ABOUT THE BARON HRVOTLAND BELS INDELIBLE TRACES BEFORE THE FIRST MILLENIUM TURNOVER AND

THE KNIGHT BELS OF VACARISSES (Spain)

Info: If the forename “Hruoland” is of pure Frankish origin, the forename Hrvotland may seem to sound more of Vikings origin. It is however very unlikely that Hrvotland´s father, being also a politically involved person, acting at the court of the Carolingians and coming over from the Merovingians, would have given his son a Viking name knowing that these people were literally their biggest enemies. They were perpetrating permanent murderous raids with acts of indescribable savagery, terrorizing the country, launching their huge Dane dogs against their helpless victims, murdering them, mutilating them, sacking villages, plundering, and finally burning them to ashes.

The name Robert, a typical Frankish forename, is issued from Hrodbert. So, will against all appearances Hrvotland be also a Frankish forename!

Before closing the chapter on the Bels from the South of France, let we come back on another mystery constituted by a Knight Bels. He undersigned a document for the Count Guillem de Muntanyola, in the year 1014, in Vacarisses, some 30 km northwest of Barcelona, close to the foothills of the Pyrenean Mountain range that separates France from Spain. Hereunder the signatories of the first group attending the trial:

 “...Sig+num Guillelmus vicarious, sig+num Indalecius, sig+num Barone, sig+num Geriberto, sig+num Guillelmo Ato, sig+num Arnaldo Sayoni, sig+num Marcucius nos et alii quam plurimi qui adpresens adfuimus…“.

And the signatories of the second group, with the mention of a Knight Bels.

"Sig+num Sanfredus levita qui et iudex, sig+num Bels, sig+num Borrellus gratia Dei episcopus ac si indignus, Salla sig+num, sig+num Raimundus archilevita, sig+num Roderandus sacerdos, sig+num Gaucerfredus presbiter, sig+num Oliva Sajo, Guislara presbiter epanavit die et anno quo supra.". Sources : John C. Shideler.

In his early career, Guillem Ist was a vicar of Vacarisses and Muntanyola who exercised committal authority in the localities under his charge. By the time of his death in 1040, he had assembled a patrimony that was becoming a territorial ship. This was centred on the castle of Montcada, the namesake of the lineage for centuries to come.

The castle of Montcada, perched on a mountaintop, overlooked looked settlements located near the confluence of the Beses and its tributaries as they funneled through a narrow pass from the Vallès into the territory of Barcelona. The castle's strategic location made it especially important to Countess Ermessenda of Barcelona who probably installed in there, in the mid-1020s, her protégé Guillem Ist de Muntanyola. The first time that Guillem Ist is called "de Montcada" is in a document dated 1032, attesting him possessing the castle of the same name.

Guillem´s acquisition of Montcada followed his marriage to Adelaide, Fa. Bonucio de Claramunt x Senegundis, It brought the Castellar domain to Guillem de Montcada as a wedding gift. The marriage of Guillem and Adelaide merged two vicarial lineages into one!

We said that the Bels from Albi, Ambels and Baillessats were present in these regions, some time before, during and after the crusade against the Cathars that happened around the year 1225.

I open here a parenthesis: There is no proof that some Knights from our Lineage went down to The South of France with the crusades against the Cathars and participated actively at them. As a work hypothesis, I personally tend to dismiss this option because I am convinced that such involvements do not fit with our overall Dynastic diplomatic policy.

The permanency and the everlastingness that characterizes our Dynasty, for over twelve centuries, speaks for an overall clever and well-balanced diplomatic response to the events that triggered them, being them political, religious of financial. The Lineages that constitute our Dynasty seems to have understood the full extent of the adage: “Stay out of trouble“.

Every extreme position, being it too far left or too far right, should unavoidably have brought its counter effects, endangering seriously our security, discrediting our secular good reputation, and mining the continuity of the seemingly unique social statute we harvested through the centuries and beyond the millennium. For every logical outside observer, it is quite evident that, to outlive at least 1731 years (as of 2017) of severe historical turmoil, the several lineages constituting the Bels-Belle-Balliol Dynasty needed, indeed, a unique and never to underestimate ability of adaptability.

The nobility of the time knew perfectly well that these expeditions against the Cathars, were nothing else than a dirty Church business. They were very well aware of the very opportunistic and hegemonic policy course the Church was heading on, for it was the nobility who endured its most severe damages. Emperors and Kings were no longer the only rulers on Earth. Their power was counteracted and seriously endangered by the power of the Church.

A very vicious power indeed, based on superstition and the belief in divine orders and expectancies! For free thinkers, pure non-sense, and brainwashing! But how long will a free thinker and his opinion survive in an environment wherein the rest of society and its consolidated institutions, are either firmly convinced of the truth of the legitimacy and of the legality of their belief or just pretend to be convinced and play, tactfully and deftly, the game of the Church, only to benefit from the situation, or to save their heads!

“You agree, you keep your estates, you disagree, and you simply lose everything”. How would you react ? And this situation does not even consider the Damocles Sword that hung upon everybody, from peasant to King, which was constituted by the Holy Inquisition! Very clever and most dexterous was the one who could get through these hard times without being dispossessed of his personal estates, without losing its integrity and reliability and even without being mutilated by the Inquisition!

One writing “Le Besant de Dieu” from anno 1230, tells us in very cautious terms:

Quant Franceis vont sor Tolosans         

When men of France attack the men of Toulouse,

Qu´il tienent a popelicans                       

Whom they consider heretics,

E la legacie romaine                               

And the Roman Legate

Les i conduit et les i maine,                     

Leads them and drive them on,

N´est mie bien, ceo m´est avis.              

In my opinion, it is not at all a good thing

Bons e mals sont en toz pais.                

There are good and bad men in every country.

What if the Bels, from the South of France, were already in these regions, more than two centuries before that cruel crusade actually took place?

The patronymic of this Knight Bels is 166 years older than the first (re)mention of the patronymic Bels in Flanders and is 211 years anterior to the crusade against the Cathars. Questions: Who was this Knight, where did he come from and what was he doing in Northern Spain?

Was he over there on a short mission before returning to his estates in the Albi region, was he living in Vacarisses or in one of the neighboring castle districts of Olesa de Monserrat and Pierola? Was he serving the Count of Guillem de Montcada or the powerful Count of Barcelona? And, if he lived in Spain, was he down there with his wife and children and/or with his brother(s) and sister(s) or was he just on his own? Did he have a blazon and how did it look like?

We know from history books that Charlemagne (*748+814) fought several campaigns against the Arabs in southern France and in Northern Spain. It was in 711 that the Muslims marched in Spain coming from North Africa. They marched all the way up, crossed the Pyrenean Mountains and attacked the French city of Tours, which was deep inside the Frankish kingdom. To counter them required several big military campaigns.

