Gray, had become proprietors of the island of Nantasket in Boston Harbor [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 of Tiverton, RI. William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, King of England, 1. It is to be presumed The diploma is dated 8th January 1639, * which was afterwards ratified in parliament, 17th November 1641. There is no record of the reason from the Council, and the main evidence is from Orderic Vitalis. He marched to the River Tees, ravaging the countryside as he went. He did not try to integrate his domains into one empire but continued to administer each part separately. and the brawl that developed ended in a draw. 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. Her execution, 1554, was soon [88], Harold's body was identified the day after the battle, either through his armour or marks on his body. and were for many generations in high favor with the English kings. John, Lord of Gray, whose son Anschetil de A sheriff was responsible for royal justice and collecting royal revenue. Whatever Edward's wishes, it was likely that any claim by William would be opposed by Godwin, Earl of Wessex, a member of the most powerful family in England. [96] By March, William was secure enough to return to Normandy, but he took with him Stigand, Morcar, Edwin, Edgar, and Waltheof. [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. [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. Gray instead of Grey is almost universally used in the different branches Sir John Gray, Knight of Berwick, 1372, was father Stigand submitted to William there, and when the duke moved on to Berkhamsted soon afterwards, Edgar the theling, Morcar, Edwin, and Ealdred also submitted. There were apparently no Grays on the Mayflower. [99] Waltheof, who had joined the revolt, submitted, along with Gospatric, and both were allowed to retain their lands. [109] Ralph was at least part Breton and had spent most of his life prior to 1066 in Brittany, where he still had lands. Parish Registers of Stapleford Tawney, Essex Co., England, as printed at Gytha Thorkelsdttir, Harold's mother, offered the victorious duke the weight of her son's body in gold for its custody, but her offer was refused. [122] In 1082 William ordered the arrest of his half-brother Odo. 1. Edward [104], In 1071 William defeated the last rebellion of the north. [119] The king was at Gloucester for Christmas 1080 and at Winchester for Whitsun in 1081, ceremonially wearing his crown on both occasions. [2], William left England towards the end of 1086. This lone relic was reburied in 1642 with a new marker, which was replaced 100 years later with a more elaborate monument. Edgar the theling also appears to have been given lands. A further indignity occurred when the corpse was lowered into the tomb. Although Alexander did give papal approval to the conquest after it succeeded, no other source claims papal support prior to the invasion. [97], In 1068 Edwin and Morcar revolted, supported by Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria. [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. but found "himself bruished and bloody on the ground." Valiant service during a 1066 expedition to England with William the Conqueror earned the Grays high position in political circles. Owain received 10,000 marks (L6,666) ransom for him. His daughter, Arlotta, is said to have been the mother of William the Conqueror. Descendants He took part in church councils and made several appointments to the Norman episcopate, including the appointment of Maurilius as Archbishop of Rouen. [38] William met the invasion by dividing his forces into two groups. [15], William faced several challenges on becoming duke, including his illegitimate birth and his youth: the evidence indicates that he was either seven or eight years old at the time. The Conquest brought the kingdom into closer contact with France and forged ties between France and England that lasted throughout the Middle Ages. 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 . Sam helped precipitate the Massacre itself. Sarah, baptized January 12, 1616, married Thomas Harding May 30, 1642. Ralph eventually left Norwich in the control of his wife and left England, finally ending up in Brittany. Edward was ailing, and he died on 5 January 1066. [132], William took over an English government that was more complex than the Norman system. It is unclear what exactly happened at Edward's deathbed. land company which eventually formed Tiverton and Little Compton, RI. His consolidation of power allowed him to expand his horizons, and he secured control of the neighbouring county of Maine by 1062. Rebecca, baptized 1615, married Thomas Perry May 28, 1650. "Gray Lord Gray in Scotland, same arms as My Lord Gray of Wark and [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. a royal commission set up by William in 1085-86), as lord of many manors Not an insignificant sum!! Aug 29, 2018. On his father's death in 1035, William was recognised by his family as the heir - an . 1. Return to Newport County RIGenWeb Home Page. The exact reasons are unclear, as no contemporary author recorded what caused the quarrel between the half-brothers. But after he was killed in February 1071 at the Battle of Cassel, Robert became count. They were John, Elizabeth, Edward, Sarah, Thomas and Rebecca. (Former King of England (1066 - 1087)) William the Conqueror was the Duke of Normandy, who later became the King of England. Towns were listed separately. [71], Harold was crowned on 6 January 1066 in Edward's new Norman-style Westminster Abbey, although some controversy surrounds who performed the ceremony. [41], One factor in William's favour was his marriage to Matilda of Flanders, the daughter of Count Baldwin V of Flanders. Walcher was killed on 14 May 1080, and the king dispatched his half-brother Odo to deal with the rebellion. [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. Gray Coat of Arms and Gray Family Crest. had two sons, both named John. in the Reign of William the Conqueror, are the Amoreal bearings of Paganus [2], There are indications that Robert may have been briefly betrothed to a daughter of King Cnut, but no marriage took place. [107] He left England in the hands of his supporters, including Richard fitzGilbert and William de Warenne,[108] as well as Lanfranc. His lands were divided after his death: Normandy went to Robert, and England went to his second surviving son, William Rufus. [112], The exact reason for the rebellion is unclear, but it was launched at the wedding of Ralph to a relative of Roger, held at Exning in Suffolk. near the throne. Known as 'William the Bastard' to his contemporaries, his illegitimacy shaped his career when he was young. It seems that a British soldier [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. 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. George Herbert Walker Bush (1924- ), 41st President of the US. [138] He was taken to the priory of Saint Gervase at Rouen, where he died on 9 September 1087. [45] Contemporary writers considered the marriage, which produced four sons and five or six daughters, to be a success. all apparently descended from one parent stock and one origin. So William had three kids we care about: William II, Henry I and Adela. If John Tebbel is correct in his book "Turning The World Upside Down", and lordships in the counties of Oxford and Buckingham. Henry de Gray obtained from King Richard I (1190), the While his father Robert was the Duke of Normandy, his mother was no duchess. The exact date of William's birth is confused by contradictory statements by the Norman chroniclers. remained in the hands of the Grey family until the Marcher Lords were abolished repeated in mixed company." [61] By 1050, however, relations between the king and the earl had soured, culminating in a crisis in 1051 that led to the exile of Godwin and his family from England. York was captured by the combined forces of Edgar and Sweyn. [94] Both men were also named to earldoms fitzOsbern to Hereford (or Wessex) and Odo to Kent. The chronicler Orderic Vitalis states that Edwin's reason for revolting was that the proposed marriage between himself and one of William's daughters had not taken place, but another reason probably included the increasing power of fitzOsbern in Herefordshire, which affected Edwin's power within his own earldom. William was the son of Robert I, duke of Normandy (reigned 1027-1035), and a woman of lower social status named Herleva. Census records every ten years and an occasional mention in a 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. [126], At first, most of the newly settled Normans kept household knights and did not settle their retainers with fiefs of their own, but gradually these household knights came to be granted lands of their own, a process known as subinfeudation. 2. [58], The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, in the "D" version, states that William visited England in the later part of 1051, perhaps to secure confirmation of the succession,[59] or perhaps William was attempting to secure aid for his troubles in Normandy. William placed supporters in charge of these new fortifications among them William Peverel at Nottingham and Henry de Beaumont at Warwick. Park Street Congregational Church, Boston. 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. Nor is there evidence that many English pennies were circulating in Normandy, which shows little attempt to integrate the monetary systems of England and Normandy. Norman coins had a much lower silver content, were often of poor artistic quality, and were rarely re-minted. Many of the people have more than one path to William, but this is mostly just showing one (ideally the shortest path). [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. Two further Norman retreats were feigned, to once again draw the English into pursuit and expose them to repeated attacks by the Norman cavalry. Sir Edward de Gray married daughter The funeral, attended by the bishops and abbots of Normandy as well as his son Henry, was disturbed by the assertion of a citizen of Caen who alleged that his family had been illegally despoiled of the land on which the church was built. [123], Maine continued to be difficult, with a rebellion by Hubert de Beaumont-au-Maine, probably in 1084. 6. homes in the New World. William of Jumiges claimed that Harold was killed by the duke. He Was Illegitimate. It resulted in a work now known as the Domesday Book. at night, was able to get to the coast and over to France where he got Northumberland persuaded the sickly Edward VI to name Lady Jane Grey as his heir just before his death on 6 July 1553. [73], William of Poitiers describes a council called by Duke William, in which the writer gives an account of a great debate that took place between William's nobles and supporters over whether to risk an invasion of England. Suffolk, all of that surname derived from the honor and Castle of Gray, Their forces landed near Bristol but were defeated by Eadnoth. Marcher Lords. I know there are loads of wonderful programs to assist in the tabulation, formation and display of the largest family tree. Edward was a leading citizen and 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. [p] The Danish king had brought a large fleet to England and attacked not only York but Exeter and Shrewsbury. 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. 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. William becomes King of England. [77] The Norman fleet finally set sail two days later, landing in England at Pevensey Bay on 28 September. [142], The impact on England of William's conquest was profound; changes in the Church, aristocracy, culture, and language of the country have persisted into modern times. [146], William and his wife Matilda had at least nine children. [65] William's western border was thus secured, but his border with Brittany remained insecure. support the effort with food, money and work in recruiting and organization. 