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B. ERMENGARD 275 of B. AsGELiNA, and appeared to her in glory after her death. Henriqnez, Lilia Cistercium, B. Ermengard (1 ), May 12. + 1 1 38. Premonstratensian. Ermengard deRoacy, with her hnfihand, Gantier de Jumigny, founded, about 1122, the Premonstraten- sian abbey of Notre Dame de Guissy, on a mountain slope near the Aisne. The abbey afterwards became one of the greatest in the neighbourhood, and was sometimes called Abbaye Royale, as its donation was confirmed by Louis VI., in 1126. The first abbot was Luc, dean of Laon, with whose help Ermengard also built and endowed a nunnery near Laon, where she lived with forty nuns. She was so inflamed with divine love that tradition says flames were seen coming out of her body, Migne, Die, dea Abhayes. Le Paige, Bihliotheca Prsemonsiraienns Ordinis, 1633. B. Ermengard (2), Sept. 25, June 1, 9. 1067 or 1063-1147. Duchess of Bretagne. Bom at the castle of Angers. Daughter of Foulques XLII., count of Anjou (sumamed le Bechin), by his first wife, Hildegarde de Beaugency. Angers at that time was Uie Athens of France, and Foulques — although "prince debauch6 dont les honteux desordros purent k peine Stre comprimd par les foudres reit^rees de I'^glise " — was literary, and made his court the home of poets and men of letters. Ermengard was tall, slight, and active, extremely fair, with very large eyes. She dressed in rich stuffs and handsome furs, and wore gold ornaments and gems. According to Albert le Grand, she was married very young to William, count of Poitiers ; some writers doubt whether the marriage ever took place, while some say it was dissolved by reason of con- sanguinity, and others that they sepa- rated on account of his licentious life. After his death, in 1092 or 1093, when she was approaching middle age, she married Alain IV., duke of Bretagne, surnamed Fergent, whose first wife was Constance, daughter of William I. of England. By this marriage Ermengard had three children — Gonan, who succeeded his father; Geoffrey the Bed, who died at Jerusalem in 1 1 1 6 ; and Agnes, or Hed wig, countess of Flanders. When Pope Urban II. came to France in 1095 to preach a crusade, Ermengard persuaded her husband to ti^e the cross, and during his absence of six years was left in charge of the duchy. Alain fought in three pitched battles, and was one of the first to enter Jerusalem when it was taken by assault. While regent of the duchy, Ermengard went from mon- astery to monastery, making prayers and collecting money for the crusaders, at the same time doing her best for the welfare of the country and the people. On the return of her husband, in 1101, she induced him to reform the adminis- tration of justice in his dominions, and for this purpose he assembled the par- liament of Bretagne, and made many useful laws and reforms. About this time, encouraged, it is said, by Saint Bobert d'Arbrissel, she left her husband, on the plea of consan- guinity, and took the veil at Fontevrault, but returned in a year, being assured that, as the Church had not forbidden the marriage, her place was by her husband. In 1111 Alain became very ill, and had himself carried to the abbey of Bhedon, to prepare for death among the monks, who had a great reputation for sanctity. The duchess obtained per- mission from the abbot to attend her husband, and while offering prayers and alms, she nursed him so well that he recovered. She advised him to resign the duchy to his son Conan, and to spend the remainder of his life in pious exer- cises near the abbey of Bh6don. In 1119 he died, and was buried with great pomp in the abbey, notwithstanding his desire for a simple funeral. Ermengard was present at the corona- tion of her son Conan, and then retired to Rh6don, where she lived for nearly six years with some holy women, under the pious direction of the abbot and monks, giving largely of her patrimony to churches, hospitals, and monasteries. In 1125, on the death of Baldwin, king of Jerusalem, the Christian lords invited the duchess's brother, Fulk, count of Touraine and Mayne, to marry the