Robert Malet
Encyclopedia
Robert Malet was an English/ Norman baron and a close advisor of Henry I
.
, and inherited his father's great honour
of Eye
in 1071. This made him one of the dozen or so greatest landholders in England. According to the Domesday book
he held 221 manors in Suffolk
, 32 in Yorkshire
, 8 in Lincolnshire
, three in Essex, two in Nottinghamshire
, and one in Hampshire
. He also inherited the family property in Normandy
.
From 1070 to 1080 Malet was High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk
, and helped suppress the rebellion of Ralph Wader. Afterwards, he appeared frequently at King William I
's court. All changed with the accession of William II
. By 1094 Malet's English lands had been taken away from him. The reasons are unknown, and no more is known of Malet's activities during William II's reign. Most likely he was in Normandy, and it may be that his falling out with William II was due to his preference for Duke Robert of Normandy in the rivaly between the two brothers.
Malet suddenly reappears three days after the death of William II in 1100, as a witness to Henry I
's coronation charter. He must have been with Henry at the time of William's death, or rushed from Normandy when the word came. In any case, Malet soon regained his office as sheriff of Suffolk, and his honor of Eye. He was a close councilor of the king, and was appointed master chamberlain (probably the first to hold that office).
It used to be thought that Malet had some quarrel with the king, and again lost his lands, on the basis of some statements by Orderic Vitalis
, but most historians now think Orderic confused Malet with his successor William
. Instead it appears he remained in the king's confidence and held his lands until his death. He may have died at the battle of Tinchebrai, though no specific evidence supports this; he may in fact have lived on through 1107.
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...
.
Biography
Malet was the son of William MaletWilliam Malet (Norman conquest)
William Malet is one of the very few proven Companions of William the Conqueror known to have been present at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, as recorded by the contemporary chronicler William of Poitiers...
, and inherited his father's great honour
Honour (land)
In medieval England, an honour could consist of a great lordship, comprising dozens or hundreds of manors. Holders of honours often attempted to preserve the integrity of an honour over time, administering its properties as a unit, maintaining inheritances together, etc.The typical honour had...
of Eye
Eye, Suffolk
Eye is a small market town in the county of Suffolk, East Anglia, England, south of Diss, and on the River Dove.Eye is twinned with the town of Pouzauges in the Vendée Departement of France.-History:An island...
in 1071. This made him one of the dozen or so greatest landholders in England. According to the Domesday book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
he held 221 manors in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, 32 in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, 8 in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, three in Essex, two in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, and one in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. He also inherited the family property in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
.
From 1070 to 1080 Malet was High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk
High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Norfolk and Suffolk. The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown and is appointed annually by the Crown. He was originally the principal law enforcement officer in the county and presided at the Assizes and other important county meetings...
, and helped suppress the rebellion of Ralph Wader. Afterwards, he appeared frequently at King William I
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...
's court. All changed with the accession of William II
William II of England
William II , the third son of William I of England, was King of England from 1087 until 1100, with powers over Normandy, and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales...
. By 1094 Malet's English lands had been taken away from him. The reasons are unknown, and no more is known of Malet's activities during William II's reign. Most likely he was in Normandy, and it may be that his falling out with William II was due to his preference for Duke Robert of Normandy in the rivaly between the two brothers.
Malet suddenly reappears three days after the death of William II in 1100, as a witness to Henry I
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...
's coronation charter. He must have been with Henry at the time of William's death, or rushed from Normandy when the word came. In any case, Malet soon regained his office as sheriff of Suffolk, and his honor of Eye. He was a close councilor of the king, and was appointed master chamberlain (probably the first to hold that office).
It used to be thought that Malet had some quarrel with the king, and again lost his lands, on the basis of some statements by Orderic Vitalis
Orderic Vitalis
Orderic Vitalis was an English chronicler of Norman ancestry who wrote one of the great contemporary chronicles of 11th and 12th century Normandy and Anglo-Norman England. The modern biographer of Henry I of England, C...
, but most historians now think Orderic confused Malet with his successor William
William Malet (land forfeiture)
William Malet was the third of his family to hold the honour of Eye and the lordship of Granville. He was either the younger brother, son, or nephew of Robert Malet, in other words, either a son or grandson of the first William Malet. He forfeited his English lands and was banished sometime...
. Instead it appears he remained in the king's confidence and held his lands until his death. He may have died at the battle of Tinchebrai, though no specific evidence supports this; he may in fact have lived on through 1107.