Notes:

He married, firstly, Agnes of Courtenay, daughter of Joscelin II de Courtenay, Count of Edessa and Beatrice, in 1157. He and Agnes of Courtenay were divorced in 1162 on the grounds of consanguinity. He married, secondly, Mary Comnene, daughter of Sebastokrator Isaac Comnenos, on 29 August 1167. He succeeded to the title of King Almaric I of Jerusalem in 1163.

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He married, firstly, Aremburga de la Fleche, Comtesse de Maine, daughter of Hélias I de la Fleche, Comte de Maine and Mathilde de Chateau-du-Loire, circa 1110. He married, secondly, Melesende of Jerusalem, Queen of Jerusalem, daughter of Baldwin II of Bourg, King of Jerusalem and Morfia of Armenia, circa 1129. Fulk V d'Anjou, 9th Comte d'Anjou also went by the nick-name of Fulk 'the Younger'. He gained the title of 9th Comte d'Anjou in 1109. He succeeded to the title of King Fulk of Jerusalem in 1131.

Fulk (in French: Foulque or Foulques; 1089/1092 Angers - 13 November 1143 Acre), also known as Fulk the Younger, was Count of Anjou (as Fulk V) from 1109 to 1129, and King of Jerusalem from 1131 to his death. He was also the paternal grandfather of Henry II of England.

Count of Anjou

Fulk was born in Angers between 1089 and 1092, the son of Count Fulk IV of Anjou and Bertrade de Montfort. In 1092, Bertrade deserted her husband and bigamously married King Philip I of France.

He became count of Anjou upon his father's death in 1109. In the next year, he married Erembourg of Maine, cementing Angevin control over the County of Maine.

He was originally an opponent of King Henry I of England and a supporter of King Louis VI of France, but in 1118 or 1119 he had allied with Henry when Henry arranged for his son and heir William Adelin to marry Fulk's daughter Matilda. Fulk went on crusade in 1119 or 1120, and became attached to the Knights Templar. (Orderic Vitalis) He returned, late in 1121, after which he began to subsidize the Templars, maintaining two knights in the Holy Land for a year. Much later, Henry arranged for his daughter Matilda to marry Fulk's son Geoffrey of Anjou, which she did in 1127 or 1128.

Crusader and King

By 1127 Fulk was preparing to return to Anjou when he received an embassy from King Baldwin II of Jerusalem. Baldwin II had no male heirs but had already designated his daughter Melisende to succeed him. Baldwin II wanted to safeguard his daughter's inheritance by marrying her to a powerful lord. Fulk was a wealthy crusader and experienced military commander, and a widower. His experience in the field would prove invaluable in a frontier state always in the grip of war.

However, Fulk held out for better terms than mere consort of the Queen; he wanted to be king alongside Melisende. Baldwin II, reflecting on Fulk's fortune and military exploits, acquiesced. Fulk abdicated his county seat of Anjou to his son Geoffrey and left for Jerusalem, where he married Melisende on 2 June 1129. Later Baldwin II bolstered Melisende's position in the kingdom by making her sole guardian of her son by Fulk, Baldwin III, born in 1130.

Fulk and Melisende became joint rulers of Jerusalem in 1131 with Baldwin II's death. From the start Fulk assumed sole control of the government, excluding Melisende altogether. He favored fellow countrymen from Anjou to the native nobility. The other crusader states to the north feared that Fulk would attempt to impose the suzerainty of Jerusalem over them, as Baldwin II had done; but as Fulk was far less powerful than his deceased father-in-law, the northern states rejected his authority. Melisende's sister Alice of Antioch, exiled from the Principality by Baldwin II, took control of Antioch once more after the death of her father. She allied with Pons of Tripoli and Joscelin II of Edessa to prevent Fulk from marching north in 1132; Fulk and Pons fought a brief battle before peace was made and Alice was exiled again.

In Jerusalem as well, Fulk was resented by the second generation of Jerusalem Christians who had grown up there since the First Crusade. These "natives" focused on Melisende's cousin, the popular Hugh II of Le Puiset, count of Jaffa, who was devotedly loyal to the Queen. Fulk saw Hugh as a rival, and it did not help matters when Hugh's own stepson accused him of disloyalty. In 1134, in order to expose Hugh, Fulk accused him of infidelity with Melisende. Hugh rebelled in protest. Hugh secured himself to Jaffa, and allied himself with the Muslims of Ascalon. He was able to defeat the army set against him by Fulk, but this situation could not hold. The Patriarch interceded in the conflict, perhaps at the behest of Melisende. Fulk agreed to peace and Hugh was exiled from the kingdom for three years, a lenient sentence.

