Girart of Roussillon

Girart of Roussillon (C. 810 - 879?) Gerard (Girard) of Roussillon is also called, Gyrart of Vienna or Girart de Fraite.

He is at the origin of several Chansons de geste. Girart according to the novels would be wire of Drogon, brother of Doon de Montreuil, Beuve d' Aigremont and fact, uncle of the four mysterious sons of Aymon and Maugis. It is one of the most important characters of the Carolingian epopee.

Historically it is a Burgundian prince, wire of Leuthard Ier, count de Fézensac and of Paris, and Grimilde. It is an extremely important and powerful character:. Its life is marked by its opposition to Charles the bald person.

Biography

834-855: faithful of Lothaire Ier

Faithful to the king Louis '' the débonnaire '', Girart organizes the reconciliation of the king with his sons and is high under count de Paris in 834.

He embraces then the cause of the emperor Lothaire Ier against Charles the bald person and fights with Fontenoy in 841. After the defeat, it follows without any doubt Lothaire Ier to Aix of which he becomes the brother-in-law in 843 by marrying Berthe, girl of the count Hugues known as '' the Timorous '' and sister of Ermengarde de Tours, woman of Lothaire.

855-863: Strong man of Charles of Provence

In 855, Charles, sons of the emperor Lothaire Ier inherits the kingdom of Provence (also called Burgundy Cisjurane ). But Charles being only one child, the true Master of the kingdom is his Girart tutor.
In 859, a treaty is concluded between Lothaire II from Lotharingie and his/her Charles brother of Provence, at the end which, Charles recognizes his brother Lothaire II like heir.
In 858/859, Girart founds the Abbaye of Vézelay. It makes gift of this monastery to the the Holy See. This donation is accepted by the pope Nicolas Ier as of 863 and is confirmed by Charles the Bald person in 868. In 882, it will be founded there the worship of Sainte Madeleine whose relics, after being transferred from the church of Saint-Maximin-the-Holy-Balsam to the church Saint-Victor of Marseilles, following disorders caused by the Sarrasins in Provence, will be brought to Vézelay.
In 860, Girart of Roussillon stops in front of Valence the Normands which after having plundered the the Camargue, go up the the Rhone.
With the autumn 861, Girart defends also the kingdom against the claims of Charles the Bald person, this last advances until Mâcon without exceeding this limit.

863-869: and of Lothaire II

At died of Charles of Provence in 863, the brother of this last, the emperor Louis II the Young person, arrives the first for octroier Provence. Lothaire II of Lotharingie arrives too late and cannot make respect the agreement of 859. However, Girart obtains suzerainty to him on the counties of Lyon, Vienna and Vivarais, gathered within the duchy of the Lyonese, of which it carries the title (agreement of April 30th 863 with Mantaille); Provence passing on its side under the direct cut of Louis II the Young person. Girart becomes also the first adviser of Lothaire II of Lotharingie.
In 868, Girart is opposed once again to king Charles the Bald person in connection with the heritage of the county of Bourges and its abbeys.

870: Driven out of Provence by Charles the Bald person

In August 869, as of the death of Lothaire II of Lotharingie, the fight begins again between Girart and Charles the Bald person. After skirmishes in Berry, and the Resident of Auxerre, Girart regains its Lyons grounds and is locked up in Vienna, because the two uncles (Louis II Germanic the and Charles the Bald person) of late also have claims on the kingdom of their nephew.

Following the Treated of Meerssen (August 8th 870) which organizes the succession of Lothaire II of Lotharingie between Louis II the Germanic one and Charles the Bald person, the duke Girart refuses this division and enters in rebellion against Charles the Bald person. But this last with the support of the archbishops of Lyon and Vienna, besieges in December the armies of Girart placed under the command of his Berthe wife in Vienna. The city resists during several months, but the royal troops devastating the countryside, Girart runs and requires a honourable capitulation. Girart then yields to Vienna to Charles the Bald person who takes possession of it the Christmas day before of the year 870. Charles incorporates then the Lyonese and the Viennese in his kingdom and in January 871, it names Boson V of Provence, governor of the Lyonese and with the Viennese, charges hitherto occupied by Girart.

On their side, Girart and his wife withdraw themselves with Avignon (where on their grounds of Vézelay, the two assumptions are defended by the historians) which had been their old stronghold. Berthe dies in 873 and Girart probably in 877 and in any case before 879.

External bonds

Holy Marie Madeleine, Holy Balsam, Holy Maximin

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