Bettencourts 1200-2000



Generation Eight



20. Pierre de Bethencourt (I) (Collard, Regnault, Regnault, Jean, Regnault, Philippe, Jean) (suffix added for clarification)169,169,169 was born after 1450 at Caux, France.32 He married Cardine Le Veneur on 18 Nov 1481 at France.169 He and Cardine Le Veneur had two children.68 On 4 Jul 1486 he received from his mother all the property which belonged to her in the parish of Bosc-Asselin, Sigy-en-Bray, France.68 He died before 1499.68

Cardine Le Veneur32 was also known as Cardine le Veneur.68 She was born after 1450 at France.32 She died in 1513.68
Children of Pierre de Bethencourt (I) and Cardine Le Veneur both born at Mauquenchy were as follows:

23. Maciot de Bethencourt (Regnault, Jean, Jean, Jean, Regnault, Philippe, Jean)170,55,171,172,40,173,174,153,41,175 was also known as Maciot de Béthencourt.92 He was also known as Masiote de Bethencourt.173 He was also known as Mathieu de Bethencourt.173,55 He was also known as Mossem Menante de Betancor.90 He was also known as Maciot de Bethancourt.40 He was also known as Maciot de Bettencourt.41,9 He was also known as Micer Maciote Betancur.172 He was also known as Massiote de Bethencourt.173 He was also known as Mossem Maciot de Betancor.90 He was also known as Meciot de Bettencourt.176 He was also known as Menciot de Bettencourt.177 He was also known as Meciote de Bettencourt.174 He was born illegitimate circa 1390 at France.178,9
     Maciot is a problem in many ways. There are different views on how he is related to the Bettencourts of France. There is a theory that Maciot was not the son of Regnault but of Regnault's sister of unknown name. Another theory states that he is the son of Jean (III)'s sister of unknown name. Current opinion favors Regnault as his parent.
     As to Maciot's wife and children, there are even more problems. Lerianda de Gardaleme is possibly confused with the wife of Maciot's grandson, Maciot (II). Her name is very similar - Leissa Guanartème, her name after converting to Catholicism.179 He was a knight of the Order of Rhodes.180
     Maciot de Bethencourt was a knight of the Order of Malta.39,180,181
     Maciot de Bethencourt married Lerianda de Gardaleme at France.41,182,55,136
     The Ascendência e Descendência do Conselheiro Nicolau Anastácio de Bettencourt gives Marguérite de Béthencourt's father as Jean IV instead of Maciot. It also states that Jean IV married a second time, in 1415, to Lerize Guardateme, Princess of the Royal House of the Canarias and Lady of the Island of Lanzarote, Marguérite's mother. In a note, however, it states that various authors give Marguérite's father as Maciot.56 On 9 May 1405 Maciot traveled to the Canary Islands with his Uncle Jean.183,184,162 He was ruler of the Canary Islands after his uncle left the islands between Dec 1405 and 1447.85,172,46,185,186,57,90,187,92 Maciot attempted, with the assistance of some Castilians, to subdue the island of Gomeira, Islas Canarias, Spain, but without success.170 In 1414 the exactions and tyranny of Maciot de Bethencourt had caused Queen Catherine of Castile to send out three war caravels under the command of Pedro Barba de Campos, Lord of Castro Forte, to control him. Maciot, although only regent, since Jean de Bethencourt was still alive, ceded the islands to Barba and then sailed to Madeira, where he sold to Prince Henry of Portugal, surnamed the Navigator, these very islands which he had just ceded to another, together with those which still remained to be conquered. (According to Os Bettencourt, this sale by Maciot to Campos is pure legend) Maciot subsequently granted them again to the Spanish Count de Niebla on 15 Nov 1419 (1418 according to Os Bettencourt). Pedro Barba de Campos sold them to Fernando Perez of Seville, and the latter again to the aforesaid Count de Niebla, who disposed of them to Guillem de Las Casas, and the latter to his son-in-law Fernan Peraza. Meanwhile, the legitimate proprietor, Jean de Bethencourt, left them by will to his brother Reynaud. It was not until 1479, with the treaty signed at Alcaçova between Affonso V of Portugal and Ferdinand and Isabella of Castile, that the disputes of the two nations on this point were settled - the Canaries belonged to the Castilians.188,189
     In 1415 in Lanzarote, Maciot had a relationship with Teguise, a native woman and daughter of King Guardafia.190,9,191,136 With regard to Maciot's relationship with Teguise, it seems that they were never married. They had at least two children, Rodrigo and Inês Margarida. Portuguese genealogists affirm that Maria, another of Maciot's daughters, was also a daughter of Teguise; in fact, Canarian genealogists refer to this Maria as Leonor or Luisa.179
     He built the church of Nossa Senhora de Bethencourt.192
Map of Lanzarote Our Lady of Bettencourt He, acting as representative of Jean de Bethencourt, granted the lordship of the Canary Islands to D. Henrique de Guzmán, Conde de Niebla on 15 Nov 1418 at Seville, Spain.193,57,175 In 1447 Maciot was taken prisoner on Lanzarote and imprisoned on the island of Ferro. He later fled with his wife to Portugal.194 He sold Lanzarote to Prince Henry the Navigator for the soap trade and other income from Madeira on 9 May 1448.195,39,172,196,197,57,90,175,171 He moved with his two daughters and two of his brother's sons to Madeira (Os Bettencourt states that he went with his wife, his eldest daughter who was the widow of Henri (II), and her two sons who were also his brother's two sons since his daughter was married to his brother (niece-uncle). It was the descendants of Henri (II) who altered the "th" of Bethencourt to the "tt" of Bettencourt).198,39,172,196,199,57,200,201 He resided at Ribeira Brava, Madeira, Portugal.201 He died between 1454 and 1458 at Madeira, Portugal.202

