'Le Pays de Verdun' - the country of Verdun was the last Feudal territory in France to retain the title of Prince. The Princes of Verdun controlled a large area of prosperous land with many small rivers feeding into the mighty river Garonne. There were several other lesser titles. Princes de SAVES, SAVENNES or SAVEZ were mentioned, usually younger brothers. For several centuries the main titles of Vicecomtes de TERRIDES and GIMOEZ continued, until the thirteenth century when the titles were split VERDUN - GIMOEZ - TERRIDES and another, ASTAFFORT.

The Cartulaire de SAINT-THEODARD by F. MOULENCQ, the official historian for the department TARN et GARONNE (due east of GERS) states "LE FAU ou LE FAUS" with the EGLISE del FAUS was called BEATA MARIA de FAGO. In the 10th century "LE FAUS" was the 'chef-lieu d'une viguerie' (the capital of a pastoral community in dense woodland) mentioned in an ACTE of 998. A certain RAYMOND was authorised to look after the property owned by the monastery of Saint-THEODARD and to pay on the annual Saints Day a rent of '15 pains, 4 setiers de vin et un saumon'. Eventually the church was absorbed by Montauban. There is still a little village called LE FAU between VERDUN and MONTAUBAN.

The earliest mention of the Principality in the history books is that of 801 AD when Charlemagne awarded the area of Verdun, Gimoez and Terrides to ALARIC/ADALRIC, Duke of Gascony and Aquitaine. Some lands were handed over in 781 AD to Charlemagne's son LOUIS. LOUP SANCHE a younger son of LOUP II (the victor of Ronscesvalles) was made Count of BAZAS, "Gasse Vasconie qui gaigne la Garonne".

The archives of the Department of the Tarn and Garonne at Montauban have in their possession two very old coins which prove that the principality had their own early coinage. One coin is a 'tiers de sol d'or' with the words VIRDVNO FIVR or FAUR round 'un buste royal' and on the reverse side, a cross and the name AMBROVALD. The words are VERDUN and possibly FAUR (FORCE) which related to the oldest chartes which say 'cum lo terrador del FAU es de la honor de MONTALBA.' Ambrovald was SAINT AMBROSE, Eveque of CAHORS 740-765 AD.

The second coin is a 'denier d'argent'. On one side it has the words HLVDOVICVS IMP around a cross. LUDOVICUS was LOUIS le Debonnaire, Charlemagne's son who was King about 820 AD. On the other side are the words VERDUN VIRIDUNUM. (Source M. Du Mege-Leblanc)

Later in the next century 'les monnaies Gearnaises (South Gascony) portent le nom de FORCAS (la HOURQUIE) et sont attestées au XI Siecle selon le cartulaire de Sainte Foi de MORLAAS' (Ed. L. Calier actes 1 & 9).

The last will and testament of ADHEMARUS/AYMAR/ARNOLD, fifth and last of the old counts of QUERCI who died in 880 AD, was very detailed and specific. Querci was a large area which included Limousin, Rouerge, Auvergne, Agen and Perigord. Agen fringed on the principality of Verdun on the north side of the river Garonne.

There was mention of a legatee "FORSAM AMALGERII" - possibly ARNOLDUS-SEGUINOS, Duke of Gascony. (In 862 a FORTES was Judex or judge of Narbonne.)

There was a donation of "SANCTI MARTIALIS FAURCENSIS" which refers to the modern St. Martial in the principality, south of Valence d'Agen. Finally gifts of "Alodum", freehold lands which 'my father acquired from Count RAIMUNDO (of Toulouse)' in "VICARIA SPANIACENSI et NAVENSEM, seu FAURCENSIS & MARCUM." This clearly refers to the period when the Spanish Kings of Navarre acquired Gascony about 850 AD.

FAURCENSIS was the area controlled by the family, and MARCUM was the river MARCAOUE near GIMONT (due east of Auch), running parallel to the river Gimone, south towards SIMORRE

The Querci testament shows the large area controlled by the family from St. MARTIAL in the north to Simorre in the south. (Extrait du CARTULAIRE de l'Abbaye de Beaulieu en LIMOUSIN.)