However, an assassination attempt was made against Hugh. Fulk, or his supporters, were commonly believed responsible, though direct proof never surfaced. The scandal was all that was needed for the queen's party to take over the government in what amounted to a palace coup. Author and historian Bernard Hamilton wrote that the Fulk's supporters "went in terror of their lives" in the palace. Contemporary author and historian William of Tyre wrote of Fulk "he never attempted to take the initiative, even in trivial matters, without (Melisende's) consent". The result was that Melisende held direct and unquestioned control over the government from 1136 onwards. Sometime before 1136 Fulk reconciled with his wife, and a second son, Amalric was born.

Securing the borders

Jerusalem's northern border was of great concern. Fulk had been appointed regent of the Principality of Antioch by Baldwin II. As regent he had Raymund of Poitou marry the infant Constance of Antioch, daughter of Bohemund II and Alice of Antioch, and niece to Melisende. However, the greatest concern during Fulk's reign was the rise of Atabeg Zengi of Mosul.

In 1137 Fulk was defeated in battle near Barin but allied with Mu'in ad-Din Unur, the vizier of Damascus. Damascus was also threatened by Zengi. Fulk captured the fort of Banias, to the north of Lake Tiberias and thus secured the northern frontier.

Fulk also strengthened the kingdom's southern border. His butler Paganus built the fortress of Kerak to the south of the Dead Sea, and to help give the kingdom access to the Red Sea, Fulk had Blanche Garde, Ibelin, and other forts built in the south-west to overpower the Egyptian fortress at Ascalon. This city was a base from which the Egyptian Fatimids launched frequent raids on the Kingdom of Jerusalem and Fulk sought to neutralise this threat.

In 1137 and 1142, Byzantine emperor John II Comnenus arrived in Syria attempting to impose Byzantine control over the crusader states. John's intention of making a pilgrimage, accompanied by his impressive army, to Jerusalem alarmed Fulk, who wrote to John pointing out that his kingdom was poor and could not support the passage of a large army. This lukewarm response dissuaded John from carrying through his intention, and he postponed his pilgrimage. John died before he could make good his proposed journey to Jerusalem.

Death

In 1143, while the king and queen were on holiday in Acre, Fulk was killed in a hunting accident. His horse stumbled, fell, and Fulk's skull was crushed by the saddle, "and his brains gushed forth from both ears and nostrils", as William of Tyre describes. He was carried back to Acre, where he lay unconscious for three days before he died. He was buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Though their marriage started in conflict, Melisende mourned for him privately as well as publicly. Fulk was survived by his son Geoffrey of Anjou by his first wife, and Baldwin III and Amalric I by Melisende.

Depictions

According to William, Fulk was "a ruddy man, like David... faithful and gentle, affable and kind... an experienced warrior full of patience and wisdom in military affairs." His chief fault was an inability to remember names and faces.

William of Tyre described Fulk as a capable soldier and able politician, but observed that Fulk did not adequately attend to the defense of the crusader states to the north. Ibn al-Qalanisi (who calls him al-Kund Anjur, an Arabic rendering of "Count of Anjou") says that "he was not sound in his judgment nor was he successful in his administration." The Zengids continued their march on the crusader states, culminating in the fall of the County of Edessa in 1144, which led to the Second Crusade (see Siege of Edessa).

Family

In 1110, Fulk married Ermengarde of Maine (died 1126), the daughter of Elias I of Maine. Their four children were:

Geoffrey V of Anjou (1113-1151, father of Henry II of England.
Sibylla of Anjou (1112-1165, Bethlehem), married in 1123 William Clito (div. 1124), married in 1134 Thierry, Count of Flanders.
Alice (or Isabella) (1111-1154, Fontevrault), married William Adelin; after his death in the White Ship she became a nun and later Abbess of Fontevrault.
Elias II of Maine (died 1151)

His second wife was Melisende, Queen of Jerusalem

Baldwin III of Jerusalem
Amalric I of Jerusalem

Fulk married Melesende of Jerusalem, Queen of Jerusalem Abt 1129. Melesende died 11 Sep 1161. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Melesende of Jerusalem, Queen of Jerusalem was the daughter of Baldwin II of Bourg, King of Jerusalem and Morfia of Armenia. She succeeded to the title of Queen Melesende of Jerusalem in 1131.1 She was deposed as Queen of Jerusalem in 1152.

