Bertrade de Montfort

Notes:

Bertrade de Montfort (c. 1070 - 14 February 1117) was the daughter of Simon I de Montfort and Agnes, Countess of Evreux. Her brother was Amaury de Montfort. The oft-married Fulk IV, Count of Anjou, was married 1089, when the lovely Bertrade de Monfort caught his eye. According to the chronicler John of Marmoutier: "The lecherous Fulk then fell passionately in love with the sister of Amaury de Montfort, whom no good man ever praised save for her beauty." Bertrade and Fulk were married. William of Malmesbury says: "Bertrade, still young and beautiful, took the veil at Fontevraud Abbey, always charming to men, pleasing to God, and like an angel." A son from this marriage was Fulk V of Anjou who later became King of Jerusalem. The dynasties founded by Fulk IV's sons ruled for centuries, one of them in England (the Plantagenet Kings), the other in Jerusalem In 1092 Bertrade left Fulk IV and took up with King Philip I of France whom she married 15 May 1092, despite the fact that they both had living spouses. Pope Urban II excommunicated Philp in 1095 an action that prevented him from taking part in the First Crusade. According to Orderic Vitalis, Bertrade was anxious that one of her sons succeed Philip so she sent a letter to King Henry I of England asking him to arrest her stepson Louis. Orderic also claims she sought to kill Louis first through the arts of sorcery, and then through poison. Whatever the truth of these allegations, Louis succeeded Philip in 1108. -Wikipedia

Bertrade married Foulques IV "le Rechin" about 1090 in England. Foulques (son of Aubri Geoffrey and Ermengarde) was born about 1043 in Anjou; died about 1109 in Anjou. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Fulk "le Jeun" (the Younger) became King of Jerusalem in 1131 on the death of Baldwin II, his father-in-law by his second marriage. The Crusaders set up the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem after killing many thousands of the Arab and Jewish inhabitants of the area. At its greatest extent under Fulk "le Jeun", the Kingdom comprised most of present day Israel and part of Syria. Muslim counterattack steadily shrank the size of the crusading kingdom. In 1187, Jerusalem was retaken by by Saladin. Eventually, the last Christian stronghold at Acre surrendered in 1291 and the Crusaders departed from the Holy Land. Fulk married first circa 1108 to Erembourge (died in 1126), heiress of Maine, daughter of Helias, Seigneur de la Fl

Family/Spouse: Aremburge du Maine. Aremburge was born about 1026; died on 14 Jan 1126. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Melisende d'Jerusalem. Melisende was born about 1105; died on 11 Sep 1161; was buried about 1161 in Sanctuaire de Notre-Dame de Josaphat. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Geoffrey "the Fair" Plantagenet was the first to use the Plantagenet name. One story relates that his father, Fulk the Younger atoned for some evil deed by being scourged with broom twigs or planta genista before the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Another story relates that Geoffrey wore a sprig of broom or planta genista in his hat. Regardless, it is generally agreed upon that the family name of-"Plantagenet"-has its origins with the planta genista or broom plant. The ancient arms of Anjou borne by the Plantagenet are described as "Gules, a Chief Argent over an Escarbuncle" which means "a red shield with a silver bar at the top and a gold cross of eight rays set with knobs and the arms ending in fleur-de-lis". Shields were sometimes strengthened with iron bands radiating from the centre which eventually became a part of the coat of arms under the term escarbuncle.

Geoffroi married Matilda of England on 22 May 1128 in Cath. (daughter of Henry I de Normandie and Matilda of Scotland) was born about 1102 in England; died on 10 Sep 1167 in Rouen, Normandie; was buried in Cath. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Henry II Plantagenet King of England 1154-1189 Henry of Anjou was a strong king. A brilliant soldier, he extended his French lands until he ruled most of France. He laid the foundation of the English Jury System and raised new taxes (scutage) from the landholders to pay for a militia force. Henry is mostly remembered for his quarrel with Thomas A Becket, and Becket's subsequent murder in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 Dec 1170. Henry's sons turned against him, even his favourite son John.

Henry married Eleanore of Poitou on 18 May 1153 in England. was born about 1123; died about 1204. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]