The first Prince de Verdun traced by Patrick was GUILLAUME, Comte et Marquise, apparently the eldest son of DONAT SANCHE, third son of SANCHE IV GARCIA, Duke of Gascony, in turn son of GARCIA SANCHE le Courbe, Vicecomte BRUILHOIS, Duke of Gascony. (Ref. Jean de JAURGAIN, book 1, chap.V p.977) GUILLAUME was born about 925 AD. His brother GARCIA DONAT or FORT GARSIEU was Abbot of Blasimond and Comte d'Agen 940-992 AD. Agen is the next feodal area north of the Principality of Verdun. His other brother was ODON-DONAT or ODOAT, first vicecomte de LOMAGNE 930-993 AD, which is the feodal fief due west of the Principality. Later, Ken realised that Donat Sanche was the same man as his alleged father & that this was Sancho Garces, the 'Optimo Imperator', King of Navarre. Le Courbe is indeed one of our ancestors but through the Armagnac/Fezensac line.

The main abbayes and monasteries in the Principality produced chartes or cartulaires which were a form of diary. The main sources were SIMORRE, GIMONT in the south and GRANDESELVE, VERDUN and MAS-GRENIER further north.

In 940/5 WILLIAM AURIOL/ARNOLD, Count of FORTONE - the first Prince de Verdun - is shown in the Cartulaire de SIMORRE (Abbey on the River Gimone near Auch) handing over lands of SARRANCOLIN, GAUJAN and GRAZAN to the Monastery. These were villages between the rivers Gimone and Marcaoue and Save. William's wife was called RIXENDE.

In 952 FORCII AURIOLI/ARNOLD I was a witness to ARNOLDI Comitis de AURA, giving lands to SIMORRE Monastery (Aura was the river AUROUE running parallel to the Gimone).

In 950-982 the brothers FORTAS BALLICAVENSE - Bernardus, Ramundus and Garcia were witnesses to land gifts by William Comes ASTARACENSIS to the church of Auch. Astarac was a neighbouring fief south of Auch. The Comtes d'Astarac were cousins through ARNOLD-GARSIE, brother to Sanche IV Garcia.

BALLICAVENSE meant the Governors of CAVENSE i.e. CAUSSENS near CONDOM. They were brothers of GUILLAUME FORTON I, first Prince de Verdun. He was shown as AQUILHEMUS de FONTE in 977 in St. Peters church cartulaire paying "vi denarios sportule" to the church of SANCTI AURELIANI. The next year he was shown as S. WILLEL de FORCA in Bordeaux when GUMBALDI (his uncle) was Archbishop.

In 978 WILLIAM FORTON, the second Prince, gave the Monastery of POULOUVRIN to the Abbé of SIMORRE. His brother was FORTONE, Abbot of the monastery of PABTIANO (modern PESSANUM). His wife was called ARIBERT or ARABY.

In 980 BERGUNIO FORTE Comte de Fezensac gave lands to GARSIUS FORTIS, Abbot of Blasimond monastery (near La Reole). A few years later, in 985, FORTUS BALLICAVENSE and RAYMUNDUS de FORCE were witnesses to Count William d’Astarac's land sale at Auch. Another mention is of BERNARD, GARCIA and RAYMUND, William's cousins.

The French historian J.F. BLADÉ quotes the manuscript of Abbé d'Aignan of SENDAT that in 993 AD two GUILLAUME FORTONs, father and son were 'Princeps VERDUNI and vicecomtes de GIMOEZ'. Presumably born about 955 and 980 respectively. They were the second and third Princes.

The Dictionnaire Noblesse Vol.9 by de la Chenaye-Desboisel & Baltera states 'Terre et seigneurie GIMOES avec un ancien titre de Vicomté en Gascogne. Le premier Vicomte de GIMOES et TERRIDES est FORTON-GUILLAUME qui vioient en 993 AD'. This is not strictly correct as there were probably vicomtes de GIMOES dating from 801 when Charlemagne granted the lands.

The same Dictionnaire Noblesse gives 16 short pages to TERRIDES, GIMOEZ and VERDUN. It confirms that the Vicomté de Terride was always part of the Duchy of Aquitaine 'il est n'a pu en avoir été demembrée que pour être donnée en apanage a quelques Princes de la Famille de ces Ducs'.

In the period 995-1010 Gaston/Guillaume FORTO/FORTONE was Abbot of the Monasteries of MONRENSELS and LUCENSI. In 977 he gave lands to the Abbey of MAS-GRENIER and 'chemins publics between GRANDSELVE abbey and DIEUPENTALE, near Verdun.

During the 100 year period of four consecutive Williams - Princes of Verdun and Counts of Gimoez and Terrides, the Norsemen were still causing havoc along the riverside towns. Verdun was on the west bank of the river Garonne, but the other family chateaux of Les Fours (near Gimat) and Terrides were further inland and were probably not molested.

