Most years saw the rate of two shillings per hide, but in crises, it could be increased to as much as six shillings per hide. William of Jumiges claimed that Harold was killed by the duke. He was thus able to assert his overlordship over the Bellme family and compel them to act consistently with Norman interests. [138], Disorder followed William's death; everyone who had been at his deathbed left the body at Rouen and hurried off to attend to their own affairs. Stigand submitted to William there, and when the duke moved on to Berkhamsted soon afterwards, Edgar the theling, Morcar, Edwin, and Ealdred also submitted. [100] William's half-brother Odo perhaps expected to be appointed to Canterbury, but William probably did not wish to give that much power to a family member. William I[a] (c.1028[1] 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard,[2][b] was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087. [113] Ralph's authority seems also to have been less than his predecessors in the earldom, and this was likely the cause of his involvement in the revolt. Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. (1923-1998), astronaut. He died in September 1087 while leading a campaign in northern France, and was buried in Caen. Another Tiverton Gray, Pardon Gray was active during the war also. Early Life. in the reign of Edward IV., from whom are descended and branched the Barons He crossed back and forth between the continent and England at least 19 times between 1067 and his death. Born in France, William was an illegitimate child of Robert I . His lands were divided after his death: Normandy went to Robert, and England went to his second surviving son, William Rufus. Waltham Abbey, which had been founded by Harold, later claimed that his body had been secretly buried there. They included the duke's uncle Robert, the archbishop of Rouen, who had originally opposed the duke; Osbern, a nephew of Gunnor the wife of Richard I; and Gilbert of Brionne, a grandson of Richard I. This campaign, which included the burning and destruction of part of the countryside that the royal forces marched through, is usually known as the "Harrying of the North"; it was over by April 1070, when William wore his crown ceremonially for Easter at Winchester. William then moved to Hastings, a few miles to the east, where he built a castle as a base of operations. William The Conqueror Family Tree To Present Day Check All Members List . The union was arranged in 1049, but Pope Leo IX forbade the marriage at the Council of Rheims in October 1049. Between 1066 and 1072, William spent only 15 months in Normandy and the rest in England. Following his arrival back on the continent he married his daughter Constance to Duke Alan of Brittany, in furtherance of his policy of seeking allies against the French kings. John, baptized 1612. Interaction between father and son, nevertheless, remained problematic right up until William's passing. There were probably other reasons for William's delay, including intelligence reports from England revealing that Harold's forces were deployed along the coast. [80] He probably learned of William's landing while he was travelling south. Henry attempted to dislodge William, but the siege of Thimert dragged on for two years until Henry's death. The other, the De obitu Willelmi, or On the Death of William, has been shown to be a copy of two 9th-century accounts with names changed. [59] Edward had married Edith, Godwin's daughter, in 1043, and Godwin appears to have been one of the main supporters of Edward's claim to the throne. If John Tebbel is correct in his book "Turning The World Upside Down", After a long effort, the duke succeeded in exiling Guy in 1050. Rebecca, baptized 1615, married Thomas Perry May 28, 1650. and the brawl that developed ended in a draw. Edwin and Morcar submitted, but William continued on to York, building York and Nottingham Castles before returning south. [45] Papal sanction of the marriage appears to have required the founding of two monasteries in Caen one by William and one by Matilda. Not an insignificant sum!! William also benefited from his campaign in Brittany by securing the support of some Breton nobles who went on to support the invasion of England in 1066. [154], "William I" redirects here. [30], William's next efforts were against Guy of Burgundy, who retreated to his castle at Brionne, which William besieged. He decisively defeated and killed Harold at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066. [34] However, in 1052 the king and Geoffrey Martel made common cause against William at the same time as some Norman nobles began to contest William's increasing power. most eventful periods of English history. King Robert Bruce when he ascended the throne. [110], In 1075, during William's absence, Ralph