Godefroid "le Captive"/Gottfried "der
Gefangene" (Godefridus)
Godefroid "le Captive"/Gottfried "der
Gefangene" (Godefridus)Godefroid appears on 1 November 959 as count in Bidgau ["... in villa Dundeba in comitatu Bedense, cui Gotefridus comes præesse dinoscitur, ..." Wampach (1935), 212 (#166)], and he is called count in Methingau on 8 April 960 ["... in comitatu Mithegovve, cui Godefridus comes preesse videtur, ..." (a donation of his aunt Liutgard), Wampach (1935), 218 (#168)] and on 17 February 963 ["Igitur posita est haec eadem munitio in pago Methingowi in comitatu Godefridi comitis super ripam Alsuntiæ fluminis." (his uncle Sigefroid's acquisition of the castle of Luxemburg), Wampach (1935), 234-5 (#173)]. About this time he starts to appear as count in charters of Saint-Vanne at Verdun ["Signum Gotdefridi et fratris eius Heinrici." Bloch (1898-1902), 402 (#14), dated by Bloch to ca. 960? and by Vanderikindere to 963×5, Vanderkindere (1902), 2: 355; "Signum Gotdefridi comitis." 963?×6, Bloch (1898-1902), 404 (#15); "Signum Godefridi comitis." 967, ibid. 407 (#17); His supposed appearance as a witness in a charter of bishop Bérenger of Verdun in 951×2 occurs only in the later, falsified, version, Bloch (1898-1902), 391-5 (#11)]. He appears as marquis (marchio) in 981 ["Gottefredus et Arnulfus marchiones XL mittant." MGH Const. 1: 632-3 (#436); Franz (1940), 234], and is called duke (dux) of Eename by both Genealogia comitum Flandriae Bertiniana ["... Godefrido duci de Enham ..."MGH SS 9: 306] and an interpolation to the chronicle of Sigebert de Gembloux ["Iste dux Godefridus dictus est Eihamensis." MGH SS 6: 399; see below for more detailed quotes from these two sources]. In 985, when king Lothair of France was attempting the conquest of Lorraine, he, along with other Lotharingian nobles, defended Lorraine from Lothair's attacks ["Dum haec multa consultatione ventilaret, Belgicae dux Teodericus, necnon et vir nobilis ac strenuus Godefridus, Sigefridus quoque vir illustris, Bardo etiam et Gozilo fratres clarissimi et nominatissimi, aliique princes nonnulli, latenter pertemptant Virdunum irrumpere, eamque a Gallis evacuare." Richer iii, 103, MGH SS 3: 629], and Godefroid was among those captured by Lothair, along with his son Frédéric and his uncle Sigefroid (of Luxemburg), among others. His captivity was the subject of several letters of Gerbert (later pope Sylvester II) [Gerbert, Letters, pp. 45-6 (letter #47, April 985, to Godefroid's sons bishop Adalbero and Hermann, mentioning his son Frédéric as one of the captives), p. 47 (letter #50, April 985, to his wife Mathilde, also naming Frédéric), p. 48 (letter #52, to empress Theophanu, mentioning Godefroid's patruus Sigefroid as one of the captives)]. Having spent two years as a prisoner, he was released in 987, shortly after the accession of Hugues Capet as king of France [Gerbert, Letters, p. 95 (Letter #103, 17 June 987)]. Godefroid was present at the Council of Mouzon in 995 with two of his sons ["Laici etiam Godefridus comes cum duobus filiis suis, ..." Richer iv, 99, MGH SS 3: 654], and he was still alive on 6 April 997, when emperor Otto III confirmed possessions of the abbey of Mouzon which had been donated by Godefroid [MGH DD O III, 656 (#238)]. [See also DBF 17 (1985): 433-4; Franz (1940); Evrard (1981); Parisse (1981)]
Date of Birth: Unknown.
Place of
Birth: Unknown.
Date of Death: 3 September, in or after 997.
Godefroid was living on 6 April 997 (see above),
and the necrology of Saint-Vanne shows his death date as 3
September ["III. non. [Sept.]
Godefridus comes, pater ducis Gozelonis, qui nobis Borracum
dedit. Nek. S. Vanne 145].
Place of Death: Unknown.
