House of Vexin

The house of Vexin is a chalk-lining resulting from the count Raoul Ier de Vexin. Its principal branch joins together the counties of Vexin, of Valois and of Amiens and died out in 1080. Another branch had the county of Senlis at the 10th century. The origin of this family is not known, but probably noble lineage, since the mother of Raoul was driven probably of Louis the Piles.

A dubious origin

The first count, Raoul Ier is wire of Heilwis, or Helvide, which remarie in second weddings with the count Roger Ier de Laon. This Heilwis is traditionally identified in Heilwis of the Friuli, girl of Eberhard, marquis de Frioul and of the Carolingian Gisele. But this identification poses a problem chronological, because born before 850, it would have had at least two children starting from 895, which is not very probable.

Another assumption was advanced: Helwis, woman of Roger de Laon, would be girl of Hucbald de Gouy and Heilwis of the Friuli. Its first husband would be Gautier de Laon, which would explain the appearance of the first name of Gautier among the counts of Vexin.

Note: the features in dotted lines represent family ties hypothétiques.

Genealogy

Sources

:
: * Katharine S.B. Keats-Rohan, “Poppa of Bayeux and its family”
: * Edouard de Saint Phalle, “the counts de Gâtinais to Xe and XIe centuries”
medieval Foundation for genealogy:
: * Counts d' Ostrevant
: * Carolingian nobility
:* counts de Valois and of Vexin

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