Wilfred the Hairy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wilfred
Count of Barcelona
Statue in Madrid, L. S. Carmona, 1750–53
Reign	878–897
Predecessor	Bernard of Gothia
Successor	Wifred II, Count of Barcelona
Born	Prades, Pyrénées-Orientales
Died	11 August 897
Buried	Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll
Spouse(s)	Guinidilda
Issue	Emma Wilfred II Borrel Sunifred ΙΙ Sunyer Miró Rodolfo Riquilla Ermesinde Cixilona ?Guinidilda
Father	Sunifred, Count of Barcelona

Wilfred (also spelled Wifred), known as the Hairy (Guifré el Pilós in Catalan), was an important count who lived in the 9th century. He was the Count of Urgell and Cerdanya starting in 870. Later, from 878, he became the Count of Barcelona, Girona, and Besalú. He also became Count of Ausona in 886.

Wilfred died on August 11, 897. After his death, his son, Wilfred Borrell, took over his lands. This was a big change because it meant titles could be passed down in families.

Wilfred was also known for helping people move into and settle the empty lands around Vic. This area was a border between Christian and Muslim territories. He also brought back the important church area (bishopric) of Vic. He founded the Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll, where he was buried.

Why Wilfred Was Important

Wilfred was the Count of Barcelona from 878 to 897. He started the tradition where a count's title would be passed down to their children. Before Wilfred, the king usually chose who would be the next count. But Wilfred's son, Wilfred Borrell, inherited the county directly. This made the counts more powerful and independent.

In the 9th century, many small areas in the Marca Hispànica (a border region) became like small kingdoms. They were mostly farms and ruled by a small group of soldiers. This was similar to other border areas in Europe.

Counts of Barcelona used to be chosen by the Carolingian (Frankish) emperor. But as the Carolingian kings became weaker, strong counts like Wilfred made sure their children would inherit their titles. This eventually led to the counts becoming truly independent from the king by 985.

Wilfred's Family Background

Wilfred came from a Visigoth family from the Carcassonne area. People believe he was born near Prades in a region called Conflent, which is now in France.

Legend says his father was Wilfred of Arriaount, who was murdered. Wilfred then got revenge by killing the assassin. However, historians believe he was the son of Sunifred I, who was also a count under kings Louis the Pious and Charles the Bald. Wilfred's mother might have been named Ermesende.

Sunifred might have been the son-in-law of Belló, who was Count of Carcassonne during Charlemagne's time. Because of this, Wilfred is considered part of the Bellonid family, a powerful group of counts.

Becoming a Count

The Bellonid family lost some power when Sunifred and his brother Sunyer died in 848. But their power grew again when Sunyer's sons became counts in 862.

In 870, King Charles the Bald made Wilfred the Count of Urgell and Cerdanya. He also made Wilfred's brother, Miró, Count of Conflent. This happened after the previous count of these areas, Solomon, died.

In 878, Wilfred received even more lands: the counties of Barcelona, Girona, and Besalú. These were given to him by Louis the Stammerer, the Frankish king. Wilfred's time as count happened when the Carolingian kings were losing their power. Wilfred was the last count in this region to be chosen by a French king. He was also the first to pass his large lands down to his sons as an inheritance.

Wilfred gained Barcelona because he helped King Charles the Bald fight against a rebellious count named Bernard of Gothia. Wilfred and his brothers marched against Bernard and defeated him.

At a meeting in Troyes in August 878, Wilfred was officially made Count of Urgell and Cerdanya. His brother Miró became Count of Conflent. Bernard of Gothia lost all his titles. Wilfred received Bernard's former lands, including Barcelona, Ausona, Girona, and Besalú. Wilfred then gave Besalú to his brother Radulph.

Building Up Ausona

After 878, Wilfred's lands stretched from the Pyrenees mountains to the Mediterranean Sea. This was the first time since his father's rule that these areas were united.

Much of the land between these regions had been empty for a long time. Wilfred started a plan to bring people back to these areas. He encouraged people from the crowded mountain regions to move there. Wilfred wanted to settle these lands and then add them to his own counties.

He created the County of Ausona from these new lands. This area included Ripollès, Lluçanès, and the Plana de Vic. He also added Moianés and Bagés to Ausona. In 885, Wilfred appointed a special officer called a Viscount to manage Ausona because it was on the border with Muslim lands.

Church and Monasteries

The church in this region was also quite separate from the main church system. Wilfred brought some local churches under the control of the Diocese of Urgell.

He also had to bring back the important church area (bishopric) of Vic in Ausona. After talking with the Archbishop of Narbonne in 886, Wilfred was allowed to make Gotmar the new Bishop of Vic. The new bishop immediately began rebuilding the city and its main church (cathedral), which had been destroyed.

