Valois

Adele of Valois

Father: Raoul II [alias Raoul III], count of Crépy and Valois
See Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol 1 p624 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771) for Raoul details, ancestry, wives and children and also entry for Anne of Kiev
See, for Raoul ancestors,  Chronica Albrici Monachi Trium Fontium in Monumenta Germaniæ Historica SS 23 p793 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1851)
   Hic dicendum est, quod Hugo vir nobilis cognomento Bardol fuit domnus Brecarum, id est de Brois, et erat ex una parte heres legitimus comitis Veromandie Rodolfi. Quo Rodulfo mortuo dictus Hugo Bardol Vitriacum invasit et Barrum super Albam et Firmi tatem: et hoc de assensu regis Philippi, qui cetera que fuerunt comitis Rodulfi invadebat. Reliquerat autem comes Rodulfus ex uxore sua, que dicta est Adala, filium bone indolis nomine Symonem et filiam nomine Alaidem. Hic est Symon vir sanctus, qui primo consul et regis Francorum primipilus, postea monachus probatissimus effectus. Cum Mellentinus comes Robertus ducere voluisset filiam Hugonis Crispeiensis comitis, natam de sorore huius Symonis, Yvo in epistolis suis contra proponit, dicens etc.: Gauterus Albus de Albemarla genuit matrem Waleranni comitis, qui genuit matrem Roberti comitis Mellentini. Idem Gauterus Albus genuit Rodulfum, patrem Rodulfi, qui genuit Veromandensem comitissam, scilicet Adalam, ex qua nata est Alais, uxor comitis Hugonis, cuius filiam ducere vult comes Robertus Mellentinus. Sed sciendum, quod comitissa Alaydis, soror sancti Symonis, comiti Campanie Theobaldo peperit duos filios, Philippum episcopum Cathalaunensem et Hugonem Campanie comitem, et post mortem comitis Theobaldi eadem Alaydis Hugoni, fratri regis Philippi, peperit liberos utriusque sexus, et per illam Hugo Magnus Veromandie comitatum optinuit.
This roughly translates as:
  Here it must be said that Hugh, a nobleman by the surname of Bardol, was lord of Brecar, that is, of Brois, and was on one side the legitimate heir of count Rudolf of Vermandy. When Rudolf died, the said Hugh Bardol invaded Vitriacum and Barr on Alba and Firme: and this with the consent of king Philip, who invaded the rest that belonged to count Rudolf. Now count Rudolf had left by his wife, who was called Adala, a good-natured son named Simon and a daughter named Alaide. This is Simon, a holy man, who was first consul and first-in-command of the French kings, and afterwards became a most approved monk. When count Robert of Mellentin wished to marry the daughter of count Hugh of Crispi, born of the sister of this Simon, Yves in his letters proposes against it, saying etc.: Gauther Albus de Albemarle begot the mother of count Waleran, who begot the mother of count Robert of Mellentin. The same Gauther the White begat Rudolph, the father of Rudolph, who begat a countess of Vermand, namely Adalam, from whom was born Alais, the wife of count Hugh, whose daughter count Robert Mellentine wishes to marry. But it should be known that countess Alaydis, sister of Saint Simon, bore two sons to count Theobald of Champagne, Philip, bishop of Cathalau, and Hugh, count of Champagne, and after the death of count Theobald, the same Alaydis bore children of both sexes to Hugh, brother of king Philip, and through her Hugh the Great obtained the county of Vermand.

Mother: Alix, countess of Bar-sur-Aube

Married: Heribert IV

Children:
Notes:
Adele of Valois was the daughter of Raoul II, count of Crépy and Valois, and his first wife, Alix, the countess of Bar-sur-Aube. She married Heribert IV, count of Vermandois. When her brother, Simon of Crépy, abdicated his secular titles to enter a monastery, Heribert claimed the county of Valois jure uxoris (in right of his wife).

Adele ("Alida"), and her children Eudon and Alida are named in the will of her husband, Heribert IV, dated 1059.
Histoire de l'Abbaye Notre-Dame de Vermand pp10-13 (Georges Lecocq, 1875)
Domini nostri anno millesimo-quinquagesima nono, Ego Herbertus Vermandensium et Vadascorum comes, … et de consultu Alidæ conjugis meæ carissimæ, testamentum meum condidi, … Ne vero quis hæredum huic meæ ultimæ voluntati contradicere præsumat, coram me advocari jussi filium meum Eudonem quem diù consilio et bene placito meo rebellem, Magnatum interventu, paulo ante in gratiam receperam; qui tandem meæ voci obediens adstantibus filiis suis, Eudone, Elebando et Sohiro, dixit et promisit se cum suis nihil unquam contra has elemosynas tentaturum. Idemque promisit Alida sponsa mea cujus nutui ac dispositioni omnia cœtera bona mea anteà ex amore per codicillum reliqueram. Ad hæc etiam annuit Alida filia mea dilectissima.
This roughly translates as:
In the year of the same Lord one thousand and fifty-nine, I Herbert, Count of Vermandois and Vadas, … and with the advice of my dearest wife Alida, I have made my will, … Lest any heir presume to contradict this last will of mine, I have ordered my son Eudon to be summoned before me, whom I had received into favor a little while before, by divine counsel and with my good pleasure, a rebel, through the intervention of Magnatus; who at length obeyed my voice, with his sons, Eudon, Elebandus, and Sohirus, present, and promised that he and his family would never attempt anything against these alms. My spouse Alida, to whose will and disposition I had previously left all my other goods out of love by codicil, promised the same. My most beloved daughter Alida also agreed to this.

