Of Knights and Bishops: Part I

The French Connection

There is little doubt that our Whartons are descended from Norman rulers. However, the Normans in our family tree didn't stay in Normandy, but came over to England either during the invasion of England or shortly thereafter. Yet, Normandy being located where it was in northern France, it didn't take long for these early Normans to intermarry with the French before they came over, either to encourage peace treaties or by serendipity. As we go back along these maternal lines, we begin to find a great deal of French nobility.

There are several maternal lines to follow, but they all begin at two specific starting points. Those being the line of 1) William de Hiémois, the illegitimate son of Richard "The Fearless" and 2) Ernulf de Hesdin, Crusader Knight from the ancient province of
Artois.

The Norman Counts D'Eu

As mentioned previously (see Pirates of the North Sea), Richard I "The Fearless" had at least three illegitimate children with an unknown woman, two sons and a daughter. He created the county of Eu in the very northeastern corner of Normandy (Figure1), partially to protect the border of Normandy, but also to provide an inheritance for his illegitimate children.

When Godfrey became the 1st Count D'Eu, he was also granted Brionne, over which he became Earl. When Godfrey died, all lands and title were inherited by his son, Gilbert. However, Gilbert soon quarreled with his Uncle, Duke Richard II, who in response deprived Gilbert of Eu and gave it to William de Hiémois. Gilbert retained only his Lordship of Brionne. By the time of Duke Robert, however, he was back in favor, becoming one of the most powerful nobles in Normandy.

When William died shortly before 1040, Gilbert assumed the lands and title of Eu once again. However, he abused his position to plunder the orphan heirs of his neighbor. In revenge, he was murdered while out riding. His sons, fearing the same fate, fled Normandy, at which point the lands and title to Eu returned to William's son, Robert, and remained with his descendants.

Figure 1—The Norman Counts of Eu [1] [2].

The Following are the Counts of Eu beginning with our ancestor, William I, my 30th grandfather.

The Counts of Eu

¹William de Hiémois (b.abt.980 d.1040), Count de Hiémois, 3rd Count de Eu, Lord of Monstreul, m. Lesceline de Harcourt (d.1058)

William's main claim to fame is apparently his ability to choose a great wife, which he did quite well. Lesceline de Harcourt (also known as Lesceline de Turqueville and Lefieltna de Harcourt) is an interesting woman who can trace her roots back to the Normans, Saxons, and Franks (through two different ancestors to Charlemagne). She is my 31st great grandmother. ▼

Lesceline probably met William while he was imprisoned by her father and helped rescue him. William had rebelled against his half-brother Richard II of Normandy and was subsequently captured and imprisoned in the custody of Turquetil who was the progenitor of the House of Harcourt. William would have fled thanks to Lesceline, the latter's daughter, whom he would then have married, but instead William was forgiven by his half-brother the Duke, who authorized him to marry Lesceline.

Around 1046-1047, shortly after the death of William, Lesceline founded the Abbey of Saint-Pierre-sur-dives for a community of nuns on the banks of the Dives River (Figure 2). She died on 26 January 1057-1058 at the abbey she founded—the church still contains her tomb. The abbey became her legacy, one of the most remarkable monastic complexes that was for centuries a center for commerce and was among those providing the greatest number of servitors for the Norman states in England and in Southern Italy. ▼

On an estate left to her by William, Countess Lesceline chose the site of St. Wambert’s martyrdom by Vikings in 867. It was consecrated in 1067 in the presence of William I, Duke of Normandy and the new King of England. However, the cold reception of local residents caused the nuns to leave. To secure self-sufficiency and complete independence for the house, she recruited Benedictine monks and their abbot from the Abbey of the Holy Trinity in Rouen in 1046. She then donated land to the Holy Trinity of Rouen in 1049.

Figure 2—The abbey at St. Pierre sur Dives.

For Lesceline's remarkable family history that includes Kings and Holy Roman Emperors, see the chapter on All Roads Lead to Lesciline.

²Robert D'Eu (b.abt.1020 d.1089), Count D'Eu, m. Béatrice de Falaise.

