Theobald or Thibault, known as the Trickster, was a vassal of 10th Century West Frankish King Lothair.

He is one of my maternal 27 x great-grandfathers.

He was born sometime around 910 but history does not record where. He is the son of Thibault, Viscount of Tours, and his 1st wife, who records do not name1.

Titles

A photo of the Château - Chateaudun, France
The Château – Chateaudun, France

In 944, Theobald succeeded his father as Theobald I, “Le Tricheur” (The Trickster or The Cheater) Count of Blois and Viscount of Tours2.

He also held the titles of Count of Chartres and Count of Châteaudun3.

Family

He married Luitgarde de Vermandois4 5, sometime in 943 or 9446.

A photo of the Cathedral at Chartres
Cathedral – Chartres, France

Together they had four children7:

  • Theobald
  • Hugh
  • Eudes
  • Emma

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Notable events

In 952, Theobald’s brother-in-law Alain II, Duke of Evraux, died8. Theobald took over Brittany as guardian of his underage nephew Drogo9.

A photo of Richard I of Normandy
Richard I of Normandy

He plotted against Richard I, Count of Normandy – whose grandfather is Rollo the Viking, another ancestor of mine. Richard defeated Theobald in battle in 95510.

This means he was at war with his daughter’s husband’s family. Theobald’s daughter Emma married Duke William IV of Aquitaine, whose cousin is Richard I. William and Richard have a common grandfather in Rollo the Viking, also known as Robert I of Normandy.

In 957, Theobald signed a charter withdrawing his claims to a serf in favour of the monks of Saint-Martin de Tours11.

In 960, he gained control of the counties of Chatres and Châteaudun, becoming a vassal of Lothair, King of the West Franks by 96312. He established a fortification in Châteaudun on top of ancient wooden Celtic forts13 14 15 16. The only part of Thibauld’s fortifications which still exist are the dungeons in the castle17.

I describe the chateau in greater detail in a separate article.

In 964, the Archbishop of Reims excommunicated Theobald for confiscating estates, including Coucy, from the archbishopric18.

In May 974, history records him as donating to Saint-Florent de Saumur, without indicating what he donated19.

A photo of the river and bridge in Blois, France
Blois, France

Death

He died on 16 January in 97520 or 977, but records do not show where he died21. History does not record how he died, or where he’s buried.

References

  1. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  2. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  3. Office de Tourisme de Chateaudun. (2018). History of the town. [online] Available at: https://www.chateaudun-tourisme.fr/en/plan/visits/history-of-the-town [Accessed 21 Aug. 2024][↩]
  4. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  5. Bouchard, C.B. (1981). Consanguinity and Noble Marriages in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries. Speculum, 56(2), pp.268–287. doi:https://doi.org/10.2307/2846935[↩]
  6. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  7. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  8. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  9. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  10. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  11. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  12. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  13. Office de Tourisme de Chateaudun. (2018). History of the town. [online] Available at: https://www.chateaudun-tourisme.fr/en/plan/visits/history-of-the-town [Accessed 21 Aug. 2024][↩]
  14. Château de Châteaudun; Frenchchateau.net; (Retrieved 2024-06-18) [↩]
  15. Le château de Châteaudun, premier des châteaux de la Loire; Chateau-Chateaudun.fr; (Retrieved 2024-06-18) (Site in French) [↩]
  16. Un millefeuille architectural, entre Moyen Âge et Renaissance; Chateau-Chateaudun.fr; (Retrieved 2024-06-18) (Site in French) [↩]
  17. Site visit by author; 2024-06-15[↩]
  18. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  19. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]
  20. Royalty for Commoners (4th edition); Roderick W Stuart; Genealogical Publishing Ltd; 2002[↩]
  21. Fmg.ac. (2023). CENTRAL FRANCE – BLOIS, TOURS. [online] Available at: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CENTRAL%20FRANCE.htm [Accessed 31 Jul. 2024][↩]

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