Hildegarde of Auvergne

Hildegarde was the daughter of Louis I, who was Emperor of the West and son of Emperor Charlemagne.
She is my 31 x great-grandmother.

A photo of the Cathedral at Chartres

The battle of Chartres

At the end of the 10th century, Frankish nobility faced a constant Viking threat. Here I explain the importance of the battle of Chartres and its connection to my family

Louis I, Emperor of the West

Louis was the Emperor of the West following the Wars of Carolingian Succession. The ‘West’ refers to the western segment of Charlemagne’s empire and maps to most of modern-day France.

The coat of arms of the Counts of Maine

Rorrick of Maine

Rorrick was the Count of Maine, which included part of modern-day Brittany at the time. His daughter married Count Ranulf of Poitiers.
He is my 31 x great-grandfather.

A picture of Louis the Pious

The Battle of Brissarthe

The ⚔️ Battle of Brissarthe was a decisive battle between Brittany and the Carolingian West Francia. It is significant in ?? French history because Brittany’s win gave them peace for the first time in decades.

A photo of the Abbey de la Sainte-Trinite - Vendôme, France

Agnes of Burgundy

Agnes of Burgundy had blue blood as the grand-daughter of a King of ?? Italy but had to scheme and plot to make sure she and her children would not lose influence when her first husband died.

The Battle of Fontenoy

My ancestor, Gerard d’Auvergne, died at the Battle of Fontenoy on 25 June 841. Historians describe this critical battle as one of the most traumatic experiences of the ninth century. The result of this war has influenced European affairs up till today.

The coat of arms of the House of Poitiers

Ranulf II’s mistress

We know little about Ranulf II’s mistress, the mother of Ebalus Manzer. The lack of documentation is because she was a mistress and monks were the main record keepers of the day.

Count Berengar of Bayeux

Count Berengar was killed in battle by marauding Vikings. He didn’t live long enough to see his daughter marry the Viking invader Rollo I, which is a mixed blessing.