The first viscounts of Thouars appeared at the end of the 9th century, somewhat earlier than those of Châtellerault, Lusignan, etc. They represented the count of Poitou (also the duke of Aquitaine) in the territory he had enfeoffed to them. The family of the viscounts of Thouars doubtless originated in the surroundings of Poitiers where they held lands in the 10th century. At this era, they were patrons of the abbeys at Saint-Cyprien de Poitiers, (15 km to the south of Thouars), Saint-Florent de Saumur and Saint-Martin de Tours. In the 11th century, following Geoffrey II of Thouars's marriage with they added to this list the abbeys of and .