The one of Tours in 732, headed by Charles Martel, made heavy losses among the Muslims. It forced them to retreat over the Pyrenean Mountains, in Spain. The one of anno 778 captured Pamplona and made the siege of Saragossa. In anno 793, Charlemagne is again in Narbonne. In anno 801, Barcelona is freed from the Arabs after a siege of two years. Charlemagne also helped, in anno 812, the Spanish Catholics by their “Reconquista”. With the help of the Kingdoms of Navarre and of Barcelona, he repulsed the Arabs until the Ebre River.

We know that Charlemagne undertook no less than 53 military campaigns during his reign. Here a short overview of them:

18 against the Saxons, 7 against the Arabs in the south of France, 1 against the Basques, 5 against the Lombard, 5 against the Arabs in Italy, 2 against the Byzantines, 4 against the Avares, 2 against the Britons, 1 against the Thüringians, 1 against the Bavarians, 3 against the Scandinavians, etc.

If one of the ancestors of this Knight Bels participated with Charlemagne in one of his numerous campaigns and remained in the area after Charlemagne’s troops left the operations´ scene (which is highly probable if not bordering certainty), the probability that the Knight Bels and our mysterious Hrvotland (Roland) Bels, the man who was quoted in a text relative to the Treaty of Verdun, 11 August anno 843, were parents, becomes extremely high!

What is very interesting to note is that both Office Holders, Hrvotland Bels and the Knight Bels of Vacarisses, ancestors originated from Flanders. Since Flanders was the kingdom of King Charles (Karolus) and since his kingdom also encompassed this part of the South of France, we may conclude that both Office Holders were attached to the court of the same King Charles.

Therefore, was the distance from Flanders to northern Spain only geographical but not functional. They were both “Administration People” in Charles’s kingdom and were at home as well in Flanders as in the North of Spain. This may explain the presence of the Bels (Bayles, Beilles, etc.) in the South of France and the Northern Spain.

“…Westwards of the Rhone delta, all Septimania was included in Charles’s kingdom, giving him the Spanish March with the county of Barcelona in the far southwest…”. Source: Janet L. Nelson.

As we have seen, some Knights from our Lineage might also have stranded in the south of France at the time of the crusade against the Cathars. However, there were several other campaigns. For example, in 1276, the campaign to northern Spain that was headed by Philippe III, King of France and Gwijde (Guy) de Dampiere, Count of Flanders. There are therefore enough reasons to expect to find some Knights from our Lineage in these, from Flanders, very remote regions.

A new wind blows now on this remote chapter of our Dynasty. I recently found out that the Count of Barcelona, of Gerona and of Ausona at the time of the Knight Bels was Count Ramon Borrell (*972 +1018) x Ermesinde (Emerssende) de Carcassonne and de Razes (Rennes-le-Château). They had three children. The Count’s son, Berenguer Raimond I^st “el Curvo”, (*1005 +1035) succeeded him to the County on 25 February 1018.

The Counts of Barcelona increased their power during the XI^th and the XII^th century. They soon implemented a feudal system on the emerging nobility and aristocracy in their country. It is in anno 1137 that the Counts became Kings of Aragon. Their Kingdom encompassed Catalonia and spread out to regions far across the Pyrenean Mountain range such as the Counties of Béarn, Béziers, Bigorre, Carlat (next to Aurillac), Carcassonne, Comminges, Foix, Gevaudan, Millau, Monpellier and the Provence as far as Monaco and Nice that were also attached to the Crown. Distance Nice - Barcelona, some 700 km!

The Kingdom of Aragon was bordered to the South, by the Muslim State of Valencia itself bordered with the Almohad Territory. South-easterly was the Kingdom of Castille and North-westerly the Kingdom of Navarre.

What is more interesting for the Essay is that:

• The Count Ramon Borrell was a son of Borell II (*before 940 and +993) Count of Barcelona, of Gerona and of Ausona and of Luitgarde (Letgarda) de Rouergue and of Toulouse. This is nothing special!
• The Count Borrel II was himself a son of Sunifred II d´Urgell (*after 897 +953 other dates given are *880 +948) Count of Barcelona, of Gerona and of Ausona and of Richilda. This is still nothing special neither!

• The Count Sunifred II d´Urgell was a son of Wilfredo (Guifred) “el Velloso” (*Abt. 840 +897), Count of Barcelona and of Winihilde (Guinedilde) van Vlaanderen. (*860).

Here we go again with... Flanders. “Vlaanderen” is the Dutch toponym for Flanders.

I open here a parenthese:

Important to note for subsequent developments in this Essay, are the names of the direct ascendants from Wilfredo: His father was Sunifred I^st d’Urgell-Cerdanya (+848) Count of Barcelona, himself fs. of Raoul (Borrell) de Ansona (Osona), etc. The latest is also mentioned as Ramon Borrell, Marquis of Spain x Ermesende? All these Lords were of Visigoths origin!

It is, therefore, absolutely not by stroke of luck that this Knight Bels from Flanders was hanging around in the south of France because there was thus a precedent: Winidilde (Guinidilda) (*864) from Flanders (fa. of Boudewijn Ith “Iron Arm” (840-879), Marquis of Flanders and of Judith, Queen of England, and later princess of France. She was fa. of Charles II “the Bald” x Hermantrude d’Orléans) settled over there some 140 years earlier after she married Wilfred Ist d´Ursel “the Hairy” (*848 +898). We remember the strong links between the Counts of Flanders and the Bels-Belle and Balliol lineages.

• Did one or more ancestors of the Knight Bels, among a few others Flemish knights, escorted/accompanied Winidilde when she went down to Spain to marry Count Borrel II and stayed at his court ? The mighty Count of Flanders, at the time called Marquis, would definitively not let his daughter alone browsing up hill and dawn dale more than 1250 km from his castle, without a strong escort. Pure common sense! Or did some Bels Knights most probably escorted/accompanied Winidilde and her husband back to Spain - after - they married in Flanders? Because, at this point, I do not know with certainty where they married!

• Another reason to have at her disposal a kind of mini-Flemish court is the fact that Winidilde spoke Diets, which was an ancient form of German and not Spanish. As everybody knows, in Spain one speaks Spanish (Lapalissade). How would Winidilde feel at the court of her husband and in a country where people speak a language, she does not understand? Remember, in those times there were no modern communications means, that would have made her life easier so far away from home, from her parents, friends and from her culture.

• We have seen that the Bels were Office holders (baronobis) at the Merovingian courts. When Dagobert II left England for Rennes-le-Château, historians agree that some Knights from trusted “Leudes” families, were ready to help him. When he later secretly returned from captivity in England, where he had received a very good education, they welcomed him at the main port of the time (and since the Roman times): Boulogne-sur-Mer.

