Simon II of Clermont


Simon II of Clermont-Nesle was Seigneur of Ailly, Maulette and Nesle :de:Grafschaft Nesle|. 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.

Biography

Simon was the eldest son Raoul I of Clermont-Nesle, Seigneur of Ailly, Maulette, and perhaps Nesle jure uxoris :fr:Maison de Clermont-Nesle| and the Constable of France, who was son of Simon I, Seigneur of Ailly-sur-Noye :fr:Maison de Clermont-Nesle|, younger brother of Raoul I the Red, Count of Clermont, married to Alix, daughter of Valeran III. Simon's mother was Gertrude of Nesle, daughter of Jean of Nesle, Châtelain of Bruges, sister of Jean II, Seigneur of Nesle :de:Johann II. von Nesle|, who testamented Nesle to Raoul and his heirs, lacking own issue. Simon had several siblings, a brother Raoul, 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:Matthieu de Vendôme| 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". 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:Hôtel de Nesle|, 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.

Marriage and issue

In 1242 Simon married Adele of Montfort-l'Amaury, daughter of Amaury de Montfort, Count of Montfort-l'Amaury and Constable of France. Their children were probably :
Some more names occur, that may relate to daughters above or be other daughters of Simon:
and other departments of Picardy, with most of the mentioned Seigneuries marked.

Note regarding the Seigneurie of Breteuil

Conflicting accounts about Seigneurs of Bretuil have emerged. The property of Breteuil had been inherited from Valeran III :fr:Maison de Breteuil| to his eldest daughter Alix, married to Raoul "the red" :fr:Raoul Ier de Clermont|, 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:Raoul Ier de Clermont| 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:
A possible continuation of Seigneurs of Breteuil :de:Stammliste der Montmorency#Die Herren von Breteuil| as castle owners is:
To compare with an alternatively presented sequence within the house of Clermont, which is not compatible with the previous, and less likely: