Person Page - 102

     Henry I 'Beauclerc' King of England was buried at Reading Abbey, Berkshire, England. He married Isabel (Elizabeth) de Beaumont, daughter of Robert I de Beaumont , 1st Earl of Leicester and Isabel (Elizabeth) de Vermandois, at No Marriage.⁴ Henry I 'Beauclerc' King of England was born in 1068 at Selby, West Riding Yorkshire, England.^2,3 He was the son of William I 'The Conqueror' King of England and Maud (Matilda) of Flanders. Henry I 'Beauclerc' King of England married an unknown person on 11 November 1100 at Westminster Abbey, London, England.¹ He married an unknown person between 29 January 1120 and 1121 at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, England.^2,3 He died on 1 December 1135 at Lyons-la-Foret, Eure, Normandy, France.²
     He After discussing with Betty Knoche, the various opinions from differentsources about the mistresses and illegitimate children of Henry I (whoprobably had more than any other English monarch), I discovered anAppendix D in Volume XI of The Complete Peerage which lists all of the'known' children and connects them, where possible, with the knownmistresses. I have scanned the text and included it in the notes below.Please excuse any errors in scanning/translating the text.

HENRY I'S ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN (According to the Complete Peerage)

Henry I and Charles II were the only Kings of England to beget a largebrood of bastards. Charles II’s children have already been catalogued invol. VI, Appendix F; from which it appears that Charles, who had nolegitimate issue, is credited with 8 sons and 6 daughters, but that thepaternity of one of those sons is not certain. This record is easilybeaten by Henry I. Besides his 2, or possibly 3, legitimate children, itseems fairly certain that he was the father of at least 9 sons and 11daughters. Moreover it is possible that one of the 9 sons reallyrepresents brothers of the same name; and finally it remains doubtfulwhether a certain unnamed daughter of the King was identical with one ofthe 11 or was yet another addition to his extensive family.

No complete catalogue of Henry’s bastards is given by any contemporarywriter. However, Robert de Torigny, in his additions to the GestaNormannoram Ducum of William de Jumieges, enumerates 6 sons, mentioningthe marriage of the first, gives the marriages of 6 daughters, of whom henames only three, and refers to another daughter, also unnamed, who wasstill unmarried when he wrote. Particulars of Henry’s other childrenhave to be collected from different sources.

It is impossible to set out the names of the children in the order inwhich they were born, as the date of birth is not known for any of them;nor is it possible to arrange them according to their maternal parentage,for in most instances this is not recorded. Indeed, Robert de Torignydoes not name the mother of any of the 13 children whom he enumeratesexcept the unmarried daughter, although his omissions may occasionally bemade good from other sources.

The sons were as follows, nos. 1 to 6 being those named by Robert deTorigny. He states that no. 1 was the eldest son, and it is certain fromother evidence that no. 2 was the 2nd son ; but it is doubtful how farthe others follow any chronological or other order. It seems likely thatno. 6 was 3rd of the six, because when Robert wrote, probably not earlierthan 1142, nos. 3, and 5 were still young and unmarried (or so he says);but no. 6 had died soon after his father, being then a married man,leaving issue. Where the 3 remaining sons should be inserted is againuncertain; but no. 8 should probably follow no. 2, and no. 9 come afterno. 3, each pair being apparently children of the same mother. On theother hand, it is possible that Henry had two or more mistresses
simultaneously.

(1) ROBERT the King's Son, styled also De Caen (e), the name and identityof whose mother are uncertain (f); b. probably circa 1090; cr. in 1122(June-Sep.) EARL OF GLOUCESTER; m. Maud (named also Mabel and Sibyl) (g),da. and h. of Robert FitzHamon, LORD of GLAMORGAN, by Sibyl, da. of Roger(de Montgomery), 1st EARL of SHREWSBURY; d. 31 Oct. 1147 at Bristol; bur.at the Priory of St. James, Bristol. For fuller particulars of Robertand for his issue, see ante, vol. v, pp. 683-86, sub Gloucester. [Note:According to 'Corrections and Additions to CP', another source indicateshis mother is Nest verch Rhys, which is also discounted. Volume V of CP,published in 1926 indicates the mother was 'Sibyl, daughter of RobertCorbet a burgess in Caen', but Volume XI, published in 1949, discountsthat in note 'f' below. The mother is officially unknown. Many say thatthe mother of Robert was a French woman and that he was born in Caen.]

(e) He attested charters regularly as Robert 'filius, Regis'; but he istwice styled Robert de Caen (de Cadomo) by Orderic (ed. Le Prevost), vol.v, pp. 121, 122. The statement in the Dict. Nat. Biog. that Robert wasborn at Caen, citing Orderic, seems to be a deduction from thesepassages. That he was 'known ... as Robert 'de Caen' from his birthplace'is also amassed by Round, Family Origins, p. 214.

(f) The statement by Pezet, cited ante, vol. v, p. 683, that she wasSibyl, dau.. of Robert Corbet, a burgess of Caen, seems to arise fromconfusion with Henry I’s mistress Sibyl, dau. of Robert Corbet ofAlcester (see below).

(g) Her name seems to have been Maud (Round, Cal. Docs., no. 799;Orderic, vol. iii, p. 318); but she is called Mabel by William ofMalmesbury, Hist. Nevella (Rolls Ser.), pp. 529, 587, and by Robert ofGloucester (Rolls Ser.), II 8876, 8883, and Sibyl by Robert de Torigny,in his additions to Will. de Jumieges, p. 306. As Earl Robert claimed tobe a banner-bearer (signifer) of the see of Bayeux by hereditary right(Rec. des Hist. de France, vol. xxiii, p. 700), that office was probablyhereditary in his wife’s family, and may have been appurtenant to thelands which she inherited.

(2) RICHARD, whose mother was Ansfride, a lady of unknown parentage,widow of Anskiill, a knight who was a tenant of Abingdon Abbey. He was b.ante 1101 ; served against the French in 1119, and was captured at LosAndelys, but was set free with his comrades by King Louis, because theyhad taken sanctuary in the church of N.D. du Grand Andely; was with hisfather at the siege of Evreux and the battle of Bremule, 20 Aug. 1119;and in Sep. was sent to raise the siege of Breteuil. He was betrothed toAmice, da. of Ralph de Gael, LORD of MONTFORT in Brittany and BRETEUILin Normandy, with whom he was to receive all her father’s Norman lands;but he d. s.p. immediately afterwards, being drowned in the wreck of theWhite Ship, 25 Nov. 1120 (h), and Amice m. Robert, 2nd EARL of LEICESTER.(see ante vol. vii, pp. 529-30, sub Leicester).

(h) His body was washed up many days later, far from the scene of theshipwreck.

(3) RAINALD of DUNSTANVILLE, whose mother was Sibyl, named also Adela andLucy, da. and in her issue coh. of Robert Corbet, of Alcester, co.Warwick, and Longden, Salop; which Sibyl, after her liaison with Henry I,m. Herbert FitzHerbert. Rainald held land in Wiltshire in 1130. He wascr., circa Apr. 1141, EARL OF CORNWALL, by his half-sister the EmpressMaud. He m. Beatrice, da. and h. of William FitzRichard. He d. spms.leg. 1 July 1175 at Chertsey, Surrey, when his Earldom reverted to theCrown, and was bur, at Reading Abbey. For fuller particulars see ante,vol. iii, p. 429, sub Cornwall.

(4) ROBERT the King’s son, whose mother Ede or Edith was apparently da.of Forn, probably identical with Forn Sigulfson, lord of Greystoke(Cumberland) and a tenant-in-chief in co. York; which Edith, after herliaison with Henry I, m. Robert de Oilli, a royal Constable and constableof Oxford Castle. Robert held land in Devonshire in 1130. He supportedhis half-sister, the EMPRESS Maud, in the Civil War. He was a greattenant-in-chief, his servitium debitum being 100 knights. He m. Maud,dame du Sap in Normandy, widow of William de Courcy, and da. and h. ofRobert de Avranches, by whom he had an only daughter. He d. 31 May 1172.

(5) GILBERT, still young and unmarried in (?) 1142. Nothing more is knownof him.

(6) WILLIAM de Tracy or Tracey, whose mother is unknown, and who d. soonafter his father, leaving (by an unknown wife) a daughter and heir (l).

