Hervé IV of Donzy

Hervé IV of Donzy (1173-1223) was a French nobleman and participant in the Fifth Crusade. By marriage in 1200 to Mahaut de Courtenay (1188-1257), daughter of Peter of Courtenay, he became Count of Nevers. [By some accounts she accompanied him on the Crusade; but others report a divorce in 1213. [http://gilles.maillet.free.fr/histoire/recit_bourgogne/recit_comte_auxerre_nevers.htm] .]

Life

In a dispute over the château de Gien with Peter of Courtenay, Hervé came to a settlement in 1199, having defeated and captured his overlord Peter at Cosne-sur-Loire. [ [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/LATIN%20EMPERORS.htm] , [http://gilles.maillet.free.fr/histoire/recit_bourgogne/recit_comte_auxerre_nevers.htm] (French language); the deal was ratified by Philip Augustus.] After Peter's death in 1219, he became Count of Auxerre and Tonnerre also; with Philippe de Namur and Robert de Courtenay contesting Auxerre. [ [http://perso.numericable.fr/~earlyblazo/nation/france/auxerre.htm] ; he was baron de Donzy, comte de Gien, seigneur de Cosne, de Châtel-Censoir, de Montmirail, d'Alluye, d'Authou, de Vierzon et de Brou, comte de Nevers et de Tonnerre.] He acquired the Limais also, in 1210.

Hervé and his countess were active in developing the Nivernais, his lands around Donzy adjoining the Nivernais and Burgundy. In 1209 they founded a Carthusian abbey at Bellary. [ [http://ddelery.chez-alice.fr/patrimoine_historique/Bellary/Bellary.html Histoire de l'abbaye de Bellary ] ] He reconstructed the château Musard, Billy-sur-Oisy, around 1212-5. [ [http://aimer-servir.chez-alice.fr/MUSARD.HTML Château, Musard, Mahau de Courtenay, Hervé VI ] ] The priory at Beaulieu was founded in 1214. [ [http://www.vaux-yonne.com/article.php3?id_article=240 http://www.vaux-yonne.com - Rix en quelques mots ! ] ]

In 1204-5 he supported the French side against the English in fighting in Normandy, Poitou and Touraine. [ [http://gilles.maillet.free.fr/histoire/recit_bourgogne/recit_comte_auxerre_nevers.htm Récit des Comtés d'Auxerre, de Nevers et de Tonnerre ] ]

He was active against the Albigensians, taking part in the 1209 siege of Carcassone. [ [http://perso.numericable.fr/~earlyblazo/events/carcassonne1209.htm earlyBlazon.com ] ] After his return from Egypt in 1219, he was at Marmande. [ [http://perso.numericable.fr/~earlyblazo/events/marmande.htm earlyBlazon.com ] ]

In 1214 he took part in the Battle of Bouvines, on the side of Emperor Otto IV. [ [http://home.eckerd.edu/~oberhot/bouvines.htm Battle of Bouvines (27 July 1214) ] ]

In 1217 he took part in the French invasion of England. [ [http://perso.numericable.fr/~earlyblazo/events/lincoln.htm earlyBlazon.com ] ]

His death has often been attributed to poison.

Family

The daughter of Hervé and Mahaut, Agnès de Donzy (1205-1225), married in 1217 Philippe de France, eldest son of the Dauphin, the future Louis VIII of France. Philippe died the following year. [ [http://gilles.maillet.free.fr/histoire/recit_bourgogne/recit_comte_auxerre_nevers.htm Récit des Comtés d'Auxerre, de Nevers et de Tonnerre ] ] Agnès then married Guy de Châtillon (d. 1126), with a daughter Yolande de Châtillon, who married Archambaud IX de Bourbon. Mahaut married Guy de Forez in 1226.

Notes