Adela of Normandy
Encyclopedia
- also Adelaide of NormandyAdelaide of NormandyAdelaide of Normandy was the sister of William the Conqueror.She was the daughter of Robert the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy. Different chroniclers writing in the Gesta Normannorum Ducum call her sister of William the Conqueror either by the same mother or by different mothers...
sister of William I of EnglandWilliam I of EnglandWilliam I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
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Adela of Normandy also known as Adela of Blois and Adela of England (c. 1062 or 1067 – 8 March 1137?) was, by marriage, Countess of Blois
Blois
Blois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
, Chartres
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
, and Meaux
Meaux
Meaux is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located east-northeast from the center of Paris. Meaux is a sub-prefecture of the department and the seat of an arondissement...
. She was a daughter of William the Conqueror
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
and Matilda of Flanders
Matilda of Flanders
Matilda of Flanders was the wife of William the Conqueror and, as such, Queen consort of the Kingdom of England. She bore William nine/ten children, including two kings, William II and Henry I.-Marriage:...
. She was also the mother of Stephen, King of England
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
and Henry of Blois
Henry of Blois
Henry of Blois , often known as Henry of Winchester, was Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey from 1126, and Bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death.-Early life and education:...
, Bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
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Family
Her birthdate is generally believed to have been between 1060 and 1064; however, there is some evidence she was born after her father's accession to the EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
throne in 1066. She was the favourite sister of King Henry I of England
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
; they were probably the youngest of the Conqueror's children. Adela was a high-spirited and educated woman, with a knowledge of Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
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Marriage
She married Stephen HenryStephen II, Count of Blois
Stephen II Henry , Count of Blois and Count of Chartres, was the son of Theobald III, count of Blois, and Garsinde du Maine. He married Adela of Normandy, a daughter of William the Conqueror around 1080 in Chartres...
, son and heir to the count of Blois
Count of Blois
The County of Blois was originally centred on Blois, south of Paris, France. One of the chief cities, along with Blois itself, was Chartres. Blois was associated with Champagne, Châtillon , and later with the French royal family, to whom the county passed in 1391...
, sometime between 1080 and 1084, probably in 1083. Stephen inherited Blois, Chartres and Meaux in 1089, and owned over 300 properties, making him one of the wealthiest men of his day. He was a pious and revered leader who managed huge areas of France which he inherited from his father and added to by his sharp administrations. He was, essentially a king in his own right. Stephen-Henry joined the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
, along with his brother-in-law Robert Curthose. Stephen's letters to Adela form a uniquely intimate insight into the experiences of the Crusade's leaders. The Count of Blois returned to France in 1100 bringing with him several cartloads of maps, jewels and other treasures, which he deposited at Chartres. He was, however, under an obligation to the pope for agreements made years earlier and returned to Antioch to participate in the crusade of 1101
Crusade of 1101
The Crusade of 1101 was a minor crusade of three separate movements, organized in 1100 and 1101 in the successful aftermath of the First Crusade. It is also called the Crusade of the Faint-Hearted due to the number of participants who joined this crusade after having turned back from the First...
. He was ultimately killed in an ill-advised charge at the Battle of Ramla
Battle of Ramla (1102)
The second Battle of Ramla took place on 17 May 1102 between the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Fatimids of Egypt.-Background:...
. There are many rumors of his cowardice and defection under fire, though some claim these rumors to be the fabrication of later historians. Stephen-Henry was often referred to as "le Sage," and was a great patron of Troubadours and writers.
Issue
Adela and Stephen's children are listed here as follows. Their birth order is uncertain.- William, Count of SullyWilliam, Count of SullyWilliam, Count of Sully, also known as William the Simple was Count of Blois and Count of Chartres from 1102 to 1107, and jure uxoris Count of Sully. William was the eldest son of Stephen-Henry, Count of Blois and Adela of Normandy, daughter of William the Conqueror...
married Agnes of Sully (d. aft 1104) and had issue - Odo of Blois, aka Humbert. died young
- Theobald II, aka Thibaud IV Count of Champagne
- Lithuise of BloisLithuise of BloisLithuise of Blois was born in Blois, Centre, Loir-et-Cher, France to Stephen Henry and Adela of Normandy. She is also known as Adela. She was married Milo I of Montlhéry. Their marriage was a result of a treaty negotiated by Lithuise's mother, Adela of Normandy. Milo was to support Adela...
(d. 1118) married Milo I of MontlhéryMilo I of MontlhéryMilo I the Great was lord of Montlhéry from 1095 until his death. He was the son of Guy I of Montlhéry and Hodierna of Gometz.The identify of his first wife is unknown. His second wife was Lithuise, daughter of Stephen, Count of Blois...
