Crusades
William was knighted in 1159, only two years prior to the death of his father. He and his brothers are considered to have been quite young at the time of William III's death. His younger brother Guy was still mentioned as underage in 1164. William IV, Count of Nevers, resided in the chateaux of Nevers and of Clamecy (present day department of the Nièvre, Burgundy, France). The next nearest town to the East of Clamecy is Vezelay, which, in the early medieval period, was the marshalling point for the start of several crusades to the holy land.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Vézelay Abbey was often in conflict with the counts of Nevers. William IV had his provost Léthard force the monks to take flight and abandon the abbey. In 1166, Louis VII of France arranged a reconciliation between William IV and Guillaume de Mello, abbot of Vézelay. On 6 January 1167 (Epiphany), Louis VII attended the celebration over the reconciliation. In atonement for his supposed crimes against the church, William set out for the Crusader states. In 1168, William of Tyre records the arrival of the Count of Nevers in Jerusalem. He died shortly afterwards, and he was buried in Bethlehem.
Read more about this topic: William IV, Count Of Nevers
Famous quotes containing the word crusades:
“During the crusades all were religious mad, and now all are mad for want of it.”
—J.G. (John Gabriel)