William (died 1455) was Seigneur de Avesnes and

Viscount of Limoges Between Limoges, Brive and Périgueux, the viscounts of Limoges (), also called viscounts of Ségur created a small principality, whose last heir was Henry IV. Ségur was the main home of these viscounts, in the heart of their domain. The vis ...

from 1404 until his death. He was also briefly

Count of Périgord Count of Périgord (French language, Fr.: ''comte de Périgord'') is a noble title in the peerage of France, peerage of France. Originally known as "The sovereign house of the Counts of Périgord, princes by the grace of God". The first recorded so ...

following the death of his brother

John II, Count of Penthièvre John II, called Jean de L'Aigle (died 1454), was Count of Penthièvre from 1433 until his death. He was also Count of Périgord from 1437. Biography John was the second son of John I, Count of Penthièvre, and his wife, Margaret de Clisson, an ...

, in 1454.

Biography

William was the son of

John I, Count of Penthièvre John I (5 February 1345 – 16 January 1404), was Count of Penthièvre and Viscount of Limoges from 1364 to 1404, and the Penthièvre claimant to the Duchy of Brittany. Biography John was born in Jurgon-les-Lacs in Brittany while his parents ...

and Margaret de Clisson. As a younger son, William was intended to join the clergy. He attended the

University of Angers The University of Angers () is a public university in western France, with campuses in Angers, Cholet, and Saumur. It is part of the Angers-Le Mans University Community. History The University of Angers was initially established during the 11 ...

and, while he was young, his family negotiated with the duke of Brittany to grant him the Bishopric of Vannes or

Saint-Brieuc Saint-Brieuc (, Breton language, Breton: ''Sant-Brieg'' , Gallo language, Gallo: ''Saent-Berioec'') is a city in the Côtes-d'Armor Departments of France, department in Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in northwestern France. History ...

. After Margaret de Clisson and her sons failed in their plot to overthrow

John V, Duke of Brittany John V, sometimes numbered as VI, (24 December 1389 – 29 August 1442) bynamed John the Wise (; ), was Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort from 1399 to his death. His rule coincided with the height of the Hundred Years' War between Engla ...

and assert their claim to Brittany between 1420 and 1422, the Penthièvre family was forced to appear before both the

French Parliament The French Parliament (, ) is the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of the French Fifth Republic, consisting of the Senate (France), Senate (), and the National Assembly (France), National Assembly (). Each assembly conducts legislative sessi ...

and the Breton Estates at

Vannes Vannes (; , , ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, French department of Morbihan, Brittany (administrative region), Brittany, northwestern mainland France. It was founded over 2,000 years ago. History Celtic ...

. Two of William's brothers were found guilty of felonies and treachery on 16 February 1425 and their properties in Brittany were confiscated. William himself had already been given over to the duke of Brittany as a hostage on 29 July 1420. William remained a hostage at

Auray Auray (; , or simply ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Morbihan Departments of France, department, Regions of France, administrative region of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany, northwestern France. Inhabitants of Auray are cal ...

for twenty-eight years, during which time he lost his sight. He was finally freed in 1448 after his family reconciled with

Francis I, Duke of Brittany Francis I (in Breton Fransez I, in French François I) (11 May 1414 – 17 July 1450), was Duke of Brittany, Count of Montfort and titular Earl of Richmond, from 29 August 1442 to his death. He was born in Vannes, the son of John V, Duke of B ...

. In 1450, he married Isabelle de la Tour d'Auvergne, daughter of Bertrand V de La Tour d'Auvergne, with whom he had three daughters:

Frances Frances is an English given name or last name of Latin origin. In Latin the meaning of the name Frances is 'from France' or 'the French.' The male version of the name in English is Francis (given name), Francis. The original Franciscus, meaning "F ...

; Joan, who married John de Surgeres, seigneur de Balon; and Charlotte, who married Antoine de Villequier, seigneur de Montrésor. William inherited the

County of Périgord The County of Périgord was a historical region of France. The name Périgord derived from the Gauls, Gaul Gallic tribes, tribe of the Petrocorii, who resisted the Roman Republic, Roman Roman conquest of Gaul, conquest. It was preserved in the ea ...

from his brother John in 1454, but he died the following year. His daughter, Frances, succeeded him in Périgord and Limoges.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:William, Viscount of Limoges 1455 deaths Year of birth unknown People of the Hundred Years' War House of Châtillon

William William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...

Counts of Périgord