English coins were generally of high silver content, with high artistic standards, and were required to be re-minted every three years. The historian Frank Barlow points out that William had suffered from his uncle Mauger's ambitions while young and thus would not have countenanced creating another such situation. William would have preferred to delay the invasion until he could make an unopposed landing. The exact reasons are unclear, as no contemporary author recorded what caused the quarrel between the half-brothers. Eventually, the clergy of Rouen arranged to have the body sent to Caen, where William had desired to be buried in his foundation of the Abbaye-aux-Hommes. [72] Harold's claim to the throne was not entirely secure, as there were other claimants, perhaps including his exiled brother Tostig. Hereward's forces attacked Peterborough Abbey, which they captured and looted. the private press of Frederick Arthur Crisp, Grove Park, Denmark Hill, In modern times they have contributed poets, statesmen This made William's power more secure in northern France, but the new count of Flanders accepted Edgar the theling into his court. but found "himself bruished and bloody on the ground." [1] The brothers had been at odds over the succession, and Richard's death was sudden. His marriage to Matilda appears to have been quite affectionate, and there are no signs that he was unfaithful to her unusual in a medieval monarch. Next, he led his forces around the south and west of London, burning along the way. to that King, receiving possessions in Roufield shire of Roxburgh. If you have any information concerning any of these people, or Book, was ordered, decreed, and written under the reign of one King William I, who was known throughout the ages as "William the Conqueror." King William I of England ruled from the year 1066 to the . [2], William left England towards the end of 1086. themselves in politics, literature, and the learned professions and still Regarding the Grays of Scotland being of the same family, Nesbits says, 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. The seal shows a mounted knight and is the first extant example of an. [2] Although he put two Normans in overall charge, he retained many of the native English sheriffs. de Gray, (III) John from whom the most illustrious branches of the house [7][c], William was born in 1027 or 1028 at Falaise, Duchy of Normandy, most likely towards the end of 1028. Aug 29, 2018. [48] The birth order of the sons is clear, but no source gives the relative order of birth of the daughters. [2], Norman government under William was similar to the government that had existed under earlier dukes. He marched to the River Tees, ravaging the countryside as he went. He received from Robert the Castle and honor With a swift campaign, William seized Le Mans from Fulk's forces, completing the campaign by 30 March 1073. town report or directory are about all there is. Learn about the history of this surname and heraldry from our database and online image library. In 1072 William invaded Scotland, defeating Malcolm, who had recently invaded the north of England. Surprising Facts: 1066, William The Conqueror And The - HistoryExtra [q] Another reason for the appointment may have been pressure from the papacy to appoint Lanfranc. Who Was The Real William The Conqueror? - YouTube Harold's sons were meanwhile raiding the southwest of England from a base in Ireland. William, Duke of Normandy, conquered England in 1066. There were farmers, fishermen and tradesmen. For the second ruler of Normandy, see. Henry de Gray obtained from King Richard I (1190), the 10711087)", "Robert, duke of Normandy (b. in or after 1050, d. 1134)", "Les femmes dans l'histoire du duch de Normandie (Women in the history of ducal Normandy)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_the_Conqueror&oldid=1152709080, This page was last edited on 1 May 2023, at 21:01. I know there are loads of wonderful programs to assist in the tabulation, formation and display of the largest family tree. There are those like Captain Family visits Group . This Edward was a farmer and active in civic affairs. [1][8][d] He was the only son of Robert I, son of Richard II. He enjoyed excellent health until old age, although he became quite fat in later life. at night, was able to get to the coast and over to France where he got [i] The marriage nevertheless went ahead some time in the early 1050s,[43][j] possibly unsanctioned by the pope. See also the Medieval chroniclers frequently referred to 11th-century events only by the season, making more precise dating impossible. [2] Knowledge of the events preceding his death is confused because there are two different accounts. [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. Early Life. Modern historians have come to the conclusion that the New Forest depopulation was greatly exaggerated. Thomas Gray were living there in 