William le Gros, 1st Earl of Albemarle
Encyclopedia
William le Gros was the Count of Aumale (Earl of Albemarle), Earl of York
, and Lord of Holderness. He was the eldest son of Stephen, Count of Aumale, and his spouse, Hawise, daughter of Ralph de Mortimer of Wigmore.
William witnessed two charters of King Stephen
in 1136, where he is recorded as Willelmus de Albamarla, but not being placed among the comites.
He distinguished himself at the battle of the Standard
in 1138, and was made Earl of Yorkshire (excludes Richmondshire) as his reward. He was with King Stephen
in his defeat at Lincoln
on 2 February 1141. He founded the Abbey
of Meaux
in 1150.
His Scarborough Castle
was forfeited to King Henry II of England
as a result of unauthorised construction during The Anarchy
.
He married Cicely, Lady of Skipton, the daughter and co-heir of William Fitz-Duncan by his spouse Alice, Lady of Skipton, daughter of William le Meschin, Lord of Copeland.
He was interred within the Abbey of Thornton
, Lincolnshire
, which he had founded in 1139.
Dying without male issue, the Earl of York left a daughter, Heiress Hawise (d. 11 March 1214) who succeeded her father in the Comte of Aumale and Lordship of Holderness. Sodbury was inherited by his nephew William Crassus
(or le Gros). Hawise married thrice, of whom (1) 14 January 1180, William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
, who thereby became Count of Aumale. He died without issue on 14 January 1189, and she remarried (2) after 3 July 1190, the crusader William de Forz
(d.1195), who thereby became Count of Aumale, by whom she had her heir and successor.
Earl of York
The title Earl of York or Yorkshire was created twice in the Kingdom of England before the title Duke of York was granted to Edmund of Langley, the fourth surviving son of King Edward III, in 1348....
, and Lord of Holderness. He was the eldest son of Stephen, Count of Aumale, and his spouse, Hawise, daughter of Ralph de Mortimer of Wigmore.
William witnessed two charters of King Stephen
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...
in 1136, where he is recorded as Willelmus de Albamarla, but not being placed among the comites.
He distinguished himself at the battle of the Standard
Battle of the Standard
The Battle of the Standard, sometimes called the Battle of Northallerton, in which English forces repelled a Scottish army, took place on 22 August 1138 on Cowton Moor near Northallerton in Yorkshire. The Scottish forces were led by King David I of Scotland...
in 1138, and was made Earl of Yorkshire (excludes Richmondshire) as his reward. He was with King Stephen
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...
in his defeat at Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
on 2 February 1141. He founded the Abbey
Meaux Abbey
Meaux Abbey was a Cistercian Abbey founded in 1151 by William le Gros, 1st Earl of Albemarle , Earl of York and 4th lord of Holderness, near Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire....
of Meaux
Meaux, East Riding of Yorkshire
Meaux is a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is about north of Hull city centre and east of Beverley.Meaux is part of the civil parish of Wawne.Meaux Abbey was a Cistercian Abbey near Meaux....
in 1150.
His Scarborough Castle
Scarborough Castle
Scarborough Castle is a former medieval Royal fortress situated on a rocky promontory overlooking the North Sea and Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England...
was forfeited to King Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
as a result of unauthorised construction during The Anarchy
The Anarchy
The Anarchy or The Nineteen-Year Winter was a period of English history during the reign of King Stephen, which was characterised by civil war and unsettled government...
.
He married Cicely, Lady of Skipton, the daughter and co-heir of William Fitz-Duncan by his spouse Alice, Lady of Skipton, daughter of William le Meschin, Lord of Copeland.
He was interred within the Abbey of Thornton
Thornton Abbey
Thornton Abbey was founded as a priory in 1139 by William le Gros, the Earl of Yorkshire, and raised to the status of Abbey in 1148. It was a house for Augustinian or black canons. These priests lived a communal life under the Rule of St Augustine but also undertook pastoral duties outside of the...
, 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...
, which he had founded in 1139.
Dying without male issue, the Earl of York left a daughter, Heiress Hawise (d. 11 March 1214) who succeeded her father in the Comte of Aumale and Lordship of Holderness. Sodbury was inherited by his nephew William Crassus
William Crassus
William Crassus, or Le Gros , was the son of Stephen Le Gros. William was from an Anglo-Norman baronial family long established in central Normandy. He inherited Sodbury from his uncle, William le Gros, 1st Earl of Albemarle, primo-genitus...
(or le Gros). Hawise married thrice, of whom (1) 14 January 1180, William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex was a loyal councilor of Henry II and Richard I of England.He was the second son of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex and Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex. After his father's death while in rebellion , William grew up at the court of the Count of...
, who thereby became Count of Aumale. He died without issue on 14 January 1189, and she remarried (2) after 3 July 1190, the crusader William de Forz
William de Fortibus
William I de Forz was a minor Anglo-Norman noble, from Fors in Poitou. He became jure uxoris 2nd Earl of Albemarle following his marriage to Hawise, sole heiress of William le Gros, 1st Earl of Albemarle....
(d.1195), who thereby became Count of Aumale, by whom she had her heir and successor.