The histories will appear as a series of Posts in our blog’s category titled ‘Valentina Baciu’s Genealogy’. Please feel free to comment on the work as it is posted. Thanks to Valentina for developing this fascinating material.

- katherine

– Katherine…

Yolande de Dreux, comtesse de Montfort-l’Amaury, after being the queen of Scotland, married in 05/1292 Arthur de Dreux, (Arthus) II duc de Bretagne (1262  – 1312), (son of Jean II, duc de Bretagne, and of Beatrix, daughter of Henri III). She named her son Jean (future Jean IV de Dreux (1293-1345),  duc de Bretagne, comte de Montfort), although her husband Arthus had already a son named Jean (duc de Bretagne after his father and before his half-brother), so there were more Jean, comte de Montfort l’Amaury welll into XIV century.

The last comtesse de Montfort-l’Amaury was Anne de Bretagne, wife of 2 kings of France and the grand-mother of king Henri II de Valois (husband of Catherine de Medicis, Guy’s great, great granddaughter). King Henri was officially the last comte de Montfort-l’Amaury.  It is official that while hostage in Spain (after his father king Francois I was released by Charles Quintus), young Henri was reading Amadis de Gaula. finding his only comfort in it! French wiki considers this only a legend but still…

Enjoy!  And feel free to post comments here at on my blog.

- Katherine

with Valentina’s genealogy.  Please post comments and thoughts below this newest post from our guest contributor, Valentina Baciu.
– Katherine

I. The family of Simon’s sister Amicie de Montfort and her husband Gaucher I de Joigny, Seigneur de Chateaurenard.

Simon’s niece Petronille (Perenelle) de Joigny, Dame de Chateaurenard et d’Amilly (1230 ~ 1282), widow of Pierre II de Courtenay-Mehun.

Their daughter Amicie de Courtenay, Heiress of Conches, (~ 1250-1275, Rome), and her future husband Robert II, le noble, comte d’ Artois, son of Robert I, Comte d’Artois (brother of  king Louis IX)

II. The family of Amaury de Montfort and his wife Beatrice de Viennois, de Bourgogne

A. Simon’s niece Alix de Montfort, dame de Houdan, (~ 1225-  1279) and her husband Simon II de Nesle, Comte de Clermont en Beauvaisis, (~ 1210 -1286), Régent du Royaume de France (1270), future tuteur des enfants de France (children of king Philippe III Le Hardi).

Their son Raoul II de Clermont, Seigneur de Nesle Brios, future connétable de France from 1277-1302.

B. Simon’s niece Laure de Montfort, dame d’Epernon (d. before 08/1279) widow of prince Ferdinand of Castille, comte de Ponthieu (brother of queen Eleanor of England), and her husband Henri VI de Grandpré, seigneur de Livry, son of Henri V de Grandpré, comte de Grandpré and of Isabeau de Brienne. He is the nephew of Alix de Grandpré, wife of Jean de Joinville, Sénéchal de Champagne, conseiller du roi Louis IX, chroniqueur.

C. Simon’s niece Beatrice de Montfort, comtesse de Montfort – l’Amaury (1249 - ~ 1311), vicomtesse de Chateaudun, daughter of Simon’s nephew Jean I de Montfort, Comte de Montfort l’Amaury and of Jeanne de Chateaudun, Dame de Chateau-du-Loir. Beatrice’s step father was Jean de Brienne dit «d’Acre», Grand Butler of France (d. 1296), son of Jean de Brienne, roi de Jérusalem. Beatrice married in 1260 Robert IV de Dreux, son of Jean I de Dreux, comte de Dreux et de Braine. Their daughter Yolande (Jolanthe) de Montfort de Dreux, comtesse de Montfort-L’Amaury, (1263-1322), future queen of Scotland and future wife of  Arthur II de Dreux, duc de Bretagne, (son of Jean II, duc de Bretagne, and of princess Beatrix, daughter of Henry III).

D. Simon’s niece Marguerite de Montfort (d. after 1284) and her husband Jean III de Nesle, comte de Soissons, seigneur de Chimay in Hainaut.

