Wilfred II of Cerdanya
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wilfred (Catalan: Guifré, Spanish: Vifredo or Wifredo) (c.970–1050) was the count of Cerdanya (988–1035) as Wilfred II and count of Berga (1003–1035) as Wilfred I. He was the eldest son of Oliba Cabreta and Ermengard of Ampurias.
When his father abdicated in 988 to become a monk in Monte Cassino, Wilfred's brother Bernard received Besalú while Oliba received Berga. Their mother acted as regent until 994. When Oliba followed his father into the church in 1003, his county passed to Wilfred.
Like his father and brother before him, he had a great affection for the church. He participated actively in the consecration of many churches and monasteries, such as San Martín del Canigó, founded in 1007 and consecrated in 1009. Despite this, he did fight to free his county from the jurisdiction of the diocese of Urgell and thus entered into conflict with Saint Ermengol.
In 1023, Wilfred entered into a peace concord with Berengar Raymond I of Barcelona and William I of Besalú.
In 1035, he finally followed his father and brother into monastic retirement, becoming a monk in his own foundation of San Martín del Canigó. He died some fifteen years later in 1050. By his marriage to Guisla of Pallars, he had many children:
- Raymond (1035-1068), successor in Cerdanya
- Wilfred (d.1079), archbishop of Narbonne
- Berengar (d.1053), bishop of Elna
- Arduin (d.1050)
- William Wilfred (d.1075), bishop of Urgell
- Bernard (d.1050), successor in Berga
- Berengar (d.1093), successor of Bernard in Berga and bishop of Girona
- Fe (also Fides or Foy), married Hugh of Rouergue
Preceded by Oliba Cabreta |
Count of Cerdagne 988-1035 |
Succeeded by Raymond |
Preceded by Oliba |
Count of Berga 1003-1035 |
Succeeded by Bernard I |