1579. [114] Roger and Waltheof were kept in prison, where Waltheof was executed in May 1076. Within the first century, between 1620 and 1720, research indicates that Marcher Lords. The Grays were closely allied with the Royal house of England and were Edward, baptized April 15, 1623 (no further mention). Towns were listed separately. Another concern was the death of Count Baldwin VI of Flanders in July 1070, which led to a succession crisis as his widow, Richilde, was ruling for their two young sons, Arnulf and Baldwin. William, son of Ellery, who were obscure, possibly intentionally leaving France in the 9th century with his Norwegian followers and established He escaped and, by traveling of that parish for some years. A further blow was the death of Queen Matilda on 2 November 1083. This could have been either the Gray Family decended from Viki - Genealogy.com He then proceeded to buy off the Danes. Hubert was besieged in his castle at Sainte-Suzanne by William's forces for at least two years, but he eventually made his peace with the king and was restored to favour. Burkes Peerage says: "The family of Gray is of great antiquity During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, Archbishop Matthew Parker saw the Conquest as having corrupted a purer English Church, which Parker attempted to restore. As King Edward's heir, he controlled all of the former royal lands. [118], Word of William's defeat at Gerberoi stirred up difficulties in northern England. [30], William's next efforts were against Guy of Burgundy, who retreated to his castle at Brionne, which William besieged. [120] William also visited Wales in 1081, although the English and the Welsh sources differ on the exact purpose of the visit. [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. By 1031 Robert had gathered considerable support from noblemen, many of whom would become prominent during William's life. [12], Robert I succeeded his elder brother Richard III as duke on 6 August 1027. 2, 1589 and married on October 6, 1606 to Elizabeth Ward. 2. William also appointed deputies who could make decisions while he was absent, especially if the absence was expected to be lengthy. Sir John Gray, Knight of Berwick, 1372, was father Scotland and Ireland. [138], William left Normandy to Robert, and the custody of England was given to William's second surviving son, also called William, on the assumption that he would become king. The legates ceremonially crowned William during the Easter court. An Angevin attack on Maine was defeated in late 1076 or 1077, with Count Fulk le Rechin wounded in the unsuccessful attack. [t] When in Normandy, William acknowledged that he owed fealty to the French king, but in England no such acknowledgement was made further evidence that the various parts of William's lands were considered separate. left and came back later with some help, but Sams friends came to his aid and military commanders in the British realm. Sam Norsemen first began raiding in what became Normandy in the late 8th century. William responded swiftly, ignoring a continental revolt in Maine, and symbolically wore his crown in the ruins of York on Christmas Day 1069. February 12, 1621. Other bequests included gifts to the Church and money to be distributed to the poor. Some appear to have been reluctant to take up lands in a kingdom that did not always appear pacified. 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. [28] William of Poitiers claimed that the battle was won mainly through William's efforts, but earlier accounts claim that King Henry's men and leadership also played an important part. Scotland in the reign of Alexander II, (about 1130), and gave his allegiance The ceremony took place in Westminster. In the Department of Haute-Saone, there is now a town a Welch leader, was having a dispute with another Reginald de Grey, and [100] The historian David Bates sees this coronation as the ceremonial papal "seal of approval" for William's conquest. Ralph also requested Danish aid. Edgar was proclaimed king by his supporters. Andrew Morton Carr Descendant of the right-hand general Ker of William the Conqueror. 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. 