Individual Details

Marriage

Mistress to William IX
Whilst travelling through Poitou, Duke William IX of Aquitaine met the "seductive" Dangerose. This led to her leaving her husband for Duke William, 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 of La Maubergeonne), and, as related by William of Malmesbury, even painted a picture of her on his shield.
Upon returning to Poitiers from Toulouse, William's 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 Dangerose 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.

Some believe that Raymond of Poitiers, was a child of William by Dangerose, rather than by Philippa of Toulouse. The primary source which names his mother has not so far been identified. However, he is not named in other sources as a legitimate son of Willam IX. It is therefore reasonable to suppose that he was born from the duke's relationship with Dangerose. If this is the case, Dangerose was grandmother to Bohemund III of Antioch, Maria of Antioch and Philippa of Antioch.
Philippa died two years later and William's first wife Ermengarde set out to avenge Philippa. In October 1119, she suddenly appeared at the Council of Reims being held by Pope Calixtus II and demanded that the Pope excommunicate William (again), oust Dangerose from the ducal palace, and restore herself to her rightful place as Duchess consort. The Pope "declined to accommodate her"; however, she continued to trouble William for several years afterwards.
The relationship between William and his legitimate son William were troubled by his father's liaison Dangerose, this was only settled when the pair arranged the marriage between William the Younger and Dangerose's daughter Aenor in 1121; the following year Eleanor was born.
William died on 10 February 1126; nothing is recorded of Dangerose after this point. She died in 1151.