Raimond Berenger IV of Provence

Raimond Berenger IV or V , born towards 1199, dead the August 19th 1245 with Aix-en-Provence, is count de Provence of 1209 with 1245 and count de Forcalquier of 1222 with 1245. As of the 4 years age, it is found plunged in the middle of the competitions, of the intrigues, the tensions and the conflicts permanent to seize the power in Provence. It nevertheless will succeed in reigning and even will create a new city, Barcelonnette, in the middle of the Alps.

Its family

Raimond Berenger IV of Provence east wire of Alphonse II (1180 - 1209), count de Provence (1196 - 1209), and of Garsende de Sabran, countess of Forcalquier (1180 - 1242).

Biography

Its youth

Alphonse II of Provence is with Palermo, where it accompanied Constance, his/her sister, which will marry Frederic II of the Holy roman Empire, king enter others of Sicily. He dies there in February 1209, leaving a son named Raymond Bérenger IV, who is 4 years old. Garsende de Sabran, its widow, enters a monastery. The king Pierre II of Aragon comes at once to Provence, declares tutor of his nephew and accepted on his behalf the oath of fidelity of the principal feudatories. After equipped for the administration with the county with Provence and county with Forcalquier, it takes again the way of Spain, bringing with him the young prince, placed under the discipline of Guillaume de Montredon, large Master of Templiers and Raymond de Penafort, famous theologist of the 13th century.

During the absence of the sovereign, the Provence is torn. Guillaume de Sabran, relative of Guillaume VI, proclaims count de Forcalquier and puts at the head of a troop insurrectionists. On another side, Adélaïs, sister of the same Guillaume VI, and woman of Giraud Amic, also from the house of Sabran raises the standard of the revolt, enters the capital, seizes palate comtal and proclaims, in her turn, countess of Forcalquier.

At the same time the war continues between the Albigensian and the Catholics. One cuts the throat of oneself in the name of the common father of the men! The Comtat Venaissin, field of the Count de Toulouse, is with the capacity of the sectarian ones. But, unfortunate the Raymond VI of Toulouse is obliged to subject itself to a ignominieuse penitence. Quoted at the month of June 1211, by the legates of Sovereign pontiff, in front of a Council assembled with Arles, it goes there accompanied by the King d' Aragon, but it leaves this city soon, without taking leave of the bishops, not to subject itself to the intolerable conditions which one wanted to impose to him. The legates declare Raymond VI of Toulouse derechef excommunicated, enemy of the Church, apostate of the faith.

Overcome in 1214, with the Battle of Low wall, where it tries a last effort, Raymond VI of Toulouse loses all its states. Pierre II of Aragon is killed with the Bataille of Low wall, Sanche deals with the regency of Aragon and leaves that of Provence to his/her Nuno son.

Simon IV of Montfort and the army of the Crusaders invades the Comtat Venaissin which becomes a dreadful theater of revolting atrocities.

At 17 years, in 1216, Raimond Bérenger IV of Provence comes to be shown in Provençaux.

Situation politico-nun with Marseilles, Avignon, Arles, and Tarascon

In 1219, the Marseillais of the high city, made indignant at their vasselage and probably supported by their neighbors of the low city, organize an association similar to the Brotherhood of the Saint Spirit, then rise against the bishop Pierre II of Montlaur and issue the republican government. It form a council of city elected a podestat named Rican] of the syndics, and judges.

The communes of Provence raise the standard of the pope or that of the count de Toulouse. The republic of Marseilles placed between the bishop, lord of the high city, and the rich person Abbey of Saint-Victor of Marseilles with which it had had disagreements, fears the theocratic influence of these two dangerous neighbors. Also, she declares herself against the crusaders and lines up under the Toulouse flag which appears the symbol of the religious liberty to him.

But, the republic of Marseilles does not last a long time. They are seen in the hard need for undergoing derechef the absolute capacity of the prelate who makes them defense repeat. Four of the principal inhabitants in the name of the subjected community recognize its vassal and faith and homage swear to him.

Avignon, Arles, and Tarascon follows its example. On the contrary, Guillaume of the Beams, prince of Orange wife warmly the cause of the catholics. The religion is not the only cause of the civil discords and the public calamities.

Dissensions burst within the Catalans of Provence, between the partisans of Garsende de Forcalquier and those of Nuno, who seem to want évincer the young count. The nobility of Provence benefits from it to be agitated. It takes finally the party of Garsende de Forcalquier, évince Nuno, place Raimond Bérenger IV of Provence under the supervision of her mother and create a council of regency

Ways of the capacity

In the state of the businesses of Provence, Raymond Bérenger IV regulates his control on the needs for his situation. Acting less by conviction that by policy, it enters the interests of the the Holy See, to support itself against the Count de Toulouse, the house of Sabran-Forcalquier, republics of Marseilles, Arles, Avignon, Nice and generally against all its enemies linked by the need for a common defense.