(l) Grace, who m. John de Sudeley, of Sudeley Castle and Toddington, co.Gloucester, 3rd s. of Harold de Ewias, lord of Ewias (co. Hereford) andSudeley, s. and h. of Ralph, Earl of Hereford, s. of Dreu, Count of theFrench Vexin, by Godgifu, sister of Edward the Confessor. The 1st son,Ralph de Sudeley, suc. his father at Sudeley; the 2nd son, William ofToddington, took his mother's name of Tracy or Tracey; hence Ralph deSudeley confirmed a gift of his brother William de Tracy to GloucesterAbbey. The direct line of Tracy of Toddington became extinct on thedeath of Henry (Tracy), 8th Viscount Tracy, in 1797; but cadets of thisvery ancient house may still exist. [Note: According to Ancestral Roots(line 222-27), Grace was not a daughter of William, but of unknownparents; and Grace's son John was b. bef 1114 ('of age by 1135',admittedly from a 'bef 1130' marriage, but there is no way Grace fits asdaughter of William 'b. c 1190' with a son born that early. Therefore Ihave Grace's father as an unknown Henry de Tracy.]

(7) Henry the King's son, whose mother was Nest, da. of Rhys ap TEWDWR,Prince of South Wales where Henry was born, and wife of Gerald deWindsor. He was slain during Henry II’s invasion of Anglesey in 1157,leaving (by an unknown wife) 2 sons.

(8) FULK the King's son, and Richard the tutor, witnessed a gift toAbingdon Abbey by William, s. of Anskill and Ansfride, the mother ofHenry I’s s. Richard, all abovenamed; the gift being made inconsideration of his mother having been bur, in the abbey. The obviousinference is that Folk was a yr. s. of Henry and Ansfride, and was beingbrought up at the abbey in charge of his tutor. In any event he musthave been a son of Henry I. Fulk probably became a monk at Abingdon or d.young.

(9) WILLIAM, brother of the Queen [Sibyl of Scotland], who was one ofHenry I’s illegitimate daughters (see below), was presumably a son ofSibyl Corbet, and may be supposed to have accompanied his sister toScotland. As 'Willelmensus frater reginae', his name occurs among thoseof the witnesses to the foundation-charter (of doubtful authenticity) ofScone Priory, issued by Alexander I and Queen Sibyl, circa 1120; andagain to a charter of Alexander for Scone in 1124. Sibyl had d. s.p. in1122 and Alexander d. s.p. in 1124, and as there is no more trace ofWilliam in Scotland, it is likely that he returned to England. Probablyhe is William the King’s son who attested a charter of Robert de Toni,1129-33. In 1166 William frater comitis Reginaldi was holding half aknight’s fee in Devonshire under Robert the King’s son, and 4 fees inCornwall, as William frater Comitis, under Earl Rainald of Cornwall. EarlRainald’s brother attested 2 charters of the earl as 'Willelmo fratremeo.' and issued a charter as 'Willelmus de Marisco frater Reginaldicomitis Cornubie,' in which he mentions his wife Alice. He was living in1187.

The daughters were as follows, the first 7 being in the same order as inthe list of Robert de Torigny; who gives the marriages of nos. 1 to 6,but omits the Christian names of 4, 5, 6 and 7.

(1) MAUD, whose mother was Edith, of whom nothing is known (b). She m.in 1103, Rotrou, COUNT of Perche, styled the Great, s. and h. ofGeoffrey, Count of Perche, by Beatrice, da. of Hilduin, Count ofMontdidier and (jure uxoris) Count of Roucy. Rotrou had gone on the 1stCrusade in 1096. In 1105 and 1114 he went to Spain, to help his cousinAlfonso I, King of Navarre and Aragon, against the Moors. In 1114 heassisted Henry I at the siege of Belleme, which he had long beforeclaimed as his hereditary right. The King granted him the Belleme fiefs.He was present at the death of his royal father-in-law in 1135. In 1137Stephen gave him Moulins; but in 1141 he made terms with GeoffreyPlantagenet. Maud was drowned in the wreck of the White Ship, 25 Nov.1120, leaving 2 daughters. Rotrou m., 2ndly, before 1127, Hawise, da. ofWalter de Salisbury, and sister of Patrick, 1st EARL OF Salisbury. He d.in 1144 at the siege of the Tower of Rouen (20 Jan. to 23 Apr.) byGeoffrey Plantagenet, and his widow m., as his 2nd wife, Robert, 1stCount of Dreux, 3rd s. of Louis VI (Le Gros), King of France; whichRobert styled himself Count of Perche and lord of Belleme during theminority of his stepson.

(b) As her daughter married in 1103, she cannot be the daughter of Forn.

(2) MAUD, who m. Conan III, Duke of Brittany, s. of Alan Fergant, Duke ofBrittany, by his 2nd wife, Ermengard, da. of Fulk IV, Count of Anjou.Maud had 1 son and 2 daughters.

(3) JULIANE, who m. in 1103, Eustace de Pacy, styled also de Breteuil.Lord of Breteuil and Pacy, illegitimate son of William on Breteuil, 1sts. of William (FitzOsbern), 1st EARL OF HEREFORD (ante, vol. vi, p. 449,note 'c', sub Hereford). In 1119 Eustace took part in the rebellionagainst Henry I, who besieged Juliane in Breteuil. She fled to Pacy, andin the autumn of 1119 she and her husband were pardoned by the King. Afew years later she became a nun at Fontevrault. Eustace d. at thebeginning of Lent, 1136. They had issue 2 sons and 2 daughters.

(4) ?Eustacie? (k) who m. William Gouet III, LORD or MONTMIRAIL and otherfiefs in that part of Perche which, at a much later date, became known asPerche-Gouet; who was 2nd but 1st surv. s. and h. of William Gouet II,LORD of Montmirail and Chateau-du-Loir, and (jure matris) of Alluye andBrou, by his wife Eustache, and was b. ante 1080. His elder br. Hughhaving d. v.p. he became the heir, and joined with his father and motherEustache, and his brothers Robert and Matthew, in the foundation of thePriory of St. Gilles des Chateigniers as a cell of Tiron. In 1114, asWilliam Gouet junior (juvenem), he was one of the nobles (optimates) ofTheobald, Count of Chartres, whom the Count called in to advise him. In1116, with his father and mother, he gave judgement in a dispute betweenthe abbey of Marmoutier and Gaston de Brou. He suc. his father, probablyabout 1117. He has been confused with his father, and with his s. and h.,William Gouet IV, with whom the line ended. [Note: 'Correction andAdditions to CP' indicates that her name is Mabel.]

(k) R. de Torigny does not name her, and Marx does not try to ascertainher name; nor has it been found in charters. She is called Eustacie byRamsay, presumably through confusion with her mother-in-law.

(5) CONSTANCE, named also MAUD, who m. Roscelin de Beaumont, hereditaryvicomte of Maine, styled Vicomte de Beaumont, Lord of Beaumont-le-Vicomte(alias Beaumont-sur-Sarthe), Fresnay and Ste.-Suzanne, s. of Ralph deBeaumont, by sister of Guy de Laval. Henry I gave South Tawton (Devon),to Roscelin de Beaumont in marriage with his da. Constance. They had 2sons.

(6) ALICE, named also ALINE, who m. Matthew de Montmorenci, 1st s. and h.of Bouchard de Montmorenci, by his 1st wife, Agnes, da. of Yves II, Countof Beaumont-sur-Oise. She d. after having sons by Matthew, who m. 2ndly,Adelaide, widow of Louis VI (Le Gros), King of France, da. of Humbert II,Count of Savoy, by Gisele, da. of William, Count of Burgundy; by whom hehad no issue. Matthew was Constable of France.

(7) ISABEL, whose mother was Isabel (or Elizabeth), da. of Robert (deBeauchamp), Count or Meulan and 1st Earl of Leicester, by Isabel (orElizabeth), da. of Hugh the Great, Count of Vermandois; which last-namedIsabel m., 2ndly, William (de Warenne), 2nd Earl of Surrey (see ante,vol. vii, p. 526, sub Leicester). The youngest of the Isabels was stillunmarried when Robert de Torigny wrote, and so far as is known she nevermarried. Her mother m. Gilbert (FitzGilbert, styled also de Clare), 1stEarl of Pembroke, and she seems to have lived with her mother during thelife and after the death of her stepfather (see ante, vol. x, Appendix H,p. 102).

