v39_0420 - LANGUEDOC - COMTE DE TOULOUSE - ALPHONSE DE POITIERS Obole

LANGUEDOC - COUNTY OF TOULOUSE - ALPHONSE OF POITIERS

(1249-1271)

Alphonse (1220-1271), second brother of Saint-Louis was also count of Poitou, Auvergne and Toulouse by his marriage to Jeanne, the daughter of Raymond VII. He succeeded the latter in 1249 and introduced the chatel tournaments to Montreuil Bonin from 1251. He perhaps wanted to recall his rights at a time when Saint Louis was a prisoner in the Holy Land by recalling that he was "Alphonse, count, King's son". The cross surmounting the Tournament Châtel has been variously described. We think it is the cross of Languedoc.