The “Life of St. Wilfrid” or “Vita Sancti Wilfrithi”, written by the monk Stephen of Ripon (*abt. 650 + after 710, probably in Ripon), soon after Wilfrid's death, does not specify who was responsible for recalling Dagobert II, only that it was "friends" (amici) and "relatives" (proximi). The relatives may have been on his mother's side. There is little consensus on who the friends could have been, but one thing is sure, only a few families of the time came into consideration.

It is clear that the return of Dagobert II to France constituted a very high-risk venture. That Dagobert would never have been able to complete his long ride on his own, is evidence enough. That his return to his lands had to be as secretive as possible, with his enemies always on the lookout, was another. His only solution was to surround himself with Knights from old, friendly Flemish families (Leudes) on whom he could rely: his survival depended on them. So did a few Flemish knights (Bels included) constitute Dagobert II´s secret but effective personal escort. There is no other logic scenario possible. Together they then rode, without any problems and by all evidence unnoticed, the 1.250 km down to Rennes-le-Château.

• We know than Dagobert II married in 671, Giselle de Razes (second marriage), in Rennes-le-Château. Did some of our family members travel all the way down to attend the marriage, as they did on several other occasions or did, they remain in the region since the time of the secret escort of King Dagobert II?

I describe in the French part of this Essay, that the Bels (Beils, Bellis) of Limburg (Belgium) and of the Netherlands, left Flanders not only for socio-economic reasons (trade, marriage, wars, famine, military expeditions) but also mainly due to the religious persecution prevailing at the time toward the new Protestantism movement.

Could the reason for the appearance, in the south of France, of the Bels (Bayle, Beile, etc.) lineages also be linked to these new religious persecutions which succeeded to the Catharism and the Inquisition?

The germ of an answer was already given to me by the story of the two Cathars, Sybille Baille (also Bayle) and her son Pons. Originating from Flanders and knowing that the most powerful guild in Flanders, the Weavers corporation, was under direct control of a very few but very rich, powerful, and influential Flemish families, with on the top the Bels (Belle, Baille, Bayle, etc.) lineages, I asked myself the question as to know if the Catharism was not also present in Flanders? I soon realised that there has been indeed an infiltration of Manicheans (Cathars) in the mighty Weavers Corporation of Flanders.

Manicheans are called as such because a certain Mani (Manes) (*216 +276), founded the religion, in Abrumya (Babylon). He was Persian by his mother Maryam and linked to the ruling dynasty of the Arsacides. King Shahpur I^st protected him. Later the religion moved to Bulgaria.

Mani cleverly adapted his doctrine to the ritualistic forms of the Zoroastrian religion and united all the diverse religious ideas that have ever been effective in the Near East. His religion reflects thoughts of the gnosis of Alexandria, early Christian ideas, the teachings of the Buddha and Jainas as well as Hindu and Old Persian ideas. Mani teaching renunciation of property and demanding universal equality found a strong positive response among the lawless, oppressed masses. Over the centuries, Manichaeism has spread to Spain and Gaul, leaving behind its traces in later China and Mongolia. Also, in the Islam are found some elements of the Manichean doctrine.

In Flanders, the heresy, which first took root in the upper class of the society, quickly stretched out down the social ladder, to reach the common people.

In 1162, Catholic prelates complained about the big money that circulated, in Flanders, among the Cathar movement. When the Archbishop of Reims, Henri, visited Flanders in 1162, which was part of his ecclesiastical province, he found the Manicheans (Cathars) dogma disquieting if not alarming widely spread.

Since the Count of Flanders considered the Catharism as a Heresy, their adepts called “Piffles, Tesserants or Textores” (from their trade which link them with absolute certainty to Flanders), could not remain in Flanders or in its sphere of influence.

Persecutions were on the daily program. It is recorded that, in 1183, the Count of Flanders Philippe I and the Archbishop of Reims Guillaume de Champagne were religious hard-liners. They quickly condemned the new adepts with penalties ranging from confiscation (to their own benefits), to exile and death. Actually, the same procedures in force in the south of France. Remember the story of Sybille Baille and her son.

So was the exodus of some of our family members unavoidable. To the question: where they went with their unorthodox and heretic belief, comes the quite logic answer: To the south of France. 

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There were the Cathars were at home!

Even after the Church’s mid XIIIth century murderous expedition against the Cathars, they were still active in the region. Historical records show people from Flanders arriving around the year 1400, near the city of Perpignan. Their leader was a certain man called Ferrer!

There were finally many other reasons for members of our lineages to settle in the south of France. Flanders knights “accompanying travellers” and their subsequent settlements in the final destination area, were quite a normal happening in the Middle Ages. Examples:

• Robert de Bruges (later called Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland) is said to have accompanied to Normandy, Lady Mathilde of Flanders, after she married William, the Duke of Normandy, in anno 1053. So did a branch of the “de Bruges” from Flanders settled in Normandy exactly as did the “Bels”, almost two centuries earlier, in Spain, and four centuries earlier in Rennes-le-Château. There is thus really “nothing new under the Sun” (sic).
• The same phenomenon happened with the epic of the Duke of Normandy who later became King of England. We just saw that he married Mathilde, fa of Henricus, the second son of the Count of Flanders Balduinus V (de Lille or le Débonnaire 1036-1077). Henricus had two daughters: Mathilde and Judith. The latest had also something to do with England since she was the wife of Toston, brother of Harold, King of England. She married subsequently Guelf, the Duke of Bavaria!

The direct consequences of this happening, as with Robert de Bruges and the Knight Bels, were that several lords Balliol and Bels found themselves each time attached to the daughters of the Counts of Flanders.

So was the presence of the Knight Bels in north of Spain not an isolated case but rather the result of a “Service en Cours” or “Service to the Court” (aliquo officio fungi in curia familiaria). A procedure that commanded, respected and trustful Lords, to render pro Deo, the secular “Auxilium et Concilium” or “Help and Council” to their Upper Lords.

And there is of course, as seen earlier, the presence in the south of France of our Lineage, brought down there by the severe turmoil, which hit the Merovingians Dynasty. When, in 679, Dagobert´s II daughter needed a strong protective escort on her escape journey to Rennes-le-Château, here again Flemish Knights from a few selected Flemish families, constituted her secret and close protection force. No other knights could be trusted.

Whatever the alternatives, they all fit very well the attempt to explain the presence of this/these Knight(s) Bels so far away from Flanders and give us an important indirect hint: the Bels Knights were already very active in Flanders around that time, that is to say, around the year 840. Also, around that time must have been the birth year of the ancestor of the Knight(s) Bels who escorted or accompanied Winidilde, the Count of Flanders daughter, to Spain. In other words, this/these Knight(s) Bels lived at the time of the Marquis of Flanders, Boudewijn I^st.

More recent studies show their presence at the time of the Merovingian Dynasty, as far as the time when Clodion, ca. anno 431, thanks to a seemingly forced “foedus” (Roman Treaty), “allowed” them to settle in Tournai !