In Appendix III are some extracts of the original Latin chartes or cartulaires, which show some of the family activities.

In the eleventh century a William is shown in the chartes as De FORCES or FORCA for the first time. Pere Anselme calls him Seigneur de la Force. A. OIHENART calls him 'Guillermo Senhor de FORCESIO'. He married about 1005 Bracheute, only daughter of GERALD Comte d'Armagnac, whose fief was about 50 miles due west of the large Verdun-Gimoez-Terride principality. There is evidence that they were spending more time in Condom and La Reole and less in Verdun.

In 1009 the family were shown in the Charte of the foundation Abbey St. ORENTS of REGULA in the ecclesiastical diocese of Tarbes. 'FORT (G)ARSI(AY dedit BARIS, postea venit abbas Gregorius illius villae dominum de GARCIA FORTI, GARCIO fiho suo & dedit illi tres boves & unam vaccam, GUILLELMUS namque FORTO in eadam villa 1 casal & 1 vineam atque 1 villanum in ARRIMIO alterum, GUILLELMUS que GARCIAS frater domini abbatis Gregorius villamque vocatum LANDE cum appenditus fuis excepto uno villano quem postea dedit frates ejus EICUS GARCIA & unam vineam in rivo cavo atque unam villanum in vinealibus.. BRASCHO (BRACHEUTE) FORTIS duos villanos in eadam villa unum equam & quinque solidos... FORTO ARABI quoque de ARTOMALO vineam optimum... casale FORTO ARIOL cum appenditus fuis domino abbati DODONI.'

The area is near MIRANDE. LANDE is now Les Lannes. BARIS is 'now BARS, ARRIMIO/ ARTOMALO is St. Arroman between SIMORRE and MIELAN, St. DODE is near MIELAN, St.ORENS is near LAREOLE due north of GIMONT - all then owned by the Princes of Verdun.

Villanus is a farm servant, Boves are oxen, Vacca is a cow, Equam a horse, solidos are coins and vineam are vines. GARCIE, 'father and son are shown. William, married to Bracheutte, is brother to Garcie. EICUS is FORTO of MOREN-SELS married to AURIOLA d'AUTOS shown as AURIOL. ARABI is ARIBERT wife of the elder GUILLAUME FORTON.

In 1010 BRISCHITTA de FORCES, wife of William Comte de GIMUEZ is shown as "nobilis matrona benefactori" who gave lands to St. Peters church of DIOLO (de La Reole). She was living in Condom at the time and there were several Bishops of Condom in the family. It is a prosperous town 30 miles due north of Auch, the capital of Gascony. At about this time Fourcès, the family town west of Condom, was built on the river AUZOUE. BRACHEUTE was a generous donor to the churches and was shown later in 1050 giving lands. Her husband in 1005 was Sieur WILLELMINUS de FORCA, witness when Archbishop GUMBALDI consecrated the churches of St.SEVERINO of Bordeaux and St. PETRI of PARRUMPOIRA (PAREMPAYRE near LE FOURCAS, north of Bordeaux). GUMEALDI was the grandson of GOMBAUT-SANCHE, Eveque Gascoigne b.910, and therefore a cousin of WILLIAM’s.

In 1000 the archives de l'abbaye de Mas Grenier show 'Ce FORTON, vicecomte de Terride donne a l'abbaye le territoire & les dependances des ANNONES (NONAS)'. In 1015 ‘i1 fait don d'un bois (wood) dans la foret de Grandselve’. 'Forto Guillelmus vicecomes in donatione B. Petro de Curte (St. Pierre de la Coeur) GARNENSI super fluvium Garonne, collata anno circiter 1015, Apostolorum principi Virginem Deiparam & St. Gerontium patronus adsciscit.'

But the Norsemen swept down the Garonne in the next four years 1015-19 and all the Toulouse monasteries were destroyed.

It seems clear that William's family was now more concerned with the Bordeaux and LA REOLE area where the Dukes of Gascony lived and ruled.

In 1017 WILLIAM was shown as VICOMTE de LOUVIGNY, which is modern FOURCAS-LOUBANEY in LISTRAC/MEDOC, a few miles north of Bordeaux, also in the same year as FORTON d' ASSOS, the river AUZOUE which runs through the family town of Fourcès.

