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Rated: 18+ · Book · Genealogy · #2181469
Wharton Family History: The Knights
#1028543 added May 2, 2022 at 5:55am
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All Roads Lead to Lesciline
In the chapter on The French Connection (D'Eu), the wife of William de Héimois, Lesceline de Harcourt, was mentioned as an individual with a considerable background of European nobility. Below are family lineages from some notable ancestors to her and some historical background .

I. Frankish ancestors of Lesceline de Harcourt

Towards the end of the 5th century, the Roman Empire in the west was dying. It was being bombarded on all sides by a series of barbaric attacks from the Huns (Caspian Sea), Visigoths (Spain), and Ostrogoths (Danube). In 476, the western empire finally fell. With the demise of Rome, many of the barbaric tribal kings carved out a portion of the old empire for themselves.

One of these tribes were the Franks, germanic Celts who populated the middle and lower Rhine. They moved into what is now France and defeated the Celtic Gauls to become the dominate power. One of these subgroups were called the Salian Franks who lived at the mouth of the Rhine River in what is now Belgium and the Netherlands (Figure 1).

The Salian Franks rose to dominance among the Franks, expanding their boundaries. From 460 AD to 482 AD, they conquered Frankish tribes surrounding them. By 496, they had overrun part of Swabia and defeated the last remaining remnants of the Roman Empire in northern Gaul.

These Salian Franks began calling that region Neustria (the New Land) as opposed to Austrasia (the Eastern Land), which was their core territory. In the next two centuries, they had expanded their territory to include almost all of modern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, most of Germany, all of Switzerland, western Austria, western Slovenia, northern Italy, and even a sliver of Spain.

The exact boundaries of both Austrasia and Nuestria were somewhat fluid over the history of the Frankish sub-kingdoms."


Figure 1—Expansion of the Salian Franks, 481-814 AD [1]

From out of these Salian Franks rose the Merovingian Dynasty, named for King Merovech who ruled from 447 to 458. The Merovingians were later replaced by a new dynasty called the Carolingians in the 8th century, the most famous being Charles Martel and his grandson Charles I (Charlemagne). However, it was all made possible by a Merovingian that united all the Frankish petty kingdoms and conquered most of Roman Gaul to be put under his rule, Clovis I, my 50th great-grandfather.

A. Frankish Merovingian ancestors of Lesceline de Harcourt

 1Clovis I "The Great," King of the Franks♂︎ [466–511]
 2Chlothar I "The Old," King of the Franks{/u}♂︎ [497–561]
 3Chilperic I, King of Soissons♂︎ [539-584]
 4Chlothar II, King of the Franks♂︎ [584–629]
 5Dagobert I, 11th Archduke d'Austrasia♂︎ [603-639]
 6Sigebert III, 12th Archduke d'Austrasia♂︎ [630–656]
 7Berswinde d'Austrasia♀︎ [650-690] m. Adalrich (Etichio), Duke of Alsace♂︎


Figure 2—Adalrich and Berswinde

 8Adalbert de Alsace, Duke of Alsace♂︎ [645-689]
 9Luitfride I, Duke of Alsace♂︎[675-760]
10Luitfride II, Count of Sundgau (Upper Alsace)♂︎[740-802]
11Hugh II (III?)}♂︎[765-839]
12Hugh, Count de Bourges♂︎[797-853]
13Etienne (Stephen), Count de Bourges♂︎[830-864]
14Hugh II de Bourges♂︎[862-892]
15Richilde du Maine♀︎[886-946] m. Thibault de Blois♂︎
16Gerlotte de Blois♀︎ [910-957] m. Hrolf "Rollo" Turstain de Heidmark♂︎
17Anslech Hrolfson de Bricquebec♂︎ [927-994]
18Eremberge de Bricquebec♀︎ [945-992] m. Torf "The Rich" de Harcourt♂︎
19Turquetil de Harcourt♂︎ [980-1036]
20Lesceline de Harcourt♀︎ [1003-1069] ☜ Line converges on Lesceline #1

B. Frankish Carolingian Ancestors of Lesceline de Harcourt

While the Mergovinians were kings, they began to relinquish a lot of their power to what were called Mayors of the Palace, populated by members of the Arnulfing/Pippinid Dynasty. This dynasty is usually considered to have been founded by Saint Arnulfing (Arnulf) and Pepin I (Pippinid) in the early seventh century, both of whom lived at the same time and wielded a great deal of power and influence in the Merovingian kingdoms (Figure 3).


