William I of Provence

Notes:

Wikipeida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_I_of_Provence

He was called the Liberator and was Count of Provence from 968 to his abdication. He is often considered the founder of the county of Provence. He and his elder brother Rotbold I were sons of Boso II of Arles and Constance of Viennois, daughter of Charles-Constantine.

In 980, he was installed as Count of Arles. His sobriquet comes from his victories against the Saracens [Muslims] by which he liberated Provence from their threat, which had been constant since the establishment of a base at Fraxinet. At the Battle of Tourtour in 973, with the assistance of the counts of the High Alps and the viscounts of Marseille and Fos, he definitively routed the Saracens, chasing them forever from Provence. He reorganised the region east of the Rhône, which he conquered from the Saracens and which had been given him as a gift from King Conrad of Burgundy.

He married first Arsenda, daughter of Arnold of Comminges and their son was William II of Provence.

He married second (against papal advice) in 984, Adelaide-Blanche of Anjou, daughter of Fulk II of Anjou and Gerberga, and their daughter was Constance of Arles (986?1034), married Robert II of France.

He donated land to Cluny and retired to become a monk, dying at Avignon, where he was buried in the church of Saint-Croix at Sarrians. He was succeeded as margrave by his brother. His great principality began to diminish soon after his death.

William married Adelaide-Blanche of Anjou. Adelaide-Blanche was born ca 940; died 1026, Avignon, France; was buried , Montmajour Abbey, Arles, France. [Group Sheet]

1. Constance of Arles, Queen of the Franks was born ca 986, Arles, France; died 28 Jul 1032, Melun, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, France; was buried , Saint Denis Basilique, Saint-Denis, Île-de-France, France.