Promised William the Conqueror eighty ships. Robert de Beaumont's daughter, Emma, was bethrothed to him when she was less than a year old, but no record of her life has been found.
Selected to be King of the West Franks over Charles the Simple despite 5 years of civil war. Fasther listed as Robert the Strong. 50 pg 159
King of the Franks (888 - 898). He was a son of Robert the Strong, count of Anjou, and is sometimes referred to as duke of France and also as count of Paris.
For his skill and bravery in resisting the attacks of the Normans at the Siege of Paris, Odo was chosen king by the western Franks when the emperor Charles the Fat was deposed in 887, and was crowned at Compiègne in February 888. He continued to battle against the Normans, whom he defeated at Montfaucon and elsewhere, but was soon involved in a struggle with some powerful nobles, who supported the claim of Charles, afterwards King Charles III, to the Frankish kingdom.
To gain prestige and support, Odo owned himself a vassal of the Germanic king, Arnulf of Carinthia, but in 894 Arnulf declared for Charles. Eventually, after a struggle which lasted for three years, Odo was compelled to come to terms with his rival, and to surrender to him a district north of the Seine. He died at La Fère on January 1, 898.
Odo married Théodrate of Troyes and had two known sons, Arnulf (born probably about 885) and Guy (born probably about 888), neither of whom lived past the age of fifteen.
See E Lavisse, Histoire de France, tome ii. (Paris, 1903); and E Favre, Eudes, comte de Paris et roi de France (Paris, 1893).
Other sources for father include mathematical data base and LDS.
He was not directly in line to become king, yet when his brother Aethelbert died, he was unprepared, and king. His reign started by the vicious Viking attacks right from the start. Lodbrok's sons, Ivarr the Boneless and his brother, Halfdan were living in Dublin, angered when their father was killed at York by Aelle, retaliated by taking York in Nov 866
871 - Æthelred I was fatally wounded in the battle at Meredune (Martin in Hampshire?) with the Danes, taken to Witchampton near Wimborne where he died, buried there. Alfred takes over
Additional birth c 795 in France, probably in the court of Charlemagne in Aachen
Aethelwolf's ascent to the throne was rare as the Witan usually appointed the preferred chieftain, opposed to the throne going to a son without Witan appointment. The ealdorman position became the leading chieftain of the shires.
Requested his four sons each became king in turn to avoid takeover from invading Vikings from Denmark. Sons were Æthelbald, Æthelbert, Æthelred I, and Alfred.
825 - Aethelwulf subdued and became sub king over Essex, Sussex and Kent. He appointed his son, Athelbald the sub king of these areas when he became King of Wessex.
839 - When Egbert died, Aethelwulf did not directly rule East Anglia, Mercia
or Northumbria who had their own kings who regarded Aethelwulf as their
overlord.
850 - Danish Viking raids at their peak across the south. The Danes wintered
in Thanet, giving them the advantage of early spring attacks the following
year.
855 - Æthelwulf left with son Alfred to Rome, placing sons Æthelblad
and Ærhelbert in control. Ethelbald plotted to take over the crown
while his father was on the pilgrimage to Rome, assisted by Bishop of Sherbourne
and Ealdorman of Somerset. Æthelwulf returned to be only a sub king
of Kent.
860 Ethelbert took over when Ethelbald died, ruling 30 years.
866 Ethelred took over when Danes controlled most of Northumbria.
871 Alfred took over
Count of Chartres, Chateaudun, Tours, Beauvais, Troyes, Meaux, Sancerre; Herr zu Chinon and Samur.
His first wife was Mathilda of Normandy, illegitimate daughter of Richard I of Normandy. After her death in 1006, Odo started a quarrel with his father-in-law, Duke Richard II of Normandy, about the dowry: part of the town Dreux. King Robert II imposed his arbitration on the contestants in 1007 leaving Odo in posession of Dreux. Odo led a life of fighting his neighbours, trying and succeeding to extend his territory.