III. The family of Simon’s sister Laure de Montfort and her husband Gérard II de Picquigny, seigneur de Picquigny, Vidame d’Amiens

A.  Simon’s  niece Marguerite de Picquigny and her husband  Thomas III de Coucy, seigneur de Vervins, châtelain de Marle, Gouverneur et Sénéchal de Flandres. Their children :

Simon’s niece Marie de Coucy dite Riquenu «de Verdun» and her husband Gaucher de Thourotte, chatelain de Noyon

Simon’s nephew Thomas IV de Coucy, Seigneur de Vervins, Chémery

B. Simon’s niece Jeanne de Picquigny and her husband Gautier IV de Heilly.

IV. The family of Guy de Montfort, seigneur de Rambouillet

A. The family of Simon’s niece Alix de Montfort, comtesse de Bigorre (~1216 - ~ 1255),Vicomtesse de Marsan.

Her son Eschivat IV, comte de Bigorre, seigneur de Chabannais and his wife Inès (ou Agnès) de Foix, daughter of Roger IV, comte de Foix,
granddaughter of Roger-Bernard II le Grand comte de Foix, vicomte de Castelbon.

Her daughter Laure de Chabanais, comtesse de Bigorre (~1245- 1316).

Her second husband Raoul de Courtenay (1223 – 1271 Naples), son of Robert I de Courtenay, cousin of Charles de Anjou, seigneur d’Illiers, Neuvy, Paudy, Tramelay, Pymorin.

Her daughter Mahaut de Courtenay, dame de Pandy et Neuvy, future comtesse di Chieti e Teano.

B. Simon’s niece Peronelle de Montfort, dame de Rambouillet and her husband Raoul IV (Paynel) de La Roche-Tesson, sénéchal de Normandie.

V. The family of Simon’s first cousin Philippe I de Montfort, seigneur de Castres, Sidon et Ferté-Alais,

châtelain de Roquecourbe (Albigeois). Seigneur de Beynes, seigneur de Tyr et du Toron (1241-1267) en Terre Sainte.

A. His first son, Simon’s nephew, Philippe II de Montfort, Le Jeune ( ~1225 -  24/09/1270 in Tunis, in Louis IX Crusade) seigneur de Bréthencourt, et comte de Squillace, seigneur de Beynes, lieutenant de son père puis seigneur de Castres (dès~1260), La Ferté-Alais et Lombers, Gouverneur de la Bigorre pour Simon de Montfort, Lieutenant de Charles d’Anjou à Naples (1265). And his wife and cousin Jeanne de Lévis Mirepoix.  Their children:

Simon’s nephew Jean II de Montfort, seigneur de Castres, future comte de Squillace (Calabre, royaume de Naples) et de Montescaglioso, Chambellan du roi de Sicile (1273), capitaine-général de Calabre in 1290.

Simon’s niece Dame Jeanne de Montfort de Chambéon and her future husband, her cousin Guigues VI d’Albon, comte de Forez.

Simon’s niece Dame Eléonore de Montfort, comtesse de Vendôme, dame de Beynes, héritière de Castres et de fiefs en sud-Albigeois and her future husband Jean V, comte de Vendôme, de la Maison de Montoire.

Simon’s niece Dame Laure de Montfort and her husband Bernard VII, comte  de Comminges,

B. His second son, Simon’s nephew, Jean de Montfort (1240-1283), lord of Toron and Lord of Tyre in Terre Sainte.

C. His daughter, Simon’s niece Philippa de Montfort and her husband Guillaume I  d’Esneval, baron d’Esneval.

D. His third son, Simon’s nephew,  Humphrey (Onfroi) I de Montfort, seigneur de Beyrouth, seigneur de Tyr (1283)

VI. The family of Simon’s aunt, Peronelle de Montfort and her husband Barthélémy de Roye

Grand Chambrier de France, seigneur d’Herelle, comte de Roye. Il joua un grand rôle sous Louis VIII et la régence de Blanche de Castille.

Their children :

A. Simon’s cousin Amicie de Roye (abbesse de Premy à Cambrai) and her husband  Guillaume IV Crespin, (d. 1283), baron du Bec-Crespin et de Dangu, seigneur d’Estrepagny.

Their son, Simon’s nephew, Guillaume VI Crespin «Le Jeune» (1245- 1313) baron du Bec-Crespin, Dangu et Etrepagny, Lisors, Varenguebec et Neaufle, future maréchal de France (~1282/83) et connétable héréditaire de Normandie.

B. Simon’s nephew Jean III de Nesle (1215 – 1292), (son of his cousin Alix de Roye) and his second wife Jeanne de Dammartin (~1220-1278), former queen of Castille, comtesse de Ponthieu et d’Aumale, widow of Ferrand (Fernando), roi de Castille, Tolède, Léon et Galice. Mother of Eleanor de Castille, wife of prince Edward.