Father: Gozlin/Gozelo,
d. 18 October 942 or 16 February 943, count.
In 943, the last will of Gozlinus
nomine miles quidam, ex nobilissimis regni Chlotarii ducens
prosapiam was executed by his widow Uda and his son
Regingerus, with his brothers Fridericus, Gisilbertus,
and Sigebertus among the witnesses [Wampach (1935),
193-7 (#156); For the date of death, see Parisse (1981), 21].
Mother:
Uda, who was living 18 May 963, probably a relative of emperor Heinrich II.
A donation of Uda (Voda) on 18 May 963 names her husband
Gozlin and her four sons Henricus, Regingerus, Godefridus,
and Adalbero ["... ego Voda Dei gratia
comitissa, ..., pro remedio et absolutione peccatorum meorum
seniorisque mei Gozlini, necnon filiorum meorum Henrici videlicet
et Reginheri, Godefridi quoque et Adalberonis, ...",
Wampach (1935), 229 (#172)]. Uda's grandson Frédéric is twice
called a relative of the emperor [Heinrich II] by Hugues de
Flavigny (see below), and Hlawitschka argues convincingly that
this relationship came through Uda [see Hlawitschka (1969),
58-61].
Spouse: Mathilde von Sachsen, d. 1009, daughter of Hermann "Billung", duke of Sachsen (Saxony), and widow of Baldwin III, d. 1 January 962, (joint) count of Flanders. [See the pages of Baldwin III and Mathilde for more details.]
Children:
The names of the five sons of Godefroid and Mathilde are proven
by numerous sources. ["Hic [Baldwin III]
duxerat filiam Herimanni ducis Saxonum Mathildem, ex qua genuit
Arnulfem. Mathildis vidua relicta nupsit Godefrido duci de Enham,
ex quo suscepit tres filios, Gozolonem ducem, Godefridum
Hezelonem" Genealogia comitum Flandriae Bertiniana,
MGH SS 9: 306; "Iste dux Godefridus dictus est
Eihamensis. Erat autem Eiham oppidum et castrum munitissimum, et
sedes principalis ducatus regni Lotharici. Qui dux Godefridus
duxit Mathildem, filiam Herimanni ducis Saxonum, viduam relictam
Baldewini comitis, qui erat filius Arnulfi magni marchionis. De
qua idem Godefridus genuit tres filios, Godefridum, Gozcelonem,
Hezcelonem. Hezcelo comes, post mortem ducis, ..." (see
below under Hermann/Hezelo), Interpolation to chronicle of
Sigebert de Gembloux, s.a. 1005, Sigeb. auctarium
Affligemense, MGH SS 6: 399; "Unde et Mathildis
nobilissima Saxoniae comitissa, quae de viro suo comite Godefrido
quinque filios genuerat, Alberonem scilicet huius ecclesiae urbis
episcopum post Vifredum, et Fredericum et Hermannum industrios
comites, Godefridum et Gozelonem praeclarissimos duces, ..."
Vita Richardi Abb. S. Vitoni Virdunensis, MGH SS 11:
285; "Mathildis Saxoniae comitissa ... . Haec comitissa
comiti Godefrido copulata, quinque filios ex ipso genuit,
videlicet Adelberonem, nostrae civitatis post Wicfridum
episcopum, et praedictos Fredericum et Herimannum comites, duos
quoque ducatus prosapia pollentes Godefridum atque Gozelonem."
Gesta episcoporum Virdunensium, Continuatio, c.
9, MGH SS 4: 48; "Fredericus nomen erat viro, generosa
satis eius et alta propago. Comitatus honore vigebat, et quod
maximum est, comitatum mentis indole perornabat. Pater eius
Godefridus erat, vir probitate gratia et divitiis et honoribus
inter magnates regni nominatissimus. Habebat et alios filios,
Adalberonem Virdunensem quem diximus episcopum, Herimannum quoque
comite nobilissimum, Godefridum quoque et Gozolonem duces.