Robert D'Eu commanded 60 ships in the fleet supporting the landing of William I in the Norman conquest of England. Around 1068, he was given Hastings Castle and the adjacent territories as a reward. ▼

The town of Hastings existed before William "The Conquerer" arrived. Located on the south coast of England, 53 miles southeast of London in Sussex, its ultimate origin is pre-5th century. The area was settled by the Hæstingas, who were almost certainly overrun by the Vikings—Hæsta probably means chieftain or ruler and -ingas means "people." Hastings as a town was first recorded in the Saxon Cartulary of 790, although the surname as we know it today was not recorded in any form for another three hundred years.

The Battle of Hastings was actually fought on Senlac Hill, 8 miles south of the town of Hastings. The Norman encampment is believed to have been on the town's outskirts, where there was open ground. Since the Battle in which William I defeated (and killed) Harold Goodwinson was near this town, the battle was named for it. Afterward, William I commanded a castle be built there, probably using the earthworks of the existing Saxon castle. He awarded the Lordship of the castle, town, and surrounding area to Robert D'Eu who had helped him win the battle.

Figure 3—Hastings Castle today with midtown in the background.

In 1069, Robert was charged by King William I to support Robert, Count of Mortain, to monitor the Danes, whose fleet was moored in the mouth of the Humber River. When the Danes left their sanctuary to plunder the neighbourhood, Robert and Mortain with their army fell upon them unexpectedly, crushing them, and forcing them to flee by sea.

But let's not forget Béatrice, because she has an interesting connection. It seems she was the sister of Herleva, the mistress of Robert I "The Magnificent," grandson of Richard I "The Fearless." Herleva was the mother of William I "The Conquerer." This means that both Beatrice and Herleva were married to grandsons of Richard I, though in different ways. Beatrice was legitimately married to one grandson of an illegitimate ancestor. Herleva was in an illegitimate union with a grandson of legitimately married ancestors (Figure 4). ▼

Béatrice and Herleva were the daughters of Fulbert de Falaise, otherwise known as "The Tanner." Some historians have interpreted ancient documents to mean that his occupation was that of tailor, others have concluded he was a tanner, in part due to flawed transcripts of the original. But the consensus seems to have favoured a more literal reading, that he had been an undertaker or embalmer. Lending some credence to that is that Fulbert served as the William's chamberlain, whose responsibility included that of burials, and that William was often taunted later in life by his enemies for his connection to the tanner's daughter and reeking of the scent of the tannery.

Some have said that the idea Fulbert was merely a tanner who rose to the position of Chamberlain to William the Conqueror does not sit well with the rest of family lines—that he must certainly have come from a higher staton than that of a tanner, or at least married into a higher station. Yet, a chamberlain is not a high position in court, rather a subordinate one. And lest we forget, William I was his grandson.

There are many genealogies that support the theory that Fulbert de Falaise was married to a woman named Doda of Scotland, conjectured to be the daughter of Malcolm II, King of Scotland. Certainly her name was Doda (alternately Duwa or Duxia), but she was assuredly NOT the daughter of Malcolm II. Others have said she is the granddaughter or Edmund Ironside, the gallant son of Æthelred "The Unready." This is almost certainly not true as well because Edmund was approximately the same generation as Herleva, Doda's daughter—the dates simply don't match. The truth is that Doda's parentage is unknown.

Figure 4—Beatrice and Herleva's relationship to Norman nobility.

³William II D'Eu (b.abt.1045 d.abt.1095), Count D'Eu, Lord of Hastings, m. Béatrice de Builly.

Count William II was part of the rebel conspiracy to murder King William II "Rufus," King of England and replace him with his cousin, Stephen. The plot failed and In 1096, William was formally accused of treason, challenged to trial by battle and was defeated by Geoffrey Baynard. It was finally decided that William was to be blinded and castrated. He died sometime later.

William II married first, Beatrice de Builli, and second, Helisende d'Avranches, the latter part of the continuing intricate web of marriages among the Norman power elite. As it turns out, William married his aunt's granddaughter (Figure 4). Fortunately, our ancestor, Henri, did not come from that union but from the marriage between William and Beatrice de Builli.