VII. The family of Simon’s aunt, Guiburge de Montfort and her husband Guy I de Levis

Maréchal d’Albigeois,  seigneur de Mirepoix et de Montségur

Their son, Simon’s first cousin  Guy II de Levis. His children:

A. Simon’s niece Algayette de Lévis and her husband Pierre I, seigneur de la Valette, de Cuzoul, de Saint-Igne et de Prévinquières, sénéchal du Périgord. Her son  de Rieupeyroux, (1255 – 1302).

B. Simon ‘s niece Eustache de Lévis and her husband Jean de Bruyères, Seigneur de Bruyères, baron de Puivert

C. Simon’s niece Jeanne de Lévis and her husband and cousin Philippe II de Montfort, seigneur de Castres

D. Simon’s niece Marguerite de Lévis and her second husband  Mathieu II seigneur de Marly and Gallardon, son of Bouchard II de Marly, grand chambellan de France. Their children :

- Bouchard III, seigneur de Marly

- Mathieu III, seigneur de Marly, amiral de France, Echanson de France

E. Simon’s nephew Guy III de Lévis, maréchal et seigneur de Mirepoix, seigneur de Montségur, de Florensac, de Pommerols, de Plaignes, de Lévis etc.  (1242-1299), maréchal de la Foi, Lieutenant de Charles d’Anjou, , en charge de  la Garde de la cité de Carcassone. And his wife Isabelle de Montmorency de Marly, daughter of Bouchard II de Marly.

I am almost sure there was not by accident that they chose Guy as their character, although he was not even 40 years old by the time of the Vespres. They wanted to have him in their opera.

As news, I would like to tell you that even Cosi fan tutte is related to events concerning the descendants of Guy. No wonder the two male Neapolitan characters came in disguise as Albanians warriors, as in Naples, there was a time when Albanians warriors were very respected at the royal court.

Ferdinand I (June 2, 1423 – January 25, 1494), also called Don Ferrante, was the King of Naples from 1458 to 1494. In order to arrange a good future for Ferdinand, King Alfonso had him married in 1444 to a feudal heiress, Isabella of Taranto, who besides being the elder daughter of Tristan di Chiaramonte (Tristan de Clermont-Lodeve), Count of Copertino, and Catherine of Baux Orsini, was the niece and heiress presumptive of childless prince Giovanni

Antonio del Balzo Orsini of Taranto. Ferdinand’s wife was the heiress presumptive of remarkable feudal possessions in Southern Italy.Ferdinand was severely defeated by the Angevins and the rebels at the battle of Sarno in July 1460, but with the help of Alessandro Sforza and of the Albanian chief, Skanderbeg, who came to the aid of the prince whose father had aided him, he triumphed over his enemies, and by 1464 had re-established his authority in the kingdom.

Cette victoire fut en partie obtenue grâce au renfort de mercenaires albanais, les Arbëresh, qui depuis se sont installés dans le sud de l’Italie.

It is true that the Albanians were mercenaries in the Neapolitan army for many centuries after, but there are 2 more coincidences: Ferdinand and Isabella had a daughter married in Ferrara,  mother of Beatrice and Isabella d’Este (as the 2 ladies from Ferrara in the opera). Plus, another daughter married the most famous king of Hungary;  She lived in Viena for some time with her husband, who on 1 June 1485, at the head of 8,000 veterans, made his triumphal entry into Vienna, which he henceforth made his capital. Styria, Carinthia and Carniola were next subdued
Eleanor of Naples (June 22, 1450 – October 11, 1493). She was consort to Ercole I d’Este, Duke of Ferrara and mother to Isabella d’Este and Beatrice d’Este. The later daughter was consort to Ludovico Sforza.

Beatrice of Naples (September 14/November 16, 1457 – September 23, 1508). She was Queen consort to Matthias Corvinus of Hungary.
The specialists say that Mozart composed Cosi fan tutte at Emperor Joseph II special request. The Emperor had been very ill for an year, after becoming ill while in Timisoara!!!!!! (during war with the Turks). Knowing that he will never recover and having no children, he wanted Mozart to compose something joyful, something which will comfort him for not being ever happy in his marriages. After the premiere the Emperor died, as he would had been willing to enjoy it and then die.

The strange fact is that Joseph’s grandfather  Leopold, Duke of Lorraine had as one grandmother Eleonora Gonzaga of Mantua, 7th generation descendant from Francesco II Gonzaga, son of his predecessor Francesco Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua and Isabella d’Este.