William III, Duke of Aquitaine

William III, born in 913 and known as Towhead for his hair color, served as the Count of the Duchy of Aquitaine from 959 and as Duke of Aquitaine from 962 until his death. He also held the titles of Count of Poitou from 935 and Count of Auvergne from 950. His reign is primarily chronicled by Ademar of Chabannes, Dudo of Saint-Quentin, and William of Jumièges. Born in Poitiers to Ebalus Manzer and Emilienne, he succeeded his father as the ruler of Aquitaine, though his ducal title was not recognized by the royal chancery until a year before his death.

William’s tenure as a noble was marked by various conflicts and reconciliations with the French crown. After King Rudolph’s death in 936, he gracefully ceded land to Hugh the Great under pressure from Louis IV, though their relationship subsequently worsened. Despite attempts by Hugh and Louis IV to conquer Aquitaine, William successfully defended his territory. He later faced and withstood a siege of Poitiers by Lothair, Louis IV’s successor, in 955. Following Hugh’s death, his son Hugh Capet was named Duke of Aquitaine but never pursued the title, as William had reconciled with Lothair. William was a patron of the arts, contributing to the establishment of a library in Poitiers and the abbey of Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand.