Sicambri]

title: rei de Sicambri

-250 death: Sicambri

Child of Ratherius is:

24218202717221814272 i. Richemer

48436405434443628552. Avigagun of Siluria He married 48436405434443628553. Venissa Julia Genuisa of Rome.

48436405434443628553. Venissa Julia Genuisa of Rome She was the daughter of 96872810868887257106. Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus of Rome and 96872810868887257107. Amelia Lepida of Rome.

Child of Avigagun Siluria and Venissa Rome is:

24218202717221814276 i. Marius Siluria, married Julia of the Iceni

48436405434443628554. Prastagus of Iceni He married 48436405434443628555. Boudicca of Iceni. 48436405434443628555. Boudicca of Iceni She was the daughter of 96872810868887257110. Mandubratius of Beli.

Child of Prastagus Iceni and Boudicca Iceni is:

24218202717221814277 i. Julia of the Iceni, married Marius Siluria

48436405434443628556. Caratacus of Britain He was the son of 96872810868887257112. Cymbeline of Britain.

Child of Caratacus of Britain is:

24218202717221814278 i. Guiderius Cyllin of Britain

48436420839139705344. Kuvula Kadphises, King of the Kushans He married 48436420839139705345. Princess of Peshwar.

48436420839139705345. Princess of Peshwar She was the daughter of 96872841678279410690. King of Peshwar Hermaeus and 96872841678279410691. Princess of W. Gandara Calliope.

Child of Kuvula Kadphises and Princess Peshwar is:

24218210419569852672 i. Vema KadiphisesII, King of the Kushans

48436420915304136704. Eochaidh Feidlioch He was the son of 96872841830608273408. Fionn. He married 48436420915304136705. Cloth-fionn.

48436420915304136705. Cloth-fionn

Notes for Eochaidh Feidlioch: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Eochu or Eochaid Feidlech ("the enduring"),[1] son of Finn, was, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, a High King of Ireland. He is best known as the father of the legendary queen Medb of Connacht.

According to the 12th century Lebor Gabála Érenn, he took power when he defeated the previous High King, Fachtna Fáthach, in the Battle of Leitir Rúaid.[2] The Middle Irish saga Cath Leitrech Ruibhe tells the story of this battle. While Fachtna Fáthach was away from Tara on a visit to Ulster, Eochu, then king of Connacht, raised an army, had the provincial kings killed and took hostages from Tara. When news reached Fachtna at Emain Macha, he raised an army of Ulstermen and gave battle at Leitir Rúaid in the Corann (modern County Sligo),[3] but was defeated and beheaded by Eochu. Eochaid Sálbuide, the king of Ulster, was also killed. Fergus mac Róich covered the Ulster army's retreat, and Eochu marched to Tara.[4]

Various Middle Irish tales give him a large family. His wife was Cloithfinn,[5] and they had six daughters, Derbriu, Eile, Mugain, Eithne, Clothru and Medb, and four sons, a set of triplets known as the three findemna, and Conall

Anglondach. Derbriu was the lover of Aengus of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Her mother-in-law, Garbdalb, turned six men into pigs for the crime of eating nuts from her grove, and Derbriu protected them for a year until they were killed by Medb.[6] When Conchobar mac Nessa became king of Ulster, Eochu gave four of his daughters, Mugain, Eithne, Clothru and Medb, to him in marriage in compensation for the death of his supposed father, Fachtna Fáthach. Eithne bore him a son, Furbaide, who was born by posthumous caesarian section after Medb drowned her. Clothru, according to one tradition, bore him his eldest son Cormac Cond Longas, although other traditions make him the son of Conchobar by his own mother, Ness. Medb bore Conchobar a son called Amalgad, but later left him, and Eochu set her up as queen of Connacht. Some time after that, Eochu held an assembly at Tara, which both Conchobar and Medb attended. The morning after the assembly, Conchobar followed Medb down to the river Boyne where she had gone to bathe, and raped her. Eochu made war against Conchobar on the Boyne, but was defeated.[3]

The three findemna tried to overthrow their father in the Battle of Druimm Criaich. The night before the battle, their sister Clothru, afraid that they would die without an heir, seduced all three of them, and the future High King Lugaid Riab nDerg, was conceived. The next day they were killed, and their father, seeing their severed heads, swore that no son should directly succeed his father to the High Kingship of Ireland.[7]

He ruled for twelve years, and died of natural causes at Tara, succeeded by his brother Eochu Airem. The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with the dictatorship of Julius Caesar (48-44 BC).[2] The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éireann dates his reign to 94-82 BC,[8] that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 143-131 BC.[9]

Child of Eochaidh Feidlioch and Cloth-fionn is:

24218210457652068352 i. Bress-Nar-Lothar, married Clothra ingen Echach Uí Éremóin

Generation No. 67

96872810868887257088. Antenor IV He was the son of 193745621737774514176. Clodomir III.

Child of Antenor IV is:

48436405434443628544 i. Ratherius

96872810868887257106. Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus of Rome He was the son of 193745621737774514212. Drusus Nero Germanicus and 193745621737774514213. Antonia Minor of Rome. He married 96872810868887257107. Amelia Lepida of Rome.

96872810868887257107. Amelia Lepida of Rome She was the daughter of 193745621737774514214. L Aemilius Paulus of Rome.

Child of Tiberius Rome and Amelia Rome is:

48436405434443628553 i. Venissa Julia Genuisa of Rome, married Avigagun of Siluria

96872810868887257110. Mandubratius of Beli He was the son of 193745621737774514220. Llud Llaw Eirint of Beli and 193745621737774514221. Anna of Cornwall.

Child of Mandubratius of Beli is:

48436405434443628555 i. Boudicca of Iceni, married Prastagus of Iceni

96872810868887257112. Cymbeline of Britain He was the son of 193745621737774514224. Tenutatius of Britain.

Child of Cymbeline of Britain is:

48436405434443628556 i. Caratacus of Britain

96872841678279410690. King of Peshwar Hermaeus He was the son of 193745683356558821380. King of Peshawar Amyntas. He married 96872841678279410691. Princess of W. Gandara Calliope.

96872841678279410691. Princess of W. Gandara Calliope She was the daughter of 193745683356558821382. King of W. Gandara Hippostratos.

Notes for King of Peshwar Hermaeus: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Hermaeus Soter "the Saviour" was a Western Indo-Greek king of the Eucratid Dynasty, who ruled the territory of Paropamisade in the Hindu-Kush region, with his capital in Alexandria of the Caucasus (near today's Kabul, Afghanistan). Bopearachchi dates Hermaeus to circa 90 - 70 BCE and R C Senior to circa 95 - 80 BCE but concedes that Bopearachchi's later date could be correct.

Hermaeus seems to have been successor of Philoxenus or Diomedes, and his wife Kalliope may have been a daughter of Philoxenus according to Senior. Judging from his coins, Hermaeus' rule was long and prosperous, but came to an end when the Yuezhi, coming from neighbouring Bactria overtook most of his Greek kingdom in the Paropamisade around 70 BCE. According to Bopearachchi, these nomads were the Yuezhi, the ancestors of the Kushans, whereas Senior considers them Sakas.

Following his reign, it is generally considered that Greek communities remained under the rule of these Hellenized nomads, continuing rich cultural interraction (See Greco-Buddhism). Some parts of his kingdom may have been taken over by later kings, such as Amyntas Nikator.

The coinage of Hermaeus was copied widely (posthumous issues), in increasingly barbarized form by the new nomad rulers down to around 40 CE (see Yuezhi article). At that time Kushan ruler Kujula Kadphises emphatically associated himself to Hermaeus on his coins,[1] suggesting he was either a descendant by alliance of the Greek king, or that at least he wanted to claim his legacy. In any case, the Yuezhi-Kushan preserved a close cultural interraction with the Greeks as late as the 3rd century CE.

Given the importance of Hermaeus to the nomad rulers, it is possible that Hermaeus himself was partially of nomad origin.[2]

Hermaeus issued Indian silver coins of three types. The first type has diademed or sometimes helmeted portrait, with reverse of sitting Zeus making benediction gesture. Hermaeus also issued a rare series of Attic silver tetradrachms of this type, which were issued for export to Bactria.

The second type was a joint series of Hermaeus with his queen Kalliope. The reverse departs from the traditional Hermaeus format, in that it shows the king on a prancing horse. The "king on a pracing horse" is characteristic of the contemporary Greek kings in the eastern Punjab such as Hippostratos, and it has been suggested that the coin represented a marital alliance between the two dynastic lines. The horseman on Hermaeus' version is however portrayed somewhat different, being equipped with a typic Scythian longbow.

The third series combined the reverses of the first series, without portrait.

Hermaeus also issued bronze coins with head of Zeus-Mithras and a prancing horse on the reverse.

Contacts with China A Chinese historical record from the Hanshu Chap. 96A could possible be related to Hermaeus, even though this is very speculative and the record more likely refers to later Saka kings. The chronicle tells how a king who may possibly be identified as Hermaeus received the support of the Chinese against Indo-Scythian occupants, and may explain why his kingdom was suddenly so prosperous despite the general decline of the Indo-Greeks during the period. The Chinese records would put Hermaeus's dates later, with his reign ending around 40 BCE.

According to the Hanshu, Chap. 96A, Wutoulao (Spalirises?), king of Jibin (Kophen, upper Kabul Valley), killed some Chinese envoys. After the death of the king, his son (Spaladagames) sent an envoy to China with gifts. The Chinese general Wen Zhong, commander of the border area in western Gansu, accompanied the escort back. Wutoulao's son plotted to kill Wen Zhong. When Wen Zhong discovered

the plot, he allied himself with Yinmofu (Hermaeus?), "son of the king of Rongqu" (Yonaka, the Greeks). They attacked Jibin (possibly with the support of

the Yuezhi, themselves allies of the Chinese since around 100 BCE according to the Hanshu) and killed Wutoulao's son. Yinmofu (Hermaeus?) was then installed as king of Jibin, as a vassal of the Chinese Empire, and receiving the Chinese seal and ribbon of investiture.

Later Yinmofu (Hermaeus?) himself is recorded to have killed Chinese envoys in the reign of Emperor Yuandi (48-33 BCE), then sent envoys to apologize to the Chinese court, but he was disregarded. During the reign of Emperor Chengdi (51-7 BCE) other envoys were sent, but they were rejected as simple traders.

These events may have initiated an alliance between the Greeks and the Yuezhi (even possibly a dynastic alliance), explaining why the Yuezhi gained pre-eminence after the reign of Hermaeus, why their rulers such as Heraios then minted coins in a way very faithful to the Greek type, and why the first Kushan emperor Kujula Kadphises associated himself with Hermaeus on his coins, in a way characteristic of a ruler asserting his pedigree.

[edit] Biblical connectionAlthough very unlikely, some Christian Biblical scholars have suggested that Hermaeus may have been one of the three Kings (actually identified as being Magi by the bible, and unnumbered) from the east who are related to have visited Jesus at the time of his birth:

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him" Matthew 2:1–8.

Child of King Hermaeus and Princess Calliope is:

48436420839139705345 i. Princess of Peshwar, married Kuvula Kadphises, King of the Kushans

96872841830608273408. Fionn He was the son of 193745683661216546816. Fionnlogh.

Child of Fionn is:

48436420915304136704 i. Eochaidh Feidlioch, married Cloth-fionn

Generation No. 68

193745621737774514176. Clodomir III He was the son of 387491243475549028352. Marcomir III.

Child of Clodomir III is:

96872810868887257088 i. Antenor IV

193745621737774514212. Drusus Nero Germanicus He was the son of 387491243475549028424. Appius Claudius Nero of Rome and 387491243475549028425. Attila of Rome. He married 193745621737774514213. Antonia Minor of Rome.

193745621737774514213. Antonia Minor of Rome She was the daughter of 387491243475549028426. Marcys Antonius and 387491243475549028427. Octavia Minor of Rome.

Child of Drusus Germanicus and Antonia Rome is:

96872810868887257106 i. Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus of Rome, married Amelia Lepida of Rome

193745621737774514214. L Aemilius Paulus of Rome He was the son of 387491243475549028428. Paullus Amelius Lupidis of Rome and 387491243475549028429. Cornelia of Rome.

Child of L Aemilius Paulus of Rome is:

96872810868887257107 i. Amelia Lepida of Rome, married Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus of Rome

193745621737774514220. Llud Llaw Eirint of Beli He was the son of 387491243475549028440. Beli Mawr of the Celtic Britons. He married 193745621737774514221. Anna of Cornwall.

193745621737774514221. Anna of Cornwall

Child of Llud Beli and Anna Cornwall is:

96872810868887257110 i. Mandubratius of Beli

193745621737774514224. Tenutatius of Britain He was the son of 387491243475549028448. Llud Llaw Eraint of Brittany and 387491243475549028449. Penarddun Ferch Beli.

Child of Tenutatius of Britain is:

96872810868887257112 i. Cymbeline of Britain

193745683356558821380. King of Peshawar Amyntas

Child of King of Peshawar Amyntas is:

96872841678279410690 i. King of Peshwar Hermaeus, married Princess of W. Gandara Calliope

193745683356558821382. King of W. Gandara Hippostratos He was the son of 387491366713117642764. StratoI, King of Mathura.

Notes for King of W. Gandara Hippostratos: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Hippostratos (Greek: ?pp?st?at??) was an Indo-Greek king who ruled central and north-western Punjab and Pushkalavati. Bopearachchi dates Hippostratos to 65 to 55 BCE whereas R.C. Senior suggests 60 to 50 BCE.

In Bopearachchi's reconstruction Hippostratos came to power as the successor to Apollodotus II, in the western part of his kingdom, while the weak Dionysios ascended to the throne in the eastern part. Senior assumes that the reigns of Apollodotus II and Hippostratos overlapped somewhat; in that case Hippostratos first ruled a kingdom was to the west of Apollodotus dominions.

Just like Apollodotus II, Hippostratos calls himself Soter, "Saviour", on all his coins, and on some coins he also assumes the title Basileos Megas, "Great King", which he inherited from Apollodotus II. This may support Senior's scenario that Hippostratos extended his kingdom after Apollodotus' death. The relationship between these two kings remains uncertain due to lack of sources. Hippostratos did however not use the symbol of standing Athena Alkidemos, which was common to all other kings thought to be related to Apollodotus II. The two kings share only one monogram.

The quantity and quality of the coinage of Hippostratos indicate a quite powerful king. Hippostratos seems to have fought rather successfully against the Indo-Scythian invaders, led by the Scythian king Azes I, but was ultimately defeated and became the last western Indo-Greek king.

Coins of Hippostratos Hippostratos issued silver coins with a diademed portrait on the obverse, and three reverses. The first is the image of a king on prancing horse, a common type which was most frequently used by the earlier kings Antimachus II and Philoxenus. The second reverse also portrays a king on horseback, but the horse is walking and the king making a benediction gesture - this type resembles a rare type of Apollodotus II. The third is a standing goddess, perhaps Tyche.

Hippostratos struck several bronzes of types used by several kings: Serpent-legged deity (as used by Telephus) / standing goddess. Apollo/tripod (Apollodotus II, several earlier kings) Sitting Zeus-Mithras / horse, reminiscent of coins of Hermaeus.

Child of King of W. Gandara Hippostratos is:

96872841678279410691 i. Princess of W. Gandara Calliope, married King of Peshwar Hermaeus

193745683661216546816. Fionnlogh He was the son of 387491367322433093632. Roighen Ruadh.

Child of Fionnlogh is:

96872841830608273408 i. Fionn

Generation No. 69

387491243475549028352. Marcomir III He was the son of 774982486951098056704. Clodius II 'Clogion'.

Child of Marcomir III is:

193745621737774514176 i. Clodomir III

387491243475549028424. Appius Claudius Nero of Rome He married 387491243475549028425. Attila of Rome.

387491243475549028425. Attila of Rome

Child of Appius Rome and Attila Rome is:

193745621737774514212 i. Drusus Nero Germanicus, married Antonia Minor of Rome

387491243475549028426. Marcys Antonius He was the son of 774982486951098056852. Marcus Antonious Creticus. He married 387491243475549028427. Octavia Minor of Rome.

387491243475549028427. Octavia Minor of Rome She was the daughter of 774982486951098056854. Caius Octavius of Rome and 774982486951098056855. Atia Balbus of Rome.

Child of Marcys Antonius and Octavia Rome is:

193745621737774514213 i. Antonia Minor of Rome, married Drusus Nero Germanicus

387491243475549028428. Paullus Amelius Lupidis of Rome He married 387491243475549028429. Cornelia of Rome.

387491243475549028429. Cornelia of Rome She was the daughter of 774982486951098056858. Paullus Cornelius of Rome and 774982486951098056859. Scribonia of Rome.

Child of Paullus Rome and Cornelia Rome is:

193745621737774514214 i. L Aemilius Paulus of Rome

387491243475549028440. Beli Mawr of the Celtic Britons He was the son of 774982486951098056880. Caid Monogan Eneid and 774982486951098056881. Anna of Arimathea.

Child of Beli Mawr of the Celtic Britons is:

193745621737774514220 i. Llud Llaw Eirint of Beli, married Anna of Cornwall

387491243475549028448. Llud Llaw Eraint of Brittany He married 387491243475549028449. Penarddun Ferch Beli.

387491243475549028449. Penarddun Ferch Beli She was the daughter of 774982486951098056880. Caid Monogan Eneid and 774982486951098056881. Anna of Arimathea.

Child of Llud Brittany and Penarddun Beli is:

193745621737774514224 i. Tenutatius of Britain

387491366713117642764. StratoI, King of Mathura He was the son of 774982733426235285528. Menander Soter, King of Mathura and 774982733426235285529. Princess of Bactria Agathocleia.

Notes for StratoI, King of Mathura: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Strato I (Greek: St??t?? ??), was an Indo-Greek king who was the son of the Indo-Greek queen Agathokleia, who presumably acted as his regent during his early years after Strato's father, another Indo-Greek king, was killed.

Until recently, consensus was that he ruled between c. 130–110 BCE in Northern India and that his father was the great king Menander I. Menander ruled the entire Indo-Greek empire, but in this scenario, the western parts including Paropamisade and Arachosia, gained independence after the death of Menander I, pushing Strato and Agathokleia eastwards to Gandhar and Punjab. This view was introduced by Tarn and defended as late as 1998 by Bopearachchi.

The modern view, embraced by R.C. Senior and probably more solid since it is founded on numismatical analyses, suggests that Strato I was a later king, perhaps ruling from 110–85 BCE, though perhaps still a descendant of Agathokleia. In this case, Agathokleia was the widow of another king, possibly Nicias or Theophilus.

A third hypothesis was presented in 2007 by J. Jakobsson[1]: according to this, the coins of Strato in fact belong to two kings who both may have ruled around 105–80 BCE, though in different territories:

Strato Soter and Dikaios (Greek: S????O? ? SO??? ??? ??????S "Strato the saviour and just/righteous"), was Agathokleia's son. Strato Epiphanes Soter (Greek: S????O? ? ???F???S SO??? "Strato the illustrious, saviour"), was a middle-aged king who may have been Agathokleia's brother and ruled in western Punjab. This theory was based on difference in titles, in monograms and coin types between the two.

Agathocleia's importance was gradually downplayed on the coins, so presumably her guardianship ended when Strato came of age. Strato I was also the only Indo-Greek king to appear bearded, probably to indicate that he was no longer an infant. Strato I, or the two Stratos, fought for hegemony in Punjab with the king Heliokles II, who overstruck several of their coins. There were very likely wars with other kings as well. The middle-aged Strato, according to the third theory, was succeeded by his son Polyxenios, who ruled only for a short time.

A hoard of Strato's coins was found in Mathura outside New Delhi, which may have been the easternmost outpost of the Indo-Greek territory.

Child of StratoI, King of Mathura is:

193745683356558821382 i. King of W. Gandara Hippostratos

387491367322433093632. Roighen Ruadh He was the son of 774982734644866187264. Assaman Emhna.

Child of Roighen Ruadh is:

193745683661216546816 i. Fionnlogh

Generation No. 70

774982486951098056704. Clodius II 'Clogion' He was the son of 1549964973902196113408. Francus.

Child of Clodius II 'Clogion' is:

387491243475549028352 i. Marcomir III

774982486951098056852. Marcus Antonious Creticus He was the son of 1549964973902196113704. Marcus Antonius of Rome.

Child of Marcus Antonious Creticus is:

387491243475549028426 i. Marcys Antonius, married Octavia Minor of Rome

774982486951098056854. Caius Octavius of Rome He was the son of 1549964973902196113708. Caius Octavius and 1549964973902196113709. Ancaria. He married 774982486951098056855. Atia

Balbus of Rome.

774982486951098056855. Atia Balbus of Rome She was the daughter of 1549964973902196113710. Marcus Atius Blabus of Rome and 1549964973902196113711. Julia of Rome.

Child of Caius Rome and Atia Rome is:

387491243475549028427 i. Octavia Minor of Rome, married Marcys Antonius

774982486951098056858. Paullus Cornelius of Rome He married 774982486951098056859. Scribonia of Rome.

774982486951098056859. Scribonia of Rome

Child of Paullus Rome and Scribonia Rome is:

387491243475549028429 i. Cornelia of Rome, married Paullus Amelius Lupidis of Rome

774982486951098056880. Caid Monogan Eneid He was the son of 1549964973902196113760. Einid Capoir. He married 774982486951098056881. Anna of Arimathea.

774982486951098056881. Anna of Arimathea She was the daughter of 1549964973902196113762. Joseph of Arimathea and 1549964973902196113763. Anna bint Simon.

Children of Caid Eneid and Anna Arimathea are:

387491243475549028449 i. Penarddun Ferch Beli, married Llud Llaw Eraint of Brittany 387491243475549028440 ii. Beli Mawr of the Celtic Britons

774982733426235285528. Menander Soter, King of Mathura He married 774982733426235285529. Princess of Bactria Agathocleia.

774982733426235285529. Princess of Bactria Agathocleia She was the daughter of 1549965466852470571058. King of Bactria Agathocles.

Notes for Menander Soter, King of Mathura: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Menander I Soter "The Saviour" (known as Milinda in Indian sources) was one of the rulers of the Indo-Greek Kingdom from either 165 or 155 BC to 130 BC (the first date Osmund Bopearachchi and R C Senior, the other Boperachchi).[1]

His territories covered the eastern dominions of the divided Greek empire of Bactria (modern day ????? ??? or Bactria Province) and extended to India (modern day Pakistani provinces of the NWFP, Punjab and parts of Himachal Pradesh and the Jammu region).

His capital is supposed to have been Sagala, a prosperous city in northern Punjab (believed to be modern Sialkot), Pakistan.

He is one of the few Bactrian kings mentioned by Greek authors, among them Apollodorus of Artemita, quoted by Strabo, who claims that the Greeks from Bactria were even greater conquerors than Alexander the Great, and that Menander was one of the two Bactrian kings, with Demetrius, who extended their power farthest into India:

"The Greeks who caused Bactria to revolt grew so powerful on account of the fertility of the country that they became masters, not only of Ariana, but also of India, as Apollodorus of Artemita says: and more tribes were subdued by them than by Alexander-- by Menander in particular (at least if he actually crossed the Hypanis towards the east and advanced as far as the Imaüs), for some were subdued by him personally and others by Demetrius, the son of Euthydemus the king of the Bactrians; and they took possession, not only of Patalena, but also, on the rest of the coast, of what is called the kingdom of Saraostus and Sigerdis. In short, Apollodorus says that Bactriana is the ornament of Ariana as a whole;

and, more than that, they extended their empire even as far as the Seres and the Phryni." (Strabo 11.11.1 [2])

2. Silver drachm of Menander I (155-130 BC). Obv: Greek legend, ??S???OS SO????S ????????? (BASILEOS SOTEROS MENANDROU) lit. "Of Saviour King Menander".

Rev: Kharosthi legend: MAHARAJA TRATASA MENADRASA "Saviour King Menander". Athena advancing right, with thunderbolt and shield. Taxila mint mark.Strabo also suggests that these Greek conquests went as far as the capital Pataliputra in northeastern India (today Patna):

"Those who came after Alexander went to the Ganges and Pataliputra" (Strabo, 15.698). The Indian records also describe Greek attacks on Mathura, Panchala, Saketa, and Pataliputra. This is particularly the case of some mentions of the invasion by Patanjali around 150 BC, and of the Yuga Purana, which describes Indian historical events in the form of a prophecy:

"After having conquered Saketa, the country of the Panchala and the Mathuras, the Yavanas (Greeks), wicked and valiant, will reach Kusumadhvaja. The thick mud-fortifications at Pataliputra being reached, all the provinces will be in disorder, without doubt. Ultimately, a great battle will follow, with tree-like engines (siege engines)." (Gargi-Samhita, Yuga Purana chapter, No5). In the West, Menander seems to have repelled the invasion of the dynasty of Greco-Bactrian usurper Eucratides, and pushed them back as far as the Paropamisadae, thereby consolidating the rule of the Indo-Greek kings in the northern part of the Indian Subcontinent.

The Milinda Panha gives some glimpses of his military methods:

"Has it ever happened to you, O king, that rival kings rose up against you as enemies and opponents? -Yes, certainly. -Then you set to work, I suppose, to have moats dug, and ramparts thrown up, and watch towers erected, and strongholds built, and stores of food collected? -Not at all. All that had been prepared beforehand. -Or you had yourself trained in the management of war elephants, and in horsemanship, and in the use of the war chariot, and in archery and fencing? -Not at all. I had learnt all that before. -But why? -With the object of warding off future danger." (Milinda Panha, Book III, Chap 7) His reign was long and successful. Generous findings of coins testify to the prosperity and extension of his empire (with finds as far as Britain): the finds of his coins are the most numerous and the most widespread of all the Indo-Greek kings. Precise dates of his reign, as well as his origin, remain elusive however. Guesses among historians have been that Menander was either a nephew or a former general of the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius I, but the two kings are now thought to be separated by at least thirty years. Menander's predecessor in Punjab seems to have been the king Apollodotus I.

Menander's empire survived him in a fragmented manner until the last Greek king Strato II disappeared around 10 AD.

The 1st-2nd century CE Periplus of the Erythraean Sea further testifies to the reign of Menander and the influence of the Indo-Greeks in India:

"To the present day ancient drachmae are current in Barygaza, coming from this country, bearing inscriptions in Greek letters, and the devices of those who reigned after Alexander, Apollodorus [sic] and Menander." —Periplus Chap. 47.[3] Menander was the first Indo-Greek ruler to introduce the representation of Athena Alkidemos ("Athena, saviour of the people") on his coins, probably in reference to a similar statue of Athena Alkidemos in Pella, capital of Macedon. This type was subsequently used by most of the later Indo-Greek kings.

[edit] Menander and Buddhism[edit] The Milinda PanhaMain article: Milinda Panha According to tradition, Menander embraced the Buddhist faith, as described in the Milinda Panha, a classical Pali Buddhist text on the discussions between Milinda and the Buddhist sage Nagasena. He is described as constantly accompanied by a guard of 500 Greek ("Yonaka") soldiers, and two of his counsellors are named Demetrius and Antiochus. This type of discussion was known to ancient Greeks as a "sozo", it is important for Buddhists to understand the cultural context in which this discussion was held.[citation needed]

3. Bronze coin of Menander I with a Buddhist eight-spoked wheel. Obv: Greek legend, ??S???OS SO????S ????????? (BASILEOS SOTEROS MENANDROU) lit. "Of Saviour King Menander" with eight-spoked wheel. Rev: Kharosthi legend MAHARAJA TRATASA MENADRASA "Saviour King Menander", with palm of victory.In the Milindanpanha, Menander is introduced as

"King of the city of Sâgala in India, Milinda by name, learned, eloquent, wise, and able; and a faithful observer, and that at the right time, of all the various acts of devotion and ceremony enjoined by his own sacred hymns concerning things past, present, and to come. Many were the arts and sciences he knew--holy tradition and secular law; the Sânkhya, Yoga, Nyâya, and Vaisheshika systems of philosophy; arithmetic; music; medicine; the four Vedas, the Purânas, and the Itihâsas; astronomy, magic, causation, and magic spells; the art of war; poetry; conveyancing in a word, the whole nineteen. As a disputant he was hard to equal, harder still to overcome; the acknowledged superior of all the founders of the various schools of thought. And as in wisdom so in strength of body, swiftness, and valour there was found none equal to Milinda in all India. He was rich too, mighty in wealth and prosperity, and the number of his armed hosts knew no end." (The Questions of King Milinda, Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids, 1890).

Buddhist tradition relates that, following his discussions with Nagasena, Menander adopted the Buddhist faith:

"May the venerable Nâgasena accept me as a supporter of the faith, as a true convert from to-day onwards as long as life shall last!" (The Questions of King Milinda, Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids, 1890). He then handed over his kingdom to his son and retired from the world:

"And afterwards, taking delight in the wisdom of the Elder, he handed over his kingdom to his son, and abandoning the household life for the houseless state, grew great in insight, and himself attained to Arahatship!" (The Questions of King Milinda, Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids, 1890) There is however little besides this testament to indicate that Menander in fact abdicated his throne in favor of his son. Based on numismatic evidence, Sir Tarn believes that he in fact died, leaving his wife Agathocleia to rule as a regent, until his son Strato could rule properly in his stead. Despite the success of his reign, it is clear that after his death, his "loosely hung" empire splintered into a variety of Indo-Greek successor kingdoms, of various size and stability.

[edit] Other Indian accounts Indian relief of probable Indo-Greek king, possibly Menander, with Buddhist triratana symbol on his sword. Bharhut, 2nd century BC. Indian Museum, Calcutta (drawing).A 2nd century BC relief from a Buddhist stupa in Bharhut, in eastern Madhya Pradesh (today at the Indian Museum in Calcutta), represents a foreign soldier with the curly hair of a Greek and the royal headband with flowing ends of a Greek king, and may be a depiction of Menander. In his right hand, he holds a branch of ivy, symbol of Dionysos. Also parts of his dress, with rows of geometrical folds, are characteristically Hellenistic in style. On his sword appears the Buddhist symbol of the three jewels, or Triratana. A Buddhist reliquary found in Bajaur bears a dedicatory inscription referring to "the 14th day of the month of Karttika" of a certain year in the reign of "Maharaja Minadra" ("Great King Menander"): "Minadrasa maharajasa Katiassa divasa 4 4 4 11 pra[na]-[sa]me[da]... (prati)[thavi]ta pranasame[da]... Sakamunisa" "On the 14th day of Karttika, in the reign of Maharaja Minadra, (in the year ...), (the corporeal relic) of Sakyamuni, which is endowed with life... has been established" [4] According to an ancient Sri Lankan source, the Mahavamsa, Greek monks seem to have been active proselytizers of Buddhism during the time of Menander: the Yona (Greek) Mahadhammarakkhita (Sanskrit: Mahadharmaraksita) is said to have come from "Alasandra" (thought to be Alexandria of the Caucasus, the city founded by Alexander the Great, near today‘s Kabul) with 30,000 monks for the foundation ceremony of the Maha Thupa ("Great stupa") at Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, during the 2nd century BC: "From Alasanda the city of the Yonas came the thera ("elder") Yona Mahadhammarakkhita with thirty thousand bhikkhus." (Mahavamsa, XXIX [5]) These elements tend to indicate the importance of Buddhism

within Greek communities in northwestern India, and the prominent role Greek Buddhist monks played in them, probably under the sponsorship of Menander.

[edit] Coins of MenanderMenander has left behind an immense corpus of silver and bronze coins, more so than any other Indo-Greek king. During his reign, the fusion between Indian and Greek coin standards reached its apogee. The coins feature the legend (Greek: ??S???OS SO????S ????????? (BASILEOS SOTEROS MENANDROU)/ Kharosthi: MAHARAJA TRATASA MENADRASA).

According to Bopearachchi, his silver coinage begins with a rare series of drachms depicting on the obverse Athena and on the reverse her attribute the owl. The weight and monograms of this series match those of earlier king Antimachus II, indicating that Menander succeeded Antimachus II.

Silver coin of Menander, with Athena on reverse. British Museum.On the next series, Menander introduces his own portrait, a hitherto unknown custom among Indian rulers. The reverse features his dynastical trademark: the so called Athena Alkidemos throwing a thunderbolt, an emblem used by many of Menander's successors and also the emblem of the Antigonid kings of Macedonia. In a further development, Menander changed the legends from circular orientation to the arrangement seen on coin 4 to the right. This modification ensured that the coins could be read without being rotated, and was used without exception by all later Indo-Greek kings. These alterations were possibly an adaption on Menander's part to the Indian coins of the Bactrian Eucratides I, who had conquered the westernmost parts of the Indo-Greek kingdom, and are interpreted by Bopearachchi as an indication that Menander recaptured these western territories after the death of Eucratides.