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He married unknown daughter of Walter I, Comte de Brienne and Eustachie. He married, firstly, Ermengarde de Bourbon, daughter of Archambaud IV de Bourbon, Sire de Bourbon and Philippa d'Auvergne, circa 1070. He married, secondly, Ermengarde de Chatel-Aillon, daughter of Isambert de Chatel-Aillon, Seigneur de Chatel-Aillon, on 21 January 1076. He married, thirdly, Bertrada de Montfort, daughter of Simon de Montfort, Sire de Montfort l'Aumari and Agnes d'Evreux, circa 1089. He and Ermengarde de Chatel-Aillon were divorced circa 1080. He and Bertrada de Montfort were divorced on 15 May 1092. Fulk IV 'le Rechin', Comte d'Anjou also went by the nick-name of Fulk 'Rechin' (or in English, Fulk 'the Rude'). He gained the title of 7th Comte d'Anjou in 1067.

Fulk IV (in French Foulques IV) (1043 - 14 April 1109), called le Réchin, was the Count of Anjou from 1068 until his death. The nickname by which he is usually referred has no certain translation. Philologists have made numerous very different suggestions, including "quarreler", "rude", "sullen", "surly" and "heroic".

Life

He was the younger son of Geoffrey II, Count of Gâtinais (sometimes known as Aubri), and Ermengarde of Anjou, a daughter of Fulk the Black, count of Anjou, and sister of Geoffrey Martel, also count of Anjou.

When Geoffrey Martel died without direct heirs he left Anjou to his nephew Geoffrey III of Anjou, Fulk le Réchin's older brother.

Fulk fought with his brother, whose rule was deemed incompetent, and captured him in 1067. Under pressure from the Church he released Geoffrey. The two brothers soon fell to fighting again, and the next year Geoffrey was again imprisoned by Fulk, this time for good.

Substantial territory was lost to Angevin control due to the difficulties resulting from Geoffrey's poor rule and the subsequent civil war. Saintonge was lost, and Fulk had to give the Gâtinais to Philip I of France to placate the king.

Much of Fulk's rule was devoted to regaining control over the Angevin baronage, and to a complex struggle with Normandy for influence in Maine and Brittany.

In 1096 Fulk wrote an incomplete history of Anjou and its rulers titled Fragmentum historiae Andegavensis or "History of Anjou", though the authorship and authenticity of this work is disputed. Only the first part of the history, describing Fulk's ancestry, is extant. The second part, supposedly describing Fulk's own rule, has not been recovered. If he did write it, it is one of the first medieval works of history written by a layman.

Family

Fulk may have married as many as five times; there is some doubt regarding the exact number or how many he repudiated.

His first wife was Hildegarde of Beaugency. After her death, before or by 1070, he married Ermengarde de Bourbon in 1070, and then in 1076 possibly Orengarde de Châtellailon. Both these were repudiated (Ermengarde de Bourbon in 1075 and Orengarde de Chatellailon or Châtel-Aillon in 1080), possibly on grounds of consanguinity.

By 1080 he may have married Mantie, daughter of Walter I of Brienne. This marriage also ended in divorce, in 1087. Finally, in 1089, he married Bertrade de Montfort, who was apparently "abducted" by King Philip I of France in or around 1092.

He had two sons. The eldest (a son of Ermengarde de Bourbon), Geoffrey IV Martel, ruled jointly with him for some time, but died in 1106. The younger (a son of Bertrade de Montfort) succeeded him as Fulk V.

He also had a daughter by Hildegarde of Beaugency, Ermengarde, who married firstly with William IX, count of Poitou and duke of Aquitaine and secondly with Alan IV, Duke of Brittany.

Fulk married Bertrada de Montfort Abt 1089. Bertrada (daughter of Simon de Montfort, I and Agnes d'Evreux) was born 1070; died 14 Feb 1116/17. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Bertrada de Montfort was the daughter of Simon de Montfort, Sire de Montfort l'Aumari and Agnes d'Evreux. She married, firstly, Fulk IV 'le Rechin', Comte d'Anjou, son of Geoffrey, Comte de Gâtinais and Ermengarde d'Anjou, circa 1089. She married, secondly, Philippe I, Roi de France, son of Henri I, Roi de France and Anne of Kiev, in 1095. She and Fulk IV 'le Rechin', Comte d'Anjou were divorced on 15 May 1092. She died after 1117.

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.