Herimannus, qui et Hezelo, ..." (see also below),
Hugues de Flavigny, Chronicon, ii, 3, MGH SS 8: 370;
"Huius Godefridi Ardenensis fuit uxor Mathildis
comitissa Saxonie, que peperit ei episcopum Virdunensem
Alberonem, de quo supra diximus, comitem Fredericum, Sancti
Vitonii monachum, comitem de Daburc Hermannum, cuius fuit filius
Gregorius Leodiensis archidyaconus, et duos duces prosapia
inclitos, Godefridum istum et Gothelonem." Chronicle of
Aubri de Troisfontaines, MGH SS 23: 778]
Frédéric/Friedrich (Fridericus),
d. 6 January 1022, count of Verdun, provost of Saint-Vaast.
Frédéric, evidently the eldest son, was
among those captured along with his father in 985 [Gerbert,
Letters 46 (letter #47, to Frédéric's brothers Adalbero and
Hermann, April 985), 47 (letter #50, to Frédéric's mother
Mathilde, April 985]. He appears as a witness with his brother
Godefroid in an act of bishop Haimo of Verdun in 995 ["Signum
domni Heimonis gloriosissimi pontificis. Signum Friderici
comitis. Signum Gotdefridi comitis." (since Frédéric
signs first, this must be the younger Godefroid), Bloch
(1898-1902), 416 (#21)]. The date and year of his death are given
by the necrologies of Saint-Vanne and Saint-Vaast, respectively
["VIII id. [Ianuarii] Venerande
memorie domnus Fridericus monachus huius loci et ex comite
conversus, frater Godefridi et Gozelonis ducum, qui nobis
Borracum contulit." Nek. S. Vanne 135; "Fridericus,
avunculus Balduini Barbati comitis Frandriae, ortus ex Godefrido
Barbato comite Arduennae, Virduni, Bullonii, et Mathilde
comitissa Saxoniae. Fit praepositus S[anc]ti Vedasti 1001 ac
usque ad finem vitae perseveravit. Quo mortuo 1022 cadaver ejus
relatum est ad monasterium S[anc]ti Witoni." Nec.
Vedast., 10]. Hugues de Flavigny states that he was of imperial
blood and a consanguineus of the king/emperor (i.e.,
Heinrich II) ["Huius ergo principis curiam pro quibusdam
negociis domnus et pater Richardus adire compulsus, venerabilem
Fredericum secum duxit, qui et de imperiali sanguine procreatus
et principibus regni erat notissimus; ..."; "...
regis et principium consanguineus ..." Hugues de
Flavigny, Chronicon, ii, 6, MGH SS 8: 372; "...
Fredericum comitis filium, fratrem duorum ducum, imperatoris
consanguineum, ..." ibid., ii, 7, p. 373].
Adalbero, d. 18 April 991, bishop of
Verdun, 984-991.
Adalbero's cousin, another Adalbero (son of Frédéric, duke of
Upper Lorraine), had been named as bishop of Verdun in September
of 984, but soon exchanged that see in order to become bishop of
Metz (16 October 984), and the present Adalbero then became
bishop of Verdun ["Huic successit domnus Adalbero,
filius comitis Godefridi, qui fuit avus ducis Godefridi, ..."
Gesta episcoporum Virdunensium, Continuatio, c.
6, MGH SS 4: 47; Parisse (1981), 25-6, 30]. The
necrologies of Saint-Vanne and Verdun give 18 April as the date
of Adalbero's death ["XIIII. kal. [Maii.]
Adelbero episcopus Virdunensis." Nek. S. Vanne, 139; "XIIII
Kal. [Maii] Obiit Adelbero episcopus virdun.
ecclesie." Nec. Verdun, 204]. Parisse
places Adalbero's death on 18 April 988, evidently on the
strength of the statement in the continuation of Gesta
episcoporum Virdunensium that Adalbero was bishop for only
three and a half years ["Vixit autem in episcopatu
tribus semis annis." Gesta episcoporum Virdunensium,
Continuatio, c. 6, MGH SS 4: 47; Parisse (1981), 30].
However, the Necrological Annals of Fulda give a death date of
991 ["Adelbero episcopus" Annales
Necrologici Fuldenses, s.a. 991, MGH SS 13: 206], which is
likely to be correct, since Gerbert wrote a letter to Adalbero in
990 [Gerbert, Letters, 153 (#173); Lattin (1961), 210, dates the
letter to 1 June 990].
