Elias I, Count of Maine

Elias I of Maine (French: Hélie or Élie; † July 11, 1110 ), also called Elias of Elias Beaugency or La Flèche, was from 1093 to 1110 a count of Maine.

Biography

He came from a side branch of the family of the lords of Beaugency, from his father Johann ( † before 1097 ) he inherited control of the castle of La Flèche thus became a vassal of the Count of Anjou. Elias Mother Paula of Maine, a daughter of Count Herbert was I. watchdog of Maine, over which he had a right to this at that time highly competitive county.

Elias was an opponent of the Norman domination in Maine by Robert Short pants and conquered in 1089, the castle of Ballon. In 1090 he captured the Bishop of Le Mans, because this supported the Normans. 1093 Elias bought his cousin, Count Hugo V. rights to Maine for 10,000 shillings from and was able to hold against Robert of Anjou short pants with the support of Count Fulk IV of then went on the First Crusade.

Then he had to an attack of Robert's brother, King William II Rufus of England, ward, but was captured in 1098 by its vassals Robert de Bellême and taken to Rouen. At the same time Le Mans was lost to William Rufus. After Elias was released, he moved back to Le Flèche and took along with his friend Gottfried IV of Anjou the fight against William Rufus, but until his death in 1100 enabled him to recapture La Mans after a three- month siege.

In the following years, Elias supported the Hereditary Count Gottfried IV of Anjou, he became engaged to his daughter, in his revolt against his father and was also at the death of Godfrey front of the castle of Carné 1106 there. When Robert Short trousers were in 1101 returned from the Holy Land, Elias had allied with King Henry I of England, whom he decisively at the Battle of Tinchebray (1106 ) supported when he led the reserve of Henry against the army Roberts, whose line broke through and thus sealed his defeat.

After that Elias got rid of the Norman influence by back to his old ally Count Fulk IV of Anjou is approached. From his marriage with Matilda of Chateau- du- Loir († 1099 ), he had the daughter Eremburge († January 14, 1126 ), which should inherit from him in Maine. After the death of Godfrey IV, she was engaged to his half-brother Fulk V., whom she then married.

Elias was married in a second marriage with Agnes of Poitou, a subsidiary of Duke William VIII of Aquitaine and ex- wife of King Alfonso VI. of Castile, with whom he had no children.