Aethelflaeda, Aethelfled
"Lady of the Mercians " often wielded a sword, and took over Ethelred's troops after his death, capturing Derby and Leichester. She died in battle in Stratfordshire and her daughter took the crown as expected until Edward I made himself King of England.
~~~~~
Athelfleda "Lady of the Mercians" Eldest daughter of Alfred The Great
One of the great warrior queens, highly respected by her enemies.
884 - Married Ealdorman Aethelred who had been made "Lord of the Mercians"
when she was 16 years old.
900 - Started to take over administration as Aethelred became ill, continuing
campaigns against the Welsh, led defense against the Vikings who had established
themselves in the north and east, settling in Wirral. She had negotiated
with their leader, Ingimund, but the Vikings attacked Chester and she fortified
the town, salvaging Saxon relics and objects of veneration, including the
relics of Oswald which were taken to Gloucester in 909.
911 - Athelred died and Athelfleda continued to rule Mercia through her brother,
Edward the Elder of Wessex.
Athelfleda created new fortifications at Bridgnorth and Bromsgrove, assisted
Scots and Strathclyde Britons against the Norse of Dublin and York.
She died June 12, 918 at Tamworth (in battle?), aged about fifty, succeeded
by her daughter Elfwynn, she expected Aethelstan, son of Edward the Elder
to become king and control Mercia, which he did, taking the Mercian title
from Elfwynn.
Athel is Saxon for "noble" and raed is Saxon for "coundel" but he was rarely advised correctly, and was given the nickname "raed-less, meaning "lacking counsel", "evil" or "bad" counsel. His reign was plagued by poor advice from his personal favorites and suspicions of his complicity in Edward's murder.
Son of Edgar the Peaceful, chosen by the public as king but the Witan selected his brother, Edward the Martyr who was murdered after a three year reign, probably by Ethelred's mother and Alfhere, the ealdorman of Mercia, and Ethelred became king at ten. Alfhere believed the church had become too rich and powerful and became Ethelred's close advisor. After his death, Ethelred overturned Alfhere's decisions and wiggled out from his mother's influences, continuing in his father's beliefs.
980 Danish raids began, London and Southampton ransacked in 982.
991 Famous battle of Maldon in Essex, Danish leader Olaf Tryggvason killed
all the Saxons, starting the Danegeld payments, first was 10,000 lbs
994 Ethelred forced to pay 16,000 Danegeld to Olaf on the condition Olaf
became a Christian and never raid Britain again. Olaf agreed, using
the money to strengthen his plan to take Norway, but he was superseded by
others who continued the ransom. Monasteries were plundered, armies traveled
and could not farm, England's riches disappeared.
997 Installed the Wantage code which showed a new acceptance of local laws
and codes, especially that of the Danes in eastern England.
1002 Married the daughter of Richard Duke of Normandy, hope for help? Paid
another 24,000 lbs in silver to Olaf
November 13, St Brice's day Massacre - Ethelred ordered the killing of every
Dane in England except the Angle Danes of Daneslaw. This brought
Sveyn I Haraldsson Forkbeard from Denmark, whose
sister and her husband Pallig supposedly had been slaughtered.
1006 Another 36,000 pounds of silver paid out
1007 Ethelred agreed to a treaty with Svein, paid him 30,000 Danegelds and
Svein returned to Denmark leaving others in command to continue the payback.
1009 Ethelred ordered a costly new fleet built in Sandwich but could not
find commanders, and when it finally went to war it was destoyed.
Norseman Thorkell the Tall arrived and trampled through southern England,
killing Alphere, the archbishop of Cantebury in 1012,. Thorkell did not assign
the murder and chose to protect England. Ethelred accepted as his army was
not as effective as Thorkell's and had to pay heregeld to Thorkell's merceneries
to fight.
1013 Svein landed in August at Humber and immediately took Northumbria and
the Daneslaw territory, then Mercia and Saxony, London in December. He was
welcomed by the Danes warmly, he also landed in the middle of a famine with
supplies. Ethelred fled to Normandy.
