Wulgrin I of Angoulême

Wulgrin (or Vulgrin, Woulgrin) I (c 830 – 3 May 886) was the Count of Angoulême, Périgueux, and possible Saintonge from 866 to his death. His parents were Vulfard (Wulfard), Count of Flavigny, and Suzanne, who was a daughter of the Bego I, Count of Paris. His brother Hilduin the Young was the abbot of Saint-Denis. Another brother was Adalard of Paris. Ademar of Chabannes is the chief source on his active reign in preserving and moulding Angoulême.

Although a foreigner, Charles the Bald placed him at the head of the counties of the Angoumois and Périgord. He was installed in 866 to end local disorder and stop the Viking incursions. He was the last example in Western Francia of the royal will imposing its preferred administrator on a region, indicating the decline in the power of central administration in the divisions of the former Empire following the Treaty of Verdun.

Between 869 and 878, he built many castles, to defend against the Vikings, and experienced some success limiting their movements in Aquitaine. He appointed a viscount named Ranulf over the fortress called Matas and another named Giselbert over Maurillac.

Wulgrin married Regelindis (Roselinde), a daughter of Bernard of Septimania. Their children were:

• Alduin (d. 916), Count of Angoulême
• William I (d. 920), Count of Périgord and Agen
• Sancha (?), m. Adémar, Count of Angoulême

Sources

• Lewis, Archibald R. The Development of Southern French and Catalan Society, 718–1050. University of Texas Press: Austin, 1965.
• Cawley, Charles, Medieval Lands Project, Chapter 3, Comtes d'Angoulême, Medieval Lands database, Foundation for Medieval Genealogy,
• Histoire P@ssion - Chronologie historique des Comtes d’Angoulême (in French)
• The Descent, Name and Arms of Borlase of Borlase in the County of Cornwall by William Copeland Borlase, Page 13