Raoul Ier de Vexin
Raoul Ier de Gouy , died in 926, was of Vexin, of Amiens and of Valois. It is wire of Heilwis, or Helvide, which remarie in second weddings with the count Roger Ier de Laon.
He married then towards 910 Hildegarde, heiress of the counts Ermenfroi and Gozdert, and probable girl of the first. These two counts had the counties of Amiens, Valois and Vexin. Edouard de Saint-Phalle thinks that Ermenfroi had the three counties, but Pierre Baudin announces that it is rather Raoul who gathered the three counties. In any case, it is certain that it acquired them via his wife.
D' Hildegarde, it had:
- Raoul II, killed into 943, count de Vexin, of Amiens and Valois
- probably Gautier, which will become also count de Vexin, of Amiens and Valois. It was thought a long time that Gautier was wire of Raoul II for chronological reasons, but it was shown that the widow of Raoul II had not had of child, and one now regards Gautier as a very young brother of Raoul II.
A dubious filiation
He is traditionally regarded as a son of Hucbald de Gouy, count d' Ostrevant, and of Heilwis of the Friuli. This filiation is based on the identification of Heilwis, the widow who remaria with Roger Ier de Laon, with Heilwis of the Friuli, woman of Hucbald de Gouy. But this identification poses chronological problems which makes it improbable.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.
Sources
- medieval Foundation for genealogy