Rotbold I (also spelled ''Rothbold'', ''Rotbald'', ''Rodbald'', ''Robald(us)'', ''Roubaud'', or ''Rotbaud''; died 1008) was a French

nobleman Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristi ...

. He was

Count of Provence The land of Provence has a history quite separate from that of any of the larger nations of Europe. Its independent existence has its origins in the frontier nature of the dukedom in Merovingian Gaul. In this position, influenced and affected by ...

from 968 until his death and

margrave Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the Emp ...

from 993. He was the elder of two sons of

Boso II of Provence Boson II of Arles (928 – 965/67) was Count of Avignon from 935 and Count of Arles from 949. Around 953, Boso II married Constance, possibly a daughter of the Bosonids#Bivinids, Bivinid Charles Constantine of Vienne, Charles Constantine, Count ...

and Constance of Vienne, his younger brother being

William I William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087 ...

, who took up the title of ''marchio'' in 979 and that of ''dux'' later. He ruled with William, probably jointly over the whole county. On William's death, Rotbold was left as head of the family with the title of ''marchio''. He first signed a

charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the rec ...

of his father's in March 965. He signed his brother's donation to

Saint-Victor de Marseille Saint Victor of Marseilles (died c. 290) was an Egyptian Christian martyr. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. Life Saint Victor is said to have been a Roman army officer in Marseille, who publicly de ...

in April 970 and to

Cluny Cluny () is a commune in the eastern French department of Saône-et-Loire, in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It is northwest of Mâcon. The town grew up around the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny, founded by Duke William I of Aquitaine in 9 ...

on 28 August 990. In 1005, he joined with his sister-in-law

Adelaide of Anjou Adelaide-Blanche of Anjou( –1026) was, by her successive marriages, countess of Gévaudan and Forez, of Toulouse, of Provence, and of Burgundy, and queen of Aquitaine. She was the regent of Gevaudan during the minority of her sons in the 960 ...

and his nephew William II to grant privileges to Saint-Victor. He married Emilde, possibly a daughter of

Stephen, Viscount of Gévaudan Stephen (Stephanus), who died in 970, was Viscount Gevaudan from 954 to 970. He was the son of Bertrand, Viscount Gevaudan, and Ermengarde. Biography He governed Saint-Julien Brioude and Mende, and dominated southern Auvergne. Even though he had ...

. He left one son, Rotbold II, who inherited his titles, and a daughter, Gerberge.

Sources

* Lewis, Archibald R. ''The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050''. University of Texas Press: Austin, 1965. {{Use dmy dates, date=January 2012 10th-century births 1008 deaths Counts of Provence