Omaha daily bee., 1888-01-29
THE COUNTS OF ANJOU.


one OF lne most celebrated 1aml lies
of medieval Europe was that of the
rulers of Anjou, II province in north
western France. The history of this
family and the influence distinguished
members of it eXerted on the progress
Of western Europe during II period of
of more than four hundred years. reads
like a romance. Their connection with
the ruling family of England, by inter-
marriage, gives to the American stu
dent an interest in the origin and story
of the family. second only to that which
attaches directly to the history of the
royal family of England, and vet but
few American readers are familiar with
the history of the house of Anjou, or
know anything about their achieve
m cnts.
Tortulf-In the heart of Breton. about
the year $50, lived one TOrtulf who was
known as the Forester, II half-brigand,
halfhuntcr. as the days went, living in
free outlawry in the woods about
Rennes. Tortulf had learned in his
rough forest school how to strike the
foe. to sleep on the bare ground. to en-
heat and winters frost: how to fear
nothing save ill-fame! Following King
Charles the Bald IN his struggles with
the Danes. his abilities as n soldier in
this unrelenting warfare won for him
from the king broad lands along the
Loire. and his son.
|. Ingelger-Fulk the Red, who had,
| under his fathers tutelage, swept these
predatory northmen from TOuraine and
| the land to the west, which in this re-
lentless warfare they had burned and
l
first count of Anjou. 1t was from the
near the throne, in the year SSS, that
he received from them lin guerdon"
the western portion of Anjou, which
lay across the Mayenne, and first consti
tuted the Angevine kingdom.
III. Fulk the Good succeeded his
father Fulk the Red. He waged no
wars; and the story of his reign was
like quiet idyl of peace. Louis d.
Outremer, king of France, entering
| a church where Fulk the Good was wor-
shipping, remarked of him: He sings
| like a priest" Fulk, ready with his re-
| ply, said: Know, my lord, that u king
unlearned is n crowned asst"
Fulk the Good was busy ruler, gov
erning, enforcing peace, and carrying
justice to every corner of his wasted
| kingdom. To him alone of all his race
men gave the title of 1.-THE Good!"
III. Fulk, Godfrey Greygown, son Of
Fulk the Good, was like his grandfather,
bold dashing soldier. But with all his
skill as a soldier and his great personal
valor, he was unable to maintain his
territory against the powerful house Of
Blois and Champagne. He was sue
ceeded by his SON
". Fulk Nerra-Fulk the Black, a
cold, cruel, heartless, although II very
able ruler. Fulk Nerra succeeded to
| the throne, a. ID. 9S7 and died in 1910,
after IL long reign of ifty-three years.
| He was the greatest of the Angcvine
| kings, and the first in whom can be
traced that marked type of character so
well preserved in his family for the sue
ceeding 200 years.
| Familiar as was the age with ra-
| pine and blood, it recoiled from the cool
| cynicism OF his crimes, and believed the
| wrath Of heaven to have been revealed
against the union of the worst forms of
evil in FulK the Black. But neither
the wrath of heaven nor the curses of
| men broke with a single mishap the
| fifty odd years Of his success.
| AT his accession in the year 0S7 An jOu
| was the least important of the greater
| provinces OF France. AT his death in
J 1910 it stood, if not in extent of terri
tory, at least in real power, first among
them all. Cool-headed, clear-sighted
quick to resolve, quicker to strike, Fulk
| Nerra's career was Il long series Of VIC
| tories over all his rivals. He was
n consummate general, personally very
brave, and in battle amid the medley OF
contending men and horses, he swept
down almost singly on the foe as "A
storm wind-"so rang the pean OF the
Angeyines"-sweeps down on the thi elk
corn rows, and the field was won,
To these powers and qualities as II war
riOr he added the power OF political
organization and far-reaching political
combinations faculty of craftsmanship
which became the heritage OF his race
and lifted them as high above the intel.
lectual level Of the rulers Of their time
as their shameless wickedness degraded
them below the level Of man,
| Fulk Nerns overthrow Of Brittany