William VIII (c. 1025 – 25 September 1086), born Guy-Geoffrey (Gui-Geoffroi), was duke of Gascony (1052–1086), and then duke of Aquitaine and count of Poitiers (as William VI) between 1058 and 1086, succeeding his brother William VII (Pierre-Guillaume).
He became Duke of Gascony in 1052 during his older brother William VII's rule. Gascony had come to Aquitanian rule through William V's marriage to Prisca (a.k.a. Brisce) of Gascony, the sister of Duke Sans VI Guilhem of Gascony.
William VIII was one of the leaders of the allied army called to help Ramiro I of Aragon in the Siege of Barbastro (1064).[2] This expedition was the first campaign organized by the papacy, namely Pope Alexander II,[3] against a Muslim town and stronghold in the Emirate of Zaragoza, and the precursor of the later Crusades movement. Aragon and its allies conquered the city, killed and enslaved its inhabitants and collected an important booty.[4]
However, Aragon lost the city again in the following years. During William VIII's rule, the alliance with the southern kingdoms of modern Spain was a political priority as shown by the marriage of all his daughters to Iberian kings.
Marriage and children
William married three times and had at least five children. After he divorced his first two wives, the first due to infertility, he married a third time to a much younger woman who was also his cousin Robert I of Burgundy's daughter. This marriage produced a son, but William VIII had to visit Rome in the early 1070s to persuade the pope to recognize his children from his third marriage as legitimate.
First wife: Garsende [fr] of Périgord, daughter of Count Aldabert II of Périgord (divorced November 1058), no children.[5] She became a nun at Saintes.
Bachrach, Bernard S. (1993). Fulk Nerra, the Neo-Roman Consul, 987-1040. University of California Press.
Bouchard, Constance Brittain (2002). "Eleanor's divorce from Louis VII: The uses of Consanguinity". In Wheeler, B.; Parsons, John C. (eds.). Eleanor of Aquitaine: Lord and Lady. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 223–236.
Dunbabin, Jean (1985). France in the Making: 843-1180. Oxford University Press.
O'Callaghan, Joseph F. (2013). Reconquest and Crusade in Medieval Spain. University of Pennsylvania Press.
Reilly, Bernard F. (1992). The Contest of Christian and Muslim Spain:1031-1157. Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell. ISBN9780631199649.
Stalls, Clay (2022). Possessing the Land: Aragon's Expansion Into Islam's Ebro Frontier Under Alfonso the Battler (1104–1134). Brill.
william, viii, duke, aquitaine, william, viii, 1025, september, 1086, born, geoffrey, geoffroi, duke, gascony, 1052, 1086, then, duke, aquitaine, count, poitiers, william, between, 1058, 1086, succeeding, brother, william, pierre, guillaume, bornc, 1025died, 1. William VIII c 1025 25 September 1086 born Guy Geoffrey Gui Geoffroi was duke of Gascony 1052 1086 and then duke of Aquitaine and count of Poitiers as William VI between 1058 and 1086 succeeding his brother William VII Pierre Guillaume William VIII Duke of AquitaineBornc 1025Died 1086 09 25 25 September 1086 aged 61 ChizeNoble familyHouse of PoitiersSpouse s Garsende of PerigordMatildaHildegarde of BurgundyFatherWilliam V of AquitaineMotherAgnes of Burgundy Contents 1 Life 2 Marriage and children 3 Notes 4 References 5 Sources 6 See alsoLife EditGuy Geoffroy was the youngest son of William V of Aquitaine by his third wife Agnes of Burgundy 1 He was the brother in law of Henry III Holy Roman Emperor who had married his sister Agnes de Poitou He became Duke of Gascony in 1052 during his older brother William VII s rule Gascony had come to Aquitanian rule through William V s marriage to Prisca a k a Brisce of Gascony the sister of Duke Sans VI Guilhem of Gascony William VIII was one of the leaders of the allied army called to help Ramiro I of Aragon in the Siege of Barbastro 1064 2 This expedition was the first campaign organized by the papacy namely Pope Alexander II 3 against a Muslim town and stronghold in the Emirate of Zaragoza and the precursor of the later Crusades movement Aragon and its allies conquered the city killed and enslaved its inhabitants and collected an important booty 4 However Aragon lost the city again in the following years During William VIII s rule the alliance with the southern kingdoms of modern Spain was a political priority as shown by the marriage of all his daughters to Iberian kings Marriage and children EditWilliam married three times and had at least five children After he divorced his first two wives the first due to infertility he married a third time to a much younger woman who was also his cousin Robert I of Burgundy s daughter This marriage produced a son but William VIII had to visit Rome in the early 1070s to persuade the pope to recognize his children from his third marriage as legitimate First wife Garsende fr of Perigord daughter of Count Aldabert II of Perigord divorced November 1058 no children 5 She became a nun at Saintes Second wife Matoeda divorced May 1068 5 Agnes married Alfonso VI of Castile 6 Third wife Hildegarde of Burgundy a daughter of duke Robert I of Burgundy Agnes died 1097 married Peter I of Aragon 5 William IX of Aquitaine his heir 7 Notes Edit Dunbabin states Audeart of Burgundy married William 5 References Edit Bachrach 1993 p 268 Stalls 2022 p 19 20 O Callaghan 2013 p 24 O Callaghan 2013 p 26 a b c d Dunbabin 1985 p 384 Reilly 1992 p 75 Bouchard 2002 p 226 Sources EditBachrach Bernard S 1993 Fulk Nerra the Neo Roman Consul 987 1040 University of California Press Bouchard Constance Brittain 2002 Eleanor s divorce from Louis VII The uses of Consanguinity In Wheeler B Parsons John C eds Eleanor of Aquitaine Lord and Lady Palgrave Macmillan pp 223 236 Dunbabin Jean 1985 France in the Making 843 1180 Oxford University Press O Callaghan Joseph F 2013 Reconquest and Crusade in Medieval Spain University of Pennsylvania Press Reilly Bernard F 1992 The Contest of Christian and Muslim Spain 1031 1157 Cambridge Mass Blackwell ISBN 9780631199649 Stalls Clay 2022 Possessing the Land Aragon s Expansion Into Islam s Ebro Frontier Under Alfonso the Battler 1104 1134 Brill See also EditDukes of Aquitaine family treeWilliam VIII Duke of AquitaineHouse of PoitiersBorn c 1025 Died 25 September 1086Preceded byBernard II Duke of Gascony1052 1086 Succeeded byWilliam IXPreceded byWilliam VII Duke of Aquitaine1058 1086Count of Poitiers1058 1086 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William VIII Duke of Aquitaine amp oldid 1109030196, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