(8) SIBYL, whose mother was probably Sibyl Corbet. She m. Alexander I,King of Scotland, with whom she is said to have been joint founder ofScone Priory. She gave 'Beeth,' a valuable property in Fifeshire, to theabbey of Dunfermline. She d. s.p., suddenly, 12 or 13 July 1122, on theisland of Loch Tay. Alexander d. s.p. 23 Apr. 1124 and was bur. atDunfermline Abbey, being suc, by his br. David.

(9) MAUD, abbess of Montivilliers, is called a sister of the Empress Moodby the Valasse Chronicle. Traditionally she was identified with Henry l’sdaughter by Isabel de Beaumont, doubtless because Isabel’s daughter wasthe only one in Robert de Torigny’s list not recorded to be married toanother person. The compilers of Gallia Christiana seem somewhatsceptical of Maud’s royal parentage; but this appears to be unreasonable,as the writer of the Valasse Chronicle was a contemporary.

(10) GUNDRED, The Pipe Roll of 130 mentions Gundred, sister of Rainald deDunstanville. Nothing more is known of her. [Note: 'Corrections andAdditions to CP' indicates that the Rainald referred to here is not theillegitimate son of Henry I, but another Rainald de Dunstanville, andtherefore Gundred is not an illegitimate daughter of Henry I either.]

(11) ROHESE, who m., not later than 1146, Henry de la Pomerai, a greatDevonshire baron, s. and h. of Joscelin de la Pomerai. He fought forHenry I in the rebellion of 1123, and in the King’s later years was adeputy or assistant Constable in his Household. In 1136 he was one ofStephen’s commanders in Normandy. He prospered under Henry II. He wasdead in 1167. His wife was probably living in 1175 or 1176. They leftsons, Henry and Joscelin. [Note: Ancestral Roots argues that Rohese wasdaughter of Sybil Corbet, but by her husband Herbert FitzHerbert,pointing out that her daughter married William de Tracy, who would havebeen the daughter's 1st cousin, if she were also descended from Henry I.]

(12) Finally there is the question of the identity of the unnameddaughter whom Henry I had agreed to give to William de Warenne. The Kingasked Anselm what he ought to do, seeing that the parties were related inthe 4th generation on one side and in the sixth on the other. There is noevidence as to whether the girl was one of the 11 daughters alreadyenumerated or another. The archbishop protested against the marriage andit never took place. William de Warenne was probably the 2nd Earl ofSurrey, the only man of that name known to be living at the time, who was4th in descent from the common ancestors: the parents of Gunnor, Duchessof Normandy.

Henry was evidently devoid of racial prejudices in the choice of hismistresses. Of the six whose names are known, the 2 Ediths must have beenEnglish; Ansfride and Sibyl Corbet were presumably Norman. Nest wasWelsh; Isabel de Beaumont was Norman on one side, French on the other.

Henry I has been credited with 2 more daughters, for whom he was notresponsible:

(i) In the Index to Le Prevost's edition of Orderic’s HistoriaEcclesiastica, under 'Helie de Saint-Saens,' there are the entries:'Epouse Ia fille naturelle de Robert Courte-Heuse Ensuite Ia fillenaturelle de Henri Ire. IV, 232'; and under 'Henri Ire': 'Une de sesfilles naturelles epouse Helie de Saint—Sums. IV, 232.' However, thecompiler has misunderstood the passage cited, which refers to Helie'smarriage with a daughter of Duke Robert. The alleged 2nd marriage and theKing’s alleged daughter are alike fictitious.

(ii) Orderic, in his -account of the war between Henry I of England andLouis VI of France, speaks of William de Chaumont as the King’sson-in-law. This has been misunderstood as referring to the King ofEngland, and William’s wife is included among Henry l’s daughters byRamsay; but charter evidence proves that she was the daughter of the Kingof France.

Henry’s benefactions to the Church caused the monkish historians topalliate his sins and to find excuses for his lust; but they could notavert the fatal consequence. When the White Ship was wrecked on thedeadly rock, a boat was launched and the King’s only legitimate son andheir was being rowed to safety. It was the cries of his illegitimatehalf-sister, the Countess of Perche, which induced him to return to thewreck, where they sank together. [THE COMPLETE PEERAGE, Volume XI,Appendix D, pp. 105-121]

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Henry I was born in the year 1068---a factor he himself regarded ashighly significant, for he was the only son of the Conqueror born afterthe conquest of England, and to Henry this meant he was heir to thethrone. He was not an attractive proposition: he was dissolute to adegree, producing at least a score of bastards; but far worse he wasprone to sadistic cruelty---on one occasion, for example, personallypunishing a rebellious burgher by throwing him from the walls of his town.

At the death of William the Conqueror, Henry was left no lands, merely5,000 pounds of silver. With these he bought lands from his elder brotherRobert Curthose, Duke of Normandy, only to see them taken back again afew years later by Robert, in unholy alliance with his brother WilliamRufus.

Henry could do little to avenge such treatment, but in England he foundnumerous barons who were tired of the exactions and ambitions of theirking. He formed alliances with some of these, notably with the importantde Clare family. He and some of the de Clares were with William Rufus onhis last hunting expedition, and it is thought that the king's death wasthe result of Henry's plotting.

Certainly he moved fast to take advantage of it; leaving Rufus's bodyunattended in the woods, he swooped down on Winchester to take control ofthe treasury. Two days later he was in Westminster, being crowned by theBishop of London. His speed is understandable when one realises that hiselder brother, Robert [Curthose], was returning from the crusade, andclaimed, with good reason, to be the true heir.

Henry showed great good sense in his first actions as King. He arrestedRanulph Flambard, William's tax-gatherer, and recalled Anselm, the exiledArchbishop. Furthermore, he issued a Charter of Liberties which promisedspeedy redress of grievances, and a return to the good government of theConqueror. Putting aside for the moment his many mistresses, he marriedthe sister of the King of Scots, who was descended from the royal line ofWessex; and lest the Norman barons should think him too pro-English inthis action, he changed her name from Edith to Matilda. No one couldclaim that he did not aim to please.

In 1101 Robert Curthose invaded, but Henry met him at Alton, andpersuaded him to go away again by promising him an annuity of £2,000. Hehad no intention of keeping up the payments, but the problem wastemporarily solved.

He now felt strong enough to move against dissident barons who might givetrouble in the future. Chief amongst these was the vicious Robert ofBellême, Earl of Shrewsbury, whom Henry had known for many years as adangerous troublemaker. He set up a number of charges against him in theking's court, making it plain that if he appeared for trial he would beconvicted and imprisoned. Thus Robert and his colleagues were forced intorebellion at a time not of their own choosing, were easily defeated andsent scuttling back to Normandy.

In Normandy Robert Curthose began to wreak his wrath on all connectedwith his brother, thus giving Henry an excellent chance to retaliate withcharges of misgovernment and invade. He made two expeditions in 1104-5,before the great expedition of 1106 on which Robert was defeated at thehour-long battle of Tinchebrai, on the anniversary of Hastings. No onehad expected such an easy victory, but Henry took advantage of the stateof shock resulting from the battle to annex Normandy. Robert wasimprisoned (in some comfort, it be said); he lived on for 28 more years,ending up in Cardiff castle whiling away the long hours learning Welsh.His son William Clito remained a free agent, to plague Henry for most ofthe rest of his reign.

In England the struggle with Anselm over the homage of bishops ran itscourse until the settlement of 1107. In matters of secular governmentlife was more simple: Henry had found a brilliant administrator, Roger ofSalisbury, to act as Justiciar for him. Roger had an inventive mind, akeen grasp of affairs, and the ability to single out young men ofpromise. He quickly built up a highly efficient team of administrators,and established new routines and forms of organisation within which theycould work. To him we owe the Exchequer and its recording system of thePipe Rolls, the circuits of royal justiciars spreading the king's peace,and the attempts at codification of law. Henry's good relationships withhis barons, and with the burgeoning new towns owed much to skilfuladministration. Certainly he was able to gain a larger and more reliablerevenue this way than by the crude extortion his brother had used.

In 1120 came the tragedy of the White Ship. The court was returning toEngland, and the finest ship in the land was filled with its young men,including Henry's son and heir William. Riotously drunk, they tried to gofaster and faster, when suddenly the ship foundered. All hands except abutcher of Rouen were lost, and England was without an heir.

