Gundred (?)

F, d. 27 May 1085
Name TypeDateDescription
Married NameHer married name was de Warenne.
Life EventDateDescription
MarriageGundred (?) married William de Warenne.
Death27 May 1085Gundred (?) died on 27 May 1085.
  • Gundred, Gundreda, or Gundrada (died 27 May 1085) was probably born in Flanders , sister of Gerbod the Fleming, Earl of Chester.[1]

    Gundred married William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey (d. 20 June 1088), who rebuilt Lewes Castle, making it his chief residence. In 1078 he and Gundred founded a Cluniac Priory at Southover, adjoining Lewes, where both were buried.[2][3]

    The Countess had died at Castle Acre, Norfolk, one of her husband's estates.

    In the course of the centuries which followed both tombstones disappeared from the priory but in 1774 William Burrell, Esq., an antiquary, discovered Gundred's in Isfield Church (seven miles from Lewes), over the remains of Edward Shirley, Esq., (d. 1550), whose father John was Clerk of the Kitchen to King Henry VII, and had it removed on October 2, 1775, to St. John's Church, Southover, the nearest place to its original site, and placed inside and at the south-west corner of the church, where, until 1847, it could be seen on the floor between pews with a very fine inscription detailing its origins etc.

    In 1845, during excavations through the Priory grounds for the South Coast Railway, the lead chests containing the remains of the Earl and his Countess were discovered, and deposited temporarily, for the next two years, beneath Gundred's tombstone. In 1847 a Norman Chapel was erected by public subscription, adjoining the present vestry and chancel. Prior to re-interring the remains in this chapel, both cysts were opened to ascertain if there were any contents, which was found to be the case. New cysts were made and used, and the ancient ones preserved and placed in two recessed arches in the southern wall. Gundred's remains in a good state of preservation although the Earl's has lost some lead. Across the upper part of the right arch is the name Gvndrada. Her tombstone is of black marble.[4]

    The children of William de Warenne and Gundred were:

    William II de Warenne (d. 11 May 1138), buried in Lewes Priory.[5][6]
    Reginald de Warenne, an adherent of Robert of Normandy.[7]
    Edith de Warenne, married, firstly, Gerard, Baron de Gournay.[8]1

Child of Gundred (?) and William de Warenne

Citations

  1. [S369] Encyclopedia website, by compilation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundred

Humphrey with the Beard De Bohun

M, d. before 1113
Life EventDateDescription
Deathbefore 1113Humphrey with the Beard De Bohun died before 1113.
  • Humphrey with the Beard (died before 1113) was a Norman soldier and landed aristocrat, the earliest known member of the Bohun family who took part in the Norman conquest of England as one of the original companions at Hastings.[1]

    Humphrey may have been a relative of William the Conqueror, probably through one of Humphrey's marriages. He was married three times, as his donation of a plow and garden to the nuns of Abbaye Saint-Amand at Rouen states, but the names of his wives are unknown. This donation is witnessed by William as comes (count), indicating that he had not yet succeeded to the throne of England and was still only Duke of Normandy. This suggests that Humphrey was advanced in age by 1066, which corroborates the description of him given at line 13,583 of the Roman de Rou of Wace: De Bohun le Vieil Onfrei ("from Bohun the old Humphrey").[1] His nickname, "with the beard" (cum barba), was a distinguishing one in eleventh-century Normandy, where the custom was to shave the face and back of the head.[2]

    At the time of the Conquest Humphrey possessed the honour of Bohun (today comprising two communes, Saint-André-de-Bohon and Saint-Georges-de-Bohon) in western Normandy. After the Conquest he received an honour with its seat at Tatterford in Norfolk, as recorded in Domesday Book (1086). The small size of his reward in England, despite his relations with William's family, may be a result of his age. He later donated the church of Saint-Georges-de-Bohon to the Abbey of Marmoutier. By his wives he left three sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Robert, predeceased him unmarried, and his second son, Richard, was the progenitor, in the female line, of the Bohuns of Midhurst. His youngest son and namesake is commonly numbered Humphrey I because by his marriage he was "the founder of the fortunes of his family".[1]1

