Maubergeonne Tower

Maubergeonne Tower - part of the original ducal palace and seat of the former Counts of Poitou and Dukes of Aquitaine in Poitiers…. if only the walls could talk, what interesting tales they would tell.

This fascinating story begins with William IX, Duke of Aquitaine, whose works as a renowned troubadour are the earliest that still survive. He was also the grandfather of the remarkable Eleanor of Aquitaine, who would later become the first Plantagenet Queen.

In 1094 William married Phillipa of Toulouse. Their children included William (who would become William X, Duke of Aquitaine), Raymond, and Agnes. Phillipa was the sole surviving child of Count William IV of Toulouse, making her the rightful heir by the laws of Toulouse. However, for some unknown reason, on the death of her father, her claims were unjustly ignored, and her uncle Raymond took the title. This led to prolonged conflict as both Phillipa and her husband fought to reclaim Toulouse from Raymond and his descendants, a dispute that would continue to be a thorn in the side of their granddaughter Eleanor for many years to come. 

On an interesting side note, Duchess Phillipa was an admirer of Robert of Arbrissel, and persuaded William to grant him land in northern Poitou to establish a religious community dedicated to the Virgin Mary. I wonder what she would have thought if she had known that this very community of Fontevraud Abbey would hold such a treasured place in her granddaughter’s heart so many years later. Today the Abbey welcomes thousands of visitors each year, most with a yearning to visit the tomb of this illustrious queen, and I am excited to say that within the Abbey grounds is a luxury hotel where we will stay on our Plantagenets in France tour, providing us with the opportunity to wander these hallowed halls throughout the evening hours. 

Phillipa was devout and spent much time focused on religion, in particular Fontevraud and the teachings of its founder, which emphasized the superiority of women over men, information that certainly provides us with some insight into where Eleanor got her ideas from. Her obsession with these teachings began to lead to a rift in a marriage that had been reasonably happy prior to this. At this point, totally unopposed, William had taken control of Toulouse for his wife, and thus by 1114 she was actually spending much time ruling there in his name.

Now onto the juicy part of the story. William, like many magnates of the time, did not always have the best relationship with the church. He was excommunicated twice, and it is the second time that is the focus of this story. This severe church punishment was imposed when he abducted the Viscountess of Châtellerault, known as Dangereuse because of her seductiveness, even though she was reportedly not unwilling. Imagine Phillipa’s shock upon returning home to Poitiers and finding her husband had moved his mistress into her palace. This was definitely one of history’s most infamous liaisons, and it was played out within the very walls of part of the palace known as the Maubergeonne Tower, in fact, Dangereuse was often nicknamed La Maubergeonne because of her residence in this historic building. Despite pleas from Phillipa’s friends and condemnation from the church, William refused to give us his mistress. In 1116, after all efforts to oust Dangereuse had failed, a humiliated Phillipa retired to Fontevraud Abbey, where she passed away of unknown causes in 1118, survived by both her husband and his mistress.

This was when the story took on a bizarre twist as William’s son, the future William X, strongly opposed the relationship between his father and Dangereuse, causing significant tension between him and his father. There were even rumours of a revolt by the young William to avenge his mother, though this remains unsubstantiated, with conflicting records. It appears that only when William the younger was betrothed to Aenor, Dangereuse’s daughter from her marriage to Aimery I of Châtellerault, did the family rift heal. It might seem an unusual way to resolve a family feud, but as they say “stranger things have happened.” This union not only appeased William the younger, but also Dangereuse’s husband, the Viscount. A year later, our favourite heroine, Eleanor was born.

To wrap your head around this tangled family web, this marriage in effect meant that Dangereuse was not just the mistress of Eleanor’s paternal grandfather, the Duke, but also her own maternal grandmother. Talk about keeping it in the family!

Are you intrigued? Did this tale whet your appetite for more, then do not hesitate to contact me. Join us when we visit this incredible building as well as many more fascinating historical sites on our Plantagenets in France Tour

Max

Maubergeonne Tower Photo - Dreamstime Photos © Yann Sanchez