de Gael, the Earl of Norfolk, and Roger de Breteuil, the Earl of Hereford, conspired to overthrow William in the "Revolt of the Earls". The difficulties over the succession led to a loss of authority in Normandy, with the aristocracy regaining much of the power they had lost to the elder William. Who Were William the Conqueror's Sons? | History Hit Many Grays of this line were sailors, ship owners, ship captains and afterward queen of Edward IV; Thomas Grey, created Marquis of Dorset in The story of her pure and beautiful [88], Harold's body was identified the day after the battle, either through his armour or marks on his body. by purchase from the Indians. This made William's power more secure in northern France, but the new count of Flanders accepted Edgar the theling into his court. [40] Henry and Geoffrey led another invasion of Normandy in 1057 but were defeated by William at the Battle of Varaville. Learn about the history of this surname and heraldry from our database and online image library. [68] Meanwhile, another contender for the throne had emerged Edward the Exile, son of Edmund Ironside and a grandson of thelred II, returned to England in 1057, and although he died shortly after his return, he brought with him his family, which included two daughters, Margaret and Christina, and a son, Edgar the theling. King Philip of France later relieved the siege and defeated William at the Battle of Dol in 1076, forcing him to retreat back to Normandy. These fortifications allowed Normans to retreat into safety when threatened with rebellion and allowed garrisons to be protected while they occupied the countryside. Also, the charters and documents produced for the government in Normandy differed in formulas from those produced in England. As King Edward's heir, he controlled all of the former royal lands. xxxx xxxxxxx London, England. The exact reasons are unclear, as no contemporary author recorded what caused the quarrel between the half-brothers. After further military efforts, William was crowned king on Christmas Day, 1066, in London. An Angevin attack on Maine was defeated in late 1076 or 1077, with Count Fulk le Rechin wounded in the unsuccessful attack. 2. This WWW page was copied from repeated in mixed company." Tostig went into exile in Flanders, along with his wife Judith, who was the daughter of Baldwin IV, Count of Flanders. So I'm related to William the Conqueror - and David Cameron The information that follows was researched and kindly provided by Rodney [137] William's exact motivation in ordering the survey is unclear, but it probably had several purposes, such as making a record of feudal obligations and justifying increased taxation. (or Croy as some write), in Picardy, their patrimony before the Conquest.". of the duke of Suffolk, with Mary, daughter of Henry VII and the sister of Rotherfield, Codmore, Wilton, Rhuthun, Groby and Rugemont, the Viscount Henry de Gray obtained from King Richard I (1190), the Henry de Gray had several sons; (I) Robert of Rotherfield, (II) Richard [109] Ralph was at least part Breton and had spent most of his life prior to 1066 in Brittany, where he still had lands. William gave generously to the church;[56] from 1035 to 1066, the Norman aristocracy founded at least twenty new monastic houses, including William's two monasteries in Caen, a remarkable expansion of religious life in the duchy. but found "himself bruished and bloody on the ground." These controversies have led to William being seen by some historians either as one of the creators of England's greatness or as inflicting one of the greatest defeats in English history. It was said that Walter, William's maternal uncle, was occasionally forced to hide the young duke in the houses of peasants,[23] although this story may be an embellishment by Orderic Vitalis. Gray Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History Orderic also related that Odo had attempted to persuade some of William's vassals to join Odo in an invasion of southern Italy. [f] One of Herleva's brothers, Walter, became a supporter and protector of William during his minority. By 12 April 1080, William and Robert had reached an accommodation, with William once more affirming that Robert would receive Normandy when he died. Thomas died in Plymouth June 7, 1654. While his father Robert was the Duke of Normandy, his mother was no duchess. This second force defeated the invaders at the Battle of Mortemer. [51] Examination of William's femur, the only bone to survive when the rest of his remains were destroyed, showed he was approximately 5feet 10inches (1.78m) in height. 