Child of Humphrey with the Beard De Bohun

Citations

  1. [S369] Encyclopedia website, by compilation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humphrey_with_the_Beard

Maud De Bohun

F
Father*Henry De Bohun b. 1176, d. 1220
Mother*Maud de Mandeville
Name TypeDateDescription
Married NameHer married name was d'Oilly.
Married NameHer married name was d'Oyly.
Life EventDateDescription
Maud De Bohun was the daughter of Henry De Bohun and Maud de Mandeville.
MarriageMaud De Bohun married Henry d'Oyly, son of Robert d'Oyly and Editha of Greystock.

Child of Maud De Bohun and Henry d'Oyly

Henry d'Oyly

M
Father*Robert d'Oyly b. a 1129
Mother*Editha of Greystock
Name TypeDateDescription
Name VariationHenry d'Oyly was also known as d'Oilly.
Life EventDateDescription
Henry d'Oyly was the son of Robert d'Oyly and Editha of Greystock.
MarriageHenry d'Oyly married Maud De Bohun, daughter of Henry De Bohun and Maud de Mandeville.

Child of Henry d'Oyly and Maud De Bohun

Ralph De Bohun

M
Father*Henry De Bohun b. 1176, d. 1220
Mother*Maud de Mandeville
Life EventDateDescription
Ralph De Bohun was the son of Henry De Bohun and Maud de Mandeville.

Child of Ralph De Bohun

Sir Franco De Bohun of Midhurst

M
Father*Ralph De Bohun
Name TypeDateDescription
Name VariationSir Franco De Bohun of Midhurst was also known as Francis.
Life EventDateDescription
Sir Franco De Bohun of Midhurst was the son of Ralph De Bohun.
MarriageSir Franco De Bohun of Midhurst married Sybil de Ferrers, daughter of William III de Ferrers and Sibyl Marshal.

Child of Sir Franco De Bohun of Midhurst and Sybil de Ferrers

Sybil de Ferrers

F, b. circa 1230, d. after 1273
Father*William III de Ferrers b. 1193, d. 28 Mar 1254
Mother*Sibyl Marshal b. c 1201, d. 27 Apr 1245
Name TypeDateDescription
Name VariationSybil de Ferrers was also known as Ferrers.
Married NameHer married name was De Bohun.
Life EventDateDescription
MarriageSybil de Ferrers married Sir Franco De Bohun of Midhurst, son of Ralph De Bohun.
Birthcirca 1230Sybil de Ferrers was born circa 1230.
She was the daughter of William III de Ferrers and Sibyl Marshal.
Deathafter 1273Sybil de Ferrers died after 1273.

Child of Sybil de Ferrers and Sir Franco De Bohun of Midhurst

William III de Ferrers

M, b. 1193, d. 28 March 1254
Father*William II de Ferrers b. c 1165, d. 1247
Mother*Agnes de Kevelioc d. 2 Nov 1247
Name TypeDateDescription
Name VariationWilliam III de Ferrers was also known as Ferrers.
Life EventDateDescription
MarriageWilliam III de Ferrers married Sibyl Marshal, daughter of William Marshal and Isabel de Clare.
Birth1193William III de Ferrers was born in 1193.
He was the son of William II de Ferrers and Agnes de Kevelioc.
Marriage1238William III de Ferrers married Margaret de Quincy, daughter of Roger de Quincy and Helen of Galloway, in 1238.
Death28 March 1254William III de Ferrers died on 28 March 1254.
  • William III de Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby (1193 – 28 March 1254), was an English nobleman and head of a family which controlled a large part of Derbyshire including an area known as Duffield Frith.

