Guillaume des Baux, Skinned Alive in 1218. Read Why.
Ronny Bodine
the horrific death of Guillaume des Baux who was reportedly skinned
alive in 1218. No one knew anything of this event and I felt
compelled to pursue it. What misdeed would result in such a fate. At
my request, while on a recent trip to Salt Lake City, Stewart Baldwin
kindly secured a number of pertinent pages from Histoire de la Maison
Des Baux, by Gustave Noblemaire (Paris, 1913) that might contain the
answer. This volume was in French, a language I am not versed in and
I called upon a friend in Louisville, Kentucky, Brother Thomas
Spalding, retired professor of history, who arranged for a translation
through a friend of his, Brother George Willenbrink, also of the St.
Xavier Order. The translation arrived today and I am please to
provide the highlights of the circumstances of Guillaume des Baux's
death. So, my thanks to all concerned in bringing this event to
light.
Guillaume des Baux, Prince of Orange, was the third son of Bertrand
des Baux (died 1181) and of Tiburge, Princess of Orange. He was 1st
married to Ermengarde de Mevouillon, whom he divorced in Nov 1204
because of their degree of relationship, and 2ndly to Alix Eloy. By
each wife he had a son who succeeded as co-princes of Orange.
Although he had been on good terms with Raymond VI, Count of Toulouse
and Marquis of Provence, after the battle of Muret in 1214, when
Raymond VI was despoiled of his County and Marquisate, Guillaume,
pretending to act on the order of the Pope, took over the marquisate.
But Pope Innocent III ordered him to turn it over to his legate Pierre
de Benevento, cardinal of Santa Maria de Aguiro, so as not to
prejudice the disposal he would make of it later on. Guillaume was
very disappointed when the Lateran Council, in 1215, instead,
conferred the marquisate on the young son of Raymond VI, to whom
Innocent III had taken a liking.
To put an end to the anarchy in Provence, Emperor Friedrich II, in
1215, thought of creating there some viceroys devoted to him. One of
these was Guillaume des Baux, who was created on 8 January 1215,
under-king of the Kingdom of Vienne and Arles (i.e. Burgundy), with
the promise of his being crowned, something that never took place.
The appointment was but an empty title with no authority or influence
and was later rejected by Guillaume's heirs.
During the Albigensian War, Guillaume took the side of the Catholic
Crusaders, no doubt because he thought it more favorable to his
interests and in Provence took on the leadership of the Catholic
lords. This action brought him to grief, for when he fell into the
hands of the heretics at Avignon, they skinned him alive in 1218,
before 30 July.
Ronny Bodine