5. Attic Tetradrachm of Menander I in Greco-Bactrian style (Alexandria-Kapisa mint). Obv: Menander throwing a spear. Rev: Athena with thunderbolt. Greek legend: ??S???OS SO????S ????????? (BASILEOS SOTEROS MENANDROU), "Of King Menander, the Saviour".Menander also struck very rare Attic standard coinage with monolingual inscriptions (coin 5), which were probably intended for use in Bactria (where they have been found), perhaps thought to demonstrate his victories against the Bactrian kings, as well as Menander's own claim to that the kingdom. The bronze coins of Menander featuring a manifold variation of Olympic, Indian and other symbols. It seems as though Menander introduced a new weight standard for bronzes. [edit] Menander II, a separate Buddhist rulerMain article Menander the Just

Coin of Menander the Just Obv: Menander wearing a diadem. Greek legend: ??S???OS ??????? ????????? (King Menander the Just). Rev: Winged figure bearing diadem and palm, with halo, probably Nike. The Kharoshthi legend reads MAHARAJASA DHARMIKASA MENADRASA (Great King, Menander, follower of the Dharma, Menander).A second king named Menander with the epithet Dikaios, "the Just" ruled in the Punjab after 100 BCE. Earlier scholars, such as A.Cunningham and W.W.Tarn, believed there were only one Menander and assumed that the king had changed his epithet and/or was expelled from his western dominions. A number of coincidences led them to this assumption:

The portraits are relatively similar, and Menander II usually looks older than Menander I. The coins of Menander II feature several Buddhist symbols, which were interpreted as proof of the conversion mentioned in Milinda panha. The epithet Dikaios was translated into Kharosthi as Dharmikasa, which means "Follower of the Dharma" and was interpreted likewise. However, modern numismatists as Bopearachchi and R.C. Senior have shown, by difference in coin findings, style and monograms, that there were indeed two distinct rulers. The second Menander could have been a descendant of the first, and his Buddhist symbols a means of alluding to his great ancestor's conversion.

Coin of Menander the Just (Indian standard). Obv: Athena standing, with spear and palm branch, shield at her feet, making a benediction gesture with the right hand, similar to the Buddhist vitarka mudra. The Greek legend reads ??S???OS ??????? ????????? (Of King Menander the Just).

Rev: Buddhist lion. Kharoshti legend reads MAHARAJASA DHARMIKASA MENADRASA (Great King, follower of the Dharma, Menander).With this distinction, the numismatical evidence for the Milinda panha is all but gone. The first Menander only struck a rare bronze series with a Buddhist wheel (coin 3).

[edit] Menander's deathPlutarch (Praec. reip. ger. 28, 6) reports that Menander died in camp while on campaign, thereby differing with the version of the Milindapanha. Plutarch gives Menander as an example of benevolent rule, contrasting him with disliked tyrants such as Dionysius, and goes on explaining that his subject towns disputed about the honour of his burial, ultimately sharing his ashes among them and placing them in "monuments" (possibly stupas), in a manner reminiscent of the funerals of the Buddha.[6]

"But when one Menander, who had reigned graciously over the Bactrians, died afterwards in the camp, the cities indeed by common consent celebrated his funerals; but coming to a contest about his relics, they were difficultly at last brought to this agreement, that his ashes being distributed, everyone should carry away an equal share, and they should all erect monuments to him." (Plutarch, "Political Precepts" Praec. reip. ger. 28, 6 [7]) Despite his many successes, Menander's last years may have been fraught with another civil war, this time against Zoilos I who reigned in Gandhara. This is indicated by the fact that Menander probably overstruck a coin of Zoilos.

The Milinda Panha might give some support the idea that Menander's position was precarious, since it describes him as being somewhat cornered by numerous enemies into a circumscribed territory:

After their long discussion "Nagasaka asked himself "though king Milinda is pleased, he gives no signs of being pleased". Menander says in reply: "As a lion, the king of beasts, when put in a cage, though it were of gold, is still facing outside, even so do I live as master in the house but remain facing outside. But if I were to go forth from home into homelessness I would not live long, so many are my enemies" (Milinda Panha, Book III, Chapter 7, quoted in Boppearachchi [8] [edit] Theories of Menander's successorsMenander was the last Indo-Greek king mentioned by ancient historians, and the development after his death is therefore difficult to trace.

a) The traditional view, supported by W.W. Tarn and Boperachchi, is that Menander was succeeded by his Queen Agathokleia, who acted as regent to their infant son Strato I until he became an adult and took over the crown. Strato I used the same reverse as Menander I, Athena hurling a thunderbolt, and also the title Soter.

Coin of Strato I and Agathokleia. Obv: Conjugate busts of Strato and Agathokleia. Greek legend: BASILEOS SOTIROS STRATONOS KAI AGATOKLEIA "Saviour King Strato, and Agathokleia". Rev: Athena throwing thunderbolt. Kharoshthi legend: MAHARAJASA TRATASARA DHARMIKASA STRATASA "King Strato, Saviour and Just (="of the Dharma")".According to this scenario, Agathocleia and Straton I only managed to maintain themselves in the eastern parts of the kingdom, Punjab and at times Gandhara. Paropamisadae and Pushkalavati were taken over by Zoilos I, perhaps because some of Agathocleia's subjects may have been reluctant to accept an infant king with a queen regent.

b) Against this, R.C. Senior and other numismatics such as David Bivar have suggested that Straton I ruled several decades after Menander: they point out that Straton's and Agathocleia's monograms are usually different from Menander's, and overstrikes and hoard findings also associates them with later kings.

In this scenario, Menander was briefly succeeded by his son Thrason, of whom a single coin is known. After Thrason was murdered, competing kings such as Zoilos I or Lysias may have taken over Menander's kingdom. Menander's dynasty was thus dethroned and did not return to power until later, though his relative Nicias may have ruled a small principality in the Kabul valley.

[edit] Legacy[edit] BuddhismMain article: Greco-Buddhism

Vitarka Mudra gestures on Indo-Greek coinage. Top: Divinities Tyche and Zeus. Bottom: Depiction of Indo-Greek kings Nicias and Menander II.After the reign of Menander I, Strato I and several subsequent Indo-Greek rulers, such as Amyntas, Nicias, Peukolaos, Hermaeus, and Hippostratos, depicted themselves or their Greek deities forming

with the right hand a symbolic gesture identical to the Buddhist vitarka mudra (thumb and index joined together, with other fingers extended), which in Buddhism signifies the transmission of the Buddha's teaching. At the same time, right after the death of Menander, several Indo-Greek rulers also started to adopt on their coins the Pali title of "Dharmikasa", meaning "follower of the Dharma" (the title of the great Indian Buddhist king Ashoka was Dharmaraja "King of the Dharma"). This usage was adopted by Strato I, Zoilos I, Heliokles II, Theophilos, Peukolaos and Archebios.

Altogether, the conversion of Menander to Buddhism suggested by the Milinda Panha seems to have triggered the use of Buddhist symbolism in one form or another on the coinage of close to half of the kings who succeeded him. Especially, all the kings after Menander who are recorded to have ruled in Gandhara (apart from the little known Demetrius III) display Buddhist symbolism in one form or another.

Both because of his conversion and because of his unequaled territorial expansion, Menander may have contributed to the expansion of Buddhism in Central Asia. Although the spread of Buddhism to Central Asia and Northern Asia is usually associated with the Kushans, a century or two later, there is a possibility that it may have been introduced in those areas from Gandhara "even earlier, during the time of Demetrius and Menander" (Puri, "Buddhism in Central Asia").

[edit] Representation of the BuddhaMain article: Greco-Buddhist art

One of the first known representations of the Buddha, Gandhara.The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha is absent from Indo-Greek coinage, suggesting that the Indo-Greek kings may have respected the Indian an-iconic rule for depictions of the Buddha, limiting themselves to symbolic representation only. Consistently with this perspective, the actual depiction of the Buddha would be a later phenomenon, usually dated to the 1st century, emerging from the sponsorship of the syncretic Kushan Empire and executed by Greek, and, later, Indian and possibly Roman artists. Datation of Greco-Buddhist statues is generally uncertain, but they are at least firmly established from the 1st century.

Another possibility is that just as the Indo-Greeks routinely represented philosophers in statues (but certainly not on coins) in Antiquity, the Indo-Greek may have initiated anthropomorphic representations of the Buddha in statuary only, possibly as soon as the 2nd-1st century BC, as advocated by Foucher and suggested by Chinese murals depicting Emperor Wu of Han worshipping Buddha statues brought from Central Asia in 120 BC (See picture) ). An Indo-Chinese tradition also explains that Nagasena, also known as Menander's Buddhist teacher, created in 43 BC in the city of Pataliputra a statue of the Buddha, the Emerald Buddha, which was later brought to Thailand.

Stylistically, Indo-Greek coins generally display a very high level of Hellenistic artistic realism, which declined drastically around 50 BC with the invasions of the Indo-Scythians, Yuezhi and Indo-Parthians. The first known statues of the Buddha are also very realistic and Hellenistic in style and are more consistent with the pre-50 BC artistic level seen on coins.

Detail of Asia in the Ptolemy world map. The "Menander Mons" are in the center of the map, at the east of the Indian subcontinent, right above the Malaysian Peninsula.This would tend to suggest that the first statues were created between 130 BC (death of Menander) and 50 BC, precisely at the time when Buddhist symbolism appeared on Indo-Greek coinage. From that time, Menander and his successors may have been the key propagators of Buddhist ideas and representations: "the spread of Gandhari Buddhism may have been stimulated by Menander's royal patronage, as may have the development and spread of Gandharan sculpture, which seems to have accompanied it" (Mc Evilly, "The shape of ancient thought", p378)

[edit] GeographyIn Classical Antiquity, from at least the 1st century, the "Menander Mons", or "Mountains of Menander", came to designate the mountain chain at the extreme east of the Indian subcontinent, today's Naga Hills and Arakan, as indicated in the Ptolemy world map of the 1st century geographer Ptolemy.

Notes for Princess of Bactria Agathocleia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Agathokleia Theotropa, "the Goddess-like" was an Indo-Greek queen who ruled in parts of northern India as regent for her son Strato.

The traditional view, introduced by Tarn and defended as late as 1998 by Bopearachchi, is that Agathokleaia was the widow of Menander I. In the civil wars after Menander's death, the Indo-Greek empire was divided, with Agathokleia and her young son Strato maintaining themselves in the eastern territories of Gandhara and Punjab.

The modern view, embraced by R. C. Senior and probably more solid since it is founded on numismatical analyses, suggests that Agathokleia was a later queen, perhaps ruling from 110–100 BCE or slightly later. In this case, Agathokleia was likely the widow of another king, possibly Nicias or Theophilus.

In either case, Agathokleia was among the first women to rule a Hellenistic kingdom, in the period following the reign of Alexander the Great.

Some of her subjects may have been reluctant to accept an infant king with a queen regent: unlike the Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms, almost all Indo-Greek rulers were depicted as grown men. This was probably because the kings were required to command armies, as can be seen on their coins where they are often depicted with helmets and spears. Agathokleia seems to have associated herself with Athena, the goddess of war. Athena was also the dynastic deity of the family of Menander, and Agathokleia's prominent position suggests that she was herself the daughter of a king, though she was probably too late to have been a daughter of the Bactrian king Agathocles.

The coins of Agathokleia and Strato were all bilingual, and Agathokleia's name appears more often in the Greek legend than in the Indian.

Child of Menander Soter and Princess Agathocleia is:

387491366713117642764 i. StratoI, King of Mathura

774982734644866187264. Assaman Emhna He was the son of 1549965469289732374528. Enna Aigneac.

Child of Assaman Emhna is:

387491367322433093632 i. Roighen Ruadh

Generation No. 71

1549964973902196113408. Francus He was the son of 3099929947804392226816. Antharius.

Child of Francus is:

774982486951098056704 i. Clodius II 'Clogion'

1549964973902196113704. Marcus Antonius of Rome He was the son of 3099929947804392227408. Gaius Antonius of Rome.

Child of Marcus Antonius of Rome is:

774982486951098056852 i. Marcus Antonious Creticus

1549964973902196113708. Caius Octavius He was the son of 3099929947804392227416. Caius Octavius. He married 1549964973902196113709. Ancaria.

1549964973902196113709. Ancaria

Child of Caius Octavius and Ancaria is:

774982486951098056854 i. Caius Octavius of Rome, married Atia Balbus of Rome

1549964973902196113710. Marcus Atius Blabus of Rome He married 1549964973902196113711. Julia of Rome.

1549964973902196113711. Julia of Rome She was the daughter of 3099929947804392227422. Caius Julius of Rome and 3099929947804392227423. Aurelia Cornelia of Rome.

Child of Marcus Rome and Julia Rome is:

774982486951098056855 i. Atia Balbus of Rome, married Caius Octavius of Rome

1549964973902196113760. Einid Capoir He was the son of 3099929947804392227520. Cerwyd Cydon of Crydon.

Child of Einid Capoir is:

774982486951098056880 i. Caid Monogan Eneid, married Anna of Arimathea

1549964973902196113762. Joseph of Arimathea He was the son of 3099929947804392227524. Matthat ben Levi. He married 1549964973902196113763. Anna bint Simon.

1549964973902196113763. Anna bint Simon She was the daughter of 3099929947804392227526. Simon.

Child of Joseph Arimathea and Anna Simon is:

774982486951098056881 i. Anna of Arimathea, married Caid Monogan Eneid

1549965466852470571058. King of Bactria Agathocles He was the son of 3099930933704941142116. DemetriusI, King of Bactria and 3099930933704941142117. Sundari Maurya, Princess of Maurya Empire.

Notes for King of Bactria Agathocles: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Agathocles Dikaios (Greek: ??a?????? "GoodGlory", ? ???a??? "the Just") was a Buddhist Indo-Greek king, who reigned between around 190 and 180 BCE. He might have been a son of Demetrius and one of his sub-kings in charge of the Paropamisade between Bactria and India. In that case, he was a grandson of Euthydemus whom he qualified on his coins as "Basileas Theos" ("?as???a? Te??" Greek for "God-King").

Agathocles was contemporary with or a successor of king Pantaleon. He seems to have been attacked and killed by the usurper Eucratides, who took control of the Greco-Bactrian territory. Little is known about him, apart from his extensive coinage.

Agathocles issued a series of "pedigree" dynastic coins, probably with the intent to advertise his lineage and legitimize his rule, linking him to Alexander the Great, a king Antiochus Nikator (Greek: "????t??" "Victorious", probably intended is Antiochus III), the founder of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom Diodotus and his son Diodotus II, Euthydemus, Pantaleon, and Demetrius.

The pedigree coinage has been seen as a token of his ancestry, but a critical view might be considered. All the associations provide a contradictory image. The Euthydemid kings (Demetrius and Euthydemus) are not known to be related to Diodotus – in fact, Euthydemus I overthrew Diodotus II! The Seleucids were enemies of the Euthydemids as well – in fact king Antiochus III had besieged Bactra for almost three years before claiming victory over Euthydemus I. Nevertheless, Antiochus III is known to have used the epithet "Nikator" ("????t??" Greek for "Victorious")[1]

Finally, the association with Alexander was a standard move for usurpers in the Hellenistic world, such as the pseudo-Seleucids Alexander Balas and the Syrian general Diodotus Tryphon.

All in all, the coins might well support the view of an usurper, or more probable a member of a minor branch of a dynasty, anxious to gather support from all quarters with his various memorial coins.

However, the similarities between his coinage and that of Pantaleon make it probable that Agathocles was indeed a relative of the latter, who in that case might have been a usurper as well.

The Buddhist coinage of Agathocles is in the Indian standard (square or round copper coins) and depicts Buddhist symbols such as the stupa, the "tree in railing", or the lion. These coins sometimes use Brahmi, and sometimes Kharoshthi, whereas later Indo-Greek kings only used Kharoshthi.

The Hinduist coinage of Agathocles is few but spectacular. Six Indian-standard silver drachmas were discovered at Ai-Khanoum in 1970, which depict Hindu deities.

These are the first known representations of Vedic deities on coins, and they display early Avatars of Vishnu: Balarama-Sankarshana and Vasudeva-Krishna.

The dancing girls on some of the coins of Agathocles and Pantaleon are also sometimes considered as representations of Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu.

Child of King of Bactria Agathocles is:

774982733426235285529 i. Princess of Bactria Agathocleia, married Menander Soter, King of Mathura

1549965469289732374528. Enna Aigneac He was the son of 3099930938579464749056. Aongus Tuirmeach-Teamrach.

Child of Enna Aigneac is:

774982734644866187264 i. Assaman Emhna

Generation No. 72

3099929947804392226816. Antharius He was the son of 6199859895608784453632. Cassander.

Child of Antharius is:

1549964973902196113408 i. Francus

3099929947804392227408. Gaius Antonius of Rome

Child of Gaius Antonius of Rome is:

1549964973902196113704 i. Marcus Antonius of Rome

3099929947804392227416. Caius Octavius He was the son of 6199859895608784454832. Caius Octavius.

Child of Caius Octavius is:

1549964973902196113708 i. Caius Octavius, married Ancaria

3099929947804392227422. Caius Julius of Rome He was the son of 6199859895608784454844. Caius Julius and 6199859895608784454845. Marcia. He married 3099929947804392227423. Aurelia Cornelia of Rome.

3099929947804392227423. Aurelia Cornelia of Rome

Child of Caius Rome and Aurelia Rome is:

1549964973902196113711 i. Julia of Rome, married Marcus Atius Blabus of Rome

3099929947804392227520. Cerwyd Cydon of Crydon He was the son of 6199859895608784455040. Dyfnarth Kynfarch of Cornwall.

Child of Cerwyd Cydon of Crydon is:

1549964973902196113760 i. Einid Capoir

3099929947804392227524. Matthat ben Levi He was the son of 6199859895608784455048. Levi ben Melchi and 6199859895608784455049. Alexandria of the Maccabees.

Child of Matthat ben Levi is:

1549964973902196113762 i. Joseph of Arimathea, married Anna bint Simon

3099929947804392227526. Simon

Child of Simon is:

1549964973902196113763 i. Anna bint Simon, married Joseph of Arimathea

3099930933704941142116. DemetriusI, King of Bactria He was the son of 6199861867409882284232. Euthydemus I. He married 3099930933704941142117. Sundari Maurya, Princess of Maurya Empire.

3099930933704941142117. Sundari Maurya, Princess of Maurya Empire She was the daughter of 6199861867409882284234. King of Maurya Empire Brihadratha and 6199861867409882284235. Queen of Maurya Empire.

Notes for DemetriusI, King of Bactria: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Demetrius I (Greek: ????????S, Persian: /Pashto: ???????? ????) was a Buddhist Greco-Bactrian king (reigned circa 200–180 BC). He was the son of Euthydemus and succeeded him around 200 BC, after which he conquered extensive areas in what now is eastern Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan[1] thus creating an Indo-Greek kingdom far from Hellenistic Greece. He was never defeated in battle and was posthumously qualified as the Invincible (Aniketos) on the pedigree coins of his successor Agathocles.[2]

"Demetrius" was the name of at least two, probably three Greek kings of Bactria (known as "????? ????" or Balkh Province in Afghanistan) and India. The much debated Demetrius II was a possible relative, whereas Demetrios III (c.100 BC), is known only from numismatic evidence.

The father of Demetrius, Euthydemus, was attacked by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus III around 210 BC. Although he commanded 10,000 horsemen, Euthydemus initially lost a battle on the Arius[3] and had to retreat. He then successfully resisted a three-year siege in the fortified city of Bactra, before Antiochus finally decided to recognize the new ruler.

The final negotiations were made between Antiochus III and Demetrius. Antiochus III was reportedly highly impressed by the demeanour of the young prince, and offered him one of his daughters in marriage, around 206 BC:

"And after several journeys of Teleas to and fro between the two, Euthydemus at last sent his son Demetrius to confirm the terms of the treaty. Antiochus received the young prince; and judging from his appearance, conversation, and the dignity of his manners that he was worthy of royal power, he first promised to give him one of his own daughters, and secondly conceded the royal title to his father." Polybius 11.34[4] The term used for "young prince" is neaniskos (?ea??s???), suggesting an age around 16, which in turn gives a birth date for Demetrius around 222 BC.

Demetrius started the invasion of northwestern India from 180 BC, following the destruction of the Mauryan dynasty by the general Pusyamitra Sunga, who then founded the new Indian Sunga dynasty (185-78 BC). The Mauryans had had diplomatic alliances with the Greeks, and they may have been considered as allies by the Greco-Bactrians.[5] The Greco-Bactrians may also have invaded India in order to protect Greek populations in the subcontinent.[6]

Demetrius may have first started to recover the province of Arachosia, an area south of the Hindu Kush already inhabited by many Greeks but ruled by the Mauryas since the liberation of the territory by

Chandragupta from Seleucus. In his "Parthian stations", Isidorus of Charax mentions a colony named Demetrias, supposedly founded by Demetrius himself:

"Beyond is Arachosia. And the Parthians call this White India; there are the city of Biyt and the city of Pharsana and the city of Chorochoad and the city of Demetrias; then Alexandropolis, the metropolis of Arachosia; it is Greek, and by it flows the river Arachotus. As far as this place the land is under the rule of the Parthians." "Parthians stations", 1st century BC[7] A Greek dedication inscribed on stone and discovered in Kuliab, a hundred kilometers northeast of Ai-Khanoum, also mentioned the victories of the prince Demetrius during the reign of his father:

"Heliodotos dedicated this fragrant altar (...) so that the greatest of all kings Euthydemus, as well as his son, the glorious, victorious and remarkable Demetrius, be preserved of all pains, with the help of the Fortune with divine thoughts"[8] The Greek campaigns may have gone as far as the capital Pataliputra in eastern India (today Patna):

"Those who came after Alexander went to the Ganges and Pataliputra" (Strabo, XV.698) "The Greeks who caused Bactria to revolt grew so powerful on account of the fertility of the country that they became masters, not only of Ariana, but also of India, as Apollodorus of Artemita says: and more tribes were subdued by them than by Alexander — by Menander in particular (at least if he actually crossed the Hypanis towards the east and advanced as far as the Imaüs), for some were subdued by him personally and others by Demetrius, the son of Euthydemus the king of the Bactrians." (Strabo 11.11.1[9])

Silver tetradrachm of Demetrius I. British Museum.It is generally considered that Demetrius ruled in Taxila (where many of his coins were found in the archaeological site of Sirkap). The Indian records also describes Greek attacks on Saketa, Panchala, Mathura and Pataliputra (Gargi-Samhita, Yuga Purana chapter). However, the campaigns to Pataliputra are generally attested to the later king Menander I and Demetrius I probably only invaded areas in Pakistan. Other kings may have expanded the territory as well.

By ca 175 BC, the Indo-Greeks ruled parts of northwestern India, while the Sungas remained in the Gangetic, Central, and Eastern India. The Indo Greek presence in the Northwest continued until the last petty principality was absorbed by the Sakas around 20 BC.

The Hathigumpha inscription, written by the king of Kalinga, Kharavela, has been interpreted to describe the presence of the Greek king "Demetrius" with his army in eastern India, possibly as far as the city of Rajagriha about 70 km southeast of Pataliputra and one of the foremost Buddhist sacred cities, but claims that Demetrius ultimately retreated to Mathura on hearing of Kharavela's military successes further south:

"Then in the eighth year, (Kharavela) with a large army having sacked Goradhagiri causes pressure on Rajagaha (Rajagriha). On account of the loud report of this act of valour, the Yavana (Greek) King Dimi[ta] retreated to Mathura having extricated his demoralized army." Epigraphia Indica, Vol. XX.[10] [edit] Aftermaths Silver obol of Demetrius. Extremely small (12 millimeters in diameter), but beautifully crafted.Demetrius I died of unknown reasons, and the date 180 BC, is merely a suggestion aimed to allow suitable regnal periods for subsequent kings, of which there were several. Even if some of them were co-regents, civil wars and temporary divisions of the empire are most likely.

The kings Pantaleon, Antimachus, Agathocles and possibly Euthydemus II ruled after Demetrius I, and theories about their origin include all of them being relatives of Demetrius I, or only Antimachus. Eventually, the kingdom of Bactria fell to the able newcomer Eucratides.

Demetrius II was a later king, possibly a son or nephew of his namesake, and he ruled in India only. Justin mentions him being defeated by the Bactrian king Eucratides, an event which took place at the end of the latter's reign, possibly around 150 BC. Demetrius II left behind his generals Apollodotus and Menander I, who in turn became kings of India and rulers of the Indo-Greek Kingdom following his death.

According to Ptolemy, a Demetriapolis was founded in Arachosia.

Demetrius is a legend as well as an enigma. He was mentioned by Geoffrey Chaucer ("D, lord of Ind").

Demetrius and Buddhism The other main coin type of Demetrius. Obv: Rejoicing young elephant with bell, within the royal bead and reel contour. Rev: Caduceus, representing concord between two serpents. Greek legend ??S???OS ????????? (BASILEOS DEMETRIOU) "Of King Demetrius". Greco-Buddhist representation of Buddha, Gandhara, 1st-2nd century AD.Buddhism flourished under the Indo-Greek kings, and it has been suggested by W.W. Tarn that their invasion of India was not only intended to show their support for the Mauryan empire. However, that persecution in turn is debatable, with contemporary historians such as Romila Thapar suggesting that some of the accounts might be the product of exaggeration from Buddhist missionaries. Thapar attributes purely economic motivations to the Indo-Greek invasion of Southern Asia.[11]

Coinage & connection with Buddhism The coins of Demetrius are of four types. One bilingual type with Greek and Kharoshthi legends exists: it is naturally associated with the Indian Demetrius II. A series with the king in diadem are likely to be early issues of Demetrius I.

More interesting are the "elephant" coins: The first type shows Demetrius (I) with elephant-crown, a well-known symbol of India and an allusion to Ganesha.

The other "elephant" type of Demetrius I represents a rejoicing elephant, depicted on the front on the coin and surrounded by the royal bead-and-reel decoration, and therefore treated on the same level as a King. The elephant, one of the symbols of Buddhism and the Gautama Buddha, possibly represents the victory of Buddhism brought about by Demetrius. The reverse of the coin depicts the caduceus, symbol of reconciliation between two fighting serpents, which is possibly a representation of peace between the Greeks and the Sungas, and likewise between Buddhism and Hinduism.

Alternatively though, the elephant has also been described as a possible symbol of the Indian capital of Taxila (Tarn), or still as a symbol of India. Unambiguous Buddhist symbols are found on later Greek coins, but Demetrius I, who was born in the milieu of Bactria and struck coins with Buddhist gods, personally was a Buddhist. His conquests did however influence the Buddhist religion in India:

Greco-Buddhist art There are several parallels between Demetrius and the first representations of the Greek Buddha in human form.

Also in another parallel, the characteristic protector deity of Demetrius (Herakles standing with his club over his arm, as seen on the reverse of his coins), was represented in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara as the protector deity of the Buddha.

Notes for Sundari Maurya, Princess of Maurya Empire: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty from 321 to 185 BC. Originating from the kingdom of Magadha in the Indo-Gangetic plains (modern Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bengal) in the eastern side of the Indian subcontinent, the empire had its capital city at Pataliputra (modern Patna).[1][2] The Empire was founded in 322 BC by Chandragupta Maurya, who had overthrown the Nanda Dynasty and rapidly expanded his power westwards across central and western India taking advantage of the disruptions of local powers in the wake of the withdrawal westward by Alexander the Great's Greek and Persian armies. By 320 BC the empire had fully occupied Northwestern India, defeating and conquering the satraps left by Alexander.[3]

With an area of 5,000,000 sq km, it was one of the world's largest empires in its time, and the largest ever in the Indian subcontinent. At its greatest extent, the empire stretched to the north along the natural boundaries of the

Himalayas, and to the east stretching into what is now Assam. To the west, it conquered beyond modern Pakistan, annexing Balochistan, south eastern parts of Iran and much of what is now Afghanistan, including the modern Herat[3] and Kandahar provinces. The Empire was expanded into India's central and southern regions by the emperors Chandragupta and Bindusara, but it excluded a small portion of unexplored tribal and forested regions near Kalinga (modern Orissa), till it was conquered by Ashoka. Its decline began 60 years after Ashoka's rule ended, and it dissolved in 185 BC with the foundation of the Sunga Dynasty in Magadha.

Under Chandragupta, the Mauryan Empire conquered the trans-Indus region, which was under Macedonian rule. Chandragupta then defeated the invasion led by Seleucus I, a Greek general from Alexander's army. Under Chandragupta and his successors, internal and external trade, agriculture and economic activities, all thrived and expanded across India thanks to the creation of a single and efficient system of finance, administration, and security.

After the Kalinga War, the Empire experienced half a century of peace and security under Ashoka. Mauryan India also enjoyed an era of social harmony, religious transformation, and expansion of the sciences and of knowledge. Chandragupta Maurya's embrace of Jainism increased social and religious renewal and reform across his society, while Ashoka's embrace of Buddhism has been said to have been the foundation of the reign of social and political peace and non-violence across all of India. Ashoka sponsored the spreading of Buddhist ideals into Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, West Asia and Mediterranean Europe.[3]

The population of the empire has been estimated to be about 50-60 million making the Mauryan Empire one of the most populous empires of the time.[4][5]

Archaeologically, the period of Mauryan rule in South Asia falls into the era of Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW). The Arthashastra and the Edicts of Ashoka are the primary sources of written records of Mauryan times. The Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath, has been made the national emblem of India.

Child of Demetrius and Sundari Maurya is:

1549965466852470571058 i. King of Bactria Agathocles

3099930938579464749056. Aongus Tuirmeach-Teamrach He was the son of 6199861877158929498112. Eochaidh Alt leathan.

Notes for Aongus Tuirmeach-Teamrach: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Óengus Tuirmech Temrach, son of Eochaid Ailtlethan, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to power after killing his predecessor, and his father's killer, Fergus Fortamail. His sons included Énna Aignech and Fiacha Fer Mara. Énna later became High King himself and was the ancestor of Conn of the Hundred Battles and thus the Connachta and Uí Néill High Kings, while Fiacha was the ancestor of Ailill Érann and the Clanna Dedad.[1] Óengus is said to have fathered Fíacha on his own daughter when drunk, and to have put him in a boat, wrapped in a purple robe with a golden fringe and accompanied by treasure, and set him out to sea – hence the epithet fer mara, "man of the sea". He was found and brought up by fishermen, and became the ancestor of several High Kings of Ireland and the later Dál Riata monarchs of Scotland. The Lebor Gabála Érenn interprets his epithet as meaning "the reckoner of Tara", saying that "by him was 'reckoning' first made in Ireland".[2] Geoffrey Keating gives his epithet as Tuirbeach, "ashamed", because of the incestuous conception of Fíacha.[3] He reigned for thirty or sixty years, and died at Tara, succeeded by his nephew Conall Collamrach. The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with that of Ptolemy VI Philometor in Egypt (180-145 BC). The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 262-232 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 385-326 BC.[4]

Child of Aongus Tuirmeach-Teamrach is:

1549965469289732374528 i. Enna Aigneac

Generation No. 73

6199859895608784453632. Cassander He was the son of 12399719791217568907264. Merodochus.

Child of Cassander is:

3099929947804392226816 i. Antharius

6199859895608784454832. Caius Octavius He was the son of 12399719791217568909664. Cneius Octavius Rufus of Rome.

Child of Caius Octavius is:

3099929947804392227416 i. Caius Octavius

6199859895608784454844. Caius Julius He was the son of 12399719791217568909688. Caius Juliuis. He married 6199859895608784454845. Marcia.

6199859895608784454845. Marcia

Child of Caius Julius and Marcia is:

3099929947804392227422 i. Caius Julius of Rome, married Aurelia Cornelia of Rome

6199859895608784455040. Dyfnarth Kynfarch of Cornwall He was the son of 12399719791217568910080. Brydain Prydain of Cornwall.

Child of Dyfnarth Kynfarch of Cornwall is:

3099929947804392227520 i. Cerwyd Cydon of Crydon

6199859895608784455048. Levi ben Melchi He was the son of 12399719791217568910096. Melchi ben Jana. He married 6199859895608784455049. Alexandria of the Maccabees.

6199859895608784455049. Alexandria of the Maccabees

Child of Levi Melchi and Alexandria Maccabees is: 3099929947804392227524 i. Matthat ben Levi

6199861867409882284232. Euthydemus I

Notes for Euthydemus I: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Euthydemus I (Greek: ????d?μ?? ??) (c. 260 BC – 200/195 BC), Greco-Bactrian king in about 230 or 223 BCE according to Polybius.,[1] he is thought to have originally been a Satrap of Sogdiana, who overturned the dynasty of Diodotus of Bactria and became a Greco-Bactrian king. Strabo, on the other hand, correlates his accession with internal Seleucid wars in 223/221 BCE. His kingdom seems to have been substantial, including probably Sogdiana to the north, and Margiana and Ariana to the south or east of Bactria.

[edit] BiographyEuthydemus was allegedly a native of Magnesia (though the exact site is unknown), and was the father of Demetrius I according to Strabo [2] and Polybius;[3] he could possibly have had other royal descendants, such as Antimachus I.