(Divorced 1115) - Stephen of BloisStephen of EnglandStephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
{King of England} - Lucia-MahautLucia-MahautLucia-Mahaut of Blois , known as Matilda or Maud, was daughter to Stephen, Count of Blois and Adela of Normandy. She was married to Richard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester. Both she and her husband joined William Adelin, heir to King Henry I of England aboard the White Ship...
, married Richard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of ChesterRichard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of ChesterRichard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester was the son of Hugh, 1st Earl of Chester and Ermentrude of Clermont.-Early life:...
. Both drowned on 25 November 1120 - Philip (d. 1100) Bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne
- Agnes of Blois, married Hugh de Puiset and were parents to Hugh de PuisetHugh de PuisetHugh de Puiset was a medieval Bishop of Durham and Chief Justiciar of England under King Richard I. He was the nephew of King Stephen of England and Henry of Blois, who both assisted Hugh's ecclesiastical career...
- Alix of Blois (d. 1145) married Renaud III of Joigni (d.1134) & had issue
- Eléonore of BloisEléonore of BloisEleanor of Blois was a daughter of Stephen II, Count of Blois, and of Adela of Normandy. She married Raoul I of Vermandois and became mother of Hugh II of Vermandois , count of Vermandois and of Valois, then monk in 1160...
(d. 1147) married Raoul I of Vermandois (d.1152) & had issue they were divorced in 1142 - Henry of BloisHenry of BloisHenry of Blois , often known as Henry of Winchester, was Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey from 1126, and Bishop of Winchester from 1129 to his death.-Early life and education:...
b.1101- d. 1171 oblate child raised at Cherite sur Loire (Cluny Abbey) 1103
Regent
Adela filled in as regent for her husband's duties during his extended absence as a leader of the First CrusadeFirst Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
(1095–1098). He returned to Blois and ruled his vast holdings until he was asked to fulfill an earlier pledge to defend Jerusalem. He was killed in an ill-advised battle charge at Ramalah in 1101 during this second expedition. Adela again acted as regent after her husband's death. Orderic Vitalis praises her as a "wise and spirited woman" who ably governed her husband's estates and her own. Her combined estates in 1102-1110 nearly exceeded the wealth of the King of France at that time.
Adela, a devout Benedictine sympathizer, employed several high-ranking tutors to educate her children including troubadour poets, as well as Peter Abelard and Peter of Morlait. Her youngest son, Henry, was conceived during the single year Stephen was in France between crusading duties. At two years of age Henry was pledged to the Church at Cluny, Chreit sur Loire as an Oblate child. Henry turned out to be a great genius, who went on to be appointed Abbot of Glastonbury and Bishop of Winchester which eventually made him far more powerful than the king and wealthier than anyone in England. In that capacity he sponsored hundreds of constructions including bridges, canals, palaces, forts, castles and whole villages. In addition, Bishop Henry built dozens of abbeys and chapels and sponsored books including the treasured Winchester Bible
Winchester Bible
The Winchester Bible is a Romanesque illuminated manuscript produced in Winchester between 1160 and 1175. With folios measuring 583 x 396 mm., it is the largest surviving 12th-century English Bible...
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Adela quarrelled with her eldest son William, who was described by unsympathetic authors, as: "deficient in intelligence as well as degenerate". Recent research indicates that he was boisterous and prone to violent bouts of temper but was not degenerate or retarded. Adela appointed his younger brother Theobald to replace him as heir in 1107. Her son Stephen moved to London in 1111 to join his uncle's court and became the favorite of his uncle King Henry I (Beauclerc). Upon Beauclerc's death in Normandy (1135), Stephen of Blois seized the English throne. He was crowned King when his cousin Empress Matilda failed to act quickly. This action led to numerous battles and an era known as "The Anarchy."
Adela retired to Marcigny Convent in 1120. Later that same year, her daughter Lucia-Mahaut
Lucia-Mahaut
Lucia-Mahaut of Blois , known as Matilda or Maud, was daughter to Stephen, Count of Blois and Adela of Normandy. She was married to Richard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester. Both she and her husband joined William Adelin, heir to King Henry I of England aboard the White Ship...
, was drowned in the wreck of the White Ship
White Ship
The White Ship was a vessel that sank in the English Channel near the Normandy coast off Barfleur, on 25 November 1120. Only one of those aboard survived. Those who drowned included William Adelin, the only surviving legitimate son and heir of King Henry I of England...
alongside her husband. Adela lived long enough to see her son Stephen on the English throne, and took pride in the ascension of her youngest child Henry Blois to the bishopric of Winchester. She died on 8 March 1137 in Marsilly, Poitou-Charentes, France.
In fiction
Adela was portrayed by Nike Arrighi in the two-part BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV play Conquest (1966), about her father's conquest of England, part of the series Theatre 625
Theatre 625
Theatre 625 is a British television drama anthology series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC2 from 1964 to 1968. It was one of the first regular programmes in the line-up of the channel, and the title referred to its production and transmission being in the higher-definition 625-line...
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