Simon II of Clermont

Simon II of Clermont-Nesle (c. 1210 – 1285/86) was Seigneur (Lord) of Ailly, Maulette and Nesle (in Picardy) (de). Note that there is a great confusion of names and titles within this family and with people with the same or similar names, as with many other medieval lords because of contradictory and incomplete documents.

Simon was the eldest son Raoul I of Clermont-Nesle (c. 1185 – c. 1226), Seigneur of Ailly, Maulette, and perhaps Nesle jure uxoris (fr) and the Constable of France, who was son of Simon I, Seigneur of Ailly-sur-Noye (fr), younger brother of Raoul I the Red, Count of Clermont, married to Alix, daughter of Valeran III. Simon's mother was Gertrude of Nesle (1175–1239), daughter of Jean of Nesle, Châtelain of Bruges (d. 1197/1200), sister of Jean II, Seigneur of Nesle (de) (d. 1239), who testamented Nesle to Raoul and his heirs, lacking own issue. Simon had several siblings, a brother Raoul (d. a. 1243), lord of Tartigny, sometimes numbered II, and hence a possible ancestor to some of the children, especially those attributed to Simon's son Raoul, when one regards the Seigneurie of Tartigny.

Simon was a counsellor of King "Saint" Louis IX of France, especially in areas of justice. Jointly with Matthieu of Vendôme (fr) he was the regent of the kingdom in 1270–71 when Louis and his son Philip were away on the Seventh Crusade, using the title "lieutenant" (i.e. "having the place"). In the process of canonisation of king Louis in 1283 he was one of those bearing witness.

Simon was also a tutor of the Enfants de France, the children of the king, appointed by Philip III.

Simon is accounted of the foundation of Hôtel de Nesle (de), to accommodate nobility in Paris, instead of their first Hôtel de Nesle, that was ceded to King Louis IX, and the construction was enabled through the promininet positions of his sons Raoul and Guy, and their wealth. The hotel was connected to Tour de Nesle, and eventually sold to King Philip IV of France in 1314. It became famous for the dramatic "Tour de Nesle Affair" that had widespread consequences.

In 1242 Simon married Adele ("Alix") of Montfort-l'Amaury (c. 1230 – 1279), daughter of Amaury de Montfort, Count of Montfort-l'Amaury and Constable of France. Their children were probably (records are inconclusive):

