Bertrade of Montfort ( – 14 February 1117), also known by other names, was a Norman noble from the House of Montfort. She was countess of Anjou (10891092) through her first marriage to Fulk the Rude and then queen consort of France (10921108) through her initially bigamous marriage to Condemned in her era's ecclesiastical histories, she played a role in the popularization of pigache footwear and founded a daughter house of Fontevraud Abbey at Hautes-Bruyeres.
Names
Bertrade is a French feminine given name related to Bertha, descended from Proto-Germanic roots reconstructed as *berht ("bright") and *rād ("counsel, advice"). Notably, it was held by Bertrade of Laon, mother of Charlemagne. The Norman countess and queen's name also appears as () and as from the French form of her family's name.
Life
Bertrade was born around 1070 to Simon I, lord of Montfort, and Agnes of Évreux, daughter of Richard, Count of Évreux and Godehildis. Her brother was Amaury III.
As a teenager, Bertrade was the ward of her maternal uncle William of Évreux. In 1089, the much-married Count Fulk IV of Anjou demanded her hand from Duke Robert Curthose of Normandy in exchange for his assistance putting down rebel Manceaux.