⁴Henri I D'Eu (b.abt.1080 d.1140), 4th Count D'Eu, Lord Hastings, m. Marguerite de Blois, Dame de Sully

There must have been a streak of rebelliousness in the D'Eu counts against their half-cousins, because Henri, like his father before him, supported a rebellion against Henry I, King of England, in favour of Guillaume (William) Ætheling ("Clito" in Latin) de Normandie in 1118. He was arrested at Rouen, thrown into fetters, and forced to surrender his castles. Later, he founded Saint-Martin-du-Bosc and the abbey of Fécamp, becoming a monk at the abbey.

His wife, Marguerite de Sully, had royalty in her blood and was also descended from two "Greats"— Charles "The Great" (Charlemagne) and the English King, Alfred "The Great."

 ¹Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor^♂︎ [742-814]
 ²Emperor Louis "The Pious," Holy Roman Emperor^♂︎ [778–840]
 ³Charles II "The Bald," Holy Roman Emperor^♂︎ [843–877]
 ⁴Rothilde Carolingian^♀︎ [871-929]
         m. Hughes II de Bourges^♂︎
 5Richilde du Maine^♀︎ [886-946]
         m. Thibault de Blois^♂︎
 6Thibaut I, Count of Blois^♂︎ [913-975]
 ⁷Odo I, Count of Blois^♂︎ [950-996]
 ⁸Odo II (Eudes), Count of Blois^♂︎ [983-1037] ▼

He twice tried to make himself a king: first in Italy after 1024 and then in Burgundy after 1032. He was the first to unite Blois and Champagne under one authority although his career was spent in endless feudal warfare with his neighbors, many of whose territories he tried to annex.

About 1003/4 he married Maud, a daughter of Richard I "The Fearless." However, she shortly died in 1005 and having no children, Richard demanded Odo return her dowry. Odo refused and the two warred over the matter, only ending when King Robert II, who had married Odo's mother, imposed arbitration. He died in combat near Bar-le-Duc during an attack on Lorraine.

 ⁹Theobald III, Count de Blois^♂︎ [1012–1089]
¹⁰Stephen III, Count de Blois^♂︎ [1045–1102]
         m. Adela Alice de Normandie, Princess^♀︎ [abt. 1062-1138] ▼

Stephen was one of the leaders of the First Crusade, leading one of the major armies of the Princes. He was the head of the army council at the Crusaders' siege of Nicaea in 1097, but returned home in 1098 during the lengthy siege of Antioch after fleeing the battle and without having fulfilled his vow to forge a way to Jerusalem. He was scorned as a coward by many, including Adela, who pressured him into making a second pilgrimage. He joined the minor crusade of 1101 in the company of others who had also returned home prematurely.

In 1102, an Egyptian army of Fatimids advanced on crusaders under Baldwin I of Jerusalem. Stephen offered to join forces with Baldwin. Faulty reconnaissance caused Baldwin to severely underestimated the size of the Egyptian army, believing it to be no more than a minor expeditionary force. The crusaders rode to face an army of perhaps twenty thousand with only two hundred mounted knights and no infantry in the Second Battle of Ramla.

Most were quickly slaughtered, although Baldwin, Stephen, and a handful of others managed to barricade themselves into a tower. Baldwin fled the tower under the cover of night. After a day of desperately holding the tower, the remaining knights, all but abandoned by their king, decided to launch a suicidal last stand and charged the besiegers. Almost all were immediately slain including Stephen. He fought bravely, restoring his honor.

¹¹William "The Simple" de Blois, Lord of Sully^♂︎ [1086-1150] ▼

William was the eldest legitimate male heir to the throne of England. He had been groomed to inherit the throne and was designated Count shortly before his father's departure on his second crusade in 1102. Though it has never been substantiated, many historians believe William had a mental deficiency because he was not considered as a candidate for the English crown after the death of Henry I.

His mother found him noisy and difficult to control, unfit for a wide range of duties—he once assaulted and threatened to kill the Bishop of Chartres over a jurisdictional dispute. So, when her second son Theobald came of age, Adela elevated him to the position of count of Blois-Chartres, and William retired to his wife's lands in Sully, the heiress to the lordship of Sully-sur-Loire.

