Source: http://dot-domesday.me.uk/robert.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 20:32:16+00:00

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Mælslæhtan = Maelsnechtan, son of, Macbeth’s stepson, Lulach.* Maelsnechtan is accorded the title “king of Moray” in the ‘Annals of Ulster’, which say he ended his life “happily” in 1085.
King William’s eldest son, Robert Curthose, had been present, with his parents and younger brother, William Rufus, at the dedication of St Stephen’s, Caen,* which was on 13th September 1077 – so his rebellion began after this date. He went to Flanders, but, his uncle, Count Robert I (Robert the Frisian), apparently didn’t want to provide him with any military backing, since, according to Orderic Vitalis (‘HE’ V: ii, 381), he then embarked on a vague walkabout, telling his grievances to any nobleman who would listen. Eventually,* he enlisted King Philip’s aid. Philip provided him with the castle of Gerberoy, near Beauvais, from which to mount his raids on Normandy. Obviously, King William was not going to let this situation continue, so he laid siege to the castle.
Symeon of Durham, in the ‘Historia Regum’ (‘HR’), adds that Ligulf had married Ealdgyth, a daughter of Earl Ealdred (d.c.1038). Since Earl Waltheof’s mother, Ælfflæd, was a sister of Ealdgyth, Ligulf was, of course, Waltheof’s uncle.
Walcher had delegated the administration of the earldom to his relative, Gilbert. After a particularly fierce argument with Ligulf, Leobwine sought out Gilbert, who perhaps was also jealous of Ligulf, since he readily agreed to Leobwine’s request that Ligulf be put to death.
On the 14th of May, at Gateshead, the meeting took place. Rather than hold discussions in the open air, surrounded by the crowd – who had “banded together for an evil purpose”, says Symeon of Durham (‘LDE’ III, 24) – Walcher and his advisers (“his clergy and the more honourable of his knights”, says Florence of Worcester) ensconced themselves inside a church.
Now, in the ‘LDE’ account, the implication is that the “people” never had any intention of a negotiated settlement with the bishop – in effect, the Gateshead meeting was a trap. The “chief men”, whom Walcher had summoned into his presence for discussions, left the bishop “and a very few of his followers” inside the church, whilst they exited “as if for the purpose of deliberation”.
The bishop’s men outside were killed, and the church was torched. The bishop’s followers (none being named) were killed as they fled from the flames. Finally, the bishop was left alone in the burning building.
Previously (‘LDE’ III, 23), Symeon had told a tale in which, before Walcher’s killing, one Eadwulf, from the village of Ravensworth (“no great distance from Durham”), awoke from the dead and related how he had seen “the eternal torments of hell” being prepared for, “the originator of the bishop’s murder”, a certain Waltheof: “There is waiting for him an iron chair, glowing with eternal fire; the crackling sparks which fly off from it on all sides are thrown out from inextinguishable flames. On each side of it there are standing terrible attendants – I mean evil spirits – holding chains of iron; and ere long they will place Waltheof on that seat, and bind the miserable wretch down upon it with fetters, which cannot be broken, of fire unquenchable.” After Walcher’s death, Waltheof “was himself slain by his wife’s brother, and so passed to the pains of hell”.
Walcher was replaced, as bishop, by William, abbot of St Vincent’s, Le Mans. Walcher’s earldom, however, passed to one Aubrey (identified as Aubrey de Coucy), though, in his digression on the earls of Northumbria, ‘HR’ s.a. 1072, Symeon of Durham comments that Aubrey: “being of very little use in difficult affairs, returned to his country”.
Symeon’s remark suggests Aubrey abandoned his earldom, and England, not long after his appointment, but Domesday Book entries indicate that he had only recently forfeited his English holdings when the survey was written-up (1086).* Aubrey’s replacement was Robert de Mowbray: “but he being taken prisoner , King William the second held Northumbria in his own hand, as at this time does King Henry.” (‘HR’ s.a. 1072).
It would seem that Odo – King William’s half-brother, bishop of Bayeux and earl of Kent – not content with the considerable power he already wielded, had set his sights on the papacy.