The Cartulaire of Sainte Petro de REOLLA (La Reole) for 1026-1030 shows gifts of wines by 'Guillelmus FORTIS, filius FORTIS GUILHELMI et GUILHELMUS ARNALDUS, filius ARNALDI FORTIS in loco qui vocatur MIRALT.' Clearly they are two brothers WILLIAM and ARNOLD, with their respective sons WILLIAM and WILLIAM ARNOLD.

In 1026 Sieur WILLELMA de FORCA of St. Petri PARRUMPOIRA went to Bordeaux for Archbishop Gumbaldi's funeral.

In 1035 Comte Guillaume gave lands to his son WILLIAM FORTON II, Abbot of the Monastery of SIMORRE. In 1037 Guilherm FORTO was Seigneur de ISAC/AUZAC south of La Reole.

William and Bracheutte had several sons. Another William of course, Bernard, who married a cousin Azeline de Lomagne in 1030, and Garcias. Garcias certainly lived in the La Reole area. In 1030 he was 'FORTIS, don de ALODO (freehold) quod habet in BLANIACO villa. (Blaignac is a few miles due south of La Reole) Vinea de FORT (G)ARSI de GENNARS (NE of La Reole) quam dedit Sancto Petrus (St. Peters church, La Reole). In the same year 'William FORT de MEUREL et frater suus (G)AZIO FORTE faciunt carta de une Alodo qui est in pago ALALDIGNO in FFRETTMONTE (a' LOUVIGNY/LOUBANEY). Pro uno fronte 18 Perticas - Uno latus 37 perticas - Adio fronte 18 perticas - Aho latus 30 perticas, pro istam pretium qui dicitur VI solides et fecit FORTO Presbiter.' A fronte is an altar for the church. Latus (lattice) is a window. A solidus was a gold coin which eventually became a shilling, with 100 perticas to a solidus. William and Garcie were making a very practical contribution to St. Peter's Church. The brothers in 1037 were described as 'les deux freres qui tenaient le premier rang parmi les grands seigneurs du pays'.

A little later 1032-1037 GUILHEM FORTIS BRUNELINI with his brother ARNALDUS FORTIS gave a MOULIN or windmill to the church of St Severe - St. SEVRINEL of Bordeaux. "BRUNELINI" looked impossible. Not so - modern BRUGNAC, near TARGON in the Gironde is a wine growing area owned by the family of 'DU FOUSSAT de BOGERON' (probably BOURG). It just shows how a very good map of the area and a little inspiration can help the family historian!

Garsie FORT, FORTII was Prior of Abbeys of SORDES and PESSAN (near Auch) in 1037, and Abbot of the Monastery of PESSAN in 1040.

The next generation from the William born in 1025 produced four sons. WILLIAM DONAT (derived from DONAT SANCHE of 910-930) who became Sieur de FORCES/Fourcès, the family town west of Condom. He was still living in 1090.

BERNARD, Baron of Fourcès, figures in many chartes. He was very generous indeed with his donations of lands to various churches. He was the first of seven hundred years of Bernards, who appear in many chapters in this book. He was related to the Counts of Fezensac, the Armagnacs and the Lomagnes. When he died, his widow remarried to GERALD Comte d'Armagnac, about 1070. Bernard's son WILLIAM FORTO was Co-seigneur de GODZ and MAULICHERES (GOUTZ is N. of Auch and Maulicheres due west, near AIRE). WILLIAM in turn had three sons - William, Arnold, a monk at Saint-Mont in 1062, and GARCIA FORT who became magistrate of Maulichieres. Their grandfather had given many lands to the monastery of Saint Mont near Riscle, on the river Adour.

In 1060 at Savannes, near Verdun, there was a family dissension. From the Latin chart of the Abbaye de Mas Grenier it appears that GAUFRIDO (i.e. WILLIAM) of Quater-Podio (now "les 4 chemins" near Verdun) was "supreme loci domino" and adjudicated in a quarrel between ARNALDUS CURTENSI (Mas Grenier) 'monarchus' and William Arnold (father and son) and on the other side Raymond Arnold de MOLDONE-VILLA (MONDOU now) and ARNOLD GARSIE. (See family tree.) William in 1064 (Willhelmus atque FORTAS) gave lands & estates to St.Marie's church at Auch.

In 1071 William-Raymond and Guillaume-Bernard were joint Princes de SAVEZ (SAVENES). In 1080 WILLELMUS FORTIS of HORNONO (ORNON a suburb of Bordeaux) was a witness to GOSCELINUS Archbishop of Bordeaux on his dedication of the monastery MAJORIS-SYLVIA (modern SEOUBE).

