Raymond or Raimond de Turenne (circa 1074 in Lower Limousin in France to 1137), Viscount of Turenne, was the son of Boson of Turenne and Gerberge of Terrasson-Lavilledieu. He participated in the First crusade as part of Raymond of Toulouse's army.
Biography edit
Raymond was born around 1074, in the vicounty of Turenne, in Lower Limousin. He succeeded his father, who died on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1091.
The first crusade edit
Turenne joined the First Crusade as part of the army of Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse, and following the siege of Antioch, was sent to forage for food, along with Pierre, viscount of Castillon, Amanieu d'Albret, Sicard, Regon de La Riviere, and William of Loubens. Turenne was sent with 100 horsemen and 200 footmen to the city of Tortosa and besieged it.[1] Surrounding a larger force in the city, the knights resort to a ruse: in the evening they light, innumerable fires in the surrounding countryside, suggesting that their army is powerful.[1] The defenders of castle of Tortosa, terrified, flee before dawn, abandoning the city.[1] Turenne seizes the food to supply the army.
During the siege of Jersualem, ships arrived at the port of Jaffa to the aid the Crusaders.[2] Turenne is sent with Raymond Pelet, William de Sabran at the head of 50 riders to protect them.[2] The detachment allows the Genoese to land in the port the siege equipment that will allow the Crusaders to take Jerusalem. After the capture of Jerusalem, Turenne was given custody of a fort near Antioch.
Return home edit
After returning from Holy Land in 1103, Raymond made a donation to the abbey of Saint-Martin de Tulle for the repose of the soul of William, his brother, and Gerberge his mother. In thanksgiving, he founds in the middle of the forest, a hospital called "Jaffa", intended to welcome the pilgrims, and a leprosarium placed at Nazareth on the same road. It also gives the abbey Saint-Pierre Uzerche land located in Saint-Pantaléon, and confirms the donations made by his father at the church of Nadaillac. The leprosarium of Nazareth passed to Templars. As for the hospital of Jaffa, it is called later the hospital-Saint-Jean and disappears.
He was drawn into local conflicts by Gaulcelme of Pierrebufière.
In 1135, on Easter day, Raymond attended a meeting of barons held at La Sanvatat..
He died after 1135 and was buried in the burial place of the viscounts of Turenne, in front of the main door of the abbey Saint-Martin de Tulle.
Marriage and descent edit
Raymond married Matilda of Perche, the daughter of Geoffroy II of Perche,[3] Count of Mortagne, Lord of Nogent, and Count of Perche. The brother of his wife, Rotrou, is count of Perche and his sister, Marguerite is married to Henry of Beaumont, Earl of Warwick.
Raymond of Turenne and Matilda of Perche have:
- Boson II of Turenne, marries Eustorgia of Anduze in 1142
- Magne, wife of Aymeri III de Gourdon, son of Gérard III of Gourdon
- Marguerite of Turenne who marries first Ademar IV of Limoges, and has a son, Ademar V de Limoges. In second marriage, she marries Ebles de Ventadour, from which she separates towards 1151. In third wedding, she marries the count William VI Taillefer, of which she has four children of which:
- William VII of Angoulême;
- Aymar Taillefer, who marries Alice of Courtenay[4]
Mathilde, his widow, marries Guy de Lastours.
References edit
- ^ a b c Runciman 1969, p. 328.
- ^ a b Sweetman 2016, p. 197.
- ^ Thompson 2002, p. 50.
- ^ Vincent 1999, p. 171.
Sources edit
- Thompson, Kathleen (2002). Power and Border Lordship in Medieval France: The Count of the Perche. Boydell Press.
- Vincent, Nicholas (1999). "Isabella of Angouleme:John's Jezebel". In Church, S.D. (ed.). King John: New Interpretations. Boydell Press.
- Runciman, Steven (1969). "The First Crusade: Antioch to Ascalon". In Baldwin, Marshall W. (ed.). A History of the Crusades. Vol. I. The University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 308–342.
- Sweetman, Carol, ed. (2016). Robert the Monk's History of the First Crusade: Historia Iherosolimitana. Routledge.