Little is known of his reign until 208 BCE when he was attacked by Antiochus III the Great, whom he tried in vain to resist on the shores of the river Arius, the modern Herirud. Although he commanded 10,000 horsemen, Euthydemus initially lost a battle on the Arius [3] and had to retreat. He then successfully resisted a three-year siege in the fortified city of Bactra, before Antiochus finally decided to recognize the new ruler, and to offer one of his daughters to Euthydemus's son Demetrius around 206 BCE.[3]

Classical accounts also relate that Euthydemus negotiated peace with Antiochus III by suggesting that he deserved credit for overthrowing the descendants of the original rebel Diodotus, and that he was protecting Central Asia from nomadic invasions thanks to his defensive efforts:

"...for if he did not yield to this demand, neither of them would be safe: seeing that great hords of Nomads were close at hand, who were a danger to both; and that if they admitted them into the country, it would certainly be utterly barbarised." (Polybius, 11.34). The war lasted altogether three years and after the Seleucid army left, the kingdom seems to have recovered quickly from the assault. The death of Euthydemus has been roughly estimated to 200 BCE-195 BCE, and the last years of his reign probably saw the beginning of the Bactrian invasion of India.

Barbaric copy of a coin of Euthydemus, from the region of Sogdiana. The legend on the reverse is in aramaic. Such coins suggest that Euthydemus ruled, and then lost the territory of Sogdiana.There exist many coins of Euthydemus, portraying him as a young, middle-aged and old man. He is also featured on no less than three commemorative issues by later kings, Agathocles, Antimachus I and one anonymous series.[4] He was succeeded by Demetrius, who went on to invade northwestern India. His coins were imitated by the nomadic tribes of Central Asia for decades after his death; these imitations are called "barbaric" because of their crude style.

Child of Euthydemus I is:

3099930933704941142116 i. DemetriusI, King of Bactria, married Sundari Maurya, Princess of Maurya Empire

6199861867409882284234. King of Maurya Empire Brihadratha He was the son of 12399723734819764568468. King of Kashmir and Gandhara Kunala. He married 6199861867409882284235. Queen of Maurya Empire.

6199861867409882284235. Queen of Maurya Empire

Notes for King of Maurya Empire Brihadratha: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Brihadratha Maurya was the last ruler of the Mauryan dynasty. He ruled from c. 187–180 BCE. He was killed by his senapati (commander-in-chief), Pusyamitra Sunga

According to the Puranas, Brihadratha succeeded Satadhanvan and he ruled for seven years.[1] Mauryan territories, centered around the capital of Pataliputra, had shrunk considerably from the time of the great Emperor Ashoka when Brihadratha came to the throne.

In 180 BCE, northwestern India (parts of modern day Afghanistan and Pakistan) were attacked by the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius. He established his rule in the Kabul Valley and parts of the Punjab (the present-day Pakistan). The Yuga Purana section of the Gargi Samhita says that the Yavana (Greco-Bactrian) army led by King Dhamamita (Demetrius) invaded the Mauryan territories during Brihadratha's reign and after occupying Panchala region and the cities of Saketa and Mathura, they finally captured Pataliputra. But soon they had to leave to Bactria to fight a fierce battle (probably between Eucratides and Demetrius).[2]

Usurpation of power by Pushyamitra Sunga He was killed in 180 BCE and power usurped by his commander-in-chief, the Brahmin general Pusyamitra Sunga, who then took over the throne and established the Sunga dynasty. Banabhatta in his Harshacharita says, Pushyamitra, while parading the entire Mauryan army before Brihadratha on the pretext of showing him the strength of the army, crushed his master, Brihadratha Maurya, because he was too weak to keep his promise (probably to repulse the Yavanas).[3]

Child of King Brihadratha and Queen Empire is:

3099930933704941142117 i. Sundari Maurya, Princess of Maurya Empire, married DemetriusI, King of Bactria

6199861877158929498112. Eochaidh Alt leathan He was the son of 12399723754317858996224. Olioll Cas-fiachlach.

Notes for Eochaidh Alt leathan: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Eochaid (or Eochu) Ailtlethan ("broad blade"),[1] son of Ailill Caisfiaclach, was, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, a High King of Ireland. According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn, he took the throne after overthrowing and killing the previous incumbent, Adamair, and ruled for eleven years, until he was killed in battle by Fergus Fortamail. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of Ptolemy V Epiphanes in Egypt (204-181 BC).[2] The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 285-274 BC BC,[3] that of the Annals of the Four Masters (which gives him a reign of seventeen years) to 414-396 BC BC.[4]

Child of Eochaidh Alt leathan is:

3099930938579464749056 i. Aongus Tuirmeach-Teamrach

Generation No. 74

12399719791217568907264. Merodochus He was the son of 24799439582435137814528. Clodomir II.

Child of Merodochus is:

6199859895608784453632 i. Cassander

12399719791217568909664. Cneius Octavius Rufus of Rome

Child of Cneius Octavius Rufus of Rome is:

6199859895608784454832 i. Caius Octavius

12399719791217568909688. Caius Juliuis He was the son of 24799439582435137819376. Sextus Julius.

Child of Caius Juliuis is:

6199859895608784454844 i. Caius Julius, married Marcia

12399719791217568910080. Brydain Prydain of Cornwall He was the son of 24799439582435137820160. Aedd Mawr of Cornwall.

Child of Brydain Prydain of Cornwall is:

6199859895608784455040 i. Dyfnarth Kynfarch of Cornwall

12399719791217568910096. Melchi ben Jana He was the son of 24799439582435137820192. Jana ben Joseph.

Child of Melchi ben Jana is:

6199859895608784455048 i. Levi ben Melchi, married Alexandria of the Maccabees

12399723734819764568468. King of Kashmir and Gandhara Kunala He was the son of 24799447469639529136936. Ashoka Vardhana, King of Maurya Empire and 24799447469639529136937. Queen of Maurya Empire Padmayati.

Notes for King of Kashmir and Gandhara Kunala: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Kunala or Kunal (3rd Century B.C) was the son of Emperor Ashoka and Queen Padmavati, and presumptive heir to Ashoka and thus the heir to the Mauryan Empire which once ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent. While he was supposed to be the future heir to the empire, he was blinded by another of Ashoka's wives, Tishyaraksha, at a young age in jealousy. While he was not able to take the throne, his son, Samprati, became his heir.

Kunal is the name of one of the Himalayan birds, (painted snipes). The meaning of Kunal in Sanskrit is "Lotus" in Sanskrit. Kunal also means "bird with beautiful eyes", "someone who sees beauty in everything" or "one with beautiful eyes" to see.[1].

Early life Ashoka sent his son to Ujjain, there to be brought up and carry out his princely education, to become the heir to the throne of the Mauryan Empire.

Blinding When the prince was eight years old, the king wrote (in Prakrit) to the tutors that Kunala should begin his studies.[1] One of Ashoka's wives who wanted to secure the succession to her own son, being then present took up the letter to read it. She secretly put a dot over the letter 'a', changed Adheeyu into Andheeyu -- another word, meaning he must be blinded. Without rereading the letter, the king sealed and dispatched it. The clerk in Ujjayini was so shocked by the contents of this letter that he was unable to read it aloud to the prince. Kunala, therefore, seized the letter and read the cruel sentence of his father. Considering that as yet no Maurya prince had disobeyed the chief of the house, and unwilling to set a bad example, he stoutly put out his eyesight with a hot iron".[1]

Alternatively, some stories explain that Kunala had been sent to Taxila to put down a rebellion, which he managed to do peacefully. But he was similarly blinded through the treacherousness of Ashoka's wife Tishyaraksha.[1]

[edit] Attempts to claim throneYears later Kunala came to Ashoka's court dressed as a minstrel accompanied by his favourite wife Kanchanmala. When he greatly pleased the king by his music, the king wanted to reward him. At this, the minstrel revealed himself as prince Kunala and demanded his inheritance. Ashoka sadly objected that being blind, Kunala never could ascend the throne. Thereupon the latter said that he claimed the kingdom not for himself but for his son. "When," cried the king, "has a son been born to you?" "Samprati" (meaning "Just now") was the answer. Samprati accordingly was the name given to Kunala's son, and though a baby in arms, he was anointed Ashoka's successor. However, when Ashoka died, Sampriti was as yet too young to rule. Therefore, Ashoka was succeeded by another, older grandson, Dasaratha. After the demise of Dasaratha, Sampriti did indeed become Emperor.[1]

It is said that Prince Kunala established a kingdom in the Mithila region on the Indo-Nepal Border. It might be the same place where the present village, Kunauli (earlier known as Kunal Gram) at the bank of Kosi river at Indo-Nepal Border is situated. There are some historical and archaeological evidences to support this claim.

Portrayal in popular media A semi-fictionalized portrayal of Kunal's life was produced as a motion picture under the title Veer Kunal (1925). Ashok Kumar, a Tamil film was produced in 1941 based on the life of Kunal.

Kunal Pathri Temple Another reference of Kunal comes from place called Kunal Pathri Temple (located in the Dhauladhar Ranges in Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh) which is rock pilgrimage near dharamsala. Its said that there used to live a great devotee of lord Vishnu named Kunal. This temple is dedicated to goddess Kapaleshwari. It has beautiful carvings of gods and goddesses. It is believed that the skull of Devi Sati (Dakshayani), the wife of Lord Shiva, fell here after being cut off by the Chakra of Lord Vishnu into fifty-one pieces, to stop the ferocious dance, Tandava Nritya, of Shiva carrying the corpse of Sati(Dakshayani).

[

Child of King of Kashmir and Gandhara Kunala is:

6199861867409882284234 i. King of Maurya Empire Brihadratha, married Queen of Maurya Empire

12399723754317858996224. Olioll Cas-fiachlach He was the son of 24799447508635717992448. Conla Caomh.

Notes for Olioll Cas-fiachlach: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Ailill Caisfiaclach ("having crooked/hateful teeth"),[1] son of Connla Cáem, was, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, a High King of Ireland. He succeeded his father, and reigned for twenty-five years, until he was killed by Adamair. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of Ptolemy V Epiphanes in Egypt (204-181 BC).[2] Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign from 315 to 290 BC,[3] the Annals of the Four Masters from 443 to 418 BC.[4]

Child of Olioll Cas-fiachlach is:

6199861877158929498112 i. Eochaidh Alt leathan

Generation No. 75

24799439582435137814528. Clodomir II He was the son of 49598879164870275629056. Antenor III.

Child of Clodomir II is:

12399719791217568907264 i. Merodochus

24799439582435137819376. Sextus Julius He was the son of 49598879164870275638752. Lucius Julius.

Child of Sextus Julius is:

12399719791217568909688 i. Caius Juliuis

24799439582435137820160. Aedd Mawr of Cornwall He was the son of 49598879164870275640320. Antonious of Cornwall.

Child of Aedd Mawr of Cornwall is:

12399719791217568910080 i. Brydain Prydain of Cornwall

24799439582435137820192. Jana ben Joseph He was the son of 49598879164870275640384. Joseph ben Matthias.

Child of Jana ben Joseph is:

12399719791217568910096 i. Melchi ben Jana

24799447469639529136936. Ashoka Vardhana, King of Maurya Empire He was the son of 49598894939279058273872. Bindusa (Amitrochates), King of Maurya Empire and 49598894939279058273873. Subhadrangi (Dharma), Queen of Maurya Empire. He married 24799447469639529136937. Queen of Maurya Empire Padmayati.

24799447469639529136937. Queen of Maurya Empire Padmayati

Notes for Ashoka Vardhana, King of Maurya Empire: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Ashok Maurya or Ashoka (Devanagari: ????, Bangla: ????, IAST: Asoka, IPA: [a'?o?k?], ca. 304–232 BC),

popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC.[1] One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military conquests. His empire stretched from present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan in the west, to the present-day Bangladesh and the Indian state of Assam in the east, and as far south as northern Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. He conquered the kingdom named Kalinga, which no one in his dynasty had conquered starting from Chandragupta Maurya. His reign was headquartered in Magadha (present-day Bihar, India). He embraced Buddhism from the prevalent Hindu tradition after witnessing the mass deaths of the war of Kalinga, which he himself had waged out of a desire for conquest. He was later dedicated to the propagation of Buddhism across Asia and established monuments marking several significant sites in the life of Gautama Buddha. Ashoka was a devotee of ahimsa (nonviolence), love, truth, tolerance and vegetarianism. Ashoka is remembered in history as a philanthropic administrator. In the history of India, Ashoka is referred to as Samraat Chakravartin Ashoka - the Emperor of Emperors Ashoka.

His name "asoka" means "painless, without sorrow" in Sanskrit (the a privativum and soka "pain, distress"). In his edicts, he is referred to as Devanampriya (Pali Devana?piya or "The Beloved Of The Gods"), and Priyadarsin (Pali Piyadasi or "He who regards everyone with affection").

Along with the Edicts of Ashoka, his legend is related in the later 2nd century Asokavadana ("Narrative of Asoka") and Divyavadana ("Divine narrative"), and in the Sri Lankan text Mahavamsa ("Great Chronicle").

Ashoka played a critical role in helping make Buddhism a world religion.[2] As the peace-loving ruler of one of the world's largest, richest and most powerful multi-ethnic states, he is considered an exemplary ruler, who tried to put into practice a secular state ethic of non-violence. The emblem of the modern Republic of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka.

Ashoka was born to the Mauryan emperor Bindusara and his queen, Dharma [or Dhamma]. Ashokavadana states that his mother was a queen named Subhadrangi, the daughter of Champa of Telangana. A palace intrigue kept her away from the king. This eventually ended, and she bore a son. It is from her exclamation "I am now without sorrow", that Ashoka got his name. The Divyavadana tells a similar story, but gives the name of the queen as Janapadakalyani.[3][4]

Ashoka had several elder siblings, all of whom were his half-brothers from other wives of Bindusara.

He had been given the royal military training knowledge. He was a fearsome hunter, and according to a legend, he killed a lion with just a wooden rod. He was very adventurous and a trained fighter, who was known for his skills with the sword. Because of his reputation as a frightening warrior and a heartless general, he was sent to curb the riots in the Avanti province of the Mauryan empire.[5]

The Divyavandana refers to Ashoka putting down a revolt due to activities of wicked ministers. This may have been an incident in Bindusara's times. Taranatha's account states that Chanakya, one of Bindusara's great lords, destroyed the nobles and kings of 16 towns and made himself the master of all territory between the eastern and the western seas. Some historians consider this as an indication of Bindusara's conquest of the Deccan while others consider it as suppression of a revolt. Following this Ashoka was stationed at Ujjayini as governor.[4]

Bindusara's death in 273 BC led to a war over succession. According to Divyavandana, Bindusara wanted his son Sushim to succeed him but Ashoka was supported by his father's ministers. A minister named Radhagupta seems to have played an important role. One of the Ashokavandana states that Ashoka managed to become the king by getting rid of the legitimate heir to the throne, by tricking him into entering a pit filled with live coals. The Dipavansa and Mahavansa refer to Ashoka killing 99 of his brothers, sparing only one, named Tissa. [4] Although there is no clear proof about this incident. The coronation happened in 269 BC, four years after his succession to the throne.

Ashoka is said to have been of a wicked nature and bad temper. He submitted his ministers to a test of loyalty and had 500 of them killed.[citation needed]

Ascending the throne, Ashoka expanded his empire over the next eight years, from the present-day boundaries and

regions of Burma–Bangladesh and the state of Assam in India in the east to the territory of present-day Afghanistan in the west; from the Pamir Knots in the north almost to the peninsular of southern India (i.e. Tamil Nadu / Andhra Pradesh).[4]

[edit] Conquest of KalingaMain article: Kalinga War While the early part of Ashoka's reign was apparently quite bloodthirsty, he became a follower of the Buddha's teaching after his conquest of Kalinga on the east coast of India in the present-day states of southern Orissa and north coastal Andhra Pradesh. Kalinga was a state that prided itself on its sovereignty and democracy. With its monarchical parliamentary democracy it was quite an exception in ancient Bharata where there existed the concept of Rajdharma. Rajdharma means the duty of the rulers, which was intrinsically entwined with the concept of bravery and Kshatriya dharma. The Kalinga war happened eight years after his coronation. From his 13th inscription, we come to know that the battle was a massive one and caused death to more than 100,000 soldiers and many more common people who were defending their mother land; over 150,000 were deported.[6]. When he was walking through the grounds of kalinga after his conquer,rejoicing his victory,he was moved by the number of bodies strewn there and the helpless wails of the kith and kin of the dead.

As the legend goes, one day after the war was over, Ashoka ventured out to roam the city and all he could see were burnt houses and scattered corpses. This sight made him sick and he cried the famous monologue:

What have I done? If this is a victory, what's a defeat then? Is this a victory or a defeat? Is this justice or injustice? Is it gallantry or a rout? Is it valor to kill innocent children and women? Do I do it to widen the empire and for prosperity or to destroy the other's kingdom and splendor? One has lost her husband, someone else a father, someone a child, someone an unborn infant.... What's this debris of the corpses? Are these marks of victory or defeat? Are these vultures, crows, eagles the messengers of death or evil?

The brutality of the conquest led him to adopt Buddhism, and he used his position to propagate the relatively new religion to new heights, as far as ancient Rome and Egypt. He made Buddhism his state religion around 260 BC, and propagated it and preached it within his domain and worldwide from about 250 BC. Emperor Ashoka undoubtedly has to be credited with the first serious attempt to develop a Buddhist policy.

Ashokan Pillar at VaishaliProminent in this cause were his son Venerable Rahul and daughter Sanghamitra (whose name means "friend of the Sangha"), who established Buddhism in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He built thousands of Stupas and Viharas for Buddhist followers. The Stupas of Sanchi are world famous and the stupa named Sanchi Stupa was built by Emperor Ashoka. During the remaining portion of Ashoka's reign, he pursued an official policy of nonviolence (ahimsa). Even the unnecessary slaughter or mutilation of animals was immediately abolished. Everyone became protected by the king's law against sport hunting and branding. Limited hunting was permitted for consumption reasons but Ashoka also promoted the concept of vegetarianism. Ashoka also showed mercy to those imprisoned, allowing them leave for the outside a day of the year. He attempted to raise the professional ambition of the common man by building universities for study, and water transit and irrigation systems for trade and agriculture. He treated his subjects as equals regardless of their religion, politics and caste. The kingdoms surrounding his, so easily overthrown, were instead made to be well-respected allies.

He is acclaimed for constructing hospitals for animals and renovating major roads throughout India. After this transformation, Ashoka came to be known as Dhammashoka (Sanskrit), meaning Ashoka, the follower of Dharma. Ashoka defined the main principles of dharma (dhamma) as nonviolence, tolerance of all sects and opinions, obedience to parents, respect for the Brahmans and other religious teachers and priests, liberality towards friends, humane treatment of servants, and generosity towards all. These principles suggest a general ethic of behaviour to which no religious or social group could object.

Some critics say that Ashoka was afraid of more wars, but among his neighbors, including the Seleucid Empire and the Greco-Bactrian kingdom established by Diodotus I, none could match his strength. He was a contemporary of both Antiochus I Soter and his successor Antiochus II Theos of the Seleucid dynasty as well as Diodotus I and his son Diodotus II of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom. If his inscriptions and edicts are well studied one finds that he was familiar with the Hellenic world but never edicts, which talk of friendly relations, give the names of both Antiochus of the Seleucid empire and Ptolemy III of Egypt. The fame of the Mauryan empire was widespread from the time

that Ashoka's grandfather Chandragupta Maurya defeated Seleucus Nicator, the founder of the Seleucid Dynasty.

Stupa of Sanchi.The source of much of our knowledge of Ashoka is the many inscriptions he had carved on pillars and rocks throughout the empire. All his inscriptions have the imperial touch and show compassionate loving. He addressed his people as his "children". These inscriptions promoted Buddhist morality and encouraged nonviolence and adherence to Dharma (duty or proper behavior), and they talk of his fame and conquered lands as well as the neighboring kingdoms holding up his might. One also gets some primary information about the Kalinga War and Ashoka's allies plus some useful knowledge on the civil administration. The Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath is the most popular of the relics left by Ashoka. Made of sandstone, this pillar records the visit of the emperor to Sarnath, in the 3rd century BC. It has a four-lion capital (four lions standing back to back) which was adopted as the emblem of the modern Indian republic. The lion symbolizes both Ashoka's imperial rule and the kingship of the Buddha. In translating these monuments, historians learn the bulk of what is assumed to have been true fact of the Mauryan Empire. It is difficult to determine whether or not some actual events ever happened, but the stone etchings clearly depict how Ashoka wanted to be thought of and remembered.

Ashoka's own words as known from his Edicts are: "All men are my children. I am like a father to them. As every father desires the good and the happiness of his children, I wish that all men should be happy always." Edward D'Cruz interprets the Ashokan dharma as a "religion to be used as a symbol of a new imperial unity and a cementing force to weld the diverse and heterogeneous elements of the empire".

Also, in the Edicts, Ashoka mentions Hellenistic kings of the period as converts to Buddhism, although no Hellenic historical record of this event remain:

The conquest by Dharma has been won here, on the borders, and even six hundred yojanas (5,400–9,600 km) away, where the Greek king Antiochos rules, beyond there where the four kings named Ptolemy, Antigonos, Magas and Alexander rule, likewise in the south among the Cholas, the Pandyas, and as far as Tambaparni (Sri Lanka). —Edicts of Ashoka, Rock Edict 13 (S. Dhammika) Ashoka also claims that he encouraged the development of herbal medicine, for human and nonhuman animals, in their territories:

Everywhere within Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi's [Ashoka's] domain, and among the people beyond the borders, the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Satiyaputras, the Keralaputras, as far as Tamraparni and where the Greek king Antiochos rules, and among the kings who are neighbours of Antiochos, everywhere has Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, made provision for two types of medical treatment: medical treatment for humans and medical treatment for animals. Wherever medical herbs suitable for humans or animals are not available, I have had them imported and grown. Wherever medical roots or fruits are not available I have had them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dug and trees planted for the benefit of humans and animals. —Edicts of Ashoka, Rock Edict 2 The Greeks in India even seem to have played an active role in the propagation of Buddhism, as some of the emissaries of Ashoka, such as Dharmaraksita, are described in Pali sources as leading Greek (Yona) Buddhist monks, active in spreading Buddhism (the Mahavamsa, XII[7]).

[edit] Death and legacy The Junagadh rock contains inscriptions by Ashoka (fourteen of the Edicts of Ashoka), Rudradaman I and Skandagupta.Ashoka ruled for an estimated forty years. After his death, the Mauryan dynasty lasted just fifty more years. Ashoka had many wives and children, but many of their names are lost to time. Mahindra and Sanghamitra were twins born by his first wife, Devi, in the city of Ujjain. He had entrusted to them the job of making his state religion, Buddhism, more popular across the known and the unknown world. Mahindra and Sanghamitra went into Sri Lanka and converted the King, the Queen and their people to Buddhism. They were naturally not handling state affairs after him.

In his old age, he seems to have come under the spell of his youngest wife Tishyaraksha. It is said that she had got his son Kunala, the regent in Takshashila, blinded by a wily stratagem. The official executioners spared Kunala and he became a wandering singer accompanied by his favourite wife Kanchanmala. In Pataliputra, Ashoka hears Kunala's song, and realizes that Kunala's misfortune may have been a punishment for some past sin of the emperor

himself and condemns Tishyaraksha to death, restoring Kunala to the court. Kunala was succeeded by his son, Samprati, but his rule did not last long after Ashoka's death.

The reign of Ashoka Maurya could easily have disappeared into history as the ages passed by, and would have had he not left behind a record of his trials. The testimony of this wise king was discovered in the form of magnificently sculpted pillars and boulders with a variety of actions and teachings he wished to be published etched into the stone. What Ashoka left behind was the first written language in India since the ancient city of Harappa. The language used for inscription was the then current spoken form called Prakrit.

In the year 185 BC, about fifty years after Ashoka's death, the last Maurya ruler, Brhadrata, was assassinated by the commander-in-chief of the Mauryan armed forces, Pusyamitra Sunga, while he was taking the Guard of Honor of his forces. Pusyamitra Sunga founded the Sunga dynasty (185 BC-78 BC) and ruled just a fragmented part of the Mauryan Empire. Many of the northwestern territories of the Mauryan Empire (modern-day Afghanistan and Northern Pakistan) became the Indo-Greek Kingdom.

In 1992, Ashoka was ranked #53 on Michael H. Hart's list of the most influential figures in history. In 2001, a semi-fictionalized portrayal of Ashoka's life was produced as a motion picture under the title Asoka. King Ashoka, the third monarch of the Indian Mauryan dynasty, has come to be regarded as one of the most exemplary rulers in world history. The British historian H.G. Wells has written: "Amidst the tens of thousands of names of monarchs that crowd the columns of history, their majesties and graciousnesses and serenities and royal highnesses and the like, the name of Asoka shines, and shines, almost alone, a star."

[edit] Buddhist KingshipMain articles: History of Buddhism and History of Buddhism in India Further information: Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Buddhism in Burma One of the more enduring legacies of Ashoka Maurya was the model that he provided for the relationship between Buddhism and the state. Throughout Theravada Southeastern Asia, the model of ruler ship embodied by Ashoka replaced the notion of divine kingship that had previously dominated (in the Angkor kingdom, for instance). Under this model of 'Buddhist kingship', the king sought to legitimize his rule not through descent from a divine source, but by supporting and earning the approval of the Buddhist sangha. Following Ashoka's example, kings established monasteries, funded the construction of stupas, and supported the ordination of monks in their kingdom. Many rulers also took an active role in resolving disputes over the status and regulation of the sangha, as Ashoka had in calling a conclave to settle a number of contentious issues during his reign. This development ultimately lead to a close association in many Southeast Asian countries between the monarchy and the religious hierarchy, an association that can still be seen today in the state-supported Buddhism of Thailand and the traditional role of the Thai king as both a religious and secular leader. Ashoka also said that all his courtiers were true to their self and governed the people in a moral manner.

[edit] Historical sources[edit] Western sourcesAshoka was almost forgotten by the historians of the early British India, but James Prinsep contributed in the revelation of historical sources. Another important historian was British archaeologist John Hubert Marshall who was director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India. His main interests were Sanchi and Sarnath besides Harappa and Mohenjodaro. Sir Alexander Cunningham, a British archaeologist and army engineer and often known as the father of the Archaeological Survey of India, unveiled heritage sites like the Bharhut Stupa, Sarnath, Sanchi, and the Mahabodhi Temple; thus, his contribution is recognizable in realms of historical sources. Mortimer Wheeler, a British archaeologist, also exposed Ashokan historical sources, especially the Taxila.

[edit] Eastern sourcesMain articles: Edicts of Ashoka, Ashokavadana, Mahavamsa, and Dipavamsa

Bilingual inscription in (Greek and Aramaic) by king Ashoka, from Kandahar (Shar-i-kuna). Kabul Museum.Information about the life and reign of Ashoka primarily comes from a relatively small number of Buddhist sources. In particular, the Sanskrit Ashokavadana ('Story of Ashoka'), written in the 2nd century,

and the two Pali chronicles of Sri Lanka (the Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa) provide most of the currently known information about Ashoka. Additional information is contributed by the Edicts of Asoka, whose authorship was finally attributed to the Ashoka of Buddhist legend after the discovery of dynastic lists that gave the name used in the edicts (Priyadarsi – 'favored by the Gods') as a title or additional name of Ashoka Mauriya. Architectural remains of his period have been found at Kumhrar, Patna, which include an 80-pillar hypostyle hall.

Edicts of Ashoka -The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty during his reign from 272 to 231 BC. These inscriptions are dispersed throughout the areas of modern-day Pakistan and India, and represent the first tangible evidence of Buddhism. The edicts describe in detail the first wide expansion of Buddhism through the sponsorship of one of the most powerful kings of Indian history.It give more information about Ashoka's proselytism, Moral precepts, Religious precepts, Social and animal welfare .

Ashokavadana - The Ashokavadana is a 2nd century CE text related to the legend of the Maurya Emperor Ashoka. The legend was translated into Chinese by Fa Hien in 300 CE.

Mahavamsa -The Mahavamsa ("Great Chronicle") is a historical poem written in the Pali language, of the kings of Sri Lanka. It covers the period from the coming of King Vijaya of Kalinga (ancient Orissa) in 543 BC to the reign of King Mahasena (334–361).As it often refers to the royal dynasties of India, the Mahavamsa is also valuable for historians who wish to date and relate contemporary royal dynasties in the Indian subcontinent. It is very important in dating the consecration of the Maurya emperor Ashoka.

Dipavamsa -The Dipavamsa, or "Deepavamsa", (i.e., Chronicle of the Island, in Pali) is the oldest historical record of Sri Lanka. The chronicle is believe to be compiled from Atthakatha and other sources around the 3–4th century, King Dhatusena (4th century CE) had ordered that the Dipavamsa be recited at the Mahinda (son to Ashoka) festival held annually in Anuradhapura.

The use of Buddhist sources in reconstructing the life of Ashoka has had a strong influence on perceptions of Ashoka, as well as the interpretations of his edicts. Building on traditional accounts, early scholars regarded Ashoka as a primarily Buddhist monarch who underwent a conversion to Buddhism and was actively engaged in sponsoring and supporting the Buddhist monastic institution. Some scholars have tended to question this assessment. The only source of information not attributable to Buddhist sources are the Ashokan edicts, and these do not explicitly state that Ashoka was a Buddhist. In his edicts, Ashoka expresses support for all the major religions of his time: Buddhism, Brahmanism, Jainism, and Ajivikaism, and his edicts addressed to the population at large (there are some addressed specifically to Buddhists; this is not the case for the other religions) generally focus on moral themes members of all the religions would accept.

However, there is strong evidence in the edicts alone that he was a Buddhist. In one edict he belittles rituals, and he banned Vedic animal sacrifices; these strongly suggest that he at least did not look to the Vedic tradition for guidance. Furthermore, there are many edicts expressed to Buddhists alone; in one, Ashoka declares himself to be an "upasaka", and in another he demonstrates a close familiarity with Buddhist texts. He erected rock pillars at Buddhist holy sites, but did not do so for the sites of other religions. He also used the word "dhamma" to refer to qualities of the heart that underlie moral action; this was an exclusively Buddhist use of the word. Finally, the ideals he promotes correspond to the first three steps of the Buddha's graduated discourse.[8]

[edit] Contributions[edit] Global spread of BuddhismAshoka, now a Buddhist emperor, believed that Buddhism is beneficial for all human beings as well as animals and plants, so he built 84,000 stupas, Sangharama, viharas, Chaitya, and residences for Buddhist monks all over South Asia and Central Asia. He gave donations to viharas and mathas. He sent his only daughter Sanghamitta and son Mahindra to spread Buddhism in Sri Lanka (ancient name Tamraparni). Ashoka also sent many prominent Buddhist monks (bhikshus) Sthaviras like Madhyamik Sthavira to modern Kashmir and Afghanistan; Maharaskshit Sthavira to Syria, Persia / Iran, Egypt, Greece, Italy and Turkey; Massim Sthavira to Nepal, Bhutan, China and Mongolia; Sohn Uttar Sthavira to modern Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (old name Suvarnabhumi for Burma and Thailand), Thailand and Vietnam; Mahadhhamarakhhita stahvira to Maharashtra (old name Maharatthha); Maharakhhit Sthavira and Yavandhammarakhhita Sthavira to South India. Ashoka also

invited Buddhists and non-Buddhists for religious conferences. Ashoka inspired the Buddhist monks to compose the sacred religious texts, and also gave all types of help to that end. Ashoka also helped to develop viharas (intellectual hubs) such as Nalanda and Taxila. Ashoka helped to construct Sanchi and Mahabodhi Temple. Ashoka never tried to harm or to destroy non-Buddhist religions, and indeed gave donations to non-Buddhists. As his reign continued his even-handedness was replaced with special inclination towards Buddhism.[9] Ashoka helped and respected both Sramans (Buddhists monks) and Brahmins (Vedic monks). Ashoka also helped to organize the Third Buddhist council (c. 250 BC) at Pataliputra (today's Patna). It was conducted by the monk Moggaliputta-Tissa who

was the spiritual teacher of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.

[edit] As administrator Mauryan ringstone, with standing goddess. Northwest Pakistan. third century BC. British Museum.Ashoka's military power was so strong that he was able to crush those empires that went to war against him. Still, he was on friendly terms with kingdoms in the South like Cholas, Pandya, Keralputra, the post Alexandrian empire, Tamraparni, and Suvarnabhumi who were strong enough to remain outside his empire and continued to profess Hinduism. According to his edicts we know that he provided humanitarian help including doctors, hospitals, inns, wells, medical herbs and engineers to his neighboring countries. In neighboring countries, Ashoka helped humans as well as animals. Ashoka also planted trees in his empire and his neighboring countries. Ashoka was perhaps the first emperor in human history to ban slavery, hunting, fishing and deforestation. Ashoka also banned the death sentence and asked the same for the neighboring countries.[10] Ashoka commanded his people to serve the orders of their elders parents and religious monks (shramana and Brahmin). Ashoka also recommended his people study and respect all religions. According to Ashoka, to harm another's religion is a harm to one's own religion. Ashoka asserted his people to live with Dharmmacharana. Ashoka asked people to live with harmony, peace, love and tolerance. Ashoka called his people as his children, and they could call him when they need him. He also asked people to save money and not to spend for immoral causes. Ashoka also believed in dharmacharana (dhammacharana) and dharmavijaya (dhammavijaya). According to many European and Asian historians the age of Ashoka was the age of light and delightment. He was the first emperor in human history who has taught the lesson of unity, peace, equality and love. Ashoka's aim was not to expand the territories but the welfare of all of his subjects (sarvajansukhay). In his vast empire there was no evidence of recognizable mutiny or civil war. Ashoka was the true devotee of nonviolence, peace and love. This made him different from other emperors. Ashoka also helped Buddhism as well as religions like Jainism, Hinduism, Hellenic polytheism and Ajivikas. Ashoka was against any discrimination among humans. He helped students, the poor, orphans and the elderly with social, political and economic help. According to Ashoka, hatred gives birth to hatred and a feeling of love gives birth to love and mercy. According to him the happiness of people is the happiness of the ruler. His opinion was that the sword is not as powerful as love. Ashoka was also kind to prisoners, and respected animal life and tree life. Ashoka allowed females to be educated. He also permitted females to enter religious institutions. He allowed female Buddhist monastics such as Bhikkhuni. He combined in himself the complexity of a king and a simplicity of a buddhist monk. Because of these reasons he is known as the emperor of all ages and thus became a milestone in the History of the world.