Moreover it finds a support solid in the alliance of Thomas Ier of Savoy, successor of the former counts de Maurienne, which gives him, his/her Béatrix daughter, in marriage. Béatrix of Savoy (1205 - 1266) Marie the June 5th 1219 with Raimond Berenger, count de Provence and which supported the poets. She is as remarkable by her beauty as by her spirit.

Raymond Bérenger initially occupies himself to finish his quarrel with the Maison of Sabran and the parts subject their cause to the arbitration of Bermorid, archbishop of Aix, and some lords. These referees allocate to the count de Provence the town of Forcalquier, that of Sisteron and all the territory ranging between them.

Finally really count!

In 1222, the position of Raimond Bérenger is firmly ensured, and Garsende de Forcalquier yields the county of Forcalquier to him to withdraw with the Monastère of Those. It joins together these two counties separated by the successional divisions which have occurred after disappearance from the 1 dynasty of Provence.

Raimond Bérenger IV of Provence also manages to get rid of its rival the Count de Toulouse, also marquis de Provence, whose family always had the ambition to annex the Provence.

Raimond Bérenger IV of Provence does not hesitate to join the Croisade against the Albigensian and subjects in the order the consulates of Arles and Marseilles which created disorders in the county.

Louis VIII of France and Raymond Bérenger IV enter the town of Avignon, on September 12th 1226. The king of France goes then to Languedoc and dies at the end of the same year.

The catch of Avignon hardly benefits the count de Provence. The cardinal, Saint-Angel, order there as a sovereign and this legate, having gone in Paris to greet the new king Louis IX of France, lance against the Inhabitants of Avignon a fulminant decree. It makes cut down the turns and the walls to fill the ditches to shave three hundred houses. It requires six thousand marcs of money and the city orders that the borrowed sums by it, to pay this forced contribution will be privileged and preferred with all other debts. Moreover, there requires that all the machines of war are given to him and that one sends to the help Holy Land thirty knights well armed with the expenses with the commune, which will have to remain there a whole year with the service of Jesus-Christ.

Consolidation of its capacity

Extremely of the protection of the Pope, Honorius III, very powerful at that time, and of the friendship of Louis IX of France Raymond Bérenger IV works to consolidate his capacity, and to attach to the Comté of Provence all the parts which had been dismembered by it.

It fixes its residence at Aix-en-Provence and since then this city will remain the capital of the county.

It receives the renewal of the homage of the baron de Castellane, homage makes with knees, the united hands, in 1226.

It acquires then the consulate of Tarascon and the following year, in 1227, it acquires also the consulate of Grasse.

The attention of the count is fixed particularly on the republics of Marseilles, Arles and Nice, which he wants to cut down or at least weaken by attacking them separately. He thus seeks to divide them.

Initially, it makes with Marseilles a treaty of alliance. This city needed some because it did not cease being worried by the monks of the Abbaye of Saint-Victor of Marseilles and by the members of the family of the Beams which claimed, in spite of the authentic sale, their portions of viscontal seigniory.

But, the treaty of alliance between the Marseillais and Raymond Bérenger IV are broken soon. The count of Provence, then determined to make fall its blows on Nice and Marseilles research friendship from the republic from Arles, with which Marseilles was in war in consequence of the claims of the two communes in the division of the seigniory of Fos.

October 2nd 1228, the Council of a hundred and twenty is assembled with Arles and is committed defending the person and the possessions of the count de Provence. On its side Raymond Bérenger obliges to defend the magistrates the citizens and the possessions of the republic arlésienne.

The war with Nice, then Marseilles

After which the count of Provence prepares to walk against Nice. A skilful minister, Romée of Villeneuve, provides him the support of his experiment, his talents and his value. With the approach of the storm, the consuls nissards tighten their union with Grasse and Draguignan and request helps from the maritime République of Pisa.

The Provençale army crosses soon the Var and comes to besiege the city. During several months resistance is obstinate. Rostaing Badat shows of constancy and courage, but some men negotiate secretly with Romée of Villeneuve and propose to capitulate. Raimond Bérenger IV of Provence enters the city in 1230, and decides to transform the castle into imposing fortress.

The same year, Raymond Bérenger IV turns all his forces against Marseilles. After various races on the grounds of this republic, it is prepared to put the seat in front of the city. The Marseillais call with their help Raymond VII of Toulouse and place themselves under its protection. This prince had been solemnly exonerated old excommunications, but he is not any more Master of the Comtat Venaissin, which the Catholic Crusaders seized. He does not take the city and this one remains divided between its partisans and those of Raymond VII of Toulouse.

