Matilda De ALBINI

Other Events:

• AFN: V9V7-BV
• FamilySearch ID: 9CS2-22H
• TitleOfNobility: ; 1st Earl Of Gloucester
• TitleOfNobility: ; Baron of Okehampton
• TitleOfNobility: ; Lord of Okehampton
• Name: Robert (Earl Of Gloucester) DE CAEN
• Name: Robert FITZROY
• Name: Robert FITZROY
• Name: Robert Rufus
• Name: The King's Son
• Occupation: ; Consul
• Reference Number: ems-jw
• MilitaryService: 1119; and fought in the Battle of Bremule where his father defeated Louis VI of France
• MilitaryService: 1122; and led a force to capture Brionne Castle held by rebels in Normandy

Notes:

Robert FitzRoy, 1st Earl of Gloucester (c. 1090 ? 31 October 1147) (alias Robert Rufus, Robert de Caen, Robert Consul) was an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England. He was the half-brother of the Empress Matilda, and her chief military supporter during the civil war known as The Anarchy, in which she vied with Stephen of Blois for the throne of England.
Robert was probably the eldest of Henry's many illegitimate children. He was born before his father's accession to the English throne, either during the reign of his grandfather William the Conqueror or his uncle William Rufus. He is sometimes and erroneously designated as a son of Nest, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, last king of Deheubarth, although his mother has been identified as a member of "the Gay or Gayt family of north Oxfordshire", possibly a daughter of Rainald Gay (fl. 1086) of Hampton Gay and Northbrook Gay in Oxfordshire. Rainald had known issue Robert Gay of Hampton (died c. 1138) and Stephen Gay of Northbrook (died after 1154). A number of Oxfordshire women feature as the mothers of Robert's siblings.

Robert may have been a native of Caen or he may have been only Constable and Governor of that city, jure uxoris.

Robert's father had contracted him in marriage to Mabel FitzHamon, daughter and heir of Robert Fitzhamon, but the marriage was not solemnized until June 1119 at Lisieux. His wife brought him the substantial honours of Gloucester in England and Glamorgan in Wales, and the honours of Sainte-Scholasse-sur-Sarthe and ?vrecy in Normandy, as well as Creully. After the White Ship disaster late in 1120, and probably because of this marriage, in 1121 or 1122 his father created him Earl of Gloucester.

Family
Robert and his wife Mabel FitzHamon married in 1119, and they had seven children:
1. William FitzRobert (c.1121 ? 1183): succeeded his father as 2nd Earl of Gloucester
2. Roger FitzRobert (c. 1123 ? 1179): Bishop of Worcester
3. Hamon FitzRobert, knight (c. 1124 ? 1159): killed at the siege of Toulouse.
4. Richard FitzRobert, Lord of Creully (c. 1125 ? 1175): succeeded his mother as Sire de Creully.
5. Matilda FitzRobert (c. 1126 ? 1189): married in 1143 Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester.
6. Mabel FitzRobert: married Aubrey de Vere
7. Philip FitzRobert, Lord of Cricklade (c. 1130 ? 1148)

He also had four illegitimate children:
1. Richard FitzRobert (died 1142): Bishop of Bayeux [mother: Isabel de Douvres, sister of Richard de Douvres, bishop of Bayeux (1107? 1133)]
2. Robert FitzRobert (died 1170): Castellan of Gloucester, married in 1147 Hawise de Reviers (daughter of Baldwin de Reviers, 1st Earl of Devon and his first wife Adelisa), had daughter Mabel FitzRobert (married firstly Jordan de Chambernon and secondly William de Soliers)
3. Mabel FitzRobert: married Gruffud, Lord of Senghenydd, son of Ifor Bach.
4. Thomas FitzRobert

Relationship with King Stephen
There is evidence in the contemporary source, the Gesta Stephani, that Robert was proposed by some as a candidate for the throne, but his illegitimacy ruled him out:
"Among others came Robert, Earl of Gloucester, son of King Henry, but a bastard, a man of proved talent and admirable wisdom. When he was advised, as the story went, to claim the throne on his father's death, deterred by sounder advice he by no means assented, saying it was fairer to yield it to his sister's son (the future Henry II of England), than presumptuously to arrogate it to himself."
This suggestion cannot have led to any idea that he and Stephen were rivals for the Crown, as Geoffrey of Monmouth in 1136 referred to Robert as one of the 'pillars' of the new King's rule.
The capture of King Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln on 2 February 1141 gave the Empress Matilda the upper hand in her battle for the throne, but by alienating the citizens of London she failed to be crowned Queen. Her forces were defeated at the Rout of Winchester on 14 September 1141, and Robert of Gloucester was captured nearby at Stockbridge.
The two prisoners, King Stephen and Robert of Gloucester, were then exchanged, but by freeing Stephen, the Empress Matilda had given up her best chance of becoming queen. She later returned to France, where she died in 1167, though her son succeeded Stephen as King Henry II in 1154.

Robert of Gloucester died in 1147 at Bristol Castle, where he had previously imprisoned King Stephen, and was buried at St James' Priory, Bristol, which he had founded.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert,_1st_Earl_of_Gloucester

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"Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial & Medieval Families," Douglas Richardson (2013):
"ROBERT FITZ ROY, in right of his wife, of Gloucester, Bristol, Tewkesbury, and Cardiff, seigneur of Creully in Calvados, and Torigny in Manche, Normandy, illegitimate son, probably born about 1090. He witnessed charters of his father the king from about April 1113. He fought at the Battle of Br?mul? in 1119, where his father, King Henry I, defeated King Louis VI of France. He married before 1122 MABEL FITZ ROBERT, daughter and heiress of Robert Fitz Hamon, of Gloucester, Bristol, Tewkesbury, and Cardiff, seigneur of Creully in Calvados, and Torigny in Manche, Normandy, hereditary Governor of Caen, by Sybil, daughter of Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury. They had six sons, William [Earl of Gloucester], Philip, Hamon, Roger [Bishop of Worcester], Richard [seigneur of Creully], and Robert, and two daughters, Maud and Mabel. By an unknown mistress, he also had an illegitimate son, Richard [Bishop of Bayeux]. He was created Earl of Gloucester between June and September 1122. In 1123 he brought a force to assist in the capture of Brionne Castle, which was held by rebellious Norman barons. In 1126 he had the custody of his uncle, Robert, Duke of Normandy, as a prisoner at Bristol, and later at Cardiff. The same year he secured a working relationship with the Welsh-dominated church of south Wales, under its aggressive bishop, Urban. In 1127 he did homage to the Empress Maud, recognizing her as his father's successor in the kingdom. In 1130 he sanctioned the foundation of Neath Abbey. In 1133, following the death of Richard, Bishop of Bayeux, he was sent by his father to Bayeux to enquire as to the fees and services due to the see by its barons, knights, and vavasours. He was present at his father's death at Lions-le-For?t in Dec. 1135, and had 60,000 livres from him, apparently as executor. On Stephen's subsequent accession to the English throne and his recognition as Duke by the Normans, Robert gave up Falaise to his agents, but removed his father's treasure. In March 1136 he returned to England, and after Easter did homage for his English lands. About this time or in the following year he founded St. James's Priory at Bristol. In 1137 he accompanied Stephen to Normandy, but they quarrelled, and next year his English and Welsh estates were forfeited. Thereupon he prepared for war with Stephen and took up the cause of his half-sister, Maud, in Normandy. In Sept. 1139 he landed in England with Maud and took her to Arundel Castle, and became her commander-in-chief in the civil war that ensued. His first significant campaign, once the empress was established in England, was directed at the city of Worcester, which he sacked 7 November 1139. In May 1140 he was delegated by his sister to negotiate at Bath with the king' envoys, but nothing came of the meeting. Later in 1140 he and the Earl of Warwick led a successful raid on Nottingham. In 1141 he and his son-in-law, Ranulph, Earl of Chester, recruited a large army, including a force of Welsh under the kings of Glamorgan and Gwynedd. Their army encountered the king's army near Lincoln and dispersed it, capturing the king himself. The king was removed to Gloucester and then to Bristol, Earl Robert's principal English castle. He subsequently accompanied Maud in her progress to Winchester and London, and when the citizens drove her out, he fled with her to Oxford. He was captured at Stockbridge 14 Sept. 1141, and taken prisoner to Rochester. Shortly afterwards, he was exchanged for King Stephen. In June 1142 Maud sent him over to her husband, Geoffrey of Anjou, to urge him to invade England; Geoffrey declined to help until he had conquered Normandy, whereupon Robert joined him in the campaign. Sometime between 1141-3, probably in June 1142, he signed a treaty friendship with Miles, Earl of Hereford, by which the two men agreed to support each other, especially in the war between King Stephen and Empress Maud. In 1143 he defeated King Stephen at Wilton. In 1144 he blockaded Malmesbury, Stephen refusing to battle; but Maud's party was so much reduced that Stephen was able to take Faringdon, which Robert had fortified. He witnessed a charter of Henry d'Oilly in the period, 1144-47. In the spring of 1147 he took Henry, Maud's son, back to Wareham and sent him over to Anjou. In his last year, probably on his deathbed, he made moves to assist the Cistercians, who were attempting to set up a house in upland Glamorgan; the resultant abbey of Margam counted him as its founder. ROBERT FITZ ROY, 1st Earl of Gloucester, died at Bristol 31 October 1147, and was buried in the Priory church of St. James, BristoL His widow, Mabel, Countess of Gloucester, died 29 Sept. 1157.