1014 Svein died and his son, Ethelred was recalled to England by the Witan
and Canute withdrew to Denmark to regain the throne only after taking English
hostages and cutting off their hands, ears and noses?. Ethelred lost his
eldest son and heir Athelstan to a battle against Canute.
1015 Etheled executed two Danish leaders of the Daneslaw as traitors, angering
Mercia and the north. One of these, Sigeferth Thane of East Anglia. His wife
was imprisoned at Malmesbury where Edmund rescued and married her. (Insert
a romantic sigh here) His son, Edmund II regained Daneslaw support but England
was divided. Canute returned and gained all England except London.
1016 (1012?) Ethelred died on the 23rd of April in London during Canute's
invasion of England, leaving the struggle to Edmund II Ironside. The ASC
says, "'Then it happened that King Æthelred died before the ships arrived.
He ended his days on St George's Day [23 April], and he had held his kingdom
with gerat toil and difficulties as long as his life lasted." His tomb was
lost when the old St Paul's was destroyed in the great fire of London.
m1: Aelfgifu m. Aelfgar Earl of Mercia (-1062)
Children:
Alfgifu m. Uchtred Earl of Northumberland (-1016)
Edmund II Ironsides King of England (-1016) m(1) Ealdgyth of Northumbria
(-1016)
Athelstan
Egbert (-1005)
Edred
Edwy (-1017)
Edward
Edgar
Edith
Wulfhilda
(Daughter)
Elgiva Princess of England (997-)
m2: Emma of Normandy Princess of Normandy (985-1052)
Children:
Alfred Athling (-1036)
Edward the Confessor King of England (1002-1066)
Godgifu (Goda) Princess of England (1017-1055) m(1) Dreux Comte d'Amiens
(1012-1035)
Wikipedia: The eldest daughter of King Alfred the Great of Wessex and his wife Ealhswith. She was born around AD 872. She married Aethelred or Ethelred, later the ealdorman or earl of Mercia, in about 886, and had one daughter, Aelfwynn.
During the 800s and early 900s the Danes overran most of the English Kingdoms such as Northumbria, Eastern Mercia, East Anglia etc. Alfred and his descendants reconquered these lands from the Danes by 937[1]. The aid given him in this by Mercia had to be acknowledged. Instead of making the dominion of Wessex over Mercia seem like a conquest, Alfred married Ethelfleda to Aethelred of Mercia and gave his son-in-law the title Eolderman or Earl of Mercia, thus allowing some ongoing autonomy. Since much of Western Mercia was never under the control of the Danes, and remained strong, this was a prudent move. Further prudence prevailed when the kingdoms were finally absorbed; they were not absorbed into Wessex or greater Wessex but into England. The term Anglo-Saxon thus reflects King Alfred's diplomatic integration of the Mercians Angles and the Saxons.
Ethelfleda married at the age of 15, and while travelling to Mercia for her wedding her band was attacked by the Danes in an attempt to kill her and so sabotage the alliance between Wessex and Mercia. Though half her company perished in the first attack, Ethelfleda used an old trench as a fortress, and defeated the Danes. While her husband was alive, she signed agreements, leading some to think that she was the real leader. On her husband's death in 911 after the Battle of Tettenhall, she was elevated to the status of "Lady of the Mercians". This title was not a nominal position; she was a formidable military leader and tactician. Ethelfleda ruled for approximately eight years (according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle) from the newly fortified capital at Stafford, it is likely that the English county of Staffordshire first came into being during her reign. She fortified her existing borders and re-took Derby. She died at Tamworth in 918, and was buried at St Peter's Church (now St Oswald's priory) in Gloucester. She was joint lady of the Mercians along with her young daughter Aelfwynn. She was succeeded as ruler of Mercia by her brother, King Edward the Elder of Wessex.
The succession of Edward the Elder finalised the union of the two kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia and gives some insight into the emergence of a unified England.
