Bernard VI, ( 1270 – 1319),

Count of Armagnac The following is a list of rulers of the county of Armagnac: House of Armagnac *William Count of Fézensac and Armagnac ?– 960 * Bernard the Suspicious, First count privative of Armagnac 960– ? * Gerald I Trancaléon ? –1020 * Bernard ...

and Fezensac, was the son of Gerald VI, Count of Armagnac, and Mathe de Béarn.

Service for King of France

In 1302, Bernard fought in Italy under the command of

Charles of Valois Charles of Valois (12 March 1270 – 16 December 1325), the fourth son of King Philip III of France and Isabella of Aragon, was a member of the House of Capet and founder of the House of Valois, whose rule over France would start in 1328 ...

. Subsequently, he participated in all the campaigns in

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directed by

Philippe le Bel Philip IV (April–June 1268 – 29 November 1314), called Philip the Fair (french: Philippe le Bel), was King of France from 1285 to 1314. By virtue of his marriage with Joan I of Navarre, he was also King of Navarre as Philip I from 12 ...

and his son

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(in 1303, 1304, 1313 and 1315). He then served as head of large detachments of the royal army. He contributed particularly to the victory of Mons-en-Alarcon on 18 August 1304, with four hundred armed men and a thousand policemen on foot. This military activity was very expensive and impoverished Bernard VI and he was obliged to borrow 2500 gold florins for the funeral of his wife.

Conflict with House of Foix

After the death of

Gaston VII Gaston is a masculine given name of French origin and a surname. The name "Gaston" may refer to: People First name *Gaston I, Count of Foix (1287–1315) *Gaston II, Count of Foix (1308–1343) *Gaston III, Count of Foix (1331–1391) *Gaston ...

Viscount of Béarn A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...

, his grandfather, he maintained a long war against the

Counts of Foix The Count of Foix ruled the independent County of Foix, in what is now Southern France, during the Middle Ages. The House of Foix eventually extended its power across the Pyrenees mountain range, joining the House of Bearn and moving their court ...

following the controversy over the will. The will favored the Count of Foix and Bernard refuted its legitimacy. The conflict escalated into an undeclared war between the houses of Foix and Armagnac, which took place during nearly all of the fourteenth century.

Marriages and Children

He first married Isabella d'Albret (c. 1275 † 1 December 1294), daughter of Bernard Ezy IV Sire of Albret and Jeanne de Lusignan. Through this marriage, Bernard VI carried the title of lord of Albret between the years 1280 and 1294. In 1298, he married

Cecilia de Rodez Cecilia is a personal name originating in the name of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. The name has been popularly used in Europe (particularly the United Kingdom and Italy, where in 2018 it was the 43rd most popular name for girls born ...

, heiress of Henri II

Count of Rodez The County of Rodez was a fief of the County of Toulouse formed out of part of the old County of Rouergue in what is today Aveyron, France. Its capital was Rodez. At its height, it was a centre of troubadour culture. On the death of Hugh of Ro ...

.
Children, all born of the second marriage were: *

John I John I may refer to: People * John I (bishop of Jerusalem) * John Chrysostom (349 – c. 407), Patriarch of Constantinople * John of Antioch (died 441) * Pope John I, Pope from 523 to 526 * John I (exarch) (died 615), Exarch of Ravenna * John I o ...

(1305 † 1373), Count of Armagnac, of Fezensac and Rodez. * Mathe († 1364), married in 1321 to

Bernard Ezi IV Bernard Ezi II (Ezi is also spelled ''Aiz'') was the Lord of Albret from 1324 to 1358 and the son of Amanieu VII. In 1330, Edward III of England sent men to Gascony to negotiate with the nobles. Bernard tried to negotiate a marriage between hi ...

, Sire d'Albret. * Isabella, Lady of Beras. Bernard had an illegitimate son; * John, Bastard of Armagnac, called ''la Guerre'' (the War),''Archives historiques de la Gascogne'', Ed. Société historique de Gascogne, (Cocharaux Frères Imprimeur, 1887), 135. participated in wars in Gascony. He was captured by the king's men, then released after promising to be faithful and loyal to the king. He left arms, embraced the ecclesiastical state, was Patriarch of Alexandria, then took the administration of the diocese of Rodez in 1376.

Notes

References

* ''Archives historiques de la Gascogne'', Ed. Société historique de Gascogne, Cocharaux Frères Imprimeur, 1887. {{DEFAULTSORT:Bernard 06 Armagnac 1270s births 1319 deaths French soldiers Counts of Armagnac