Lerianda de Gardaleme39,136 was also known as Lerida de La Garde Tour.203 She was also known as Lerida de Guarde Teme.55 She was also known as Lerida de Guardatem.177 She was also known as Lerija de Guardateme.177 She was also known as Lerida de Guardateme.41 She was also known as Lerida Guardatame.12 She was also known as Lerisa de Guadateme.204 She was born in 1390 at France.41,136 She is possibly confused with the wife of Maciot's grandson, Maciot (II).203 She died in 1425.136 She married Henri de Bettencourt, son of Regnault de Bethencourt (IV) and Felipa de Troyes, at France (possible spouse;with no issue. Carlos Machado's Genealogies gives the marriage location as Spain).39,12,136
Children of Maciot de Bethencourt and Lerianda de Gardaleme were as follows:

Teguise (--?--)190,9,136,190,171 was also known as Dona Maria de Teguise.206,207 She was born circa 1400 at Lanzarote, Islas Canarias, Spain.190,136 She died before 1491 at Lanzarote, Islas Canarias, Spain, where her mortal remains can be found.208,209,136
Children of Maciot de Bethencourt and Teguise (--?--) all born at Islas Canarias were as follows:

24. Henri de Bettencourt (Regnault Bethencourt, Jean, Jean, Jean, Regnault, Philippe, Jean)35,9,237,40,35,55,238,239,12,35,55,175,12 was also known as Henrique Betancur.240 He was also known as Henrique de Bethancourt.40 He was also known as Henri de Béthencourt.37 He was also known as Henri de Bethencourt.241,55 He was also known as Henrique de Bettencourt.242,12,201 He was born illegitimate circa 1390 at France.240 On 9 May 1405 he left with his kinsman Jean de Bethencourt for the Canary Islands.183,243 After 1406 Henri de Bettencourt was Lord of the Islas Canarias.237,244 There has been much discussion concerning whom Henri married. It is certain that he married Maciot's daughter, his own niece, but genealogists differ as to which daughter.
     Suarez and Oliveira judged that he married the daughter of Teguise named Inês Margarida. On the other hand, knowing that Inês married a French nobleman who lived in Lanzarote by the name of Jean Arriete Prud'homme (or Ariete, Arriete, Aeriette, Aristo Prodomo, Pardomo, or Perdomo), some genealogists claim that Henri de Bettencourt and Jean Prud'homme are the same person. They recall that the word Prud'homme was used in the Middle Ages to designate certain magistrates, and assert, without any proof, that such was the case with Henri who took this name from his office. The principal argument in favor of this is that the grandchildren of Henri used, in one case, the proper name of Arriete, and, in another case, the surname Perdomo. However, there is no indication that Henri ever changed his first name to Jean.
     Against this assertion, Bergeron argues that Henri married his niece Marguerite, the legitimate daughter of Maciot and a French woman, and that Jean Perdomo married the illegitimate Inês Margarida. This is the line followed by Portuguese genealogists. An argument in favor of this is the different destinations of the sisters - Teguise's daughter, Inês Margarida, lived in the Canary Islands, while Marguerite moved with her father to Madeira.
     According to Carlos Machado's Genealogies, however, Henri married Lerida Guiardatame and the two became the parents of Maciot and Gaspar.245,12 He married Marguérite de Béthencourt, daughter of Maciot de Bethencourt and Lerianda de Gardaleme, at Islas Canarias (uncle and neice (or cousins)).37,41,246,35,55,216,9,56,201,136 Henri was in control of the family business in Ávila, Castile while Maciot was in charge of thre Canary Islands. He was ultimately the ancestor of the Ávila Bettencourt family of the Açores.195 In 1448 he moved to Madeira.79 He married Lerianda de Gardaleme at France (possible spouse;with no issue. Carlos Machado's Genealogies gives the marriage location as Spain).39,12,136