    He was born in Derbyshire, England, the son of William de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby and Agnes of Chester, a daughter of Hugh of Kevelioc, Earl of Chester and Bertrada de Montfort. He succeeded to the title in 1247, on the death of his father and, after doing homage to King Henry III, he had livery of Chartley Castle and other lands of his mother's inheritance. He had accompanied King Henry to France in 1230 and sat in parliament in London in the same year.

    He had many favours granted to him by the king, among them the right of free warren in Beaurepair (Belper), Makeney, Winleigh (Windley), Holbrooke, Siward (Southwood near Coxbench), Heyhegh (Heage) Cortelegh (Corkley, in the parish of Muggington), Ravensdale, Holland (Hulland), and many other places,[1]

    Like his father, he suffered from gout from youth, and always traveled in a litter. He was accidentally thrown from his litter into water, while crossing a bridge, at St Neots, in Huntingdon and although he escaped immediate death, yet he never recovered from the effects of the accident. He died on 28 March 1254, after only seven years, and was succeeded by his son Robert de Ferrers, 6th Earl of Derby.

    Earl William Ferrers' effigy in Merevale AbbeyWilliam de Ferrers is buried at Merevale Abbey, Warwickshire, England. His widow died on 12 March 1280.

    William Ferrers married Sibyl Marshal, one of the daughters and co-heirs of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke. They had seven daughters.1

Children of William III de Ferrers and Sibyl Marshal

Child of William III de Ferrers and Margaret de Quincy

Citations

  1. [S369] Encyclopedia website, by compilation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_de_Ferrers,_5th_Earl_of_Derby.

Sibyl Marshal

F, b. circa 1201, d. 27 April 1245
Father*William Marshal b. 1146, d. 14 May 1219
Mother*Isabel de Clare b. 1172, d. 1220
Name TypeDateDescription
Married NameHer married name was de Ferrers.
Life EventDateDescription
MarriageSibyl Marshal married William III de Ferrers, son of William II de Ferrers and Agnes de Kevelioc.
Birthcirca 1201Sibyl Marshal was born circa 1201.
She was the daughter of William Marshal and Isabel de Clare.
Death27 April 1245Sibyl Marshal died on 27 April 1245.

Children of Sibyl Marshal and William III de Ferrers

William II de Ferrers

M, b. circa 1165, d. 1247
Father*William de Ferrers b. 1136, d. 21 Oct 1190
Mother*Sibilla de Braose
Life EventDateDescription
MarriageWilliam II de Ferrers married Agnes de Kevelioc, daughter of Hugh de Kevelioc and Bertrade de Montfort of Evreux.
Birthcirca 1165William II de Ferrers was born circa 1165.
He was the son of William de Ferrers and Sibilla de Braose.
Death1247William II de Ferrers died in 1247.
  • William II de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby, (c.1168–c.1247) was a favourite of King John of England. He succeeded to the estate (but not the title) upon the death of his father, William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby, at the Siege of Acre in 1190. He was head of a family which controlled a large part of Derbyshire which included an area known as Duffield Frith.

    He adopted his father's allegiance to King Richard as the reigning king. On Richard's return from the Third Crusade, in the company of David Ceannmhor and the Earl of Chester he played a leading role in besieging Nottingham Castle, on the 28th March 1194, which was being held by supporters of Prince John. For seven weeks after this he held the position of Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. [1]

    On the accession of John after the death of his brother, in 1199, William gave him his allegiance, and became a great favourite. He restored to the de Ferrars' family the title of Earl of Derby, along with the right to the "third penny", and soon afterwards bestowed upon him the manors of Ashbourne and Wirksworth, with the whole of that wapentake, subject to a fee farm rent of £70 per annum. [2]

    When, in 1213, John surrendered his kingdoms of England and Ireland to the Pope, William was one of the witnesses to the "Bulla Aurea." In the following year William gave surety on behalf of the king for the payment of a yearly tribute of 1,000 marks.

    In the same year, 1214, the King granted the Earl the royal castle of Harestan (Horsley Castle). William was a patron of at least 2 abbeys and 4 priories. In 1216, John made him bailiff of the Peak Forest and warden of the Peak Castle.