Tarascon, in 1231, is raised against Raimond Bérenger IV of Provence.

Useful work

Despite everything these wars, Raimond Bérenger IV of Provence is the creator of the armorial bearings of Provence, resembling surprisingly those of the Catalogne. It is at the origin in its kingdom of the buckets which become the representatives of the capacity comtal.

Raimond Bérenger IV of Provence builds the town of Barcelonnette, in 1231, honor of its Catalan origins, in the mountains of High Provence. It grants to the incipient city the most beautiful privileges.

It increases also the city of the Martigues, of which it wanted to make a place of first order and is at the origin of the church Saint-Jean-of-Malta church of Aix-en-Provence, first Gothic building of Provence.

Hugues Béroard, archbishop of Arles, makes all his efforts to put a term at the hostilities which afflict Provence. He urges the Count de Toulouse to be given up his alliances in on this side the Rhone and not to provide from now on any help to the Marseillais nor to Tarasconnais. By the negotiations of this prelate, there is a suspension of fighting at the beginning of the year 1232.

Imperial mediation

The Count de Toulouse is hardly long in leaving its rest. At the end of spring 1232, it passes the the Rhone, devastates the campaigns and carries the majority of the fortresses which are opposed to its passage.

Raymond Bérenger IV moved by these disasters beseeches the assistance of the Church and the emperor.

The Count de Toulouse, exhorted initially and then summoned by the papal legates to give up his company, is excommunicated to have disobeyed.

At the same time, the emperor Frederic II of the Holy roman Empire sends, in Provence, a nuncio charged to restore peace:

  • between Raymond Berenger and the republic of Arles, on the one hand,

  • the republic of Marseilles, Guillaume de Sabran, honorary count of Forcalquier, the family of the Beams and the commune of Tarascon, on the other hand.

All the warring factions accept the imperial mediation, except for Marseilles which is put at the round of applause of the empire, like rebel. She obeys finally and one signs a truce which gives some rest.

The marriage of his/her daughters

In this interval the count Raymond Bérenger tests a quite soft satisfaction. In 1234, the king Saint Louis appoints to him Gauthier, archbishop of Direction, and Jean, lord of Nesles, to ask in marriage Marguerite of Provence, his oldest daughter. This young princess, as wise as beautiful, is the idol of Provençaux . It is told that it gives a proof of the severity of its manners by exiling to the islands of Hyères a poet who had dared to dedicate a part of galantery to him.

Two years after Éléonore of Provence, second girl of the count de Provence fixes the choice of the king Henri III of England and this princess having been granted him with a dowry similar to that of her sister leaves accompanied by a great number of knights.

Raymond Bérenger is Mediterranean, it does not test any sympathy to the laws and manners of Gaulle of North. He wants for son-in-law the Count de Toulouse, and to make break its second marriage what he can undoubtedly obtain without much sorrow, because the Pape Innocent IV then grants its friendship to Raymond VII of Toulouse and has just restored the Comtat Venaissin to him.

Raymond VII of Toulouse negotiates its union with Sancie of Provence, the third girl of the count de Provence, but the princess of Provence promised to the count de Toulouse marries in 1243 E Richard de Cornouailles, the brother of the King d' Angleterre, which will become later King of the Romans. The agreement of this union is reached with Montpellier, in the presence of Jacques Ier d' Aragon.

With her death his/her fourth daughter is not married.

The disorders and the wars continue

While Raimond Berenger IV of Provence, very estimated prince, Marie her daughters with large kings, the republic of Arles is then in prey with serious disorders. One elected for podestat, the lord of Trets, named Bourgoin. Disputes rise between notable citizens and the archbishop Jean Baussan, of a family all devoted to Raymond Bérenger IV.

The count does not have hope to subject Marseilles and it must prepare with a new company against this city while maintaining the intelligences with the bishop of Alignano, flexible instrument of its policy, and its desires. Benoit puts all of use for the service of the count, but the Marseillais, increasingly in love with their independence and inaccessible to all the seductions, push back all the offers, refuse any concession and call in their walls it [[count de Toulouse], their lord for life.

Then Raymond Bérenger launches against Marseilles a proclamation violate and comes in 1237 to besiege this city with a many army. The Marseillais defend themselves vigorously and the count must raise the seat.

Frederic II of the Holy roman Empire is dissatisfied with the policy. By letters patent data with Casement bolt in December 1239, it declares the count of Provence criminal public enemy , of majesty injures, and at the round of applause empire put it. It deprives this prince of all the strongholds which it has under imperial suzerainty and confiscates all his states in particular the county of Forcalquier and the town of Sisteron, that it gives to Raymond VII of Toulouse.