• Raoul II/III of Clermont (c. 1245 – 1302), Seigneur of Nesle (de), Viscount jure uxoris of Châteaudun (de), Grand Chamberlain of France and Constable of France. He fought in the Franco-Flemish War (1297–1305) and was killed in the Battle of the Golden Spurs.
  • He married firstly in c.1268 Alix of Dreux (nl) (c. 1255 – c. 1293), Viscountess of Châteaudun, daughter of Robert of Dreux (de) (1217–1264). Secondly in 1296 Raoul married Isabelle of Hainault (d. c. 1305), daughter of John II, Count of Holland and Philippa of Luxembourg. Raoul had three daughters:
    • Alix (c. 1275 – c. 1330), Viscountess of Châteaudun, Lady of Mondoubleau. Called Alix of Clermont, Nesle or Beaumont. She married firstly 1286 to Guillaume IV of Flanders (fr) (1248–1311) and had about six children. Secondly, in 1312 Alix married John I of Chalon-Arlay, Sire of Salins (c. 1258–1315), and they had one daughter.
    • Isabelle, (d. a. August 1324), Lady of Semblançay, married Hugues of l'Archévêque, Lord of Montfort-le-Rotrou (d. b. August 1324), son of Guillaume VI of l'Archévêque (fr) (d. 1315).
    • Béatrix (d. b. 14 September 1320), married Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (c. 1275 – 1324), Seigneur of Montignac.
• Simon II of Clermont-Nesle (d. 22 December 1312 ?), bishop of Noyon and Peer of France (1297–1301), bishop-count of Beauvais (1301–c. 1312). He was one of few bishops that supported King Philip IV of France against Pope Boniface VIII.
• Amaury, a cleric
• Guy I (c. 1255 – 1302), Seigneur of Breteuil ? (see note below), Ailly and Maulette, appointed to Marshal of France, fighting in the Franco-Flemish War (1297–1305) and was killed in the Battle of the Golden Spurs. Guy married firstly Marguerite of Mello [fr]. Secondly he married Marguerite of Thourotte, Dame of Offemont and Thourotte, daughter of Ansould II of Thourotte (de). They had five known children:
  • Jean I of Nesle-Offémont (fr) (c. 1285 – 1352), Seigneur of Offemont, Mello (jure uxoris or from Marguerite of Mello?) and partly Thourotte. Governor of Coucy. Jean was a counsellor of King Philip VI, Grand Chamberlain of France and Grand Queux of France from 1345. In 1347 he was appointed executor of the testament of King Philip VI. He married b.1320 Marguerite, Dame of Mello. About 1326 he married Marguerite of La Roche-Guyon (c. 1309 – c. 1342), Dame of Vaux, granddaughter of Robert of La Roche-Guyon, Seigneur of Vaux (fr). (These two wives may be the same person, and one more wife is mentioned.) Jean fathered at least:
    • Guy II of Nesle (c. 1327 – 1352), Seigneur of Mello, Marshal of France, co-founder of the Order of the Star, fell in the battle of Battle of Mauron as the French commander. Guy married Jeanne of Bruyères had issue.
    • Guillaume (1332?–1356). Married Alix of Wavrin and had issue.
    • Isabeau of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis-Offemont (d. 1373), Dame of Plessis-Cacheleu, married 1350 to Jean of Montmorency, Seigneur of Breteuil-en-Beauvaisis (de) and had issue.
  • Mahaut of Clermont-Nesle, married c.1320 to Bertrand VI of Moreuil (fr) (d. a. 1350), Seigneur of Moreuil and Cœuvres, in 1322 ? made Marshal of France and later Grand Queux of France. One of their children was:
    • Marguerite of Soissons, Dame of Moreuil, married 1287 to Jacques I of Croëy and had issue.
  • Péronne/Petronille of Clermont-Nesle (c. 1290 – c. 1320), married c. 1320 to Jean of Chérisy-Quierzy, Seigneur of Muret and Busancy. They had:
    • Jeanne of Chérisy, Dame of Muret, married c. 1345 to Mathieu IV of Roye (fr), Seigneur of Beausault ?, Busancy and Aunay. They bore Guy III de Roye (c. 1340 – 1409), Bishop of Verdun, and Jean of Roye (d. 1396), Seigneur of Aunay, married Jeanne of Béthune (d. 1380).
  • Alix of Clermont-Nesle (c. 1300 – a. 1337), married c.1319 to Jean II of Dampierre (de) (d. a. 1337), Seigneur of Saint-Dizier, Vignory and L’Ecluse, son of Guillaume ("William") IV of Dampierre (1258 – a. 1314), Seigneur of Saint-Dizier, Eureville, Humbécourt and Aurainville, son of Laura of Lorraine and grandson of Matthias II, Duke of Lorraine. Jean's mother was Jeanne of Salins, granddaughter of Jean "the old" of Châlon, Sire of Salins. They had three known children:
    • Jean (d. 1367/73), Seigneur of Saint-Dizier and Vignory. Married b.1334 Marie of Bar-Pierrepont, daughter of Erard of Bar, Seigneur of Pierrepont, son of Theobald II, Count of Bar, and her mother was Isabelle of Lorraine, daughter of Theobald II, Duke of Lorraine. Jean and Marie had about six children.
    • Isabelle (d. 1371), Dame of Montenois ?. Married Jean of Châtillon-sur-Marne (d. a. 1377), Seigneur of Gandelus and Dury, son of Guillaume IV of Dampierre (de) (1258 – a. 1314).
    • Jeanne, married to Jean le Mercier, Seigneur of Noviant-au-Pré.
  • Raoul IV of Clermont-Nesle ? (c. 1285 – 1321), Seigneur of Montgobert, Thorigny, Ablancourt, Bichancourt and Tartigny (may probably be a son of Jean and grandson of Raoul II, Seigneur of Tartigny, brother of Simon II). Seigneur of Breteuil/Beausault ? (See note below). Raoul married b. 1310 Jeanne of Chambly (d. a. 1371), Dame of Montgobert, Ablancourt, Fay-aux-Loges and Sotteville-en-Caux, owner of 17 castles, daughter of Pierre of Chambly, Seigneur of Viarmes and Thorigny. They had presumably the following children:
    • Raoul V of Clermont (c. 1310 – b. 1354), Seigneur of Thorigny and Paillart. Married Isabelle of Boves-Coucy, Dame of Paillart and Tartigny, daughter of Jean of Boves-Coucy (a cadet branch from Robert, son of Thomas, Lord of Coucy).
    • Jean I of Clermont (c. 1320 – 1356), Seigneur of Chantilly, Villemomble and Beaumont, Marshal of France. Married Margalide (Marguerite) of Mortagne and Chef-Boutonne, viscountess of Aulnay, daughter of Pons/François, viscount of Aulnay, Seigneur of Mortagne.
    • Jeanne of Clermont (d. a. 1342), Married Guillaume IV/V Le Bouteiller de Senlis (fr), Seigneur of Chantilly, Montmélian and Moucy-Le-Neuf, without issue.
    • Robert of Clermont (d. 1358), Seigneur of Beaumont. No issue.
    • Robert of Clermont (d. 1371), Seigneur of Fay-aux-Loges and Sotteville-en-Caux. No issue.
    • Marguerite of Clermont (b. 1320), Dame of Montgobert. Married Nicolas III, Seigneur of Menou (1305–1356). Issue unknown.
• Philippa married to Robert VII Bertrand (d. c. 1300), Seigneur of Bricquebec and had issue, including the famous Robert VIII Bertrand (fr), Marshal of France.
• Béatrix (b.c. 1250), married b.1279 to Jean IV of Lille (1235 – 1291/92), Châtelain of Lille. Their children:
  • Jean V of Lille
  • Guyotte of Lille (1279–1338), Dame of Lille. Married c. 1338 to Waleran II of Luxembourg (d. 1353), count of Saint-Pol and Ligny. They had a son:
    • Jean/John I of Luxembourg, Lord of Ligny (d. 1364), married Alix of Dampierre, Dame of Richebourg, daughter of Guy of Dampierre-Richebourg, and had issue.