Marriages

The oft-married Fulk IV, Count of Anjou was married to the mother of his son in 1089, when the lovely Bertrade 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, and they became the parents of a son, Fulk, but in 1092 Bertrade left her husband and took up with King Philip I of France. Philip married her on 15 May 1092, despite the fact that they both had spouses living. He was so enamoured of Bertrade that he refused to leave her even when threatened with excommunication. Pope Urban II did excommunicate him in 1095, and Philip was prevented from taking part in the First Crusade. Astonishingly, Bertrade persuaded Philip and Fulk to be friends.

Children

With Fulk IV, Count of Anjou:

Fulk of Jerusalem, Count of Anjou and King of Jerusalem (1089/92-1143)

With Philip I of France:

Philip of France, Count of Mantes (living in 1123)
Fleury of France, Seigneur of Nangis (living in 1118)
Cecile of France (died 1145), married (1) Tancred, Prince of Galilee; married (2) Pons of Tripoli

Later life

According to Orderic Vitalis, Bertrade was anxious that one of her sons succeed Philip, and 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. Bertrade lived on until 1117; 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." Her son from her first marriage was Fulk V of Anjou who later became King of Jerusalem iure uxoris. The dynasties founded by Fulk's sons ruled for centuries, one of them in England (Plantagenet), the other in Jerusalem.

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Geoffrey, Comte de Gâtinais married Ermengarde d'Anjou, daughter of Fulco III d'Anjou, 5th Comte d'Anjou and Hildegarde, circa 1035.

Geoffrey II, de Château-Landon ( -1043/6) was the Count of Gâtinais. He was traditionally viewed as son of Geoffrey, Count of Gâtinais by Beatrice of Macon, the daughter of Aubry II of Mâcon, but recent research has suggested the alternative that he was son by another husband of Beatrice, Hugh of Perche. About 1035 he married Ermengarde of Anjou, Duchess of Burgundy, daughter of Fulk III, Count of Anjou. After Geoffrey's death she married secondly Robert I, Duke of Burgundy.

Issue

Together, Geoffrey and Ermengarde had:

Hildegarde de Château-Landon
Geoffrey III (1040 - 1096)
Fulk IV (1043 - 1109)

Geoffrey married Ermengarde of Anjou, Duchess of Burgundy Abt 1035. Ermengarde (daughter of Fulk, III Count of Anjou and Hildegarde of Sundgau) was born Between 1010 and 1018, Angers, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France; died 21 Mar 1075/76, Fleurey-sur-Ouche, France. [Group Sheet]

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She married, firstly, Geoffrey, Comte de Gâtinais circa 1035. She married, secondly, Robert I de Bourgogne, Duc de Bourgogne, son of Robert II, Roi de France and Constance d'Arles, in 1055. She died on 21 March 1076, murdered.

Ermengarde of Anjou (c. 1018 - 1076), daughter of Count Fulk III of Anjou and Hildegarde.

She married first, c. 1035 Geoffrey II, Count of Gâtinais (in French Geoffroy), called Ferréol and sometimes known as Aubri, seigneur de Château-Landon. Together they had the following children:

Hildegarde de Château-Landon, married c.1060 to Joscelin I, Lord of Courtenay
Geoffrey III, Count of Anjou
Fulk IV, Count of Anjou

She married secondly Robert I, Duke of Burgundy. Together they had one daughter:

Hildegard (c. 1056-1104), who married Duke William VIII of Aquitaine

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Simon I de Montfort born about 1025 in Montfort l'Amaury, Ile de France, France and died 1087. He is buried in Epernon, Normandy, France. He was the son of Amaury I de Montfort (c. 1000-1031) and Bertrade de Gometz.

Progeny

Simon I first married Isabel de Broyles (b. 1034, Broyes, Marne, France), daughter of Hugh Bardoul. Their children were:

Amauri de Montfort (c. 1056-1089)
Isabel (Elizabeth) de Montfort (b. 1057), who married Raoul II de Tosny.

Simon I's second marriage was to Agnes d'Evreux (b. 1030), daughter of Richard d'Evreux of Rouen, Normandy. Their children were:

Bertrade de Montfort (c. 1059-1117), became Queen of France.
Richard de Montfort (c. 1066-1092), slain in attack on abbey at Conches.
Simon II de Montfort (c. 1068-1101)
Amaury III of Montfort(c. 1070-1137), married Richude (Richilde) de Hainault and Agnes de Garland.
Guillaume de Montfort (c. 1073-1101)
Adeliza de Montfort (b. 1075)

Simon — Agnes d'Evreux. [Group Sheet]