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Birth:          1005 of Barcelona
Death:          26 May 1035 
Burial:         Santa Maria, Ripoli, Gerona, Spain

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berenguer_Ramon_I,_Count_of_Barcelona
Berenguer Ramon I [Berengar Raymond I] (1005 – 26 May 1035), called the Crooked or 
the Hunchback (in Latin curvus; in Catalan el Corbat; in Spanish el Corvado or el 
Curvo),[1] was the count of Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona from 1018 to his death.

He was the son of Ramon Borrell, Count of Barcelona, Girona, and Ausona and his 
wife Ermesinde of Carcassonne.[2] He accepted the suzerainty of Sancho the Great of 
Navarre.

Berenguer Ramon as a historical figure is enigmatic, shrouded in incomprehensible 
contradictions and ambiguities. First, he was a man of peace, and peace ruled 
throughout his reign. He pacified his neighbours as well, bringing to heel the Count of 
Urgell, Ermengol II.[3] He reestablished amicable relations with Hugh I, Count of 
Empúries, and maintained them with William I of Besalú and Wilfred II of Cerdanya. He 
was a son of the church who maintained relations with the papacy and went on a 
pilgrimage to Rome in 1032. On many occasions he travelled to Zaragoza and Navarre 
to discuss with Sancho III the Great, King of Navarre their mutual stance against the 
Counts of Toulouse. His confidantes and councillors were the Abbot Oliva, the judge 
Ponç Bofill, Gombau de Besora, and the Bishops Pedro of Girona and Deudado of 
Barcelona. In 1025, he decreed that the proprietors of entails (men holding land in fee 
tail) were free from taxation.

On the other hand, the government of Berenguer Ramon I marks the beginning of the 
decline of the comital power in Catalonia. At the death of his father in 1018, 
Berenguer Ramon was a minor and his mother Ermesinde served as regent until 1023. 
But even when he attained his majority, his mother would not relinquish the powers of 
regency and reigned with him. According to some chroniclers, Berenguer's character 
left some things to be desired. He is described as weak and indecisive. Moreover, his 
policy of peace with the Moors was a bone of contention with the noblesse, who saw 
war with the Muslims as a way of obtaining glory, wealth, and possibly even salvation. 
This led some nobles to act independently of the count's wishes. Ermesinde, contra 
her son, was energetic and decisive, intent on imposing the authority of Barcelona on 
the baronage. But, as a woman, her capability to exercise control of the military was 
greatly impeded and organizing a raid or expedition to satisfy the wants of the 
aristocracy was virtually impossible.

The weakening of comital authority became evident shortly before his death in 1035, 
when Ermisende successfully partitioned his patrimony among his sons. Berenguer 
Ramon died on 26 May 1035 and was buried in Santa Maria de Ripoll.

Marriages and children[edit]

In 1021, Berenguer married the king of Navarre's sister-in-law, Sancha Sánchez, 
daughter of Sancho Garcés, Count of Castile.[4] By her he had two sons:
Ramon Berenguer (born 1023), who received the county of Girona (with his mother) 
and the county of Barcelona as far as the river Llobregat.
Sanç [Sancho] Berenguer (birth date unknown), who received the frontier march from 
the Llobregat to the al-Andalus, which constituted the new county of Penedès with its 
capital in Olèrdola.[5] Sometime between 1041 and 1049, Sanç swore fealty to his 
elder brother. Then, on 9 June 1050, he ceded his inheritance to Ramon, who in 
return granted him some lands and men as a fief.[6] Sanç then entered the church, 
first as a monk at Saint-Pons-de-Thomières and then as the prior of Sant Benet de 
Bages, before it became an abbey.[7]

In 1027, Berenguer married as his second wife Guisla de Lluçà,[8] with whom he had 
two more sons;
Guillem [William] Berenguer (born 1028), who received the county of Osona 
(comitatum Ausonensem), with his mother, and the county of Manresa. He renounced 
his county on 4 December 1054, allowing his brother Ramon to restore their 
patrimony.[7]
Bernat [Bernard] Berenguer (born 1029)

Two daughters have also been tentatively assigned to this couple: Clemencia, who 
married Ermengol III of Urgell, and the wife of Henry of Burgundy.

Parents
BORREL Raymond (Ramon) (Raimund) I ( 972 - 25 Feb 1018)
DE CARCASSONE Ermesinde (ABT  972 - 1 Mar 1058)

Siblings
OF BARCELONA Adelaide (ABT 1004 - 1051)
BERENGER Raymond (Raimund) I "al Cuerva" (1005 - 26 May 1035)

Marriage To SANCHEZ DE CASTILE Sancha (ABT 1006 - 26 Jun 1026)
    m. 1021 

Notes

Parents
GARCIA Sancho (ABT  965 - 5 Feb 1017)
SALVADORES Urraca (ABT  978 - 20 May 1025)

Children by SANCHEZ DE CASTILE Sancha ABT 1006 - 26 Jun 1026
BERENGER Raymond (Raimund) I "el Viejo" (1023 - 26 May 1076)

Marriage To OF LLUCA Gisela (ABT 1010 - )
    m.  his 2d

Notes


Children by OF LLUCA Gisela ABT 1010 - 
OF BARCELONA Sibylle (Sybilla) (Sibil) (ABT 1035 - 6 Jul 1074)

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