Ramon Berenguer V, Count of Provence facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ramon Berenguer IV
Ramon Berenguer IV as depicted on his seal
Count of Provence
Reign	1209–1245
Predecessor	Alfonso II
Successor	Beatrice
Count of Forcalquier
Reign	1217 or 1220–1245
Predecessor	Garsenda
Successor	Beatrice
Born	1198
Died	19 August 1245 (aged 47) Aix-en-Provence
Burial	Église Saint-Jean-de-Malte
Spouse	Beatrice of Savoy
Issue	Margaret, Queen of France Eleanor, Queen of England Sanchia, Queen of Germany Beatrice, Queen of Sicily
House	Aragon
Father	Alfonso II, Count of Provence
Mother	Garsenda, Countess of Forcalquier

Ramon Berenguer IV (French: Raimond-Bérenger; 1198 – 19 August 1245) was an important ruler from the House of Barcelona. He was the count of Provence and Forcalquier. He was the first count of Provence in over 100 years to actually live in the county he ruled.

Early Life and Family

Ramon Berenguer was the son of Alfonso II, Count of Provence and Garsenda, Countess of Forcalquier. When his father died in 1209, Ramon was still very young. His mother sent him to a safe place, the Templar castle of Monzón in Aragon. His cousin James, who was also in danger, went with him.

Ramon left Monzón in 1216 to take over his family's lands. This included the county of Forcalquier, which he inherited from his mother.

Marriage to Beatrice of Savoy

On June 5, 1219, Ramon Berenguer married Beatrice of Savoy. She was the daughter of Thomas, Count of Savoy. Beatrice was known for being very smart and good at politics. People even compared her beauty to a famous figure from ancient stories!

This marriage was very helpful for Ramon. It gave him a powerful father-in-law who could support him. This support helped Ramon establish his power and protect his lands.

Ramon and Beatrice's Children

Ramon and Beatrice had four daughters who became queens:

• Margaret of Provence (1221–1295), who married Louis IX, King of France.
• Eleanor of Provence (1223–1291), who married Henry III, King of England.
• Sanchia of Provence (1225–1261), who married Richard, King of the Romans. Richard was the brother of the King of England.
• Beatrice of Provence (1229–1267), who married Charles I, King of Sicily. Charles was the brother of the King of France.

Ramon Berenguer's Rule

Ramon Berenguer and his wife Beatrice were big fans of troubadors. These were poets and musicians who traveled and performed. The count and countess always had troubadours at their court. Ramon was known for being very generous, even if he didn't always have a lot of money. He even made laws that stopped nobles from doing regular jobs like farming.

Dealing with Neighbors

Ramon Berenguer often had disagreements about borders with his neighbors, the counts of Toulouse. In 1226, Ramon wanted to take back control of Marseille. The people of Marseille first asked Ramon's father-in-law for help. But later, they asked Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse for support instead.

In 1228, Ramon helped his father-in-law in a fight against two cities, Turin and Guigues VI of Viennois. This small war was part of a bigger effort to control trade routes. These routes went from Italy into France, and Provence had many important ones.

Impact of the Albigensian Crusade

The Albigensian Crusade was a war that helped Ramon against Toulouse. However, Ramon was worried when the war ended with the Treaty of Paris. He felt it left him in a difficult spot. Raymond of Toulouse then turned his army to try and take land from Provence.

In 1233, Blanche of Castile, the Queen of France, sent a knight to both Toulouse and Provence. Ramon Berenguer welcomed the knight very warmly. The knight was very impressed by Ramon and his oldest daughter, Margaret.

Marriages of His Daughters

Soon after, Queen Blanche arranged for Margaret to marry her son, Louis. Ramon Berenguer had to pay a large sum of money, called a dowry, for the marriage. He got help from his friends and even had to promise some of his castles to cover the rest. In 1234, Ramon and Beatrice traveled to Lyon to sign the marriage agreement. Margaret then went to her wedding in Sens.

After Margaret's wedding, Ramon's brother-in-law started talking with Henry III of England. The idea was for Ramon's daughter Eleanor to marry King Henry. In early 1235, King Henry sent his own knight to Provence. Again, Ramon and his family welcomed him lavishly. King Henry was very interested in the marriage. He wanted a large dowry from Ramon. However, Ramon was very clever. He managed to negotiate so he didn't have to pay a dowry. Instead, he promised to leave Eleanor money in his will.

Later Years

In 1238, Ramon Berenguer joined his brother-in-law at the court of Emperor Frederick II in Turin. Frederick was gathering forces to gain more control in Italy. Raymond VII of Toulouse was also there, and everyone was expected to work together.

In January 1244, Pope Innocent IV made a special rule. He said that only the Pope himself could remove Ramon Berenguer from the church. In 1245, Ramon Berenguer sent people to the First Council of Lyon. They went to talk about crusades and the Pope's actions against Emperor Frederick.

Ramon Berenguer died in August 1245 in Aix-en-Provence. He left his county to his youngest daughter, Beatrice.

Death and Legacy

Ramon Berenguer's statue in the Église Saint-Jean-de-Malte in Aix-en-Provence

After Ramon Berenguer's death, people wrote special sad poems called planhs to honor him.

A writer named Giovanni Villani wrote about Ramon Berenguer in his book, Nuova Cronica. He said that Count Raymond was a kind and noble lord. He was related to the families of Aragon and Toulouse. Villani described him as wise and polite. He did honorable things during his time. Many noble people from Provence, France, and Catalonia came to his court because of his kindness. He also wrote many valuable poems and songs.

Sources

See also

In Spanish: Ramón Berenguer V de Provenza para niños