The family of the Sires d´Albret originated in Labrit, a town in Landes south of Bordeaux[244], the two names seemingly having the same etymology, "Albret" presumably being the French evolution of the Gascon "Labrit". The remains of what is thought to have been the Albret castle, probably originally built in [1100] and abandoned in the 16th century, were rediscovered at Labrit by Jean-Bernard Marquette and classified as "monument historique" by order dated 27 Dec 1990[245]. According to Jaurgain, the Sire d´Albret were descended from the vicomtes de Bezaume, but his reconstruction appears based on onomastics rather than any specific primary source[246]. In addition, the reconstruction of the first few generations of this family, as shown in most secondary sources including Jaurgain, is not an accurate reflection of the precise wording of the surviving primary source documentation. There is a high probability that the individuals named are closely related in the male line, as shown by the onomastics, but the generally accepted reconstruction has in part been deconstructed for the purposes of presentation in the present document. It is only from Amanieu [VI] Sire d´Albret (who died before Sep 1240) that an unbroken line of descent can be traced in the male line until the early 16th century. Despite the lack of a noble title higher than "sire", the family made judicious marriages into the families of the comtes d´Armagnac, the comtes de la Marche, the ducs de Bourbon in the 13th and14th centuries. In the mid-15th century, Charles [II] Sire d´Albret was invested as comte de Dreux by the king of France, and his descendant Alain (who died in 1522) was made Comte de Castres, de Gavre et de Périgord. Alain´s grandson Jean completed the family´s ascent when he married the heiress of the kingdom of Navar re as succeeded as king of Navarre by right of his wife.
AMANIEU [II] (-after [1050]). The Historia Abbatiæ Condomensis records that "Amaneus Lebrestensis" claimed "ecclesiam sancti Petri Sanagorensis" during the time of Seguin abbot of Condom (dated to [1050])[251]. The dates of the mentions of Amanieu [I] and Amanieu [II] suggest that they must have been different persons. Sire d'Albret. m ---. The name of Amanieu's wife is not known. Amanieu [I] & his wife had [two] children: