Fulk IV, Count of Anjou

Fulk IV (1043–1109), called le Réchin, was a French nobleman who was the Count of Anjou from 1068 until he was deposed in 1096. He rebelled against his older brother Geoffrey III and took the countship of Anjou by force.

 Early career 

Fulk, born 1043,Jim Bradbury, 'Fulk le Rechin and the Origin of the Plantagenets', Studies in Medieval History Presented to R. Allen Brown, eds. Christopher Harper-Bill, Christopher J. Holdsworth, Janet L. Nelson (Woodbridge, UK: The Boydell Press, 1989), p. 27 was the younger son of Geoffrey II, Count of Gâtinais and Ermengarde-Blanche of Anjou. Ermengarde-Blanche was a daughter of Fulk Nerra, count of Anjou,Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Marburg, Germany: J. A., Stargardt, 1984) Tafel 82 When Geoffrey Martel died without direct heirs he left Anjou to his nephew Geoffrey III, Fulk le Réchin's older brother.Jim Bradbury, 'Fulk le Réchin and the Origin of the Plantagenets', Studies in Medieval History Presented to R. Allen Brown, Ed. Christopher Harper-Bill, Christopher J. Holdsworth, Janet L. Nelson (The Boydell Press, 1989), p. 27 Geoffrey III was not an effective count.W. Scott Jesse, Robert the Burgundian and the Counts of Anjou, c.1025-1098 (Catholic University of America Press, 2000), p. 55 In 1062 Geoffrey failed to defend Saintonge and it was lost.Henk Teunis, The Appeal to the Original Status: Social Justice in Anjou in the Eleventh Century (Hilversum: Uitgeverij Verloren, 2006), p. 75 In 1063 the county of Maine was lost to Anjou.  In 1065 Geoffrey angered Archbishop Barthelemy of Tours and was excommunicated.W. Scott Jesse, Robert the Burgundian and the Counts of Anjou, c.1025-1098 (Catholic University of America Press, 2000), p. 61

 Count of Anjou 

Fulk had enough and took the countship of Anjou by force. He fought with his brother and captured him in 1067.Jim Bradbury, 'Fulk le Réchin and the Origin of the Plantagenets', Studies in Medieval History Presented to R. Allen Brown, Ed. Christopher Harper-Bill, Christopher J. Holdsworth, Janet L. Nelson (The Boydell Press, 1989), p. 31 Under pressure from the Church he released Geoffrey. The two brothers started fighting again. This time Geoffrey was imprisoned for the rest of his life.Jim Bradbury, 'Fulk le Réchin and the Origin of the Plantagenets', Studies in Medieval History Presented to R. Allen Brown, Ed. Christopher Harper-Bill, Christopher J. Holdsworth, Janet L. Nelson (The Boydell Press, 1989), p. 32 Substantial territory was lost to Angevin control because of Geoffrey's poor rule and the civil war that followed. Fulk was forced to give the Gâtinais to Philip I of France the king.Jean Dunbabin, France in the Making, 843-1180, Second Edition (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), p. 189 Fulk spent the rest of his reign as count trying to regain control of his barons and all the lost lands. He also struggled with Normandy trying to regain control in Maine and Brittany.Jean Dunbabin, France in the Making, 843-1180, Second Edition (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2005), pp. 189–90

Author of the History of Anjou

In 1096 Fulk wrote a history of Anjou and its rulers titled Fragmentum historiae Andegavensis or "History of Anjou."Nicholas L. Paul, 'The Chronicle of Fulk le Rechin: a Reassessment', The Haskins Society Journal 18: Studies in Medieval History, ed. Stephen Morillo, Diane Korngiebel (The Boydell Press, Woodbridge, 2007) pp. 20-1  Only the first part of the history still exists. It describes Fulk's ancestry. The second part was thought to cover Fulk's own rule. This part has not been found. If he did write it, it is one of the first medieval works of history written by a layman.Nicholas L. Paul, The Chronicle of Fulk le Rechin: a reassessment, Haskins Society Journal 18: Studies in Medieval History, 2006, eds. Stephen Morillo; Diane Korngiebel (Woodbridge: The Boydell Press, 2007), pp. 19–35.

 Family 

Fulk appears to have been married as many as five times.Jim Bradbury, 'Fulk le Réchin and the Origin of the Plantagenets', Studies in Medieval History Presented to R. Allen Brown, Ed. Christopher Harper-Bill, Christopher J. Holdsworth, Janet L. Nelson (The Boydell Press, 1989), p. 36

His first wife was Hildegarde of Beaugency. Together they had a daughter:

 Ermengarde, who married firstly William IX, count of Poitou and duke of Aquitaine. She married secondly Alan IV, Duke of Brittany.

Fulk then married Ermengarde of Bourbon in 1070. Together they had a son:

 Geoffrey IV "Martel", Count of Anjou. He ruled jointly with his father for some time, but died in 1106. 

 he married Orengarde de Châtellailon.

He next married an unnamed daughter of Walter I of Brienne. This marriage also ended in divorce, in 1087. they had no children.  

In 1089 he married Bertrade de Montfort. They had a son: 

 Fulk V "le June", Count of Anjou and King of Jerusalem.

Notes

References

Category:1040s births
Category:1090s deaths
Category:Counts of Anjou