Churches and monasteries became very powerful during this time. Monks even gained the right to choose their own leaders (abbots). Wilfred founded two new monasteries: Santa María de Ripoll in 880 and Sant Joan de les Abadesses in 885. The Sant Joan monastery was founded for his daughter Emma, who became its first abbess.

Changes in the Kingdom

When King Louis the Stammerer died in 879, his kingdom was split between his two young sons. But both sons died soon after. The nobles of France did not want to crown Louis's last son, Charles the Simple, because he was only five. Instead, they chose Charles the Fat, who was already the Holy Roman Emperor and king of Germany and Italy.

Charles the Fat was the first ruler since Louis the Pious to rule over the entire Frankish Empire. But he was not a strong ruler. He failed to deal with problems like Vikings attacking Paris. In 887, the nobles removed him from power, and he died soon after.

After Charles the Fat, the empire broke apart. Different rulers took over in Germany, Italy, and France. This meant that the counts, especially in far-off regions like Wilfred's, became truly independent.

Wilfred and the Counts

Wilfred and his family remained loyal to the Carolingian kings until Charles the Fat died in 888. But their loyalty became less important as the kings lost power. The Catalan counts became more interested in problems that affected their own lands.

In 886, a priest named Esclua tried to make himself Bishop of Urgell and remove the current bishop. He also tried to separate his church area from the Archbishopric of Narbonne. Wilfred did not like this because it would make the church too independent in his lands. He wanted to keep control.

Wilfred's Death

By 884, the Muslim rulers to the south were worried about the Christian counties growing. Wilfred had built castles in Ausona and other areas, extending his borders.

In response, the Muslim ruler Isma'il ibn Musa fortified the city of Lleida. Wilfred attacked Lleida, but it was a disaster. Many of his attackers were killed. Because of this success, Isma'il's successor, Lubb ibn Muhammad, attacked Barcelona in 897. Wilfred died in battle on August 11, 897. He was buried in the monastery at Ripoll.

Passing on the Titles

The Frankish kings lost power in the Hispanic March mainly because counts started passing their titles down to their children. This was not by the king's choice. For example, when Miró the Old died in 895, his county passed to Sunyer II without the king's involvement. Wilfred himself was never officially confirmed as Count of Ausona by any king.

This change was very important in the Middle Ages. As passing titles down became a custom, it became accepted as law. Kings lost control over the counts, and the counts became rulers of their own lands.

When Wilfred died in 897, his counties were divided among his sons:

• Wilfred Borrell and Sunyer (the oldest and youngest) ruled Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona.
• Miró ruled Cerdanya and Conflent.
• Sunifred ruled Urgell.

Wilfred and Catalonia

Wilfred the Hairy is a very important figure for people who support Catalan nationalism today. In the 19th century, people looked to the Middle Ages to find links to their modern national identities. Wilfred became a symbol of independence and is seen as the founder of the House of Barcelona. Many consider him one of the first leaders of what would become Catalonia.

One famous legend about Wilfred is how the Catalan flag (the Senyera) was created. The story says that after Wilfred was wounded in battle, the Frankish king Charles the Bald rewarded his bravery. The king supposedly ran Wilfred's blood-stained fingers over the count's copper shield. This created the four red stripes on a gold background that are seen on the Senyera today. While this legend is popular, there is no historical proof that it actually happened.

Wilfred's actions helped create the land and power base for the House of Barcelona. He carved out his own territory from several counties and moved away from the control of the Carolingian kings. He also brought back the County of Ausona and the church area (Bishopric) of Vic. Because of this, Wilfred is seen as the person who started Catalonia, even though the name "Catalonia" wasn't written down until more than 200 years later.

Wilfred's Family

Wilfred married a woman named Guinidilda. Historical records suggest her father was a Catalan noble named Sunifred.

Wilfred and Guinidilda had several children:

• Emma, who became the Abbess of Sant Joan de les Abadesses. She died in 942.
• Wilfred ΙΙ Borrell, who became Count of Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona.
• Sunifred ΙΙ, who became Count of Urgell.
• Sunyer, who took over after Wilfred II.
• Miró ΙΙ, who became Count of Cerdanya.
• Rodolfo, who became Bishop of Urgel and Abbot of Ripoll. He died in 940.
• Riquilla
• Ermesinde, who died after 925.
• Cixilona, a nun who died in 945.
• Guinidilda, who married Count Raymond II of Toulouse. (Her parents are not fully proven.)

Appearance

Old writings say that Wilfred "...was hairy in places not normally so in men..."

See also

In Spanish: Wifredo el Velloso para niños