Henry's only legitimate child was Matilda, but she was married to theEmperor Henry V of Germany, and so could not succeed. But in 1125 herhusband died, and Henry brought her home and forced the barons to swearfealty to her---though they did not like the prospect of a woman ruler.Henry then married her to Geoffrey of Anjou, the Normans' traditionalenemy, and the barons were less happy---especially when the newly-wedshad a terrible row, and Geoffrey ordered her out of his lands. In 1131Henry, absolutely determined, forced the barons to swear fealty oncemore, and the fact that they did so is testimoney of his controllingpower. Matilda and Geoffrey were reunited, and in 1133 she produced a sonwhom she named for his grandfather. If only Henry could live on until hisgrandson was old enough to rule, all would be well.

But in 1135, against doctor's orders, he ate a hearty meal of lampreys,got acute indigestion, which turned into fever, and died. He was buriedat his abbey in Reading---some said in a silver coffin, for which therewas an unsuccessful search at the Dissolution. [Source: Who's Who in theMiddle Ages, John Fines, Barnes & Noble Books, New York, 1995] He was Ruled between 1100 and 1135.

     Avelina (Wevia) 'not' de Crepon was born circa 960 at Arque, Seine-Inferieure, Normandy, France. She was the daughter of Herbastus Forester of Arque and Gunnhild Olafsdottir.
     Avelina (Wevia) 'not' de Crepon Avelina, sister of Gundra, wife of Richard I, Duke of Normandy. [Burke'sPeerage]

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The following is excerpted (full post is in notes under father) from apost to SGM, 3 Dec 1996, by Todd Farmerie:

From: Todd A. Farmerie (taf2 AT po.cwru.edu)
Subject: Robert de Torigny and the family of Gunnor, Duchess of Normandy
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.medieval
Date: 1996/12/03

Wevia, the only other sister of Gunnor named by Torigny, married Osbernde Bolbec (who is otherwise unknown to history). They had at least twosons: Walter Giffard, ancestor of the English Giffard/Gifford families,and also, through his daughter, of the Clare family; and Godfrey, whoseson William de Arques had two daughters and co-heiresses.

Note; I have Wevia's son as Gozeline (or Godfrey) and grandfather ofWilliam de Arques.

     Richard FitzGilbert de Clare , & Tonbridge, Sir was buried at Priory of St Neot, Cambridgeshire, England. He was born before 1035 at Brionne, Eure, Normandy, France.⁴ He was the son of Gilbert FitzGodfrey Comte d'Eu & Brionne and Constance d' Eu. Richard FitzGilbert de Clare , & Tonbridge, Sir died in May 1089 at Clare, Risbridge, Suffolk, England.^5,6
     He Richard Fitz Gilbert; also known as 'de Bienfaite' (from the quantity ofhis fiefs [so states BP, but CP states Richard was lord of Bienfate &Orbec in Normandy]), 'de Clare' or 'de Tonbridge' (from actual fiefs);went with his cousin William I the Conqueror to England and was granted176 Lordships, 95 of them associated with the Honour (feudal unit ofadministration) of Clare, Suffolk, and others with Tonbridge, Kent.[Burke's Peerage]

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Observations. In the times of the Heptarchy the border fortress of Clare(Suffolk), on the confines of the Kingdoms of East Anglia and Essex, wasof the greatest importance, and continued to be so or many centuriesafterwards, when, it was granted by the Conqueror to Richard FitzGilbert.FitzGilbert's successors the earlier Lords of Clare were, 'it is impliedin the Lords' Reports [vol. iii, p. 124] and elsewhere, styled Earls ofClare before they were Earls of Hertford, but investigation disprovesthis,' though doubtless, these Lords, after they obtained that Earldom,were according to the usage of the period, frequently styled 'Earls ofClare,' just as the Earls of Derby were styled 'Earls Ferrers,' &c. Onaccount of the great importance of these feudal Barons, the earlier Lordsof Clare, so frequently considered to have been actual Peers, a shortaccount of them is subjoined, as under.

HOLDERS OF THE HONOUR OF CLARE (I) temp. William I

RICHARD FITZGILBERT, styled (from his possessions) ' DE BIENFAITE,' 'DECLARE,' and 'DE TONBRIDGE, was son of Gilbert, COUNT OF BRIONNE inNormandy, which Gilbert was son and heir of Godfrey, COUNT OF BRIONNE,illegitimate son of Richard, DUKE OF NORMANDY. He was born before 1035,was Lord of Bienfaite and Orbec in Normandy, accompanied his kinsman,William the Conqueror, into England, and was rewarded by him with no lessthan 176 Lordships, of which 95 were in Suffolk, attached to the Honourof Clare, which honour,, with the Castle of Clare, as also the Castle ofTonbridge in Kent, he obtained, becoming thus Lord of Clare and ofTonbridge. During the King's absence he was joint Chief justiciar, and,as such, suppressed the revolt of 1075.

He married Rohese, daughter of Walter GIFFARD, the elder, and aunt andheir of Walter [GIFFARD], 2nd Earl of Buckingham, through which match hisdescendants became co-heirs to the lands of that family. He was living1081, but appears to have died about 1090 being buried at St. Neots, co.Huntingdon. His widow was living, as such, 1113. [Complete PeerageIII:242, XIV:183, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]

-----------------------------

Richard FitzGilbert, having accompanied the Conqueror into England,participated in the spoils of conquest and obtained extensive possessionsin the new and old dominions of his royal leader and kinsman. In 1073 wefind him joined under the designation of Ricardus de Benefacta, withWilliam de Warren, in the great office of Justiciary of England, withwhom, in three years afterwards, he was in arms against the rebelliouslords Robert de Britolio, Earl of Hereford, and Ralph Waher, or Guarder,Earl of Norfolk and Suffolk, and behaved with great gallantry. Butafterwards, at the time of the General Survey, which was towards theclose of William's reign, he is called Ricardus de Tonebruge, from hisseat at Tonebruge (now Tunbridge) in Kent, which town and castle heobtained from the archbishop of Canterbury in lieu of the castle ofBrion, at which time he enjoyed thirty-eight lordships in Surrey,thirty-five in Essex, three in Cambridgeshire, with some others in Wiltsand Devon, and ninety-five in Suffolk, amongst those was Clare, whence hewas occasionally styled Richard de Clare, and that place in a few yearsafterwards becoming the chief seat of the family, his descendants aresaid to have assumed thereupon the title of Earls of Clare. This greatfeudal lord m. Rohese, dau. of Walter Giffard, Earl of Buckingham, andhad issue, Gilbert, his successor, Roger, Walter, Richard, Robert, a dau.m. to Ralph de Telgers, and a dau. mo. to Eudo Dapifer. Richard deTonebruge, or de Clare, whose is said to have fallen in a skirmish withthe Welsh, was s. by his eldest son, Gilbert de Tonebruge. [Sir BernardBurke, Dormant and Extinct Peerages, Burke's Peerage, London, 1883, p.118, Clare, Lords of Clare, Earls of Hertford, Earls of Gloucester]

     Rohese Giffard was born circa 1036 at Longueville-sur-Scie, Seine-Inferieure, Normandy, France. She was the daughter of Walter I Giffard , Seigneur of Longueville and Agnes Flatel. Rohese Giffard died after 1113.³
     She He [Richard FitzGilbert de Clare] married Rohese, daughter of WalterGIFFARD, the elder, and aunt and heir of Walter [GIFFARD], 2nd Earl ofBuckingham, through which match his descendants became co-heirs to thelands of that family. He was living 1081, but appears to have died about1090 being buried at St. Neots, co. Huntingdon. His widow was living, assuch, 1113. [Complete Peerage III:242, XIV:183, (transcribed by DaveUtzinger)]

     Gilbert FitzGodfrey Comte d'Eu & Brionne was born circa 980 at Brionne, Eure, Normandy, France. He was the son of Godfrey FitzRichard of Brionne , Comte d'Eu and Hawise de Guines. Gilbert FitzGodfrey Comte d'Eu & Brionne died in 1040 at Eu, Seine-Inferieure, Normandy, France; (Assassinated).³
     He Gilbert, Count of Brionne, who was son of Godfrey, Count of Brionne,illegitimate son of Richard I, the Fearless, Duke of Normandy. [MagnaCharta Sureties, line 157-1]

-------------------

Gilbert, Count of Brionne; benefactor of the Abbey of Bec in Normandy.[Burke's Peerage]

-------------------

Gilbert, Earl of Brion, had two sons, Richard, ancestor of the house ofClare, and Baldwin de Brionis. [Sir Bernard Burke, Dormant and ExtinctPeerages, Burke's Peerage, London, 1883, p. 139, Courtenay, BaronsCourtenay, Earls of Devon]

--------------------

Gislebert, surnamed Crispin, Earl of Brion, in Normandy, whose eldest son[was] Richard FitzGilbert. [Sir Bernard Burke, Dormant and ExtinctPeerages, Burke's Peerage, London, 1883, p. 118, Clare, Lords of Clare,Earls of Hertford, Earls of Gloucester]

Note: I have Gilbert Crispin of Tillieres and Gilbert Count of Brionne astwo different people.

