Commentary
Charles Cawley: The parentage of Gerberge Ctss de Provence has not been ascertained beyond doubt. According to the Histoire Générale de Languedoc, she was the daughter of Geoffroy [I] Comte de Provence. This connection appears to be speculative, based on an idea first raised in 1664 by Honoré Bouche who, in his Histoire Chronologique de Provence a work which contains inaccuracies but does have the merit of quoting some primary sources, says over-optimistically “[je l]’estime fort vray-semblablement, par presomption et conjecture”. The 28 Jul 1094 charter quoted above indicates that the widow of Comte Geoffroy [I] was representing this branch of the Provence comital family, acting presumably on behalf of her descendant Gerberge who must then have still been under age. Although Gerberge was therefore most likely descended from Geoffroy [I], the chronology of her life suggests the improbability that she was his daughter. The birth of Gerberge´s two daughters, probably dated to the late 1090s (her younger daughter Douce is called “puella” in the 3 Feb 1112 charter quoted below), suggests that Gerberge herself would have been born in [1070/84]. This date range can be narrowed further to [1078/84] if it is correct to deduce from the 28 Jul 1094 charter that Gerberge was then still under age. On the other hand, the marriage of Geoffroy [I] is dated to before 1040, Comte Geoffroy died in [1061/62], and the marriages of his other supposed children are dated to the early 1060s (see above). Szabolcs de Vajay, who assumed that Gerberge was the daughter of Geoffroy [I], suggests that she was at least 30 or 32 years old when she married (he dates the marriage to [1090]) and adds that “on peut se demander si c’était sa première alliance”[346]. However, this does not explain why Etiennette [Douce] made the donation under the charter dated 28 Jul 1094, as Gerberge (or her husband if she was already married) could have made the donation in her own name if she had been of age. Another difficulty is that, if Gerberge was the daughter of Geoffroy, the descendants of Cécile, daughter of Comte Bertrand [II] would have had a superior claim to Provence, although no evidence has been found that any such claim to the county was raised. One possibility that would solve that problem is that Gerberge was born to an otherwise unrecorded older sibling of Cécile (brother or sister) who predeceased his/her father. From a chronological point of view, the result is tight, but does not appear impossible. A further factor is introduced by Manteyer who explains the exclusion of Cécile and her descendants by stating that “la coutume de Provence oubliait, au moment de la mort de leurs parents, les filles précédemment dotées par eux”[347]. Unfortunately he cites no source on which he bases this statement. However, the examples of Gerberge’s two daughters (discussed below) and of Beatrix, daughter of Comte Raymond Berenger IV, both provide other cases which fit the pattern. If Manteyer is right, the best solution to the problem could be that Gerberge was the younger sister of Cécile. From a chronological point of view, that would also appear to be the most likely possibility for Gerberge’s parentage. If Gerberge was the granddaughter of Comte Geoffroy [I], the charter dated 28 Jul 1094 in which her grandmother acted on her behalf suggests that both of Gerberge’s parents must have been deceased at the time.
Family
ClaimDetailEvidence
SpouseGerbet, Viscount of Carlat (e1060-~1112) 
Child +Dulce of Gevaudan (~1095-~1130) [S963]
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Attributes
ClaimDetailEvidence
GenderFemale
NameGerberge , Countess of Provence [S963] [S2609]
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TitleCountess of Provence [S963]
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Timeline
ClaimDateDetailAgeEvidence
Birth 1078 - 1080 ([1078 - 1084])France [S2609]
Cawley gives an exact marriage date for her daughter in 1112 and a birth as early as 1095
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Death Feb 3, 1112 - Jan 1118 [S2609]
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Sources
IndexTitle
[S963] Cawley, Charles, "Foundation of Medieval Genealogy (Medieval Lands - Catalonia)" (Novmber 6, 2017) (https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/CATALAN NOBILITY.htm).
[S2609] Cawley, Charles, "Foundation of Medieval Genealogy (Medieval Lands - Toulouse - Northern & Eastern" (May 30, 2018) (https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/toulnoreast.htm).