Grand (d. 1102), brother of Philip I of France. He became count of Verman-dois in 1117,
answered the royal summons to oppose an imperial invasion in 1124, lost an eye in royal
service in 1128, and was the sole supporter of Louis VI against the revolt of the Garlande
family in 1131. In that year, he first appears as royal seneschal. In 1137, he and his
archrival, Thibaut II le Grand, count of Champagne, led the entourage that escorted the
future Louis VII to Bordeaux for his marriage to Eleanor, heiress of Aquitaine.
Raoul’s influence continued under Louis VII (r. 1137–80). His repudiation in 1142 of
Thibaut II’s niece Eleanor to wed Petronilla (Alix), the queen’s sister, led not only to his
excommunication but also to war in Champagne. He refused to put Petronilla aside, even
after the burning of Vitry led to the king’s accommodation with the church. He became
co-regent with Suger, abbot of Saint-Denis, during the king’s absence on the Second
Crusade (1147–49). Upon the death of Suger in 1151, Raoul was replaced as royal
seneschal, and he died the following year.
Raoul left three children by Petronilla: Raoul le Lépreux, count of Vermandois (r.
1152–67); Elizabeth (d. 1183), whose husband, Philippe d’Alsace, count of Flan-ders,
ruled Vermandois until 1191; and Eleanor, who was forced to divide the inheritance of
Vermandois with the king, Philip II Augustus, who acquired the remainder on her death
in 1213.
R.Thomas McDonald
[See also: CHAMPAGNE; ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE; GARLANDE; LOUIS VI
THE FAT; LOUIS VII; VERMANDOIS]
RAOUL GLABER
(ca. 985-ca. 1046). Born in Burgundy, perhaps out of wedlock, Raoul entered the
monastery of Saint-Germain of Auxerre when he was about twelve. By nature restive and
averse to discipline, he wandered from monastery to monastery, where, thanks to his
literary talents, he was welcomed. From ca. 1015 to 1031, he was the traveling
companion of William of Volpiano, abbot of Saint-Bénigne of Dijon and one of the
foremost monastic reformers of the day. At William’s command, he began a history of
the prodigies and wonders surrounding the advent of the year 1000, which he kept with
him and added to for the rest of his life. After William’s death, Raoul spent time at Cluny
(ca. 1031–35), then briefly at Bèze, finally returning to Auxerre.
In addition to his Latin Five Books of Histories, Glaber wrote a hagiographical vita of
William and some epigraphy that, due to the jealousy of the monks, was destroyed. He
seems to have had difficult relations with a number of people, including his mentor,
William, and some of his independence of mind shows up in his writing. His history,
dedicated in a later recension to Odilo of Cluny, began with the year 900 and presented
the history of the German emperors and French kings, which, as it reached Raoul’s own
time (Books 3–4), included events from all over the known world and, in his old age
(Book 5), included a brief autobiography and anecdotes about anonymous people.
Several accounts of the same global material also appear in the independently composed
but contemporary history of Adémar de Chabannes.
Medieval france: an encyclopedia 1470