Some more names occur, that may relate to daughters above or be other daughters of Simon:

• Alix
• Ide
• Isabelle

Conflicting accounts about Seigneurs of Bretuil have emerged. The property of Breteuil had been inherited from Valeran III (fr) to his eldest daughter Alix, married to Raoul "the red" (fr), Count of Clermont, and then the youngest, Amicie. When Amicie died in 1226, there seems to have been no obvious legitimate heir and the property went to the French Crown. The same year the property was redeemed with 3000 pounds by "Clémence, wife of Simon of Beausault, and Jeanne of Dargies", assumed to be sisters, in accordance to a previous agreement between Amicie and the king. They are assumed to be relatives within the Clermont family, possibly daughters of Amicie's sister Mathilde or even Amicie herself. The connection with later Seigneurs like presumably Simon, Guy and Raoul is not clear. Several suggestions have been made to resolve the question. Also which distinction should be made between the titles Seigneur of Beausault or Breteuil in this context, and some heir can have one title and others the other in the genealogy. The property may have been divided or the title may have been used honorifically. Another possibility is that either the attribution of Seigneurs of Breteuil to the line of Guy I, or the family relationship is wrong. The Counts of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis belonged to this house of Clermont until the death of Raoul I "the red" (fr) in 1191. His daughter Catherine married Louis I, Count of Blois and their son Theobald VI, Count of Blois sold the County of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis to the French Crown in 1218.