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. From the Charleton family it passed by marriage in 1421 to John Grey. captured Reginald. Clarke in the "Clarkes Genealogies" quotes from the The afterward queen of Edward IV; Thomas Grey, created Marquis of Dorset in Another consequence of William's invasion was the sundering of the formerly close ties between England and Scandinavia. Earl of Kent, Chief of the ancient and illustrious house of Gray, so dignified [77] The last claimant was William of Normandy, against whose anticipated invasion King Harold Godwinson made most of his preparations. William the Conqueror, conquered in the 'Norman Conquest' -- Norman here being code for French. After entrusting England to his second son, the elder William sent the younger William back to England on 7 or 8 September, bearing a letter to Lanfranc ordering the archbishop to aid the new king. Rhode Island. He made arrangements for the governance of England in early 1067 before returning to Normandy. [130] William was known for his love of hunting, and he introduced the forest law into areas of the country, regulating who could hunt and what could be hunted. The Grays were not restored to their rights and court favor until the 1. [93] These captures secured William's rear areas and also his line of retreat to Normandy, if that was needed. [73], Harold's brother Tostig made probing attacks along the southern coast of England in May 1066, landing at the Isle of Wight using a fleet supplied by Baldwin of Flanders. For example, England continued the use of writs, which were not known on the continent. Known as 'William the Bastard' to his contemporaries, his illegitimacy shaped his career when he was young. According to Nesbits Heraldry: "In an old manuscript of Arms The Gray family in America is numerous, widespread and consists of many His marriage in the 1050s to Matilda of Flanders provided him with a powerful ally in the neighbouring county of Flanders. The youngest son, Henry, received money. Lordships. [f] One of Herleva's brothers, Walter, became a supporter and protector of William during his minority. as being worthy to be remembered for valiant services rendered, was J. Emma went into exile in Flanders until Harthacnut became king following Harold's death in 1040, and his half-brother Edward followed Harthacnut to England; Edward was proclaimed king after Harthacnut's death in June 1042. I have therefore made yet another attempt the produce the Descendants of William the Conqueror in text . T he surname is originally French, being first borne by Fulbert, Great Chamberlain of Robert, Duke of Normandy, who granted him the castle and lands of Croy or Gray in Picardy which he thereafter assumed as the family surname. [96] Once in Normandy the new English king went to Rouen and the Abbey of Fecamp,[94] and then attended the consecration of new churches at two Norman monasteries. King Robert Bruce when he ascended the throne. Lady Jane Grey (r. 10-19 July 1553) | The Royal Family 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. William also required his newly created magnates to contribute fixed quotas of knights towards not only military campaigns but also castle garrisons. [96] By March, William was secure enough to return to Normandy, but he took with him Stigand, Morcar, Edwin, Edgar, and Waltheof. William the Conqueror after Hastings, image extracted from Poems for Christmas, Easter, and New Year's, 1885, on Wikimedia Commons. 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. These fortifications allowed Normans to retreat into safety when threatened with rebellion and allowed garrisons to be protected while they occupied the countryside. xxxx xxxxxxx London, England. This WWW page was copied from [101] Norman clergy were appointed to replace the deposed bishops and abbots, and at the end of the process, only two native English bishops remained in office, along with several continental prelates appointed by Edward the Confessor. William Conqueror Family Tree With Complete Detail [117] William's forces were forced to lift the siege, and the king returned to Rouen. merchant in Plymouth. of Henry VIII. Although some sort of formal assembly probably was held, it is unlikely that any debate took place, as the duke had by then established control over his nobles, and most of those assembled would have been anxious to secure their share of the rewards from the conquest of England. Many Grays of this line were sailors, ship owners, ship captains and [133][u] Government was still centred on William's household; when he was in one part of his realms, decisions would be made for other parts of his domains and transmitted through a communication system that made use of letters and other documents. 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. [9][g] Robert I also had a daughter, Adelaide, by another mistress. [92], William may have hoped the English would surrender following his victory, but they did not. Not an insignificant sum!! [121], Sources for William's actions between 1082 and 1084 are meagre. in the United States. One story, deriving from the Vita dwardi, a biography of Edward, claims that he was attended by his wife Edith, Harold, Archbishop Stigand, and Robert FitzWimarc, and that the king named Harold as his successor. The family of Gray or Grey, says Burke in his peerages, claims descent A Norman chief, whose name was himself there. homes in the New World. He was not known as a patron of authors, and there is little evidence that he sponsored scholarships or other intellectual activities. followed by that of her father, the Duke of Suffolk, and his brothers, To deal with Norman