The dominion of Mercia descended to Ethelfleda's daughter and heiress, Aelfwynn (A.D. 920). Chroniclers have noticed the right of Aelfwynn so precisely as to leave no doubt concerning her claim; and this fact is of considerable value in showing that, contrary to the practice of other Teutonic nations, the sovereign authority amongst the Anglo-Saxons might descend to a female; or, according to the Anglo-Saxon expression, which the French have adopted, "fall to the spindle side".
In this instance, however, the weaker heir was compelled to yield to a more powerful opponent, and one from whom no enmity could have been feared. Aelfwynn was conducted as a captive into Mercia by her uncle Edward, who was engaged in successful warfare against the Danes; and we do not hear anything more concerning her in history. She seems to have lived the rest of her life in a nunnery.
Ref: Hill, Paul, The Age of Athelstan, Tempus Publishing, 2004. (ISBN 0752425668) Reference : History of the Anglo-Saxons by Sir Francis Palgrave (1876) (Paperback edition on Senate) page 164.
Malahule (Haldrick) (Tresney) Eysteinsson, Earl of More and Romsdal was born about 845 in Maer, Nord-Trondelgag, Norway. He was also known as Malahulcius
http://www.datasync.com/~woodward/staffora/d5875.htm#P14963
~~~~
According to the earliest Norman accounts, Hrolf Nefja, (1), had at least one son Malahjulc, (2); and a daughter, Hild or Ragnhild . The daughter married Rognvald Maera-Jarl, who, in return for assistance rendered by him to Harald (or Harold) Fair Hair, in the conquest of Norway, was made chief ruler over not only the two Maeras; but also Ramsdal. They had three sons and a daughter. The second son, Gongu Hrolf (Walking Rolt), became early a great Viking leader, especially in the East. Returning from one of his expeditions soon after Harald's conquest, he committed acts of depredation in Vikin. King Harald, who was then in Vikin, was very angry when he heard of this, for he had strictly forbidden robbery within his land. He therefore announced at a Thing that he made Hrolf an outlaw from Norway. When Hrolt's mother Hild heard this she went on behalf of her family to the King to ask for pardon for Hrolf; but the King was so angry that her prayers were of no avail. Hence Hrolf, accompanied by his uncle Malahjulc, as Councillor, and a numerous following of disaffected Hersirs sailed for the Hebrides; whence they made conquests, ultimately gaining from Valland (now France), about 912 A. D., the great Jarls' realm, known soon after as Normandi.
In this manner Malahjulc became possessed of Toesini and Conches ; and is referred to in old records as Malahulcinus de Toecsini (or Toecdini). He had issue Hugo de Toecsini, (3), who became lord of Cavalcamp in Nuestria, and had two sons, Ralf (4), and Hugo, Archbishop of Rouen, 942-980 . Hugo gave to his brother Ralf the estates of Toesini, which descended therefore to his son Ralph(5) or Ranulf of Apulia: celebrated for his conquests of the latter and other places; and So, to Ralf (6) his son, who was appointed Castellan of Tillieres jointly with Nigel, Viscount of Coutances, in 1011. Ralf had issue, Roger de Toecsini, surnamed D'Espagne, on account of his prowess against the Saracens in Spain, progenitor of the DeToesinis, Hereditary Standard-bearers of Normandy, Barons of Toesini and Conches, and of Stafford and Belvoir in England, ancestors of the English houses of Cholmondeley Egerton, Grisley and others, and Hugh de Toecsini (7), (Brother of Roger de Espagne), surnamed de Limesi (Limesay) from his Norman Seigneurie. He was living in 1060. He had several sons who accompanied William the Conqueror (to whom they were related as nephews through their mother who was William the Conqueror's half-sister); among them were Ralf (8) and Baldrick, progenitor of Scottish Lindsays. William gave to Ralf the barony of Oxburg, or Oxenburg in Norfolk, and 41 other manors in several counties with the lands of Christina one of the sisters of Prince Edgar, whom Ralf married.