Hermann (Hezelo), d. 28 May 1029 ["V. kal. [Iunii] Anno
incarnationis dominice MXXIX obiit pie memorie domnus Herimannus
ex comite conversus, ..." Nek. S. Vanne 140-1; "Et
obiit comes Herimannus" Ann. Bland., s.a.
1029, Grierson (1937), 24 (similarly, Ann. Elmarenses,
ibid., 89)], count of Eename; count of
Brabant ["Herimannus quoque
venerabilis comes in comitatu Bracbantinse ... frater eius dux
Godefridus ..." Charter of emperor Heinrich II, 1015,
Bloch (1898-1902), 423; "Hezcelo comes, post mortem
ducis, castrum Eiham cum provincia Brabantensi suscepit et diu
tenuit. Hic enim genuit filium nomine Herimannum, et filiam
nomine Berthildem; qui dum adhuc iuvenes essent, defuncti sunt,
et in ecclesia apud Felseka sepulti. Qui postea multis
miraculorum signis claruerunt, sed a Verdunensibus monachis
furtive ablati sunt. Alteram quoque filiam tradidit nuptui
Reginero, Montensi comiti, simul cum tota provincia Brabantensi.
Deinde cum omnia sua ad votum ordinasset, relicto in manus
Regineri castro et comitatu, apud Verdunum effectus est monachus."
Interpolation to chronicle of Sigebert de Gembloux, s.a. 1005, Sigeb.
auctarium Affligemense, MGH SS 6: 399],
m. Mathilde ["Herimannus,
qui et Hezelo, Mathildem duxit uxorem, ex qua genuit duos filios,
bonae spei arbores, Gregorium et Godefridum, et filiam Odiliam,
quae fuit abbatissa ancillarum Dei in monasterio sanctae Odiliae.
Habuit et alium ex concubina filium nomine Godefridum."
Hugues de Flavigny, Chronicon, ii, 3, MGH SS 8: 370]. Aubri de Troisfontaines calls
Hermann count of Dagsburg [MGH SS 23: 778 (see above)]. Wampach
would identify him with a count Hermann of Eifelgau appearing in
978 ["... in pago Eiflensi in comitatu Herimanni, ..."
Wampach (1935): 258-260 (#186)], but Hermann's parents
were certainly not married before 962, and he does not appear to
have been the eldest son.
Godefroid/Gottfried (Godefridus),
d. 27 September 1023, duke of Lower Lorraine, 1005-1023.
Godefroid appears as a witness with his
brother Frédéric in an act of bishop Haimo of Verdun in 995
[Bloch (1898-1902), 416 (#21)]. He became duke of Lower Lorraine
on the death of the Carolingian duke Otto in 1005 ["Mortuo
Ottone duce, ducatus Lotharingiae datur comiti Godefrido, filio
Godefridi Ardennensis." Siegfried of Gembloux, s.a.
1005, MGH SS 6: 354], and was succeeded by his brother Gozelo in
1023 ["Obiit Godefridus dux." Ann. Bland.
& Ann. Elmarenses, s.a. 1023, Grierson (1937), 24,
89; Annales Mosomagenses, s.a. 1023, MGH SS 3: 161]. The
date of 27 September is given by the necrology of Saint-Vanne
["V. kal. [Oct.] Godefridus dux,
frater Gocelonis ducis, qui nobis in Beurnes XX mansos dedit
suaque supellectile monasterium hoc admodum locupletavit."
Nek. S. Vanne 146]. [See also DBF 17 (1985): 431; Franz (1940);
Evrard (1981); Parisse (1981)]
Gozelo/Gozlin I, d. 19 April 1044,
duke of Lower Lorraine, 1023-1044; and of Upper Lorraine,
1033-1044; marquis of Antwerp, 1008-1044; m. NN.
[19 April: "Gazlinus dux", Merseburg
Necrology, Althoff (1984), 377 (H 10); "Gotzelo dux
obiit." Annales Laubienses & Annales
Leodienses, s.a. 1044, MGH SS 4: 19] He succeeded his
brother Godefroid as duke of Lower Lorraine in 1023, and he also
became duke of Upper Lorraine on the death of his kinsman
Frédéric II in 1033. [See also DBF 17 (1985): 881-2; Franz
(1940); Evrard (1981); Parisse (1981)]
Ermengarde, d. before 5 January 1043
(10 March 1042?), m. Otto von Hammerstein, d.