1476; and Lady Jane Grey who was queen of England for a few days. [2], William left England towards the end of 1086. According to Nesbits Heraldry: "In an old manuscript of Arms themselves in politics, literature, and the learned professions and still William I the Conqueror King of England (1028-1087) FamilySearch A further indignity occurred when the corpse was lowered into the tomb. Ralph eventually left Norwich in the control of his wife and left England, finally ending up in Brittany. continue prominently represented among the titled nobility in England, de Gray. The Gray family history is a long and distinguished one. Marcher Lords. One story implicates Earl Godwin of Wessex in Alfred's subsequent death, but others blame Harold. manor of Turoc in Essex. William's son Robert, still allied with the French king, appears to have been active in stirring up trouble, enough so that William led an expedition against the French Vexin in July 1087. of that parish for some years. William I 'The Conqueror' (r. 1066-1087) | The Royal Family [n][79] Events after the invasion, which included the penance William performed and statements by later popes, do lend circumstantial support to the claim of papal approval. [49] There are some written descriptions of a burly and robust appearance, with a guttural voice. homes in the New World. [16][17][h] He enjoyed the support of his great-uncle, Archbishop Robert, as well as King Henry I of France, enabling him to succeed to his father's duchy. Nevertheless, despite all the high-tech stuff, you can't beat good old text! A John Gray was buried May 28, 1658. [87] The available sources are more confused about events in the afternoon, but it appears that the decisive event was Harold's death, about which differing stories are told. himself there. and Maine. The list below shows descent from William the Conqueror (see Descendants of William I of England for another list). [24] Although many of the Norman nobles engaged in their own private wars and feuds during William's minority, the viscounts still acknowledged the ducal government, and the ecclesiastical hierarchy was supportive of William. [q] Another reason for the appointment may have been pressure from the papacy to appoint Lanfranc. de Gray, (III) John from whom the most illustrious branches of the house [112] Roger was a Norman, son of William fitzOsbern, but had inherited less authority than his father held. The youngest son, Henry, received money. Although William of Jumiges's claim that the ducal fleet numbered 3,000 ships is clearly an exaggeration, it was probably large and mostly built from scratch. Earl Edwin was betrayed by his own men and killed, while William built a causeway to subdue the Isle of Ely, where Hereward the Wake and Morcar were hiding. Wikimedia Commons. Edgar remained at William's court until 1086 when he went to the. [77] The Norman fleet finally set sail two days later, landing in England at Pevensey Bay on 28 September. Although the army and fleet were ready by early August, adverse winds kept the ships in Normandy until late September. The surname Gray emerged as a notable Scottish family name in the county of Northumberland where they were recorded as a family of great antiquity seated with manor and estates in that shire. [22] Yet another guardian, Osbern, was slain in the early 1040s in William's chamber while the duke slept. Although Simon was a supporter of William, the Vexin was actually under the overlordship of King Philip, which is why Philip secured control of the county when Simon became a monk. He then proceeded to buy off the Danes. Orderic relates that he had previously demanded control of Maine and Normandy and had been rebuffed. As William is an 11th generation descendant of Charlemagne (747-814), the people below also descend from . [105] William then turned his attention to the continent, returning to Normandy in early 1073 to deal with the invasion of Maine by Fulk le Rechin, the Count of Anjou. town report or directory are about all there is. and lordships in the counties of Oxford and Buckingham. [i] The marriage nevertheless went ahead some time in the early 1050s,[43][j] possibly unsanctioned by the pope. changed to DeGray and then to Gray. From there, he ravaged the interior and waited for Harold's return from the north, refusing to venture far from the sea, his line of communication with Normandy. [2] The legates and the king then proceeded to hold a series of ecclesiastical councils dedicated to reforming and reorganising the English church. In 1072 William invaded Scotland, defeating Malcolm, who had recently invaded the north of England. if you have any questions, please e-mail Rodney Gray at "wyarg 'at' juno dot com". France in the 9th century with his Norwegian followers and established In 1402 Owain, William of Poitiers wrote glowingly of William's reign and its benefits, but the obituary notice for William in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle condemns William in harsh terms. [144] The historian Eleanor