GUIFRÉ [Guifred/Wifredus] [I] "el Pilós/el Velloso/the Hairy" de Barcelona, son of SENIOFREDO Count in the March of Spain & his wife Ermesende --- (-killed in battle near Santa María del Puch [21 Aug 897/31 Dec 898], probably 11 Aug 898, bur Santa María de Ripoll monastery). The Gesta Comitum Barcinonensium names "Guiffredus…cum filio suo Guiffredo qui cognomento est Pilosus"[78]. The Crónica de San Juan de la Peña names "Guiffré que fue de la villa Darriá, sitiada en la tierra de Conflent cerca el río de Ter" when recording that he received "del Rey de Francia, el Condado de Barschinona", as well as "su fillo…Guiffré Pelloso" (stating that the latter was so-called "porque pellos hauía en lugars do homs nondan acostupnado de hauer")[79], although the Crónica is very confused in its narrative about the early rulers of Barcelona. No other source has so far been found which identifies two separate counts named Guifré, father and son. He was confirmed by Charles II "le Chauve" King of the West Franks as Comte de Urgell, Cerdanya and Conflent in 870, and as Comte de Barcelona and Girona in 878. A charter dated 23 Sep 873 records the foundation of the church of Notre-Dame de Formiguera by "comitibus…Vuifredo et fratre eius Mirone et comitibus Olibano et fratre eius Ayfredo"[80]. Wifredo "el Velloso" and his wife Winidilda donated property to Ripoll monastery by charter dated 27 Jun 875 which names "fratre meo…Seniofredo"[81]. He encouraged colonisation in the unsettled frontier areas of Urgell and Cerdanya along the valley of the River Lord. He restored the Bishopric of Vic in 887. The death in 888 of Emperor Karl III marked a decline in Carolingian power and a trend towards independence of the Catalan counties. This was helped by their geographical remoteness from the central Frankish authority, their own relative stability and the direct relations which they had established with the Papacy[82]. A charter dated 21 Aug 897 names Wifredo and his wife Winidilda[83]. Guifré was killed resisting a Moorish incursion which reached Barcelona. The Crónica de San Juan de la Peña records that "Guiffré" (meaning Guifré the father, see above) was killed "cerca de la villa de Senyora Sancta Maria del Puch"[84]. A necrology of San Juan de Ripoll monastery records the death "III Id Aug" of the founder of the monastery (who was Guifré) and his burial there[85]. On his death, his territories were divided between his sons.
m (before 27 Jun 875) GUINIDILDA, daughter of SENIOFREDO & his wife --- (-[21 Aug 897/18 Feb 900]). Wifredo "el Velloso" and his wife Winidilda donated property to San Juan de Ripoll monastery by charter dated 27 Jun 875 which names "fratre meo…Seniofredo"[86]. Her parentage is confirmed by charters dated 875, 877 and 878 under which "Winidildes commitissa" donated property "in comitato Impuritano in villa…Kabannas omnem portionem mihi…de comparatione de cuondam patrem meum…Seniofredo" to San Juan de Ripoll monastery[87]. The name of her father "Seniofredo" suggests that Guinidilda may have been a close relative of her husband, whose father had the same name. According to Weir[88], she was Gunhild, daughter of Baudouin I Count of Flanders. It is assumed that this is based on the Gesta Comitum Barcinonensium which records that Charles II "le Chauve" King of the Franks gave a daughter of the Count of Flanders in marriage to "Pilosi" at the same time as granting him the county of Barcelona[89], although this source is unreliable in some points of detail concerning the family of the counts of Barcelona. The Crónica de San Juan de la Peña also records that "Iuffré Pellos" married "una filla del..Conte de Flandres"[90]. Considering that the early counts of Flanders were in 877 still in the process of consolidating their newly founded county, it is not clear what contact they would have had with a count whose territory was so distant from their own sphere of activity, or the advantages they would have seen in such a dynastic marriage. The only known point in common between the two counts appears to have been King Charles II "le Chauve" who was suzerain of both. Gunhild is not shown among the children of Count Baudouin in Rösch[91]. In any event, this supposed Flemish origin is disproved by the charters quoted above. A charter dated 21 Aug 897 names Wifredo and his wife Winidilda[92]. A charter dated 18 Feb 900 of "su hija abadesa Emmon" refers to her mother as deceased[93].
Guifré [I] & his wife had [ten] children