affairs, William put the government of Normandy into the hands of his wife for the duration of the invasion. This lone relic was reburied in 1642 with a new marker, which was replaced 100 years later with a more elaborate monument. in Bergundy, France. All the English counties south of the River Tees and River Ribble are included, and the whole work seems to have been mostly completed by 1 August 1086, when the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that William received the results and that all the chief magnates swore the Salisbury Oath, a renewal of their oaths of allegiance. Gray instead of Grey is almost universally used in the different branches His illegitimate status and his youth caused some difficulties for him after he succeeded his father, as did the anarchy which plagued the first years of his rule. support the effort with food, money and work in recruiting and organization. The remaining earls Edwin (of Mercia), Morcar (of Northumbria), and Waltheof (of Northampton) were confirmed in their lands and titles. Their forces landed near Bristol but were defeated by Eadnoth. Robert was accused by some writers of killing Richard, a plausible but now unprovable charge. The elder John de Gray had a son, Henry [138] He was taken to the priory of Saint Gervase at Rouen, where he died on 9 September 1087. The snub may not have been deliberate: he might have . Andy Rhind-Tutt claims to have traced his family back to the Saxon . [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. [22] Yet another guardian, Osbern, was slain in the early 1040s in William's chamber while the duke slept. de Gray, who was in high favor with King Richard I and King John. Robert raided into Lothian and forced Malcolm to agree to terms, building a fortification (the 'new castle') at Newcastle upon Tyne while returning to England. The town held out for 18 days, and after it fell to William he built a castle to secure his control. Orderic Vitalis later recorded that Odo had aspirations to become pope. The crowning of William the Conqueror was "celebrated" by setting buildings on fire. [116] William immediately attacked the rebels and drove them from Remalard, but King Philip gave them the castle at Gerberoi, where they were joined by new supporters. Ecclesiastical offices continued to be held by the same bishops as before the invasion, including the uncanonical Stigand. The early castles were simple earth and timber constructions, later replaced with stone structures. [135] Coinage across his domains continued to be minted in different cycles and styles. Orderic also related that Odo had attempted to persuade some of William's vassals to join Odo in an invasion of southern Italy. Born in France, William was an illegitimate child of Robert I . records. Suffolk, all of that surname derived from the honor and Castle of Gray, Anschetil de Gray no trace to follow. 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. [82] Although Harold attempted to surprise the Normans, William's scouts reported the English arrival to the duke. Later English sources stated that Harold had been elected as king by the clergy and magnates of England. On the death The king marched through Edwin's lands and built Warwick Castle. Sir Edward de Gray married daughter [2] William returned to England in December 1067 and marched on Exeter, which he besieged. Although some of his supporters tried to dissuade him from undertaking the journey, he convened a council in January 1035 and had the assembled Norman magnates swear fealty to William as his heir[2][15] before leaving for Jerusalem. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), poet. [94] Waltheof was married to William's niece Judith, daughter of his half-sister Adelaide,[95] and a marriage between Edwin and one of William's daughters was proposed. William becomes King of England. Edgar remained at William's court until 1086 when he went to the. land company which eventually formed Tiverton and Little Compton, RI. In 1058, William invaded the County of Dreux and took Tillires-sur-Avre and Thimert. Henry attempted to dislodge William, but the siege of Thimert dragged on for two years until Henry's death. Born around 1028, William was the illegitimate son of Duke Robert I of Normandy, and Herleve (also known as Arlette), daughter of a tanner in Falaise. Harold, perhaps to secure the support of Edwin and Morcar in his bid for the throne, supported the rebels and persuaded King Edward to replace Tostig with Morcar. 2 son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy and Harlette de Falaise, was born about 1028 in Falaise, Normandy, France and died on 9 Sep 1087 in Rouen, Normandy, France about age 59.. Other names for William were William of Normandy and William I King of England. He married Matilda of Flanders in 1051, in Normandy, France. [107][r] Philip, although thwarted in this attempt, turned his attentions to Brittany, leading to a revolt in 1075. 