There is also another theory that may explain the presence of the Bels/Bayle in the South of France. It wants these knights remaining captives, by some of these Catalan beauties, while most of their companions returned to Flanders after their “mini trips” to the south of France and to the north of Spain. Trips that would later, during the reign of the emperor Charlemagne, become serious military campaigns.

These kinds of happenings were very frequent in those times and concerned our Knights as well! They happened, for instance, to the Knights Bels and Balliol from Flanders when they went to the “War of the Caw” (1273-1275) in the country of Liège. Some came back home, but some other, more sensible to the beauty and to the charms of the woman of East Belgium, got stuck.

And so was our mystery less a mystery than a lack of a certain realism of quite natural human happenings. This kind of coupling is indeed a constant of History. A beautiful example is the one of the roman Julius Caesar and, after his death, of Marcus Antonius who got stuck and “struck” by the reported staggering beauty of Cleopatra!

If the triple theory of escorting Dagobert II, his daughter (to hide her brother Sigisbert IV) and Winidilde from Flanders, holds the wall side of the pavement, the mystery surrounding another Knight Bels: Hrvotland Bels, one of the Knights who signed the Treaty of Verdun in anno 843, becomes a little less mysterious.

My “escorting” thesis is sound. I found in “La chronique de Saint-Denis” a passage that describes a particularity of the trip Clotilde, the future wife of Clovis, undertook to rejoin him. At least one “Leude,” which is even named, was assigned to protect her during the trip.

“…Gondebaud, King of the Burgundian, uncle of Clotilde, did not fancy the idea to give her to Clovis, but he did not dare to resist to the Francs, a valiant and vindictive nation. They had invaded the lands of the Burgundians. Clotilde received the ring and the presents from Clovis. The maiden set off under the protection of the Leude Aurelien..:”.

Hrvotland Bels is now no longer lost alone in time and space but become part of a seemingly very active Bels family whose members were already High Barons (baronobis) and Knights at the time of Charlemagne. And maybe even before that time!

Not only the time frame fits: anno 803 for the presumed year of birth of Hrvotland Bels and around 843 for the presumed birth year of the ancestor of the Knight Bels (in Spain) who accompanied Winidilde, but also the geographical epicenter: Flanders.

Then I made a much-unexpected discovery! In fact, the information has been there, right for my eyes, for several years but it never caught my attention! It is in the text of the Chart from Baudouin VII (also called “à la Hache”), Count of Flanders (1111-1119), dated 1116. Of course, I noticed (underlined in red), the name of the Office holder (Baron) Lord Balduinus de Belle (S. Baldeum de bella), among the witnesses who undersigned the decree.

What I totally overviewed is the mention of another Office holder (underlined in blue) : the Lord Balduinus Borel (S. Baldeuuim borel). Taken out of the general context of my Essay, this patronymic does not catch any particular attention.

However, this changes drastically as soon as I compared the data of the two charters, the one of Baudouin VII (Flanders, 1116) and the one of Vacarisses (Spain, 1014).

In these Chartas, we find two Lords belonging to two “recurrent” families:

Both were officials at countal courts, one in Flanders and one in Spain. The distance between the two courts is ca. 1250 km. Is this again a coincidence?

We encountered the “Borrell” patronymics in the Dynasty of the Counts of Barcelona with Ramon Borrel, Borrell II and Borrell d´Osona. As we have seen, one of these Counts, Wilfredo “el Velloso” (*845 +897), married Winidilde van Vlaanderen (*860), fa. of Boudewijn Ist “Iron Arm” (840-879), Marquis of Flanders and of Judith, Queen of England! We set their probable marriage year at ca. 874 because their first son called “Borell Ist” is reported born in 874 and dead in 911.

Above, the Chart from Baudouin VII, Count of Flanders, dated 1116. Below, the Chart of Vacarisses, dated 1014.

• First family             : The Bels, de Belle.
• Second family        : The Borel, Borrellus.

• Present, in Flanders  :  Lord Balduinus de Belle and  Lord Balduuim Borel.  Anno 1116
• Present, in Spain       :  Lord (sig+num)  Bels and  Bishop (sig+num)   Borrellus. Anno 1014

Therefore, the signature on the Spanish document (1014) must have taken place some 140 years after the marriage (874) and the second signature, in Flanders (1116), some 242 years later. This indicates us that minimum of four, up to eight generations may have passed, in which the Bels were active in Spain.

This allows us also to affirm that the Baron Bels effectively settled in Spain, was still there in 1116 and went to Flanders with the Baron Borel (Borrellus), or that they were both still hanging in Flanders, at that time, together with other Bels, some 242 years later.

Given the presence in Flanders of the Bels and the Counts of Barcelona, it's highly probable that “el Velloso” also attended the great assembly where the Treaty of Verdun (Diedenhofen, Yutz) was signed in 843, and met there the Bels.

More than two centuries of presence, in Flanders and Spain, advocates the allegations that these people were not at these courts, as Office Holders, just by chance. They were hereditary officials, living in the area where they were active as Lawmen and that they were part of these, through time and space, important interconnected families of the Merovingian and Carolingian times, called “Leudes”. More about them subsequently.

Described here above is my attempt to find out from where this Knight Bels came from. The answer is: from Flanders. There is one more question I would like to have answered: Where did he settle?

We know the Knight Bels was active in Vacarisses. A place much too far away from Villardebelle and Belcastel-et-Buc (238 km), Baillessats (259 km) and Ambels (383 km) for a “Man of Law” working either for the Count of Barcelona or for the Count Guillem de Muntanyola. Actually, for who he was working is irrelevant. What is relevant is the fact that our Knight Bels could not carry out properly his court functions unless he permanently settled in the region.

Travellers covered an average of 40 km a day. Trained courier, on light and fast horses, could reach 80 km. However, a Knight carrying even the half of his equipment, on his heavy Palfrey and in good weather conditions, would need from Belcastel-et-Buc (the closest place) to Vacarisses, up to 6 days.

Therefore, there was a real need for an Office holder to settle in the region where he was working, close to the Seigneurial court. And if he settled there, he must have done it with his whole family. The question is, where?

We might expect our Knight Bels to have chosen a place not too far away from a Benedictine Abbey or Monastery and not too far away from a place of cult for the Madonna and her Child. The link we had with the Monasteries has never been satisfactorily elucidated. However, the lack of explanation does not prevent us from facing, once more, the historical permanency that seems to stick to our Lineages.

A closer look at the map gave me an overwhelming answer. Less than 10 km north-west of Vacarisses is a village called “Castellbell”. That is exactly the same name and the same meaning as the “Belcastel-et-Buc” from the South of France.

From the area where the Bels and Bayles settled on the Northern slopes of the Pyrenean Chain, there is a direct route 8or trail) to Castellbell. It goes from Foix, to Tarascon, to Ax-les-Thermes following then the ridges to cross the Pyrenean range at the “El Pas de la Casa”, at an altitude of 2.408m. From there on, in Spanish territory, the route goes down to Berga and Manresa. This route is 205 km long from Ax-les-Thermes to Castellbell.