The Ashoka Chakra, "the wheel of Righteousness" (Dharma in Sanskrit or Dhamma in Pali)"The Ashoka Chakra (the wheel of Ashoka) is a depiction of the Dharmachakra or Dhammachakka in Pali, the Wheel of Dharma (Sanskrit: Chakra means wheel). The wheel has 24 spokes. The Ashoka Chakra has been widely inscribed on many relics of the Mauryan Emperor, most prominent among which is the Lion Capital of Sarnath and The Ashoka Pillar. The most visible use of the Ashoka Chakra today is at the centre of the National flag of the Republic of India (adopted on 22 July 1947), where it is rendered in a Navy-blue color on a White background, by replacing the symbol of Charkha (Spinning wheel) of the pre-independence versions of the flag. Ashoka Chakra can also been seen on the base of Lion Capital of Ashoka which has been adopted as the National Emblem of India.

The Ashoka chakra was built by Ashoka during his reign. Chakra is a Sanskrit word which also means cycle or self repeating process. The process it signifies is the cycle of time as how the world changes with time.

A few days before India became independent on August 1947, the specially constituted Constituent Assembly decided that the flag of India must be acceptable to all parties and communities.[11] A flag with three colours, Saffron, White and Green with the Ashoka Chakra was selected.

Pillars of Ashoka (Ashokstambha)

The Asokan pillar at Lumbini, NepalThe pillars of Ashoka are a series of columns dispersed throughout the northern Indian subcontinent, and erected by Ashoka during his reign in the 3rd century BC. Originally, there must have been many pillars of Ashoka although only ten with inscriptions still survive. Averaging between forty and fifty feet in height, and weighing up to fifty tons each, all the pillars were quarried at Chunar, just south of Varanasi and dragged, sometimes hundreds of miles, to where they were erected. The first Pillar of Ashoka was found in the 16th century by Thomas Coryat in the ruins of ancient Delhi.

Child of Ashoka Vardhana and Queen Padmayati is:

12399723734819764568468 i. King of Kashmir and Gandhara Kunala

24799447508635717992448. Conla Caomh He was the son of 49598895017271435984896. Iaran Gleofathach.

Notes for Conla Caomh: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Connla Cáem ("the beautiful"), also known as Connla Cruaidchelgach ("bloody blade"), son of Irereo, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to power after he killed his predecessor, and his father's killer, Fer Corb, and ruled for four (or twenty) years, until he died in Tara, and was succeeded by his son Ailill Caisfiaclach. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of Ptolemy IV Philopator of Egypt (221-205 BC).[1] The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 319-315 BC,[2] the Annals of the Four Masters to 463-443 BC.[3]

Child of Conla Caomh is:

12399723754317858996224 i. Olioll Cas-fiachlach

Generation No. 76

49598879164870275629056. Antenor III He was the son of 99197758329740551258112. Clodius I.

Child of Antenor III is:

24799439582435137814528 i. Clodomir II

49598879164870275638752. Lucius Julius He was the son of 99197758329740551277504. Numerius Julius.

Child of Lucius Julius is:

24799439582435137819376 i. Sextus Julius

49598879164870275640320. Antonious of Cornwall He was the son of 99197758329740551280640. Seisyll of Britain.

Child of Antonious of Cornwall is:

24799439582435137820160 i. Aedd Mawr of Cornwall

49598879164870275640384. Joseph ben Matthias He was the son of 99197758329740551280768. Matthias ben Amos.

Child of Joseph ben Matthias is:

24799439582435137820192 i. Jana ben Joseph

49598894939279058273872. Bindusa (Amitrochates), King of Maurya Empire He was the son of 99197789878558116547744. King of Maurya Empire Chandragupta and 99197789878558116547745. Princess of Magadha Nandini. He married 49598894939279058273873. Subhadrangi (Dharma), Queen of Maurya Empire.

49598894939279058273873. Subhadrangi (Dharma), Queen of Maurya Empire

Notes for Bindusa (Amitrochates), King of Maurya Empire:

[Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor (c. 320 BC – 272 BC, ruled. 298 BC – c. 272 BC) after Chandragupta Maurya the Great. During his reign, the empire expanded southwards. He had two well-known sons, Susima and Ashoka, who were the viceroys of Taxila and Ujjain. The Greeks called him Amitrochates or Allitrochades - the Greek transliteration for the Sanskrit word 'Amitraghata' (Slayer of enemies). He was also called 'Ajatashatru' (Man with no enemies) in Sanskrit.[2]

Bindusara was the son of the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta and his queen Durdhara. According to a legend mentioned in the Jain texts, Chandragupta's Guru and advisor Chanakya used to feed the emperor with small doses of poison to build his immunity against possible poisoning attempts by the enemies.[3] One day, Chandragupta not knowing about poison, shared his food with his pregnant wife queen Durdhara who was 7 days away from delivery. The queen not immune to the poison collapsed and died within few minutes. Chanakya entered the room the very time she collapsed, and in order to save the child in the womb, he immediately cut open the dead queen's belly and took the baby out, by that time a drop of poison had already reached the baby and touched its head due to which child got a permanent blueish spot (a "bindu") on his forehead. Thus, the newborn was named "Bindusara".[4]

Bindusara inherited a large empire that consisted of what is now, Northern, Central and Eastern parts of India along with parts of Afghanistan and Baluchistan. Bindusara extended this empire to the southern part of India, as far as what is now known as Karnataka. He brought sixteen states under the Mauryan Empire and thus conquered almost all of the Indian peninsula (he is said to have conquered the 'land between the two seas' - the peninsular region between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea). Bindusara didn't conquer the friendly Dravidian kingdoms of the Cholas, Pandyas, and Cheras. Apart from these southern states, Kalinga (the modern Orissa) was the only kingdom in India that didn't form the part of Bindusara's empire. It was later conquered by his son Ashoka, who served as the viceroy of Ujjaini during his father's reign.

Bindusara's life has not been documented as well as that of his father Chandragupta or of his son Ashoka. Chanakya continued to serve as prime minister during his reign. During his rule, the citizens of Taxila revolted twice. The reason for the first revolt was the maladministration of Suseema, his eldest son. The reason for the second revolt is unknown, but Bindusara could not suppress it in his lifetime. It was crushed by Ashoka after Bindusara's death.

Ambassadors from Seleucid Empire (such as Deimachus) and Egypt visited his courts. He maintained good relations with the Hellenic World. Unlike his father Chandragupta (who was a Jain), he believed in the Ajivika (an ancient Indian sect that preached equality for all people).

Bindusara died in 273 BC (some records say 268 BC) and was succeeded by his son Ashoka the Great.

Bindusara extended his empire further as far as south Mysore. He conquered sixteen states and extended the empire from sea to sea. The empire included the whole of India except the region of Kalinga (modern Orissa) and the Dravidian kingdoms of the south. Kalinga was conquered by Bindusara's son Ashoka.

Early Tamil poets speak of Mauryan chariots thundering across the land, their white pennants brilliant in the sunshine. Bindusara campaigned in the Deccan, extending the Mauryan empire in the peninsula to as far as Mysore. He is said to have conquered 'the land between the two seas', presumably the Arabian sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Administration during Bindusara's Reign Bindusara maintained good relations with Seleucus Nicator and the emperors regularly exchanged ambassadors and presents. He also maintained the friendly relations with the Hellenic West established by his father. Ambassadors from Syria and Egypt lived at Bindusara's court. He preferred the Ajivika philosophy rather than Jainism.

Apparently he was a man of wide interest and taste, since tradition had it that he asked Antiochus I to send him some sweet wine, dried figs and a sophist:

― But dried figs were so very much sought after by all men (for really, as Aristophanes says, There's really nothing nicer than dried figs), that even Amitrochates, the king of the Indians, wrote to Antiochus, entreating him (it is Hegesander from Delphi who tells this story) to buy and send him some sweet wine, and some dried figs, and a

sophist; and that Antiochus wrote to him in answer, The dry figs and the sweet wine we will send you; but it is not lawful for a sophist to be sold in Greece Athenaeus, "Deipnosophistae" XIV.67 [5] ‖

References 1.^ Sailendra Nath Sen (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. p. 142. ISBN 9788122411980. 2.^ :"Both of these men (Megasthenes and Deimachus) were sent ambassadors to Palimbothra (Pataliputra): Megasthenes to Sandrocottus, Deimachus to Allitrochades his son" (Strabo II,I, 9).He had a big family. Strabo II,I, 9 3.^ Wilhelm Geiger (1908). The Dipava?sa and Mahava?sa and their historical development in Ceylon. H. C. Cottle, Government Printer, Ceylon. p. 40. OCLC 559688590. 4.^ M. Srinivasachariar (1989). History of classical Sanskrit literature (3 ed.). Motilal Banarsidass. p. 550. ISBN 9788120802841. 5.^ Athenaeus, "Deipnosophistae" XIV.67

Child of Bindusa (Amitrochates) and Subhadrangi (Dharma) is:

24799447469639529136936 i. Ashoka Vardhana, King of Maurya Empire, married Queen of Maurya Empire Padmayati

49598895017271435984896. Iaran Gleofathach He was the son of 99197790034542871969792. Melg Molbhthach.

Notes for Iaran Gleofathach: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Irereo Fáthach ("the wise"),[1] son of Meilge Molbthach, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing his predecessor, Óengus Ollom, and ruled for seven or ten years, until he was killed in Ulster by Fer Corb, son of Mug Corb. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of Ptolemy III Euergetes of Egypt (246-222 BC).[2] The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 337-330 BC,[3] the Annals of the Four Masters to 481-474 BC.[4]

Child of Iaran Gleofathach is:

24799447508635717992448 i. Conla Caomh

Generation No. 77

99197758329740551258112. Clodius I He was the son of 198395516659481102516224. Marcomir II.

Child of Clodius I is:

49598879164870275629056 i. Antenor III

99197758329740551277504. Numerius Julius

Child of Numerius Julius is:

49598879164870275638752 i. Lucius Julius

99197758329740551280640. Seisyll of Britain He was the son of 198395516659481102561280. Gwrwst Gorwst.

Child of Seisyll of Britain is:

49598879164870275640320 i. Antonious of Cornwall

99197758329740551280768. Matthias ben Amos He was the son of 198395516659481102561536. Amos

ben Naum.

Child of Matthias ben Amos is:

49598879164870275640384 i. Joseph ben Matthias

99197789878558116547744. King of Maurya Empire Chandragupta He was the son of 198395579757116233095488. MauryaV, of Magadha. He married 99197789878558116547745. Princess of Magadha Nandini.

99197789878558116547745. Princess of Magadha Nandini She was the daughter of 198395579757116233095490. King of Magadha Dhananda.

Notes for King of Maurya Empire Chandragupta: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Chandragupta Maurya (Sanskrit: ??????????? ????? Hindi: ??????????? ?????), (born c. 340 BCE, ruled c. 320 BCE,[2] – 298 BCE[3]) was the founder of the Maurya Empire. Chandragupta succeeded in conquering most of the Indian subcontinent. Chandragupta is considered the first unifier of India and its first genuine emperor.[4] As per Buddhist Texts and Inscriptions Chandragupta Maurya claimed origin from Sakya race of Kshatriyas.[citation needed] In foreign Greek and Latin accounts, Chandragupta is known as Sandrokyptos (Sa?d????pt??), Sandrokottos (Sa?d????tt??) or Androcottus.[5]

Prior to Chandragupta's consolidation of power, small regional kingdoms dominated the northwestern subcontinent, while the Nanda Dynasty dominated the middle and lower basin of the Ganges.[6] After Chandragupta's conquests, the Maurya Empire extended from Bengal and Assam[7] in the east, to Afghanistan and Balochistan in the west, to Kashmir and Nepal[8] in the north, and to the Deccan Plateau in the south.[9]

His achievements, which ranged from conquering Macedonian satrapies in the northwest and conquering the Nanda Empire by the time he was only about 20 years old, to achieving an alliance with Seleucus I Nicator and establishing centralized rule throughout South Asia, remain some of the most celebrated in the history of India. Over two thousand years later, the accomplishments of Chandragupta and his successors, including Ashoka the Great, are objects of great study in the annals of South Asian and world history

Many Indian literary traditions connect him with the Nanda Dynasty of Magadha in modern day Bihar in eastern India. More than half a millennium later, the Sanskrit drama Mudrarakshasa not only calls him Mauryaputra (Act II) but also a Nandanvaya (Act IV). Again more than a millennium later, Dhundiraja, a commentator of 18th century on Mudrarakshasa states that Chandragupta was son of Maurya who in turn, was son of the Nanda king Sarvarthasiddhi by a wife named Mura, daughter of a Vrishala (shudra). Mudrarakshasa uses terms like kula-hina and Vrishala for Chandragupta's lineage. This reinforces Justin's contention that Chandragupta had a humble origin.[10][11] On the other hand, the same play describes the Nandas as of Prathita-kula i.e. illustrious lineage. The medieval commentator on the Vishnu Purana informs us that Chandragupta was son of a Nanda prince and a dasi (English: maid), Mura. The poets Kshmendra and Somadeva call him Purvananda-suta, son of genuine Nanda as opposed to Yoga-Nanda i.e. pseudo Nanda.

The Buddhist text of the Mahavamsa calls Chandragupta a section of the Khattya (Kshatriya) clan named Moriya (Maurya). Divyavadana calls Bindusara, son of Chandragupta, an anointed Kshatriya, Kshatriya Murdhabhishikata, and in the same work, king Ashoka, son of Bindusara, is also styled a Kshatriya. The Mahaparinnibhana Sutta of the Buddhist canon states that the Moriyas (Mauryas) belonged to the Kshatriya community of Pippalivana. These traditions, at least, indicate that Chandragupta has come from a Kshatriya lineage. The Mahavamshatika connects him with the Sakya clan of the Buddha, a clan which also belongs to the race of Aditya i.e. solar race by all the vedas and Hindu puranas. See the page

shakya for more details. All the puranas and vedas together proved shakya clan as a branch of ikshwaku vamsha or surya vamsha. All the buddhist texts shows the genealogy of shakya kings of suryavamsha.

Ashok Maurya's inscription claiming to be 'Buddhi Sakya' further proves the Mauryas to be an offshoot of the Shakyas to whom 'Sakyamuni' Siddhartha Buddha belonged.

A medieval inscription represents the Maurya clan as belonging to the solar race of Kshatriyas. It is stated that the Maurya line sprang from Suryavamsi Mandhatri, son of prince Yuvanashva of the solar race .

― The first statue installed in the courtyard opposite Gate No. 5 of Parliament House, is of the great Indian Emperor Chandragupta Maurya It is inscribed on it that "Shepherd Boy Chandragupta Maurya dreaming of the India he was to create".

Historically, founder of the Mauryan dynasty Chandragupta Maurya was a (Shepherd) boy who with the help of the Brahmin Chanakya revolted against the atrocities of the Nanda kings and established the Mauryan Empire.

Very little is known about Chandragupta's youth. what is known about his youth is gathered from later classical Sanskrit literature, as well as classical Greek and Latin sources which refer to Chandragupta by the names "Sandracottos" or "Andracottus". He was paragon for later rulers.

Plutarch reports that he met with Alexander the Great, probably around Takshasila in the northwest, and that he viewed the ruling Nanda Empire in a negative light:

― "Androcottus, when he was a stripling, saw Alexander himself, and we are told that he often said in later times that Alexander narrowly missed making himself master of the country, since its king was hated and despised on account of his baseness and low birth." ‖ —Plutarch, Parallel Lives: Life of Alexander 62.9

According to this text, the encounter would have happened around 326 BCE, suggesting a birth date for Chandragupta around 340 BCE.

Junianus Justinus (Justin) describes the humble origins of Chandragupta, and explains how he later led a popular uprising against the Nanda king.

Chandragupta Maurya, with the help of Chanakya, defeated the Magadha kings and the bulk army of Chandravanshi clan. Following his victory, defeated generals of Alexander settled in Gandhara (Kamboja kingdom of Aryan Mahajanpad), today's Afghanistan. At the time of Alexander's invasion, Chanakya was a teacher at Takshasila University. The king of Takshasila and Gandhara, Ambhi (also known as Taxiles), made signed a peace treaty with Alexander. Chanakya, however, planned to defeat the foreign invasion and sought help from other kings to unite and fight Alexander. Porus (Parvateshwar), a king of Punjab, was the only local king who was able to challenge Alexander at the Battle of the Hydaspes River, but was defeated.

Chanakya then went to Magadha further east, to seek the help of Dhana Nanda, who ruled a vast Nanda Empire which extended from Bihar and Bengal in the east to Punjab and Sindh in the west,[12] but he was denied any such help. After this incident, Chanakya started to convince his disciple Chandragupta of the need to build an empire that could protect Indian territories from foreign invasion.

[edit] ChanakyaMain article: Chanakya Chandragupta's teacher and later his prime minister[13] Chanakya, who is also known as Kautilya and was the author of the Arthashastra, is regarded as the architect of Chandragupta's early rise to power. Chandragupta Maurya, with the help of Chanakya, began laying the foundation of the Maurya Empire. In all forms of the Chanakya legend,[14] he is thrown out of the Nanda court by the king, whereupon he swears revenge. While in Magadha, Chanakya by chance met Chandragupta in whom he spotted great military and executive abilities. Chanakya was impressed by the prince's personality and intelligence, and immediately took the young boy under his wing to fulfill his silent vow.

[edit] Nanda army The Nanda Empire at its greatest extent under Dhana Nanda circa 323 BCE.Main article: Nanda Dynasty According to Plutarch, at the time of Alexander's Battle of the Hydaspes River, the size of the Nanda Empire's army further east numbered 200,000 infantry, 80,000 cavalry, 8,000 chariots,

and 6,000 war elephants, which was discouraging for Alexander's men and stayed their further progress into India:

― "As for the Macedonians, however, their struggle with Porus blunted their courage and stayed their further advance into India. For having had all they could do to repulse an enemy who mustered only twenty thousand infantry and two thousand horse, they violently opposed Alexander when he insisted on crossing the river Ganges also, the width of which, as they learned, was •thirty-two furlongs, its depth •a hundred fathoms, while its banks on the further side were covered with multitudes of men-at-arms and horsemen and elephants. For they were told that the kings of the Ganderites and Praesii were awaiting them with eighty thousand horsemen, two hundred thousand footmen, eight thousand chariots, and six thousand fighting elephants. And there was no boasting in these reports. For Androcottus, who reigned there not long afterwards, made a present to Seleucus of five hundred elephants, and with an army of six hundred thousand men overran and subdued all India." ‖ —Plutarch, Parallel Lives, "Life of Alexander" 62.1-4

In order to defeat the powerful Nanda army, Chandragupta needed to raise a formidable army of his own.[12]

[edit] Conquest of the Nanda EmpireFurther information: Nanda Dynasty Main article: Nanda War

Chandragupta's empire when he founded it c. 320 BCE, by the time he was about 20 years old.Chanakya had trained Chandragupta under his guidance and together they planned the destruction of Dhana Nanda. The Mudrarakshasa of Visakhadutta as well as the Jaina work Parisishtaparvan talk of Chandragupta's alliance with the Himalayan king Parvatka, sometimes identified with Porus.[15]

It is noted in the Chandraguptakatha that the protagonist and Chanakya were initially rebuffed by the Nanda forces. Regardless, in the ensuing war, Chandragupta faced off against Bhadrasala – commander of Dhana Nanda's armies. He was eventually able to defeat Bhadrasala and Dhana Nanda in a series of battles, ending with the siege of the capital city Pataliputra[12] and the conquest of the Nanda Empire around 321 BCE,[12] thus founding the powerful Maurya Empire in Northern India by the time he was about 20 years old.

[edit] Conquest of Macedonian territories in India Chandragupta had defeated the remaining Macedonian satrapies in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent by 317 BCE.After Alexander's death in 323 BCE, Chandragupta, turned his attention to Northwestern India (modern Pakistan), where he defeated the satrapies (described as "prefects" in classical Western sources) left in place by Alexander (according to Justin), and may have assassinated two of his governors, Nicanor and Philip.[disambiguation needed][4][12] The satrapies he fought may have included Eudemus, ruler in western Punjab until his departure in 317 BCE; and Peithon, son of Agenor, ruler of the Greek colonies along the Indus until his departure for Babylon in 316 BCE. The Roman historian Justin described how Sandrocottus (Greek version of Chandragupta's name) conquered the northwest:

― "Some time after, as he was going to war with the generals of Alexander, a wild elephant of great bulk presented itself before him of its own accord, and, as if tamed down to gentleness, took him on its back, and became his guide in the war, and conspicuous in fields of battle. Sandrocottus, having thus acquired a throne, was in possession of India, when Seleucus was laying the foundations of his future greatness; who, after making a league with him, and settling his affairs in the east, proceeded to join in the war against Antigonus. As soon as the forces, therefore, of all the confederates were united, a battle was fought, in which Antigonus was slain, and his son Demetrius put to flight. " ‖ —Junianus Justinus, Historiarum Philippicarum libri XLIV, XV.4.19

[edit] ExpansionBy the time he was only about 20 years old, Chandragupta, who had succeeded in defeating the Macedonian satrapies in India and conquering the Nanda Empire, had founded a vast empire that extended from the Bay of Bengal in the east, to the Indus River in the west, which he would further expand in later years.

[edit] Conquest of Seleucus' eastern territories Silver coin of Seleucus I Nicator, who fought Chandragupta Maurya, and later made an alliance with him. Chandragupta extended the borders of his empire towards Seleucid Persia after his conflict with Seleucus c. 305

BCE.Seleucus I Nicator, a Macedonian satrap of Alexander, reconquered most of Alexander's former empire and put under his own authority eastern territories as far as Bactria and the Indus (Appian, History of Rome, The Syrian Wars 55), until in 305 BCE he entered in a confrontation with Chandragupta:

― "Always lying in wait for the neighboring nations, strong in arms and persuasive in council, he acquired Mesopotamia, Armenia, 'Seleucid' Cappadocia, Persis, Parthia, Bactria, Arabia, Tapouria, Sogdia, Arachosia, Hyrcania, and other adjacent peoples that had been subdued by Alexander, as far as the river Indus, so that the boundaries of his empire were the most extensive in Asia after that of Alexander. The whole region from Phrygia to the Indus was subject to Seleucus. He crossed the Indus and waged war with Sandrocottus [Maurya], king of the Indians, who dwelt on the banks of that stream, until they came to an understanding with each other and contracted a marriage relationship. Some of these exploits were performed before the death of Antigonus and some afterward." ‖ —Appian, History of Rome, The Syrian Wars 55

The exact details of engagement are not known. As noted by scholars such as R. C. Majumdar[16] and D. D. Kosambi, Seleucus appears to have fared poorly, having ceded large territories west of the Indus to Chandragupta. Due to his defeat, Seleucus surrendered Arachosia, Gedrosia, Paropamisadae, and Aria.

Mainstream scholarship asserts that Chandragupta received vast territory west of the Indus, including the Hindu Kush, modern day Afghanistan, and the Balochistan province of Pakistan.[17][18] Archaeologically, concrete indications of Mauryan rule, such as the inscriptions of the Edicts of Ashoka, are known as far as Kandhahar in southern Afghanistan.

It is generally thought that Chandragupta married Seleucus's daughter, or a Greek Macedonian princess, a gift from Seleucus to formalize an alliance. In a return gesture, Chandragupta sent 500 war-elephants,[16][19][20][21][22][23] a military asset which would play a decisive role at the Battle of Ipsus in 302 BCE. In addition to this treaty, Seleucus dispatched an ambassador, Megasthenes, to Chandragupta, and later Deimakos to his son Bindusara, at the Mauryan court at Pataliputra (modern Patna in Bihar state). Later Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt and contemporary of Ashoka the Great, is also recorded by Pliny the Elder as having sent an ambassador named Dionysius to the Mauryan court.[24]

Classical sources have also recorded that following their treaty, Chandragupta and Seleucus exchanged presents, such as when Chandragupta sent various aphrodisiacs to Seleucus:

― "And Theophrastus says that some contrivances are of wondrous efficacy in such matters [as to make people more amorous]. And Phylarchus confirms him, by reference to some of the presents which Sandrakottus, the king of the Indians, sent to Seleucus; which were to act like charms in producing a wonderful degree of affection, while some, on the contrary, were to banish love."

After annexing Seleucus' eastern Persian provinces, Chandragupta had a vast empire extending across the northern parts of Indian Sub-continent, from the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea. Chandragupta then began expanding his empire further south beyond the barrier of the Vindhya Range and into the Deccan Plateau except Tamil Country,Kalinga(modern day Orissa).[12] By the time his conquests were complete, Chandragupta succeeded in unifying most of Southern Asia. Megasthenes later recorded the size of Chandragupta's acquired army as 400,000 soldiers, according to Strabo:

― "Megasthenes was in the camp of Sandrocottus, which consisted of 400,000 men" ‖ —Strabo, Geographica, 15.1.53

On the other hand, Pliny, who also drew from Megasthenes' work, gives even larger numbers of 600,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 war elephants:

― "But the Prasii surpass in power and glory every other people, not only in this quarter, but one may say in all India, their capital Palibothra, a very large and wealthy city, after which some call the people itself

the Palibothri,--nay even the whole tract along the Ganges. Their king has in his pay a standing army of 600,000-foot-soldiers, 30,000

cavalry, and 9,000 elephants: whence may be formed some conjecture as to the vastness of his resources." ‖ —Pliny, Natural History VI, 22.4

[edit] JainismChandragupta gave up his throne towards the end of his life and became an ascetic under the Jain saint Bhadrabahu, migrating south with them and ending his days in sallekhana at Shravanabelagola, in present day Karnataka; though fifth-century inscriptions in the area support the concept of a larger southern migration around that time.[25] A small temple marks the cave (Bhadrabahu Cave) where he is said to have died by fasting.

There are two hills in Shravanabelagola, Chandragiri (Chikkabetta) and Vindyagiri. The last shruta-kevali, Bhadrabahu Swami, and his pupil, Chandragupta Maurya (formerly the King), are believed to have meditated here. Chandragupta Basadi, which was dedicated to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, was originally built there by Emperor Ashoka in the third century BC.

[edit] SuccessorsMain article: Maurya Empire Chandragupta Maurya renounced his throne to his son, Bindusara, who became the new Mauryan Emperor. Bindusara's son Ashoka the Great, became one of the most influential kings in India's history due to his important role in the history of Buddhism. Ashoka the Great after witnessing the results of his wars, became a devoted Buddhist and a man of peace.

[edit] In popular cultureKautilya's role in the formation of the Mauryan Empire is the essence of a historical/spiritual novel The Courtesan and the Sadhu by Dr. Mysore N. Prakash.[26]

In Santosh Sivan's 2001 epic Hindi language film Asoka, the last moments of Chandra Gupta Maurya as an emperor is portrayed. Also the sword of Chandra Gupta Maurya plays an important role in the film. The film opens with an old and tired Chandragupta Maurya giving away all his material possessions and taking the life of a Jain saint. His favorite grandson, prince Asoka, claims his grandfather's sword. Chandra Gupta Maurya explains that the sword is in fact a demon that, whenever unsheathed, craves blood without regard to friend or foe. He throws away the sword but the young prince Asoka reclaims and unsheathes it whereupon it accidentally slashes his dear birds on a tree. At one point, Emperor Asoka mentions that he "want to be a greater emperor than Chandra Gupta Maurya". The film ends with Emperor Asoka throwing the sword at the same spot his grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya, had thrown it and embracing Buddhism. Emperor Asoka understands that his grandfather's advice about the sword was right.

Television series Chanakya is archetypal account of the life and times of Chanakya, based on the play "Mudra Rakshasa" (The Signet Ring of "Rakshasa") A Television series on Imagine TV available as "Chandragupta Maurya" (The serial is based on the life of Indian ruler "Chandragupta Maurya" and "Chanakya")[27]

Child of King Chandragupta and Princess Nandini is:

49598894939279058273872 i. Bindusa (Amitrochates), King of Maurya Empire, married Subhadrangi (Dharma), Queen

of Maurya Empire

99197790034542871969792. Melg Molbhthach He was the son of 198395580069085743939584. Colethach Caol-bhreagh.

Notes for Melg Molbhthach: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Meilge Molbthach ("the praiseworthy"),[1] son of Cobthach Cóel Breg, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing his predecessor, and his father's killer,

Labraid Loingsech. He ruled for seven or seventeen years, until he was killed by Mug Corb, grandson of Rechtaid Rígderg, in Munster. It is said that when his grave was dug, a lake burst over the land, which was called Loch Meilge after him. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of Ptolemy III Euergetes of Egypt (246-222 BC).[2] The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 369-362 BC,[3] the Annals of the Four Masters to 523-506 BC.[4]

Child of Melg Molbhthach is:

49598895017271435984896 i. Iaran Gleofathach

Generation No. 78

198395516659481102516224. Marcomir II He was the son of 396791033318962205032448. Nicanor I and 396791033318962205032449. Princess of Britain.

Child of Marcomir II is:

99197758329740551258112 i. Clodius I

198395516659481102561280. Gwrwst Gorwst He was the son of 396791033318962205122560. Rhiwallon of Britain.

Child of Gwrwst Gorwst is:

99197758329740551280640 i. Seisyll of Britain

198395516659481102561536. Amos ben Naum He was the son of 396791033318962205123072. Naum ben Esli.

Child of Amos ben Naum is:

99197758329740551280768 i. Matthias ben Amos

198395579757116233095488. MauryaV, of Magadha He was the son of 396791159514232466190976. Maurya IV of Taxila.

Child of MauryaV, of Magadha is:

99197789878558116547744 i. King of Maurya Empire Chandragupta, married Princess of Magadha Nandini

198395579757116233095490. King of Magadha Dhananda

Child of King of Magadha Dhananda is:

99197789878558116547745 i. Princess of Magadha Nandini, married King of Maurya Empire Chandragupta

198395580069085743939584. Colethach Caol-bhreagh He was the son of 396791160138171487879168. Ugaine Mór.

Notes for Colethach Caol-bhreagh: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Cobthach Cóel Breg, son of Úgaine Mor, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after murdering his brother Lóegaire Lorc.[1] The story is told that he was so consumed with jealousy for his brother that he wasted away to almost nothing, from which he gained his epithet Cóel Breg, the "meagre of Brega". Acting on advice from a druid, he sent word to that he was ill, so that Lóegaire would visit him. When he arrived, he pretended to be dead. As he lay on his bier, Lóegaire prostrated himself over his body in grief, and Cobthach stabbed him with a dagger. He paid someone to poison Lóegaire's son, Ailill Áine,

and forced Ailill's son Labraid to eat part of his father's and grandfather's hearts, and a mouse, and forced him into exile – according to one version, because it had been said that Labraid was the most hospitable man in Ireland.[2] Cobthach later made peace with Labraid, now known by the epithet Loingsech, "the exile", and gave him the province of Leinster, but relations broke down again and war broke out between them, and Labraid burned Cobthach and his followers to death in an iron house at Dind Ríg. He had ruled for either fifty or thirty years. The Lebor Gabála gives fifty, and dates his death to Christmas Eve, 307 BC. It also synchronises his reign with that of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (281-246 BC). The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 409-379 BC,[3] that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 592-542 BC.[4]

Child of Colethach Caol-bhreagh is:

99197790034542871969792 i. Melg Molbhthach

Generation No. 79

396791033318962205032448. Nicanor I He was the son of 793582066637924410064896. Clodimir I. He married 396791033318962205032449. Princess of Britain.

