User:Kansas Bear/Bernard

Bouchard I (d.27 February 1005) the Venerable or the Old One, was the son of Bouchard the Bat, count of Vendôme. He succeeded on the death of his father between 956 and 967. Bouchard also became count of Corbeil, Melun, and Paris.

Biography
Bouchard was sent by his parents, while still very young, to the court of Hugh the Great, befriending Hugh's son, Hugh Capet. By 960, Bouchard married Élisabeth de Melun, widow of Haymon, count of Corbeil. Bouchard became count of Corbeil through this marriage, and his overlord, Hugh Capet, gave him custody of the county of Melun and the Abbaye de Saint-Maur.

Holding Corbeil and Melun, Bouchard controlled navigation on the Haute-Seine and in particular the arrival of supplies in Paris. He built the castle of la Ferté-Alais, on the banks of the Essonne, to surveil boats and tolls. It also served as a gateway to the county of Paris via the Essonne valley.

In March 981, Bouchard with the bishop of Orléans, Arnoul, and other faithful, accompanied Hugh Capet to Rome for an interview with Emperor Otto II.

In 987, following Hugh Capet's ascension as king, Bouchard was given the county of Paris. Thus becoming a royal count. Hugh had his son Robert crowned in 988, and constituted a regency council during the latter's minority. The members of this council were Bouchard, Hugh de Dreux, Ansoud II Le Riche, and Hugh, viscount de Meulan.

In 991, Bouchard defended the interests of Hugh Capet at the council of Reims. Archbishop Arnoul of Reims was accused of treason against Hugh Capet, with so successful that the king promoted Renaud, the son of Bouchard; already chancellor of France, at the bishopric of Paris. During this same year, Odo I of Blois, took the royal castle Melun, by bribing Walter, one of Bouchard's knights. Hugh Capet, after demanding the restoration of the castle to Bouchard, raised his vassals and recaptured Melun. Walter and his wife were hanged near a gate of the castle. Odo I of Blois fled. Bouchard and Odo later clashed at the Battle of Orsay; Odo, losing, fled again.

Bouchard, and his son Rene, accompanied Hugh Capet to the monastery of Souvigny in 996. He donated Gometz-le-Châtel and Ferté-Choisel to the bishopric of Paris. After having retired to the abbaye de Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, he died 27 February 1005. Bouchard's son Renaud, bishop of Paris, inherited the counties of Vendôme and Melun.

Family
Bernard and Elisabeth had:
 * Bouchard, Viscount of Melun (died before his father)
 * Élisabeth, known as Adèle, married to Fulk Nerra, she burned to death in the year 1000
 * Renaud, chancellor of France on 20 June 988/989; Bishop of Paris, Count of Vendôme