Almodis of La Marche facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Almodis de la Marche
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Ramon Berenguer I and his wife, Almodis de la Marche, counting out 2,000 ounces of gold coins as payment to William Raymond and Adelaide, count and countess of Cerdagne, in return for their rights over Carcassonne in 1067.
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| Born | c. 1020 |
| Died | 1071 (aged 50–51) |
| Noble family | House of Marche |
| Spouse(s) | Hugh V of Lusignan Pons of Toulouse Ramon Berenguer I, Count of Barcelona |
| Father | Bernard I, Count of Marche |
| Mother | Amélie |
Almodis de la Marche (c. 1020 – 16 October 1071) was an important French noblewoman. She was well-known for her marriages, especially her third marriage to Ramon Berenguer I, Count of Barcelona. This marriage was considered against the rules of the church at the time, and the Pope temporarily removed them from the church community in 1053.
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Life of Almodis
Almodis was the daughter of Count Bernard I of Marche and his wife Amélie. She first married Hugh V of Lusignan around 1038. They had two sons and one daughter. Almodis and Hugh later separated because they were related by blood.
With Hugh's help, she then married Count Pons of Toulouse in 1040. Almodis was still married to Pons in April 1053 when she met Count Ramon Berenguer I of Barcelona. They married very quickly, even though both she and Ramon were still married to other people. The Pope was not happy about this "illegal marriage" and temporarily removed Almodis and Ramon from the church until 1056.
Almodis stayed in touch with her former husbands and her many children. For example, in 1066 or 1067, she traveled to Toulouse for her daughter's wedding. Her sons also supported each other in military efforts. Her sons Hugh VI of Lusignan, Raymond IV of Toulouse, and Berenguer Ramon II of Barcelona all joined important religious military campaigns.
Ramon Berenguer I had a son from an earlier marriage, named Peter Raymundi. Peter Raymundi was supposed to be Ramon's heir. However, Peter was worried that Almodis was trying to get her own sons to become the heirs instead of him. Sadly, Peter Raymundi caused her death in October 1071.
Because of this crime, Pere-Ramon lost his right to inherit and had to leave the country. When his father, Ramon Berenguer I, died in 1076, the rule of Barcelona was split between Almodis's two sons, Berenguer Ramon and Ramon Berenguer.
Family and Children
Almodis de la Marche had children from her three marriages.
Children with Hugh V of Lusignan
She married Hugh V of Lusignan around 1038. They had two sons and one daughter:
- Hugh VI of Lusignan (born around 1039, died 1101)
- Jordan de Lusignan
- Mélisende de Lusignan (born before 1055), who married Simon I "l'Archevêque" before 1074.
Children with Pons of Toulouse
After separating from Hugh, Almodis married Count Pons of Toulouse in 1040. Together, they had several children, including:
- William IV of Toulouse
- Raymond IV of Toulouse
- Hugh, who became the Abbot of Saint-Gilles
- Almodis of Toulouse, who married Count Pierre of Melgueil
Children with Ramon Berenguer I
In 1053, she married Ramon Berenguer I, Count of Barcelona. They had four children:
- Berenguer Ramon II, Count of Barcelona
- Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona
- Agnes of Barcelona, who married Count Guigues II of Albon
- Sancha of Barcelona, who married Count Guillermo Ramon I of Cerdagne
See Also
In Spanish: Almodis de la Marca para niños
