Simon IV of Montfort

See also: Simon de Montfort

Simon IV of Montfort (towards 1165 - June 25th 1218, Toulouse), lord of Montfort-l' Amaury, 5th Count de Leicester, count of castrate, count de Toulouse, Vicomte of Béziers and Vicomte of Carcassonne, and Viscount of Ambialet is the principal figure of the Albigensian Crusade.

Origins

Simon de Montfort is resulting from the Maison of Montfort-l' Amaury a family of row baronnal of Île-de-France by his father, Simon III of Montfort and of the Anglo-Norman Baronnage by his/her mother, Amicie de Beaumont, rams of Leicester. Its great-grandfather, Amaury III of Montfort was Count d' Évreux and Sénéchal of France. His/her father Simon was royal Gruyer of the forest of Yvelines. His/her mother is the heiress of half of the county of Leicester and a right under seneshal of England. ( Its childhood is unfortunately not known for us ).

A French baron

In 1188, it appears in an interview with Gisors, between Philippe Auguste and Henri II of England.

In 1206 - 1207, he is indeed count de Leicester during a few months, before being confiscated by the king Jean-without-Ground for “disobedience”.

He marries Alix de Montmorency, girl of Bouchard IV of Montmorency and sister of Mathieu II of Montmorency, the Connétable of France.

The Crusader

In 1199, during a tournament organized by the count Thibaut III of Champagne with Ecry-on-Aisne, it takes the cross and after having organized its departure, embarks to take part in the Fourth crusade. It disunites however company, when decision is made to take the Christian city of Zara to refund the expenses engaged by the Venetian ones to ensure the sea transport of the Crusade. It then gains by its own means the territories frances of Overseas in Palestine. The tradition wants that it will bring back from there a piece of the Holy Cross which it will offer to the monastery High-Heathers.

In 1209 it belongs to the army of cross against the heretics Cathares, known as Albigensian Crusade, taking part in particular in the head offices of Béziers and Carcassonne. After this bloody episode, there is selected as temporal chief of the crusade, the abbot of Citeaux, Arnaud Amaury remaining his spiritual leader, while becoming Viscount of Béziers and Carcassonne, to replace the holder of the title, Raimond-Roger Trencavel, who will be deposed (but also imprisoned and which will die later in a dungeon) for his support for the heresy.

In 1213, it demolishes the army of the king Pierre II of Aragon, which is killed, to the battles of Muret.

In November 1215, the council of Lateran rewards it by granting the title to him for count de Toulouse and returns consent of the county to the king de France in May 1216.

It is not long in entering in conflict with the archbishop of Narbonne, Arnaud Amaury and whereas it lends homage for the Toulouse one, Beaucaire opened its doors with Raymond VII of Toulouse, the preceding count de Toulouse dispossessed of his grounds. Simon de Montfort does not manage to take the city but it must give up the seat to repress the revolt of Toulouse. The September 13rd 1217, Toulouse opens in its turn its doors with Raymond who is not long in being reinforced by the count of Foix, of the Catalans and the Aragonese. Simon puts the seat in front of the city the October 8th. Finally on June 25th, during an exit of besieged, he dies killed by a stone launched by a Pierrière operated by women.

His/her son Amaury, who will become Connétable of France following his uncle, will see himself confirming in theory in the continental possessions of his father. Puîné, Guy de Montfort, was count de Bigorre by marriage, but survived to him only two years. The junior, Simon V share for England where he will play a big role under the reign of Henri III of England.

However, the county of Toulouse in the facts will be preserved by Raymond VII of Toulouse, then will fall by treated in the royal field with died from his/her daughter, married with the brother of the king, and not leaving a heir.

Marriage and children

Simon de Montfort married towards 1190 Alix de Montmorency († February 25th, 1221), girl of Bouchard IV, lord of Montmorency and Laurette de Hainaut. They had:
  • Amaury VI († 1241), count de Montfort
  • Guy († 1220), count de Bigorre, by its marriage with the countess Pétronille
  • Simon V († 1265), Count de Leicester
  • Robert
  • Pernelle, nun
  • Amicie († 1253), married to Gautier de Joigny, lord of Châteaurenard
  • Laure, married to Gerard II of Picquigny, vidame of Amiens

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