Figure 3—The Arnufling/Pippin Dynasty and Early Carolingians. [2]

The two houses were united by the marriage of St. Arnulf's son, Ansegisel, to Pepin I's daughter, Saint Begga. After the rule of the Mergovinian Dagobert I, the Arnulfing/Pippinid Dynasty came to full power, though to a fractured Frankia. As a result, wars broke out which continued for several generations. That process helped bring about the rise of the Carolingians from out of the Arnulfing/Peppinid Dynasty culminating in Charlemagne uniting France.

The Arnufling/Peppinid Dynasty and early Caroliginians were all ancestors of Lesceline de Harcourt. She was descend from two separate branches, each having their roots beginning in Peppin II.

 1Peppin II (Pepin of Herstal), Duke and Prince of the Franks♂︎ [635-714]
 2Charles Martel, King of the Franks♂︎ [688–741]
 3Pepin III "The Short," King of the Franks♂︎ [714–768]
 4Charles I "the Great" (Charlemagne), Holy Roman Emperor♂︎ [742-814]

We can trace our family ancestry back from Lesceline de Harcourt through both Carolman and Louis, both of whom would be our 39th grandfathers.

 (1) Frankish Carolingian Ancestors from Louis "The Pious"

 5Emperor Louis "The Pious," Holy Roman Emperor♂︎ [778–840]


Figure 4—Louis I "The Pious," King of Francia and Holy Roman Emperor.

Unfortuantely, the reign of Louis "The Pious" was followed by three years of civil war. After his death in 840, his sons by different mothers began outright war against each other. For years, there had been many squabbles and reconciliations between Charles II "The Bald" and his two older step-bothers, Lothar II (who held the imperial title of Holy Roman Emperor after their father Pepin died) and Louis the German, King of Bavaria.

After several battles, the brothers reached an agreement in the Treaty of Verdun of 843 in which the Carolingian empire was divided into three kingdoms (Figure 5). The treaty was the first stage in the dissolution of the Charlemagne empire and initiated the the modern countries of western Europe.

Lothair retained the imperial title and the Kingdom of Italy along with central regions from Flanders through the Rhineland and Burgundy as King of Francia Media. Louis received the eastern part of the Carolingian Empire, known then as East Francia and later as Germany.

Our ancestor, Charles II "The Bald," received the kingdom of the West Franks as King of Francia Orientalis, which he had been already been governing. It corresponded with much of modern France.


Figure 5—The Frankish Kingdom after the Treaty of Verdun.

 6Charles II "The Bald," Holy Roman Emperor♂︎ [843–877]
 7Rothilde Carolingian♀︎ [871-929] m. Hughes II de Bourges♂︎
 8Richilde du Maine♀︎ [886-946] m. Thibault de Blois♂︎
 9Gerlotte de Blois♀︎ [910-957] m. Hrolf "Rollo" Turstain de Heidmark♂︎
10Anslech Hrolfson de Bricquebec♂︎[ [927-994]
11Eremberge de Bricquebec♀︎ [945-992] m. Torf "The Rich" de Harcourt♂︎
12Turquetil de Harcourt♂︎ [980-1036]
13Lesceline de Harcourt♀︎ [1003-1069] ☜ Line converges on Lesceline #2

 (2) Frankish Carolingian Ancestors from Pepin, King of Italy

RESEARCH NOTE: There is some question about this lineage. The difficulty arises with Sprote Adela de Senlis who married Bernard "The Dane" de Harcourt. There is no question that she married Bernard and that she was married three other times, once to William I "Long Sword," the son of Rollo. The problem is that her parentage is in question. It's generally considered that Hubert I was her father, but if so, this leads to an interesting dilemma because he allegedly died in September of 907. If he was her father then she would have had to been born prior to 911, which all genealogies I've seen don't question. Regardless, I'll leave this line of ancestry up just for good measure in case its the dates and not the parentage that is incorrect.