This decree cannot be carried out that by the force of the weapons. The Count de Toulouse had suspended the war for a few years, but the imperial sentence gives the weapons to him to the hand. In the month of January 1240, it starts from its capital, passes the the Rhone to Avignon, seizes the bridge of Bompas, on the Durance, there leaves a garrison, enters the Comté of Provence and highly pushes back Raymond Bérenger.

This prince has recourse to the French who had been established around the Rhone since the head office of Avignon made by Louis VIII of France, in 1226, and the French fly to the help of the father-in-law of their king.

But the count of Toulouse surprises them in a ambush and entirely demolishes them. He subjects then several places penetrates in the the Camargue, seizes the castle of Trinquetaille and prepares to attack the town of Arles with the assistance of the Marseillais which had provided him vessels of the ammunition of the weapons and machines of war.

At the end of its life, it succeeds in signing an agreement with the Marseillais.

Its death

The count of Provence which takes pleasure in the thought to operate the union of the Languedoc in its states dies in the middle of his projects, on August 19th, 1245, forty five years old, and is buried with Aix-en-Provence, near the tomb of his father, in the Saint-Jean-of-Malta church of Aix-en-Provence.

Raymond Bérenger IV is the last of the counts de Catalogne to have to reign in Provence. Its subjects will pay with its memory a tribute of regrets and it deserves this homage, him well prince right and good administrator, skilful knight, brilliance of value, man more enlightened than any other man of its time.

Fortune put to the test its character and its days ran agitated by honourable concern. Unceasingly moving and work it did not have anything commun run with these vulgar kings who sat down on the throne only to use of them the cushions. Our count including/understanding the duties of his birth and rising with his mission surmounted many obstacles triumphed over many enemies led to good term the majority of his companies restores exhausted finances encouraged all the useful things liked arts and the letters, with equal of the businesses. Unfortunately, it precipitated in the war against the Albigensian, to weaken the house of Toulouse and to put it from now on out of state to harm his. Grace for him indulgence for human weaknesses that repurchased of beautiful qualities, because its faults were those of its century but its virtues belonged only to him even rare virtues and of good quality. The fame, which distributes the blame and the praise, published the glory of this prince cherished. Of age in age, the people placed it among the good kings. He proclaimed it large with this solemn voice which imposing silence with the misleading flatteries can make good justice on the tomb of the puissans of the world .

Its heritage

Raimond Bérenger IV of Provence leaves by will, its fields with his/her fourth daughter, Béatrice, the only one which is not yet married. This prince fearing that his succession does not bring disorders and wanting to avoid the division of its states makes with Sisteron his will, by which it institutes his daughter Béatrix heiress of her counties of Provence and Forcalquier, under the condition that if she dies without enfans, Jacques Ier d' Aragon, his/her cousin succeeds to him. He bequeaths to the Reine of France and the Queen of England, his two oldest daughters, hundred marc of money and five thousand with the duchess of Cornouailles, his third daughter

He intends also two thousand for works of piety, provides with there for the establishment with the douaire with his future widow like to the payment with his debts and repair with the injustices which he could have made. He assigns, for the safety of these legacies, the incomes of the town of Nice, the village of Castle-Fox and the ground of Albaron, in the the Camargue. Lastly, it names for executors the archbishop of Aix-en-Provence, the bishop of Riez, that of Fréjus, Guillaume de Cotignac and its Prime Minister Romée of Villeneuve, to which it had given the baronnie Vence.

The court of France, not dissimulating its sights on Provence, prepares the marriage of Béatrix, with Charles of Anjou, brother of Louis IX of France.

Union and descent

The June 5th 1219, Raimond Berenger IV of Provence Marie with Beatrice of Savoy (1198 - 1266), girl of Thomas I {{er}} (1177 - 1233), Count de Savoie (1189 - 1233), and of Beatrice Marguerite of Geneva (1180 -1257). Of this union four girls come:

  • Beatrice of Provence (1231 - 1267), countess of Provence (1245-1267) and countess of Forcalquier, X 1246: Charles I {{er}} of Anjou (1227-1285), count d' Anjou and of Maine (1246-1285), king de Sicile (including Naples) (1266-1282), then king de Naples (1282-1285) - count de Provence and of Forcalquier (1246-1267) by marriage, but which will continue to carry the titles until its death.

By these alliances between the girls of Raimond Berenger IV, the kings of France Louis IX and of Sicily Charles I {{er}}, which was already brothers, becomes brothers-in-law one of the other, in addition to the relationship of alliance of the same degree with the king of England Henri III and the future king of the Romans Richard de Cornouailles, brother of Henri III, these two last becoming also brothers-in-law one of the other.

Conversely Marguerite and Béatrice becomes sisters-in-law, while the same relationship of alliance is created between Éléonore and Sancie.

Notes and references of the article

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