Not disputed part:

• Valéran III, Sire of Breteuil-en-Beauvaisis (d. 1162). Valéran's younger brother Engelraud initiated the line of Châtelains (burgraves) of Breteuil.
• Alix (d. a. 1196), married to Count Raoul "the red" (fr) (d. 1191), Seigneurs of Breteuil. They had no surviving son for inheritance, only three daughters.
• Catherine (d. 1212/23), Countess of Clermont (d. 1212/23), eldest daughter of Alix. Married 1184 to Louis I of Blois (1172–1205), Count of Blois and Clermont-en-Beauvaisis jure uxoris with Catherine from 1191. He was the son of Thibaut V "the good" (d. 1191) and Alix of France (1151 – 1197/98).
• Thibaut VI (d. 1218), Count of Blois and Clermont-en-Beauvaisis, son of Louis I, grandson to Alix. He married Maud of Alençon and Clémence of Roches, but had no issue. He left some possessions to his aunts, especially Margaret and Isabelle, but sold Clermont to the Crown.
• Amicie (d. 1226), youngest sister of Alix, great aunt of Thibaut VI. Married to Baudoin of Donjon (fr) (d. 1205/06 ?), secondly Jean Briard, Seigneur of Villiers (d. 1219) and thirdly (b. 1225) Gauthier of Reynel, but issue is not clear. Dame of Breteuil in 1218–1226.

A possible continuation of Seigneurs of Breteuil (de) as castle owners is:

• Clémence (d. 1231), wife of Simon of Beausault (d. a. 1239), possible daughter of Mathilde (d. 1208), daughter of Valeran III, with Simon I of Clermont (c. 1134 - a. 1187), thus a paternal aunt of Simon II if this is correct. Dame (or Seigneurs) of Breteuil in 1226–1231.
• Guillaume I of Beausault (d. a. 1262?), son of Clémence above. Simon II's cousin. Seigneur of Breteuil 1231 – a. 1262.
• Guillaume II of Beausault (d. a. 1311), son of Guillaume I above. Seigneur of Breteuil a. 1262 – a. 1311.
• Clémence of Muret (d. a. 1334), niece of Guillaume II above, daughter of Clémence of Beausault and Henri of Muret, Seigneur of Chérizy. Dame of Breteuil a. 1311 – a. 1334. Married 1305 to Érard of Montmorency (d. b. 1334), son of Matthieu III (fr). Their children included:
  • Guillaume of Beaussault, Seigneur de Breteuil 1304 ? (probably a confusion with Guillaume II above, an uncle, and not a premarital child)
  • Jean I, Seigneur of Breteuil, of Beaussault (a. 1334 – 1338?), succeeded by son:
• Jean II (a. 1320 – c. 1373), Seigneur of Beaussault, Breteuil (1338? – 1373), La Falaise, La Tournelle and Plessis-Cacheleu. Married 1350 Isabeau of Nesle-Clermont-en-Beauvaisis-Offémont (d. c. 1373/77), Dame of Plessis-Cacheleu, daughter of Jean I of Nesle-Offémont (c. 1285 – 1352), and granddaughter of Guy I. One of their children was:
• Hugues (d. 1404), Seigneur of Beaussault, Breteuil (1373–1404), La Falaise, La Tournelle and Châtelain of Nesle. Married Jeanne of Harcourt, daughter of Guillaume, Seigneur of La Ferté-Imbault, and had issue, including:
  • Jean III (1387–1434), Seigneur of Beaussault, Breteuil and La Falaise, Châtelain of Nesle.
  • Catherine (fl. 1455), Dame of Beaussault, Breteuil and La Falaise, Châtelaine of Nesle. Married Laurent (d. b. 1416), Seigneur of Sainte-Beuve, Montigny-sur-Andelle and Corneville. Married secondly Mathieu V (d. c. 1443), Seigneur of Roye (fr), Muret, Germiny and Buzancy.

To compare with an alternatively presented sequence within the house of Clermont, which is not compatible with the previous, and less likely:

• Simon II of Clermont-Nesle (c. 1210 – 1285/86) Seigneur of Ailly, Maulette and Nesle. Seigneur of Breteuil after 1226 ?
• Guy I of Clermont-Nesle (c. 1255 – 1302), Seigneur of Ailly and Maulette, Marshal of France, son of above. Seigneur of Breteuil in 1286–1302?
• Raoul IV of Clermont-Nesle (c. 1285 – 1321), Seigneur of Montgobert, Thorigny, Ablancourt, Bichancourt and Tartigny, either son of Guy I above or his cousin Jean, Seigneur of Tartigny. Seigneur of Breteuil 1302–1321?
•  ? None of Raoul's four sons or two daughters is mentioned as a lord of Breteuil (last one dead 1371), and grandchildren are unknown.