1036, count in Wetterau.
Ermengarde and her husband Otto were second cousins, once
removed (i.e., degree of consanguinity 2:3 in the terminology of
the time), and were involved in a long dispute involving their
non-canonical marriage. The well-known document which specifies
their degree of relationship, after giving evidence relevant to
the ancestry of Otto (evidence which is the subject of many
disputes, but not immediately relevant here), continues: "Item ex alia parte: Godefridus et Gerbirhc
nepos et neptis. Godefridus genuit Irmingardam. Gerbirhc genuit
Imizam. Imiza genuit Ottonem." [MGH Const. 1: 639);
here, in the first sentence, "nepos et neptis"
is to be interpreted that Godefroid and Gerberge had a common
grandparent, i.e., that they were first cousins]. The life of
Poppo, abbot of Stavelot-Malmédy, also gives Godefroid as the
name of Ermengarde's father ["Sed non multo post ab
Ermengarde, nobilissimi principis Godefridi filia, didicit
quoniam beatus Poppo non clerici, ut ipse regiae maiestati
finxit, sed laici ingenuitate et militia egregii filius fuerit."
Vita Popponis abb. Stabulensis, c. 19, MGH SS 11: 305].
The identity of Ermengarde's father Godefroid with Godefroid of
Verdun has been widely accepted [see, e.g., the detailed
discussion in Hlawitschka (1969), 49-53]. Ermengarde was deceased
on 5 January 1043 when, according to a diploma of emperor
Heinrich III of that date at Goslar, he restored a fief to the
monastery of Hersfeld which had been given by his father to count
Otto, after the death of countess Hirmingard ["...
beneficium, quod felicis memoriae pater noster inde ablatum
comiti Ottoni tradidit, post obitum Hirmingardæ comitissae
praedicto abbati et fratribus regali nostra munificencia
remisimus atque tradidimus, ..." MGH DD H III, 127
(#100); see also ibid., 128 (#101), at Goslar 2 days later, in
which Heinrich III donated the comitatus of Maelstat in
Wetterau to the monastery at Fulda, further confirming the
identity of Otto and Ermengarde]. The necrology of Saint-Vanne
shows an "Ermengardis comitissa" under VI id.
March (10 March), who is probably her, since most of her siblings
appear in the same necrology [Nek. S. Vanne 137].
Conjectured daughter:
Gerberge, m. Folmar,
count of Metz, 1012-1026.
Chatelain states that Gerberge's name is
known from a charter of Pierre de Brixey, and that she was of the
house of Ardennes [Chatelain (1898-1901), 13: 299]. Parisse gives
the relationship with a question mark [Parisse (1981), 31, 41;
Parisse (1982), 104, 112]. The evidence appears to be onomastic,
based on the fact that the sons of Folmar and Gerberge were named
Godefroid and Hermann.
Falsely attributed
daughter or sister (in fact first cousin):
Gerberge, m. Megingoz, count.
Gerberge is stated to be daughter of a dux
Godefroid and sister of another dux Godefroid who died
without issue [Vita Adelheidis Abbatissae Vilicensis,
MGH SS 15, 757], which has misled some to make her a daughter of
Godefroid of Verdun and a sister of duke Godefroid of Lorraine
(d. 1023) [Witte (1893-5), 5: 70] or a sister of Godefroid of
Verdun [e.g., Vanderkindere (1902), 2: 170-1, 179]. However, this
identification cannot be correct, for Gerberge's grandson Otto of
Hammerstein was married to Godefroid of Verdun's daughter
Ermengarde (see above). Gerberge was a sister of the duke
Godefroid of Lorraine who died in 964 ["... Ex qua
pestilentia obierunt ... et Godefridus, dux Lothariensis, ..."
Continuator Reginonis, MGH SS 1: 627], and a first
cousin of Godefroid of Verdun [see above under Ermengarde].
Althoff (1984) = Gerd Althoff, Adels- und Königsfamilien im Spiegel ihrer Memorialüberlieferung (Munich, 1984).
Annales Blandinenses = Grierson (1937), 1-73.
Annales Elmarenses = Grierson (1937), 74-115.
