The Trencavel were an important noble family in Languedoc (in the southwest of modern-day France) during the 10th through 13th centuries. At various times they ruled Agde, Albi, Béziers, Carcassonne, Nîmes, and Razès[now Rennes-le-Chateau]. The family name may derive from the words for "nut cracker" (trenca avelana). Coat of arms of the province of Languedoc, now being used as an official flag by the Midi-Pyrénees region as well as by the city of Toulouse Languedoc (Lengadòc in Occitan) is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc... Agde is a commune of the Hérault département, in southern France. ... Location within France Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Albi Albi is a town and commune in southern France. ... Béziers (Besièrs in Occitan, and Besiers in Catalan) is a town in Languedoc, in the southwest of France. ... Location within France Cathars being expelled from Carcassone in 1209. ... Location within France Nîmes is a city and commune of southern France, préfecture (capital) of the Gard département. ... Razès is a historical area in southwestern France, in todays Aude département. ...

The first well-known member of the family was Ato I, who was viscount of Albi in the early 10th century. He is followed by five generations of viscounts of Albi in direct father-to-son descent: Bernard Ato I (d. 937), Ato II (d. 942), Bernard Ato II (d. 990), Aton III (d. 1030), and Bernard Ato III (d. 1060). Each of these from Ato II on had a younger brother named Frotarius who was a bishop of Albi, Cahors, or Nîmes. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... Events Athelstan wins the Battle of Brunanburh September 21 - Magdeburg is now the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, after a Diet held by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Births Duke William IV of Aquitaine (d. ... Events Kaminarimon, the eight-pillared gate to Japans Kinryuzan Sensouji Temple is erected. ... Events Construction of the Al-Hakim Mosque begins in Cairo. ... Events July 29 - Battle of Stiklestad in Norway. ... Events May - The Norman leader Robert Guiscard conquers Taranto. ... Cahors is a town in Western France in the Lot département. ...

Bernard Ato III's son Raimond Bernard (d. 1074) married Ermengard of Carcassonne, sister of Roger, last count of Carcassonne. He was viscount of Albi and Nîmes, and acquired Carcassonne and Béziers in 1068-1070 after the death of his brother-in-law. His son Bernard Ato IV (d. 1129) was viscount of Albi, Béziers, Carcassonne, Nîmes, and Razès. He thus held all the lands of the counts of Carcassonne, but nevertheless the family never assumed the comital title. Events Births February 12 - Conrad, King of Germany and Italy (d. ... Events Emperor Go-Sanjo ascends the throne of Japan William the Conqueror takes Exeter after a brief siege Births Henry I of England (d. ... Events Hereward the Wake begins a Saxon revolt in the Fens of eastern England. ... Events Emperor Toba of Japan begins his cloistered rule sharing power with Sutuku, ex-emperor Shirakawas son. ...

The sons of Bernard Ato IV divided their inheritance. The eldest, Roger I (d. 1150) took Albi, Carcassonne, and Razès but had no children. The next, Raimond I (d. 1167) took Béziers, and inherited Albi, Carcassonne, and Razès from his brother. The youngest, Bernard Ato V (d. 1159) inherited Nîmes and added Agde. Events Åhus, Sweden gains city privileges City of Airdrie, Scotland founded King Sverker I of Sweden is deposed and succeeded by Eric IX of Sweden. ... Events Taira no Kiyomori becomes the first samurai to be appointed Daijo Daijin, chief minister of the government of Japan Peter of Blois becomes the tutor of William II of Sicily Absalon, archbishop of Denmark, leads the first Danish synod at Lund Absalon fortifies Copenhagen William Marshal, the greatest knight... Events In the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinals are given the right of election of the Pope. ...

During this period there was considerable urban unrest as the growing cities tried to assert their independence. Raimond I was killed during one such revolt in Béziers. There was also revolts in Carcassonne in 1107 and 1120-1124. During the latter four years the Trencavels were expelled from the city. Events William Warelwast becomes Bishop of Exeter. ... Events Welcher of Malvern creates a system of measurement for the earth using degrees, minutes, and seconds of latitude and longitude. ... Events March 26 - Henry I of Englands forces defeat Norman rebels at Bourgtheroulde. ...

Their complex of lands in the center of Languedoc gave the Trencavels considerable power in the 11th and 12th centuries. The counts of Barcelona and Toulouse both had large territories to the east and west, and valued a potential alliance with a family that stood in the middle. For the most part the Trencavels allied with Barcelona. The now-extinct title of Count of Barcelona was, through much of its history, merged with that of King of Aragon; see also List of Aragonese Monarchs. ... After the Visigothic Kings of Aquitaine (409-508), the Merovingian kings were kings and dukes in Aquitaine and dukes of Toulouse. ...

The following generations were to lose it all as a result of the Albigensian Crusade. Roger II (d. 1194), son of Raimond I, inherited his father's 4 viscounties. His son, Raimond Roger (1185-1209) also held them, and was captured after the fall of Carcassonne to the crusaders. He died in prison at the end of 1209. In 1247 his dispossed son Raimond II (1204-1263) formally ceded his rights to Louis IX of France, after several failed attempts to recover his patrimony. Meanwhile, Bernard Ato V's son, Bernard Ato VI was viscount of Nîmes and Agde, and ceded his rights to Simon de Montfort in 1214. The Albigensian Crusade or Cathar Crusade (1209 - 1229) was a 20-year military campaign initiated by the Roman Catholic Church to eliminate the religion practiced by the Cathars of Languedoc, which the Roman Catholic hierarchy considered heretical. ... Events November 20 - Palermo falls to Henry VI, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire December 25 - Henry VI is crowned king of Sicily. ... Raymond-Roger de Trencavel (1185 - November 10, 1209) was a member of the noble Trencavel family. ... Events April 25 - Genpei War - Naval battle of Dan-no-ura leads to Minamoto victory in Japan Templars settle in London and begin the building of New Temple Church End of the Heian Period and beginning of the Kamakura period in Japan. ... Events Albigensian Crusade against Cathars (1209-1218) the Franciscans are founded. ... This article is about the medieval crusades. ... Events Shams ad-Din disappears resulting in Jalal Uddin Rumi writing 30,000 verses of poetry about his disappearance. ... // Events February - Byzantine emperor Alexius IV is overthrown in a revolution, and Alexius V is proclaimed emperor. ... Events Detmold, Germany was founded. ... Only representation of Saint Louis known to be true to life - Early 14th century statue from the church of Mainneville, Eure, France King Louis IX of France or Saint Louis (April 25, 1214/1215 – August 25, 1270) was King of France from 1226 until his death. ... Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester, also Simon IV de Montfort (1160 – June 25, 1218) was a French nobleman who took part in the Fourth Crusade (1202 - 1204) and was a prominent leader of the Albigensian Crusade. ... Events Simon Apulia becomes Bishop of Exeter. ...