Aymon de Briançon facts for kids

Aymon de Briançon (died February 21, 1211) was an important nobleman from the Burgundy region. He became a Carthusian monk. Later, he served as the archbishop of Tarentaise from about 1175 until he passed away. From 1186, he was also a prince of the Holy Roman Empire. He even took part in the Third Crusade in 1189.

Aymon's Family Background

Aymon grew up in the Tarentaise Valley. He was the oldest son of Aymeric II. His father was a lord of Briançon and a viscount of Tarentaise. Aymon's younger brother, Aymeric III, inherited their father's noble titles. In 1173, Aymon witnessed an important event. It was the engagement of Alaïs, daughter of Count Humbert III of Savoy, to John, son of King Henry II of England. Soon after, Aymon joined the Grande Chartreuse monastery. He became a Carthusian monk.

Becoming a Prince-Bishop

Aymon was chosen to become the Archbishop of Tarentaise. This happened after Archbishop Peter II of Tarentaise died in 1174. The exact dates of his election and special ceremony are not fully known. But they were before March 20, 1176. On that date, he received a special letter from Pope Alexander III. This letter confirmed the rights and lands of his church area. He received a staff and ring from the Pope. This was part of an agreement called the concordat of Worms. Aymon also attended a big church meeting in March 1179.

In the early years as archbishop, Aymon supported the popes. But in 1186, he became closer to the emperor. On May 6, 1186, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa gave Aymon a special document. It was called a golden bull []. This document gave Aymon control over the county of Tarentaise. It also listed the places he ruled as a secular leader. This made Aymon a "prince-bishop." This meant he was a direct vassal of the emperor. He no longer had to answer to the count of Savoy. He received a sceptre from the emperor, as was the custom.

Joining the Third Crusade

Aymon led a group of soldiers from Burgundy in the Third Crusade. This happened in 1189. He did not start the journey with the emperor. Instead, he met the emperor's army in July. Aymon's group was directly under the emperor's command. He was one of the highest-ranking bishops. He and four other bishops were in charge of holding the city of Philippopolis. This was after the crusaders took control of it.

A writer from that time, who wrote the History of the Expedition of the Emperor Frederick, mentioned Aymon's bravery. He wrote about Aymon and Bishop Peter of Toul. They were both from the western part of the empire. Many of their companions got scared by false rumors. They heard that the crusaders were in trouble. But Aymon and Peter kept going. They traveled quickly and steadily for almost six weeks. They found out the rumors were not true.

Aymon and the other bishops held Philippopolis from November 5 to December 7, 1189. What he did next on the crusade is not recorded. But he eventually returned home.

German Civil War and Later Life

On July 28, 1196, Aymon met Emperor Henry VI in Turin. The emperor confirmed Aymon's power over his lands. When Henry VI died in 1198, there was a fight over who would be the next emperor. This was called the German throne dispute. Aymon and Archbishop Amadeus of Besançon supported Duke Philip of Swabia. They crowned Philip as king of Germany in September 1198. Philip then re-confirmed the special document from 1186. Aymon stayed in Mainz until at least September 1199.

On October 3, 1202, Pope Innocent III called Aymon to Rome. He wanted Aymon to explain his actions. There is no record that Aymon was punished. Some people thought he joined the Fourth Crusade. They believed he upset the Pope during the siege of Zara. However, there is no proof of this. Aymon worked to increase his church's power. He gained more fiefs, which were lands held in return for service. In 1206, his relatives recognized his authority over the castle of Briançon. His last known public act was in 1210. He helped settle a disagreement between some religious groups. He died on February 21, 1211.