Bloch (1898-1902) = Hermann Bloch, "Die älteren Urkunden des Klosters S. Vanne zu Verdun", Jahr-Buch der Gesellschaft für lothringische Geschichte und Altertumskunde 10 (1898): 338-449; 14 (1902): 48-150.
Brandenburg (1964) = Erich Brandenburg, Die Nachkommen Karls des Großen (Frankfurt, 1964).
Chatelain (1898-1901) = V. Chatelain, "Le Comté de Metz et la vouerie épiscopale du VIIIe au XIIIe siècle", Jahr-Buch der Gesellschaft für lothringische Geschichte und Altertumskunde 10 (1898): 71-119; 13 (1901): 245-311.
Corpus Chron. Fland. = Joseph-Jean de Smet, Corpus Chronicorum Flandriae, 4 vols. (Brussels, 1837-1865).
DBF = Dictionnaire de Biographie Française.
Evrard (1981) = Jean-Pol Evrard, "Les comtes de Verdun aux Xe et XIe siècles", Publications de la Section historique de l'Institut Grand-Ducal de Luxembourg 95 (1981): 153-182.
Franz (1940) = Hildegard Franz geb. Reinhold, "Die Marken Valenciennes, Eename und Antwerpen im Rahmen der kaiserlichen Grenzsicherungspolitik an der Schelde im 10.-11. Jahrhundert." Rheinische Vierteljahrsblätter 10 (1940), 229-276.
Gerbert, Letters = Julien Havet, ed., Lettres de Gerbert (983-997) (Paris, 1889). [In Latin. For English translation, see Lattin (1961).]
Grierson (1937) = Philip Grierson, ed., Les Annales de Saint-Pierre de Gand et de Saint-Amand (Brussels, 1937). [Annales Blandinenses, Annales Elmarenses, Annales Formoselenses, Annales Elnonenses]
Havet (1889) = See Gerbert, Letters.
Hlawitschka (1969) = Eduard Hlawitschka, Die Anfänge des Hauses Habsburg-Lothringen (Saarbrücken, 1969).
Latrie (1889) = L. de Mas Latrie, Trésor de Chronologie d'Histoire et de Geographie (Paris, 1889).
Lattin (1961) = Harriet Pratt Lattin, trans., The Letters of Gerbert (Records of Civilization - Sources and Studies, 60, New York, 1961). [English translation. For Latin edition, see Gerbert, Letters.]
MGH DD = Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Diplomata series.
MGH Const. = Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Constitutiones series.
MGH SS = Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores series.
Nec. S.-Vedast. = M. le Chanoine Van Drival, Nécrologe de l'abbaye de St.-Vaast d'Arras (Arras, 1878).
Nec. Verdun = Ch. Aimond, "Le Nécrologe de la Cathédrale de Verdun", Jahrbuch der Gesellschaft für lothringisches Geschichte und Altertumskunde/Annuaire de la Société d'Histoire et Archéologie Lorraine 21.2 (1909), 132-314.
Nek. S. Vanne = "Das Nekrolog des Klosters S. Vanne", in Bloch (1898-1902), 14: 131-150.
Parisse (1981) = Michel Parisse, "Généalogie de la Maison d'Ardenne", Publications de la Section historique de l'Institut Grand-Ducal de Luxembourg 95 (1981): 9-41.
Vanderkindere (1902) = Léon Vanderkindere, La Formation Territoriale des Principautes Belge au Moyen Age (2 vols., 2nd ed., Brussels, 1902, reprinted 1981).
Wampach (1935) = Camillus Wampach, Urkunden- und Quellenbuch zur Geschichte der altluxemburgischen Territorien bis zur burgundischen Zeit, I (Luxemburg, 1935).
Werner (1967) = Karl Ferdinand Werner, "Die Nachkommen Karls des Großen bis um das Jahr 1000 (1.-8. Generation)", Karl der Große 4 (1967): 403-483.
Witte (1893-5) = Heinrich Witte, "Genealogische Untersuchungen zur Geschichte Lothringens und das Westreich", Jahr-Buch der Gesellschaft für lothringische Geschichte und Altertumskunde 5 (1893): 26-107; 7 (1895): 79-124.
Compiled by Stewart Baldwin
Originally uploaded 12 October 2006.
Minor revision uploaded 5 April 2007 (with thanks to James Hansen for offering corrections)