    In that year, John was succeeded by the nine year-old Henry III. Because of continuing discontent about John's violations of the Magna Carta, some of the barons had approached Prince Louis of France who invaded in that year. William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke acting on behalf of the young King sought to repel the invaders and pacify the barons. His forces, with the assistance of de Ferrers, the Earl of Chester and others, defeated the rebels at the siege of Lincoln.

    De Ferrers was allowed to retain the royal castles of Bolsover, Peak and Horston (Horsley) until the King's 14th birthday. The latter had been given him in 1215 as a residence for his wife, during his planned absence with the King on Crusade.[3] and the Earl was among those who made representation to the King, which would in 1258 led to the Provisions of Oxford .

    Henry reached his fourteenth birthday in 1222 and his administration sought to recover the three royal castles, to de Ferrers' indignation. In 1254 they would pass to Edward I, Henry's son, exacerbating Robert's, the sixth earl, resentment against the prince.[4]

    He was married to Agnes De Kevelioch, sister of Ranulph de Blondeville, 4th Earl of Chester, for 55 years. As the Earl advanced in years he became a martyr to severe attacks of the gout, a disease which terminated his life in the year 1247. He was succeeded by his elder son, also William, the Fifth Earl of Derby.
    369.1

Children of William II de Ferrers and Agnes de Kevelioc

Citations

  1. [S369] Encyclopedia website, by compilation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_de_Ferrers,_4th_Earl_of_Derby.

Agnes de Kevelioc

F, d. 2 November 1247
Father*Hugh de Kevelioc b. 1147, d. 30 Jun 1181
Mother*Bertrade de Montfort of Evreux
Name TypeDateDescription
Name VariationAgnes de Kevelioc was also known as De Kevelioch.
Married NameHer married name was de Ferrers.
Life EventDateDescription
Agnes de Kevelioc was the daughter of Hugh de Kevelioc and Bertrade de Montfort of Evreux.
MarriageAgnes de Kevelioc married William II de Ferrers, son of William de Ferrers and Sibilla de Braose.
Death2 November 1247Agnes de Kevelioc died on 2 November 1247.

Children of Agnes de Kevelioc and William II de Ferrers

Sibyl de Ferrers

F
Father*William II de Ferrers b. c 1165, d. 1247
Mother*Agnes de Kevelioc d. 2 Nov 1247
Name TypeDateDescription
Married NameHer married name was Vipont.
Life EventDateDescription
Sibyl de Ferrers was the daughter of William II de Ferrers and Agnes de Kevelioc.

Humphrey de Bohun

M, b. 6 May 1418, d. November 1468
Father*John de Bohun of Midhurst b. 1400
Mother*Avelina De Ros b. c 1425
Life EventDateDescription
MarriageHumphrey de Bohun married Margaret Estfield, daughter of William Eastfield.
Birth6 May 1418Humphrey de Bohun was born on 6 May 1418.
He was the son of John de Bohun of Midhurst and Avelina De Ros.
DeathNovember 1468Humphrey de Bohun died in November 1468 at age 50.

Child of Humphrey de Bohun and Margaret Estfield

Margaret Estfield

F
Father*William Eastfield
Name TypeDateDescription
Name VariationMargaret Estfield was also known as Eastfield.
Married NameHer married name was de Bohun.
Life EventDateDescription
Margaret Estfield was the daughter of William Eastfield.
MarriageMargaret Estfield married Humphrey de Bohun, son of John de Bohun of Midhurst and Avelina De Ros.

Child of Margaret Estfield and Humphrey de Bohun

Agnes (?)

F
Name TypeDateDescription
Married NameHer married name was De Braose.
Life EventDateDescription
MarriageAgnes (?) married William De Braose, son of William De Braose and Isabel De Clare.

Child of Agnes (?) and William De Braose

George Boone

M, b. 17 November 1625, d. 1676
Father*George Boone b. 1610, d. 1676
Life EventDateDescription
Birth17 November 1625George Boone was born on 17 November 1625.
He was the son of George Boone.
Marriage1645George Boone married Ann Fallace in 1645.
Death1676George Boone died in 1676.

