Pons, Count of Toulouse

Pons (II) William^[1] (991 – 1060) was the Count of Toulouse from 1037. He was the eldest son and successor of William III Taillefer and Emma of Provence. He thus inherited the title marchio Provincæ. He is known to have owned many allods and he relied on Roman, Salic, and Gothic law.

Already in 1030, he possessed a lot of power in the Albigeois. In 1037, he gave many allodial churches and castles, including one half of that of Porta Spina, in the Albigeois, Nimois, and Provence as a bridal gift to his wife Majore.

In 1038, he split the purchase of the Diocese of Albi with the Trencavel family. In 1040, he donated property in Diens to Cluny. In 1047, he first appears as count palatine in a charter donating Moissac to Cluny.

Pons married first wife, Majore,^[2] in 1022. She died in 1044. In 1045, he married, Almodis de La Marche, former wife of Hugh V of Lusignan, but he too repudiated her in 1053. His only child by Majore, Pons the Younger, did not inherit his county and march. His eldest sons by Almodis, William IV and Raymond IV, originally just count of Saint-Gilles, succeeded him in turn. His son Hugh became abbot of Saint-Gilles. He had one daughter, Almodis, who married the Count of Melgueil.

Pons died in Toulouse and was buried in Saint-Sernin, probably late in 1060 or early in 1061.

Notes

Sources

• Lewis, Archibald R. The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050. University of Texas Press: Austin, 1965.
• Medieval Lands Project: Toulouse.

Counts of Toulouse Torson William I Beggo Berengar Bernard I Acfred2 William II Fredelon Raymond I Humfrid2 Sunyer Bernard II Bernard III Odo Raymond II Raymond III Raymond (IV) Hugh Raymond (V) William III Pons William IV Raymond IV Philippa William V1 Bertrand Philippa William V1 William VI Alphonse I Raymond V Raymond VI Simon2 Amaury Raymond VII Joan Alphonse II1 Philip Louis Alexandre 1 Count through marriage 2 Count through conquest