Agnes de Sully was a woman of admirable beauty attached to the court of William's mother and their marriage was a happy one producing several children. Eventually, Stephen, the fifth son born to Stephen and Adela became king—the last Norman king of England whose reign was called "The Anarchy" or "The Nineteen-Year Winter."

¹²Marguerite de Sully^♀︎ [1105-1145]

 ¹Alfred "The Great"^♂︎ [849-899]
 ²Ælfthryth of Wessex^♀︎ [abt. 872-929]
         m. Baldwin II of Flanders^♂︎ [abt. 865-918]
 ³Arnulf I of Flanders^♂︎ [abt. 890-965] ▼

Arnulf I holds a particular distinction In our family tree. On December 17, 942, he and his followers ambushed and killed the Norman William "Longsword" while at a peace conference to settle their differences. Notwithstanding the nastiness of the act itself, it also means that an ancestor on one branch of our tree killed one on another branch. Peculiar things can happen when researching families.

 ⁴Baldwin III of Flanders^♂︎ [940-962]
 ⁵Arnulf II of Flanders^♂︎ [abt. 960-988]
 ⁶Baldwin IV of Flanders^♂︎ [980-1036]
 ⁷Baldwin V of Flanders^♂︎ [1012-1067]
 ⁸Matilda of Flanders^♀︎ [abt. 1031-1083] ▼

According to legend, when William I sent his representative to ask for Matilda's hand in marriage, she told the representative that she was far too high-born to consider marrying a bastard. After hearing this response, William rode from Normandy to Flanders. Some versions say he rode to Bruges and found Matilda on her way to church, other versions say it was to Matilda's father's house in Lille. Supposedly he grabbed her long braids and threw her to the ground, and possibly hit her before leaving. Before her father could take offense, she settled the offense by stating she refused to marry anyone but William. Even a papal ban by Pope Leo IX on the grounds of consanguinity (too closely related) could not dissuade her. They were married about 1051 and apparently William never strayed.

         m. William I "The Conquerer," King of England^♂︎ [1027-1087]
 ⁹Adela Alice de Normandie, Princess^♀︎ [abt. 1062-1138]
         m. Stephen III, Count de Blois^♂︎ [1045–1102]
¹¹William "The Simple" de Blois, Lord of Sully^♂︎ [1086-1150]
¹²Marguerite de Sully^♀︎ [1105-1145]

⁵Ida D'Eu (b.abt.1195 d.1145), m. William de Hastings (b.abt.1138 d.1182) ▼

While some genealogies list Ida's brother, Jean, to be her father, the dates, if legitimate themselves, are in disagreement. Several other genealogies insist she is the daughter of Henri, so after careful consideration of the discrepancies, I'm listing her as the daughter of Henri D'Eu until I find more substantial documentation.

The Hastings

And so we come to the Hastings, with whom the Whartons are inextricably entwined. As a matter of fact, it was the Hastings coat-of-arms that the Wharton Family borrowed (stole?), after altering the colors—red sleeve on gold to silver sleeve on black (Figure 5). Six generations after Ida D'Eu married William deHastings, Sir Gilbert de Querton (the original spelling of Wharton) married Emma de Hastings. Thus was cemented the relationship between the Wharton family and the rich and powerful family of Hastings, who held many offices of distinction during several reigns. [3]

         
Figure 5—Hastings and Wharton Coat-of-Arms.

It was difficult to sort out exactly where the Hastings came from. Most family records indicate that the first Lord Hastings was Robert, 5th Count D'Eu, who had been awarded the town of Hastings, its castle, and environs by William "The Conquerer" for his help during the invasion of England. But only three generations later, his great-granddaughter, Ida D'Eu, married William de Hastings, who was also called Lord Hastings. His line is older, found at Fillongley in Warwickshire, and can be traced back to Miles "le Marschal" de Venoix.

All of which made no sense. How could both the de Venoix line and the D'Eu line be progenitors of the Hastings?