According to Orderic Vitalis (‘HE’ VII: iii, 188–9), Odo had heard a prediction, by “certain sorcerers at Rome”, that a person of his name would become pope. Odo bought a palace in Rome and bribed senators. He prepared to go there, in the company of “Hugh, earl of Chester, and a goodly company of distinguished knights”.* King William heard of the plan: “he considered that it was fraught with injury to his own kingdom as well as to others”. Sailing from Normandy, the king intercepted Odo at the Isle of Wight.
Odo was taken to Normandy and imprisoned in Rouen Castle, but he evidently did not forfeit his English estates – he is the wealthiest tenant-in-chief recorded in the Domesday Book.
Queen Matilda died in Normandy. She was buried in the abbey of the Holy Trinity, which she had founded, at Caen.
This page was last modified on 1st August 2018.
Manuscript D is one year ahead of the true date, so this entry appears s.a. 1078.
Manuscript E’s dating is correct.
Orderic Vitalis (‘HE’ IV: ii, 295) says that Robert, who was chubby-faced, short and stout, was commonly called ‘Fat-legs’ (Gambaron) and ‘Short-boots’ (Brevis-ocrea). William of Malmesbury (‘GR’ IV §389) implies that King William himself gave Robert the latter nickname (Curta-ocrea in Malmesbury’s rendition), which is generally given in the Frenchified form ‘Curthose’.
Nicknamed from his colouring (Latin rufus = ‘red’). According to William of Malmesbury (‘GR’ IV §321): “he was well set; his complexion florid, his hair yellow; of open countenance; different coloured eyes, varying with certain glittering specks”.
At this point Manuscript D ends – the bottom of the page being cut away.
Davis ‘Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum’ No. 96.
Prou ‘Recueil des Actes de Philippe Ier’ No. 94.
The charter, by King Philip in favour of the church of Saint-Quentin of Beauvais, is dated: “at the siege of Gerberoy conducted by the aforementioned kings, Philip king of the French and William king of the English, in the year of the incarnation of the world 1079”. It is signed by both Philip and William.
Orderic says that Robert Curthose: “wandered in foreign lands for five years to no purpose.” As will become apparent, this timescale is incorrect.
Although the following event occurred later in 1079 than the siege of Gerberoy, it is placed before it by Manuscript E, and by Florence of Worcester (it is not recorded by Manuscript D).
Davis ‘Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum’ No. 123.
Gospatric was not an earl. He is generally believed to be the “noble Northumbrian thegn” who was murdered on on 28th December 1064 (see: 1065).
Gospatric’s father, Earl Uhtred, had also been murdered (see: Ironside) – in 1016 according to the ‘Anglo-Saxon Chronicle’, but this date is the subject of debate (see: The Battle of Carham).
William of Malmesbury tells this story, in less detail than Florence of Worcester, in both ‘GR’ (III §271) and ‘GP’ (III §132). In William’s accounts, Gilbert himself makes the decision to leave the church, in a noble attempt to save the bishop.
King William was still in Normandy, at Caen, on 14th July 1080 (Davis ‘Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum’ No. 125).
Florence of Worcester has no record of Robert’s expedition into Scotland.
‘Chronicon Monasterii de Abingdon’, edited by Joseph Stevenson (1858), Vol. II, Pages 9–10. Translation by Alan O. Anderson: ‘Scottish Annals from English Chroniclers, A.D. 500 to 1286’ (1908), Page 104, Footnote 1.
William of Malmesbury (‘GR’ III §277): “knights eagerly flocked to him from all parts of the kingdom”.
William of Malmesbury (‘GR’ III §270 and ‘GP’ II §91) agrees with Florence’s numbers.
Florence of Worcester reports that King William ravaged Northumbria, but he does not mention that it was actually Odo who carried out the task.
Volume and page of Augustus Le Prevost’s five volume edition of the ‘Historia Ecclesiastica’ (1838–1855).
‘Gesta Regum Anglorum’ (Deeds of the Kings of England).
‘Gesta Pontificum Anglorum’ (Deeds of the Bishops of England).

References: §389
 §321
 §271
 §132
 §277
 §270
 §91