House of Baux

The House of Baux is a French noble family from the south of France. It was one of the richest and most powerful families of Medieval Provence, known as the 'Race d’Aiglon'. They were independent Lords as castellan of Les Baux and Arles and wielded very considerable authority at local level. They held important fiefs and vast lands, incl. the principality of Orange.^[1]

In Provençal, the word “Baux” ( "li Baou" in provencal) means escarpment/cliff, and refers to the natural fortress on which the family built their castle, the Château des Baux and the village that surrounded it. The word is also seen in Bau-maniere, Bau-baisse, Bau-mirane, Bau-Cous-temple. In provencal to be from les Baux, des Baux, was "de Baucio". The natural defense provided by the escarpment, the raised and protected mountain valley that allowed them to have a protected food supply, and the natural ridge of the Alpilles that allowed them to control all the approaches to the citadel of Les Baux and the surrounding countryside, including the passage up and down the Rhone, and the approaches from the Mediterranean, made that the fortress impervious to the military technology of the time.

Les Baux-de-Provence seen from the side, showing the natural fortress created by the escarpment. Without gunpowder, it was impregnable.

The family of des Baux exists today in Naples in the person of several noble families ("del Balzo") descended from younger sons who followed Charles of Anjou south.^[2] After the death of Alix des Baux, the last sovereign of Baux, the chateaux and town were seized by King Rene, who gave it to his 2nd wife, Queen Jeanne of Laval. When Provence was united with the crown, almost 150 yrs of royal governors followed, including the lords, later counts and princes de Manville. Les Baux became a centre for Protestantism. Its unsuccessful revolt against the crown led Cardinal Richelieu in 1632 to order that the castle and its walls should be demolished. This was accomplished with the aid of cannon.

Lords of Baux

Original coat of arms of the House of Baux (Lords of Baux). Some authors, and local tradition, with a hagiographic aim, fancifully claimed that the family was descended from Balthazar, one of the three Magi (the 16-rayed star symbolizing the star of Bethlehem). Some, that they descended from the first kings of Armenia, the star signifying that they directly knew Jesus. The motto of the family was ‘Au Hasard Baltasar', as well as 'Jamais Vassal’ and ‘Semper Ardentius’

The earliest definite ancestor was one Pons (Poncius) (name could designate a trader from Greece) "Iuvenis" (the younger, meaning there was an older?). Pons The Younger was mentioned in 3 legal acts:^[3]

• 1st in the act of donation of 14 May 971 donating Montmajour to Boson & his wife Folcoare,
• 2nd in 975 in the act of donation of land to St Etienne d'Arles, now called St. Trophime (Arch. du chap. d'Arles, liv. autent. f. 22)
• 3rd with his wife Profecte in an act of donation in 981

The family descent then is:

• Pons (971-?), father of
• Hugh I (?-1059), father of
• William I Hugh (1050–1110), father of
• Raymond I (1110–1150), father of
• Hugh II (1150–1167)
• Bertrand I (1167–1181) also the first Baux prince of Orange, brother of Hugh II
• Hugh III, lord of Baux, viscount of Marseille (1181–1240), eldest son of Bertrand I
• Barral I of Baux (1240–1268), son of Hugh III, father of
• Bertrand III (1268–1305), 9th Lord of Baux, father of
• Raymond II (1305–1322), 10th Lord of Baux, father of
• Hugh IV (1322–1351), father of
• Robert (1351–1353)
• Raymond III (1353–1372), brother of
• John I (1372–1375)
• Alice I (1372–1426), sister of

This branch of the House of Baux was declared extinct in 1426. The domains were inherited by Counts of Provence.

Lords of Berre, Meyragues, Puyricard and Marignane

• Bertrand II des Baux, second oldest son of Bertrand I des Baux, lord of Berre, Meyragues and Puyricard, and Marignanane (1181–1201)
• ...

From this branch originated the family branches of the Seigneurs de Berre, Lords of Meyrargues and Puyricard, who became extinct in 1349, and lords of Marignane, acquired by House of Valois-Anjou, as well as the Dukes of Andria.

Princes of Orange

When a branch of the lords of Baux married the heiress of the princes of Orange, they quartered their arms with those of the princes of Orange.