Robert married Maud (Mabel) FITZHAMON, Countess Of Glo in Jun 1119 in Lisieux, Calvados, Duchy of Normandy, France. Maud (daughter of Lord Robert FITZHAMON, of Gloucester and Glamorgan and Sybil DE MONTGOMERY) was born in 1090 in Of, Gloucestershire, England; died on 29 Sep 1157 in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England; was buried after 29 Sep 1157 in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• AFN: V9V7-C2
• FamilySearch ID: 9CZC-NNC
• Royal House: ; FitzHamon
• Title (Nobility): ; Countess of Gloucester
• Name: Matilda
• Name: Sibylle

Notes:

Royal Ancestry by Douglas Richardson, Vol. 3 pg 85
... daughter and heiress of Robert Fitz Hamon, of Gloucester, Bristol, Tewksbury, and Cardiff, seigneur of Cruelly in Calvados, and Torigny in Manche, Normandy, hereditary Governor of Caen, by Sybil, daughter of Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury.

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Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
MABEL [Matilda or Sibylle] FitzRobert, daughter & heiress of ROBERT FitzHamon Lord of Glamorgan and Gloucester & his wife Sibylle de Montgomery (-[29 Sep] 1157). The Chronica de Fundatoribus et Fundatione of Tewkesbury Abbey names (in order) "Mabiliam, Hawysiam, Ceciliam, Amisiam" as the four daughters of "Robertum filium Haymonis, dominum de Astramervilla in Normannia", recording that Mabile married Robert Fitzroy. Orderic Vitalis records that "Rodbertus Henrici regis filius" married "Rodberto Haimonis filio...[et] Sibiliam Rogerii comitis filiam...filiam...Mathildem". Robert of Torigny records that "filia Roberti Belismensis" was the mother of "Rogerius Wigornensis episcopus", son of "Robertus comes Gloecestrensis?filius primi Henrici regis Anglorum", clarifying that the bishop's grandfather was "Robertus filius Haimonis dominus de Torigneio". The Annals of Tewkesbury record that "Mabilia comitissa Gloucestri?" died in 1157.