 5Carloman ( Pepin ), King of Italy♂︎ [773–810]
 6Bernard of Italy, King of the Lombards♂︎ [797–818]
 7Pepin II Quentin, Lord of Péronne♂︎ [817–850]
 8Pepin III Bérengere, Count of Bayeux and Rennes♂︎ [846-893]
 9Hubert I de Senlis, Count Vermandois♂︎ [850-907]
10Sprote Adela de Senlis♀︎ [911-940] m. Bernard "The Dane" de Harcourt♂︎
11Torf "The Rich" de Harcourt♂︎ [950-?]
12Turquetil de Harcourt♂︎ [980-1036]
13Lesceline de Harcourt♀︎ [1003-1069] ☜ Line converges on Lesceline #3

II. Saxon Ancestors of Lesceline de Harcourt

The Saxons were a germanic people originally located in what is now primarily Bremen at the mouth and west of the Elbe River, stretching south along the Weser River to the region of the Ruhr River northeast of Cologne—between the Denmark Peninsula and the Netherlands.

In the 3rd and 4th centuries, the Saxons were active in raiding expeditions along the coasts of the North Sea and the southeastern coast of Britain. As the Roman occupation of Britain weakened (about 450 AD), the Saxons increased their marauding attacks and also began to build settlements there, resisting efforts to drive them off. By the end of the 6th century they and their neighbors, the Angles, were firmly established, laying the foundations for the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Wessex, the kingdom of the West Saxons, became dominant.

After the migration to Britain, the Saxons on the Continent were identified as Old Saxons who began to push beyond their boundaries (Figure 6) . By virtue of their conquest of Thuringia along the upper Elbe River, they occupied most of northwestern Germany. The Old Saxons waged intermittent war with the Franks until the end of the 8th century at which time they were conquered by Charlemagne and absorbed into his empire, though the Duchy of Saxony retained a certain degree of autonomy.


Figure 6—Duchy of Saxony Expansion (abt. 1100 AD).

By the time our ancestor, Bruno I, came to prominence, Charlemagne's empire had been divided up and Saxony was part of West Francia, ruled by King Louis III, 2nd great-grandson of Charlemagne. Bruno I was my 36th great-grandfather.

 1Bruno I, Duke of Saxony♂︎ [830-880]
 2Bruno II von Saxe-Egern♂︎
 3Bernard "The Dane" Harcourt♂︎
 4Torf "The Rich" de Harcourt♂︎
 5Turchetil de Harcourt♂︎
 6Lesceline de Harcourt♀︎ ☜ Line converges on Lesceline #4

III. Norman Ancestors of Lesceline de Harcourt

 1Ragnvald Eyesteinsson♂︎
 2Hrolloaug Ragnvaldsson♂︎
 3Hrolf "Rollo" Turstain de Heidmark♂︎
 4Anslech Hrolfson de Bricquebec♂︎[ [927-994]
 5Eremberge de Bricquebec♀︎ [945-992] m. Torf "The Rich" de Harcourt♂︎
 6Turquetil de Harcourt♂︎ [980-1036]
 7Lesceline de Harcourt♀︎ [1003-1069] ☜ Line converges on Lesceline #5

Yes, Lesceline de Harcourt truly had royal blood—Frankish, Saxon, and Viking. That's why our DNA yields French, German, and Scandinavian

———————

FOOTNOTES

[1] Shepherd, William R. Historical Atlas, Growth of Frankish Power, 481-814. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1911

[2] Ross, Kelley L. Successors of Rome, Francia 447-Present, Kings and Emperors of the Franks, France, Burgundy, Italy, and Germany   and the Carolingians   The Proceedings of the Friesian School, Fourth Series. 2022.

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