BERENGUER, Count Ramón I^[1]

1023 - 1076  (53 years)  Submit Photo / Document

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• Name	BERENGUER, Ramón
  Prefix	Count
  Suffix	I
  Birth	Apr 1023	Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  Gender	Male
  _TAG	Reviewed on FS
  Death	26 May 1076	Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
  Burial	Jun 1076
  Headstones	Submit Headstone Photo
  Person ID	I27938	Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack Smith
  Last Modified	19 Aug 2021

  
  

  Father	BARCELONA, Count Raimund Berenger I ,   b. 1005, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain Barcelona, Catalonia, Spaind. 26 May 1035, Santa Maria, Cantabria, Spain (Age 30 years)
  Mother	CASTILE, Sancha de ,   b. 1006, Castilla, León, Spain Castilla, León, Spaind. 26 Jun 1026, Santa Maria, Cantabria, Spain (Age 20 years)
  Marriage	1021	Spain
  Family ID	F15428	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	HAUTE, Countess Almodis de La ,   b. 1013, Toulouse, Jura, France Toulouse, Jura, Franced. 16 Nov 1071 (Age 58 years)
  Marriage	1056	Toulouse, Jura, Franche-Comté, France   [2]
  Children	+ 1. BARCELONA, Count Raimund Berenger II ,   b. 1055, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain Barcelona, Catalonia, Spaind. 5 Dec 1082, Sant Feliu de Buixalleu, Girona, Catalonia, Spain (Age 27 years)
  Family ID	F15284	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	24 Jan 2022

  
  