Child of George Boone and Ann Fallace

Ann Fallace

F, b. 1625
Name TypeDateDescription
Married Name1645As of 1645,her married name was Boone.
Life EventDateDescription
Birth1625Ann Fallace was born in 1625.
Marriage1645She married George Boone, son of George Boone, in 1645.

Child of Ann Fallace and George Boone

George Boone

M, b. 1561, d. 1618
Father*Gregory Boon b. 1517, d. 1589
Mother*Constance Ap Comyn b. 1520, d. c 1604
Life EventDateDescription
Birth1561George Boone was born in 1561.
He was the son of Gregory Boon and Constance Ap Comyn.
Death1618George Boone died in 1618.

Child of George Boone

George Boone

M, b. 1610, d. 1676
Father*George Boone b. 1561, d. 1618
Life EventDateDescription
Birth1610George Boone was born in 1610.
He was the son of George Boone.
Death1676George Boone died in 1676.

Child of George Boone

Rebecca Bryan

F, d. 1813
Name TypeDateDescription
Married Name1756As of 1756,her married name was Boone.
Life EventDateDescription
Marriage1756Rebecca Bryan married Daniel Boone, son of Squire Boone and Sarah Jarman Morgan, in 1756.
Death1813Rebecca Bryan died in 1813.

Piers Magerly

M

Child of Piers Magerly

William Eastfield

M

Child of William Eastfield

John Fitzalan

M, b. 1223, d. 1267
Father*John Fitzalan b. 1200, d. 1240
Mother*Isabel d'Aubigny
Life EventDateDescription
MarriageJohn Fitzalan married Maud le Botiller.
Birth1223John Fitzalan was born in 1223.
He was the son of John Fitzalan and Isabel d'Aubigny.
Death1267John Fitzalan died in 1267.
  • John FitzAlan (1223-1267), Lord of Oswestry and Clun, and de jure Earl of Arundel, was a Breton-English nobleman and Marcher Lord with lands in the Welsh Marches.

    The son and heir of John Fitzalan, Lord of Oswestry and Clun, in Shropshire, and Isabel, daughter of William d'Aubigny, 3rd Earl of Arundel by his wife, Mabel of Chester, he obtained possession of his paternal estates on May 26, 1244, aged 21 years.

    After the death without direct heirs of his mother's brother Hugh d'Aubigny, 5th Earl of Arundel, he inherited jure matris the castle and honour of Arundel in 1243, which, according to the admission of 1433, he was held to have become de jure Earl of Arundel.[1]

    In 1257 the Welsh Lord of Gwenwynwyn, in the southern realm of the Welsh Kingdom of Powys, sought the aid of the Lord of Oswestry against Llywelyn ap Gruffydd and John Fitzalan was a member of the English force that was defeated at the hands of the Welsh at Cymerau in Carmarthenshire, which he survived.

    In 1258 he was one of the key English military commanders in the Welsh Marches and was summoned yet again in 1260 for further conflict against the Welsh.

    Arundel vacillated in the conflicts between Henry III and the Barons, and fought on the King's side at the Battle of Lewes in 1264, where he was taken prisoner.

    By 1278 to 1282 his own sons were also engaged in Welsh border hostilities, attacking the lands of Llywelyn the son of Gruffydd ap Madog.

    He married Maud le Botiller, daughter of Theobald le Botiller (Boteler) and Rohese or Rohesia de Verdon. His son and successor was:

    John Fitzalan, 7th Earl of Arundel.1

Child of John Fitzalan and Maud le Botiller

Citations

  1. [S369] Encyclopedia website, by compilation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_FitzAlan,_6th_Earl_of_Arundel.

Maud le Botiller

F
Name TypeDateDescription
Married NameHer married name was Fitzalan.
Life EventDateDescription
MarriageMaud le Botiller married John Fitzalan, son of John Fitzalan and Isabel d'Aubigny.

