William II, Count of

Nevers Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region in central France. It was the principal city of the ...

(born prior to 1089, reigned 1098 – 21 August 1148), was a crusader in the Crusade of 1101.

Family

He was a son of Renauld II, Count of Nevers and his second wife Agnes of Beaugency.Constance Brittain Bourchard, ''Sword, Miter, and Cloister: Nobility and the Church in Burgundy, 980-1188'', (Cornell University Press, 1987), 342. He had an older half-sister, Ermengarde of Nevers, who married into the House of Courtenay. She was a daughter of Renauld II and his first wife Ida of

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of ...

and Forez. He had at least two younger brothers. The better known of them was Robert of Nevers, Viscount of Ligny-le-Château who joined his brother on the Crusade of 1101. The other was Hugh of Nevers, only mentioned in a charter dating to 1144.Constance Brittain Bourchard, ''Sword, Miter, and Cloister: Nobility and the Church in Burgundy, 980-1188'', 346.

Count

The ''Origine et Historia Brevi Nivernensium Comitum'' mentions that Renaud II served as co-ruler to his father but predeceased him on 5 August 1089. His death left William I as the only Count of Nevers and William II as his heir apparent. On 20 June 1098, his grandfather died and William II succeeded to the County of Nevers. (William II should not be confused with his paternal uncle William of Nevers, Count of Tonnere). He took part in the Crusade of 1101. He set out in February 1101 with 15,000 men, but his army failed to take the heavily garrisoned

Konya Konya () is a major city in central Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital of Konya Province. During antiquity and into Seljuk times it was known as Iconium (), although the Seljuks also called it D ...

and was virtually wiped out during the disastrous Battle of

Heraclea Cybistra Heraclea Cybistra ( grc, Ἡράκλεια Κύβιστρα), or simply Heraclea or Herakleia (Ἡράκλεια), also transliterated as Heracleia, was a town of ancient Cappadocia or Cilicia; located at the site of modern Ereğli in Konya Prov ...

. He arrived in

Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου, ''Antiókheia hē epì Oróntou'', Learned ; also Syrian Antioch) grc-koi, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου; or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπ� ...

with only a handful of knights. He persuaded Louis VI to break peace with

Henry I Henry I may refer to: 876–1366 * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry I the Long, Margrave of the N ...

and throw his support behind William Clito in 1115. He was imprisoned shortly afterwards by Theobald, Count of Blois. He participated in the Council of Troyes which opened on 14 January 1129 and is known for his support of the

Second Crusade The Second Crusade (1145–1149) was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa in 1144 to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Cru ...

. He is believed to have been buried in Chartreuse, where

Bernard of Clairvaux Bernard of Clairvaux, O. Cist. ( la, Bernardus Claraevallensis; 109020 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templars, and a major leader in the reformation of the Benedictine Order through t ...

attempted and failed to resurrect him.

Marriage and children

William II married Adelais. Her family name and ancestry are unknown. They had at least four children.: * William III, Count of Nevers (c. 1107 – 21 November 1161). *Renaud of Nevers,

Count of Torrene Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York ...

(d. 1148). Died while participating in the

. *Robert of Nevers. Only mentioned in a charter dating to 1134. *Anne of Nevers. Married

William VIII, Count of Auvergne William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Eng ...

References

External links

{{commonscat, William II, Count of Nevers Nevers, William II, Count of Nevers, William II, Count of William II Counts of Auxerre Nevers, William II, Count of Nevers, William II, Count of