     Walter I Giffard , Seigneur of Longueville was born circa 1005 at Longueville-sur-Scie, Seine-Inferieure, Normandy, France. He was the son of Osbern I de Bolbec , Seigneur of Longueville and Avelina (Wevia) 'not' de Crepon. Walter I Giffard , Seigneur of Longueville married Agnes Flatel, daughter of Gerard Flatel, circa 1025 at France. Walter I Giffard , Seigneur of Longueville died in 1084.³
     He Walter Giffard, d. 1084, Lord of Longueville, a companion of William I atBattle of Hastings, 1066, son of Osbern de Bolbec, seigneur ofLongueville-sur-Scie in Normandy 1028-1035, and Duvelina, sister of theDuchess Gunnora; m. Agnes, daughter of Girard Flatel. [Ancestral Roots]

Note: Turton has Walter as son of Osbern II de Bolbec, son of Osbern byAvelina de Crepon (making his grandmother & grandfather more or less thesame as Ancestral Roots has as his father & mother). I have chosen tostay with Ancestral Roots.

---------------------

The following post-em, by Mike Lysell, mlysell AT comcast.net, also hasWalter as grandson of Osbern I, but with another Walter (instead ofTurton's Osbern II) in between as father (I am still sticking with AR):

Jim - Carl Boyer, in 'Medievil English Ancestors of Certian Americans',page 104, shows Walter, the son of Osbern I, as born in 978 with abrother Godfrey and a son Walter who was born in 1010. According toBoyer, Walter married Emmengard Flaitel and had the following children:
i. Osbert (Osbern, Bolebec), d. by 1095
ii. Rohese, b. say 1045
iii. William
iv. Walter, 1st Earl of Buckingham; b. say 1051; d. Jul 15, 1102;m. Agnes de Ribemont
v. Berenger, possible son, b. say 1054

Boyer cites Vernon M. Noor’s 'Some Early English Pedigrees' as a source.

Mike Lysell

Note: I have seen discussions about this in SGM, and Todd Farmerie saysthat the dates for Walter are 'long' and numerous authors have suggestedthat the original sources had compressed two Walter de Giffards into oneperson, but that there is no proof one way or the other.

     Agnes Flatel was born circa 1014 at Evreux, Eure, Normandy, France. She was the daughter of Gerard Flatel. Agnes Flatel married Walter I Giffard , Seigneur of Longueville, son of Osbern I de Bolbec , Seigneur of Longueville and Avelina (Wevia) 'not' de Crepon, circa 1025 at France.

     Godfrey FitzRichard of Brionne , Comte d'Eu was born circa 953 at Brionne, Eure, Normandy, France. He was the son of Richard I 'The Fearless' Duke of Normandy and (?) Concubine(s). Godfrey FitzRichard of Brionne , Comte d'Eu died in 1015.⁴
     He Gilbert, Count of Brionne, who was son of Godfrey, Count of Brionne,illegitimate son of Richard I, the Fearless, Duke of Normandy. [MagnaCharta Sureties, line 157-1]

----------------------

Turton has Geoffrey (Godfrey Comte d'Eu as a legitimate son of Richard &Gunnora, which confused me for awhile and I had him as a 2nd person(father of Adele only). However I believe Turton is wrong, and Godfreywas an illegitimate son (in fact the eldest illegitimate son).

----------------------

The following is the first part of a post to SGM, 29 Aug 1996, by DaveUtzinger:

From: Dave Utzinger (UTZ AT AOL.COM)
Subject: CLARE FAMILY
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.medieval
Date: 1996/08/29

From 'A Baronial Family in Medieval England: The Clares, 1217-1314', byMichael Altschul, Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins press, 1965.

The Clares came to England with the Conqueror. Like many other greatfamilies settled in England after the Conquest, they were related to thedukes of Normandy and had established themselves as important members ofthe Norman feudal aristocracy in the late tenth and early eleventhcenturies.

The origin of the family can be traced to Godfrey, eldest of theillegitimate children of Duke Richard I (the Fearless), the Conqueror'sgreat-grandfather. While the Duke granted Godfrey Brionne, he did notmake him a count. Godfrey's comital title derives from the grant of thecounty of Eu made to him after 996 by his half-brother, Duke Richard II.After Godfrey's death, Eu was given to William, another of Duke RichardI's bastard sons, and Gilbert, Godfrey's son, was left with only thelordship of Brionne. However, under Duke Robert I, father of William theConqueror, Gilbert assumed the title of count of Brionne while notrelinquishing his claim to Eu. When Count William of Eu died shortlybefore 1040, Gilbert assumed the land and title, but he was assassinatedin 1040 and his young sons, Richard and Baldwin, were forced to fleeNormandy, finding safety at the court of Baldwin V, count of Flanders.When William the Conqueror married Count Baldwin's daughter, he restoredGilbert's sons to Normandy, although he did not invest them with eitherBrionne or Eu or a comital title. William granted the lordships ofBienfaite and Orbec to Richard fitz Gilbert, and Le Sap and Meules toBaldwin. While Gilbert's descendants later pressed a claim for Brionne,it was never restored.

     Gerard Flatel was born circa 985 at Evreux, Eure, Normandy, France.

     Richard I Talbot , of Battlesden, Sir was born circa 1050 at Battlesden, Bedfordshire, England. He was the son of William Talbot , of Battlesden and Basita Flaitel.

     William Talbot , of Battlesden was born circa 1030 at Battlesden, Bedfordshire, England. He was the son of Lesire Talbot , of Battlesden.

     Lesire Talbot , of Battlesden was born circa 980 at Battlesden, Bedfordshire, England.

     Basita Flaitel was born circa 1030 at Evreux, Eure, Normandy, France. She was the daughter of Gerard Flatel.

     Amaury II Seigneur de Montfort died AFT 4 FEB 1052/53.^1,2,4 He was born circa 1000 at Montfort-l'Amaury, Yvelines, Ile-de-France, France.² He was the son of Guillaume Comte de Montfort and Miss de Nogent. Amaury II Seigneur de Montfort married Bertrade (Berteis) de Gometz, daughter of Guillaume de Gometz , de Bures, in 1028 at Ile de France, France.²
     Amaury II Seigneur de Montfort THE ANCESTORS OF SIMON DE MONTFORT EARL OF LEICESTER (I)

Amauri de Montfort attested charters of Robert I of France in 1022, 1028,and 4 Feb 1031. He is said to have been son of a William of Hainault,who is not otherwise known. He appears to have begun the building ofMontfort, described as a 'castrum' which was completed by his son Simon.He is said to have m. Bertrade. The date of his death is unknown. Heleft two sons, Simon, his successor, and Mainer; and probably a daughterEve who m. William Crispin. [Complete Peerage VII:Appendix D:708]

Note: Leo van de Plas, citing 'Les seize quartiers des Reines etImperatrices Francaises', 1977, Jacques Saillot, takes the ancestry twomore generations back at Montfort (not Hainault).

     Bertrade (Berteis) de Gometz was born circa 1010 at Gometz, Yvelines, Ile-de-France, France. She was the daughter of Guillaume de Gometz , de Bures. Bertrade (Berteis) de Gometz married Amaury II Seigneur de Montfort, son of Guillaume Comte de Montfort and Miss de Nogent, in 1028 at Ile de France, France.¹ Bertrade (Berteis) de Gometz died after 1053.³

     Guillaume Comte de Montfort was born circa 960 at Evreux, Eure, Normandy, France.¹ He died in 1018 at Montfort-l'Amaury, Yvelines, Ile-de-France, France.¹
     He The first Montfort of Ile de France, invested by Hugh Capet.

