Hugh IV (died c. 1026), called ''Brunus'' (
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
for ''the Brown''), was the fourth
Lord of Lusignan
The House of Lusignan ( ; ) was a royal house of France, French origin, which at various times ruled several principalities in Europe and the Levant, including the kingdoms of Kingdom of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Kingdom of Cyprus, Cyprus, and Kingd ...
. He was the son of
Hugh III Albus and
Arsendis de Vivonne. He was a turbulent baron, who brought his family out of obscurity and on their way to prominence in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an and eventually even
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
ern affairs.
Hugh spent many years in war with the
Viscounts of Thouars
The first viscounts of Thouars appeared at the end of the 9th century, somewhat earlier than those of Châtellerault, Lusignan, etc.
They represented the count of Poitou (also the duke of Aquitaine) in the territory he had enfeoffed to them.
T ...
over a fief he claimed was rightfully his. Peace was obtained briefly by Hugh's marriage to Audéarde or Aldiarde, the daughter of the viscount Ralph of Thouars. As a dowry, Hugh received the castle of
Mouzeuil. Hugh already held the
castle of Lusignan, built by his grandfather
Hugh Carus, and that of
Couhé, built by the
duke of Aquitaine
The Duke of Aquitaine ( oc, Duc d'Aquità nia, french: Duc d'Aquitaine, ) was the ruler of the medieval region of Aquitaine (not to be confused with modern-day Aquitaine) under the supremacy of Frankish, English, and later French kings.
As succe ...
. When Ralph, died, however, his successor
Geoffrey retook Mouzeuil.
Hugh also engaged in a long war with Aimery I, lord of
Rancon
Rancon (; oc, Rancom) is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.
History
The earliest known name for Rancon is Roncomagus; which comes from the Gallic and means 'market at the rock'. ...
, who seized
Civray, a fief of
Bernard I of La Marche
Bernard (''Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It is also a surname.
The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''bern'' "bear" and ''hard'' "brav ...
. By alliance with Duke
William V of Aquitaine
William the Great (french: Guillaume le Grand; 969 – 31 January 1030) was duke of Aquitaine (as ) and count of Poitou (as or III) from 990 until his death. Upon the death of the emperor Henry II, he was offered the kingdom of Italy ...
, Hugh and Bernard retook Civray and Hugh held it as a fief, though he lost it soon after. Nevertheless, he continued his war with Aimery.
When the Viscounty of
Châtellerault
Châtellerault (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Châteulrô/Chatelerà ud''; oc, Chastelairaud) is a commune in the Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in France. It is located in the northeast of the former province Poitou, and the re ...
fell vacant, Hugh asked the duke for it, but was put off with empty promises. Hugh waged war with the duke until the latter granted him the fief of
Vivonne
Vivonne () is a commune in the Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in western France.
Louis Victor de Rochechouart de Mortemart, brother of Madame de Montespan was the ''duc de Vivonne''.
Population
See also
*Communes of the V ...
, which had once belonged to his uncle Joscelin. William later deprived Hugh of the proceeds of the tax on
Saint-Maixent
Saint-Maixent () is a commune in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays de la Loire in north-western France.
See also
*Communes of the Sarthe department
The following is a list of the 354 communes of the Sarthe department of France.
...
which his mother Emma, wife of
William IV of Aquitaine
William IV (937 – 3 February 994), called Fierebras or Fierebrace (meaning "Proud Arm", from the French ''Fier-à -bras'' or ''Fièrebrace'', in turn from the Latin ''Ferox brachium''), was the Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou from 963 ...
, had granted Hugh's father.
On 6 March 1025, Hugh exchanged lands with the
abbey of Saint-Hilaire of Poitiers in order to found a monastery for his soul. The duke obtained two charters from King
Robert II confirming this monastic establishment and another at Couhé. Hugh and the Poitevin bishop Isembart then sent letters to
Pope John XIX
Pope John XIX ( la, Ioannes XIX; died October 1032), born Romanus, was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 1024 to his death. He belonged to the family of the powerful counts of Tusculum, succeeding his brother, Benedict VIII. ...
to beg exemption for his monasteries from all authority save that of
Nouaillé. Said exemption was granted.
At his monastery of Notre-Dame de Lusignan, a monastic chronicler wrote the ''
Conventum inter Guillelmum ducem Aquitaniae et Hugonem Chiliarchum'' celebrating Hugh's warmaking. According to the ''Conventum'', Hugh died a year after his final agreement with the duke, probably in 1026 or thereabouts. He left two sons by Audéarde:
Hugh V Hugh V may refer to:
* Hugh V of Lusignan (died 1060)
* Hugh V, Count of Maine, ruled 1069–1072
* Hugh V, Viscount of Châteaudun (died 1180)
* Hugh V, Duke of Burgundy
Hugh V (1294 – 9 May 1315) was Duke of Burgundy between 1306 and 13 ...
, who succeeded him, and Rorgo.
Notes
Sources
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hugh 04 of Lusignan
House of Lusignan
1020s deaths
Year of birth unknown
Year of death uncertain