396791033318962205032449. Princess of Britain

Child of Nicanor and Princess Britain is:

198395516659481102516224 i. Marcomir II

396791033318962205122560. Rhiwallon of Britain He was the son of 793582066637924410245120. Cunneda Kennedha of Cambria.

Child of Rhiwallon of Britain is:

198395516659481102561280 i. Gwrwst Gorwst

396791033318962205123072. Naum ben Esli He was the son of 793582066637924410246144. Esli ben Nagge.

Child of Naum ben Esli is:

198395516659481102561536 i. Amos ben Naum

396791159514232466190976. Maurya IV of Taxila He was the son of 793582319028464932381952. Maurya III of Taxila.

Child of Maurya IV of Taxila is:

198395579757116233095488 i. MauryaV, of Magadha

396791160138171487879168. Ugaine Mór He was the son of 793582320276342975758336. Eochaidh Buadhach.

Notes for Ugaine Mór: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Ugaine Mór: his son. This Ugaine (or Hugony) the Great was the 66th Monarch of Ireland. Was called Mór on account of his extensive dominions, - being sovereign of all the Islands of Western Europe. Was married to Cæsair, dau. to the King of France, and by her had issue - twenty-two sons and three daughters. In order to prevent these children encroaching on each other he divided the Kingdom into twenty-five portions, allotting to each his (or her) distinct inheritance. By means of this division the taxes of the country were collected during the succeeding 300 years. All the sons died without issue except two, viz: - Laeghaire Lorc, ancestor of all the Leinster Heremonians; and Cobthach Caolbhreagh, from whom the Heremonians of Leath Cuinn, viz., Meath, Ulster, and Conacht derive

their pedigree. Ugaine Mór: In the early ages the Irish Kings made many military expeditions into foreign countries. Ugaine Mór, called by O'Flaherty, in his Ogygia, "Hugonius Magnus," was contemporary with Alexander the Great; and is stated to have sailed with a fleet into the Mediterranean, landed his forces in Africa, and also attacked Sicily; and having proceeded to Gaul, was married to Cæsair, daughter of the King of the Gauls. Hugonius was buried at Cruachan. The Irish sent, during the Punic wars, auxiliary troops to their Celtic Brethren, the Gauls; who in their alliance with the Carthaginians under Hannibal, fought against the Roman armies in Spain and Italy. Ugaine was at length, B.C. 593, slain by Badhbhchadh, who failed to secure the fruits of his murder - the Irish Throne, as he was executed by order of Laeghaire Lorc, the murdered Monarch's son, who became the 68th Monarch.

Úgaine Mór (Hugony, "the great"), son of Eochu Buadach, son of Dui Ladrach, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He was the foster-son of Cimbáeth and Macha Mong Ruad, and took power by killing his predecessor, and his foster-mother's killer, Rechtaid Rígderg. The Lebor Gabála Érenn says that, as well as Ireland, he ruled "Alba to the Sea of Wight" – i.e. the whole of the island of Britain – and that "some say" he ruled all of Europe. He married Cessair Chrothach, daughter of the king of the Gauls, who bore him twenty-two sons and three daughters. He is said to have divided Ireland into twenty-five shares, one for each of his children, which stood for three hundred years, until the establishment of the provinces under Eochu Feidlech. He ruled for thirty or forty years, until he was killed by his brother Bodbchad. According to the Lebor Gabála[1] he was succeeded directly by his son Lóegaire Lorc, although the Annals of the Four Masters[2] and Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn[3] say Bodbchad was king for a day and a half until Lóegaire killed him. The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign to that of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (281-246 BC). The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 441-411 BC, the Annals of the Four Masters to 634-594 BC. His Son Was Cobthach Cóel Breg

References 1.^ R. A. Stewart Macalister (ed. & trans.), Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland Part V, Irish Texts Society, 1956, p. 267-275 2.^ Annals of the Four Masters M4566-4606 3.^ Geoffrey Keating, Foras Feasa ar Éirinn 1.28-1.29

Child of Ugaine Mór is:

198395580069085743939584 i. Colethach Caol-bhreagh

Generation No. 80

793582066637924410064896. Clodimir I He was the son of 1587164133275848820129792. Bassanus Magnus.

Child of Clodimir I is:

396791033318962205032448 i. Nicanor I, married Princess of Britain

793582066637924410245120. Cunneda Kennedha of Cambria He was the son of 1587164133275848820490240. Henwyn Henwin of Cambria and 1587164133275848820490241. Rhagaw Ferch Llyr.

Child of Cunneda Kennedha of Cambria is:

396791033318962205122560 i. Rhiwallon of Britain

793582066637924410246144. Esli ben Nagge He was the son of 1587164133275848820492288. Nagge ben Maath.

Child of Esli ben Nagge is:

396791033318962205123072 i. Naum ben Esli

793582319028464932381952. Maurya III of Taxila He was the son of 1587164638056929864763904. Maurya II of Taxila.

Child of Maurya III of Taxila is:

396791159514232466190976 i. Maurya IV of Taxila

793582320276342975758336. Eochaidh Buadhach He was the son of 1587164640552685951516672. Duach Ladhrach.

Notes for Eochaidh Buadhach: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Fíachu Tolgrach, son of Muiredach Bolgrach, was a legendary High King of Ireland, according to some medieval and early modern Irish sources. In the Lebor Gabála Érenn he is not a High King: he kills the former High King Art mac Lugdach, but during the reign of Art's son Ailill Finn he is killed in battle against Airgetmar. His son Dui Ladrach later becomes High King.[1] However, in Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn[2] and the Annals of the Four Masters[3] he succeeds Art as High King and rules for seven or ten years, until he is killed by Ailill Finn, who succeeds him. The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 593-586 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 806-796 BC.

Child of Eochaidh Buadhach is:

396791160138171487879168 i. Ugaine Mór

Generation No. 81

1587164133275848820129792. Bassanus Magnus He was the son of 3174328266551697640259584. King of Sicambria Diocles.

Child of Bassanus Magnus is:

793582066637924410064896 i. Clodimir I

1587164133275848820490240. Henwyn Henwin of Cambria He married 1587164133275848820490241. Rhagaw Ferch Llyr.

1587164133275848820490241. Rhagaw Ferch Llyr She was the daughter of 3174328266551697640980482. Llyr of Britain.

Child of Henwyn Cambria and Rhagaw Llyr is:

793582066637924410245120 i. Cunneda Kennedha of Cambria

1587164133275848820492288. Nagge ben Maath He was the son of 3174328266551697640984576. Maath ben Matthias.

Child of Nagge ben Maath is:

793582066637924410246144 i. Esli ben Nagge

1587164638056929864763904. Maurya II of Taxila He was the son of 3174329276113859729527808. Maurya I of Taxila and 3174329276113859729527809. Princess of Persia Chandravarnna.

Child of Maurya II of Taxila is:

793582319028464932381952 i. Maurya III of Taxila

1587164640552685951516672. Duach Ladhrach He was the son of 3174329281105371903033344. Fiacha Tolgrach.

Notes for Duach Ladhrach: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Dui Ladrach, son of Fíachu Tolgrach, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He helped his father kill the High King Art mac Lugdach, then helped Airgetmar take the throne by killing Art's son Ailill Finn and grandson Eochu mac Ailella. Finally he and Eochu's son Lugaid Laigdech killed Airgetmar, and Dui took the thone himself, ruling for ten years until his former accomplice Lugaid killed him. The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with that of Artaxerxes III of Persia (358-338 BC).[1] The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 547-537 BC,[2] that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 748-738 BC.[3] His Son Eochu Buadach

Child of Duach Ladhrach is:

793582320276342975758336 i. Eochaidh Buadhach

Generation No. 82

3174328266551697640259584. King of Sicambria Diocles He was the son of 6348656533103395280519168. King of Sicambria Helenus.

Child of King of Sicambria Diocles is:

1587164133275848820129792 i. Bassanus Magnus

3174328266551697640980482. Llyr of Britain He was the son of 6348656533103395281960964. Bleiddud of the Britons.

Child of Llyr of Britain is:

1587164133275848820490241 i. Rhagaw Ferch Llyr, married Henwyn Henwin of Cambria

3174328266551697640984576. Maath ben Matthias He was the son of 6348656533103395281969152. Matthias ben Simeon.

Child of Maath ben Matthias is:

1587164133275848820492288 i. Nagge ben Maath

3174329276113859729527808. Maurya I of Taxila He married 3174329276113859729527809. Princess of Persia Chandravarnna.

3174329276113859729527809. Princess of Persia Chandravarnna She was the daughter of 6348658552227719459055618. DariusI, King of Persia and 6348658552227719459055619. Princess of Persia Atossa.

Child of Maurya Taxila and Princess Chandravarnna is:

1587164638056929864763904 i. Maurya II of Taxila

3174329281105371903033344. Fiacha Tolgrach He was the son of 6348658562210743806066688. Muredach Bolgach.

Notes for Fiacha Tolgrach: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Fíachu Tolgrach, son of Muiredach Bolgrach, was a legendary High King of Ireland, according to some medieval

and early modern Irish sources. In the Lebor Gabála Érenn he is not a High King: he kills the former High King Art mac Lugdach, but during the reign of Art's son Ailill Finn he is killed in battle against Airgetmar. His son Dui Ladrach later becomes High King.[1] However, in Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn[2] and the Annals of the Four Masters[3] he succeeds Art as High King and rules for seven or ten years, until he is killed by Ailill Finn, who succeeds him. The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 593-586 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 806-796 BC.

Child of Fiacha Tolgrach is:

1587164640552685951516672 i. Duach Ladhrach

Generation No. 83

6348656533103395280519168. King of Sicambria Helenus He was the son of 12697313066206790561038336. King of Sicambria Priamus and 12697313066206790561038337. Hecuba.

Child of King of Sicambria Helenus is:

3174328266551697640259584 i. King of Sicambria Diocles

6348656533103395281960964. Bleiddud of the Britons He was the son of 12697313066206790563921928. Rhun Baladr Bras.

Child of Bleiddud of the Britons is:

3174328266551697640980482 i. Llyr of Britain

6348656533103395281969152. Matthias ben Simeon He was the son of 12697313066206790563938304. Simeon ben Josech.

Child of Matthias ben Simeon is:

3174328266551697640984576 i. Maath ben Matthias

6348658552227719459055618. DariusI, King of Persia He was the son of 12697317104455438918111236. Prince of Anshan Hystaspes and 12697317104455438918111237. Rhodogune of Babylonia. He married 6348658552227719459055619. Princess of Persia Atossa.

6348658552227719459055619. Princess of Persia Atossa She was the daughter of 12697317104455438918111238. CyrusII, King of Persia and 12697317104455438918111239. Princess of Egypt Neithiyti.

Notes for DariusI, King of Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Reigned from about 522 to 485 BC. He was one of the most able Persian kngs and is also known as Darius Hystaspis, or Darius, son of Hystaspis.

Darius I (Old Persian: Darayavahuš) (550 – 486 BCE), also known as Darius the Great, was the fourth king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire. Darius held the empire at its peak, then including Egypt, Balochistan, and parts of Greece. The decay and eventual downfall of the empire commenced with his death and the ascension of his son, Xerxes I.

Darius ascended the throne by overthrowing the alleged magus usurper of Bardiya with the assistance of six other Persian noble families; Darius was crowned the following morning. The new emperor met with rebellions throughout his kingdom, and quelled them each time. A major event in Darius's life was his expedition to punish Athens and Eretria for their aid in the Ionian Revoltand subjugate Greece. Darius expanded his empire by conquering Thrace and Macedon, and invading Scythia, home of the Scythians, Iranian tribes who had invaded Media and had previously killed Cyrus the Great.

Darius organized the empire, by dividing it into provinces and placing satraps to govern it. He organized a new uniform monetary system, along with making Aramaic the official language of the empire. Darius also worked on construction projects throughout the empire, focusing on Susa, Pasargadae, Persepolis, Babylon, and Egypt. Darius devised a codification of laws for Egypt. He also carved the cliff-face Behistun Inscription, an autobiography of great modernlinguistic significance. Darius, also started many massive architectural projects including magnificent palaces in Persepolis, and Susa.

Darius (or Dareus) is the latin form of the Greek Dareîos, which is a shortened form of the Old Persian Darayavauš. The Old Persian form is also seen to have been reflected in the Elamite Da-ri-(y)a-ma-u-iš, BabylonianDa-(a-)ri-ia-(a-)muš , Aramaic language dryhwš and archaizing drywhwš, and possibly the longer Greek form Dareiaîos. The translation of his name from Old Persian to English is holding firm the good, which can be seen by the stem daraya meaning ―hold‖ and the adjective vau meaning ―good,‖ which combined must be translated as ―holding firm the good‖.[1]

Primary sourcesSee also: Behistun Inscription and Herodotus Darius left a tri-lingual monumental relief on Mount Behistun which was written in Elamite, Old Persian and Babylonian between his coronation and his death. The inscription begins with a brief autobiography with his ancestry and lineage. To aid the presentation of his ancestry, Darius wrote down the sequence of events which occurred after the death of Cyrus the Great.[2][3] Darius mentions several times that he is the rightful emperor by the grace ofAhura Mazda, the Zoroastrian God. In addition, further texts and monuments from Persepolis have been found, including a fragmentaryOld Iranian inscription from Gherla, Rumania (Harmatta), and a letter from Darius to Gadates, preserved in a Greek text of the Roman period.[4]

Herodotus, a Greek historian and author of The Histories, provided an account of many Persian emperors and theGreco-Persian Wars. He wrote an extensive amount of information on Darius which spans half of book 3, along with books 4, 5 and 6; it begins with removal of the alleged usurper Gaumata and continues to the end of Darius's reign. [4]

The Book of Ezra (chapter 6, verse 1) describes the adoption and precise instructions to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. It was completed and inaugurated of the sixth year of Darius (March 515 BCE), as also related in the Book of Ezra (chapter 6, verse 15), so the 70-year prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled. Between Cyrus and Darius, an exchange of letters with King Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes is described (Chapter 4, Verse 7), the grandson of Darius I, in whose reign Ezra and Nehemiah came to Jerusalem. The generous funding of the temple gave Darius and his successors the support of the Jewish priesthood. [5][6]There is mention of a Darius in the Book of Daniel, identified as Darius the Mede. He began ruling when he was 62 years old (chapter 5, verse 31), appointed 120satraps to govern over their provinces or districts (chapter 6, verse 1), was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans (chapter 9, verse 1), and predated Cyrus (chapter 11, verse 1). Therefore, many scholars identify him with Cyaxares II rather than Darius I of Persia.[7]

Early lifeDarius was born as the eldest of five sons to Hystaspes and Rhodugune in 550 BCE. Hystaspes was a leading figure of authority in Persia, which was the homeland of the Persians. Darius' inscription states that his father was satrap of Bactria in 522 BCE. According to Herodotus, Hystaspes was the satrap of Persis, although most historians state that this is an error. Also according to Herodotus (III.139), Darius, prior to seizing power and "of no consequence at the time", had served as a spearman (doryphoros) in the Egyptian campaign (528–525 BCE) of Cambyses II, then the Persian emperor.[8]Hystaspes was an officer in Cyrus' army, and a noble of his court.[9] Before Cyrus and his army crossed the Aras River to battle with northern tribes, he enstilled his son Cambyses II as emperor in the case that he should return from battle.[10] However, once Cyrus had crossed the Aras River, Cyrus received a dream with a vision of Darius in which he had wings atop his shoulders, and stood upon the confines of Europe and Asia (the whole known world). When Cyrus awoke from the dream, he inferred it as a great danger to the future security of the empire, as it meant that Darius would one day rule the

whole world. However, his son Cambyses was the heir to the throne, not Darius, causing Cyrus to wonder if Darius was forming treasonable and ambitious designs. This led Cyrus to order Hystaspes to go back to Persis, and watch over his son strictly, until Cyrus himself returned.[11] Darius did not seem to have any treasonous thoughts as Cambyses II ascended the throne peacefully, and through promotion Darius was eventually elevated to Cambyses' personal lancer.

AscensionThe rise of Darius to the throne contains two variations, an account from Darius, and the other from Greek historians. Some modern historians have inferred that Darius' rise to power might have been illegitimate. To them, it seems likely that Gaumata was in fact Bardiya, and that under cover of revolts, Darius killed the heir to the throne and took it himself.[12] Darius' account, written at the Behistun Inscription states that Cambyses II killed his own brother Bardiya, but that this murder was not known among the Iranian people. A would-be usurper named Gaumata came and lied to the people, stating he was Bardiya.[13] The Iranians had grown rebellious against Cambyses' rule, and on 11 March 522 BCE, a revolt against Cambyses broke out, in his absence. On 1 July, the Iranian people chose to be under the leadership of Gaumata, as "Bardiya". No member of the Achamenid family would rise against Gaumata for the safety of their own life. Darius, who had served Cambyses as his lance-bearer until the deposed ruler's death, prayed for aid, and in September 522 BCE, he along with Otanes, Intraphrenes, Gobryas, Hydarnes, Megabyxus and Aspathines killed Gaumata in the fortress of Sikayauvati.[13] Several days after Gaumata had been assassinated, Darius and the other seven nobles discussed the fate of the empire. At first, the seven discussed the form of government ; a democratic republic was strongly pushed by Otanes, a oligarchy was pushed by Megazybus, while Darius pushed for a monarchy. After stating that a republic would lead to corruption and internal fighting, while a monarchy would be led with the single-mindedness, not possible in other governments, Darius was able to convince the other nobles that a monarchy was the correct form of government. To decide who would become the monarch, the six nobles (Otanes stated that he no interest in becoming emperor) decided on a test. All six nobles would gather outside mounted on their horses at sunrise, and the nobles' horse which neighed first would become emperor. According to Herodotus, Darius had a slave, Oebares who helped Darius win this contest. Before the contest, Oebares rubbed his hand over the genitals of mare that Darius' horse had a fondness for. When the six nobles gathered outside, Oebares placed his hands beside the nostrils of Darius' horse, who became excited at the smell and neighed. Immediately after, lightning and thunder occurred leading the other six noblemen to believe to be an act of God, causing them to dismount and kneel before Darius.[14] Darius did not believe that he had achieved the throne through fraud but through brilliant sagacity, even erecting a statue of himself mounted on his neighing horse stating "Darius, son of Hystaspes, obtained the sovereignty of Persia by the sagacity of his horse and the ingenious contrivance of Oebases, his groom."[15]

According to the accounts of Greek historians, Cambyses II had left Patizeithes in charge of the kingdom when he headed for Egypt. He later sent Prexaspes to murder Bardiya. After the killing, Patizeithes put his brother Gaumata, a Magian who resembled Bardiya, on the throne and declared him the emperor. Otanes discovered that Gaumata was an impostor, and along with six other Iranian nobles including Darius, created a plan to oust the pseudo-Bardiya. After killing the impostor along with his brother Patizeithes and other Magians, Darius was crowned king the following morning.[4]

Early reignFollowing his coronation at Pasargadae, Darius moved to Ecbatana. He soon learned that support for Bardiya was strong, and revolts inElam and Babylonia had broken out. Darius ended the Elamite revolt when the revolutionary leader Aschina was captured and executed inSusa, after three months the revolt in Babylonia had ended. While in Babylonia, Darius learned a revolution had broken out in Bactria, a satrapy which had always been in favour of Darius, and had initially volunteered an army of soldiers to quell revolts. Following this, revolts broke out in Persis, the homeland of the Persians and Darius. These new revolts led to a renewed revolt in Elam and Babylonia. With all these ongoing revolts, revolts broke out in Media, Parthia, Assyria, and Egypt. By 522 BCE, the majority, if not the entire Achaemenid Empire was revolting against Darius and in turmoil. Even though Darius did not have the support of the populace, Darius had a loyal army, led by close confidants and nobles (including the six nobles with whom he removed Gaumata) with whom he was able to suppress and quell all revolts within a year. In Darius' words, he had killed a total of eight "lying kings" through the quelling of revolutions. Darius left a detailed account of these revolutions at the Behistun Inscription.

One of the first acts of Darius' reign was the slaying of Intaphernes. Intaphernes was one of the seven noblemen who had deposed of the previous ruler, and instilled Darius as the new monarch. The seven had made an agreement that they could all visit the new king whenever they pleased except when he was with his wife. One evening, Intaphernes went to the palace to meet Darius, but was stopped by two officers who stated that Darius had retired for the night. Becoming enraged and insulted, Intaphernes drew his sword and cut off the ears and noses of the two officers. While leaving the palace, he took the bridle from his horse, and tied the two officers together. The officers went to the king and showed them the state that Intaphernes had morphed them into. Darius began to fear for his own safety, he thought that all seven noblemen had combined together to rebel against him, and that the attack against his officers was the first outbreak. He sent a messenger to each of the noblemen, asking them if they approved of Intaphernes'

actions, to which they denied and disavowed any connection to Intaphernes' actions, stating they stood by their decision to appoint Darius as emperor. Taking precautions against further resistance, Darius sent soldiers to seize Intaphernes, along with his son, family members, relatives and friends who were capable of arming themselves. Darius believed that Intaphernes was planning a rebellion, but when he was brought to the court, there was no proof of any planning. Nonetheless, Darius killed his entire family, excluding Intaphernes' brother and son, after she was given an option of choosing between her husband and son, to whom she chose her brother. Her reasoning for doing so was that she can have another husband and son, but she will always have one brother. Darius was impressed by her response, and spared her brother's life along with her son's life.[16]

Military campaignsAfter securing his authority over the entire empire, Darius embarked on a campaign to Egypt where he defeated the armies of the Pharoh and secured the lands that Cambyses had conquered while incorporating a large portion of Egypt into the Achaemenid Empire. Darius also led his armies to the Indus River, building fortresses and establishing Persian rule. [17]

Babylonian revoltAfter Bardiya was murdered, widespread revolts occurred throughout the empire, especially on the eastern side. Darius asserted his position as emperor by force, taking his armies throughout the empire, suppressing each revolt individually. The most notable of all the revolts is the Babylonian revolt which was led by Nebuchadnezzar III. This revolt occurred when Otanes withdrew much of the army out of Babylon to aid Darius in suppressing other revolts. Darius felt that the Babylonian people had taken advantage of him and deceived him, which resulted in Darius gathering up a large army and marching to Babylon. At Babylon, Darius was met with closed gates and a series of defenses to keep him and his armies out of Babylon.[18] Darius encountered mockery and taunting from the rebels, including the famous saying "Oh yes, you will capture our city, when mules shall have foals." For a year and a half, Darius and his armies were unable to capture Babylon, though he attempted many tricks and strategies—even copying that which Cyrus the Great had employed when he captured Babylon. However, the situation changed in Darius's favor when, according to the story, a mule owned by Zopyrus, a high-ranking soldier, foaled. Following this, a plan was hatched for Zopyrus to pretend to be a deserter, enter the Babylonian camp, and gain the trust of the Babylonians. The plan was successful, and the Darius' army eventually surrounded the city and overcame the rebels.[19]

During this revolt, Scythian nomads took advantage of the disorder and chaos and invaded southern Persia. Darius first finished defeating the rebels in Elam, Assyria, and Babylon, then attacked the Scythian invaders. He pursued the invaders, who led him to a marsh; there he found no known enemies but an enigmatic Scythian tribe distinguished by their large pointed hats.[20]

Persian invasion of ScythiaThe Scythians were a group of north Iranian nomadic tribes, speaking a Indo-Iranian language who had invaded Media, killed Cyrus in battle, revolted against Darius and threatened to disrupt the trade between Central Asia and the shores of the Black Sea as they lived between the Danube river and the Don River, and the Black Sea.[4][21]Darius crossed the Black Sea at the Bosphorus Straits using a bridge of boats. Darius conquered large portions of Eastern Europe -even crossing the Danube to wage war on the Scythians. Darius invaded Scythia, where the Scythians evaded Darius' army, using the feinting and retreating technique eastward while wasting the countryside, by stopping wells, intercepting convoys, destroying pastures, and continuous skirmishes on Darius' army.[22] Seeking to fight with the Scythians, Darius' army chased the Scythian army deep into Scythian lands, where there were no cities to conquer, and no supplies to forge. In frustration, Darius sent a letter to the Scythian ruler, Idanthyrsus to fight or surrender. The ruler replied that he would not stand and fight with Darius until they found the graves of their fathers and tried to destroy them - until then, they could continue their current technique as they had no cities or cultivated lands to lose.[23] Darius ordered a halt at the banks of Oarus, where he built eight frontier fortresses spaced at intervals of eight miles. After chasing the Scythians for a month, Darius' army was suffering losses due to fatigue, privation, and sickness. In fear of losing more troops, he

halted the march at the banks of the Volga River and headed towardsThrace.[24] He had conquered enough territory of Scythia to force the Scythians to respect the Persian forces.[25]

Persian invasion of GreeceMain article: First Persian invasion of Greece

Map showing key sites during the Persian invasions of GreeceDarius's european expedition was a major event in his reign, which began with the invasion of Thrace, after which he left Megabyzus to conquer Thrace, returning to Sardis to spend the winter. Before returning, Darius also conquered many cities of the northern Aegean, while

Macedonia submitted voluntarily. The Asiatic Greeks and Greek islands had submitted to Persian rule by 510 BCE. Nonetheless, there were certain Greeks who were pro-Persian, such as the medizing Greeks, which were largely grouped at Athens. This improved Greek-Persian relations as Darius opened his court and treasuries to the Greeks who wanted to serve him. These Greeks served assoldiers, artisans, statesmen and mariners for Darius. However, Greek fear of the strength of Darius' kingdom became very strong and the constant interference by the Greeks in Ionia and Lydia were all stepping stones in the conflict that was yet to come between Persia and Greece. When Aristagoras organized the Ionian revolt, Eretria and Athens supported him by sending ships and troops to Ionia and burning Sardis. Persian military and naval operations to quell the revolt ended in the Persian reoccupation of Ionian and Greek islands. However, anti-Persian parties gained more power in Athens, and pro-Persian aristocrats were exiled from Athens and Sparta. Darius responded by sending a group of troops led by his son-in-law across the Hellespont. However, a violent storm and harassment by Thracians forced the troops to return back to Persia. Seeking revenge on Athens and Eritrea, Darius assembled another army consisting of 20,000 under his Admiral, Datis who met success when he captured Eritrea and advanced to Marathon. In 490 BCE, at the Battle of Marathon, the Persian army was defeated by a heavily armed Athenian army, with 9,000 men who were supported by 600 Plataeans, 1,000 soldiers from each of eleven Greek city-states (11,000 men in total) and 10,000 lightly armed soldiers led by Miltiades. The defeat at Marathon marked the end of the first Persian invasion of Greece. Darius began preparations for a second force which he would command, instead of his generals. However, before the preparations were complete, Darius had died, thus leaving the task to his son Xerxes. [25]

FamilyDarius was son of Hystaspes and grandson of Arschama I, both men belonging to the Achaemenid tribe, and being alive when Darius ascended the throne. Darius justifies his ascension to the throne with his lineage tracing back to Achaemenes, even though he was distantly related. For these reasons, Darius married Atossa, daughter of Cyrus, with whom he had four sons, Xerxes, Achaimenes, Masistes and Hystaspes. He also married Artystone, another daughter of Cyrus, with whom he had two sons, Arsames and Gobryas. As well, Darius married Parmys , the daughter of Bardiya, with whom he had a son,Ariomardos. Furthermore, Darius married Phratagone, with whom he had two sons, Abrokomas and Hyperantes, along with another woman of the nobility, Phaidime, the daughter of Otanes, with whom the number of children is not known. Before these royal marriages, Darius married a commoner with whom he had three sons, Artobarzanes (the first born), Arabignes and Arsamenes, while the daughters are not known. While Artobarzanes was the first born of Darius, Xerxes became the heir and the next king with the influence of Atossa, who had great authority in the kingdom due to Darius' love being the greatest for her out of all of his wives.

Death Tomb of Darius the Great; located next to other Achaemenian emperors at Naqsh-e RustamAfter becoming aware of the Persian defeat at the Battle of Marathon, Darius began planning another expedition against the Greek-city states; this time, he, not Datis, would command the imperial armies. Darius had spent three years preparing men and ships for war when a revolt broke out in Egypt. This revolt in Egypt worsened his failing health and prevented the possibility of leading another army himself; soon, Darius was dead. In October 486 BCE, the body of Darius was embalmed and entombed in the rock-cut sepulcher which had been prepared for him several years earlier.

Xerxes, eldest son of Darius and Atossa, succeeded to the throne as Xerxes I; however, prior to Xerxes's accession, he contested the succession with his elder half-brother Artobazan, Darius' eldest son who was born to his commoner first wife before Darius rose to power.[26]

The cuneiform inscriptions on Darius's tomb were squeezed and made into negative forms by the German archaeologist Ernst Herzfeld in 1923. They are currently housed in the archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Smithsonian Institution,Washington, DC.

GovernmentOrganization Darius I, imagined by a Greek painter, 4th century BCEEarly in his reign, Darius wanted to organize the loosely organized empire with a system of taxation which had been passed down to him from Cyrus and Cambyses. To do this, Darius created twenty provinces called satrapies (or archi) which were each assigned to asatrap(archon) and specified fixed tributes that the satrapies were required to pay. A complete list is preserved in the catalog of Herodotus, beginning from Ionia and listing the other satrapies from west to east excluding Persis which was the land of the Persians and the only province which was not a conquered land. Tributes were paid in both silver and gold talents. The tributes from each satrap that were paid in silver were measured with the Babylonian talent, and

those paid in gold were measured with the Euboic talent. The total tribute from the satraps came to a number less than 15,000 silver talents.[27]

The majority of the satraps were of Persian origin and were members of the royal house or the six great noble families. These satraps were personally picked by Darius to monitor these provinces, which were divided into sub-provinces with their own governors which were chosen either by the royal court or by the satrap. The assessment of the tribute was accomplished by Darius sending a commission of men to evaluate the expenses and revenues of each satrap. To ensure that one person did not gain too much power, each satrap had a secretary who observed the affairs of the state and communicated with Darius, a treasurer who safeguarded provincial revenues, and a garrison commander who was responsible for the troops. Additionally, royal inspectors who were the "eyes and ears" of Darius completed further checks over each satrap.[28]

There were headquarters of imperial administration at Persepolis, Susa, and Babylon while Bactria, Ecbatana, Sardis, Dascyclium and Memphis also had branches of imperial administration. Darius chose Aramaic as a common language, which soon spread throughout the empire. However, Darius gathered a group of scholars to create a separate language system only used for Persis and the Persians, which was called Aryan script which was only used during official inscriptions.[28]

Economy Gold darics such as this one (with a purity of 95.83%) were only issued by the king himself. (circa 490BCE).Darius conducted the introduction of a universal currency, the daric sometime before 500 BCE. Darius applied the coinage system as a transnational currency to regulate trade and commerce throughout his empire. The daric was also recognized beyond the borders of the empire - in places such as Celtic Central Europe and Eastern Europe. There were two types of darics, a gold and a silver. Only the king could issue gold darics, important generals and satraps issued silver darics, the latter usually to recruit Greek mercenaries in Anatolia. The daric was a major boost to international trade, merchandised goods such as textiles, carpets, tools, andmetalworks began to travel throughout Asia, Europe and Africa. To further improve trade Darius built a royal highway, a postal system, and Phoenician-based commercial shipping. The daric also improved government revenues as the introduction of the daric led to new taxes on land, cattle and marketplaces (among others). This also led to the registering of land, where it was measured and taxed accordingly. The increased government revenues helped maintain and improve existing infrastructure. The increased government revenues also helped fund irrigation projects in dry lands. This new tax system also led to the formation of state banking and the creation of banking firms. One of the most famous banking firms was Murashu and Sons, based in Nippur.[29] These banking firms provided loans and credit to clients.[30]

The daric was called darayaka within the empire, and was most likely named after Darius. In an effort to further improve trade, Darius built canals, underground waterways, and a powerful navy. He further improved and expanded the network of roads and way stations throughout the empire, so that there was a system of travel authorization for the King, satrap, or other high official, which entitled the traveller to draw provisions at daily stopping places.[31][28]

ReligionBy the grace of Ahuramazda am I king; Ahuramazda has granted me the kingdom.

Darius, on the Behistun InscriptionWhile there is no absolute consensus on the kings before Darius, such as Cyrus and Cambyses, it is well established that Darius was an adherent of Zoroastrianism[32] or at least a firm believer in Ahura Mazda. As it can be seen at the Behistun Inscription, Darius believed that Ahura Mazda had appointed him to rule theAchaemenid Empire. Darius had dualistic convictions and believed that each rebellion in his kingdom was the work of druj, the enemy of Asha. Darius believed that because he lived righteously by Asha, Ahura Mazda supported him. [33] In many cuneiforminscriptions denoting his achievements, he presents himself a devout believer perhaps even convinced that he had a divine right to rule over the world.[34]

In the lands that were conquered by his empire, Darius followed the same Achaemenid tolerance that Cyrus had shown, and later Achaemenid emperors would show. He supported faiths and religions that were "alien" as long as the adherents were submissive and peaceable, sometimes giving them grants from his treasury for their purposes. [35] He had funded the restoration of the Jewish temple which had originally been decreed by Cyrus the Great, presented favour towards Greek cults which can be seen in his letter to Gadatas, and supported Elamite priests. He had also observed Egyptian religious rites related to kingship and had built the temple for the Egyptian God,

Amun.[36]

Construction The ruins of Persepolis. In the foreground is the treasure house, right behind the Palace of Darius.During Darius's Greek expedition, he had begun construction projects in Susa, Egypt and Persepolis. He had linked the Red Sea to the river Nile by building a canal which ran from modernZaqaziq to modern Suez. To open this canal, he traveled to Egypt in 497 BCE, where the inauguration was done among great fanfare and celebration. Darius also built a canal to connect the Red Sea and Mediterranean.[26][37] On this visit to Egypt, he erected monuments and executed Aryandes on the accounts of treason. When Darius returned to Persis, he found that the codification of Egyptian law had been finished.[25]

Additionally, Darius sponsored large construction projects in Susa, Babylon, Egypt, and Persepolis. In Susa, Darius built a new palace complex in the north of the city. An inscription states that the palace was destroyed during the reign of Artaxerxes I, but was rebuilt. Today, only glazed bricks of the palace remain with the majority of them in Louvre. In Pasargadae, Darius finished all incomplete construction projects from the reign of Cyrus the Great. A palace was also built during the reign of Darius, with an inscription in the name of Cyrus the Great. It was previously believed that Cyrus had constructed this building, however due to the cuneiform script being used, the palace is believed to have been constructed by Darius. In Egypt, Darius built many temples, and restored those that had previously been destroyed. Even though Darius was a Zoroastrian, he built temples dedicated to the Gods of the Ancient Egyptian religion. Several temples found were dedicated to Ptah and Nekhbet. Darius also created several roads and routes in Egypt. The monuments that Darius built were often inscribed in the official languages of the Persian Empire, which were Old Persian, Elamite, Babylonian and Egyptian hieroglyphs. To construct these monuments, Darius had hired a large number of workers and artisans of diverse nationalities. Several of these workers were deportees who had been employed specifically for these projects. These deportees enhanced the economy and improved international relations with neighboring countries that these deportees arrived from.[28]

Notes for Princess of Persia Atossa: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Atossa (from Old Persian *Utau?a, and Avestan Hutaosa) was an Achaemenid queen and daughter of Cyrus the Great and his wife, Cassandane. She lived from 550 BC to 475 BC and probably was a sister (or half-sister) of the Persian king Cambyses II.

