1. Ribauld de Chateauneuf, Lord of Brezolles, Regemallard, Sorel, Fontaine-le-Riboux (to which he gave his name), who held considerable land in Dreux, with him sometimes being named Ribauld de Dreux.

1.1. “Fidelismus Alberius filius Ribaldi, Nobilissimi viri”; or “Nobilissimi Ribaldi filius”, named as such in a charter of St. Pere, in which he donated the Church of St. Germain de Brezolles, his father’s foundation.

In 1060, another lord of this region, Gazo (Gaston de Chateauneuf) founded a priory on the left bank of the Eure in Croth, given to the abbey Of Marmoutier. Gaston was the son of Raoul le Barbu (father -in-law of William Crispin II. (this marriage being a French/Norman peace treaty), and succeeded in establishing himself at Chateauneuf-de-Thymerais. He founded the family of Châteauneuf, and held the seigneury of Brézolles (c. 1060) at the death of Albert Ribaud. His foundation of the priory of Croth was approved by Hugues Bardoul, his lord. The Charter was confirmed by the King Philip I.

On the right bank of the Eure, opposite Croth, Gaston was established at Sorel, where his son Hugh de Châteauneuf (c. 1078) met with those who opposed Robert Courteheuse, then in revolt against his father, William the Conqueror.

Hugh de Châteauneuf’s feudal rights extended as far as Anet, as is shown by a charter of Saint-Père relating to land at Cussay. Under the authority of Gaston de Châteauneuf, the abbey of Saint-Père made the church of Saint-Georges-de Brezolles into a priory.

“Le plus ancien seigneur connu de Rosny fut Raoul, dit le Barbu, Radulfus malus vicinus cognomento ad barbam, comme il s’appelle lui-même dans une charte sans date qu’il donna à l’abbaye de Coulomb et dans laquelle il mentionne la présence de ses fils : Robert, Raoul, Guiard et Guerrie (Duchesne, Extrait de Coulomb; Bibl. nat., collection Baluze, I. XXXVIII, fo 27.). Orderic Vital raconte que ce furent les ravages que ce Raoul Mauvoisin et les autres chevaliers de Mantes avaient exercés au delà de l’Eure, dans le diocèse d’Evreux, qui attirèrent sur cette ville la colère de Guillaume le Conquérant qui la réduisit en cendres en 1087, et y mourut en traversant ses débris encore fumants (Ord. Vital, liv. VII. chap. II.). Raoul le Barbu eut pour successeur l’un de ses fils, Gui Ier Mauvoisin, qui en 1119 était l’un des alliés d’Amaury de Montfort disputant, les armes à la main, à Henri, roi d’Angleterre, le comté d’Evreux qui lui appartenait de droit héréditaire (Ord. Vital, livre XII, chap. vi.)”. (See Auguste Moutié, Chevreuse: Chatelains, barons et ducs, p. 234, 1876).

Amaury de Montfort was a cousin of the Crispins, William Crispin I., father of William Crispin II., and son of Gilbert Crispin I., having married Eve de Montfort. William Crispin III., son of William Crispin II., fought on the side of Amaury de Montfort at the battle of Bremule, nearly slaying Henry I., who was only saved by the quality of his armour.

A gift of his rights over Verneuil by a certain Richard was made in the consent of Gilbert Crispin I., Lord of Tillières, whose close connections with Albert’s family is demonstrated: Garin de Rémalart also gave his assent, connecting the area of Verneuil with the familia of Chateauneuf. This act shows the complexity of interpreting data of this time. Was land passed to those related, or conferred by the ducal family? Both. In this regard, there is no proof that Gaston de Chateauneuf was related to Albert Ribaud.

Gilbert Crispin II. and his wife, Hersende, named a son Ribaud, suggesting that she was of Albert Ribaud’s family.

Hugh de Châteauneuf confirmed a donation of Gilbert Crispin II. to Bec of land at Brezolles.

Gilbert Crispin I. almost certainly married Gunnora d’Anet, daughter (on chronological grounds) of Foulques d’Anet, son of Osmund de Centville, son of Osborn de Crépon and Emma, daughter of Raoul d’Ivri (Count Rodolph), uterine brother of Duke Richard I. There is no proof that Osmund de Centville was related to an earlier personage of that name.

This identification of Gilbert’s wife answers M. Le Prevost’s statement that there was an apparent association between the Crispin and FitzOsborn family, without the basis of that association being known. ‘Nous ignorons à quel titre Gislebert Crespin etait appele à ratifier cette donation; mais nous supposons que ce pouvait être à raison de quelque alliance avec la famille d’Ivri, dont le souvenir est perdu (‘Ordericus Vitalis’, ed. le Prevost et. al., p. 398, 1840).

The son of Raoul d’Ivri, Hugh, Bishop of Bayeux, succeeded him after 1015. Much of his vast possessions passed to the son of his brother-in-law, Osbern de Crépon. It was Osborn’s son, William FitzOsbern, the Conqueror’s seneschal, who established the honor of Breteuil, including possessions from Breteuil-sur-Iton (Eure) to Pacy.

Land once held by Hugh, Bishop of Bayeux devolved to the (Ivri) kinsmen William FitzOsbern and Gilbert CrIspin I., who died in the time of Abbot Herluin (Milo Crispin), who died August 26, 1078.

An illigitimate daughter of Hugh, Bishop of Bayeux, Aubree, m. (1) Robert d’Ivry; their son was probably Raoul de la Cunelle (‘Rodulfus de Cunella‘); an (Ivri) kinsman of the Crispins, which explains why Ralph de la Cunelle was their vassal. Gunnor d’Anet and Ralph de la Cunelle were first cousins, once removed. It is said that Auberée married (2) Albert de Cravent, and was mother of his children, which is chronologically problematic, though not impossible. She may have been Albert’s second wife.

Raoul de la Cunelle’s name was taken from Thimerais, wherein Chateauneuff, a pun being “wild thyme” (Cunelle), which is a different orthography from the Anglo-Saxon Cnoll (Knoll) and other derivatives, meaning a hill, summit; an extremely common source of toponyms in England. Cunelle or Quenele was in Boissi-sur-Damville, the Crispin fief, held under the “de Brionne” family.
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