William III, Duke of Aquitaine
William III, known as Tête d’étoupe (‘tow head’) because of his fair hair, successfully fought French nobles who wanted to conquer Aquitaine.
Continue readingWilliam III, known as Tête d’étoupe (‘tow head’) because of his fair hair, successfully fought French nobles who wanted to conquer Aquitaine.
Continue readingWilliam IV, known as Fier-a-bras or ‘proud arm’ who waged many wars across France. He was the Duke of Acquitaine from 963 until he retired to a monastery in 990.
Continue readingWilliam V, known as the Great, was a Duke of Aquitaine. He memorably refused the crown of a united Italy after realising the political situation on the peninsula was a mess.
Continue readingWilliam VIII was instrumental in one of the first military campaigns organised by the Pope against the Muslims in Spain. This was a precursor to the Crusades.
Continue readingWilliam IX is best known as the first troubador – a vernacular lyric poet from the Occitane region – whose work survived. He is also remembered as one of the leaders of the Crusade of 1101.
Continue readingRaymond of Poitiers was a Prince of Antioch during the first Crusade. He gained control by working with the bishop to con his future mother-in-law.
Continue readingPeople called Bohemond “the Stammerer” because of a pronounced speech impediment he had. He ascended the throne when Antiochene nobility dethroned his mother.
He is one of my maternal 21 x great-grandfathers.
Continue readingBohemond IV of Antioch, also known as Bohemond the One-Eyed, was Count of Tripoli and Prince of Antioch. He seized control of Antioch in an alliance with the Knights Hospitallier, the Knight Templar and Italian merchants.
Continue readingThere are few records of Henry of Antioch, also known as Henry de Poitiers. He died off the coast of Tyre, in present day Lebanon while sailing on a German ship.
Continue readingHugh III adopted his mother’s family name of de Lusignan since he inherited Cyprus through her family. This marks the beginning of what historians call the second House of Lusignan.
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