Dangereuse de l'Isle Bouchard

     Dangereuse de l'Isle Bouchard was the daughter of (?) Barthelemy de L'Isle Bouchard and Gerberge de Blaison.¹ Dangereuse de l'Isle Bouchard married Aimery I of Châtellerault before 1109; Dangereuse and Aimery were married for around seven years before she left her husband to become the mistress to Duke William IX; this became an infamous liaison.
Whilst travelling through Poitou, Duke William met the "seductive" Dangereuse. This led to her leaving her husband for Duke William IX of Aquitaine, who was excommunicated by the church for "abducting her"; however, she appeared to have been a willing party in the matter. He installed her in the Maubergeonne tower of his castle in Poitiers (leading to her nickname La Maubergeonne), and, as related by William of Malmesbury, even painted a picture of her on his shield.

Upon returning to Poitiers from Toulouse, his wife Philippa of Toulouse was enraged to discover a rival woman living in her palace. She appealed to her friends at court and to the Church; however, no noble could assist her since William was their feudal overlord, and whilst the Papal legate Giraud complained to William and told him to return Dangereuse to her husband, William's only response to the bald legate was, "Curls will grow on your pate before I part with the Viscountess." Humiliated, Philippa chose in 1116 to retire to the Abbey of Fontevrault, where she was befriended, ironically, by Ermengarde of Anjou, William's first wife.¹ Dangereuse de l'Isle Bouchard died in 1151.¹