• Notes

  BIO: Marquis of Barcelona and Nelviejo, by purchase, 1033; Count of Carcassonne and Raez, 1070. ** from http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CATALAN%20NOBILITY.htm#RamonBerenguerIdied1076B, as of 11/3/2014 RAMON BERENGUER [I] "el Viejo" de Barcelona, son of BERENGUER RAMON "el Curvo" Comte de Barcelona & his second wife Sancha Sánchez de Castilla (1023-26 May 1076). The Gesta Comitum Barcinonensium name "Raimundum Berengarii, et Gillelmum Berengarii et Sancium Berengarii" as children of "Berengarius"[316]. The testament of "Berengarii comiti et marchionis" dated 9 Feb 1035 names "filium meum maiorem…Reimundus"[317]. He succeeded his father in 1035 as Comte de Barcelona, Girona, i Osona. The revolt of Mir Geribert (who styled himself "prince of Olèrdola") in 1040 was not finally suppressed until 1059[318]. During this period, Comte Ramon Berenguer [I] had to deal with many other challenges to his authority, including from Ramon Guifré Comte de Cerdanya against whom he launched a military expedition in 1044[319]. Ramon Berenguer [I] eventually succeeded in restoring political order, in part through a systematic process of purchasing castles from local lords and returning them as feudal concessions. In consolidating his power progressively by securing alliances with local magnates, he effectively established a new feudal order with himself at the pinnacle. A charter dated 1050 records that "Raymundum comitem Barchinonensem et Elisabet comitssa" promised the town of Tarragona "cum ipso comitatu Terraconensis" to "Berengarium vicecomitem Narbone", naming also "Ricardus vicecomes de Amilau", although it appears that this was never implemented[320]. "Raimundum Berengarium comitem Barchinonensium et Adalmus cometissa et filios nostros Raimundum et Berengarium et Arnaldum Petri" donated property to the monastery Barberà by charter dated 25 Mar 1054 (although the document must be misdated considering the date of the donor´s third marriage)[321]. He imposed the Peace and Truce by territorial statute in 1064, reformed outdated Visigothic laws and renewed pressure on the Taifa lords of Lérida, Tortosa and Zaragoza for payment of tribute. Having re-established his position in Catalonia, Ramon Berenguer switched his attention to pursing an expansionist policy in Languedoc and Roussillon, acquiring suzerainty over Carcassonne and Razès. "Raimundus comes et uxor mea Almodis" donated "ecclesias sancte Marie vel sancti Honorati" [in Barcelona?] to Lérins by charter dated 2 Jan 1068, signed by "Petri filii eius, Raimundi filii eius, Berengarii filii eius, Agnelus filius eius…"[322]. The Annales Barcinonenses record the death in 1076 of "Raimundus Berengarius comes Barchinonensis"[323]. The publication of the testament of "comitis Barchinone…Raimundi Berengarii" dated 12 Nov 1076 names "duobus filiis suis…Raimundo Berengarii et Berengario Raimundi…filiam suam Sanciam", and includes a residuary provision that in case of the death of these three, his counties would revert to "filium Guigonis de Albion quem habuit de filia sua Agnes"[324]. The necrology of Girona records the death “VIII Kal Jun…1076” of “domnus Remundus Berengarii comes Barchionensis et Marchio”[325]. m firstly (St Cucuphat, Barcelona 14 Nov 1039) ISABELLE, daughter of --- & his wife Ermengarde --- ([1020/28]-29 Jun 1050). A charter dated 14 Nov 1039 records the marriage of Ramon Berenguer and "Elisabet…comitissa" at "ecclesia beati Cucuphati"[326]. Her birth date is estimated on the assumption that she was an adolescent at the time of the marriage, but bearing in mind that she bore two children before 1045. The name of her father is not known, although she is named as daughter of "Ermengardis femina" in several charters[327]. Bofarell highlights Raymond Bernard "Trencavel" Vicomte d´Albi et de Nîmes and a local Catalan noble "Guillelmo Bernardo de Odena" as possible fathers, both of whose wives were named Ermengarde[328]. In the case of the former, the chronology of the family of the Vicomtes d´Albi et de Nîmes appears incompatible with the birth date estimated for Isabelle as shown above. "Raimundus Berengarii…comes et marchisus…cum coniuge mea…Helisabeth" donated property "in comitatu Barchinonense, in Vallense…Riels [et] Fallo" to Saint-Victor, Marseille by charter dated 25 Apr 1031[329], although this date is presumably incorrect considering the probable birth date of Ramon Berenguer I shown above. She was known as ELISABET in Catalonia. A charter dated 1050 records that "Raymundum comitem Barchinonensem et Elisabet comitssa" promised the town of Tarragona "cum ipso comitatu Terraconensis" to "Berengarium vicecomitem Narbone"[330]. The