Lost in Le Blanc-Mesnil? Passage de Vermandois might be more than just a street name. It might be a portal to a forgotten French county.
Passage de Vermandois is named after the French county of Vermandois. This county existed in the Merovingian period. The name Vermandois comes from the ancient tribe called the Viromandui. Imagine them roaming this very area.
In the 10th century Vermandois was organized around two castellan domains. These were St Quentin and Pèronne. Today the Vermandois county would be in the Picardy region of northern France. That is quite a distance from here.
Let’s talk about Pepin I of Vermandois. He was the earliest of its hereditary counts. He was a descendant of Emperor Charlemagne. His grandson Herbert II was even more famous. Herbert II increased the power of Vermandois. He even held King Charles the Simple prisoner for six years. That was a bold move.
Herbert II was the son of Herbert I. Herbert I was killed by an assassin hired by Baldwin II. Those were turbulent times. Herbert’s successors were not as significant. They included Albert I Herbert III Albert II Otto and Herbert IV.
In 1077 Herbert IV gained the county of Valois through his wife. His son Eudes was deemed insane. The Barons of France disinherited him. Eudes was lord of Saint-Simon. The county was given to his sister Adela. Adela’s first husband was Hugh the Great. Hugh was the brother of King Philip I of France. Hugh died in 1102 in Tarsus during the First Crusade. What a journey.
Hugh and Adela’s eldest son was Raoul I. He married Petronilla of Aquitaine. She was the sister of Queen Eleanor. They had three children. These children were Raoul II Isabelle and Eleanor. In 1186 a treaty with King Philip Augustus was made. The Count of Flanders kept Vermandois until he died in 1191.
After his death Eleanor gained a life interest in eastern Vermandois. She also became Countess of St Quentin. The king took possession of Péronne and its dependencies. Thus ended an era.
So as you stroll along Passage de Vermandois remember its rich history. It is a reminder of counts crusades and royal intrigue. It is more than just a street. It is a link to the past.