Isembard (also spelled Isembart or Isembert) was a Burgundian nobleman and

count of Autun Autun () is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Saône-et-Loire Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region of central-eastern France. It was founded during the Principate era of the e ...

. According to the ''

Annales Fontanellenses The ''Annals of Fontenelle'' (''Annales Fontanellenses'', ''Chronicon Fontanellense'') or ''Chronicle of Saint-Wandrille'' (''Chronicon sancti Wandregesili'') is a short history compiled at the Abbey of Saint-Wandrille between 840 and 856. It is i ...

'', his father was Warin of Provence.

Janet L. Nelson Dame Janet Laughland Nelson (born 1942), also known as Jinty Nelson, is a British historian. She is Emerita Professor of Medieval History at King's College London. Early life Born on 28 March 1942 in Blackpool, Nelson was educated at Keswic ...

, ''Charles the Bald'' (London: Longman, 1992), 161 n. 4. In 850, Isembard and Count Aledramn of Barcelona were sent by King

Charles the Bald Charles the Bald (french: Charles le Chauve; 13 June 823 – 6 October 877), also known as Charles II, was a 9th-century king of West Francia (843–877), king of Italy (875–877) and emperor of the Carolingian Empire (875–877). After a ...

to subdue the rebellious Margrave

William of Septimania William of Septimania (29 November 826 – 850) was the son of Bernard and Dhuoda. He was the count of Toulouse from 844 and count of Barcelona from 848. The sources for his life are primarily the ''Annales Bertiniani'' and the '' Chronica ...

. They were both captured through a ruse. On 21 March 858, at the synod of Quierzy, Isembard was one of the lay magnates who swore fidelity to King Charles. He was thus probably one of the "leading men of Burgundy" whom the ''

Annales Bertiniani ''Annales Bertiniani'' (''Annals of Saint Bertin'') are late Carolingian, Frankish annals that were found in the Abbey of Saint Bertin, Saint-Omer, France, after which they are named. Their account is taken to cover the period 830-82, thus contin ...

'' record as joined Charles at

Brienne The County of Brienne was a medieval county in France centered on Brienne-le-Château. Counts of Brienne * Engelbert I * Engelbert II * Engelbert III * Engelbert IV * Walter I (? – c. 1090) * Erard I (c. 1090 – c. 1120?) * Walter II ...

and

Chalon Chalon may refer to: Culture * Chalon people, a Native American tribe of California * Chalon language, an Ohlone language spoken by the Chalon people Places * Chalon, Isère, formerly Châlons, in France's Isère ''département'' * Le Chalon, in ...

that November, when he and

Louis the German Louis the German (c. 806/810 – 28 August 876), also known as Louis II of Germany and Louis II of East Francia, was the first king of East Francia, and ruled from 843 to 876 AD. Grandson of emperor Charlemagne and the third son of Louis the P ...

almost came to battle. On 20 June 859, Isembard (or possibly his son), described as a ''fidelis'' (loyal follower) in the charter, received a ''

villa A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became s ...

'' in the Narbonnais from the king, to be held in perpetuity (''in proprium aeternaliter'') as an

allod In the law of the Middle Ages and early Modern Period and especially within the Holy Roman Empire, an allod ( Old Low Franconian ''allōd'' ‘fully owned estate’, from ''all'' ‘full, entire’ and ''ōd'' ‘estate’, Medieval Latin ''allodiu ...

.Nelson, ''Annals of St-Bertin'', 88 n. 15.

Archibald R. Lewis Archibald Ross Lewis (1914–1990) was a historian, World War II Veteran, professor, and author. He wrote 14 books, and more than 100 articles. As a professor he taught at the University of South Carolina, University of Texas, and University of M ...

, ''The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050'' (University of Texas Press, 1965), 115, 119, 162. This royal grant was made at the instigation of

Humfrid Humfrid was the count of Barcelona, Girona, Empúries, Roussillon, and Narbonne from 858 to 864. He also bore the title margrave of Gothia (''Gothiæ marchio''), as he held several frontier counties.The source for his famous title is the '' Annales ...

, the

margrave of Gothia {{One source, date=December 2021 The title Prince of Gothia (''princeps Gothiæ'') or Prince of the Goths (''princeps Gothorum'') was a title of nobility, sometimes assumed by its holder as a sign of supremacy in the region of Septimania#Gothia_in_C ...

. In 864, Isembard (or possibly his son again) was a royal '' missus'' and the viscount of

Narbonne Narbonne (, also , ; oc, Narbona ; la, Narbo ; Late Latin:) is a commune in Southern France in the Occitanie region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It is located about from the shores of the ...

. The appointment of a royal ''fidelis'' to the office of viscount demonstrates that at this stage in Charles's reign, the king still coveted influence at the local level even in the far south of his realm.

Notes

{{Reflist Counts of Autun