necrology of Santa Maria de Ripoll records the death "III Kal Jul" of "Elisabeth comitissa"[331]. Ramon Berenguer donated property to Santa Maria de Ripoll, for the soul of "uxoris mee quondam Elisabeth comitissæ", by charter dated 28 Sep 1050[332]. m secondly (before 26 Mar 1051, repudiated 1052) BLANCA, daughter of --- (-after 12 Nov 1076). Comte Ramon Berenguer "et Bancha comitissa uxor eius" granted property to a vassal by charter dated 26 Mar 1051[333]. She is also named in a charter dated 1056 under which Comtesa Ermesindis undertook, on behalf of Comte Ramon Berenguer and his wife Almodis, to obtain the lifting of the excommunication which Pope Victor II had pronounced "pro Blancha femina contra...predictum comitem et…comitessam Almodem"[334]. The testament of Comte Ramon Berenguer refers to, but does not name, a wife to whom the testator bequeathed "quatuor milia mancusos"[335]. It is unlikely that this bequest relates to a fourth wife, otherwise unrecorded, as presumably a surviving wife would have been named in the document. It therefore appears probable that the bequest was intended for Blanca who was still alive when the testament was written. Bofarull suggests that the testament should be interpreted as indicating that Ramon Berenguer married Blanca for a second time before he died[336], but the problem of the absence of her name from the document remains. m thirdly (1053 after 29 Jun) as her third husband, ALMODIS de la Marche, repudiated wife (firstly) of HUGUES V "le Pieux" Sire de Lusignan, and (secondly) of PONS Comte de Toulouse, daughter of BERNARD Comte de la Marche et de Périgord & his wife Amelia --- (-murdered 16 Oct 1071). The Chronicle of Saint-Maxence records the marriage of "Almodim…sororem Audeberti comitis de Marcha" and "Pontius comes Tolosanus", specifying that she was previously the wife of "Hugo Pius de Liziniaco" from whom she was separated for consanguinity and that afterwards she married "Raimundo Barcinonensi"[337]. Her mother´s name is confirmed by the charter dated to [1053] under which "Guilabertus episcopus filius qui fui Richeldis femine" swore allegiance to "Almodis comitissa, filia que es Amelie comitisse", also naming "Remundus comes, senior meus, filio qui fuit Sanciæ comitisse"[338]. "Poncius Tolosanus urbis comes" recorded the union of the abbey of Moissac with the abbey of Cluny, with the advice of "uxoris meæ Adalmodis comitissæ", by charter dated 29 Jun 1053[339]. "Raimundum Berengarium comitem Barchinonensium et Adalmus cometissa et filios nostros Raimundum et Berengarium et Arnaldum Petri" donated property to the monastery of Barberà by charter dated 25 Mar 1054 (although the document must be misdated considering the date of the donor´s third marriage)[340]. "Raimundus comes et uxor mea Almodis" donated "ecclesias sancte Marie vel sancti Honorati" [in Barcelona?] to Lérins by charter dated 2 Jan 1068, signed by "Petri filii eius, Raimundi filii eius, Berengarii filii eius, Agnelus filius eius…"[341]. The necrology of San Cucufate records the death 17 Nov of "la condesa doña Almodis"[342]. The Gesta Comitum Barcinonensium records that "Petrus Raimundi" murdered his stepmother "Adalmoyn"[343]. Pope Gregory VII (elected 22 Apr 1073) sent a decree of penitence (undated) to "Petro Raimundi…pro interfectione Adalmodis eius…noverce"[344]. Ramon Berenguer [I] & his first wife had three children: 1. BERENGUER ([1040/44]-before 28 May 1045). 2. ARNAU ([1041/45]-before 28 May 1045). 3. PERE RAMON ([1040/50]-[22 Apr 1073/May 1076]). Ramon Berenguer [I] & his third wife had five children: 4. RAMON BERENGUER [II] "Cabeza de Estopa/Cap d'Estopes" ([1054]-murdered Perxa de Astor, near Girona 6 Dec 1082, bur Girona). m (1078) as her first husband, MATHILDE di Apulia, daughter of ROBERT "Guiscard" Duke of Apulia and Calabria & his second wife Sichelgaita di Salerno ([1059]-after 6 Jun 1112, bur Girona). 5. BERENGUER RAMON [II] ([1054]-20 Jun, 1097 or after). He succeeded his father in 1076 as Comte de Barcelona, Girona, i Osona, jointly with his brother Ramon Berenguer [II]. 6. ARNAU PERE (-[2 Jan 1068/12 Nov 1076]). 7. INES ([1055/56]-[before 12 Nov 1076]). m (10 May 1070) as his second wife, GUIGUES [III] "Vétus" Comte d'Albon, son of GUIGUES [II] [d'Albon] & his wife [Gotelene ---] ([995/1000]-Cluny 22 Apr [1074/75]). 