The origin of Aimar, earliest known ancestor of the first dynasty of sires de Bourbon, is unknown. However, a spurious Carolingian descent was created for him in the late 17th century which has proved remarkably resistant and has found its way over the succeeding centuries into numerous secondary sources including Europäische Stammtafeln[589]. The fraudulent Bourbon documentation recalls the similar exercise relating to the purported Merovingian descent of the dukes of Aquitaine and Gascony, based on the so-called Alarcon charter which was fabricated around the same time (see the Introduction to the document GASCONY for the background to the creation of the Alarcon documentation). The background to the creation of the fraudulent Bourbon documents is discussed fully by Chazaud who also publishes in full several of the spurious charters[590]. He traces their authorship to Frère André de Saint-Nicolas, prior of the Carmelite priory of Moulins, who also cooperated with Etienne Baluze in the compilation of documentation for the latter’s Histoire de la maison d’Auvergne published in 1708[591]. The documents were provided to Jean-Baptiste Goth Duc d’Epernon and Marquis de Rouillac. According to the first in the series of spurious charters, dated May 922, "Ademarus comes" (identified with Aimar, ancestor of the sires de Bourbon) donated "Lisinias villa in pago Augustidense" to Cluny/Souvigny, for the souls of "senioris mei Nibilungi genitoris et Kunegundis genetricis", signed by "Haimonis, Erkimbaudi et Dagoberti filiorum eius, Rotberti ducis nepotis eius, Ugonis filii Rotberti…"[592]. "Nibilung"was no doubt intended to be a member of theNibelung/Childebrand/Theoderic family (see the document CAROLINGIAN NOBILITY) but, as none of these names is found among the known descendants of Aimar, the fabrication is unconvincing. Anothercharter, dated 28 Apr 924, records another purported donation by "Ademarus comes" and names "Eckardi comitis avi mei…et Rodberti etAdelelmi quondam fratrummeorum…"[593]. A further charter, dated [945], records a purported donation by "Haimo dominus Borbonensis, filius Ademari comitis et Hermengardis comitissæ" and names "filiis nostris Geraldo, Archimbaldo, Haimone, Ebbone, Umberto et Anserico et filia nostra Aldesinda"[594]. No other primary sources have yet been identified which name the two supposed brothers of Aimar and the supposed four younger sons and daughter of Aimon [I]. They are therefore omitted from the genealogy which is presented below.
AIMAR (-before Jan 954). "Aymardus" donated "curtem Silviniaci" to Cluny by charter dated Mar 920, signed by "Emmonis, Archimbaldi, Dagberti, Aimonis, item Aimonis, et item Aimonis…"[595]. m ERMENGARDIS, daughter of --- (-before Jan 954). "Aymus" donated "ecclesiam…sancti Petri…in pago Arvernico, in vicaria Donobrense, in villa Salviniaco" to Cluny, for the souls of "genitoris mei et genetricis meæ Ermengardæ…", by charter dated Jan 954[596]. Aimar & his wife had [four] children