Atossa married Darius the Great (Darius I) during 522 BC after Darius I, with the help of the nobleman Otanes, defeated the followers of a man claiming to be Bardiya(Smerdis), the younger brother of Cambyses II.

Xerxes I was the eldest son of Atossa and Darius. Atossa lived to see Xerxes invade Greece. Being a direct descendent of Cyrus the Great, Atossa had a great authority within Achamenian royal house and court. Atossa's special position enabled Xerxes, who was not the eldest son of Darius, to succeed his father. [1]

Literary references Aeschylus also included her as a central character in his tragedy The Persians. Also Atossa is one of the major characters in the Gore Vidal work, Creation.

References

1.^ Schmitt, Rüdiger (1989). "Atossa". Encyclopaedia Iranica. vol. 3. Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation. ISBN 0710091214

Child of Darius and Princess Atossa is:

3174329276113859729527809 i. Princess of Persia Chandravarnna, married Maurya I of Taxila

6348658562210743806066688. Muredach Bolgach He was the son of 12697317124421487612133376. Simeon Breac.

Notes for Muredach Bolgach: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Muiredach Bolgrach, son of Siomón Brecc, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing his predecessor, and his father's killer, Dui Finn, ruled for 13 months or four years depending on the source consulted, and was then killed by Dui's son Énna Derg. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of Artaxerxes I of Persia (465-424 BC).[1] The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 674-670 BC,[2] that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 894-893 BC.[3] His Son was Fíachu Tolgrach.

Child of Muredach Bolgach is:

3174329281105371903033344 i. Fiacha Tolgrach

Generation No. 84

12697313066206790561038336. King of Sicambria Priamus He was the son of 25394626132413581122076672. Antenor. He married 12697313066206790561038337. Hecuba.

12697313066206790561038337. Hecuba

Child of King Priamus and Hecuba is:

6348656533103395280519168 i. King of Sicambria Helenus

12697313066206790563921928. Rhun Baladr Bras He was the son of 25394626132413581127843856. Lliwelydd.

Child of Rhun Baladr Bras is:

6348656533103395281960964 i. Bleiddud of the Britons

12697313066206790563938304. Simeon ben Josech He was the son of 25394626132413581127876608. Josech ben Joda.

Child of Simeon ben Josech is:

6348656533103395281969152 i. Matthias ben Simeon

12697317104455438918111236. Prince of Anshan Hystaspes He was the son of 25394634208910877836222472. King of Anshan Arsames. He married 12697317104455438918111237. Rhodogune of Babylonia.

12697317104455438918111237. Rhodogune of Babylonia

Notes for Prince of Anshan Hystaspes: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Vishtaspa (fl. 550 BC), known under his Hellenized name Hystaspes (?st?sp??), was a Persian satrap of Bactria and Persis, and the father of Darius I of Persia.

The son of Arsames, Hystaspes was a member of the Persian royal house of the Achaemenids. He was satrap of Persis under Cambyses, and pro-bably under Cyrus the Great also. He accompanied Cyrus on his expedition against the Massagetae. But he was sent back to Persis, to keep watch over his eldest son Darius, whom Cyrus, in consequence of a dream, suspected of considering treason.

Besides Darius, Hystaspes had two sons, Artabanus and Artanes.[1] Ammianus Marcellinus[2] makes him a chief of

the Magians, and tells a story of his studying in India under the Brahmins. His name occurs in the inscriptions at Persepolis.[3]

Child of Prince Hystaspes and Rhodogune Babylonia is:

6348658552227719459055618 i. DariusI, King of Persia, married Princess of Persia Atossa

12697317104455438918111238. CyrusII, King of Persia He was the son of 25394634208910877836222476. CambysesI, King of Anshan and 25394634208910877836222477. Princess of Media Mandane. He married 12697317104455438918111239. Princess of Egypt Neithiyti.

12697317104455438918111239. Princess of Egypt Neithiyti She was the daughter of 25394634208910877836222478. Haibre Wahibre, King of Egypt.

Notes for CyrusII, King of Persia: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Cyrus II of Persia (Old Persian: Kuruš (c. 600 BC or 576 BC–530 BC[2]), commonly known as Cyrus the Great[3], also known as Cyrus the Elder, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire.[4] Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East,[4] expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia, parts of Europe and Caucasus. From the Mediterranean sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen.[5]

The reign of Cyrus the Great lasted between 29 and 31 years. Cyrus built his empire by conquering first the Median Empire, then the Lydian Empire and eventually the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Either before or after Babylon, he led an expedition into central Asia, which resulted in major campaigns that brought "into subjection every nation without exception."[6] Cyrus did not venture into Egypt, as he himself died in battle, fighting the Massagetae along the Syr Darya in December 530 BC.[7][8] He was succeeded by his son, Cambyses II, who managed to add to the empire by conquering Egypt, Nubia, and Cyrenaica during his short rule.

Cyrus the Great respected the customs and religions of the lands he conquered.[9] It is said that in universal history, the role of the Achaemenid empire founded by Cyrus lies in its very successful model for centralized administration and establishing a government working to the advantage and profit of its subjects.[4] In fact, the administration of the empire through satraps and the vital principle of forming a government at Pasargadae, were the works of Cyrus.[10] Aside from his own nation, Persia (modern Iran), Cyrus the Great also left a lasting legacy on the Jewish religion through his Edict of Restoration, where because of his policies in Babylonia, he is referred to by the people of the Jewish faith, as "the anointed of the Lord" or a "Messiah."[11][12]

Cyrus the Great is also well recognized for his achievements in human rights, politics, and military strategy, as well as his influence on both Eastern and Western civilizations. To date, Cyrus the Great and his historical signature define the national identity for many Iranians.[13] Cyrus and, indeed, the Achaemenid influence in the ancient world also extended as far as Athens, where many Athenians adopted aspects of the Achaemenid Persian culture as their own, in a reciprocal cultural exchange.[14]

The name Cyrus is a Latinized form derived from an Greek form of the Old Persian Kuruš. [15] The name and its meaning has been recorded in ancient inscriptions in different languages. The ancient Greek historians Ctesias and Plutarch noted that Cyrus was named from Kuros, the Sun, a concept which has been interpreted as meaning "like the Sun" by noting its relation to the Persian noun for sun, khor, while using -vash as a suffix of likeness.[16] Karl Hoffmann has suggested a translation based on the meaning of an Indo-European-root "to humiliate" and accordingly "Cyrus" means "humiliator of the enemy in verbal contest."[15] In the Persian language and specially in Iran, Cyrus' name is spelled as "????? ????" or

"Kurošé Bozorg" which translates to Cyrus the Great. In the Bible, he is known as Koresh (Hebrew: ?????).[17]

Dynastic historySee also: Achaemenes, Achaemenid family tree, and Teispids

The four winged guardian figure representing Cyrus the Great, a bas-relief found at Pasargadae on top of which was once inscribed in three languages the sentence "I am Cyrus the king, an Achaemenian."[18]The Persian domination and kingdom in the Iranian plateau started by an extension of the Achaemenid dynasty, who expanded their earlier domination possibly from the 9th century BC onward. The eponymous founder of this dynasty was Achaemenes (from Old Persian Haxamaniš). Achaemenids are "descendants of Achaemenes" as Darius the Great, the ninth king of the dynasty, traces his genealogy to him and declares "for this reason we are called Achaemenids". Achaemenes built the state Parsumash in the southwest of Iran and was succeeded by Teispes, who took the title "King of Anshan" after seizing Anshan city and enlarging his kingdom further to include Pars proper.[4] Ancient documents[19] mention that Teispes had a son called Cyrus I, who also succeeded his father as "king of Anshan". Cyrus I had a full brother whose name is recorded as Ariaramnes.[4]

In 600 BC, Cyrus I was succeeded by his son Cambyses I who reigned until 559 BC. Cyrus the Great was a son of Cambyses I, who named his son after his father, Cyrus I.[20] There are several inscriptions of Cyrus the Great and later kings that refer to Cambyses I as the "great king" and "king of Anshan". Among these are some passages in the Cyrus cylinder where Cyrus calls himself "son of Cambyses, great king, king of Anshan". Another inscription (from CM's) mentions Cambyses I as "mighty king" and "an Achaemenian", which according to bulk [21] of scholarly opinion was engraved under Darius and considered as a later forgery by Darius.[22] However Cambyses II's maternal grandfather Pharnaspes is named by Herodotus as "an Achaemenian" too.[23] Xenophon's account in Cyropædia further names Cambyses's wife as Mandane and mentions Cambyses as king of Persia. These agree with Cyrus's own inscriptions, as Anshan and Parsa were different names of the same land. These also agree with other non-Iranian accounts, except at one point from Herodotus stating that Cambyses was not a king but a "Persian of good family".[24] However, in some other passages, Herodotus's account is wrong also on the name of the son of Chishpish, which he mentions as Cambyses but, according to modern scholars, should be Cyrus I.[25]

The traditional view based on archaeological research and the genealogy given in the Behistun Inscription and by Herodotus[4] holds that Cyrus the Great was an Achaemenian. However it has been suggested by M. Waters that Cyrus is unrelated to Achaemenes or Darius the Great and that his family was of Teispid and Anshanite origin instead of Achaemenid.[26]

Early lifeThe best-known date for the birth of Cyrus the Great is either 600-599 BC or 576-575 BC.[27] Little is known of his early years, as there are only a few sources known to detail that part of his life, and they have been damaged or lost.

Herodotus's story of Cyrus's early life belongs to a genre of legends in which abandoned children of noble birth, such as Oedipus and Romulus and Remus, return to claim their royal positions. Similar to other culture's heroes and founders of great empires, folk traditions abound regarding his family background. According to Herodotus, he was the grandson of the Median king Astyages and was brought up by humble herding folk. In another version, he was presented as the son of a poor family that worked in the Median court. These folk stories are, however, contradicted by Cyrus's own testimony, according to which he was preceded as king of Persia by his father, grandfather and great-grandfather.[28]

After the birth of Cyrus the Great, Astyages had a dream that his Magi interpreted as a sign that his grandson would eventually overthrow him. He then ordered his steward Harpagus to kill the infant. Harpagus, morally unable to kill a newborn, summoned the Mardian Mitradates (which the historian Nicolaus of Damascus calls Atradates), a royal bandit herdsman from the mountainous region bordering the Saspires,[29] and ordered him to leave the baby to die in the mountains. Luckily, the herdsman and his wife (whom Herodotus calls Cyno in Greek, and Spaca-o in Median) took pity and raised the child as their own, passing off their recently stillborn infant as the murdered Cyrus.[30][31] For the origin of Cyrus the Great's mother, Herodotus identifies Mandane of Media, and Ctesias insists that she is fully Persian

but gives no name, while Nicolaus gives the name "Argoste" as Atradates's wife; whether this figure represents Cyno or Cambyses's unnamed Persian queen has yet to be determined. It is also noted that Strabo has said that Cyrus was originally named Agradates by his stepparents; therefore, it is probable that, when reuniting with his original family, following the naming customs, Cyrus's father, Cambyses I, names him Cyrus after his grandfather, who was Cyrus I.

Herodotus claims that when Cyrus the Great was ten years old, it was obvious that Cyrus was not a herdsman's son, stating that his behavior was too noble. Astyages interviewed the boy and noticed that they resembled each other.

Astyages ordered Harpagus to explain what he had done with the baby, and, after Harpagus confessed that he had not killed the boy, Astyages tricked him into eating his own broiled and chopped up son.[32] Astyages was more lenient with Cyrus and allowed him to return to his biological parents, Cambyses and Mandane.[33] While Herodotus's description may be a legend, it does give insight into the figures surrounding Cyrus the Great's early life.

Cyrus the Great had a wife named Cassandane. She was an Achaemenian and daughter of Pharnaspes. From this marriage, Cyrus had four children: Cambyses II, Bardiya (Smerdis), Atossa, and another daughter whose name is not attested in the ancient sources. Also, Cyrus had a fifth child named Artystone, the sister or half-sister of Atossa, who may not have been the daughter of Cassandane. Cyrus the Great had a specially dear love for Cassandane. Cassandane also loved Cyrus to the point that on her death bed she is noted as having found it more bitter to leave Cyrus, than to depart her life.[34] According to the chronicle of Nabonidus, when Cassandane died, all the nations of Cyrus's empire observed "a great mourning", and, particularly in Babylonia, there was probably even a public mourning lasting for six days (identified from 21–26 March 538 BC). Her tomb is suggested to be at Cyrus's capital, Pasargadae.[35] There are other accounts suggesting that Cyrus the Great also married a daughter of the Median king Astyages, named Amytis. This name may not be the correct one, however. Cyrus probably had married once, after the death of Cassandane, to a Median woman in his royal family.[36] Cyrus the Great's son Cambyses II would become the king of Persia, and his daughter Atossa would marry Darius the Great and bear him Xerxes I.

Rise and military campaigns The Standard of Cyrus the Great The Median Empire, Lydian Empire, and Neo-Babylonian Empire, prior to Cyrus the Great's conquests.Median EmpireFurther information: Persian Revolt, Battle of Hyrba, Battle of the Persian Border, and Battle of Pasargadae Though his father died in 551 BC, Cyrus the Great had already succeeded to the throne in 559 BC; however, Cyrus was not yet an independent ruler. Like his predecessors, Cyrus had to recognize Median overlordship. During Astyages's reign, the Median Empire may have ruled over the majority of the Ancient Near East, from the Lydian frontier in the west to the Parthians and Persians in the east.

In Herodotus's version, Harpagus, seeking vengeance, convinced Cyrus to rally the Persian people to revolt against their feudal lords, the Medes. However, it is likely that both Harpagus and Cyrus rebelled due to their dissatisfaction with Astyages's policies.[30] From the start of the revolt in summer 553 BC, with his first battles taking place from early 552 BC, Harpagus, with Cyrus, led his armies against the Medes until the capture of Ecbatana in 549 BC, effectively conquering the Median Empire.[37]

While Cyrus the Great seems to have accepted the crown of Media, by 546 BC, he officially assumed the title "King of Persia" instead. With Astyages out of power, all of his vassals (including many of Cyrus's relatives) were now under his command. His uncle Arsames, who had been the king of the city-state of Parsa under the Medes, therefore would have had to give up his throne. However, this transfer of power within the family seems to have been smooth, and it is likely that Arsames was still the nominal governor of Parsa, under Cyrus's authority—more of a Prince or a Grand Duke than a King.[38] His son, Hystaspes, who was also Cyrus's second cousin, was then made satrap of Parthia and Phrygia. Cyrus the Great thus united the twin Achamenid kingdoms of Parsa and Anshan into Persia proper. Arsames would live to see his grandson become Darius the Great, Shahanshah of Persia, after the deaths of both of Cyrus's sons.[39] Cyrus's conquest of Media was merely the start of his wars.[40]

Lydian Empire and Asia MinorFurther information: Battle of Pteria, Battle of Thymbra, and Siege of Sardis (547 BC)

Croesus on the pyre. Attic red-figure amphora, 500–490 BC, Louvre (G 197)The exact dates of the Lydian conquest are unknown, but it must have taken place between Cyrus's overthrow of the Median kingdom (550 BC) and his conquest of Babylon (539 BC). It was common in the past to give 547 BC as the year of

the conquest due to some interpretations of the Nabonidus Chronicle, but this position is currently not much held.[41] The Lydians first attacked the Achaemenid Empire's city of Pteria in Cappadocia. Croesus besieged and captured the city enslaving its inhabitants. Meanwhile, the Persians invited the citizens of Ionia who were part of the Lydian kingdom to revolt against their ruler. The offer was rebuffed, and thus Cyrus levied an army and marched against the Lydians, increasing his numbers while passing through nations in his way. The Battle of Pteria was effectively a stalemate, with both sides suffering heavy casualties by nightfall. Croesus retreated to Sardis the following morning.[42]

While in Sardis, Croesus sent out requests for his allies to send aid to Lydia. However, near the end of the winter, before the allies could unite, Cyrus the Great pushed the war into Lydian territory and besieged Croesus in his capital, Sardis. Shortly before the final Battle of Thymbra between the two rulers, Harpagus advised Cyrus the Great to place his dromedaries in front of his warriors; the Lydian horses, not used to the dromedaries' smell, would be very afraid. The strategy worked; the Lydian cavalry was routed. Cyrus defeated and captured Croesus. Cyrus occupied the capital at Sardis, conquering the Lydian kingdom in 546 BC.[42] According to Herodotus, Cyrus the Great spared Croesus's life and kept him as an advisor, but this account conflicts with some translations of the contemporary Nabonidus Chronicle (the King who was himself subdued by Cyrus the Great after conquest of Babylonia), which interpret that the king of Lydia was slain.[43]

Before returning to the capital, a Lydian named Pactyas was entrusted by Cyrus the Great to send Croesus' treasury to Persia. However, soon after Cyrus's departure, Pactyas hired mercenaries and caused an uprising in Sardis, revolting against the Persian satrap of Lydia, Tabalus. With recommendations from Croesus that he should turn the minds of the Lydian people to luxury, Cyrus sent Mazares, one of his commanders, to subdue the insurrection but demanded that Pactyas be returned alive. Upon Mazares's arrival, Pactyas fled to Ionia, where he had hired more mercenaries. Mazares marched his troops into the Greek country and subdued the cities of Magnesia and Priene. The end of Pactyas is unknown, but after capture, he was probably sent to Cyrus and put to death after a succession of tortures.[44]

Mazares continued the conquest of Asia Minor but died of unknown causes during his campaign in Ionia. Cyrus sent Harpagus to complete Mazares's conquest of Asia Minor. Harpagus captured Lycia, Cilicia and Phoenicia, using the technique of building earthworks to breach the walls of besieged cities, a method unknown to the Greeks. He ended his conquest of the area in 542 BC and returned to Persia.[30]

Neo-Babylonian EmpireFurther information: Battle of Opis

Superimposed on modern borders, the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus's rule extended approximately from Turkey, Israel, Georgia and Arabia in the west to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Indus River (Pakistan) and Oman in the east. Persia became the largest empire the world had yet seen.By the year 540 BC, Cyrus captured Elam (Susiana) and its capital, Susa.[45] The Nabonidus Chronicle records that, prior to the battle(s), Nabonidus had ordered cult statues from outlying Babylonian cities to be brought into the capital, suggesting that the conflict had begun possibly in the winter of 540 BC.[46] Near the beginning of October, Cyrus fought the Battle of Opis in or near the strategic riverside city of Opis on the Tigris, north of Babylon. The Babylonian army was routed, and on October 10, Sippar was seized without a battle, with little to no resistance from the populace.[47] It is probable that Cyrus engaged in negotiations with the Babylonian generals to obtain a compromise on their part and therefore avoid an armed confrontation.[48] Nabonidus was staying in the city at the time and soon fled to the capital, Babylon, which he had not visited in years.[49]

Two days later, on October 7 (proleptic Gregorian calendar), Gubaru's troops entered Babylon, again without any resistance from the Babylonian armies, and detained Nabonidus.[50] Herodotus explains that to accomplish this feat, the Persians, using a basin dug earlier by the Babylonian queen Nitokris to protect Babylon against Median attacks, diverted the Euphrates river into a canal so that the water level dropped "to the height of the middle of a man's thigh", which allowed the invading forces to march directly through the river bed to enter at night.[51] On October 29, Cyrus himself entered the city of Babylon and detained Nabonidus.[52]

Prior to Cyrus's invasion of Babylon, the Neo-Babylonian Empire had conquered many kingdoms. In addition to Babylonia itself, Cyrus probably incorporated its subnational entities into his Empire, including Syria, Judea, and Arabia Petraea, although there is no direct evidence of this fact.[53]

After taking Babylon, Cyrus the Great proclaimed himself "king of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four corners of the world" in the famous Cyrus cylinder, an inscription deposited in the foundations of the Esagila temple dedicated to the chief Babylonian god, Marduk. The text of the cylinder denounces Nabonidus as impious and portrays the victorious Cyrus pleasing the god Marduk. It describes how Cyrus had improved the lives of the citizens of Babylonia, repatriated displaced peoples and restored temples and cult sanctuaries. Although some have asserted that the cylinder represents a form of human rights charter, historians generally portray it in the context of a

long-standing Mesopotamian tradition of new rulers beginning their reigns with declarations of reforms.[54]

Cyrus the Great's dominions comprised the largest empire the world had ever seen.[5] At the end of Cyrus's rule, the Achaemenid Empire stretched from Asia Minor in the west to the northwestern areas of India in the east.[55]

DeathThe details of Cyrus's death vary by account. The account of Herodotus from his Histories provides the second-longest detail, in which Cyrus met his fate in a fierce battle with the Massagetae, a tribe from the southern deserts of Khwarezm and Kyzyl Kum in the southernmost portion of the steppe regions of modern-day Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, following the advice of Croesus to attack them in their own territory.[56] The Massagetae were related to the Scythians in their dress and mode of living; they fought on horseback and on foot. In order to acquire her realm, Cyrus first sent an offer of marriage to their ruler, Tomyris, a proposal she rejected. He then commenced his attempt to take Massagetae territory by force, beginning by building bridges and towered war boats along his side of the river Jaxartes, or Syr Darya, which separated them. Sending him a warning to cease his encroachment in which she stated she expected he would disregard anyway, Tomyris challenged him to meet her forces in honorable warfare, inviting him to a location in her country a day's march from the river, where their two armies would formally engage each other. He accepted her offer, but, learning that the Massagetae were unfamiliar with wine and its intoxicating effects, he set up and then left camp with plenty of it behind, taking his best soldiers with him and leaving the least capable ones. The general of Tomyris's army, who was also her son Spargapises, and a third of the Massagetian troops killed the group Cyrus had left there and, finding the camp well stocked with food and the wine, unwittingly drank themselves into inebriation, diminishing their capability to defend themselves, when they were then overtaken by a surprise attack. They were successfully defeated, and, although he was taken prisoner, Spargapises committed suicide once he regained sobriety. Upon learning of what had transpired, Tomyris denounced Cyrus's tactics as underhanded and swore vengeance, leading a second wave of troops into battle herself. Cyrus the Great was ultimately killed, and his forces suffered massive casualties in what Herodotus referred to as the fiercest battle of his career and the ancient world. When it was over, Tomyris ordered the body of Cyrus brought to her, then decapitated him and dipped his head in a vessel of blood in a symbolic gesture of revenge for his bloodlust and the death of her son.[57][58] However, some scholars question this version, mostly because Herodotus admits this event was one of many versions of Cyrus's death that he heard from a supposedly reliable source who told him no one was there to see the aftermath. [59]

Herodotus, also recounts that Cyrus saw in his sleep the oldest son of Hystaspes (Darius I) with wings upon his shoulders, shadowing with the one wing Asia, and with the other wing Europe. [60] Iranologist, Ilya Gershevitch explains this statement by Herodotus and its connection with the four winged bas-relief figure of Cyrus the Great in the following way:[60]

"Herodotus, therefore as I surmise, may have known of the close connection, between this type of winged figure, and the image of the Iranian majesty, which he associated with a dream prognosticating, the king's death, before his last, fatal campaign across the Oxus." Ctesias, in his Persica, has the longest account, which says Cyrus met his death while putting down resistance from the Derbices infantry, aided by other Scythian archers and cavalry, plus Indians and their elephants. According to him, this event took place northeast of the headwaters of the Syr Darya.[61] An alternative account from Xenophon's Cyropaedia contradicts the others, claiming that Cyrus died peaceably at his capital.[62] The final version of Cyrus's death comes from Berossus, who only reports that Cyrus met his death while warring against the Dahae archers northwest of the headwaters of the Syr Darya.[63]

Burial Cyrus's tomb lies in Pasargadae, Iran, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2006).Main article: Achaemenid architecture Cyrus the Great' remains were interred in his capital city of Pasargadae, where today a limestone tomb (built around 540-530 BCE[64]) still exists which many believe to be his. Both

Strabo and Arrian give nearly equal descriptions of the tomb, based on the eyewitness report of Aristobulus of Cassandreia, who at the request of Alexander the Great visited the tomb two times.[65] Though the city itself is now in ruins, the burial place of Cyrus the Great has remained largely intact; and the tomb has been partially restored to counter its natural deterioration over the years. According to Plutarch, his epitaph said,

― O man, whoever you are and wherever you come from, for I know you will come, I am Cyrus who won the

Persians their empire. Do not therefore begrudge me this bit of earth that covers my bones.[66] ‖

Cuneiform evidence from Babylon proves that Cyrus died around December 530 BC,[8] and that his son Cambyses II had become king. Cambyses continued his father's policy of expansion, and managed to capture Egypt for the Empire, but soon died after only seven years of rule. He was succeeded either by Cyrus's other son Bardiya or an impostor posing as Bardiya, who became the sole ruler of Persia for seven months, until he was killed by Darius the Great.

The translated ancient Roman and Greek accounts give a vivid description of the tomb both geometrically and aesthetically; The tomb's geometric shape has changed little over the years, still maintaining a large stone of quadrangular form at the base, followed by a pyramidal succession of smaller rectangular stones, until after a few slabs, the structure is curtailed by an edifice, with an arched roof composed of a pyramidal shaped stone, and a small opening or window on the side, where the slenderst man could barely squeeze through.[67]

Within this edifice was a golden coffin, resting on a table with golden supports, inside of which the body of Cyrus the Great was interred. Upon his resting place, was a covering of tapestry and drapes made from the best available Babylonian materials, utilizing fine Median worksmanship; below his bed was a fine red carpet, covering the narrow rectangular area of his tomb.[67] Translated Greek accounts describe the tomb as having been placed in the fertile Pasargadae gardens, surrounded by trees and ornamental shrubs, with a group of Achaemenian protectors called the "Magi", stationed nearby to protect the edifice from theft or damage.[67][68]

Years later, in the ensuing chaos created by Alexander the Great's invasion of Persia and after the defeat of Darius III, Cyrus the Great's tomb was broken into and most of its luxuries were looted. When Alexander reached the tomb, he was horrified by the manner in which the tomb was treated, and questioned the Magi and put them to court.[67] On some accounts, Alexander's decision to put the Magi on trial was more about his attempt to undermine their influence and his show of power in his newly conquered empire, than a concern for Cyrus's tomb.[69] Regardless, Alexander the Great ordered Aristobulus to improve the tomb's condition and restore its interior.[67] Despite his admiration for Cyrus the Great, and his attempts at renovation of his tomb, Alexander would eventually ransack Persepolis, the opulent city that Cyrus had helped build, and order its burning in 330 B.C.[70]

The edifice has survived the test of time, through invasions, internal divides, successive empires, regime changes and revolutions. The last prominent Persian figure to bring attention to the tomb was Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (Shah of Iran) the last official monarch of Persia, during his celebrations of 2,500 years of monarchy. Just as Alexander the Great before him, the Shah of Iran wanted to appeal to Cyrus's legacy to legitimize his own rule by extension.[71]

After the Iranian revolution, the tomb of Cyrus the Great survived the initial chaos and vandalism propagated by the Islamic revolutionary hardliners who equated Persian imperial historical artifacts with the late Shah of Iran. There are allegations of the tomb being in danger of damage from the construction of the Sivand Dam on river Polvar (located in the province of Pars) and flooding, but there is no official acknowledgement of this claim. This has nonetheless, caused a petition to be drafted to the U.N. demanding protection of this historical entity. United Nations recognizes the tomb of Cyrus the Great and Pasargadae as a UNESCO World Heritage site.[64]

Legacy Cyrus the Great liberated the Hebrew exiles to resettle and rebuild Jerusalem, earning him an honored place in Judaism.In scope and extent his achievements ranked far above that of the Macedonian king, Alexander who was to demolish the empire in the 320s but fail to provide any stable alternative.

—Charles Freeman in 'The Greek Achievement'[72]

The achievements of Cyrus the Great throughout antiquity is well reflected in the way he is remembered today. His own nation, the Iranians, have regarded him as "The Father", the very title that had been used during the time of Cyrus himself, by the many nations that he conquered, as according to Xenophon:[73]

― "And those who were subject to him, he treated with esteem and regard, as if they were his own children, while his

subjects themselves respected Cyrus as their 'Father' ... What other man but 'Cyrus', after having overturned an empire, ever died with the title of 'The Father' from the people whom he had brought under his power? For it is plain fact that this is a name for one that bestows, rather than for one that takes away!" ‖

The Babylonians regarded him as "The Liberator".[74] After his conquest of Babylon, followed Cyrus's help for the return of Jews; for this, Cyrus is addressed in the Jewish Tanakh as the "Lord's Messiah". Glorified by Ezra, and by Isaiah, Cyrus is the one to whom "Yahweh, the God of heaven" has given "all the Kingdoms of the earth".[18]

Cyrus was distinguished equally as a statesman and as a soldier. By pursuing a policy of generosity instead of repression, and by favoring local religions, he was able to make his newly conquered subjects into enthusiastic supporters.[75] Due in part to the political infrastructure he created, the Achaemenid empire endured long after his death.

The rise of Persia under Cyrus's rule had a profound impact on the course of world history. Iranian philosophy, literature and religion all played dominant roles in world events for the next millennia. Despite the Islamic conquest of Persia in the 7th century CE by the Islamic Caliphate, Persia continued to exercise enormous influence in the Middle East during the Islamic Golden Age, and was particularly instrumental in the growth and expansion of Islam.

Child of Cyrus and Princess Neithiyti is:

6348658552227719459055619 i. Princess of Persia Atossa, married DariusI, King of Persia

12697317124421487612133376. Simeon Breac He was the son of 25394634248842975224266752. Aedan Glas.

Notes for Simeon Breac: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Siomón Brecc ("the speckled, spotted, ornamented"),[1] son of Áedan Glas, son of Nuadu Finn Fáil, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing the previous incumbent, Sétna Innarraid, ruled for six years, and was killed by Sétna's son Dui Finn. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of Xerxes I of Persia (485–465 BC).[2] The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 685-679 BCBC,[3] that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 910-904 BC.[4] His Son was Muiredach Bolgrach

Child of Simeon Breac is:

6348658562210743806066688 i. Muredach Bolgach

Generation No. 85

25394626132413581122076672. Antenor He was the son of 50789252264827162244153344. Marcomir.

Child of Antenor is:

12697313066206790561038336 i. King of Sicambria Priamus, married Hecuba

25394626132413581127843856. Lliwelydd He was the son of 50789252264827162255687712. Brutus Barianlus.

Child of Lliwelydd is:

12697313066206790563921928 i. Rhun Baladr Bras

25394626132413581127876608. Josech ben Joda He was the son of 50789252264827162255753216. Judah ben Joanna.

Child of Josech ben Joda is:

12697313066206790563938304 i. Simeon ben Josech

25394634208910877836222472. King of Anshan Arsames He was the son of 50789268417821755672444944. King of Anshan Ariaramnes.

Notes for King of Anshan Arsames: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Arsames (Old Persian: ??????????[1] Aršama[2], modern Persian: ??????[3], Greek: ??s?μ??; – ca. 520 BC) was the son of Ariaramnes and perhaps briefly the king of Persia during the Achaemenid dynasty, but gave up the throne and declared loyalty to Cyrus II of Persia. After this, Arsames most likely retired to his family estate in the Persian heartland of Parsa, and lived out the rest of his long years there peacefully, though he may nominally have exercised the duties of a "lesser king" under the authority of the "Great King". In an inscription allegedly found in Hamadan[4] he is called "king of Persia", but some scholars believe it is a fraud, either modern or ancient. Another attestation of his reign is the Behistun Inscription, where his grandson Darius I states that eight Achaemenid kings preceded him - and then, he must be counting Arsames as a king.

Arsames was father of Hystaspes, satrap of Parthia, and of Pharnaces. Arsames would live to see his grandson, Darius I, become the Great King of the Persian Empire, though he would die during his reign. In any case, he must have been one of the longest-surviving royals anywhere in the world at that time, probably living well into his nineties.

References

1.^ Akbarzadeh (2006), page 56 2.^ Kent (1384 AP), page 393 3.^ Kent (1384 AP), page 392 4.^ The inscription is known among Old Persian scholars by the code AsH.

Bibliography Akbarzadeh, D.; A. Yahyanezhad (2006) (in Persian). The Behistun Inscriptions (Old Persian Texts). Khaneye-Farhikhtagan-e Honarhaye Sonati. ISBN 964-8499-05-5. Kent, Ronald Grubb (1384 AP) (in Persian). Old Persian: Grammar, Text, Glossary. translated into Persian by S. Oryan. p. 393. ISBN 964-421-045-X. A. Sh. Shahbazi: "Arsama", in Encyclopaedia Iranica.

Child of King of Anshan Arsames is:

12697317104455438918111236 i. Prince of Anshan Hystaspes, married Rhodogune of Babylonia

25394634208910877836222476. CambysesI, King of Anshan He was the son of 50789268417821755672444952. CyrusI, King of Anshan. He married 25394634208910877836222477. Princess of Media Mandane.

25394634208910877836222477. Princess of Media Mandane She was the daughter of 50789268417821755672444954. King of Media Astyages and 50789268417821755672444955. Princess of Lydia Arvenis.

Notes for CambysesI, King of Anshan: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Cambyses I or Cambyses the Elder (via Latin from Greek ?aμß?s??; Old Persian: Kambujiya, c. 600 BC–559 BC) was king of Anshan in Iran from c. 580 to 559 BC and the father of Cyrus the Great (Cyrus II). He should not be

confused with his better-known grandson Cambyses II.

Cambyses was an early member of the Achaemenid dynasty. He was apparently a great-grandson of its founder Achaemenes, grandson of Teispes and son of Cyrus I. His paternal uncle was Ariaramnes and his first cousin was Arsames.

According to Herodotus, Cambyses was "a man of good family and quiet habits". He reigned under the overlordship of Astyages, King of Media. He was reportedly married to Princess Mandane of Media, a daughter to Astyages and Princess Aryenis of Lydia. His wife was reportedly a granddaughter to both Cyaxares of Media and Alyattes II of Lydia. The result of their marriage was the birth of his successor Cyrus the Great. According to Nicolas of Damascus his original name was Atradates, and he was wounded and later died in the Battle of the Persian Border which he, with his son, fought against Astyages. It occurred in about 551 BC, and he is reported to have received an honorable burial.

According to Herodotus, Astyages chose Cambyses as a son-in-law because he considered him to pose no threat to the Median throne. This was not the case with Cyrus the Great who would go on to depose his grandfather, and begin the Persian Empire.

Child of Cambyses and Princess Mandane is:

12697317104455438918111238 i. CyrusII, King of Persia, married Princess of Egypt Neithiyti

25394634208910877836222478. Haibre Wahibre, King of Egypt He was the son of 50789268417821755672444956. Psamtek II Neferibre, King of Egypt and 50789268417821755672444957. Takhout of Athribis, Princess of Egypt.

Notes for Haibre Wahibre, King of Egypt: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Apries (Ancient Greek: ?p????) is the name by which Herodotus (ii. 161) and Diodorus (i. 68) designate Wahibre Haaibre, ??af??? (Pharaoh-Hophra), a pharaoh of Egypt (589 BC – 570 BC), the fourth king (counting from Psamtik I) of the Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt. He was equated with the Waphres of Manetho, who correctly records that he reigned for 19 years. Apries is also called Hophra in Jeremiah 44:30.

Apries inherited the throne from his father, pharaoh Psamtik II, in February 589 BC and his reign continued his father's history of foreign intrigue in Palestinian affairs.[3] Apries was an active builder who constructed "additions to the temples at Athribis (Tell Atrib), Bahariya Oasis, Memphis and Sais."[4] In Year 4 of his reign, Apries' sister Ankhnesneferibre was adopted as the new God's Wife of Amun at Thebes.[5] However, Apries' reign was also fraught with internal problems. In 588 BC, Apries dispatched a force to Jerusalem to protect it from Babylonian forces sent by Nebuchadrezzar II. His forces were quickly crushed and Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians. His unsuccessful attempt to intervene in the politics of the Kingdom of Judah was followed by a mutiny of soldiers from the strategically important Aswan garrison.[6]

While the mutiny was contained, Apries later attempted to protect Libya from incursions by Dorian Greek invaders but his efforts here backfired spectacularly as his forces were mauled by the Greek invaders.[6] When the defeated army returned home, a civil war broke out between the indigenous Egyptian army troops and foreign mercenaries in the Egyptian army. At this time of crisis, the Egyptians turned in support towards a victorious general, Amasis II who had led Egyptian forces in a highly successful invasion of Nubia in 592 BC under pharaoh Psamtik II, Apries' father.[6] Amasis quickly declared himself pharaoh in 570 BC and Apries fled Egypt and sought refuge in another foreign country. When Apries marched back to Egypt in 567 BC with the aid of a Babylonian army to reclaim the throne of Egypt, he was likely killed in battle with Amasis' forces.[7][8] Amasis thus secured his kingship over Egypt and was now the unchallenged ruler of Egypt.

Amasis, however, reportedly treated Apries' mortal remains with respect and observed the proper funerary rituals by having Apries' body carried to Sais and buried there with "full military honours."[5] Amasis, the former general who

had declared himself pharaoh also married Apries' daughter Chedebnitjerbone II to legitimise his accession to power. While Herodotus claimed that the wife of Apries was called Nitetis in (Greek), "there are no contemporary references naming her" in Egyptian records.[9]

Apries' obelisk in Rome is known as the 'Pulcino della Minerva'Eusebius placed the eclipse of Thales in 585 BC in the eighth or twelfth year of Apries' reign.

Monuments An obelisk which Apries erected at Sais was moved by the 3rd century AD Roman Emperor Diocletian and originally placed at the Temple of Isis in Rome. It is today located in front of the Santa Maria sopra Minerva basilica church in Rome.

References This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

1.^ Clayton, Peter A. Chronicle of the Pharaohs: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers and Dynasties of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson., paperback, p.195, 2006. ISBN 0-500-28628-0 2.^ Clayton, p.195 3.^ Peter Clayton, Chronicle of the Pharaohs, Thames and Hudson, 1994 hardback, p.196 4.^ Ian Shaw & Paul Nicholson, The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt, Harry N. Abrams Inc, 1995. pp.36-37 5.^ a b Shaw & Nicholson, p.37 6.^ a b c Clayton, p.197 7.^ Wahibre 8.^ Shaw & Nicholson, p.37 Shaw & Nicholson write that Apries "probably died in battle in 567 BC" 9.^ Shaw & Nicholson, p.36

Child of Haibre Wahibre, King of Egypt is:

12697317104455438918111239 i. Princess of Egypt Neithiyti, married CyrusII, King of Persia

25394634248842975224266752. Aedan Glas He was the son of 50789268497685950448533504. Nuadhas Fionnfail.

Child of Aedan Glas is:

12697317124421487612133376 i. Simeon Breac

Generation No. 86

50789252264827162244153344. Marcomir He was the son of 101578504529654324488306688. Antenor.

Child of Marcomir is:

25394626132413581122076672 i. Antenor

50789252264827162255687712. Brutus Barianlus He was the son of 101578504529654324511375424. Efrog Gadarn.

Child of Brutus Barianlus is:

25394626132413581127843856 i. Lliwelydd

50789252264827162255753216. Judah ben Joanna He was the son of 101578504529654324511506432. Joanna ben Resa.

Child of Judah ben Joanna is:

25394626132413581127876608 i. Josech ben Joda

50789268417821755672444944. King of Anshan Ariaramnes He was the son of 101578536835643511344889888. King of Anshan Teispes.

Notes for King of Anshan Ariaramnes: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Ariaramnes (Old Persian: ????????????????[1] Ariyaramna,[2] "He who brings peace to the Aryans (i.e. Iranians)"[3]) was a great uncle of Cyrus the Great and the great-grandfather of Darius I, and perhaps the king of Parsa, the ancient core kingdom of Persia.

Ariaramnes was most likely the brother of Cyrus I of Anshan and son of Teispes, but this is not certain. In any case, he was a member of the Achaemenid House. As supported by the relief at Bisitun he was the first king of a separate Achaemenid branch that ran parallel[clarification needed] to the reigns of Cyrus I and his son Cambyses I.

Some time in the first half of the 20th Century two gold tablets relating to Ariarmnes were found in Hamadan, modern Ecbatana. These gold tablets allegedly documented the reigns of Ariaramnes and his son Arsames and were written in Old Persian in the first person. This is the only evidence we have from the time documenting his reign and thus this branch of the Achaemenid royal family. However it is now widely believed that these tablets are fakes (either modern or ancient).[4] This is because they were found on an uncontrolled dig.

Another attestation of his reign is the later Behistun Inscription, where his great grandson Darius I states that eight Achaemenid kings preceded him - and then, he must be counting Ariaramnes as a king.

His English name is derived - via Latin - from the Greek ???a??μ???. In Modern Persian, he is spelled ????????.?[5]

References 1.^ Akbarzadeh (2006), page 56 2.^ Kent (1384 AP), page 393 3.^ See Shahbazi (1987). Shahbazi believes this interpretation is problematic. 4.^ see Brosius M (2000), The Persian Empire From Cyrus I to Artaxerxes I, LACTOR 16. 5.^ Kent (1384 AP), page 391

BibliographyAkbarzadeh, D.; A. Yahyanezhad (2006) (in Persian). The Behistun Inscriptions (Old Persian Texts). Khaneye-Farhikhtagan-e Honarhaye Sonati. ISBN 964-8499-05-5. Kent, Ronald Grubb (1384 AP) (in Persian). Old Persian: Grammar, Text, Glossary. translated into Persian by S. Oryan. ISBN 964-421-045-X. A. Sh. Shahbazi (1987): "Ariyaramna", in Encyclopaedia Iranica.

Child of King of Anshan Ariaramnes is:

25394634208910877836222472 i. King of Anshan Arsames

50789268417821755672444952. CyrusI, King of Anshan

Notes for CyrusI, King of Anshan: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Cyrus I (Old Persian Kuruš) or Cyrus I of Anshan, was King of Anshan in Persia from c. 600 to 580 BC or, according to others, from c. 652 to 600 BC. He should not be confused with his famous grandson Cyrus the Great, also known as Cyrus II. His name in Modern Persian is ?????, while in Greek he was called ?????, K?ros.

Cyrus was an early member of the Achaemenid dynasty. He was apparently a grandson of its founder Achaemenes and son of Teispes, king of Anshan. Teispes' sons reportedly divided the kingdom among them after his death. Cyrus reigned as king of Anshan while his brother Ariaramnes was king of Parsa.

The chronological placement of this event is uncertain. This is due to his suggested, but still debated identification,

with the monarch known as "Kuras of Parsumas". Kuras is first mentioned c. 652 BC. At that year Shamash-shum-ukin, king of Babylon (668–648 BC) revolted against his older brother and overlord Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria (668–627 BC). Cyrus is mentioned being in a military alliance with the former. The war between the two brothers ended in 648 BC with the defeat and reported suicide of Shamash-shum-ukin.

Cyrus is mentioned again in 639 BC. At that year Ashurbanibal managed to defeat Elam and became overlord to several of its former allies. Kuras was apparently among them. His elder son "Arukku" was reportedly sent to Assyria to pay tribute to its King. Kuras then seems to vanish from historical record. His suggested identification with Cyrus would help connect the Achaemenid dynasty to the major events of the 7th century BC.

Ashurbanipal died in 627 BC. Cyrus presumably continued paying tribute to his sons and successors Ashur-etil-ilani (627–623 BC) and Sin-shar-ishkun (623 BC – 612 BC). They were both opposed by an alliance led by Cyaxares of the Medes (633–584 BC) and Nabopolassar of Babylon (626–605 BC). In 612 BC the two managed to capture the Assyrian capital Nineveh. This was effectively the end of the Assyrian Empire though remnants of the Assyrian army under Ashur-uballit II (612–609 BC) continued to resist from Harran.

Media and Babylon soon shared the lands previously controlled by the Assyrians. Anshan apparently fell under the control of the former. Cyrus is considered to have ended his days under the overlordship of either Cyaxares or his son Astyages (584 BC – 550 BC). Cyrus was succeeded by his son Cambyses I. His grandson would come to be known as Cyrus the Great, creator of the Persian Empire.

It has been noted that this account of his life and reign would place his early activities more than a century before those of his grandson. This would place his fathering of Cambyses very late in life and his death at an advanced age. It has been argued that Kuras and Cyrus were separate figures of uncertain relation to each other. The later would have then reigned in the early 6th century BC and his reign would seem rather uneventful. Due to the current lack of sufficient records for this historical period it remains uncertain which theory is closer to the facts.

Child of CyrusI, King of Anshan is:

25394634208910877836222476 i. CambysesI, King of Anshan, married Princess of Media Mandane

50789268417821755672444954. King of Media Astyages He married 50789268417821755672444955. Princess of Lydia Arvenis.

50789268417821755672444955. Princess of Lydia Arvenis

Child of King Astyages and Princess Arvenis is:

25394634208910877836222477 i. Princess of Media Mandane, married CambysesI, King of Anshan

50789268417821755672444956. Psamtek II Neferibre, King of Egypt He was the son of 101578536835643511344889912. Pharaoh Nectanebos "Necho II" and 101578536835643511344889913. ChedebitjerboneI, Queen of Egypt. He married 50789268417821755672444957. Takhout of Athribis, Princess of Egypt.

50789268417821755672444957. Takhout of Athribis, Princess of Egypt

Notes for Psamtek II Neferibre, King of Egypt: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Psamtik II (also spelled Psammetichus or Psammeticus) was a king of the Saite based Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt (595 BC – 589 BC). His prenomen, Neferibre, means "Beautiful is the Heart of Re."[1] He was the son of Necho II.

Psamtik II led a foray into Nubia in 592 BC, marching as far south as the Third or even the Fourth Cataract of the Nile according to a contemporary stela from Thebes (Karnak) which dates to Year 3 of this king's name and refers to a heavy defeat that was inflicted upon the kingdom of Kush.[2] A well-known graffito inscribed in Greek on the left leg of the colossal seated statue of Ramesses II, on the south side of the entrance to the temple of Abu Simbel,

records that:

"When King Psammetichus (ie. Psamtik II) came to Elephantine, this was written by those who sailed with Psammetichus the son of Theocles, and they came beyond Kerkis as far as the river permits. Those who spoke foreign tongues (Greek and Carians who also scratched their names on the monument) were led by Potasimto, the Egyptians by Amasis.[3] Kerkis was located near the Fifth Cataract of the Nile "which stood well within the Cushite Kingdom."[4]

This was the first confrontation between Egypt and Nubia since the reign of Tantamani. A Kushite king named Anlamani had revived the power of the kingdom of Napata. Psamtik II's campaign was likely initiated to destroy any future aspirations the Kushites may have had to reconquer Egypt. The Egyptian army advanced to Pnubs (Kerma) and the capital city of Napata in a series of fierce battles, where they looted its temples and destroyed the royal Kushite statues.[5] The Kushite capital was sacked under the reign of the native Kushite king Aspelta who was the younger brother of Anlamani and the son of Senkamanisken. The Year 3 Karnak stela is dated to II Shemu day 10 of Psamtik II's reign and states that:

The army that your Majesty sent to Nubia has reached the land of Pnubs....Nubians from all parts [of Kush] had arisen against him, their hearts full of anger when he attacked those who had rebelled against him there; because he was furious at those who had arisen against him. His Majesty took part in the combat as soon as he reached the battle. The rebels capitulated before a single arrow was unleashed against them....Those who tried to flee did not succeed and were brought back as prisoners: four thousand two hundred men.[6]

Psamtik II's victory stela from Kalabsha which records his campaign against KushAs a result of Psamtik's devastating campaign, Kush's power was crushed, and its kings from Aspelta onwards lost any opportunity of ever regaining control of Egypt. Instead, the Nubian rulers decided to shift their capital further south from Napata to the relative safety of Meroë. Curiously, however, Psamtik II does not appear to have capitalized on his victory. His troops retreated back to the First Cataract, and Elephantine continued to be the southern border of Egypt.

An outcome of this campaign was the deliberate destruction of monuments belonging to the 25th Dynasty Kushite kings in Egypt "by hacking out their names and the emblems of royalty from their statues and reliefs."[7] Later, in 591 BC, during the fourth year of his reign, Psamtik II launched an expedition into Palestine "to foment a general Levantine revolt against the Babylonians" that involved, among other, Zedekiah of the Kingdom of Judah.[8]

[edit] MonumentsPsamtik II was both a dynamic warrior pharaoh as well as a prolific builder in his brief 6 year reign. A significant Saite temple was likely built by Psamtik II and his son Apries at the village of El-Mahalla El-Kubra which lies equidistant from Sebennytos and Behbeit El-Hagar in the Lower Nile Delta.[9] Officials from the Napoleonic expedition to Egypt observed "an extraordinary number of pharaonic building elements of granite and turquoise reused in modern buildings" at this site; this discovery was subsequently confirmed by Nestor L'Hôte in 1828 who counted more than 120 granite columns built into this village's mosque alone.[10][11] A 1.8 metre long fragment of red granite with the name of Psamtik II and a door lintel of Apries was also seen at El-Mahalla El-Kubra.[10]

Under Psamtik II's reign, a pair of more than 21.79 metre high obelisks were erected in the temple of Heliopolis; the first Emperor of Rome, Augustus later had one of the obelisks, which had probably been thrown down by the Persian invaders in 525 BC, brought to Rome in 10 BC.[10] Psamtik II also constructed a kiosk on Philae island. This kiosk today "represents the oldest known monument known on the island" and consisted "of a double row of four columns, which were connected by screen walls."[10]

The Temple of Hibis was founded by Psamtik II at Kharga Oasis. Another view of the reconstructed Temple of Hibis at Kharga Oasis in December 2008.Psamtik II was also responsible for founding the

Temple-house at Hibis in El-Kharga Oasis for the triad of Amun, Mut, and Khonsu with significant installations for the cult of Osiris.[12] This 19.5 X 26 metre temple was originally situated on the bank of an ancient lake which has now disappeared and its temple decorations were only completed under the Persian kings Darius I and possibly Darius II.[10] The Hibis temple consisted of a hypostyle hall with two-by-two papyrus capital columns, a hall of offerings, three sanctuaries in the rear section of the temple and a chapel at the

side of the sanctuaries for the cult of Psamtik II.[13] The front of the temple house of Hibis featured:

"a pronaos with four papyrus bundle columns and screen walls. During the construction of the pranaos, the side walls were extended for the addition of a court[yard]. This extension, was, however, only carried out in the 30th Dynasty [by Nectanebo I and Nectanebo II.] The eight papyrus columns of the pronaos still show the New Kingdom type of open, bell-shaped capitals."[14] A massive sandstone gateway through an outer enclosure wall still stands almost 5 metres tall and was constructed during the Ptolemaic or Roman periods.[15] Many inscriptions and decrees were carved on the gateway on a wide variety of topics such as taxation, inheritance, the court system and the rights of women, with the earliest text dating to 49 AD.[15]

The Temple of Psamtik II at Hibis was completely preserved until 1832 when its roof and portions of the temple were removed for the construction of an aluminium factory.[14] Only excavation work by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1910-1911 and restorations performed by the Egyptian Antiquities Service arrested its decline.[16] Today, the Hibis temple remains—together with the Oracle or Ammoneion of Siwa--as "the best preserved and best-documented temple of the early Egyptian Late Period and is therefore a primary monument to the history of [Egyptian temple] building."[14]

[edit] SuccessorWhen Psamtik II died in 589 BC, he was succeeded by Apries who was his son by Queen Takhut, a Princess of Athribis. Psamtik and Queen Takhut were also the parents of Menekhubaste, a Priestess of Atum at Heliopolis, and Ankhnesneferibre, a God's Wife of Amun who was served in this powerful office in Upper Egypt through to the remainder of the Saite period in 525 BC when Egypt was conquered by the Persians.[17] The date of Psamtik II's death is mentioned in the Adoption stela of Ankhenesneferibre: Year 6, I Akhet day 23.[18]

References 1.^ Peter Clayton, Chronicle of the Pharaohs, Thames and Hudson, 1994. p.195 2.^ The New Encyclopædia Britannica: Micropædia, Vol.9, 15th edition, 2003. p.756 3.^ king Psammetichus II (Psamtik II) 4.^ Britannica, p.756 5.^ Charles Bonnet & Dominique Valbelle, The Nubian Pharaohs, The American University in Cairo Press, 2005. p.166-167 6.^ Bonnet & Valbelle, pp.166-167 7.^ Brittanica, p.756 8.^ Alan B. Lloyd, 'The Late Period' in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (ed. Ian Shaw), Oxford Univ. Press 2002 paperback, p.381 9.^ Dieter Arnold, Temples of the Last Pharaohs, Oxford University Press, 1999. p.76 10.^ a b c d e Arnold, Temples, p.76 11.^ Nestor L'Hôte, Sur le Nil avec Champollion: Lettres, journaux et dessins inédits de Nestor L'Hôte: premier voyage en Egypte, 1828-1830 12.^ Arnold, op. cit., p.77 13.^ Arnold, Temples, p.77 14.^ a b c Arnold, Temples, p.79 15.^ a b Hibis 16.^ Arnold, op. cit., p.79 17.^ Christian Settipani, Nos ancêtres de l'Antiquité, 1991. pp.153 & 161 18.^ Bonnet & Valbelle, p.170

Child of Psamtek Neferibre and Takhout Athribis is:

25394634208910877836222478 i. Haibre Wahibre, King of Egypt

50789268497685950448533504. Nuadhas Fionnfail He was the son of 101578536995371900897067008. Gialchadh.

Notes for Nuadhas Fionnfail: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Nuadu Finn Fáil (Nuadu the Fair of Fál - a poetic name for Ireland), son of Gíallchad, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland, who took power after he killed his predecessor, and his father's killer, Art Imlech. The Lebor Gabála Érenn says he ruled for either sixty or forty years[1] (Geoffrey Keating says twenty,[2] the Four Masters forty)[3] before being killed by Art's son Bres Rí. The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with that of Cyaxares of the Medes (625-585 BC). The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 755-735 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 1002-962 BC. His Son was Áedan Glas

Child of Nuadhas Fionnfail is:

25394634248842975224266752 i. Aedan Glas

Generation No. 87

101578504529654324488306688. Antenor He was the son of 203157009059308648976613376. Helenus IV.

Child of Antenor is:

50789252264827162244153344 i. Marcomir

101578504529654324511375424. Efrog Gadarn He was the son of 203157009059308649022750848. Mymbry.

Child of Efrog Gadarn is:

50789252264827162255687712 i. Brutus Barianlus

101578504529654324511506432. Joanna ben Resa He was the son of 203157009059308649023012864. Rhesa ben Zerubbabel.

Child of Joanna ben Resa is:

50789252264827162255753216 i. Judah ben Joanna

101578536835643511344889888. King of Anshan Teispes He was the son of 203157073671287022689779776. King of Anshan Cyrus.

Child of King of Anshan Teispes is:

50789268417821755672444944 i. King of Anshan Ariaramnes

101578536835643511344889912. Pharaoh Nectanebos "Necho II" He was the son of 203157073671287022689779824. Psamtek I and 203157073671287022689779825. Queen of Egypt Mehetenweshket. He married 101578536835643511344889913. ChedebitjerboneI, Queen of Egypt.

101578536835643511344889913. ChedebitjerboneI, Queen of Egypt

Notes for Pharaoh Nectanebos "Necho II": [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

See 'Zedekiah' c. 597-586 (Judah) and c. 610-595 (Kings at Napata, Egypt 26th Dynasty).

A Pharaoh who defeated Josiah in the Valley of Megiddo (609 BC) and was himself defeated by Nebuchednezzar, king of Babylon, in the battle of CARCHEMISH (605 BC; 2 Chr 35:20, 22). Variant spellings of the Bible include Neco, Necoh and Nechoh.

Necho II (sometimes Nekau) was a king of the Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt (610 BCE – 595 BCE).

Necho II is most likely the pharaoh mentioned in several books of the Bible (see Hebrew Bible / Old Testament). The Book of Kings states that Necho met King Josiah of the Kingdom of Judah at Megiddo and killed him (2 Kings 23:29) (see Battle of Megiddo (609 BC)). The Book of Chronicles 2 Chronicles 35:20-27 gives a lengthier account and 2 Chronicles 35:20 states that when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against the Babylonians at Carchemish on the Euphrates River and that King Josiah was fatally wounded by an Egyptian archer. He was then brought back to Jerusalem to die. Necho is quoted as saying:

"What quarrel is there between you and me, O king of Judah? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you." (NIV)

However, at Carchemish in the summer of 605 BC (or 607 BC by some sources) an important battle was fought by the Babylonian army of Nebuchadrezzar II and that of Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt (see the record contained in the Book of Jeremiah chapter 46 regarding Egypt and its defeat).[1] The aim of Necho's campaign was to contain the Westward advance of the Babylonian Empire and cut off its trade route across the Euphrates. However, the Egyptians were defeated by the unexpected attack of the Babylonians and were eventually expelled from Syria.

Necho II was the son of Psammetichus I by his Great Royal Wife Mehtenweskhet. His prenomen or royal name Wahemibre means "Carrying out the Wish of Re."[2]

[edit] ReignNecho played a significant role in the histories of the Assyrian Empire, Babylonia and the Kingdom of Judah. Upon his ascension, Necho was faced with the chaos created by the raids of the Cimmerians and the Scythians, who had not only ravaged Asia west of the Euphrates, but had also helped the Babylonians shatter the Assyrian Empire. That once mighty empire was now reduced to the troops, officials, and nobles who had gathered around a general holding out at Harran, who had taken the throne name of Ashur-uballit II. Necho attempted to assist this remnant immediately upon his coronation, but the force he sent proved to be too small, and the combined armies were forced to retreat west across the Euphrates.

[edit] First campaign Aerial view of Tel Megiddo site of the battle of Megiddo in 609 BC.In the spring of 609 BC, Necho personally led a sizable force to help the Assyrians. At the head of a large army, consisting mainly of his mercenaries, Necho took the coast route Via Maris into Syria, supported by his Mediterranean fleet along the shore, and proceeded through the low tracts of Philistia and Sharon. He prepared to cross the ridge of hills which shuts in on the south the great Jezreel Valley, but here he found his passage blocked by the Jewish army. Their king, Josiah, sided with the Babylonians and attempted to block his advance at Megiddo, where a fierce battle was fought and Josiah was killed (2 Kings 23:29, 2 Chronicles 35:20-24).

Herodotus reports the campaign of the pharaoh in his Histories:

― Necos, then, stopped work on the canal and turned to war; some of his triremes were constructed by the northern sea, and some in the Arabian Gulf, by the coast of the Sea of Erythrias. The windlasses for beaching the ships can still be seen. He deployed these ships as needed, while he also engaged in a pitched battle at Magdolos with the Syrians, and conquered them; and after this he took Cadytis (Kadesh), which is a great city of Syria. He sent the clothes he had worn in these battles to Branchidae of Miletus and dedicated them to Apollo. ‖

Necho soon captured Kadesh on the Orontes and moved forward, joining forces with Ashur-uballit and together they crossed the Euphrates and laid siege to Harran. Although Necho became the first pharaoh to cross the Euphrates since Thutmose III, he failed to capture Harran, and retreated back to northern Syria. At this point, Ashur-uballit vanished from history, and the Assyrian Empire was conquered by the Babylonians.

Leaving a sizable force behind, Necho returned to Egypt. On his return march, he found that the Judeans had selected Jehoahaz to succeed his father Josiah, whom Necho deposed and replaced with Jehoiakim. He brought Jehoahaz back to Egypt as his prisoner, where Jehoahaz ended his days (2 Kings 23:31; 2 Chronicles 36:1-4).

[edit] Second campaignMeanwhile, the Babylonian king was planning on reasserting his power in Syria. In 609 BC,

King Nabopolassar captured Kumukh, which cut off the Egyptian army, then based at Carchemish. Necho responded the following year by retaking Kumukh after a four month siege, and executed the Babylonian garrison. Nabopolassar gathered another army, which camped at Qurumati on the Euphrates. However, Nabopolassar's poor health forced him to return to Babylon in 605 BC. In response, in 606 BC the Egyptians attacked the leaderless Babylonians (probably then led by the crown prince Nebuchadrezzar) who fled their position.

At this point, the aged Nabopolassar, passed command of the army to his son Nebuchadrezzar II, who led them to a decisive victory over the Egyptians at Carchemish, and pursued the fleeing survivors to Hamath. Necho's dream of restoring the Egyptian Empire in the Middle East as had occurred under the New Kingdom was destroyed as Nebuchadrezzar conquered Egyptian territory from the Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt (Jeremiah 46:2; 2 Kings 23:29) down to Judea. Although Nebuchadrezzar spent many years in his new conquests on continuous pacification campaigns, Necho was unable to recover any significant part of his lost territories. For example, when Ashkalon rose in revolt, despite repeated pleas the Egyptians sent no help, and were barely able to repel a Babylonian attack on their eastern border in 601 BC. When he did repel the Babylonian attack, Necho managed to capture Gaza while pursuing the enemy. Necho turned his attention in his remaining years to forging relationships with new allies: the Carians, and further to the west, the Greeks.

[edit] Ambitious projectsAt some point during his Syrian campaign, Necho II initiated but never completed the ambitious project of cutting a navigable canal from the Pelusiac branch of the Nile to the Red Sea, the earliest precursor of the Suez Canal.[3] It was in connection with this new activity that Necho founded a new city of Per-Temu Tjeku which translates as 'The House of Atum of Tjeku' at the site now known as Tell el-Maskhuta,[4] about 15 km west of Ismailia. The waterway was intended to facilitate trade between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. Necho also formed an Egyptian navy by recruiting displaced Ionian Greeks. This was an unprecedented act by the pharaoh since most Egyptians had traditionally harboured an inherent distaste for and fear of the sea.[5] The navy which Necho created operated along both the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts.[6]

Herodotus (4.42) also reports that Necho sent out an expedition of Phoenicians, who in three years sailed from the Red Sea around Africa back to the mouth of the Nile.[7] Some current historians tend to believe Herodotus' account, primarily because he stated with disbelief that the Phoenicians " as they sailed on a westerly course round the southern end of Libya (Africa), they had the sun on their right - to northward of them" (The Histories 4.42) -- in Herodotus' time it was not known that Africa extended south past the equator; however, Egyptologists also point out that it would have been extremely unusual for an Egyptian Pharaoh to carry out such an expedition.[8] Alan B. Lloyd doubts the event and attributes the development of the story by other events.[9]

[edit] Death and successionNecho II died in 595 BC and was succeeded by his son, Psamtik II, as the next pharaoh of Egypt. Psamtik II, however, later removed Necho's name from almost all of his father's monuments for unknown reasons.

References General information Budge, E. A. W. (1894). The mummy: Chapters on Egyptian funereal archaeology. Cambridge [England]: University Press. page 56+. Budge, E. A. W. (1904). A history of Egypt from the end of the Neolithic period to the death of Cleopatra VII, B.C. 30. Books on Egypt and Chaldaea, v. 9-16. London: K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. Page218+. Footnotes 1.^ Jeremiah 46-48, biblegateway.com 2.^ Peter Clayton, Chronicle of the Pharaohs, Thames and Hudson, 1994. p.195 3.^ Redmount, Carol A. "The Wadi Tumilat and the "Canal of the Pharaohs"" Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 54, No. 2 (Apr., 1995), pp. 127-135 4.^ Shaw & Nicholson, p.201 5.^ Clayton, p.196 6.^ Herodotus 2.158; Pliny N.H. 6.165ff; Diodorus Siculus 3.43 7.^ Note however that though the original documents state "Red Sea", many ancient manuscripts reference the "Mediterranean Sea" as the "Red Sea". See History of Suez Canal and painting by Wybylack for more detail. 8.^ For instance, the

Egyptologist Alan Lloyd wrote "Given the context of Egyptian thought, economic life, and military interests, it is impossible for one to imagine what stimulus could have motivated Necho in such a scheme

and if we cannot provide a reason which is sound within Egyptian terms of reference, then we have good reason to doubt the historicity of the entire episode." Alan B. Lloyd, "Necho and the Red Sea: Some Considerations", Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 63 (1977) p.149. 9.^ Lloyd points out that geographical knowledge at the time of Herodutus was such that Greeks would know that such a voyage would entail the sun being on their right but did not believe Africa could extend far enough for this to happen. He suggests that the Greeks at this time understood that anyone going south far enough and then turning west would have the sun on their right but found it unbelievable that Africa reached so far south. He suggests that "It is extremely unlikely that an Egyptian king would, or could, have acted as Necho is depicted as doing" and that the story might have been triggered by the failure of Sataspes attempt to circumnavigate Africa under Xerxes the Great. For more see: Lloyd, Alan B. "Necho and the Red Sea: Some Considerations Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 63, (1977), pp. 142-155 [edit] Further readingPeter Clayton (1994). Chronicle of the Pharaohs, Thames and Hudson. Nekau (II) Wehemibre., digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk Necho II, touregypt.net.