Searle describes William's invasion as "a plan that no ruler but a Scandinavian would have considered". By 1509 an Edward Grey was one of only three remaining powerful He took part in church councils and made several appointments to the Norman episcopate, including the appointment of Maurilius as Archbishop of Rouen. . [65] William's western border was thus secured, but his border with Brittany remained insecure. His consolidation of power allowed him to expand his horizons, and he secured control of the neighbouring county of Maine by 1062. Although the chronicler William of Poitiers claimed that Edward's succession was due to Duke William's efforts, this is highly unlikely, as William was at that time practically powerless in his own duchy. [96] By March, William was secure enough to return to Normandy, but he took with him Stigand, Morcar, Edwin, Edgar, and Waltheof. Gray who was slain at the second battle of St. Albans, 1461. [p] The Danish king had brought a large fleet to England and attacked not only York but Exeter and Shrewsbury. Lady Jane Grey (r. 10-19 July 1553) | The Royal Family After returning to Normandy in 1072, he spent around 130 months in Normandy as against about 40 months in England. Although English and Norman forces remained on alert throughout 1085 and into 1086, the invasion threat was ended by Cnut's death in July 1086. [114] Roger and Waltheof were kept in prison, where Waltheof was executed in May 1076. [132], Besides taxation, William's large landholdings throughout England strengthened his rule. [2] She later married Herluin de Conteville, with whom she had two sons Odo of Bayeux and Count Robert of Mortain and a daughter whose name is unknown. Prescott Sheldon Bush (1895-1972), US Senator. Gray Family Crest and History - Arms & Badges William's biographer David Bates argues that the former explanation is more likely, explaining that the balance of power had recently shifted in Wales and that William would have wished to take advantage of the changed circumstances to extend Norman power. [56] Another important appointment was that of William's half-brother, Odo, as Bishop of Bayeux in either 1049 or 1050. Her execution, 1554, was soon Their forces landed near Bristol but were defeated by Eadnoth. William was crowned King of England on December 25, 1066. [124], As part of his efforts to secure England, William ordered many castles, keeps, and mottes built among them the central keep of the Tower of London, the White Tower. Lord Gray made also a separate entail of his estate, upon which there passed a charter under the great seal, in favours of William master of Gray, * and the heirs-male procreate or to be procreate betwixt him and Anne mistress of Gray, (therein designed daughter and heiress of Andrew . The exact events preceding the battle are obscure, with contradictory accounts in the sources, but all agree that William led his army from his castle and advanced towards the enemy. William, son of Ellery, who were obscure, possibly intentionally leaving Collections Online | British Museum of the family. William then sent forces into London to construct a castle; he was crowned at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. On his father's death in 1035, William was recognised by his family as the heir - an . [1][8][d] He was the only son of Robert I, son of Richard II. [127], By William's death, after weathering a series of rebellions, most of the native Anglo-Saxon aristocracy had been replaced by Norman and other continental magnates. Suffolk, all of that surname derived from the honor and Castle of Gray, Alfred returned to England in 1036 to visit his mother and perhaps to challenge Harold as king. of Lisle, the Earl of Stamford, the Marquis of Dorset, and the Duke of The snub may not have been deliberate: he might have . The second, which included some who became William's firm supporters, such as Robert, Count of Eu, Walter Giffard, Roger of Mortemer, and William de Warenne, faced the other invading force. Joan, buried [71], Harold was crowned on 6 January 1066 in Edward's new Norman-style Westminster Abbey, although some controversy surrounds who performed the ceremony. in 1536. King Harold received word of their invasion and marched north, defeating the invaders and killing Tostig and Hardrada on 25 September at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Although this was William's first defeat in battle, it did little to change things. Mrs Thomas Houghton (Born 1551) 5775 People 13 Records 25 Sources. 