Herbert II, Count of Vermandois facts for kids

Herbert II (died February 23, 943) was a powerful count in what is now France. He held the titles of Count of Vermandois, Count of Meaux, and Count of Soissons. He was one of the first rulers to control the area that later became the important province of Champagne.

Life of Herbert II

Herbert was the son of Herbert I of Vermandois. He was proud of his family's connection to Charlemagne, a famous emperor. When his father died in 907, Herbert inherited his titles. This included being the Count of Soissons and Vermandois. He also gained control over important church lands as a Lay abbot of St. Quentin and St. Médard. This meant he received income from these estates.

His marriage to Adele, a daughter of King Robert I of France, brought him even more land, including the County of Meaux. He also gained the county of Beauvais when his relative, Count Bernard, passed away.

Herbert's Power Moves

In 922, a new archbishop named Seulf was chosen for Rheims. To keep Herbert II happy, Seulf promised Herbert that he could choose the next archbishop. In 923, Count Herbert made a very bold move. He captured King Charles III. The king remained a prisoner until he died in 929.

After Seulf died in 925, Herbert used his power. With help from King Rudolph, Herbert managed to get his second son, Hugh, appointed as the Archbishop of Rheims. Hugh was only five years old at the time! Herbert even sent people to Pope John X in Rome to get his approval, which the Pope gave in 926. Young Hugh was then sent to Auxerre to study.

Conflicts and Alliances

In 926, Count Roger I of Laon died. Herbert wanted this county for his oldest son, Eudes. He took the town even though King Rudolph disagreed. This led to a fight between them in 927. Herbert used the threat of releasing the captured King Charles III to keep Laon for four more years.

However, after King Charles died in 929, King Rudolph attacked Laon again in 931 and defeated Herbert. In the same year, the king entered Rheims and defeated Herbert's son, Archbishop Hugh. Artaud became the new Archbishop of Rheims. Over the next three years, Herbert II lost control of several important towns, including Vitry, Laon, Château-Thierry, and Soissons.

Luckily for Herbert, his ally, Henry the Fowler, helped him. Herbert got back most of his lands (except Rheims and Laon) by agreeing to obey King Rudolph.

Later, Herbert formed an alliance with Hugh the Great and William Longsword, the duke of Normandy. They went against King Louis IV. In 941, King Louis gave the County of Laon to Roger II, the son of Roger I. Herbert and Hugh the Great fought back. They took Rheims and captured Artaud. Herbert's son, Hugh, was made archbishop again. In 942, the German King Otto I helped settle the situation peacefully.

Death and Legacy

Herbert II died on February 23, 943, in Saint-Quentin, Aisne. He died of natural causes. The story that he was executed by King Louis IV during a hunt (as shown in the picture) is not true.

After his death, Herbert's large lands and territories were divided among his sons. His two oldest sons received Vermandois and Amiens. His younger sons, Robert and Herbert, received valuable lands scattered across Champagne. When Robert died, his nephew, Herbert III, inherited all of them. Herbert III's only son, Stephen, died without children around 1019–1020. This meant the male family line of Herbert II came to an end.

Family

Herbert married Adele, who was the daughter of Robert I of France. They had several children together: