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 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 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.

A photo of a statue of Poppa of Bayeux - Bayeux, France

Popa of Bayeux

Popa was the daughter of the Count of Bayeux. Rollo the Viking captured her in battle and married her – but was this bride-kidnapping or not? ?

A photo of the Abbey of Fontevraud

Philippa of Toulouse

Philippa was a countess in her own right when she married William IX, Duke of Aquitaine. She married him because she wanted help getting Toulouse back from her cousin who should not have inherited it.
She is my 23rd great-grandmother.