Guy II (Count of Auvergne)

From the first days of his reign, Guy was drawn into the war that Philip II Augustus and Richard I the Lionheart waged among themselves.

The English king as the duke of Aquitaine was overlord of the counts of Auvergne. However, in the spring of 1196, Richard renounced senior rights to Auvergne in favor of Philip Augustus. Guy II was not ready to accept these new conditions, as they threatened to put an end to his actual independence. To strengthen his position, he built the castles of Tournael and Chatelier-Guillon.

When the troops of Philip Augustus entered Auvergne and besieged Issoire , Guy II and his cousin Dauphin Robert I called for the help of Richard of England, but he escaped with empty promises. As a result, the rulers of Auvergne recognized the power of the French king.

Guy fought with his own brother, Bishop Robert of Clermont, until 1201, when a peace treaty was signed between them through the mediation of the Archbishop of Bourges. Under this treaty, the bishop became the sole overlord of the city of Clermont.

In 1208, Guy II inherited part of the county of Rodez, but ceded his rights to Raimund VI of Toulouse , who thus became the owner of the entire county.

According to the Canso de la crozada of Guillem of Tudela, from May 1209, Guy II was one of the leaders of the Crusaders during the Albiguian Wars. Together with the Viscount Turenne, the Archbishop of Bordeaux, the Bishops of Limoges, Ajan and Cahors, he led a crusader army to Kersey - the possession of the Toulouse counts.

Their detachment occupied several small settlements, captured by the Cathars burned at the stake. But for Guy II, this war was short-lived - after 40 days, he returned to his possessions.

In 1211, Guy renewed the war with his brother, Bishop Robert Clermont, and took him prisoner. He also invaded the royal abbey of Mozac. In response, the king sent an army to Auvergne under the command of Guy II de Dampier . In December 1213, after his son was captured, Guy of Auvergne was forced to surrender and lost almost all of his possessions. His county was included in the royal domain. Later (in 1229) Guillaume X - the son of Guy II, managed to return part of the hereditary lands.

Guy II was married to Petronella de Chambon. They had many children, including:

• Guillaume X (d. 1246), Count of Auvergne
• Alix (d. 1250), husband - Raymond IV , Viscount de Turenne.
• Ermengard (d. 1225), husband - Count Gig IV de Foret .

• Website zur Geschichte der Auvergne (fr.)

• Christelle Balouzat, Actes des comtes et Dauphins d'Auvergne (fin xiie-fin xiiie siècle), mémoire de maîtrise soutenu à l'Université Blaise-Pascal de Clermont-Ferrand, sous la direction de Jean-Luc Fray, 1997-1998.