Monthly Archives: August 2017

The motivations given for people to emigrate to Virginia often include those of economic gain and escape from the stifling English class system; the latter leading to the former. A motivation of a starker kind was an escape from political … Continue reading →

1. Torf. According to Robert of Torigny (GND, viii. c. 37), Torf was the father of Turold and Turchetil (see also OV ii. 12). It is wrongly assumed that this Turchetil was a forefather of the Harcourts; he died childless, … Continue reading →

1. Nigel de Gresley (Nigel de Torp), tenant of Henry de Ferrers in 1086. He was possibly Nigellus Camerarius, the chamberlain of earl Roger de Poictou, 1.1. William FitzNigel. Greisley juxta pontem de Burton, in the deanery of Repindon, was … Continue reading →

1. Ranulf, the Moneyer. 1.1. Waleran fitz Ranulf, sold mill at Vains in 1061, sold land at Caen and mill at Amblie in 1066. 1.1.1. John fitz Waleran. 1.1.1.1. Juliana ‘filia John fitz Waleran’, of of Herstmonceux and Warberton, Sussex, … Continue reading →

The wise men of old sometimes pointed in the general direction when trying to make sense of relationships between families, but they tended to take a more direct route than was the fact, and this was probably the case when … Continue reading →

The following list consists of those families that intermarried with the Harris family of Nunney/Mells (left column), and of those families that intermarried with them – a grid of cousinship – which may be a very general guide to some … Continue reading →

More than any other feature of their lives, I suggest, the issue of arranging marriages for political and economic gain was paramount to the Norman elite. The example of the Montforts L’Amaury evidences this. It was not always the case … Continue reading →

1. Count Hilduin (Herluin) II. of Montdidier. 1.1. Count Manasses de Dammartin, sp. “Constance” (possibly de Capetian); killed in battle at Ornel, October 15, 1037.(Mon. Germ. Script., viii). Robert II. King of France confirmed the donation of “Manasses comes” to … Continue reading →