The Maubergeonne Tower, part of the former ducal palace in Poitiers, has witnessed centuries of history.
Among its most intriguing stories is that of William IX, Duke of Aquitaine, his wife Philippa of Toulouse, and a remarkable family scandal that would lead to the birth of our favourite heroine, Eleanor of Aquitaine.
This fascinating story begins with William IX, Duke of Aquitaine, a man whose colourful personal life was every bit as interesting as his poetry. Regarded as the earliest known troubadour whose works have survived, William was also the grandfather of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who would become Queen of France and later Queen of England through her marriage to Henry II, the first Plantagenet king.
In 1094, William married Philippa of Toulouse, daughter of William IV, Count of Toulouse. Together they had several children, including William, the future Duke of Aquitaine, Raymond and Agnes. As her father's surviving daughter, Philippa had a claim to the County of Toulouse, but following his death, her uncle Raymond IV took control. This sparked a long-running dispute as Philippa and William sought to reclaim her inheritance, a conflict that would continue through subsequent generations and eventually become a source of contention during the lifetime of their granddaughter, Eleanor of Aquitaine.
An interesting part of Philippa's story is her support for Robert of Arbrissel, the founder of Fontevraud Abbey. She and William were among his early benefactors, helping establish a religious community that would become one of the most important abbeys in medieval France. I often wonder what Philippa would have thought if she had known how closely Fontevraud would become associated with her granddaughter Eleanor, who would spend her final years there and eventually be laid to rest within its walls.
Philippa was deeply religious and particularly drawn to the teachings of Robert of Arbrissel, whose community at Fontevraud was unusual for its time. Both men and women lived under the authority of an abbess, an arrangement that challenged some of the conventions of medieval society. Perhaps Eleanor's later independence and determination owed something to the example set by the women in her family.
By this time her marriage to William was becoming increasingly troubled. After years of pursuing her claim to Toulouse, William had successfully taken control of the county on her behalf, and by 1114 Philippa was spending considerable time in the lands she had fought so long to reclaim, while her husband remained in Aquitaine. Their growing separation would soon be overshadowed by events back in Poitiers.
Now we come to the juicy part of our story. The magnificent great hall of the ducal palace at Poitiers, pictured here, would later become associated with the legendary Courts of Love, supposedly presided over by Eleanor of Aquitaine. But long before Eleanor's time, her grandfather William IX was creating scandals of his own.
Like many powerful nobles of his time, William had a rather troubled relationship with the Church and was excommunicated on more than one occasion. It was his relationship with Dangereuse, the beautiful and apparently irresistible wife of Aimery I, Viscount of Châtellerault, that would cause one of the greatest scandals of his life.
According to the traditional account, William abducted Dangereuse, although there are suggestions that she went with him willingly. Whatever the circumstances, he installed her in the ducal palace at Poitiers, in the part of the building known as the Maubergeonne Tower. Indeed, Dangereuse became so closely associated with her residence that she was often called La Maubergeonne.
Imagine Philippa's shock and humiliation upon returning to Poitiers to discover that her husband had moved his mistress into their home! Despite condemnation from the Church and appeals from those close to Philippa, William refused to give up Dangereuse. Eventually, Philippa withdrew from court and sought refuge at Fontevraud Abbey, leaving her husband and his mistress together in Poitiers.
The story takes another rather bizarre twist when we discover that William's son, the future William X, strongly disapproved of his father's relationship with Dangereuse. Tensions between father and son reportedly became so serious that there were even rumours of the younger William plotting a revolt to avenge his mother, although the evidence for this is uncertain. Eventually, the younger William married Aenor, Dangereuse's daughter from her marriage to the Viscount of Châtellerault. Some accounts suggest that this marriage helped reconcile the two families, although we cannot be certain what prompted the arrangement. Whatever the circumstances, the union would have extraordinary consequences for the history of Aquitaine, because in 1122 Aenor gave birth to a daughter who would become one of the most fascinating women of the Middle Ages: Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Now, if you're having trouble keeping track of this rather tangled family tree, consider this: Dangereuse was not only the mistress of Eleanor's paternal grandfather, William IX, but also Eleanor's maternal grandmother through her daughter Aenor. That meant Eleanor's two grandfathers were connected through the same woman, although in rather different circumstances! Talk about keeping it in the family!
And what an extraordinary family Eleanor was born into. Between her grandfather's scandalous behaviour, her grandmother Philippa's determination to defend her inheritance, and the complicated relationships that surrounded her parents' marriage, Eleanor inherited a family history filled with ambition, conflict and remarkable personalities. It certainly makes you wonder how much of what she witnessed and learned about her family's past helped shape the woman she would become.
If you've enjoyed this glimpse into the extraordinary lives of the Dukes of Aquitaine, join us on our Plantagenets in France tour as we discover more of the people, places and stories that shaped this fascinating dynasty.
Max
Images: Maubergeonne Tower Photo - Dreamstime Photos © Yann Sanchez, Poitiers Great Hall © Plantagenet Discoveries