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Wiki (March 2015):
Mabel FitzRobert, Countess of Gloucester (1090 - 29 September 1157) was an Anglo-Norman noblewoman, and a wealthy heiress who brought the lordship of Gloucester, among other prestigious honours to her husband, Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester upon their marriage. He was the illegitimate son of King Henry I of England.

Her father was Robert Fitzhamon, Lord of Gloucester and Glamorgan. As she was the eldest daughter of four, and her younger sisters had become nuns, Mabel inherited all of his honours and properties upon his death in 1107.

As Countess of Gloucester, Mabel was significant politically and she exercised an important administrative role in the lordship.

Mabel was born in Gloucestershire, England in 1090, the eldest of the four daughters of Robert FitzHamon, Lord of Gloucester and Glamorgan, and his wife, Sybil de Montgomery. Her three younger sisters, Hawise, Cecile and Amice all became nuns, making Mabel the sole heiress to her father's lordships and vast estates in England, Wales, and Normandy.

Her paternal grandfather was Hamon, Sheriff of Kent, and her maternal grandparents were Roger de Montgomery, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and Mabel Talvas of Belleme.

In March 1107, her father died in Normandy, leaving his lordships and estates to Mabel. Her mother married secondly Jean, Sire de Raimes.

In 1107, Mabel married Robert of Caen, an illegitimate son of King Henry I by his mistress Sybil Corbet. Their marriage is recorded by Orderic Vitalis who also names her parents. He would later become an important figure during the turbulent period in English history known as The Anarchy which occurred in the reign of King Stephen of England. Throughout the civil war, he was a loyal supporter of his half-sister Empress Matilda who would make him the chief commander of her army. He had originally sworn fealty to King Stephen, but after quarrelling with him in 1137, his English and Welsh possessions were forfeited, and thus he joined forces with Matilda.

Mabel brought to her husband the honours of Gloucester in England, Glamorgan in Wales, Sainte-Scholasse-sur-Sarthe, Evrecy and Creully in Normandy. By right of his wife, he became the 2nd Lord of Glamorgan, and gained possession of her father's castle of Cardiff in Wales. In August 1122, he was created 1st Earl of Gloucester; henceforth, Mabel was styled as Countess of Gloucester.

As countess, Mabel exercised a prominent administrative role in the Gloucester lordship. Her political importance was evident when she was made responsible for seeing that her husband upheld his side of the agreement in the treaty he made with Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford. She also witnessed four of Robert's charters; as well as giving her personal consent for his foundation of the Abbey of Margam, whose endowment came from her own lands. Later, after Robert's death, Mabel assumed control of the honour of Gloucester's Norman lands on behalf of her eldest son William.

Together Robert and Mabel had at least eight children:
William Fitz Robert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester (23 November 1112- 23 November 1183), married Hawise de Beaumont by
whom he had five children, including Isabella of Gloucester, the first wife of King John of England, and Amice FitzRobert,
Countess of Gloucester.
Roger, Bishop of Worcester (died 9 August 1179)
Hamon FitzRobert, (died 1159), killed in the Siege of Toulouse.
Robert FitzRobert of Ilchester (died before 1157), married Hawise de Redvers, by whom he had a daughter Mabel who in
her turn married Jordan de Cambernon.
Richard FitzRobert, Sire de Creully (died 1175), inherited the seigneury of Creully from Mabel, and became the ancestor of
the Sires de Creully. He married the daughter of Hughes de Montfort by whom he had five children.
Philip FitzRobert, (died after 1147), Castellan of Cricklade. He took part in the Second Crusade.
Maud FitzRobert (died 29 July 1190), married Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester by whom she had three children.
Mabel FitzRobert, married Aubrey de Vere

Robert also sired an illegitimate son, Richard, Bishop of Bayeux by Isabel de Douvres.

Mabel's husband died on 31 October 1147. Mabel herself died on 29 September 1157 in Bristol at the age of sixty-seven years.
Countess of Glo