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. Mrs Thomas Houghton (Born 1551) 5775 People 13 Records 25 Sources. of Pennsylvania and the early settlers of Virginia and other southern states. Lordships. Gray Family of Tiverton, RI - RootsWeb as being worthy to be remembered for valiant services rendered, was J. [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. Gray who was slain at the second battle of St. Albans, 1461. . [80] He probably learned of William's landing while he was travelling south. of the family was in Plymouth in 1643. 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. A papal embassy arrived in England during this period, asking that William do fealty for England to the papacy, a request that he rejected. William also appointed deputies who could make decisions while he was absent, especially if the absence was expected to be lengthy. issue has continued in Scotland." He [143] How abrupt and far-reaching the changes were is still a matter of debate among historians, with some such as Richard Southern claiming that the Conquest was the single most radical change in European history between the Fall of Rome and the 20th century. The Danes then raided along the coast before returning home. 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. The Gray family in America is numerous, widespread and consists of many [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. He married Matilda of Flanders in 1051, in Normandy, France. In the 1050s and early 1060s, William became a contender for the throne of England held by the childless Edward the Confessor, his first cousin once removed. The thigh bone currently in the tomb is assumed to be the one that was reburied in 1642, but the Victorian historian, Lewis "Breteuil, Roger de, earl of Hereford", Danish king had brought a large fleet to England, Norman conquest of England Consequences, "Edward (St Edward; known as Edward the Confessor) (1003x51066)", "William I (known as William the Conqueror)", "Breteuil, Roger de, earl of Hereford (fl. The legates ceremonially crowned William during the Easter court. [102], Although Sweyn had promised to leave England, he returned in early 1070, raiding along the Humber and East Anglia toward the Isle of Ely, where he joined up with Hereward the Wake, a local thegn. by George Washington as a privateer during the Revolutionary War. correspond with John of Stapleford, as his eldest child was born in 1608. [129], The medieval chronicler William of Malmesbury says that the king also seized and depopulated many miles of land (36 parishes), turning it into the royal New Forest region to support his enthusiastic enjoyment of hunting. coin. 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. William the Conqueror. were both executed in 1483, by the notorious Richard III. records. He overthrew the last Anglo-Saxon king, Harold II, to seize the throne, earning the title William the Conqueror. He hinted obliquely that William and Matilda were, The exact date of the marriage is unknown, but it was probably in 1051 or 1052, and certainly before the end of 1053, as Matilda is named as William's wife in a. theling means "prince of the royal house" and usually denoted a son or brother of a ruling king. Scotland in the reign of Alexander II, (about 1130), and gave his allegiance Gray was one of William the Conquerors companions in arms at the battle By 1060, following a long struggle to establish his throne, his hold on Normandy . died January 1, 1515. They served their country [5], Danish raids on England continued, and thelred sought help from Richard, taking refuge in Normandy in 1013 when King Swein I of Denmark drove thelred and his family from England. Rolf, Rollo or Raoul (son of Rognwald, Jarl of Mori in Norway) invaded Born in the United States. His holdings included nine thirtieths of the [78] William of Poitiers also relates that the duke obtained the consent of Pope Alexander II for the invasion, along with a papal banner. The soldier Not all of the Normans who accompanied William in the initial conquest acquired large amounts of land in England. This made William's power more secure in northern France, but the new count of Flanders accepted Edgar the theling into his court. [135] Coinage across his domains continued to be minted in different cycles and styles. [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. [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. Edgar was proclaimed king by his supporters. Also, the charters and documents produced for the government in Normandy differed in formulas from those produced in England. 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. described in what is called the Grand Deed. Others, such as H. G. Richardson and G. O. Sayles, see the changes brought about by the Conquest as much less radical than Southern suggests. Because it's the olden days, people had lots of kids, but to keep things simple this family tree is going to leave out many of them on each branch because not every child matters. 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. [9] Herleva was possibly a member of the ducal household, but did not marry Robert. This band of young men went to the castle at Remalard, where they proceeded to raid into Normandy. 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. Are there any direct descendants of William the Conqueror? Anschetil de Gray Tostig appears to have received little local support, and further raids into Lincolnshire and near the River Humber met with no more success, so he retreated to Scotland, where he remained for a time. Gilbert was killed within months, and another guardian, Turchetil, was also killed around the time of Gilbert's death. Andrew Morton Carr Descendant of the right-hand general Ker of William the Conqueror. [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.