They had Ralf (9) who married Hadewise and had Alan (10), whose son Gerard (11) married Amy, (daughter of Trian de Hornelade of Bidun Limisi), whose son John married Alice, daughter of Robert of Harcourt, died in 1198 and left a son, Hugh, who is said to have died without issue some time after 1223. Through John's sister (and co-heir) part of the barony passed by marriage with David de Limisey to the Lindsays, or Lindseys of Scotland.
Ralf(12) surnamed Le Cusyn or Le Cosyn de Limisi is said to have been a younger son of Gerard, brother of John de Limisi, since he is found holding Choseley in the land party of England about this time, and since his arms, with merely a change of tincture, were the same as those of the de Limisis. From him were Roger (13) and Richard Cosyn, from one of whom (probably the former) Galfridus Cusyn was descended .
Galfridus, Gerard or Geoffrey Cusyn (14) was born in Norfolk County, England, in the latter part of the thirteenth century. He possessed estates in Hardingham, Norfolk County, for which in 1327 he was assessed to the King's subsidies, Edward First "
http://www.geocities.com/wrcushing/ancestors.html
Ingvar, ruling the Swedes after his father's death, was a great warrior
who fought the invading Danes and Eastern men. While he made peace withthe
Danes, he went east and invaded Estland, and plundered at a place called
Stein. Ingvar fell and the Swedes returned home.
Heimskringla, Ynglinga Saga, Section 36
Ingvar or Yngvar Harra, Proto-Norse *Ingu-Hariz (d. early 7th century) was the son of Östen and reclaimed the Swedish throne for the House of Yngling after the Swedes had rebelled against Sölvi.
Snorri Sturluson relates that King Ingvar, Östen's son, was a great warrior who often spent time patrolling the shores of his kingdom fighting Danes and pirates from the east. King Ingvar finally came to a peace agreement with the Danes and could take care of the Estonian pirates.
He consequently started pillaging in Estonia in retribution, and one summer he arrived at a place called Stein (see also Sveigder). The Estonians (sýslu kind) assembled a great army in the interior and attacked King Ingvar in a great battle. The Estonian forces were too powerful and Ingvar fell and the Swedish forces retreated. Ingvar was buried in a mound at a place called Stone or Hill fort (at Steini) on the shores of Estonia (Aðalsýsla).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingvar
Ruling after his father, he was a great warrior but called the Bad Entertainer
as he would give gold or coin freeely, but starve his guests. He died
in his bed in his house at Holtar, in Westfold of sickness and was buried
at Borre under a mound.
Heimskringla, Ynglinga Saga, Section 52
Halfdan the Mild (Old Norse: Hálfdan hinn mildi) was the son of king Eystein Halfdansson, of the House of Yngling and he succeeded his father as king, according to Heimskringla. He was king of Romerike and Vestfold.
He was said to be generous in gold but to starve his men with food. He was a great warrior who often pillaged and gathered great booty.
His wife was Liv, the daughter of king Dag of Vestmar. Halfdan the Mild died of illness in his bed. He was succeeded by his son, Gudrød the Hunter.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halfdan_the_Mild
ruler of Mercia (ca. 883-911). His title was "Lord of the Mercians", and although he retained many attributes of a king, he was subject to the power of his close ally Wessex.
In 886, he was given control of London by King Alfred of Wessex, whose daughter, Ethelfleda, he married.
As Alfred reconquered the Danelaw, it was useful to place the heir to the divided Kingdom of Mercia in control of its former eastern region.
Aethelred was recorded as fighting many battles against the Welsh, and at one point Brochwael of Gwent appealed to Alfred for help against him. Towards the end of his life, he allowed his wife Ethelfleda to exercise many of his powers, and when he died after the Battle of Tettenhall she succeeded him.
Ezzo, sometimes called Erenfried, (born about 955; died March 21, 1034), Count Palatine of Lotharingia, was the son of Hermann I "Pusillus" (the Slender), also a Count Palatine in Lotharingia who governed in several counties along the Rhine (Bonngau, Eifelgau, Mieblgau, Zulpichgau, Keldachgau and Auelgau).