And even more! The map gives the full name of this place: “Castellbell i el Vilar”, what literally means: “The Bell Castle and the village”.

In the South of France, we had “Villardebelle” for the village of the Belle and “Belcastel-et-Buc” for their castle. In Spain we have “Castellbell” for the castle and the mention “i el Vilar” for the village of the Belle. This means that the castle and the village were located at the same place and not separated, as in Belcastel-et-Buc and Villardebelle, in the Corbières.

1.  In the south of France

    Bel-castel                 =  Castle of the Bel  (Belle)

    Villar                         =  Village

    Villar de Belle            =  Village of the Belle

2.  In the north of Spain

    Castell-bell                =  Castle of the Bell  (Belle)

    Vilar                          =  Village

    i el Vilar                    =  and the Village

3.  In Flanders  (Latin)                  

    Castillo de                =  Castle of the

    Bello                         =  Belle

The overall meaning of § 1 is =  The Castle of the Belle and the Village of the Belle.

The overall meaning of § 2 is =  The Castle of the Belle and the Village (of the Belle).

The overall meaning of § 3 is =  The Castle of the Belle (Belle city or Belle, the lineage?).

There is absolutely no difference in the meaning of both toponyms! They both referrers to Patronymics!

1. In Ambels (The South of France), the message was easier to understand. The main village, on the Tarn River shore, was called Ambialet. What brought the Bels to call their estates and their castle, built upon the heights south of Ambialet: “Ambels” !
2. Some places in the Pyrenean Mountain range, were literally called after the inhabitants Patronymics. So do we encounter (among plenty of other) the localities called “Les Bels” and “Les Bayles”.
3. In the Corbières we have:  “Baille-sats”     =  “The Baille “Belle” know”.
4. Still in the Pyrenees:          “Carla-Bayle”   =   “From Bayle, the patronymic of Pierre Bayle”.
5. In England, we have:         “Bell-asis“        =   “The Seat of the Belle. The word “seat” is synonym for “settlement, village” of the Belle.

There are still other very strange “Intern Correlations”: Wherever the Bels (Belle) were active (Flanders, England, Scotland, the South of France and so on), they were always very close, geographically spoken, to a :

1.  Place where they settled down (sic).

2.  Benedictine Monastery abbey.

3.  Place dedicated to the cult of “a” Madonna and her Child.

4.  Place where the Templar Order was active.

For these strange singularities to be also applicable to the discovery I just made with “Castellbell i el Vilar” in Spain, I needed at least two more elements out of the four.

On 17 September 2011, wandering in the monthly Flea market of Zweibrücken (Germany), I spotted a small statuette with, engraved on the plinth, the following text: “Santa Maria de Montserrat”. This Madonna is also called the “Holy Image” or "Little Dark Lady of Montserrat". Seized by the beauty of the statuette, I bought it. The statuette must be in pewter, I suppose!

Please note that the Black Madonna statue was one of the most important objects of devotion of the Order of Sion and probably also of the Priory of Sion. The Knight Templars spiritual leader, Saint Bernard (de Clairvaux), is known for having been irresistibly and mysteriously attracted to her.

I quickly found out that the original Holy Sculpture, of Romanesque style, is dated later XII^th century. However, the origin of the legend and its subsequent history are lost in conjecture. As often, the irremovable clockwork of time has, here also, erased the memory of events.

Having absolutely no clue where Montserrat was, I searched for it and quickly found it to be in Catalonia, Northern Spain. And this time again the “Intern Correlation”, we encountered previously, was operational!

1. A place where we settled down. Match!

We settled down in “Castellbell I el Vilar” that lies 5 km from Monistrol de Montserrat, the village to whom belongs the Monastery. The Monastery itself is lost in the mountains, some 16 km from Castellbell I el Vilar.

2. A Benedictine Monastery. Match!

The Statue of the Madonna is kept in the Benedictine Monastery of Montserrat (Catalonia, Spain).

3. A place dedicated to the cult of “a” Madonna and her Child. Match!

The black Madonna and Child from Montserrat.

4. This has not been researched for the moment.

I wrote earlier “a” Madonna and her Child, on purpose, because it is evident that the Madonna painted in the Belle Huis, in Ypres, is neither the Virgin Mary nor her child Jesus! It is also evident that the Madonna of Montserrat is neither the Virgin Mary nor her child Jesus! But that is another story not debated in this Internet version of my Essay.

We now go back to our Hrvotland Bels without forgetting that the statuette “Santa Maria de Montserrat” was the key to the discovery of the village of Castellbell i el Vilar! Furthermore, this statuette showed several real miraculous particularities whose description is far beyond the scope of this Essay.

The Treaty, signed by Hrvotland Bels, was written in Verdun (but signed in Thionville (Diedenhofen) on 16 March of anno 843. To be more precise, the Treaty was not undersigned in Thionville (Diedenhofen) but in a small village called Yutz, close to Thionville, on 11 August 843. Thionville is some 350 km east from the city of Bailleul (Belle) but only some 185 km from Flanders south-eastern border (Bergues-sur-Sambre) and some 65 km east of Verdun.

The Treaty of Verdun was supposed to end several wars that started as early as anno 817 and that originated in the sharing of the Kingdoms of Louis Ist (*778 +840) with his sons Pepin II, Louis II and Lothaire (Hlotar). Louis Ist, was an illegal but natural son of Charlemagne with a maid.

“…As we have seen, the Treaty of Verdun is a treaty concluded in August 843, by the three surviving sons of Louis the Pious, grandsons of Charlemagne, who divided his territories called the Carolingian Empire, into three kingdoms. It is often presented as the beginning of the dissolution of Charlemagne's unitary Empire, thus consecrating its division, which would in fact prove to be definitive, and at the same time one of the main founding acts of what would become France.

This treaty is the consequence of the application of the Frankish custom which is based on the sharing of the inheritance between all the heir sons rather than its attribution only to the eldest son, in spite of the rule of male primogeniture (agnatic) applied among the Romans.

Each of the brothers was already established in one Kingdom - Lothair in Italy, Louis the German in Bavaria, and Charles the Bald in Aquitaine.

• Lothair Ist received the central portion of the empire - what later became the Low Countries, Lorraine, Alsace, Burgundy, Provence, and Italy, and the imperial title as an honour without more than nominal ownership.