Marguérite de Béthencourt37,35,55,136,41,247,233,201,136,41,201,136 was also known as Margarida de Bethencourt.241 She was also known as Margarida de Bettencourt.9,201 She was born circa 1405 of a French mother.248
     The Ascendência e Descendência do Conselheiro Nicolau Anastácio de Bettencourt gives Marguérite de Béthencourt's father as Jean IV instead of Maciot. It also states that Jean IV married a second time, in 1415, to Lerize Guardateme, Princess of the Royal House of the Canarias and Lady of the Island of Lanzarote, Marguérite's mother. In a note, however, it states that various authors give Marguérite's father as Maciot.56 She moved to Madeira with her father, sister, and two cousins in 1448.39,172,196
Children of Henri de Bettencourt and Marguérite de Béthencourt were as follows:

Lerianda de Gardaleme39,136 was also known as Lerida de La Garde Tour.203 She was also known as Lerida de Guarde Teme.55 She was also known as Lerida de Guardatem.177 She was also known as Lerija de Guardateme.177 She was also known as Lerida de Guardateme.41 She was also known as Lerida Guardatame.12 She was also known as Lerisa de Guadateme.204 She was born in 1390 at France.41,136 She is possibly confused with the wife of Maciot's grandson, Maciot (II).203
     Lerianda de Gardaleme married Maciot de Bethencourt, son of Regnault de Bethencourt (IV) and Felipa de Troyes, at France.41,182,55,136 She died in 1425.136
There were no children of Henri de Bettencourt and Lerianda de Gardaleme.

25. Georges de Bethencourt (Regnault, Jean, Jean, Jean, Regnault, Philippe, Jean)249,250,55,6,7,153,175,250,55,6,7,175 was also known as Jorge de Bethencourt.251 He was also known as Dom Jorge Betancur.250 He was also known as Jorge de Bettencourt.252,6,7,9,175 He was born circa 1390 at France.250,6,9 Genea Portugal traces this line back differently, indicating that Georges' (or Jorge's) father was an unknown Bettencourt, son of João III de Bettencourt and Maria de Braquemont.9 In 1402 he discovered (or more properly re-discovered) the Canary Islands with his kinsmen.250 On 9 May 1405 he left with his kinsman Jean de Bethencourt on the second journey to the Canary Islands, but did not remain there long. He returned to Spain with Jean de Bethencourt and settled in Valladolid, taking care of the interests of the Canary Islands with the king.253,175 He married Elvira Gonçalvez de Avilla, daughter of Estevan Dominguez de Ávila and Ximena Blasquez, at Valladolid, Castile, Spain.250,251,6,7,9,175 He and Elvira Gonçalvez de Avilla were the ancestors of the Bethencourt Àvila line.254

Elvira Gonçalvez de Avilla250,255,256,57,7,9,175,7 was also known as Elvira Gonçalves de Ávila.256,9 She was also known as Elvira d' Ávila.55 She was also known as Dona Elvira de Ávila.252,6,7,175 She was also known as Maria Gonçalvez de Avilla.257 She was born circa 1390 at Castile, Spain.250 She listed with the name Maria in the Nobiliário de Famílias de Portugal as the daughter of Gil Gonçalvez de Avilla and listed again with the name Elvira as the sister of Gil Gonçalvez de Avilla; both names are listed as the wife of Dom Jorge Betancur.250 Information on the descendants found in the genealogical manuscript by Coelho Borges on fol. 19v.23 She and Gil Gonçalves de Ávila were apparently brother and sister although the Nobiliário de Famílias de Portugal lists them as father and daughter with the possibility of being brother and sister.250,256
Children of Georges de Bethencourt and Elvira Gonçalvez de Avilla were as follows:

26. Inês de Bethencourt (I) (Regnault, Jean, Jean, Jean, Regnault, Philippe, Jean) (suffix added for clarification)259,33,9,235,33,9,235 was also known as Inês de Braquemont after her grandmother.260 She was perhaps illegitimate.33 She was also known as Agnès de Bettencourt.235 She was also known as Inês de Bettencourt.9 She was born circa 1390 at Grainville-la-Teinturière, France.33 She married Guillien de Las Casas (I), son of Alfonso de Las Casas (I), at France. There is a question as to which de las Casas brother Inês was married to. Some sources (Guía histórica del Museo Militar Regional de Canarias por Juan Tous Meliá) give Inês' husband as Juan de las Casas, who was Guillien's brother. On the other hand, Guillien is presented by some genealogists as the husband of Leonor González de Guzmán.261,9

Guillien de Las Casas (I) (suffix added for clarification)261,248 was also known as Guillen de Las Casas.9 He was born circa 1390 at Seville, Spain.72 He was Lord of the unoccupied Canary Islands. He had inherited the right to conquer Gran Canaria and Gomeira from his father. Either in agreement with his brothers or by their deaths and through inheritance, he gained the right to conquer all four islands as yet unoccupied.262 He was "alcaide" or Commander of the militia of Seville.263 On 25 Mar 1430 he purchased from the Conde de Niebla the lordship of the occupied islands, Fuerteventura and Ferro, leaving only Lanzarote.264
Children of Inês de Bethencourt (I) and Guillien de Las Casas (I) both born at Spain were as follows:

27. Jean de Bethencourt (V) (Regnault, Jean, Jean, Jean, Regnault, Philippe, Jean) (suffix added for clarification)32,55,73,55,74,9,73,55,75,9 was also known as Johan de Béthencourt.76 He was also known as João de Bettencourt (V).77,70 He was born in 1432 at Caux, France.32,78 He was a squire.76 He was owner of the manuscript of Le Canarien now in the Bibliothèque municipale of Rouen, ms. mm 129.76
     Jean de Bethencourt (V) was Lord of Béthencourt, Sigy-en-Bray, France.76,55 He married Jeanne de Bethencourt (III), daughter of Collard de Bethencourt and Tiphaïne Hurpé, circa 1469 at France.69,70,71 Jeanne brought to Jean (V) as her dowry the fief of Béthencourt. This re-established to a certain point Jean's financial situation.33 He married Jeanne de Noyon, daughter of Crespin de Noyon, in 1475 at France.72,11,55,79,9 He and Jeanne de Noyon had eight children, although the Nobiliário da Ilha da Madeira says they had six children, four sons and two daughters.80,81,79 In 1501 Jean de Bethencourt (V) received the visit of his cousin André de Bethencourt, grandson of Maciot. André and his siblings had lost touch with their relatives in Normandy. André wished to reestablish relations with the family there. Jean (V) received him cordially and gave him a summary of the Chronicle of the Canary Islands as well as information about his ancestors and a biography of Jean (IV) - with which André proposed to defend his supposed rights to the island legacy of the Conqueror.82,83 He died on 21 Mar 1506.72

Jeanne de Bethencourt (III) (suffix added for clarification)32,65,9,65,9 was also known as Joana de Bettencourt.9 She was born after 1435 at Caux, France.32 Collard passed the fief of Béthencourt to his daughter Jeanne.33 Jeanne de Bethencourt (III) was Lady of the fief of Béthencourt, Sigy-en-Bray, France.32,9 She had no children.72 She died in 1472 three years after marrying.72
There were no children of Jean de Bethencourt (V) and Jeanne de Bethencourt (III).

Jeanne de Noyon72,72,79 was also known as Joana de Noyon.55,79,9 She was born circa 1450 at France.72
Children of Jean de Bethencourt (V) and Jeanne de Noyon were as follows:



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