Having married Mathilda (died 1025), a daughter of Emperor Otto II and Theophanu, Ezzo became prominent during the reign of his brother-in-law, Emperor Otto III. His power was increased due to the liberal grant of lands in Thuringia and Franconia which he his wife received out of Ottonian possessions. Candidate to the imperial throne at the death of Otto III, he received huge territories (Kaiserswerth, Duisburg, and Saalfeld) for renouncing to the throne, making him the most powerful man in the empire after the emperor. Otto's successor, Emperor Henry II, was less friendly towards the powerful count, although there was no serious trouble between them until 1011. Some disturbances in Lotharingia quickly forced the emperor to come to terms, and Ezzo's assistance was purchased with additional imperial fiefs.
After this, the relations between Henry and his vassal appear to have been satisfactory. Very little is known about Ezzo's later life, but we are told that he died at a great age at Saalfeld on 21 March 1034.
Ezzo founded the Brauweiler Abbey near Cologne, the place where his marriage had been celebrated. It was dedicated in 1028 by Piligrim, archbishop of Cologne. Ezzo and his wife were buried at Brauweiler.
His father, Hermann I circa 945, 4 sons, 1 dtr. His father Erenfried II, d 965, 3 sons. His father Eberhard I 904 - 937, 3 sons. His father Ernfried I m Adelgunde, dtr of Konrad II and Judith of Friuli?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezzo
Odo I of Blois (950–995), (French: Eudes), Count of Blois and Count of Chartres, was the son of Count Theobald I of Blois and Luitgarde of Vermandois and thus a seventh generation descendant of Charlemagne.
He married ca. 983 Bertha of Burgundy, daughter of King Conrad "the Peaceful" of Burgundy and Matilda of France.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odo_I%2C_Count_of_Blois
Ragnvald "the Wise" Eysteinsson (830–890) (Old Norse: Rögnvaldr Mœrajarl Norwegian: Ragnvald Mørejarl), was jarl (earl) in the northwest coast of Norway, called More, approximately of the Norwegian county today known as Møre og Romsdal. He died at the Orkney Islands.
He was son of King Eystein "Glumra (the Noisy)" Ivarsson of Oppland. His maternal grandfather was King Ragnvald the Mountain-High of Vestfold. One of his paternal great-grandfathers was King Halfdan the Old of Oppland. Mythical material (saga) postulate that his line was a male-line descent from Ancient kings of Finland.
His second wife was Ragnhild Hrolfsdottir (Raghildr (Hildr) Hrolfsdóttir), daughter of Hrolf Nefia (Hrolfr Nefja). Ragnvald was the father of Hrolf Ganger, who according to Norse-Icelandic tradition was the founder of Normandy, (from his marriage), and Turf-Einar, ancestor of the jarls of Orkney (from a concubine).
If Hrolf Ganger was indeed the founder of Normandy, that would mean that Ragnvald's male-line descent ruled Normandy and England until 1135, and Orkney until 1130's. After that, each of those territories continued to be ruled by their descendants in female line.
Earl Ragnvald would thus be a direct ancestor of Thorfinn II, Earl of Orkney, William I of England, Edward III of England, James I of England, and Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He is therefore an ancestor of most of the royal families of Europe.
The legend says he was the one to cut the hair of king Harald Hårfagre (Haraldr hinn hárfagri) after he became king over all of Norway.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnvald_Eysteinsson
Richard, Count of Evreux, was the grandson of Richard I, Duke of Normandy, and succeeded his father, Robert, Count of Evreux and Archbishop of Rouen, in 1037. Beyond the fact that at a date variously stated as 1055, 1060, and 1066 or 1067, he founded the abbey of St. Sauveur; nothing is stated of his acts and deeds worth recording; but he is described by the monk of Jumièges as equally a good Christian and a good soldier.
