[AGATHA de Lavardin ([1120/25]-[before 1185/1202]). "…Agathe uxore Nivelonis primogeniti…" witnessed the charter dated 14 Jan 1139 under which "dominus Ursio de Merlaio" renounced rights in favour of Notre-Dame de Chartres[1277]. "…Uxore primogeniti filii mei…Agatha et Hilgodo Piel" consented to the donation by "Ursio dominus de Fractæ Vallis" by charter dated 1139[1278]. Her parentage and first marriage are indicated by the Gesta Ambaziensium which records that "Guenmardus... [et] Mariam sororem Engelbaudi archiepiscopi et Bartholomæi de Vindocino...filiam" married "Nevolus de Fracta Valle" and that "ex qua heredes Lavardini qui modo sunt exstant"[1279]. Salies cites a charter dated "1095 mentionnée par Dom Anselme Lemichel" which shows that Beatrix, wife of Urso Sire de Fréteval was "sœur d´Aimeric de Lavardin surnommé Gannard", suggesting therefore that the Gesta must have incorrectly attributed this wife to Nivelon Sire de Fréteval and her parentage to Aymeric "Gaimard"[1280]. The charter in question has not yet been seen. However, as shown in the document CENTRAL FRANCE NOBILITY, three charters suggest (without stating explicitly) that Beatrix, wife of Urso de Fréteval, was the daughter of Jérémie de la Tour Seigneur de Lisle. It appears probable, therefore, that the marriage, as reported in the Gesta, is more likely to be correct than the suggestion made by Salies. Agatha´s supposed second marriage is indicated by the charter dated 1147 under which "Joannes Vindocinensis comes" donated part of the forest of Gâtines to the abbey of La Trinité de Vendôme, with the consent of "duo filii mei Burchardus primogenitus et Lancelinus…apud Lavarziniacum, Agatha uxor Burchardi filii mei"[1281]. Dame de Lavardin. The residence of Agatha at Lavardin suggests a connection with the castle of that name. In addition, Agatha´s widower "Burchardus…Johannis Vindocinensis comitis filius" made donations to Lavardin dated [1185/1202] for the soul of his wife "Agatham hujus ville dominam"[1282], consistent with her suggested Lavardin origin. This supposed second marriage is consistent with the reference in the Gesta Ambaziensium to "ex qua heredes Lavardini qui modo sunt exstant", assuming that the latter were descended from Agatha´s second not her first marriage. In addition, [Agatha´s second husband] "Bucardus comes Vindocinensis" names [Agatha´s brother] "Johannes de Lavardino cognatus meus..." in his confirmation of a donation to Gatines dated to [1185][1283], the word "cognatus" frequently indicating brother-in-law. It should be NOTE d that Saint-Venant suggests that Agatha was the daughter of an otherwise unrecorded older son of Aymeric "Gaimard", who died young and transmitted the right to Lavardin to his daughter. He highlights that Jean de Lavardin is never recorded as seigneur de Lavardin after the death of his father, and that if Agatha had been the sister of Richilde (second wife of Jean Comte de Vendôme) the church would have vetoed the arrangement whereby one sister married the father and the other his son[1284]. The scenario as proposed is not impossible. However, it is inconsistent with the Gesta Ambazensium as quoted above (Saint-Venant ignores Agatha´s supposed first marriage), nor is it certain that the church would have vetoed the marriages in question (there are other examples of father and son marrying two sisters). m [firstly] (before 1139) NIVELON [IV] Sire de Fréteval, son of URSO Sire de Fréteval & his wife Beatrix de la Tour (-[1146]). [m secondly (before 1147) BOUCHARD [VII] Comte de Vendôme, son of JEAN Comte de Vendôme & his first wife Berthe du Puy-du-Fou ([1125/30]-1202).]]