• Bertrand des Baux (1171–1181)
• Raymond II of Baux, (1218–1282)
• William I, youngest son of Bertrand des Baux (1181–1218)
• William II, co-Prince (with brothers),1218-1239
• Bertrand II, (1281–1314)
• Raymond III (1314–1340)
• Raymond V (1340–1393)
• Mary of Baux-Orange (1393–1417), daughter, married John III of Châlon-Arlay

In 1417 the House of Ivrea or House of Châlon-Arlay succeeded as princes of Orange.

A brother of William I started the branch of the Lords of Courbezon (House of Baux-Courbezon), which became extinct in 1393. Another brother started the line of Lords of Suze, Solerieux and Barri (House of Baux-Suze-Solerieux-Barri), which became extinct and reverted afterwards to the counts of Orange.

Family Genealogy

The ancestors of the Lords of Baux

The ancestors of the Lords of Baux:^[4]

Leibulf de Provence (vers 750-835)
  x Odda ?
  |
  | → Leibulf des Baux (middle of the 9th century).[5]
        x ??
        |
        | →  Pons d’Arles (end of the 9th century)
              x Blismodis de Mâcon[6]
              |
              | → Humbert, Bishop of Vaison-la-Romaine (890-933)
                   |
              | → Ison d’Arles (890-942),
                    x Princess ? of Benevento
                    |
                    | →  Lambert Ursus seigneurs de Reillanne
                    |     x Galburge de Bénévent
                    |     |
                    |     | →  Seigneurs de Reillanne
                    |
                    | →  Pons de Marseille (910-979), 
                         x   Judith de Bretagne,[lower-alpha 1] daughter d'Alain II de Bretagne
                         |
                         | → Honoratus de Marseille (930-978), Bishop of Marseille
                         |
                         | →  William of Marseille (935-1004)
                         |    x Bellilde, daughter d’Arlulf de Marseille
                         |    |
                         |    | →  Vicomtes de Marseille
                         |                                 
                         x  Belletrude[lower-alpha 2]
                         |
                         | →  (hyp) Pons de Fos (vers 945-1025)
                               x Profecta de Marignane
                               |
                               | →  Seigneurs de Fos
                               |
                               | →  (hyp) Hugues des Baux (981-1060) 
                                   x Inauris de Cavaillon (?)
                                   |
                                   | → Guillaume Hugues de Baux (1060–1095)
                                        x Vierne
                                        |
                                        | → Raymond-Raimbaud des Baux (1095–1150)
                                             x Étiennette de Gévaudan 
                                             |
                                             | → Bertrand des Baux 
                                                  x Thiburge II d'Orange 

Simplified Family Tree of the Lords of Baux

The family tree of the lords of Baux (per the references cited in the adjacent footnote, rather than footnote each person, as they are from all these sources): ^[7]

Pons the Younger "Iuventus", 945-1025

Hugh,981-1060, Lord of Baux

Geoffrey I of Provence, 1013-1062,Count of Provence

William Hugo ,c. 1026 - c. 1105, Lord of Baux

William Bertrand, 1051-1094, Count of Provence

Gerberga,1094-1118,Countess of Provence

Gilbert, Viscount of Gévaudan, Count of Arles,d.ca. 1110

Raymond I, 1095-1150, Lord of Baux

Stephanie, d. c. 1160 The younger daughter. This marriage was the start of the Baussenque Wars over the succession to Provence

Dulcia, Countess of Provence, c. 1090–1127

Ramon Berenguer III "the Great", Count of Barcelona, c. 1082–1131

Hugh II, 1150-1170 Iudicarus of Arborea, Sardinia, Vcte. des Baux to 1384

Bertrand I, Lord of Baux, 1130-1181 Count & from 1163 Prince of Orange

Tiburge d'Orange, died 1189 daughter & heiress of Raimbaud II d'Orange, Count of Orange

Counts of Provence

Hugh III of Baux, 1173- 1240 Lord of Baux Vcte of Marseille

Bertrand II of Baux, died 1201 co-Prince of Orange

William I of Baux,?-1218 Prince of Orange

Barrale Viscountess of Marseille died 1234 d.& heiress of Barral, Vcte of Marseilles & Maria of Montpellier, d. of Eudocia Commena (d.<1201)

Barral I of Baux,1217-1270 Lord of Baux Vcte of Marseille

Raymond II of Baux,d.1236 Vcte of Marseille

Raymond I of Baux, 1202-1282 co-Prince of Orange

William II of Baux,1218-1239 co-Prince of Orange

Bertrand II of Baux,1244-1305 Lord of Baux Vcte of Marseille 1st Count d'Avellino (Naples) 1278

Bertrand III of Baux, Sg Meyrargues et Puyricard +1266 Line of Sg de Meyrargues et de Puyricard, ended 1352 in the male line.

Gilbert of Baux, Sg sg de Marignane Line of sg de Marignane, line continues to this day in Provence

William of Baux,[lower-alpha 1] Sg de Berre +1265/1266 dukes d'Andria(Naples). "del Balzo" (Naples) exists, lines 1. dukes of Capriglianode, and 2. dukes of Presenzano

Raymond of Baux, Vcte of Berre' No descendants

Bertrand IV of Baux, died 1314 4th-Prince of Orange

William IV of Baux, d. <1281 co-Prince of Orange

William III of Baux, died 1256/7 co-Prince of Orange, Sg Courthézon

Raymond II of Baux, died 1256/7 co-Prince of Orange, sg Courthézon, et Suze, Séguret, Sérignan, Camaret

m.1273 Eléonore de Genève

Raymond I of Baux,1268-1321 Lord of Baux Vcte of Marseille Count d'Avellino (Naples),Sénéchal de Provence 1315, Régent de Naples en 1295

Hugh, assassinated Milan 1302, Sg de Loriol, Sénéchal of Piémont, Vicaire Général Lombardy, no descendants

Barral II of Baux, 1301-1331, Sg de Loreto

Agoult de Baux, d.1346/7, Sg. de Caromb, Brantes, Le Barroux, St Léger, Sénéchal Beaucaire, and Nimes 1340, Toulouse/Albi 1342, Cap. gén. en Languedoc

Raymond IV of Baux, died 1340 5th Prince of Orange

Bertrand III of Baux,[lower-alpha 2] died 1305 co-Prince of Orange, Sg Courthézon

Raymond III of Baux,[lower-alpha 3] d.ca.1339 co-Prince of Orange, 2nd sg de Suze, & Bari

Hugh II of Baux, 1311-1351 Lord of Baux Vcte of Marseille Count d'Avellino (Naples), Sénéchal de Provence 1343,Grand Admiral of Naples

Bertrand des Baux, d. 1355, Seig of Caromb

Dragobert des Baux, 1327/8-1340, sg de Villefranche

Raymond des Baux, 1328-1381, Sg of Caromb, & c.

Amiel des Baux, d. 1375, Sg of Caromb, & c.

Raymond V of Baux, died 1393 6th Prince of Orange

Bertrand of Baux d.1380 Sg. of Gigondas, Suze,Condorcet

Guiges of Baux d.1390

Guillaume of Baux d.1390 Sg of Camaret, Travaillan, Condorcet

m. Jeanne de Genève[8]

Antoine of Baux, d. 1374, Sg of Aubagne

Robert of Baux,d.1354 Lord of Baux Vcte of Marseille Count d'Avellino

Raymond II of Baux, 1331-1372 Lord of Baux Vcte of Marseille Count d'Avellino

Francis of Baux, d. 1390, Sg of Aubagne

Mary of Baux-Orange, died 1417 7th Princess of Orange

William of Baux, d. 1427Sg. of St-Roman de Malegarde

John III of Châlon, lord of Arlay, died 1418

John of Baux, 1372-1375 posthumous child

Alix of Baux,[lower-alpha 4] 1367-1426 last sovereign Lady of the indep. state of Baux Countess d'Avellino

Châlon & Nassau Princes of Orange

^[9]

See also

• Les Baux de Provence
• Les Baux de Provence AOC
• Baussenque Wars (1144–1162)
• Il signore di Baux

Notes

Bibliography

• Grew, Marion Ethel (1947). The House of Orange. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd. 

External links

• Cawley, Charles, MedLands genealogy of the des Baux family, Medieval Lands database, Foundation for Medieval Genealogy 
• GENEALOGY Maison del Balzo/des Baux by Gioacchino del Balzo with extensive bibliography
• Grand Armorial du Comtat Venaissin by Jean Gallian
• History of Les Baux en Provence