Giselbert II, Count of Duras
Giselbert II (d. before 1138), Count of Duras, son of Otto I, Count of Duras, and Oda, daughter of Giselbert I, Count of Duras. Giselbert was also the deputy attorney (sous-avocat) of Saint Trudo’s Abbey. Giselbert battled Arnold II, Count of Looz, over the abbey.
Much of what we know about Giselbert is from the charters that he witnessed, which also gives insight as to his relationship with the Counts of Namur, a family into which he eventually married. Emperor Henry IV confirmed donations made by Henry I, Count of Durbuy, son of Albert II, Count of Namur, to the Church of Saint Jakob, Liège, as witnessed by Giselbert. The emperor also confirmed the claim of Albert’s family to Saint Begga's Collegiate Church in Andenne.
Giselbert married twice. His first wife was Gertrud, of unknown parentage. His second wife was Oda, daughter of Otto II, Count of Chiny, and his wife Alix, daughter of Albert III, Count of Namur. Giselbert and Gertrud had eight children:
- Otto II, Count of Duras
- Conan of Duras
- Giselbert of Duras
- Gerard (d. 1174), Abbot of Saint Trudo’s
- Thierry (d. 1183 or after), Archdeacon of Liège
- Bruno (d. 1177 or after), Canon at Liège, Saint Lambert
- Unnamed daughter, mother of Alexander II, Bishop of Liège (1164-1167)
- Unnamed daughter, mother of Arnulf van Kortessem.
Wolters identifies Julienne, daughter of Otto II, as an additional daughter of Giselbert and Gertrud, but this is unlikely as her husband and their sons inherited the countship of Duras. Upon his death, Giselbert was succeeded as Count of Duras by his son Otto.
Sources
Wolters, Mathias J., Notice Historique sur l’Ancien Comté de Duras en Hesbaie, Gyselinck, 1855 (available on Google Books)
Medieval Lands Project, Comtes de Duras