     Guy I Seigneur de Montlhery , & Chevreuse was buried at Abbaye de Longpont, Laon, Aisne, Picardy, France. He was born in 1009 at Montlhery, Essonne, Ile-de-France, France.^4,3 He was the son of Milon de Monteleherico , Seigneur de la Ferte and Miss de Montlhery. Guy I Seigneur de Montlhery , & Chevreuse died in 1095 at Chevreuse, Yvelines, Ile-de-France, France.^1,3
     He The following information was provided in a post-em by Curt Hofemann,curt_hofemann AT yahoo.com:

Seigneur de Montlhery & de Bray [Ref: McBride, Moriarty p63, Watne p276]
Seigneur de Monthlery [Ref: ES III:659]

seigneur of Montlhéry & castellan of Rochefort-en-Yvelines [Ref: PeterStewart 24 Apr 2001 message toGen-Medieval]

Seigneur de Chevreuse, Lord of Chateaufort [Ref: McBride] note: is not'seigneur de' & 'lord of' the same thing?... Curt

Count of Corbeil [Ref: Weis AR7 103a:24]
founded the abbey of Lamport* [Ref: Moriarty p63]

b. ca 1009 [Ref: McBride]

Jim, info conflicting yours:
parents: Milon I Seigneur de la Ferte & dau of Thibaud Seigneur deMontlhery & Chevrouse (sic) [Ref: Moriarty p265] Milan & dau Thibard[Ref: Moriarty p63]

d. 1095 [Ref: ES III:624, Moriarty p63 & 265], as a monk at Lampoint*[Ref: Peter Stewart 24 Apr 2001message to Gen-Medieval] as a monk at Lamport* [Ref: Moriarty p63]

*Research note: Lampoint or Lamport... Curt

Regards,
Curt.

     Hodierne de Gometz , Dame de la Ferte was born in 1014 at Bures, Yvelines, Ile-de-France, France. She was the daughter of Guillaume de Gometz , de Bures. Hodierne de Gometz , Dame de la Ferte died after 1 December 1074 at La Ferte-Alais, Essonne, Ile-de-France, France.³
     She The following information was provided by Curt Hofemann, curt_hofemann ATyahoo.com:

aka: Hodierna de la Ferte/Fort/Forte-Alais

Dame de Gometz et de la Forte-Alais [Ref: ES III:659]
sister of William de la Ferte, alias Seigneur de Gometz, Seneschal ofFrance [Ref: Moriarty p63]
dame of Bures [Ref: Peter Stewart 24Apr 2001 message to Gen-Medieval]

d. Dec 1 after 1074 [Ref: Moriarty p63] Dec 7 after 1074 [Ref: Moriartyp265] occ (living) 1074 [Ref: ES III:624]

Regards,
Curt.

     Milon de Monteleherico , Seigneur de la Ferte was born circa 984 at La Ferte-Alais, Essonne, Ile-de-France, France. He died after 1057.¹

     Ansfred II Onfror le Goz was born circa 963 at Normandy, France. He married an unknown person in 988.
     He HUGH D'AVRANCHES, EARL OF CHESTER
The Conqueror and His Companions
by J.R. Planché, Somerset Herald. London: Tinsley Brothers, 1874.

The third son of Gerlotte was Ansfrid the Dane, the first Vicomte of theHiemois, and father of Ansfrid the second, surnamed Goz, above mentioned,whose son Turstain (Thurstan, or Toustain) Goz was the great favourite ofRobert Duke of Normandy, the father of the Conqueror, and accompanied himto the Holy Land, and was entrusted to bring back the relics the Duke hadobtained from the Patriarch of Jerusalem to present to the Abbey ofCerisi, which he had founded. Revolting against the young Duke William in1041 (Vide vol. i, p. 21), Turstain was exiled, and his lands confiscatedand given by the Duke to his mother, Herleve, wife of Herluin deConteville.

     Gilbert FitzRichard de Clare , & Tonbridge, Sir was buried at Clare Priory, Suffolk, England. He married Adeliza (Adelaide) de Clermont, daughter of Hugh de Creil Comte de Clermont and Margaret de Roucy.⁴ Gilbert FitzRichard de Clare , & Tonbridge, Sir was born circa 1066 at Clare, Risbridge, Suffolk, England.^5,4 He was the son of Richard FitzGilbert de Clare , & Tonbridge, Sir and Rohese Giffard. Gilbert FitzRichard de Clare , & Tonbridge, Sir died between 1114 and 1117 at Cardigan, Cardiganshire, Wales.^5,2,4
     He Gilbert, feudal Lord of Clare, Suffolk and Cardigan, whose father Richardwas son of the Count of Brionne, of an illegitimate line of the Dukes ofNormandy). [Burke's Peerage]

---------------------------------------

HOLDERS OF THE HONOUR OF CLARE (II) 1090 ?

GILBERT FITZRICHARD, styled also DE CLARE and DE TONBRIDGE, Lord ofClare, &c., son who succeeded to the English possessions of his father at an unknown age . He was born before 1066, and was founder of the Priory at Clare,1090. By Henry I he was granted, 1107-1111, the Lordship of Cardigan.

He married Adeliz, daughter of Hugh, COUNT OF CLERMONT in Beauvaisis, byMarguerite, daughter of Hilduin, COUNT OF MONTDIDIER AND Roucy. He died1114 or 1117. His widow married, 2ndly, (?Bouchard) DE MONTMORENCY.[Complete Peerage III:242-3, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]

Built the first castles at Cardigan and Aberystwyth in Wales.

at an unknown age His brother Roger FitzRichard [living 1130] inherited the lands inNormandy. This Roger, who possibly was the oldest son, died s.p.

---------------------------------------

Gilbert de Tonebruge, who resided at Tonebruge and inherited all hisfather's lands in England, joined in the rebellion of Robert de Mowbray,Earl of Northumberland, but observing the king (William Rufus) upon thepoint of falling into an ambuscade, he relented, sought pardon, and savedhis royal master. We find him subsequently, however, again in rebellionin the same reign and fortifying and losing his castle at Tunbridge. Hem. in 1113, Adeliza, dau. of the Earl of Cleremont, and had issue,Richard, his successor, Gilbert, Walter, Hervey, and Baldwin. Gilbert deTonebruge, who was a munificent benefactor to the church, was s. by hiseldest son, Richard de Clare. [Sir Bernard Burke, Dormant and ExtinctPeerages, Burke's Peerage, London, 1883, p. 119, Clare, Lords of Clare,Earls of Hertford, Earls of Gloucester]


Gilbert m. Adeliza, dau, of the Earl of Claremont, and was father ofRichard de Clare, Earl of Hertford, and Gilbert de Clare, created Earl ofPembroke. [Sir Bernard Burke, Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited and ExtinctPeerages, Burke's Peerage, Ltd., London, England, 1883, p. 230, Giffard,Earls of Buckingham]

     Adeliza (Adelaide) de Clermont married Gilbert FitzRichard de Clare , & Tonbridge, Sir, son of Richard FitzGilbert de Clare , & Tonbridge, Sir and Rohese Giffard.⁴ Adeliza (Adelaide) de Clermont was born circa 1072 at Clermont-en-Beauvais, Oise, Picardy, France. She was the daughter of Hugh de Creil Comte de Clermont and Margaret de Roucy. Adeliza (Adelaide) de Clermont married an unknown person after 1124.^3,4
     She There seems to be a serious error in line 246b-24 of Ancestral Roots,which has this Adeliza marrying Robert de Condet d. 1141, after hermarriage to Gilbert Fitz Richard. This does not agree with any otherlines, which have Robert de Condet's wife as Adeliza dau. of Ranulph leMeschin, Earl of Chester. The error in generation 24 is shown in thenext generation of this line (246b-25) which has Adeliza dau. of Ranulphmarrying first Richard Fitz Gilbert and then Robert de Condet. I believethis (generation 25) is correct. See notes under Adeliz le Meschin, wifeof Richard FitzGilbert de Clare.