Child of Pharaoh II" and Chedebitjerbone is:

50789268417821755672444956 i. Psamtek II Neferibre, King of Egypt, married Takhout of Athribis, Princess of Egypt

101578536995371900897067008. Gialchadh He was the son of 203157073990743801794134016. Olioll Aolcheoin.

Notes for Gialchadh: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Giallchad, son of Ailill Olcháin, son of Sírna Sáeglach, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing his predecessor, and the son of his grandfather's killer, Elim Olfínechta, in the battle of Comair Trí nUisce. He is said to have taken one out of every five men of Munster hostage. He reigned for nine years, before being killed by Elim's son Art Imlech at Mag Muaide. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of Phraortes of the Medes (665-633 BC).[1] The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 786-777 BC,[2] that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 1023-1014 BC.[3]

His Son was Nuadu Finn Fáil.

Child of Gialchadh is:

50789268497685950448533504 i. Nuadhas Fionnfail

Generation No. 88

203157009059308648976613376. Helenus IV He was the son of 406314018118617297953226752. Priam IV.

Child of Helenus IV is:

101578504529654324488306688 i. Antenor

203157009059308649022750848. Mymbry He was the son of 406314018118617298045501696. Madog.

Child of Mymbry is:

101578504529654324511375424 i. Efrog Gadarn

203157009059308649023012864. Rhesa ben Zerubbabel He was the son of 406314018118617298046025728. Zeruabbabel ben Shealtiel ha David.

Child of Rhesa ben Zerubbabel is:

101578504529654324511506432 i. Joanna ben Resa

203157073671287022689779776. King of Anshan Cyrus He was the son of 406314147342574045379559552. TeispesI, King of Anshan.

Child of King of Anshan Cyrus is:

101578536835643511344889888 i. King of Anshan Teispes

203157073671287022689779824. Psamtek I He was the son of 406314147342574045379559648. Neko I and 406314147342574045379559649. Princess of Egypt Istemabet. He married 203157073671287022689779825. Queen of Egypt Mehetenweshket.

203157073671287022689779825. Queen of Egypt Mehetenweshket She was the daughter of 406314147342574045379559650. High Priest of Egypt Harsiese and 406314147342574045379559651. Djed Mutesankh of Egypt.

Notes for Psamtek I: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

C. About 664-610 BCE.

Child of Psamtek and Queen Mehetenweshket is:

101578536835643511344889912 i. Pharaoh Nectanebos "Necho II", married (1) Mehetenweskhet of Heliopolis; married

(2) ChedebitjerboneI, Queen of Egypt

203157073990743801794134016. Olioll Aolcheoin He was the son of 406314147981487603588268032. Siorna "Saoghalach".

Child of Olioll Aolcheoin is:

101578536995371900897067008 i. Gialchadh

Generation No. 89

406314018118617297953226752. Priam IV He was the son of 812628036237234595906453504. King of the Cimmerians Marcomir.

Child of Priam IV is:

203157009059308648976613376 i. Helenus IV

406314018118617298045501696. Madog He was the son of 812628036237234596091003392. Locrinus.

Child of Madog is:

203157009059308649022750848 i. Mymbry

406314018118617298046025728. Zeruabbabel ben Shealtiel ha David He was the son of 812628036237234596092051456. Shealtiel ben Neri.

Child of Zeruabbabel ben Shealtiel ha David is:

203157009059308649023012864 i. Rhesa ben Zerubbabel

406314147342574045379559552. TeispesI, King of Anshan He was the son of 812628294685148090759119104. KIng of Anshan Achaimenes.

Notes for TeispesI, King of Anshan: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Teispes (Old Persian: ????????????[1] Cišpiš[2], from Greek: ?e?sp?? ) lived from 675-640 BCE. He was the son of Achaemenes and an ancestor of Cyrus the Great.[3] There is evidence that Cyrus I and Ariaramnes were both his sons.[3] Cyrus I is the grandfather of Cyrus the Great, whereas Ariaramnes is great grandfather of Darius the Great. According to 7th-century BC docu-ments, he captured the Elamite city of Anshan after being freed from Median supremacy, and expanded his small kingdom. His kingdom was an Elamite vassal state. He was succeeded by his second son, Cyrus I.[3]

Child of TeispesI, King of Anshan is:

203157073671287022689779776 i. King of Anshan Cyrus

406314147342574045379559648. Neko I He was the son of 812628294685148090759119296. Shepsesre TefnakhtII, Prince of Egypt. He married 406314147342574045379559649. Princess of Egypt Istemabet.

406314147342574045379559649. Princess of Egypt Istemabet

Child of Neko and Princess Istemabet is:

203157073671287022689779824 i. Psamtek I, married Queen of Egypt Mehetenweshket

406314147342574045379559650. High Priest of Egypt Harsiese He was the son of 812628294685148090759119300. Khamor of Egypt and 812628294685148090759119301. Tabetjet of Egypt. He married 406314147342574045379559651. Djed Mutesankh of Egypt.

406314147342574045379559651. Djed Mutesankh of Egypt

Child of High Harsiese and Djed Egypt is:

203157073671287022689779825 i. Queen of Egypt Mehetenweshket, married Psamtek I

406314147981487603588268032. Siorna "Saoghalach" He was the son of 812628295962975207176536064. Dein.

Notes for Siorna "Saoghalach": [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Sírna Sáeglach ("the long-lived"),[1] son of Dian mac Demal, son of Demal mac Rothechtaid, son of Rothechtaid mac Main, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He separated the province of Ulster from the authority of the High King, and is said to have made war against the Ulaid, who had killed his great grandfather, for a hundred years according to the Lebor Gabála Érenn,[2] 150 years according to the Annals of the Four Masters,[3] but Geoffrey Keating, citing an ancient poem, gives him only twenty-one years.[4] According to one version of the Lebor Gabála, the Ulaid united with the Fomorians and gave him battle at Móin Trógaide in County Meath, but a plague fell on them and the leaders of both sides died. According to another version, agreed by Keating and the Four Masters, Sírna was killed by Rothechtaid Rotha at Alind. The Lebor Gabála synchronises the start of his reign with the reign of Deioces of the Medes (694–665 BC), and his death with his successor Phraortes (665–633 BC). The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 814–794 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 1181–1031 BC. His Son was Ailill Olcháin.

Child of Siorna "Saoghalach" is:

203157073990743801794134016 i. Olioll Aolcheoin

Generation No. 90

812628036237234595906453504. King of the Cimmerians Marcomir He was the son of 1625256072474469191812907008. Dilulius.

Child of King of the Cimmerians Marcomir is:

406314018118617297953226752 i. Priam IV

812628036237234596091003392. Locrinus He was the son of 1625256072474469192182006784. Brutus and 1625256072474469192182006785. Ignoge of Greece.

Child of Locrinus is:

406314018118617298045501696 i. Madog

812628036237234596092051456. Shealtiel ben Neri He was the son of 1625256072474469192184102912. Neri ben Melki.

Child of Shealtiel ben Neri is:

406314018118617298046025728 i. Zeruabbabel ben Shealtiel ha David

812628294685148090759119104. KIng of Anshan Achaimenes

Notes for KIng of Anshan Achaimenes: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Achaemenes (English pronunciation: /?'k?m?ni?z/, from Ancient Greek: ??a?μ????, Old Persian: ?????????????? Haxamaniš[1][2]) was the eponymous ancestor of the Achaemenid Dynasty, who ruled Persia between 705 BC[3][4] and 675 BC.[4]

The name is a bahuvrihi compound literally translating to "having a friend's mind,"[5] or "characterized by a follower's spirit"[2]

As the eponymous ancestor of the clan, Achaemenes is very often held to be legendary. Achaemenes is generally known as the leader of one of the clans of one of the ten to fifteen Persian tribes, the Pasargadae. Persian royal inscriptions such as the Behistun Inscription place him five generations before Darius the Great. Therefore, according to the Inscriptions, Achaemenes could have lived around 700 BC. The inscriptions do label him as a "king,"[6] which may mean that he was the first official king of the Iranians.

Apart from Persian royal inscriptions, there is very limited historical sources on Achaemenes therefore not much about him is known for certain. It has also been proposed that Achaemenes could be only a "mythical ancestor of the Persian royal house". In Babylonian Cyrus Cylinder, Cyrus the Great (Cyrus II) does not talk about Achaemenes at all in his detailed genealogy.[4]

When Darius rose to the position of Shah (i.e. King) of Persia in 522 BC by killing a so called imposter of Bardiya, son of the Persian conqueror Cyrus the Great, Darius was able to claim legitimacy by pointing to his descent from Achaemenes. Consequently, Darius had much to gain by pointing to an ancestor shared by Cyrus and himself. It is sometimes thought that Achaemenes is an invention of Darius. An inscription from Pasargadae mentions Cyrus calling himself as descended from Achaemenes,[7] However, Bruce Lincoln suggests that these inscriptions of Cyrus in Pasargadae were engraved during the reign of Darius in ca. 510.[8]

In any case, the Persian royal dynasty from Darius onward revered Achaemenes and credited him as the founder of

their dynasty. Very little, however, was remembered about his life or actions. Assuming he existed, Achaemenes was most likely a 7th century BC warrior-chieftain, or the probable first king, who led the Persians, or a tribe of Persians, as a vassal of the Median Empire. An Assyrian inscription from the time of King Sennacherib in 691 BC, mentions that the Assyrian king almost repelled an attack by Parsuamash and Anzan, with the Medians and others on the city of Halule. Historians contend that if he existed, Achaemenes had to be one of the commanders, leading his Persians with the independent troops of Anshan, during the indecisive Battle of Halule in 691 BC.

Ancient Greek writers provide some legendary information about Achaemenes: they call his tribe the Pasargadae, and say that he was "raised by an eagle". Plato, when writing about the Persians, identified Achaemenes with Perses, ancestor of the Persians in Greek mythology.[9] According to Plato, Achaemenes/Perses was the son of the Ethiopian queen Andromeda and the Greek hero Perseus, and a grandson of Zeus. Later writers believed that Achaemenes and Perses were different people, and that Perses was an ancestor of the king.[4]

Persian and Greek sources state that Achaemenes was succeeded by his son Teispes, who would lead the Persians to conquer and settle in the Elamite city of Anshan in southern Iran. Teispes' great-grandson Cyrus conquered the Medes and established the Persian Empire. Teispes is referred to as a son of Achaemenes in the Old Persian texts at Behistun

Child of KIng of Anshan Achaimenes is:

406314147342574045379559552 i. TeispesI, King of Anshan

812628294685148090759119296. Shepsesre TefnakhtII, Prince of Egypt He was the son of 1625256589370296181518238592. Bakenranef (Bocchoris) Wah Ka Re'.

Child of Shepsesre TefnakhtII, Prince of Egypt is:

406314147342574045379559648 i. Neko I, married Princess of Egypt Istemabet

812628294685148090759119300. Khamor of Egypt He was the son of 1625256589370296181518238600. Harsiese I of Egypt and 1625256589370296181518238601. Babai of Egypt. He married 812628294685148090759119301. Tabetjet of Egypt.

812628294685148090759119301. Tabetjet of Egypt She was the daughter of 1625256589370296181518238602. Sharshaiu of Nubia and 1625256589370296181518238603. Gupataenese of Nubia.

Child of Khamor Egypt and Tabetjet Egypt is:

406314147342574045379559650 i. High Priest of Egypt Harsiese, married Djed Mutesankh of Egypt

812628295962975207176536064. Dein He was the son of 1625256591925950414353072128. Rotheachtach.

Child of Dein is:

406314147981487603588268032 i. Siorna "Saoghalach"

Generation No. 91

1625256072474469191812907008. Dilulius He was the son of 3250512144948938383625814016. Almadus.

Child of Dilulius is:

812628036237234595906453504 i. King of the Cimmerians Marcomir

1625256072474469192182006784. Brutus He was the son of 3250512144948938384364013568. Sylvanus Posthumus d'Italia. He married 1625256072474469192182006785. Ignoge of Greece.

1625256072474469192182006785. Ignoge of Greece She was the daughter of 3250512144948938384364013570. Padrasus.

Child of Brutus and Ignoge Greece is:

812628036237234596091003392 i. Locrinus

1625256072474469192184102912. Neri ben Melki He was the son of 3250512144948938384368205824. Melki ben Addi.

Child of Neri ben Melki is:

812628036237234596092051456 i. Shealtiel ben Neri

1625256589370296181518238592. Bakenranef (Bocchoris) Wah Ka Re' He was the son of 3250513178740592363036477184. Tefnakhte (I) Shepses Re' of EGYPT.

Notes for Bakenranef (Bocchoris) Wah Ka Re': [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

c. 720-715 BCE. Kings of Sais, 24th Dynasty.

Also known as BOCCHORIS.

Child of Bakenranef (Bocchoris) Wah Ka Re' is:

812628294685148090759119296 i. Shepsesre TefnakhtII, Prince of Egypt

1625256589370296181518238600. Harsiese I of Egypt He was the son of 3250513178740592363036477200. Pediese of Egypt. He married 1625256589370296181518238601. Babai of Egypt.

1625256589370296181518238601. Babai of Egypt

Child of Harsiese Egypt and Babai Egypt is:

812628294685148090759119300 i. Khamor of Egypt, married Tabetjet of Egypt

1625256589370296181518238602. Sharshaiu of Nubia He married 1625256589370296181518238603. Gupataenese of Nubia.

1625256589370296181518238603. Gupataenese of Nubia

Child of Sharshaiu Nubia and Gupataenese Nubia is:

812628294685148090759119301 i. Tabetjet of Egypt, married Khamor of Egypt

1625256591925950414353072128. Rotheachtach He was the son of 3250513183851900828706144256. Main.

Notes for Rotheachtach: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Rothechtaid, son of Maen, son of Óengus Olmucaid, was, according to according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to power by killing the previous incumbent, his grandfather's killer Énna Airgdech, in the battle of Raigne. He ruled for twenty-two years. The Lebor Gabála Érenn gives two versions of his death. In one version, he was killed in single combat in Cruachan by Sétna Airt, who fought to protect his son Fíachu Fínscothach. In the other version, he died of his wounds in Tara.[1] The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 1005-980 BC,[2] that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 1383-1358 BC.[3]

His son was Demal mac Rothechtaid.

Child of Rotheachtach is:

812628295962975207176536064 i. Dein

Generation No. 92

3250512144948938383625814016. Almadus He was the son of 6501024289897876767251628032. Gentilanor.

Child of Almadus is:

1625256072474469191812907008 i. Dilulius

3250512144948938384364013568. Sylvanus Posthumus d'Italia

Child of Sylvanus Posthumus d'Italia is:

1625256072474469192182006784 i. Brutus, married Ignoge of Greece

3250512144948938384364013570. Padrasus

Child of Padrasus is:

1625256072474469192182006785 i. Ignoge of Greece, married Brutus

3250512144948938384368205824. Melki ben Addi He was the son of 6501024289897876768736411648. Addi ben Cosam.

Child of Melki ben Addi is:

1625256072474469192184102912 i. Neri ben Melki

3250513178740592363036477184. Tefnakhte (I) Shepses Re' of EGYPT He was the son of 6501026357481184726072954368. Osorkon IV `C' of MA'AT and 6501026357481184726072954369. Princess of Libya.

Notes for Tefnakhte (I) Shepses Re' of EGYPT: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

See Kings of Sais. c. 727-720 BCE.

Child of Tefnakhte (I) Shepses Re' of EGYPT is:

1625256589370296181518238592 i. Bakenranef (Bocchoris) Wah Ka Re'

3250513178740592363036477200. Pediese of Egypt He was the son of 6501026357481184726072954400. Ankwennefer of Egypt.

Child of Pediese of Egypt is:

1625256589370296181518238600 i. Harsiese I of Egypt, married Babai of Egypt

3250513183851900828706144256. Main He was the son of 6501026367703801657412288512. Aongus Olmucach:.

Child of Main is:

1625256591925950414353072128 i. Rotheachtach

Generation No. 93

6501024289897876767251628032. Gentilanor He was the son of 13002048579795753534503256064. Priam III.

Child of Gentilanor is:

3250512144948938383625814016 i. Almadus

6501024289897876768736411648. Addi ben Cosam He was the son of 13002048579795753537472823296. Cosam ben Elmadam.

Child of Addi ben Cosam is:

3250512144948938384368205824 i. Melki ben Addi

6501026357481184726072954368. Osorkon IV `C' of MA'AT He was the son of 13002052714962369452145908736. Shoshonk V Aakheperre. He married 6501026357481184726072954369. Princess of Libya.

6501026357481184726072954369. Princess of Libya

Child of Osorkon MA'AT and Princess Libya is:

3250513178740592363036477184 i. Tefnakhte (I) Shepses Re' of EGYPT

6501026357481184726072954400. Ankwennefer of Egypt

Child of Ankwennefer of Egypt is:

3250513178740592363036477200 i. Pediese of Egypt

6501026367703801657412288512. Aongus Olmucach: He was the son of 13002052735407603314824577024. Fiacha Labhrainn.

Notes for Aongus Olmucach:: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Óengus Olmucaid (or Aengus Olmucada), son of Fíachu Labrainne, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. During the reign of his father, he conquered Scotland. He came to power by killing the incumbent High King, Eochu Mumu, who had killed his father twenty-one years earlier. He fought many battles against the Cruithne, the Fir Bolg, the Fomorians and other peoples of Ireland, the people of the Orkney islands, and even the Longobardi. He was killed by Enna Airgdech, son of Eochu Mumu, in the battle of Carman. Geoffrey Keating, who interprets his epithet as meaning "great hogs", dates his reign to 1050-1032 BC, the Annals of the Four Masters to 1428-1410 BC.[1][2]

Child of Aongus Olmucach: is:

3250513183851900828706144256 i. Main

Generation No. 94

13002048579795753534503256064. Priam III He was the son of 26004097159591507069006512128. Alexandre the Trojan.

Child of Priam III is:

6501024289897876767251628032 i. Gentilanor

13002048579795753537472823296. Cosam ben Elmadam He was the son of

26004097159591507074945646592. Elmadam ben Er.

Child of Cosam ben Elmadam is:

6501024289897876768736411648 i. Addi ben Cosam

13002052714962369452145908736. Shoshonk V Aakheperre He was the son of 26004105429924738904291817472. Stepenre Pimay, Prince of Egypt at Heraclepolis.

Child of Shoshonk V Aakheperre is:

6501026357481184726072954368 i. Osorkon IV `C' of MA'AT, married Princess of Libya

13002052735407603314824577024. Fiacha Labhrainn He was the son of 26004105470815206629649154048. Smiomghall.

Notes for Fiacha Labhrainn: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Fiacha Labhrainn: his son; was the 18th Monarch; reigned 24 years; slew Eochaidh Faobharglas, of the line of Heber, at the battle of Carman. During his reign all the inhabitants of Scotland were brought in subjection to the Irish Monarchy, and the conquest was secured by his son the 20th Monarch. Fiacha at length (B.C. 1448) fell in the battle of Bealgadain, by the hands of Eochaidh Mumho, the son of Moefeibhis, of the race of Heber Fionn.

Fíachu Labhrainne, son of Smirgoll, son of Enboth, son of Tigernmas, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to power by killing the previous incumbent, Eochaid Faebar Glas, in the battle of Carman, in vengeance for his father, who had been killed by Eochaid in the battle of Druimm Liatháin. He was named after the river Labrainn, which burst from the ground during his reign. He fought a sea battle against the descendants of Éber Finn, and fought a battle against the Érainn at Mag Genainn in County Fermanagh, which resulted in Loch Erne bursting from the ground. In another battle he killed Eochaid's son Mofebis. Mofebis's son Eochu Mumu killed him in vengeance in the battle of Sliab Belgatain.[1] Geoffrey Keating adds that during his reign, his son Aengus Olmucada conquered Scotland.[2] The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with those of Piritiades and Ofratalus in Assyria. The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 1095-1071 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 1473-1449 BC.[3]

Child of Fiacha Labhrainn is:

6501026367703801657412288512 i. Aongus Olmucach:

Generation No. 95

26004097159591507069006512128. Alexandre the Trojan He was the son of 52008194319183014138013024256. Basabelian II.

Child of Alexandre the Trojan is:

13002048579795753534503256064 i. Priam III

26004097159591507074945646592. Elmadam ben Er He was the son of 52008194319183014149891293184. Er ben Joshua.

Child of Elmadam ben Er is:

13002048579795753537472823296 i. Cosam ben Elmadam

26004105429924738904291817472. Stepenre Pimay, Prince of Egypt at Heraclepolis He was the son of 52008210859849477808583634944. Shoshonk III and 52008210859849477808583634945. Princess of Memphis

Djedbastesankh.

Child of Stepenre Pimay, Prince of Egypt at Heraclepolis is:

13002052714962369452145908736 i. Shoshonk V Aakheperre

26004105470815206629649154048. Smiomghall He was the son of 52008210941630413259298308096. Enboath.

Child of Smiomghall is:

13002052735407603314824577024 i. Fiacha Labhrainn

Generation No. 96

52008194319183014138013024256. Basabelian II He was the son of 104016388638366028276026048512. Plesron II.

Child of Basabelian II is:

26004097159591507069006512128 i. Alexandre the Trojan

52008194319183014149891293184. Er ben Joshua He was the son of 104016388638366028299782586368. Joshua ben Eliazar.

Child of Er ben Joshua is:

26004097159591507074945646592 i. Elmadam ben Er

52008210859849477808583634944. Shoshonk III He was the son of 104016421719698955617167269888. Takelot II and 104016421719698955617167269889. Queen Karomama II. He married 52008210859849477808583634945. Princess of Memphis Djedbastesankh.

52008210859849477808583634945. Princess of Memphis Djedbastesankh She was the daughter of 104016421719698955617167269890. High Priest of Ptah at Memphis Takelot and 104016421719698955617167269891. Princess of Egypt Tjedbastperou.

Child of Shoshonk and Princess Djedbastesankh is:

26004105429924738904291817472 i. Stepenre Pimay, Prince of Egypt at Heraclepolis

52008210941630413259298308096. Enboath He was the son of 104016421883260826518596616192. Tigernmas.

Child of Enboath is:

26004105470815206629649154048 i. Smiomghall

Generation No. 97

104016388638366028276026048512. Plesron II He was the son of 208032777276732056552052097024. Helenus II.

Child of Plesron II is:

52008194319183014138013024256 i. Basabelian II

104016388638366028299782586368. Joshua ben Eliazar He was the son of 208032777276732056599565172736. Eliezer ben Jorim.

Child of Joshua ben Eliazar is:

52008194319183014149891293184 i. Er ben Joshua

104016421719698955617167269888. Takelot II He was the son of 208032843439397911234334539776.

Osorkon II and 208032843439397911234334539777. Queen Karomama I. He married 104016421719698955617167269889. Queen Karomama II.

104016421719698955617167269889. Queen Karomama II She was the daughter of 208032843439397911234334539778. High Priest at Karnak Nimlot.

Child of Takelot and Queen Karomama is:

52008210859849477808583634944 i. Shoshonk III, married Princess of Memphis Djedbastesankh

104016421719698955617167269890. High Priest of Ptah at Memphis Takelot He married 104016421719698955617167269891. Princess of Egypt Tjedbastperou.

104016421719698955617167269891. Princess of Egypt Tjedbastperou She was the daughter of 208032843439397911234334539782. Osorkon II Usermare Setepamun, King of Egypt and 208032843439397911234334539783. Princess of Egypt Istemkheb.

Child of High Takelot and Princess Tjedbastperou is:

52008210859849477808583634945 i. Princess of Memphis Djedbastesankh, married Shoshonk III

104016421883260826518596616192. Tigernmas He was the son of 208032843766521653037193232384. Foll-Aich.

Notes for Tigernmas: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

Tigernmas: his son; was the 13th Monarch, and reigned 77 years; according to Keating, he reigned but 50 years; he fought twenty-seven battles with the followers of the family of Heber Fionn, all which he gained. In his reign gold was mined near the Liffey, and skilfully worked by Inchadhan. This King also made a law that each grade of society should be known by the number of colours in its wearing apparel: - the clothes of a slave should be of one colour; those of a soldier of two; the dress of a commanding officer to be of three colours; a gentleman's dress, who kept a table for the free entertainment of strangers, to be of four colours; five colours to be allowed to the nobility (the chiefs); and the King, Queen, and Royal Family, as well as the Druids, historians, and other learned men to wear six colours. This King died, B.C. 1543, on the Eve of 1st of November, with two-thirds of the people of Ireland, at Magh Sleaght (or Field of Adoration), in the county of Leitrim, as he was adoring the Sun-God, Crom Cruach (a quo Macroom). Historians say this Monarch was the first who introduced image worship in Ireland.

Tigernmas,[1] son of Follach, son of Ethriel, a descendant of Érimón, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical traditions, an early High King of Ireland. His name means either "Lord of Death" or "Beautiful Lord" in Old Irish.[2]

According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn he became king when he overthrew his predecessor Conmáel in the Battle of Óenach Macha, and within a year of his accession had won twenty-seven battles against the descendants of Eber Finn, almost completely destroying Eber's line. It is said that during his reign gold was first smelted in Ireland, by the wright Iuchadán. Tigernmas was the first king to give drinking-horns to his followers, and the first to have clothes dyed purple, blue and green and decorated with brooches, fringes and ornaments. Seven lakes and three rivers burst from the ground during his reign. After reigning for seventy-seven years (or 100 years according to the Book of Fenagh, P 23), he and three-quarters of the men of Ireland died on Magh Slécht while worshipping Crom Cruach, a cruel deity propitiated with human sacrifice.[3][4] According to the Annals of the Four Masters, Ireland was without a High King for seven years after his death, before Eochaid Étgudach took the kingship.[5]

The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with the deaths of Thineas and Decylas, kings of Assyria, and the reigns of David and Solomon in Israel;[3] the Laud Synchronisms with the Judean kings Asa and

Jehoshaphat and the Assyrian king Pertiades (Pyriatides).[6] The Annals of the Four Masters dates his reign to 1621-1544 BC;[5] Geoffrey Keating to 1209-1159 BC.[7]

Child of Tigernmas is:

52008210941630413259298308096 i. Enboath

Generation No. 98

208032777276732056552052097024. Helenus II He was the son of 416065554553464113104104194048. Priam II.

Child of Helenus II is:

104016388638366028276026048512 i. Plesron II

208032777276732056599565172736. Eliezer ben Jorim He was the son of 416065554553464113199130345472. Jorim ben Matthat.

Child of Eliezer ben Jorim is:

104016388638366028299782586368 i. Joshua ben Eliazar

208032843439397911234334539776. Osorkon II He was the son of 416065686878795822468669079552. Takelot I and 416065686878795822468669079553. Queen Kapes. He married 208032843439397911234334539777. Queen Karomama I.

208032843439397911234334539777. Queen Karomama I

Children of Osorkon and Queen Karomama are:

104016421719698955617167269888 i. Takelot II, married Queen Karomama II

ii. High Priest at Karnak Nimlot

208032843439397911234334539778. High Priest at Karnak Nimlot He was the son of 208032843439397911234334539776. Osorkon II and 208032843439397911234334539777. Queen Karomama I.

Child of High Priest at Karnak Nimlot is:

104016421719698955617167269889 i. Queen Karomama II, married Takelot II

208032843439397911234334539782. Osorkon II Usermare Setepamun, King of Egypt He was the son of 416065686878795822468669079564. Takelot I Usermare, King of Egypt and 416065686878795822468669079553. Queen Kapes. He married 208032843439397911234334539783. Princess of Egypt Istemkheb.

208032843439397911234334539783. Princess of Egypt Istemkheb

Child of Osorkon Setepamun and Princess Istemkheb is:

104016421719698955617167269891 i. Princess of Egypt Tjedbastperou, married High Priest of Ptah at Memphis

Takelot

208032843766521653037193232384. Foll-Aich He was the son of 416065687533043306074386464768. Eithrial.

Child of Foll-Aich is:

104016421883260826518596616192 i. Tigernmas

Generation No. 99

416065554553464113104104194048. Priam II He was the son of Antenor I.

Child of Priam II is:

208032777276732056552052097024 i. Helenus II

416065554553464113199130345472. Jorim ben Matthat He was the son of Matthat ben Levi.

Child of Jorim ben Matthat is:

208032777276732056599565172736 i. Eliezer ben Jorim

416065686878795822468669079552. Takelot I He was the son of Osorkon I. He married 416065686878795822468669079553. Queen Kapes.

416065686878795822468669079553. Queen Kapes

Notes for Takelot I: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

Hedjkheperre Setepenre Takelot I was a son of Osorkon I and Queen Tashedkhons who ruled Egypt for 13 Years according to Manetho. Takelot would marry Queen Kapes who bore him Osorkon II. Initially, Takelot was believed to be an ephemeral Dynasty 22 Pharaoh since no monuments at Tanis or Lower Egypt could be conclusively linked to his reign, or mentioned his existence, except for the famous Pasenhor Serapeum stela which dates to Year 37 of Shoshenq V. However, since the late 1980s, Egyptologists have assigned several documents mentioning a king Takelot in Lower Egypt to him rather than Takelot II. Takelot I's reign was relatively short when compared to the three decades-long reigns of his father Osorkon I and son, Osorkon II. Takelot I, rather than Takelot II, was the king Hedjkheperre Setepenre Takelot who is attested by a Year 9 stela from Bubastis as well as the owner of a partly robbed Royal Tomb at Tanis which belonged to this ruler as the German Egyptologist Karl Jansen-Winkeln reported in a 1987 Varia Aegyptiaca 3 (1987), pp. 253-258 paper.[1] Evidently, both king Takelots used the same prenomen or royal name: Hedjkheperre Setepenre. The main difference between Takelot I and II is that Takelot I never employed the Theban inspired epithet 'Si-Ese' (Son of Isis) in his titulary, unlike Takelot II.[2]

As Kenneth Kitchen writes in the third (1996) edition of his book on The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt:

"It was Takeloth I who first used the prenomen Hedjkheperre Setepenre (in imitation of his grandfather Shoshenq I), being followed in this [practise] by Takeloth II. The only clear distinction...between Takeloth I and II (as both use the epithet Meriamun) is that Takeloth II uses also the epithet Si-Ese, "Son of Isis", in his second cartouche. A second marker suggested by Jansen-Winkeln (with some reserve) is that Takeloth I has his name spelt with the vertical t-sign (Gardiner U33, ti becoming t), while [both] Takeloth II and III use the small loaf t-sign (X 1), and the rope-tether sign (V 13). This criterion...seems sound. This would suggest attributing to Takeloth I (not II) a donation-stela of Year 9 (from Bubastis), another in Berlin (also from Bubastis) and a fragment in the former Grant collection. This also bears on the high priests of Ptah at Memphis and the Serapeum. There, a block is known bearing the name of a high priest Merenptah and a pair of cartouches hitherto attributed to Takeloth II which, in fact, correspond precisely to those now attributable to Takeloth I (no Si-Ese; tall t). Therefore it seems proper to move this priest back in time to the reign of Takeloth I."[

Child of Takelot and Queen Kapes is:

208032843439397911234334539776 i. Osorkon II, married Queen Karomama I

416065686878795822468669079564. Takelot I Usermare, King of Egypt He was the son of Osorkon I Sekhemkheperre, King of Egypt and Queen of Egypt Tashedkhons. He married 416065686878795822468669079553. Queen Kapes.

416065686878795822468669079553. Queen Kapes

Child of Takelot Usermare and Queen Kapes is:

208032843439397911234334539782 i. Osorkon II Usermare Setepamun, King of Egypt, married Princess of Egypt

Istemkheb

416065687533043306074386464768. Eithrial He was the son of Irial (Iarel Eurialus) Faidh (Faith) MacEREMOIN.

Notes for Eithrial: [Stem of the House of Connor.FTW]

[House of Morney.FTW]

The 11th Monarch; reigned 20 years; and was slain by Conmaol, the son of Heber Fionn, at the battle of Soirrean, in Leinster, B.C. 1650. This also was a learned King, he wrote with his own hand the History of the Gaels (or Gadelians); in his reign seven large woods were cleared and much advance made in the practice of agriculture.

Ethriel, son of Íriel Fáid, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, succeeded his father as High King of Ireland. During his reign he cleared six plains. He ruled for twenty years, until he was killed in the Battle of Rairiu by Conmáel in revenge for his father Éber Finn, who had been killed by Ethriel's grandfather Érimón. He was the last of the chieftains who arrived in the invasion of the sons of Míl to rule Ireland. The Lebor Gabála Érenn says that during his reign Tautanes, king of Assyria, died (1182 BC according to Jerome's Chronicon), as did Hector and Achilles (the Trojan War is usually dated to the 13th century BC), and Samson was king of the Tribe of Dan in ancient Israel.[1] Geoffrey Keating dates his reign from 1259 to 1239 BC,[2] the Annals of the Four Masters from 1671 to 1651 BC BC.[3]

Child of Eithrial is:

208032843766521653037193232384 i. Foll-Aich