Child of Maud le Botiller and John Fitzalan

John Fitzalan

M, b. 1200, d. 1240
Father*William Fitzalan d. c 1210
Mother*Isabel de Say
Life EventDateDescription
Birth1200John Fitzalan was born in 1200.
He was the son of William Fitzalan and Isabel de Say.
Marriagebefore 1223John Fitzalan married Isabel d'Aubigny, daughter of William d'Aubigny and Mabel of Chester, before 1223.
Death1240John Fitzalan died in 1240.
  • John Fitzalan, Lord of Clun and Oswestry (1200–1240[1]) in the Welsh Marches in the county of Shropshire.

    John succeeded his brother, William FitzAlan, Lord of Clun and Oswestry, who died in 1216 without issue. They were sons of William FitzAlan of Oswestry (d. c1210) and Isabel, daughter and heiress of Ingram de Say, who brought Clun to the marriage. The FitzAlans were descendants of Alan fitzFlaad, a Breton.[2]

    He was one of the feudal barons who became a target for the anger of King John of England, whose forces attacked Oswestry town and burned it in 1216. John Fitzalan was close to Llywelyn ap Iorwerth until 1217.

    He was also a representative of the Crown in a dispute between King Henry III of England and the Welsh leader, Llywelyn the Great in 1226. In the same year he mediated between a neighbour, William Pantulf, Lord of Wem in Shropshire and Madog ap Gruffydd (died 1236), Lord of Powys and a cousin to Llywelyn ap Iorwerth.

    In 1233/4 during the conflict between King Henry III, the Earl Marshal, and Llywelyn the Great, John Fitzalan sided firmly with the Crown and Oswestry was again attacked, this time by Welsh forces.

    He married Isabel, daughter of William d'Aubigny, 3rd Earl of Arundel and Mabel of Chester, and were parents of:

    John FitzAlan, Lord of Clun & Oswestry, who inherited jure matris, in 1243, the castle and honour of Arundel and became de jure Earl of Arundel.1

Child of John Fitzalan and Isabel d'Aubigny

Citations

  1. [S369] Encyclopedia website, by compilation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fitzalan,_Lord_of_Oswestry.

Mabel of Chester

F, b. circa 1173
Father*Hugh de Kevelioc b. 1147, d. 30 Jun 1181
Mother*Bertrade de Montfort of Evreux
Name TypeDateDescription
Married Namebefore 1200As of before 1200,her married name was d'Aubigny.
Life EventDateDescription
Birthcirca 1173Mabel of Chester was born circa 1173.
She was the daughter of Hugh de Kevelioc and Bertrade de Montfort of Evreux.
Marriagebefore 1200Mabel of Chester married William d'Aubigny, son of William d'Aubigny and Matilda St Hilary de Harcouet, before 1200.

Children of Mabel of Chester and William d'Aubigny

William d'Aubigny

M, b. circa 1203, d. before 7 August 1224
Father*William d'Aubigny b. b 1180, d. 1 Feb 1221
Mother*Mabel of Chester b. c 1173
Life EventDateDescription
Birthcirca 1203William d'Aubigny was born circa 1203.
He was the son of William d'Aubigny and Mabel of Chester.
Deathbefore 7 August 1224William d'Aubigny died before 7 August 1224.
  • William d'Aubigny, 4th Earl of Arundel (b. circa 1203 - before 7 August 1224) was the eldest son of William d'Aubigny, 3rd Earl of Arundel and Mabel of Chester (born c. 1173), daughter of Hugh de Kevelioc, 3rd Earl of Chester and Bertrade de Montfort of Evreux. He became Earl of Arundel and Earl of Sussex on 30 March 1221. He was buried at Wymondham Abbey, Norwich. There is no evidence that he married or had children. He was the Chief Butler of England and was succeeded by his brother, Hugh d'Aubigny, 5th Earl of Arundel.[1]1

Citations

  1. [S369] Encyclopedia website, by compilation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_d%27Aubigny,_4th_Earl_of_Arundel.