• Louis the German received the eastern portion, much of what later became Today's Germany through the intermediate collection of states, the Holy Roman Empire.
• Charles the Bald received the western portion, much of what later became France.
• Lothair Ist received the Imperial title, the Kingship of Italy, and the territory between the Rhine and Rhone Rivers, collectively called [the Central Frankish Realm].
• Louis was guaranteed the Kingship of all lands to the east of the Rhine and to the north and east of Italy, which was called [the Eastern Frankish Realm] which was the precursor to the medieval conglomeration of disparate states known as [the Holy Roman Empire] and thence to modern Germany.
• Charles received all lands west of the Rhone, which was called [the Western Frankish Realm]”

Pepin II, nephew of Lothair Ist, was granted the Kingdom of Aquitaine, but only under the authority of Charles…”. Unquote.

It is following this treaty that the geographical area called "Gaul" for more than a thousand years is now referred to as "West Francia", which will give the term "France" later.

For this Hrvotland Bels to have participated in such a top Treaty dealing, also called “Placita” solely composed of the king’s more trusted advisers and closest counselors, as well with private Dynastic matters as with public ones, because they concerned the attribution of Kingdoms, indicate us that he must have been a high-ranking person attached to the court of King Charles (Karolus) the Bald.

Since Flanders was Charles´ domain and since the Bels lineages originated from Flanders, we can logically draw the conclusion that Hrvotland Bels was an Office Holder at King Charles` court.

In fact, the probability for a Bels “lawman” to have contributed to the redaction of another very important document, the “Ordinato imperii” (Ordinance of the Empire), enacted in Aachen, in July 817, by the Carolingian Emperor Louis le Pieux (son and heir of Charlemagne), is seen by historians, as very high. We will see the validity of this probability subsequently.

 People attached to a court were called either “Office holders” - “High Barons” - “baronobis” (*1 *2) or “Leudes”, referring to their unique family social status.

Historically, the old French noun “Baron” comes from the Late Latin “baro” and stands for a man attached to a court (nobleman, servant, or soldier). These officials were the right hands of the Merovingians and of the Carolingians Kings and Emperors. Centuries later, we still find them as the right hands of the powerful Counts of Flanders, of the Counts of Barcelona, of the Dukes of Normandy and of the Kings of England.

(*1) The substantive “baronobis” has been introduced by Fra. Robert Adelsohn Bels. Some old dictionaries, such as the Latin French dictionary from Félix Gaffiot, dated 1934, only explain the Latin noun “Baro” as used by the Roman Consul Tullius Cicero, (43 BCE) and by Isidorus, Bishop of Sevilla (6-7th century CE). The noun was however very current in the Salic law (Lex Salis, the Alemanic Law) as “Barus”. In old English, it became “Beorn” meaning “warrior, nobleman”.

Professor E. Habel describes, in 1959, in his “Mittellateinisches Glossar” and in only a few words, a more precise definition of the word. He defines the “baro” as a Vassal, a Great of the Empire (Vassal, Grosser des Reiches). Another linguist, Prof. A. Walde, defines “baro” as “Freeborn man” and “Freeman” (freigeborener Mann und freier Mann). We are here far away from the old Latin acceptations of the term „baro“, which described a clumsy, an oafish or a mercenary!

Documents of the tenth and early eleventh centuries also attest the existence of persons with titles such as “saios” -“centenaries” and “tribunus”. The word “saio” means a “judicial bailiff”, this is how they called an Office Holder at that time, in northern Spain. The word centenaries is explained in “Glossarium mediae lainitatis Cataloniae, col.478.”. However, the meaning of the word tribunes is unknown and purely conjectural! These words disappeared as well from our dictionnaries.

(*2) Today, we have the title of “baronobis”, brought to life by the Dynastic Knight Order “Ordo Balliolensis. Here is an excerpt from the Ordo Balliolensis Statutory Document. Chapter 1. Sub §: Souverain. Art. 11b.

“… 11b. There is one very important point to bear in mind. While the High Baron and baronobis are included under the heading "Historical titles" in our texts, it should nevertheless be emphasized that the title baronobis did not exist in dictionaries, glossaries, and vocabularies, regardless of the international languages and periods in which they were written, prior to its introduction by our Fra. Robert Adelsohn Bels.

“Baronobis” is a composite noun made by “baro” (baron) and “nobis” (our) meaning “our baron”. The origins of the word date back to 1994, when Fra. Robert Adelsohn Bels inserted it in his book “Seigneur et Chevalier”. The book was subsequently translated into Dutch, in 1997 by H.E Fra. Alfons Morret, Sire de Beauchamp, Knight (OSMTH), and in 2024, by H.E Fra. Herbert Class, Knight (OStS). Both Knights of honour Ordinis Balliolensis.

The original version of the book, in French, was deposited in the Archives of the Kingdom of Belgium, under the number D/A 1997-1.917/N° DB 877249/Robert Adelsohn Bels/Auteur/Editeur. The third version of the book dates from 2020, with prefaces by Baron Fra. André-Louis Saumier d'Albis and Mgr Fra. Roland Jean Maroteaux, was also deposited on May 30, 2024, at the above-mentioned Archives.

So was the title, office, and function of "baronobis" created to define, by an appropriate term, a personage attached to a royal court. Prior to its "invention", nowhere in the nomenclature of ancient historical texts was there a term to describe a "learned person", an "administrative officer", a "medieval jurisconsult" or a "holder of administrative, legal and juridical functions" at the Merovingian court, or even earlier. They were called "Scriba" in Roman times and "Sesh" in Pharaonic Egypt.

It's worth noting that the term "baronobis" means much more than a mere cleric, capable of writing and reading. They were the right-hand men of the Kings and other overlords who could neither read nor write, and in whom the kings therefore placed all their trust.

This confirms the hypothesis that these functions must have been hereditary. However, this opinion is not shared by all historians, who follow a rather more conservative methodology.

With the purpose to reignite, by its Knights, the flame of the Dynastic and Lineages consciousness and to assure its continuity, the Order may, under certain circumstances, honour a Knight Ordinis Balliolensis, by giving him the qualifying title of “baronobis”.

Grammatically, this personal title is a qualifying adjective. It is a non-hereditary and not transmissible historical and honorific title. To be eligible, the Knight must count at least 14 years of uninterrupted Knighthood in the Order.

“…The Kingdom (of Charlemagne) was divided into about one hundred and fifty domains which were called “Great Fiefs of the Crown” and which were possessed in hereditary right by the members of the highest nobility, placed immediately under the royal sovereignty and dependence. Vassals emanating directly from the King were then generally designated by the title of “Barons” and mostly possessed strongholds. The other nobles indiscriminately ranked as Chevaliers or Knights, a generic title, to which was added that of “Banneret…”. (France in the Middle Ages, by Paul Lacroix. Frederick Ungar Publ. CP^oP. New York, 1963. Pg 17).

Even at the time of the Battle of Hastings (anno 1066), the Barons were still the most important people at the court of the Duke of Normandy. On a question asked by the Count of Flanders Baudouin V, about the returns he might expect from the conquered English territories, by sending troops into the Battle, the reporter writes:

«…E li Dus dist k´il s´en ireit, à sez Barunz en parlereit et à els s´en cunseillereit, e ço ke l´en li loerreit par son bref li remandereit...».