The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines names Adele's mother and father
Chronica Albrici Monachi Trium Fontium in Monumenta Germaniæ Historica SS 23 p793 (ed. G. H. Pertz, 1851)
Reliquerat autem comes Rodulfus ex uxore sua, que dicta est Adala, filium bone indolis nomine Symonem et filiam nomine Alaidem. Hic est Symon vir sanctus, qui primo consul et regis Francorum primipilus, postea monachus probatissimus effectus. Cum Mellentinus comes Robertus ducere voluisset filiam Hugonis Crispeiensis comitis, natam de sorore huius Symonis, Yvo in epistolis suis contra proponit, dicens etc.: Gauterus Albus de Albemarla genuit matrem Waleranni comitis, qui genuit matrem Roberti comitis Mellentini. Idem Gauterus Albus genuit Rodulfum, patrem Rodulfi, qui genuit Veromandensem comitissam, scilicet Adalam, ex qua nata est Alais, uxor comitis Hugonis, cuius filiam ducere vult comes Robertus Mellentinus.
This roughly translates as:
Now count Rudolf had left by his wife, who was called Adala, a good-natured son named Simon and a daughter named Alaide. This is Simon, a holy man, who was first consul and first-in-command of the French kings, and afterwards became a most approved monk. When count Robert of Mellentin wished to marry the daughter of count Hugh of Crispi, born of the sister of this Simon, Yves in his letters proposes against it, saying etc.: Gauther Albus de Albemarle begot the mother of count Waleran, who begot the mother of count Robert of Mellentin. The same Gauther the White begat Rudolph, the father of Rudolph, who begat a countess of Vermand, namely Adala, from whom was born Alais, the wife of count Hugh, whose daughter count Robert Mellentine wishes to marry.

Mémoires pour l’histoire du Vermandois vol 1 pp623-626 (Louis-Paul Colliette, 1771)
  Le ſeizieme Comte-Abbé de Saint-Quentin fut Hébert IV, Ce Seigneur … épousa Adéle, que d’autres nomment Hildébrante, fille de Raoul II [aliàs Raoul III] comte de Crépy en Valois, & ſeigneur de pluſieurs autres villes, châteaux & comtés. Comes Criſpeius, Creſpienſis, Creſpeïcus, Vadenſis. … Cette alliance priſe dans une famille extrêmement noble, puiſqu’elle ſortoit de Charlemagne par les femmes, mit le comble à la grandeur de nos Comtes, & fit tomber, dans leur maiſon, des biens immenſes & des dignités considérables.
…  On ne doit pas croire que l’épouſe d’Hébert IV, Adéle de Crépy, ſortit du ſecond mariage de ſon pere Raoul III: les auteurs du temps rapportent que c’eſt de ſon premier lit.
…  Parmi les excellentes qualités qui brillerent en Hébert IV, ſon inſigne piété envers les Saints le rendit infiniment illuſtre. La collégiale des chanoines de la ville de Roye, au diocese d’Amiens, que ce Comte a fondée & dotée, conjointement avec ſon épouſe, célébrera à jamais la générosité de ce couple fidele. 
This roughly translates as:
  The sixteenth Count-Abbot of Saint-Quentin was Herbert IV. This nobleman … married Adela, whom others call Hildebranda, the daughter of Ralph II [alias Ralph III], count of Crépy and Valois, and lord of several other towns, castles, and counties. Count Crispeius, Crespensis, Crespeïcus, Vadensis. This alliance, contracted with an exceedingly noble family, for it traced its lineage back to Charlemagne through the female line, brought the grandeur of our Counts to its zenith, and brought into their house immense estates and considerable dignities.
… One must not suppose that the wife of Herbert IV, Adèle de Crépy, was born of her father Ralph III’s second marriage; contemporary authors report that she was born of his first marriage.
…  Among the excellent qualities that shone forth in Hébert IV, his signal piety toward the Saints rendered him infinitely illustrious. The collegiate church of canons in the town of Roye, situated in the diocese of Amiens, which this Count founded and endowed jointly with his wife, shall forever celebrate the generosity of this faithful couple.
p674
  L’expulſion d’Eudes du Comté de Vermandois, ſit tomber ſur ſa ſœur Adéle l’opulente ſucceſſion d’Hébert IV & d’Adéle de Crépy, leurs parens communs. Cette tranſportation fut jugée & approuvée par les principaux Seigneurs de leurs provinces; & le Roi Philippe Ier en confirma, par son autorité ſuprême, le décret. Ce Prince favoriſoit en cela même ſenſiblement ſon frere Hugues, auquel la Comteſſe de Vermandois portoit ſes biens & ſes dignités, par une ſuite de l’alliance qu’elle avoit contraƈtée avec lui.
This roughly translates as:
  The expulsion of Odo from the County of Vermandois caused the opulent inheritance of Herbert IV and Adele of Crépy, their common kinsfolk, to devolve upon his sister, Adele. This transfer was adjudicated and approved by the principal lords of their provinces, and King Philip I, by virtue of his supreme authority, confirmed the decree. In doing so, the King significantly favored his own brother, Hugh, upon whom the Countess of Vermandois bestowed her estates and dignities as a consequence of the alliance she had contracted with him.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica 11th edition vol 27 p1024 (ed. Hugh Chisholm, 1911)
  VERMANDOIS. … Albert I., Herbert III., Albert II., Otto and Herbert IV., were unimportant. In 1077 the last male of the first house of Vermandois, Herbert IV., received the countship of Valois in right of his wife. He died soon afterwards, leaving his inheritance to his daughter Adela, whose first husband was Hugh the Great, the brother of king Philip I.

Sources:
Return to Chris Gosnell's Home Page

If you have any comments, additions or modifications to the information on this page, please feel free to email me.
Created and maintained by: chris@ocotilloroad.com