, William Iii, Marquess Of Montferrat

William III (c. 970 – 1042) was the Margrave of Montferrat and Count ofVado from 991 to his death. He was the eldest son and successor of OttoI. William I and II were the father and son respectively of Aleram, thefirst margrave, but neither served as margrave himself.
William''s religious policy was a continuation of Aleram''s. He founded themonastery of Spigno. In 1014, he and his brother Riprando donated land tothe abbey of Fruttuaria. Between his succession and 1002, he made otherdonations to Acqui Terme.
While following in the familiar policy of ecclesiastical patronage,William abandoned Aleram''s support of the Holy Roman Emperors. Instead,he intervened in the wars of the Italian communes which characterisedearly eleventh-century Italy. He joined an anti-imperial alliance withCount Obert the Red, Margrave Ulric Manfred II of Turin, and Bishop Leoof Vercelli. The allies soon found themselves at odds and warring on eachother. Leo besieged Santhià, where William was then residing, andWilliam, to avenge himself on the bishop, besieged Vercelli and put it toflame. William signed a peace treaty with Ulric Manfred and married hisson Henry to Manfred''s daughter Adelaide.
Even after all his allies had been pacified by imperial troops, Williamcontinued to resist Conrad II, but he fared poorly. Conrad destroyed hisfortress in the valley of Orba.
The Miracula sancti Bononii records William''s wife as Waza. She prayed atthe tomb of Saint Bononio, abbot of Santissimi Michele e Genuario diLucedio. William died in 1042, probably before 29 January, when his sonHenry cites him in an act donating land to the church in Turin.