In 1073 ARNAUD, Viscomte de GASCOIGNE, father of ODON, vicecomte de Lomagne & Auvillars ceded BRUILHOIS la Plume, GIMOEZ and GAVARRET to Gerald Comte d’Armagnac (LOUBENS)

In 1089 although Raymond was Prince of Verdun (with a son Arnaud), Guillaume-Bernard was Prince de Sayes or SAVENNES. This is the second mention of this title which comes from SAVENES, a family chateau 3 miles SE of Verdun.

In 1089 Raymond-Arnauld, son of William 'qualifié Prince de Verdun', but six years later 'Bertrannus I alteram ejusdam ecclesiae partem acquisivit ab ARNOLDO GAUSBERTO principe castri VIRDUNENSIS datis 90 solidos monetae publicae fer.' (Abbé Daux. His. Eglise Montauban). In 1095 William's wife MARIA gave ‘sex jornalios bone terre' and 'frumenti, sex denarios, porci et gallinam'!

In 1099-1104 GULEELMO FORTIS gave many lands to the church of CARCAUNO south of Vincent de Canals, St.Helena de Stagno. (Eccle. de SOLACO) It is interesting that nine centuries ago the unusual natural,canal which runs north and south to Toulouse on the east of the river Garonne, was even then in use.

The family surname was shown in the chartes as DOFAS, de FOISS, DALFAROU in addition to the Latin versions of FORT, FORTON etc.

In 1159 King Henry II of England occupied the Chateau of Verdun-sur-Garonne (Loubens)

In 1163 the three sons were 'directed' to use "le nom ASTAFORT, de GIMOEZ and de VERDUN", but the main line of the family are the WILLIAM and BERNARD families based on Fourcès & CONDOM and LA REOLE/ORNON in the Gironde.

The title of Feodal Princes ended with ARNAUD-RAYMOND and GUILLAUME BERNARD, but the titles of GIMOEZ, TERRIDES and ASTAFORT continued for a long time, until BERNARD II Vicomte de Terrides & Gimoez who died in 1368 'leur race s'éteignent'.

The final links are shown in the chronological chart for the 11th century.

Sources:

"Histoire Generale de Lanquedoc", Dom VAISSETTE
"La Vasconie" by J. JAURGAIN
Manuel de Geographie & Histoire ancienne de Gascoigne & Beam, by F.J. BOUELDEAU
Pere Anselme; A. OIHENART; Abbé D'Olgilvy;
J.R. BLADE;
A. MARCA
'GALLIA CHRISTIANA' book 2 etc.
Archives Historiques de la GIRONDE (volume 36 and others)
N. JOUGLAR "Abbayes de MAS-GRENIER & GRANDSELVE"
O. GAUBAN 'Histoire de La Reole'
"Cartulaire de St.MONT" - Gascony

In the person of the well-known & well recorded Bernard, Baron de Fourcès, we have the evidence that renders the speculative examination of the many Bernards in the family below & in preceding chapters interesting, rather than necessary. In 1491, King Charles VIII granted Bernard de la Forsa the right to rebuild the castle in "his ancestral village of Fourcès". We can now confidently claim that the well-recorded ancestors of Bernard, Baron de Fourcès are ours. It would have been during Bernard's life that the village of Fourcès first appears on a map (chapter 28).

The first edition of this continues the groping search back into the so-called Dark Ages, looking for clues. This lead to a number of people with Forte, Fortun etc in their names but the connecting threads were often thin. Added to this, the fraud committed in the 16th century by 'someone' trying to connect up various royal families had not been fully exposed.

When preparing the second edition of this book & deciding to check the sources again, Ken rebuilt the trees back from Bernard de Fourcès, using the latest information & included all the wives where possible. The consequence was that many individuals who had appeared to fall by the wayside in the first edition, reappeared through the wives. The high degree of cousin marriage produced a little over 400 ancestors altogether in 27 generations, instead of the expected 136 million.

Of Bernard's eight great-great-grandfathers, three are the same man, Garcia I Sanchez, King of Navarre (919 - 22/2/970). Remarkably, we have a precise account of his death, which was at the Pequeña Gate, Church of San Esteban, in Castillo de Monjardín.

Part Three of this book starts with Bernard's family tree & then proceeding from our earliest known ancestors, writes the History of the Delaforce Gene-pool in the Dark Ages.