William VIII, Duke of Aquitaine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William VIII
Duke of Gascony
Reign	1052–1086
Predecessor	Bernard II Tumapaler
Successor	William IX, Duke of Aquitaine
Duke of Aquitaine
Reign	1058–1086
Predecessor	William VII, Duke of Aquitaine
Successor	William IX, Duke of Aquitaine
Born	Gui-Geoffroi c. 1025 Poitiers
Died	25 September 1086 Chizé
Spouse	Garsende of Périgord Matoeda Hildegarde of Burgundy
Issue	Agnes of Aquitaine, Queen of León and Castile Agnes of Aquitaine, Queen of Aragon and Navarre William IX, Duke of Aquitaine
House	Ramnulfids
Father	William V, Duke of Aquitaine
Mother	Agnes of Burgundy

William VIII (born around 1025 – died September 25, 1086) was an important ruler in medieval France. His birth name was Guy-Geoffrey. He first became the Duke of Gascony in 1052. Later, in 1058, he also became the Duke of Aquitaine and the Count of Poitiers. He held these titles until his death in 1086. William VIII took over from his brother, William VII of Aquitaine.

Who was William VIII?

William VIII, originally named Guy-Geoffroy, was the youngest son of William V, Duke of Aquitaine. His mother was Agnes of Burgundy, Duchess of Aquitaine. He was also related to a very powerful ruler, Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor. Henry III was married to William VIII's sister, Agnes de Poitou.

How did William VIII become a Duke?

William VIII first became the Duke of Gascony in 1052. This happened while his older brother, William VII, was still ruling Aquitaine. Gascony became part of the Aquitaine lands because of an earlier marriage. William V, William VIII's father, had married Prisca of Gascony. She was the sister of Duke Sans VI Guilhem of Gascony. This marriage helped connect Gascony to the Aquitaine family.

William VIII's Role in History

William VIII was a key leader in an important military event in 1064. He helped lead an army to support Ramiro I of Aragon during the Siege of Barbastro. This battle was significant because it was one of the first major campaigns supported by the Pope against a Muslim stronghold. It was a bit like an early version of the later Crusades.

The Siege of Barbastro

During the Siege of Barbastro, William VIII and his allies managed to conquer the city. They took many valuable items from the city. However, the city was later lost again by Aragon.

Building Alliances with Southern Kingdoms

William VIII made it a priority to form strong connections with the kingdoms in what is now Spain. He did this by arranging marriages for his daughters. All of his daughters married kings from these Iberian kingdoms. This helped create important political alliances during his rule.

William VIII's Family Life

William VIII was married three times during his life. He had at least five children. His first two marriages ended in divorce. His third marriage was to a younger woman who was also his cousin, Hildegarde of Burgundy. This marriage gave him a son, who would become his heir.

Recognizing His Children

Because his third wife was also his cousin, William VIII had to get special permission for his children to be considered legitimate. He traveled to Rome in the early 1070s to speak with the Pope. He successfully convinced the Pope to recognize his children from his third marriage as legal heirs.

William VIII's Wives and Children

• First wife: Garsende of Périgord. She was the daughter of Count Aldabert II of Périgord. They divorced in November 1058 and had no children. She later became a nun.
• Second wife: Matoeda. They divorced in May 1068.
  • Agnes: She married Alfonso VI of Castile, who was a king in Spain.
• Third wife: Hildegarde of Burgundy. She was the daughter of Duke Robert I, Duke of Burgundy.
  • Agnes: She died in 1097 and married Peter I of Aragon, another king in Spain.
  • William IX, Duke of Aquitaine: He became William VIII's heir and took over his titles.

Images for kids

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  The tomb of William VIII in Poitiers.

See also

• Dukes of Aquitaine family tree