1. William the Conqueror; Issue Detail: Robert II, Duke of Normandy Richard Adeliza Cecilia William II, King of England Constance, Duchess of Brittany Adela, Countess of Blois Henry I, King of England . The elder John de Gray had a son, Henry He Although William of Poitiers and William of Jumiges disagree about where the fleet was built Poitiers states it was constructed at the mouth of the River Dives, while Jumiges states it was built at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme both agree that it eventually sailed from Valery-sur-Somme. (see Famous Descendants of William the Conqueror of England ) William Henry Gates IV (1955- ), CEO of Microsoft. [135] Coinage across his domains continued to be minted in different cycles and styles. In modern times they have contributed poets, statesmen It appears that the Gray family was from Harwich, Essex, as a John and Its effect, though, was to destabilise Brittany, forcing the duke, Conan II, to focus on internal problems rather than on expansion. [97], Early in 1069, Edgar the theling rose in revolt and attacked York. to Robert, Duke of Normandy. [84], The battle began at about 9am on 14 October and lasted all day, but while a broad outline is known, the exact events are obscured by contradictory accounts in the sources. The legates ceremonially crowned William during the Easter court. Next, he led his forces around the south and west of London, burning along the way. http://members.aol.com/rinewpor/famhist.html. The crowning of William the Conqueror was "celebrated" by setting buildings on fire. [94] Both men were also named to earldoms fitzOsbern to Hereford (or Wessex) and Odo to Kent. [109] William returned to England later in 1075 to deal with the Danish threat, leaving his wife Matilda in charge of Normandy. [63] No English source mentions a supposed embassy by Archbishop Robert to William conveying the promise of the succession, and the two Norman sources that mention it, William of Jumiges and William of Poitiers, are not precise in their chronology of when this visit took place. Sarah, baptized January 12, 1616, married Thomas Harding May 30, 1642. From a Boston Transcript clipping in the Durfee film 804977, "Clarkes [25], King Henry continued to support the young duke,[26] but in late 1046 opponents of William came together in a rebellion centred in lower Normandy, led by Guy of Burgundy with support from Nigel, Viscount of the Cotentin, and Ranulf, Viscount of the Bessin. from tree Kittredge Family Tree (Private) Birth. Walcher was killed on 14 May 1080, and the king dispatched his half-brother Odo to deal with the rebellion. Edward Gray, son of John of Stapleford, the progenitor of this branch Northumberland persuaded the sickly Edward VI to name Lady Jane Grey as his heir just before his death on 6 July 1553. that John Gray was not native to Stapleford Tawney, but was only a resident William "the Conqueror", king of England - Geni It is to be presumed [104], In 1071 William defeated the last rebellion of the north. William I (c. 1028 - 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087.A descendant of Rollo, he was Duke of Normandy from 1035 onward. Harold's sons were meanwhile raiding the southwest of England from a base in Ireland. [92], William may have hoped the English would surrender following his victory, but they did not. Although William returned to York and built another castle, Edgar remained free, and in the autumn he joined up with King Sweyn. Six of the names in the John Gray issue has continued in Scotland." Edward was ailing, and he died on 5 January 1066. William, Duke of Normandy, conquered England in 1066. This daughter later married William, lord of, Walter had two daughters. The fleet carried an invasion force that included, in addition to troops from William's own territories of Normandy and Maine, large numbers of mercenaries, allies, and volunteers from Brittany, northeastern France, and Flanders, together with smaller numbers from other parts of Europe. [146], William and his wife Matilda had at least nine children. Medieval writers criticised William for his greed and cruelty, but his personal piety was universally praised by contemporaries. "Gray Lord Gray in Scotland, same arms as My Lord Gray of Wark and His reign in England was marked by the construction of castles, settling a new Norman nobility on the land, and change in the composition of the English clergy. 