“…And the Duke said that he would go and speak about it to his Barons and ask for their council…”.

There are plenty examples of such happenings involving members of our Dynasty. They acted as witnesses or representatives and undersigned treaties, bilateral agreements, contracts, etc. They may even have participated at their elaborations.

Therefore, if Hrvotland signed as witness, together with very few other personalities, the Treaty of Verdun that is considered as one of the most important Treaty of European history, he must have been a High Baron issued from a no less important Lineage.

The informative text concerning Hrvotland Bels, I found on an Internet site, was written by Prof. Dr Timothy Alan Reuter (1947-2002), a brilliant historian on West European history, specialized in the study of medieval Germany, particularly the social, military, and ecclesiastical institutions of the Ottonian and Salian periods (10th-12th centuries). When some six months later, I tried to relocate the text, for quoting its references, it had disappeared. I conclude that the text must have been removed.

I then wrote the following message to a Medieval History specialised Website called “Sources Médiévales”:

• Robert Adelsohn Bels, says: August 31, 2008 at 15:51 :

Sir, Madam, If I remember correctly, I found the signatories of the Treaty of Verdun (843) on the Internet. One of them was a certain Hrvotland or Hrvotland Bels. At the time (less than a year ago), I did not find it useful to note where I found this information, telling me that if I found it without difficulty, everyone will do the same. Since, the need of proof as for my sources being felt, it is necessary me to relocate this document. Alas, I cannot put my hand on it. Do you have any idea where I could find this text ? Thank you very much.

• Medieval Sources says: August 31st, 2008 at 23:08 :

Good evening, having searched in my sources, I have not found the signatories of the Treaty, other than the three main protagonists. It seems indeed that Hrvotland or Roland Bels participated and signed this treaty. Yours, The Moderator.

• Robert Adelsohn Bels replied September 1, 2008 at 17:59 :

Mr moderator, Thank you for your quick intervention. If ever you should “meet” this Hrvotland Bels, may I ask you to inform me as soon as possible. Your effort will be greatly appreciated. Do you have a mailing address for the case where your Website came to disappear also? Sincerely Yours.

The following information was attached to the correspondence.

Le traité de Verdun selon les annales de Saint-Bertin (843)

This entry was posted by medieval sources on Saturday, April 12th, 2008, at 10:02 am and is filed under Occident IXe.

" (842). In October, Charles, having left Metz for Worms, met his brother Louis in that city. They remained there for quite a long time and envoys ran alternately between them and Lothaire; and having discussed the division much and for a long time, it was finally agreed to have all the regions subjected to the authority of each one traversed by delegates charged to proceed with care to an inventory according to which, at the fixed time, a very equal division of the kingdom between the three brothers would be accomplished irrevocably [...].

(843). Charles coming to meet them to treat, the brothers met at Verdun. There, the division was made: Louis received all that is beyond the Rhine, and below the Rhine the cities of Spire, Worms, Mayence and their pagi; Lothair, what is between the Rhine and the Scheldt up to the sea, and on the other side by Cambrésis, Hainaut, the countries of Lomme and Mézières and the counties which border the Meuse, up to the confluence of the Saône and the Rhône and along the Rhône up to the sea, with the counties which in the same way are contiguous to him. Outside these limits, Lothaire only obtained Arras from the humanity of his brother Charles. The rest up to Spain was left to Charles. After having made the oaths, they separated on both sides.”  Source : Hincmar, Annales Bertiniani, éd. F. Gras, J. Viellard, S. Clémencet, Paris, 1964, p. 42-44.

Le traité de Verdun selon Nithard (843)

This entry was posted by medieval sources on Saturday, April 12th, 2008, at 10:02 am and is filed under Occident IXe.

"So, in the middle of June, on a Thursday, Lothaire, Louis and Charles met, each accompanied by an equal number of great men, not far from Macon, in an island called Ansilla, and they swore mutually to keep peace between them from that day on, to divide under the faith of the oath as equally as possible, in a plea which their faithful had just fixed, all the empire, except Lombardy, Bavaria and Aquitaine; it was decided in addition that the choice of the shares would belong to Lothaire; that each of the three brothers should guarantee to each of the others the share which it would accept, its life, with the proviso that these would make as much on their side. That made, after having exchanged peaceful words, they separated in agreement and returned to their camps, putting back to the following day the remainder of the deliberations.

And although this could only be concluded with great difficulty, it was nevertheless established that each one would reside in peace in his lot, where he wanted, until the meeting which they had fixed for the calendars of October. Then finally, it appeared good on both sides, for the advantage of all, that their envoys, to the number of one hundred and twenty, meet in Coblence without exchanging hostages, and that there they divide the empire most equitably possible.

Meeting there on the 14th of the calendars of November and taking the precaution to prevent that no quarrel came to rise between their men, for some reason that it was, to make camp the part of them which was with Louis and Charles on the Eastern bank of the Rhine and that which was with Lothaire on the Western bank, they met together every day, for the conference, in Saint Castor. And as those who had been sent by Louis and Charles for the division of the empire had come to make various complaints, it was asked whether any of them had a clear knowledge of the whole empire. And when none was found, they asked why envoys had not gone through it in the time that had been left to them and had not drawn up an account of it themselves."  Source : Nithard, Histoire des fils de Louis le Pieux, éd. Ph. Lauer, Paris, 1926, p. 130-137.

The combination of scribes, scholars, and noble councilors created a well-organized court that allowed Charlemagne to effectively rule an empire stretching from Spain to Germany. Their work laid the foundation for medieval European administration, legal systems, and education.

Historians found out that important relations between Flanders and Scotland already existed during the reign of Charlemagne. They pretend that there was an Alliance Treaty signed between King Eochaid IV of Dalriada and the Emperor Charlemagne who was at that time, Emperor of the Franks. It is extremely probable that Bels Knights, who were at that time, Flemish High Barons at the court of the emperor, undersigned this treaty as well.

Thanks to Hrvotland, we know that the Bels had, as far back in time as the time of Charlemagne, high positions, as they will have, all over Europe, for centuries to come.

The official functions they had, may be the origin of these invisible but omnipresent links they had with other big lineages such as for instance the “van Bonen” and the “Counts of Flanders”. It is no longer by pure chance that these lineages developed strong links among them. Links that became a constant of history and that lasted almost two thousand years!

These links were based on their common past: as officials serving at the court of the emperor Charlemagne and/or at the courts of his successively heirs but also, for most of them, because they descended from Charlemagne. For instance, the links of the “van Bonen” and of the “Counts of Flanders”. They were not only, as said previously, based on their common past, but on their common origin.