The key to understanding this dilemma, I believe, is Beatrice Fulbert (de Falaise). She married first, Robert D'Eu, and secondly, Ralf de Venoix (Figure 6). Their children were, therefore, half-bothers and half-sisters. Recall that Robert D'Eu's son, William, was part of the rebel conspiracy to murder William II "Rufus," King of England, and was blinded and mutilated for the offense. Then William's son Henri supported a rebellion against Henry I, King of England, and had his castles stripped. I suspect his title as Lord de Hastings would have been stripped from him as well. He would have retained his title as Count d'Eu since that title went back to Richard I "The Fearless" which pre-dated his title as Lord. There are rules to these titles after all.

Figure 6—Relationship between Hastings and Eu Families.

Since the lands and title had originally been awarded to Robert D'Eu, it probably would have been turned over to the family of his wife, Beatrice, and Ralf De Venoix to whom she had remarried. The treason occurred in 1097 (or that's when the accusations were brought to trial) and would have then gone to Ralf's son Robert de Venoix. Since Robert had died in 1986, it probably went to him posthumously which is why he is usually listed with his original surname of de Venoix with Lord de Hastings added. It was his sons, Walter and William, who began to carry the de Hastings surname from then forward.

Added to that confusion is that fact that the medieval titles of Lord were really Feudal Lord. This must not be confused with peerage titles that came later. In fact, the first one that could rightfully be called Lord Hastings didn't occur until approximately a century later. John Hastings was summoned to Parliament as Lord Hastings in 1290. He was the son of Henry de Hastings, who had been created Baron Hastings by Simon de Montfort in 1263. So, those early Lords Hasting were really Feudal Lords, who were simply the owners of productive land.

I have found no acknowledgement of this is genealogical literature, so this is merely my presupposition, but I believe this shows how the title of "Lord Hastings" was really "Fuedal Lord" and was transferred from the D'Eu family to the Venoix family when ownership of the land was transferred. Its easy to see how the Hasting trace their ancestry back to the Venoix family. This, however, discounts the fact that it was Robert D'Eu's efforts that the town and castle were granted to the family in the first place.

What it also means is that Ida and her husband share the same great-grandmother. That's somewhat disquieting at best, but such was the nature of the ruling elite at the time.

The Hesdin Line

Before we complete the crossing of the English Channel by the Normans, there's one more consequential ancestor that contributed to William I's victory. His name was Ernulf from the village of Hesdin, which is located in the Artois region of northeastern France.

Both Artois and Hesdin still exist, but not in their previous configuration. Artois is no longer a province as it once was, though its still recognized as a region within the Pas-de-Calais Department of Northern France. The town of Hesdin now sits in a different location—about 6 kilometers northwest of it's original location close to the Belgian border—surrounded by rolling hills and situated on the Canche river.

The town was originally a walled fortress. It was once part of the Spanish Netherlands, which led to its downfall. It suffered many sieges and sackings as a result of fighting between the Kings of France, the Holy Roman Empire, Henry VIII of England, and several French nobles. Only the convent and chapel were spared when Charle V destroyed it in 1553. An unfortified village was later built on the original site, called Vieil Hesdin, or "Old Hesdin."[4]

Ernulf de Hesdin was a French knight who took part in the Norman conquest of England, much as Robert D'Eu did. What's interesting is that they lived approximately 50 miles apart (Figure 7). It's very likely they knew each other because not only did they help William I conquer England in 1066, they both became prominent landholders there afterward. The Domesday survey found Ernulf a tenant-in-chief in ten counties [5] and lord of other estates under other great tenants-in-chief. In fact, one of those tenants-in-chief was Robert D'Eu's son, William II D'Eu, who fulfilled that function on Ernulf's lands in Upper Scudamore in Wiltshire County.

Figure 7—Location of Eu in Normandy and Hesdin in Artois, France.

Things turned sour for Ernulf—for William II D'Eu as well—in 1095 when the barons revolted against William II "Rufus," in order to replace him with Stephen. The revolt failed, with both Ernulf and William II D'Eu being indicted, though Ernulf insisted he was unjustly accused. They were brought to trial by combat. While Ernulf's representative won, Ernulf was so disgusted by the accusation that he left England forever and joined the First Crusade. He died in the siege of Antioch, saying, after he refused the aid of a doctor, ""No doctor can reach me except he for whom I have undertaken this pilgrimage."