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 . There are a few like [134], William continued the collection of Danegeld, a land tax. Return to Newport County RIGenWeb Home Page. Its effect, though, was to destabilise Brittany, forcing the duke, Conan II, to focus on internal problems rather than on expansion. He left his half-brother Odo, the Bishop of Bayeux, in charge of England along with another influential supporter, William fitzOsbern, the son of his former guardian. of Croy. [80], Tostig Godwinson and Harald Hardrada invaded Northumbria in September 1066 and defeated the local forces under Morcar and Edwin at the Battle of Fulford near York. William I - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help Although the army and fleet were ready by early August, adverse winds kept the ships in Normandy until late September. and Maine. [109] William's ability to leave England for an entire year was a sign that he felt that his control of the kingdom was secure. Other sons were granted earldoms later: Gyrth as Earl of East Anglia in 1057 and Leofwine as Earl of Kent sometime between 1055 and 1057. William I (c. 1028 - 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman monarch of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087.A descendant of Rollo, he was Duke of Normandy from 1035 onward. Anschatel Groy settled in Chillingham in Northumberland after accompanying William the Conqueror in 1066. Between 1066 and 1072, William spent only 15 months in Normandy and the rest in England. [p] The Danish king had brought a large fleet to England and attacked not only York but Exeter and Shrewsbury. called Gray. By the time of William's death in 1087, around 500 castles had been built across England and Wales. His conquest had major implications for the history of both regions, from displacing much of the pre-Conquest Anglo-Saxon nobility to reshaping the English language.. William's early life. Thomas, baptized July 16, 1620 (no further mention). [v], At Christmas 1085, William ordered the compilation of a survey of the landholdings held by himself and by his vassals throughout his kingdom, organised by counties. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle states that it was a military campaign, but Welsh sources record it as a pilgrimage to St Davids in honour of Saint David. [109] Ralph was at least part Breton and had spent most of his life prior to 1066 in Brittany, where he still had lands. He also allowed his son Robert Curthose to do homage to the new Count of Anjou, Geoffrey the Bearded. Norman coins had a much lower silver content, were often of poor artistic quality, and were rarely re-minted. worldwide traders. [49], There are records of two tutors for William during the late 1030s and early 1040s, but the extent of his literary education is unclear. [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. The Church, under the influence of the, The reasons for the prohibition are not clear. The union was arranged in 1049, but Pope Leo IX forbade the marriage at the Council of Rheims in October 1049. Holland, in 1622. More serious was the retirement of Simon de Crpy, the Count of Amiens, to a monastery. William was always described as close to his wife, and her death would have added to his problems. W. Gray. After hurried consultations, the allegation was shown to be true, and the man was compensated. had two sons, both named John. 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. From this his family assumed the name of DeCroy, which was later This method of organising the military forces was a departure from the pre-Conquest English practice of basing military service on territorial units such as the hide. Brief History of the Royal Family CGP Grey 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. VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images. [69][l], In 1065 Northumbria revolted against Tostig, and the rebels chose Morcar, the younger brother of Edwin, Earl of Mercia, as earl in place of Tostig. of the family. thelred and Emma's two sons, Edward and Alfred, went into exile in Normandy while their mother, Emma, became Cnut's second wife. of Lisle, the Earl of Stamford, the Marquis of Dorset, and the Duke of Gray Coat of Arms and Gray Family Crest. Gray Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History from Rollo (born 860 A.D.). Edward was a leading citizen and Before he became a monk, Simon handed his county of the Vexin over to King Philip. Medieval writers criticised William for his greed and cruelty, but his personal piety was universally praised by contemporaries. accession of James I, 1603. Mary was the widow of King Louis XII of France, who had of a series of incidents that brought about the Boston Massacre later that Roger was unable to leave his stronghold in Herefordshire because of efforts by Wulfstan, the Bishop of Worcester, and thelwig, the Abbot of Evesham.