Matilda St Hilary de Harcouet

F
Name TypeDateDescription
Married NameHer married name was d'Aubigny.
Life EventDateDescription
MarriageMatilda St Hilary de Harcouet married William d'Aubigny, son of William d'Aubigny and Adeliza of Louvain.

Children of Matilda St Hilary de Harcouet and William d'Aubigny

Matilda d'Aubigny

F
Father*William d'Aubigny b. b 1150, d. 24 Dec 1193
Mother*Matilda St Hilary de Harcouet
Name TypeDateDescription
Married NameHer married name was de Warenne.
Life EventDateDescription
Matilda d'Aubigny was the daughter of William d'Aubigny and Matilda St Hilary de Harcouet.
MarriageMatilda d'Aubigny married William de Warenne.

Adeliza of Louvain

F, b. 1103, d. 23 April 1151
Name TypeDateDescription
Name VariationAdeliza of Louvain was also known as Adelicia.
Married Name1121As of 1121,her married name was of England.
Married Namebefore 1139As of before 1139,her married name was d'Aubigny.
Life EventDateDescription
Birth1103Adeliza of Louvain was born in 1103.
Marriage1121She married Henry I of England, son of William I of England and Matilda of Flanders, in 1121.
Marriagebefore 1139Adeliza of Louvain married William d'Aubigny, son of William d'Aubigny Pincerna and Maud Bigod, before 1139.
Death23 April 1151Adeliza of Louvain died on 23 April 1151.
  • Adeliza of Louvain,[2] sometimes known in England as Adelicia of Louvain,[3] also called Adela and Aleidis; (1103 – 23 April 1151) was queen consort of the Kingdom of England from 1121 to 1135, the second wife of Henry I.[4] She was the daughter of Godfrey I, Count of Louvain, Duke of Lower Lotharingia, Landgrave of Brabant and Count of Louvain and Brussels.

    Adeliza married Henry I of England on 2 February 1121, when she is thought to have been in her late teens and Henry was fifty-three. It is believed that Henry only married again because he wanted a male heir. Despite holding the record for the most illegitimate children of a British monarch, Henry had only one legitimate son, William Adelin, who predeceased his father on 25 November 1120 in the White Ship disaster.

    Adeliza was reputedly quite pretty and her father was Duke of Lower Lotharingia. These were the likely reasons she was chosen. However, no children were born during the marriage.

    Adeliza, unlike the other Anglo-Norman queens, played little part in the public life of the realm during her tenure as queen consort. Whether this was personal inclination or because Henry preferred to keep her nearby in the hope she'd conceive, is unknown. She did, however, leave a mark as a patron of literature and several works, including a bestiary by Philip de Thaon, were dedicated to her. She is said to have commissioned a verse biography of King Henry; if she did, it is no longer extant.

    When Henry died on 1 December 1135, Adeliza retired temporarily to the Benedictine convent of Wilton Abbey, near Salisbury. She was present at the dedication of Henry's tomb at Reading Abbey on the first anniversary of his death. At about that time, she founded a leper hospital dedicated to Saint Giles at Fugglestone St Peter, Wiltshire.[5]

    As she was still young, she came out of mourning before 1139 and married William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Arundel, who had been one of Henry's chief advisors. She brought with her a Queen's dowry, including the castle of Arundel. King Stephen of England created d'Aubigny Earl of Arundel and Earl of Lincoln.

    Although her husband was a staunch supporter of Stephen during the Anglo-Norman civil war, her own personal inclination may have been toward her stepdaughter's cause, the Empress Matilda. When Matilda sailed to England in 1139, she appealed to her stepmother for shelter, landing near Arundel and was received as a guest of the former Queen.1

Child of Adeliza of Louvain and William d'Aubigny

Citations

  1. [S369] Encyclopedia website, by compilation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adeliza_of_Louvain