--------------------

He [Gilbert FitzRichard de Clare] married Adeliz, daughter of Hugh, COUNTOF CLERMONT in Beauvaisis, by Marguerite, daughter of Hilduin, COUNT OFMONTDIDIER AND Roucy. He died 1114 or 1117. His widow married, 2ndly,(?Bouchard) DE MONTMORENCY. [Complete Peerage III:242-3, (transcribed byDave Utzinger)]

     Robert II de Beaumont , 2nd Earl of Leicester was buried at St Mary de Pre Priory, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. He was born in 1104 at Pont Audemer, Eure, Normandy, France.^2,3 He was the son of Robert I de Beaumont , 1st Earl of Leicester and Isabel (Elizabeth) de Vermandois. Robert II de Beaumont , 2nd Earl of Leicester married Amice de Montfort, daughter of Ralph Seigneur de Gael de Montford and Emma (Avice) de Vermandois, after November 1120.^2,3 Robert II de Beaumont , 2nd Earl of Leicester died on 5 April 1168 at Leicester Castle, Leicestershire, England.^2,3
     He On Leicester, Earldom of [Burke's Peerage, p. 1671]:

Robert de Beaumont, a companion in arms of William I (The Conqueror) atHastings was granted after the Conquest much land in the Midlands ofEngland, but most of it was in Warwickshire rather than Leicestershire.Indeed his younger brother became Earl of Warwick. Robert also heldterritory in Normandy and is usually referred to as Count of Meulan. Hewas a leading political figure in the reigns of William II and Henry Iand on the death of one Ives de Grandmesnil in the First Crusade, thefunds for campaigning in which Ives had raised from Robert on thesecurity of his estates, [Robert] came into full possession of them,including a sizeable part of Leicester. The rest of the town was grantedhim by Henry I and it is possible that he became Earl of Leicester. Hisson, another Robert, certainly called himself Earl of Leicester.

----------------------------

EARLDOM OF LEICESTER (II) 1118

ROBERT (a), EARL OF LEICESTER, younger son, being twin with Waleran, whosucceeded his father as Count of Meulan, was born 1104, and was commonlycalled Le Bossu or Le Goczen. He
styles himself Earl of Leicester in the confirmation of his charter onbehalf of Bec and St. Nicaise-de-Meulan in 1119. He and his brotherWaleran were brought up at the court of Henry I with great care onaccount of the King's gratitude to their father. They accompanied Henrywhen he interviewed Pope Calixtus at Gisors, November 1119 where theyastonished the Cardinals by their learning. On 8 September 1131 Robertwas one of the five Earls who witnessed Henry's charter to Salisbury atthe Northampton Council, and both the brothers were present at thedeathbed of Henry L In the anarchy which followed Stephen's accession heengaged in private warfare with his hereditary enemy, Roger de Tosny,whom he captured with the assistance of his brother Waleran. In 1137 thetwins returned to England with Stephen. Meanwhile, during Robert'sabsence in England, his possessions in Normandy were overrun until hecame to terms with Roger de Tosny. In June 1139 the two brothers took aleading part in the seizing of the Bishops o! Salisbury and Lincoln atOxford. At about this time he received from Stephen a grant to him asEarl of Leicester and to his heirs of the town and castle of Hereford 'ettotum comitatum de Herefordisc.,' excepting the lands of the Bishop,those of the Abbot of Reading and of other churches and abbeys holding inchief of the King, and excepting also the fees of Hugh de Mortemer,Osbert son of Hugh, and others, 'cum aliis omnibus rebus et libertatibusquae ad omnia prefata pertinent cum quibus Gul. filius Osbern unquammelius vel liberius tenuit.' This grant was made at Newton (probably nearLeominster) at a time when Miles of Gloucester had already takenpossession of the county for the Empress, and therefore cannot have beeneffectual to bestow either the lands or the Earldom of Hereford, if suchwas Stephen's intention. After the defeat of Stephen, 2 Feb. 1141, Robertappears to have made a truce with the Angevin party in Normandy until heshould return from England, and devoted himself to his foundation of St.Mary de Pré at Leicester, which was accomplished in 1143. According tothe narrative of St. Mary's, he became a canon regular there circa 1153,and so remained until his death, but the story conflicts with his knownpublic career. In that year Henry, son of the Empress, anticipating hissuccession to the throne (which was agreed by the Treaty of Waningford inNovember 1153), gave Robert and his son Robert charters, dated atBristol, 'restoring' to them the lands then held by the elder, Robert,and granting them the Stewardship of England and of Normandy, whereby hedoubtless secured their support of his claims to the crown. Robert was atthe siege of Torigny in October 1154 with Henry II just before hisaccession, attended his Coronation in December 1154, and rapidly rose inthe new King's favour. He received a confirmation charter of the grantmade at Bristol and thus became Steward of England and of Nor:mandy. Hewas made Justiciar in the following year, and he acted as Viccroy part ofthe time with Richard de Luci during the King's absence from England fromDecember 1158, after Eleanor left the country until his rcturn 25 January1162/3. He was present at the Council of Clarendon, 13-28 January 1163/4,and was the first to attest the 'Constitutions,' to which he procured theassent of Thomas à Becket. He took part with the Crown in its strugglewith Becket, but sought to reconcile the King and the Archbishop at theCouncil of Northampton in October 1164. As Justiciar he pronouncedsentence on the Archbishop, who cut short his address by denying thejurisdiction of the court. In 1165 he again acted as Viceroy on theKing's departure. In the spring of 1166 he went to Normandy with theKing, but was in England again in October, and retained the Justiciarshipuntil his death two years later.

He married, after November 1120, Amice, daughter of Ralph, SEIGNEUR OFGAEL AND MONTFORT in Brittany, who was son of Ralph, EARL OF NORFOLK, byEmma, daughter of William FITZOSBERN, 1st Earl of Hereford. By thismarriage he acquired a large part of the FitzOsbern inheritance inNormandy and England. He died 5 April 1168, and was probably buried inSt. Mary de Pré. Amice survived him, and is said to have entered theconvent of Nuneaton. [Complete Peerage VII:527-30, XIV:429, (transcribedby Dave Utzinger)]

at an unknown age It has become the established usage to apply the name of Beaumont tothe Earls of Leicester of the first line. Though doubtless a convenientform of nomenclature, it lacks contemporary authority. Roger, Seigneur ofBeaumont-le-Roger, the contemporary of the Conqueror, is called Roger deBeaumont with good reason. Orderic speaks of his younger brother Robertas Robert de Beaumont, but in doing so is clearly transferring to him thestyle borne later by Roger, for Robert always appears in charters asRobertus flius Humphredi. Robert, son of Roger, was also styled deBeaumont until he became Count of Meulan, but his son Robert, 2nd Earl ofLeicester, is never so styled. In the next generation the question doesnot arise, for there were no younger sons. In the last generation ofthese Earls, William, the eldest brother (who d. vp), is in chartersalways William de Bréteuil, and Robert, before he succeeded as Earl,figures as Robert de Bréteuil in two charters, and is also so styled inthe Chron. de Mailros. There was no reason why this branch of the familyshould take its style from a place in which it had no interest. Hugh(said to have become Earl of Bedford), younger brother of Robert andWaleran, witnesses a charter circa 1123-38 as Hugone de Mellent. Withrespect to the elder branch, those who were not themselves Counts werecalled de Mellento, and this though the caput of their Norman honour wasBeaumont, and this endured as the name of two branches of the familyafter the loss of the comti of Meulan.

     Amice de Montfort was born circa 1108 at Breal-sous-Montfort, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne, France. She was the daughter of Ralph Seigneur de Gael de Montford and Emma (Avice) de Vermandois. Amice de Montfort married Robert II de Beaumont , 2nd Earl of Leicester, son of Robert I de Beaumont , 1st Earl of Leicester and Isabel (Elizabeth) de Vermandois, after November 1120.^1,2 Amice de Montfort died after 1168 at Convent of Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England; (as a nun).²
     She He [Robert Earl of Leicester] married, after November 1120, Amice,daughter of Ralph, SEIGNEUR OF GAEL AND MONTFORT in Brittany, who was sonof Ralph, EARL OF NORFOLK, by Emma, daughter of William FITZOSBERN, 1stEarl of Hereford. By this marriage he acquired a large part of theFitzOsbern inheritance in Normandy and England. He died 5 April 1168, andwas probably buried in St. Mary de Pré. Amice survived him, and is saidto have entered the convent of Nuneaton. [Complete Peerage VII:527-30,XIV:429, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]

     Robert I de Beaumont , 1st Earl of Leicester was buried at Abbey of Preaux, Normandy, France. He was born circa 1046 at Beaumont-le-Roger, Eure, Normandy, France.⁴ He was the son of Roger de Beaumont , Seigneur de Pont-Audemer and Adeline de Meulan. Robert I de Beaumont , 1st Earl of Leicester married Isabel (Elizabeth) de Vermandois, daughter of Hugh de Crepi Magnus , Duke of Burgundy and Adelaide de Vermandois, in 1096.^2,4 Robert I de Beaumont , 1st Earl of Leicester died on 5 June 1118 at Meulan, Yvelines, Ile-de-France, France.^2,4
     He Robert de Beaumont; allegedly 1st Earl of Leicester of the c1102creation. [Burke's Peerage]

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On Leicester, Earldom of [Burke's Peerage, p. 1671]:

Robert de Beaumont, a companion in arms of William I (The Conqueror) atHastings was granted after the Conquest much land in the Midlands ofEngland, but most of it was in Warwickshire rather than Leicestershire.Indeed his younger brother became Earl of Warwick. Robert also heldterritory in Normandy and is usually referred to as Count of Meulan. Hewas a leading political figure in the reigns of William II and Henry Iand on the death of one Ives de Grandmesnil in the First Crusade, thefunds for campaigning in which Ives had raised from Robert on thesecurity of his estates, [Robert] came into full possession of them,including a sizeable part of Leicester. The rest of the town was grantedhim by Henry I and it is possible that he became Earl of Leicester.