The small picture right: Charlemagne receiving the Oath of Fidelity and Homage from one of his Great Feudatories or High Baron (baronobis). Fac-simile of a Miniature in Cameo, of the “Chronicles of St. Denis”. Manuscript of the XIVth century (Librairie de l´Arsenal. Paris. France).

The Lineage of the Boulogne-sur-Mer, for instance, descends from Charlemagne via the lords: Eustache Ist de Boulogne-sur-Mer, Baudouin I^st, de Boulogne-sur-Mer, Arnoulf Ist, de Boulogne-sur-Mer, and Aethelwulf de Boulogne-sur-Mer. Aethelwulf (*897 +933) was son of Balduinus II (*864 +917), Count of Flanders.

More detailed: The youngest daughter of Alfred the Great, the Saxon King of England x Ealhswith was the princess Aelfthryth (877-929). She belonged to the House of Wessex. She married Balduinus II (+918), Count of Flanders and had with him: Arnulf Ist of Flanders (890-964) (married to Adela de Vermandois), Adalulf, Count of Boulogne-sur-Mer (891-933), Ealswid and Ermentrud!

Becoming Countess consort of Flanders, Aelftryth was an ancestor of Mathilde of Flanders who married William the Conqueror, the first monarch of the House of Normandy. So, it is proven that the House of Boulogne (van Boonen) was related to the one of the Count of Flanders.

Mathieu (*1135 +1173), Count of Boulogne (Matheus Comes Boloniensium) was also a son of a Count of Flanders: Diederik von Alsace x Lady Sibyle d´Anjou. Therefore, it proved that the “de Boulogne” and the “Counts of Flanders” were several times, in history, related through marriage.

And there was still another link to old and big lineages. The House of Boulogne was also related to the House of Scotland. David I, King of Scotland (1084-1153) and son of Malcolm III (1031-1093) x Margaret of Wessex (1045-1093), had two sisters: Edith of Scotland (Mathilda) (1080-1118) who married Henry I, King of England (1068-1135) and Mary (Marie) (1082-1116) of Scotland who married Eustache III de Boulogne (bef. 1058-1125), the brother of Godefroid de Boulogne (also de Bouillon).

These last (Henry I and Mary) had for descendant Mathilda de Boulogne (1103-1152) by marriage also countess de Mortain, Duchess of Normandy and Queen consort of England who married Etienne de Blois (Stephen of England), Lord of Eye and of Lancaster, Count de Mortain, Count de Boulogne (by marriage to Mathilda) and King of England from 1135 to 1154.

The Counts of Flanders, the Boulogne and the Balliol were related since Lady Isabelle de Varenne married, in 1281, John II of Balliol.

Here comes next: Another Lady Isabelle de Varennes x in 1153 Guillaume de Blois (*ab 1137 +1159). This Isabelle was fa. of Guillaume III de Varennes, 3rd Count of Surrey (England) and Lady Hélène d´Alençon. Guillaume de Blois was fs. of Etienne, King of England and of Queen Mathilde de Boulogne (*1103) who was fa. of Count Eustache III de Boulogne (*Boulogne 1170) x Princess Mary of Scotland (*1080 in Scotland and +31 May 1116 in Bermondsey, London, England). Princess Mary of Scotland was fa. of King Malcolm III Mac Duncan of Scotland x Saint Margaret Atheling.

The Boulogne being the same family as the Count of Flanders, the Balliols are therefore ipso facto linked to both lineages via Guillaume´s mother. One last proof of these ancestral links, already briefly mentioned, is:

“…The duchess of Lorraine, Mathilde de Toscane, Lord Godefroid de Bouillon’s aunt and adoptive mother, is known as the founder of the Abbay of Orval (Ardennes, Belgium), called at that time: the Abbey of the Golden Valley (Abbaye du Val d´Or). She was the protector of the Monks of Orval. She is also the direct proof of the close links between the Counts of Flanders and the Counts of Boulogne: The Count of Flanders Arnoul II x Rozala de Toscane (about 950-1003) which belonged to the same Dynasty as Mathilde de Toscane…”.

Mathilde was fa. of Boniface III, Marquis de Toscane x Béatrice de Bar (de Lorraine). This Béatrice was fa. of Frederic II, Duke from Higher Lorraine x Mathilde de Souabe.

“…Between 1076 and 1080, Matilda travelled to Lorraine to lay claim to her husband's estate in Verdun, which he had willed (along with the rest of his patrimony) to his sister Ida´s son, Godefroid de Bouillon. Godefroid also disputed her right to Stenay and Mosay, which her mother had received as dowry. The quarrel between aunt and nephew over the episcopal county of Verdun was eventually settled by Theoderic, Bishop of Verdun, who enjoyed the right to nominate the counts. He easily found in favor of Margravine Matilda, as such verdict happened to please both Pope Gregory and King Henry. Matilda then proceeded to enfeoff Verdun to her pro-reform relative, Albert III de Namur. The deep animosity between Matilda and her nephew Godefroid is thought to have prevented her from travelling to Jerusalem during the First Crusade, led by him in the late 1090s…^”. Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilda_of_Tuscany.

The Arms of Guillaume de Blois are composed of: Gules, three palets vair, on a chief or, an eagle displayed gules membered azure. Please compare them to the Arms of the Balliol of Flanders to find out that they have exactly the same key elements: Palets vair Azure (Blue) placed upon a Gules (Red) background. The upper part of the blazon is Or (Yellow) which is the colour of the Arms of the Count of Flanders. For the eagle in Gules (Red) I have no explanation yet!

To the question why Guillaume de Blois took the same heraldic elements as the Balliol of Flanders, I have no answer. There is however a trace to Flanders:  Guillaume de Blois was fs. of Stephen II (Etienne) Count of Blois x Adela of Normandy. And Lady Adela was fa. of William Ist, King of England and of… Mathilde of Flanders (fa. of Balduinus V, Count of Flanders x Adèle de France).

Please note that Mathieu, Count of Boulogne x Lady Marie de Blois. She was fa. of Etienne, King of England and of Mathilde de Boulogne, in 1160.

It is very interesting to note that the Counts of Boulogne are said to descend from the “de Thérouanne” Lineage through Blesinde de Thérouanne. This very old location happened to be a fief of the Balliols of Flanders.

Thanks to the discovery of this Knight Bels, in the North of Spain, our Hrvotland Bels becomes a more realistic figure than a mythical one, brought to life either by a hypothetical wrong spelling of the name or by a simple transcription mistake. The Knight Bels “in between” position in space and time makes Hrvotland Bels no longer an isolated patronymic lost somewhere in Middle Age Europe, but an important link of an uninterrupted chain linking the past to the future!

After very serious considerations, Hrvotland must be linked to the Bels of Flanders (there were no other) and of course to the Knight Bels of the South of France and The Northern Spain.

This all gives us a total new look at the origin of our Dynasty which before these discoveries, was supposed to go back to anno 960 with Arnoldus Grameninis and Gertrui van Valkenberghe!