The Notorious Erard of RameruptErard, the eldest surviving son and heir of Andrew of Ramerupt, was still
very young–perhaps around seven years old–when his father died a
hero’s death on the Third Crusade. One can only speculate about the
psychological effects of growing up in the shadow of such afigure,
remembered and exalted as amongst the greatest of all knights. Besides
his elder brother Walter, who may have perished with their father on
crusade, the young Erard also had at least two sisters.^107 They married
into the Champenois families of Noyers and Pougy respectively.^108
In this way, an important link was forged that would bear fruit in the
‘War of the Champenois Succession’, as we shall see.
In many ways, though, Andrew left his heir a difficult as well as an
heroic legacy. The key event of Erard’s long minority was surely his
mother’s remarriage, which took place in or around 1195. Alix’snew
husband, as we have seen, was Gaucher, the brother of the nearby
Champenois count of Joigny. From this point onwards, Gaucher
styled himself as lord of Ramerupt, presumably until Erard came of
age.^109 There is evidence to suggest that Gaucher was able to exploit–
or, perhaps, even to abuse–his position of trust. Back in 1188, Andrew
had mortgaged the village of Nogent-sur-Aube to Gaucher for seven
years, in return for 300l. cash (presumably to raise money for the
crusade). At the end of the term of the transaction, Gaucher, now
seated in Andrew’s place as lord of Ramerupt, sold the mortgage on
to the monastery of Montiéramey for a further 40l. Theodore Evergates
has argued that this was a legitimate transfer, but it can still be regarded
as somewhat irregular, and not merely because the rightful lord of
the village, Erard, was still a minor at the time.^110 Bythelatespring
of 1203, though, Erard had become a knight, and he could proudly
describe himself as the son of Andrew.^111 Inthesameyear,hecould
finally style himself asdominuswhen making a deal with Montiéramey
to share Nogent-sur-Aube.^112 The new lord could well have married at
around this time, too–toacertainHelisende.Wecanknowonlyavery
little about her, but the name may suggest a connection with Erard’s
(^107) Walter’s existence is attested in a number of charters, including an unpublished one
from the priory of Foissy (Archives départementales de l’Aube, 27 H 3, no. 17). For the
suggestion that Walter died on the Third Crusade, see Evergates,Aristocracy, 240.
(^108) These marriages are briefly covered in Roserot,Dictionnaire, iii, 1228.
(^109) Ibid., iii, 1228. (^110) See Evergates,Feudal Society in the Bailliage of Troyes,35–6, 198.
(^111) See, for example, an unpublished charter in the BnF: MS Français 20690, fol. 128,
112 which can also be found in Duchesne 76, fol. 115.
Evergates,Feudal Society in the Bailliage of Troyes,35–6, 198.
56 Breakthrough and High Point (c. 1191–1237)