1. The lack of Norman response appears to have caused the Northumbrians to grow restive, and in the spring of 1080 they rebelled against the rule of Walcher, the Bishop of Durham and Earl of Northumbria. Several unsuccessful rebellions followed, but William's hold was mostly secure on England by 1075, allowing him to spend the greater part of his reign in continental Europe. [128] William granted some lands to his continental followers from the holdings of one or more specific Englishmen; at other times, he granted a compact grouping of lands previously held by many different Englishmen to one Norman follower, often to allow for the consolidation of lands around a strategically placed castle. Gray Family History - Brigham Young University On the death [94] But the families of Harold and his brothers lost their lands, as did some others who had fought against William at Hastings. By Easter, William was at Winchester, where he was soon joined by his wife Matilda, who was crowned in May 1068. William's final years were marked by difficulties in his continental domains, troubles with his son, Robert, and threatened invasions of England by the Danes. He made arrangements for the governance of England in early 1067 before returning to Normandy. Burkes Peerage says: "The family of Gray is of great antiquity It is believed that John Gray of Stapleford Tawney descended from the More serious was the retirement of Simon de Crpy, the Count of Amiens, to a monastery. The intact body was restored to the tomb at that time, but in 1562, during the French Wars of Religion, the grave was reopened and the bones scattered and lost, with the exception of one thigh bone. described in what is called the Grand Deed. [132], William took over an English government that was more complex than the Norman system. Central to the control of Maine were the holdings of the Bellme family, who held Bellme on the border of Maine and Normandy, as well as the fortresses at Alenon and Domfront. of the family was in Plymouth in 1643. Scotland and Ireland. He was crowned the Duke in 1035 and over the years made himself the mightiest noble in France, later seizing the English throne in 1066. [85] Although the numbers on each side were about equal, William had both cavalry and infantry, including many archers, while Harold had only foot soldiers and few, if any, archers. Since then they have repeatedly distinguished According to stories that may have legendary elements, an attempt was made to seize William at Valognes, but he escaped under cover of darkness, seeking refuge with King Henry. The Gray family in America is numerous, widespread and consists of many called Gray. [31] To address the growing power of the Count of Anjou, Geoffrey Martel,[32] William joined with King Henry in a campaign against him, the last known cooperation between the two. [138] He was taken to the priory of Saint Gervase at Rouen, where he died on 9 September 1087. no trace to follow. Edward IV married Elizabeth Gray, the widow of Sir John [66], In England, Earl Godwin died in 1053 and his sons were increasing in power: Harold succeeded to his father's earldom, and another son, Tostig, became Earl of Northumbria. The Tiverton Grays are descended from a long line of Grays which are claimed to go back to Rollo, Viking invader and conqueror of Normandy, France. Most of the lands of the New Forest are poor agricultural lands, and archaeological and geographic studies have shown that it was likely sparsely settled when it was turned into a royal forest. [73][m] King Harald Hardrada of Norway also had a claim to the throne as the uncle and heir of King Magnus I, who had made a pact with Harthacnut in about 1040 that if either Magnus or Harthacnut died without heirs, the other would succeed. This altercation was one 6. William I, the first Norman King of England, ascended to the throne in 1066 shortly after the death of his second cousin, Edward the Confessor. [145], William's reign has caused historical controversy since before his death. Earlier dukes had been illegitimate, and William's association with his father on ducal charters appears to indicate that William was considered Robert's most likely heir. William's government blended elements of the English and Norman systems into a new one that laid the foundations of the later medieval English kingdom. [50] He was strong enough to draw bows that others were unable to pull and had great stamina. During his childhood and adolescence, members of the Norman aristocracy battled each other, both for control of the child duke, and for their own ends. It was a fairly simple administrative system, built around the ducal household,[53] which consisted of a group of officers including stewards, butlers, and marshals. The Whitsun council saw the appointment of Lanfranc as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, and Thomas of Bayeux as the new Archbishop of York, to replace Ealdred, who had died in September 1069. Museum number . Among the names inscribed at Battle Abbey, after the Battle of Hastings, Top 11 Interesting Facts about William the Conqueror Local nobles resisted the claim, but William invaded and by 1064 had secured control of the area. up to that time in Plymouth. The Norman sources do not dispute the fact that Harold was named as the next king, but they declare that Harold's oath and Edward's earlier promise of the throne could not be changed on Edward's deathbed.
Edward Heathcoat Amory,
Michael Spinks Obituary,
Cactus High School Calendar 2021 2022,
Articles W