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EARLDOM OF LEICESTER (I) 1107 ?

ROBERT DE BEAUMONT, SEIGNEUR OF BEAUMONT, PONT-AUDEMER, BRIONNE ANDVATTEVILLE in Normandy, and from 1081 COUNT OF MEULAN in the FrenchVexin, son and heir, born circa 1046. When very young he accompanied DukeWilliam to England and distinguished himself at the battle of Hastings,and received large grants of lands in co. Warwick, with smaller holdingsin cos. Leicester, Northants, and Wilts. On 14 July 080, as Robert deBellomonte, he witnessed the foundation charter of Lessay, and next yearhe inherited from his mother's family the comté of Meulan. Thereafter heis continuously styled Count (Comes) of Meulan. After the death of theConqueror he adhered to William Rufus, and was high in favour at hiscourt. He quarrelled with Robert of Normandy about the castellanship ofBrionne, in consequence of the exchange of Brionne for Ivry made by hisfather. He was imprisoned, but was released at the intercession of hisfather Roger, who eventually succeeded in obtaining Brionne in fee. Hesucceeded to the greater part of his father's lands in Normandy,including Beaumont, Pont-Audemer, Vatteville and Brionne. This paternalinheritance, added to his French comté and his great possessions in cos.Warwick and Leicester, made him one of the most powerful vassals of theCrown. He became one of the chief lay ministers of William Rufus, withwhom he sided against Robert Courtheuse in 1098, and when William invadedthe French Vexin in 1097 he received his troops in his fortresses of thecomté of Meulan. After the death of William Rufus he became one of thechief advisers of Henry I. On the death of Ives de Grandmesnil onCrusade, Robert retained his estates, which Ives had mortgaged to himcirca 1102. Thereby he acquired one-quarter of the town of Leicester, thewhole of which was later granted to him by the King. Robert thus addedlargely to his already vast possessions. In 1104 he was one of the Normanbarons who adhered to Henry on his arrival in Normandy. He was present inthe King's army at Tenchebrai, 28 September 1106. In 1110 he was besiegedat Meulan by Louis VI, who took the castle by storm, but in the followingyear he retaliated by a raid on Paris, which he plundered. Afterobtaining the whole town of Leicester he is said to have become EARL OFLEICESTER, but, being already Count of Meulan, was never so styled. Thereis no contemporary record that he had the third penny of the pleas of thecounty, but he doubtless acquired, with the Grandmesnil fief, the thirdpenny of the issues of the Mint at Leicester.

He married, in 1096, Isabel, called also Elizabeth, daughter of Hugh DECREPl, called Hug 'le Grand,' COUNT OF VERMANDOIS. He died 5 June 1118,and was buried with his ancestors in the chapter house of Préaux (c). Hiswidow married, very shortly after his death, William (DE WARINNE), EARLOF SURREY. [Complete Peerage VII:523-6, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]

(c) Robert had three sons and five daughters. The sons were Waleran andRobert, twins born in 1104, and Hugh. Waleran, the eldest, succeeded tothe Norman and French fiefs, and the English lands held by hisgrandfather, Roger de Beaumont in 1086. Robert succeeded his father asEarl of Leicester and Hugh is said to have been created Earl of Bedford.The names of only four of the daughter appear to be known--Adeline,Aubreye, Maud and Isabel or Elizabeth. Adeline m. Hugh IV Seigneur ofMontfort-sur-Risle. Aubreye m. Hugh II Seigneur ofChateauneuf-en-Thimerais. Maud m. William Louvel, Seigneur of Ivri andBreval. Isabel, also called Elizabeth, was mistress of Henry I, and m.Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Pembroke.

     Henry II Count of Louvain was born circa 1021 at Louvain, Brabant, Lorraine, France.¹ He was the son of Lambert II 'Baudry' Count of Louvain and Oda of Lorraine. Henry II Count of Louvain died before 1079.¹

     Adelaide (Adela) of Orlamunda was born circa 1031 at Orlamunde, Thuringia, Germany. She was the daughter of Eberhard Count of Beteau. Adelaide (Adela) of Orlamunda died after 1086.¹

     Lambert II 'Baudry' Count of Louvain was buried at Nivelles, Belgium. He was born circa 991 at Louvain, Brabant, Belgium.¹ He was the son of Lambert I 'The Bearded' Count of Louvain and Gerberga of Lorraine. Lambert II 'Baudry' Count of Louvain died after 21 September 1062.¹

     Oda of Lorraine was born circa 995 at Lorraine, France. She was the daughter of Gozelon I Duke of Lower Lorraine , Count Verdun and Urracca Princess of Italy. Oda of Lorraine died in 1044.

     William Seigneur d' Aubigny was born circa 1010 at St. Martin d'Aubigny, Manche, Normandy, France.⁴ He was the son of Niel (Nigel) III Vicomte de St. Sauveur and Adela d' Eu. William Seigneur d' Aubigny married Sister of Grimald de Plessis, daughter of Grimolt (Grimould) de Plessis, before 1048.¹ William Seigneur d' Aubigny died after 1066.³
     He William d'Aubigny, Seigneur of Aubigny (subsequently Saint-Martind'Aubigny), Normandy; married by 1048 sister of Grimald de Plessis.[Burke's Peerage]

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Aubigny, Alibini, etc., Earls of Arundel

Saint-Martin d'Aubigny: Manche, arr. Coutances, cant. Periers.

The early history of the family will be found in The Complete Peerage,surname Mowbray, new ed., vol. ix, pp. 366-7. The details of theirbenefactions to the abbey of Lessay as confirmed by a charter of HenryII, 1185-1188, identify St-Martin d'Aubigny with the Aubigny which wasthe caput of their Norman honour; thus the 'ecclesiam de Folgeriis' isFeugeres 2 1/2 kil. SE of Aubigny, the 'feria Sancti Christofori'mentioned in conjunction with the 'forum Albinneii' isSt-Christophe-d'Aubigny, a parish now united to that of St-Martin, and'Marchesis' is Marchesieux, 5 kil. NE of Aubigny. There is no trace of afeudal castle at Aubigny itself, but Gerville found nearby at LeMesnil-Vigot the remains of a considerable castle with a well-definedmotte, then known as 'le chateau de St-Clair'. [Origins of SomeAnglo-Norman Families]

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The following info was provided in a post-em by Curt Hofemann,curt_hofemann AT yahoo.com:

A few more dribs & brabs:

Seigneur of Aubigny (Albiniacum) [Ref: CP IX:366, Holloway p20]

(in conjunction with son Roger) benefactor of the Abbey of Lessay [Ref:CP IX:366]

William d'Aubigny, first of the name, married the sister of Grimoult[Ref: McBride citing the Harleian Society, Vol 80, 'Knights of Edward I'Vol 1 (A to E), with additions from Crispin and Macary, p6-7]

William d'Aubigny, of St. Martin d'Aubigny, who married the sister ofGrimauld de Plessis, (some reconstructions make him older brotherinstead) [Ref: TAF 21 May 2002] Note: the village of Saint Martind'Aubigny is 16 km. west of St-Lo and 15 km. north of Coutances, inNormandy. The other (unrelated) Aubigny/Albini line is from St. AubinAubigné, a different town... Curt

married bef 1048: [Ref: Holloway p20], names: William D'AUBIGNEY & ___PLESSIS [Ref: CP IX:366, Holloway p20]

Research note: As to the link to the Saint Sauvieur line, there isnothing to it - just a guess based on the names of William and Nigeloccuring in both families. [Ref: TAF 21 May 2002] Would love to see anexpansion/basis of this... Curt

Note: Holloway = _The Genealogy of Mary Wentworth, Who Became the Wife ofWilliam Brewster_ by Naomi D. Holloway, LDS Film#1738313.

Regards,
Curt.