The Ramnulfids, or the House of Poitiers, were a French dynasty of Frankish origin ruling the County of Poitou and Duchy of Aquitaine in the 9th through 12th centuries.[1] Their power base shifted from Toulouse to Poitou. In the early 10th century, they contested the dominance of northern Aquitaine and the ducal title to the whole with the House of Auvergne. In 1032, they inherited the Duchy of Gascony, thus uniting it with Aquitaine. By the end of the 11th century, they were the dominant power in the southwestern third of France. The founder of the family was Ramnulf I, who became count in 835.
Ramnulf's son, Ramnulf II, claimed the title of King of Aquitaine in 888, but it did not survive him. Through his illegitimate son Ebalus he fathered the line of dukes of Aquitaine that would rule continuously from 927 to 1204, from the succession of William III to the death of Eleanor, who brought the Ramnulfid inheritance first to Louis VII of France and then to Henry II of England.
The Ramnulfid house did much to encourage art, literature, and piety. Under William V, William IX, and William X, Aquitaine became the centre for the art of poetry and song in the vernacular; the troubadour tradition was born and raised there. The Peace and Truce of God were fostered and the ideal of courtly love invented.
Counts of Poitiers and dukes of Aquitaine
The House of Poitiers produced many dukes of Aquitaine, who were officially titled counts of Poitiers. This line became extinct in the male-line in 1137, and completely in 1204 with the death of Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine, who was by her first marriage queen of France and by her second marriage queen of England.
Count of Poitiers, son of Ranulf I. He styled himself Duke of Aquitaine after the death of Charles the Fat and rejected the suzerainty of King Odo of France.
Son of Ebalus. Count of Poitiers, Limousin and Auvergne, called "Count of the Duchy of Aquitaine" or "Count Palatine of Aquitaine", but not "Duke of Aquitaine".
Countess of Poitiers and Gascony, eldest daughter of preceding, married firstly Louis VII the Young, King of France; the marriage was annulled in 1152, after then she married Henry of Anjou, future King of England.
Princes of Antioch and counts of Tripoli
A branch of the House of Poitiers settled in the Holy Land, founded by Raymond of Poitiers (1115–1149), a younger son of William IX of Aquitaine, from whom descended the last princes of Antioch and counts of Tripoli.
1252–1268: Bohemond VIthe Fair (1237 † 1275), prince of Antioch and count of Tripoli, son of Bohemond V and Luciana de Caccamo-Segni. The city of Antioch was definitively lost in 1268, but Bohemond VI retained the title of Prince of Antioch until his death and passed it on to his descendants in the House of Poitiers.
1275–1287: Bohemond VII († 1287), prince of Antioch and count of Tripoli, son of preceding
1287–1299: Lucia († 1299), princess of Antioch and countess of Tripoli, sister of preceding, married Narjot de Toucy, Sicilian admiral.
Arms of Poitiers-Antioch
Before 1252
After 1252
Kings of Cyprus
Henry of Antioch (d. 1276), son of Bohemond IV of Antioch, married Isabella of Lusignan (d. 1264), heiress of the kingdom of Cyprus, and thus founded the second House of Lusignan. The lineage of the House of Poitiers became extinct in 1487 with the death of Queen Charlotte of Cyprus.
1267-1284: Hugh III (1235 † 1284), King of Cyprus and Jerusalem, son of Henry of Antioch and Isabella of Lusignan.
1284-1285: John II (1267 † 1285), King of Cyprus and Jerusalem, son of Hugues III and of Isabella of Ibelin.
1285-1306: Henry II (1271 † 1324), King of Cyprus, son of Hugues III and of Isabelle of Ibelin.
1306-1310: Amalric, Lord of Tyre (1272 † 1310), governor of Cyprus, son of Hugh III and of Isabella of Ibelin.
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