There are, of course, ancestors earlier than Ernulf, though some of that information is sketchy at best and may actually be incorrect. Some claim that no ancestry for Enulf can be found. Others admit Gerard IV was his father … others claim Ernicle was his grandfather. I've included the ancestors that were most often mentioned [6], but are shaded in gray. Perhaps additional family data will be found in the future to verify this information.

He was disgraced as a suspected rebel and died while taking part in the First Crusade as part of the army of Robert Curthose.

 ¹Haynes Haymon de Hesdin
 ²Helfred de Hesdin [abt.930-?]
 ³Adulf de Hesdin [abt.960-?]
 ⁴Gauthier (William) de Hesdi, Count of Hesdin [abt.990-abt.1041]
 ⁵Gerard IV de Hesdin, Seigneur (Feudal Lord) of Hesdin [1015-1065] died in Bedfordshire, England

 ⁶Ernulf (Arnulf/Ernulphe) de Hesdin^♂︎ [1031-1097]
         m. Emmaline ^♀︎
 7Mathilda de Hesdin^♀︎ [1055-1133]
         m. Lord Patrick de Chaworth^♂︎ [1065-1133] ▼

Patrick de Cadurcis or Patrick de Chaources, Anglicised as Chaworth.

 ⁸Sibylle de Chaworth^♀︎ [1082-1147]
         m. Walter de Salisbury^♂︎ [1091-1147]
 ⁹Sibilia de Salisburyh^♀︎ [1120-1162]
         m. John FitzGilbert Marshall^♂︎ [1105-1165]
¹⁰Margaret Marshall^♀︎ [1160-1242]
         m. Ralph de Somery^♂︎ [1151-1210] ▼

Margaret's brother, Sir William Marshall, was known as the greatest knight in all of England, or "The Incomparable Knight," who was supposedly the inspiration for the film A Knight's Tale.

As a younger son of a minor nobleman, William had no lands or fortune to inherit, and had to make his own way in life. Around the age of twelve, when his father's career was faltering, he was sent to Normandy to be brought up in the household of William de Tancarville, where his training as a knight began. He spent his younger years as a wandering knight until 1167 when he entered his first tournament. Here he found his true calling and became a tournament champion.

In 1189, he became the 1st Earl of Pembroke through marriage. He served five English kings—Henry II, his sons the "Young King" Henry, Richard I, and John, and finally John's son Henry III.

¹¹Joan de Somery^♀︎ [1195-1276]
         m. Sir Thomas de Berkeley^♂︎ [1170-1243]

(The same Sir Thomas from Angry Anglos and Dastardly Danes)

¹² Sir Maurice "The Resoute" de Berkeley m. Isabel FitsRoy
¹³ Sir Thomas de Berkeley (1st Baron) m. Joan de Ferrers
¹⁴ Sir Maurice de Berkeley (2nd Baron) m. Eva la Zouche
¹⁵ Isabel de Berkeley m. (2) Thomas de Musgrave (1st Lord)
¹⁶ Elizabeth de Musgrave m. Sir Henry de Wharton

———————

FOOTNOTES

[1] Foudation for Medieval Genealogy. Normandy Nobility: Arques, Aumâle, Caux, Rouen, Eu   Vowchurch, Hereford, England. Acessed December 2021.

[2] Waters, Robert Edmund Chester. Genealogical Memoirs of the Counts of Eu in Normandy, 996-1350 and the English Earls of Eu, of the House of Bourchier, 1419-1540. 1886.

[3] Lewis, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research. 1848.

[4] The Good Life France. Hesdin in Pas de Calais  . Accessed 30 March 2022.

[5] Round, J. Horace. Calendar of Documents Preserved in France, illustrative of the history of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 1. Institute of Historical Research. 1899. Retrieved 30 March 2022.

[6] Genealogy Online, The Terry Brown Family Tree, Ernulf de Hesdin   Accessed 30 March 2022.

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