He was twice married. His first wife was Adela (called by Pere Anselm, Helene), widow of the Roger de Toeni who was slain in 1038, by whom he had William, who succeeded him, and Agnes, third wife of Simon de Montfort, and whose abduction by her half-brother, Ralph de Toeni, I have already mentioned. By his second wife, Godechilde, of whose family we know as little as we do of that of his first, he had only one daughter, named after her mother, who became abbess of St. Sauveur, the abbey founded by her father at Evreux. ( This is the same woman!!??!!??)
Of son William, Count of Evreux, the undoubted companion of the Conqueror, much more is recorded, though nothing previous to the invasion, except his being present with his father at the great Council at Lillebonne, wherein that invasion was decided upon. He is reported as having borne himself valiantly in the battle, and received an ample share of the lands in England distributed by the Conqueror in 1070 to the chieftains who had accompanied him in his expedition. He returned to Normandy in 1078, and was one of the mediators in the treaty of Peace of Blanchelande (vide p. 198, ante). Shortly afterwards, King William, as if to indemnify himself for the property he had bestowed upon him in England, took from him the Castle of Evreux, and placed a royal garrison in it. Nevertheless, he fought on the King's side during the disturbances in Maine, and was taken prisoner at the assault of the Castle of Saint Suzanne, held against the King by Hubert, Vicomte de Maine. In 1087, on the death of the Conqueror, he recovered the Castle of Evreux, driving out the royal troops both from there and from the town of Dangu in the Norman Vexin.
1089, Fulk le Rechin, or the Quarreller, Count of Anjou, captivated by her beauty, determined to repudiate his third wife, Arengarde, daughter of Isambert, Lord of Chalet-dillon, whom he had only married, 21st January, 1087, in order to obtain the hand of the lovely Bertrade. At this moment, the Manceaux making a fresh effort to throw off the yoke of the Normans, Duke Robert Court-heuse entreated the Count of Anjou to assist him in their repression, which he promised to do on condition that the Duke would obtain for him the hand of Bertrade. On Robert's application to the Count of Evreux, he was answered: "Not unless you will restore me Noyon- sur-Andelle, Gassai, Cravant, Ecouchi, and the other lands of Raoul, my paternal uncle, who was facetiously called 'Tete d'Ane,' on account of his head of hair, and to my nephew, William de Breteuil, Pont Saint Pierre; for Robert de Gassai, son of Raoul, has made me his sole heir." The Duke accepted the condition, and restored to him the whole of these estates, except that of Ecouchi, which was held by Gerrard de Gournay, who was of the same family. The beautiful young Bertrade was, therefore, literally sold at that price to the profligate and detestable Count of Anjou, whom she subsequently fled from with the French King, Philip I, -- the natural consequence of such an unholy union, and the guilt of which lies on the head of her uncle.
I have already, in my notice of Ralph de Toeni, spoken of the war maintained for three years between him and this William, Count of Evreux, his uterine brother, kindled by the hostility of their respective wives. After their reconciliation the Count of Evreux did good service to Duke Robert against William Rufus, who endeavoured to take from him the city of Rouen; but afterwards, making his peace with the King on the departure of Court-heuse for the Holy Land, he was appointed, in 1097, one of the leaders of the army sent by Rufus, as Regent of Normandy in his nephew's absence, to wrest the province of the Vexin from the King of France, and after the reduction of Maine, in the following year, was charged, in conjunction with Gilbert de 1'Aigle, with the keeping of the city of Mans.
Previous to the death of Rufus the Count of Evreux was out of favour with the King, in consequence of some reports to his disadvantage, attributed to the jealousy of Robert de Meulent, but he continued loyal to that monarch up to the day of the fatal hunt in the New Forest. He lost no time afterwards, however, in avenging himself on Robert de Meulent, whose land of Beaumont he overran and ravaged with unsparing fury.