8. SANCHA (-after 13 Apr 1102). m (after 12 Nov 1076) as his third wife, GUILLEM RAMON Comte de Cerdanya i Berga, son of RAMON GUIFRÉ [I] Comte de Cerdanya i Berga & his wife Adelaida --- (-1095, after 7 Oct). ** from The Medieval Crown of Aragon (T.N. Bisson) pp 24+ It was Count Ramon Berenguer I (1035-76) who finally prevailed and established a new pllitical order. Regaining control of the pricipal castles, often by purchase, he progressively secured the alliance of fealty of the other counts and viscounts as well as of other lords of casltes. He insisted on the sworn fidelity even of subordinate castellans and knights together with the right of entry to castles. In using such methods, he was not reactionary: little of the old order survived... The new order was thus a feudal order dominated by the count of Basrcelona. His domains came to be perceived by foreignerrs as a land of castellans (castlans), whence the new appelation Catalonia that came familiar use in the twenth century. About 1060 dawned the great age of independent Catalonia. Acting firmly as 'princes of the land' to secure the new internal order, Ramon Berenguer I and the countess Almodis imposed the Peace and Truce as a territorial statute in 1064. They legislated so as to bring the procedures and tariffs of the Visigothic law up to date, although it is not clear whether they sought to have these measures recognized in counties nominally independent, such as Empuries, Besalu, and Roussillon. Externally, Ramon Berenguer I renewed the pressure on taifa cheiftains of Lerida, Tortosa,and Zaragoza, who were obliged to pay tribute. ** from Wikipedia listing for Ramon Berenguer I, Count of Barcelona, as of 11/3/2014 Ramon Berenguer I (1023–1076), called the Old (Catalan: el Vell, French: le Vieux), was Count of Barcelona in 1035–1076. He promulgated the earliest versions of a written code of Catalan law, the Usages of Barcelona. Born in 1024, he succeeded his father, Berenguer Ramon I the Crooked in 1035. It was during his reign that the dominant position of Barcelona among the other Catalan counties became evident. Ramon Berenguer campaigned against the Moors, extending his dominions as far west as Barbastro and imposing heavy tributes (parias) on other Moorish cities. Historians claim that those tributes helped create the first wave of prosperity in Catalan history. During his reign Catalan maritime power started to be felt in the western Mediterranean. Ramon Berenguer the Old was also the first count of Catalonia to acquire lands (the counties of Carcassonne and Razés) and influence north of the Pyrenees. Another major achievement of his was beginning the codification of Catalan law in the written Usatges of Barcelona which was to become the first full compilation of feudal law in Western Europe. Legal codification was part of the count's efforts to forward and somehow control the process of feudalization which started during the reign of his weak father, Berenguer Ramon. Another major contributor was the Church acting through the institution of the Peace and Truce of God. This established a general truce among warring factions and lords in a given region for a given time. The earliest extant date for introducing the Truce of God in Western Europe is 1027 in Catalonia, during the reign of his father, Berenguer Ramon. Ramon Berenguer I, together with his third wife Almodis, also founded the Romanesque cathedral of Barcelona, to replace the older basilica presumably destroyed by Al-Mansur. Their velvet and brass bound wooden coffins are still displayed in the Gothic cathedral which eventually replaced the cathedral that they founded.. He was succeeded by his twin sons Ramon Berenguer II and Berenguer Ramon II. Family and issue First wife, Isabel/Elisabeth of Narbonne or of Béziers Berenguer (died young) Arnau (died young) Pere Ramon (1050-1073?), murdered his father's third wife, Almodis, and was exiled Second wife, Blanca of Narbonne, daughter of Wolf Ato Zuberoa and Ermengarda of Narbonne Third wife, Almodis de La Marche, countess of Limoges Berenguer Ramon II, Count of Barcelona the Fratricide (1053/54-1097) Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona the Towhead (1053/54-1082) Agnes, married Guigues II of Albon Sancha, married William Raymond, count of Cerdanya References Charles Julian Bishko (1968–9), "Fernando I and the Origins of the Leonese-Castilian Alliance with Cluny," Studies in Medieval Spanish Frontier History (Variorum Reprints), 40.

  
  

• Sources

  [S72] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ancestral File (TM), (June 1998 (c), data as of 5 JAN 1998). [S64] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, International Genealogical Index. Almodis De La MARCHE Countess Of BARCELONA; Female; Birth: About 1000; Spouse: Raimond Berenger II OR el Viejo BARCELONA; Marriage: 1056 Of Toulouse, , , France; No source information is available. Record submitted after 1991 by a member of the LDS Church. Search performed using PAF Insight on 21 Sep 2004