In 1104 the new King of England, Henry I, coming over to Normandy with a numerous fleet and a great power, in order to restore something like order into the duchy, which the indolent and dissolute Robert Court-heuse had abandoned to the shameless parasites by whom he was enslaved, Robert, conscious of his misconduct, and alarmed at the attitude of his brother, implored his forgiveness and protection, offering him, as a pledge of his sincerity, the whole Comté of Evreux, with the feudal services of its Count and all his vassals.
I cannot resist quoting from Orderic a ridiculous story connected with the death of this Count, because it is so seriously told by the worthy monk of St. Evroult, and illustrates the curious state of education of the period.
"About this time," says the writer, "a prodigy was seen in England. A rustic having bought a cow, presumed to be with calf, at Ely, killed and opened it by order of Henry the Breton, bishop of that diocese. Strange to say, instead of a calf, three little pigs were found in it. "A certain pilgrim returning from Jerusalem, who chanced to meet the countryman driving the cow home from market, told him, and afterwards repeated to the Bishop and other bystanders, that three great persons in the dominions of King Henry would die that year, and many severe calamities would follow. The pilgrim's prophecy was justified by events which occurred in the time specified.
"In fact, William, Count of Evreux, died on the fourteenth of the kalends of May (11th April), and was interred at Fontenelles, in the Abbey of St. Wandrille, by the side of his father Richard. Soon afterwards Queen Matilda, whose baptismal name was Edith, died on the kalends (1st) of May, and lies buried in the Church of St. Peter at Westminster; likewise Robert, Earl of Meulent, expired on the nones (5th) of June, and reposes with his father and brother in the chapters of the monks at Preaux. After the death of these distinguished persons there were great troubles in Normandy."
More at http://genealogy.patp.us/conq/evreux.shtml
Regarding his son, William (written by Anne for Findaggrave:
Count Evreux
William was the eldest child and only son of Richard d'Evreu and Godehildis / Adelaide of Burgundy.
William married Hervise of Nevers, the daughter of William I, Count of Nevers, and his first wife Ermengarde of Tonnerre. They had no children.
William and his father were present at the great Council at Lillebonne, where William the Conqueror's invasion of England was decided. William contributed 80 ships to the invasion, and was one of the few known companions to William at the Battle of Hastings. His father retired the same year, yet William did not succeed Richard until the next year. Combined with the fact he was rewarded by William the King with a reasonable but modest chiefdom, it is thought that William was not of full age until 1067, making his birth year 1046.
William returned to Normandy in 1078, and was one of the mediators in the treaty of Peace of Blanchelande. Shortly afterwards, King William, as if to indemnify himself for the property he had bestowed upon him in England, took from him the Castle of Evreux, and placed a royal garrison in it. Nevertheless, William fought on the King's side during the fighting in Maine, and was taken prisoner at the assault of the Castle of Saint Suzanne, held against the King by Hubert, Vicomte de Maine. In 1087, on the death of the Conqueror, he recovered the Castle of Evreux, driving out the royal troops both from there and from the town of Dangu in the Norman Vexin. In 1090, William waged a private was against Raoul de Toseny, which turned into political chaos, involving both Robert Curthose, the Duke of Normandy and William the Conqueror's brother, as well as King William II, always looking for ways to unseat his brother.
Count William and his wife donated property to the abbey of Saint-Martin, Troarn and founded a monastery at Noyan.They also laid out the foundation of a church devoted to St. Mary, but they both died before the project was completed.
As William aged, he left the governing to Helvise, but as she was rather head strong, refusing to listen to her husband's council, resulting in she and her husband's exile two times. She had the King's castle at Evreux taken down, causing one exile.
William's death, as well as two others, was foreseen by an pilgrim returning from Jerusalem. A local farmer having killed a cow at the order of the local bishop, Henry the Breton, discovered three piglets within the stomach of the cow. The pilgrim declared three great persons in the dominions of King Henry would die within the year. William was quickly followed by Queen Matildas and Robert, the Earl of Meulent.
Helvise died before William, who was "struck down by apoplexy" and was buried next to his father. As he did not have any children, King Henry seized his lands instead of passing them on his enemy, William's closest relative, Amaury III de Montfort.