William (Aumale) le Gros (abt. 1110 - 1179)

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 Aug 1179 at about age 69 in Lincolnshire, England

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Biography

William (Aumale) le Gros is Notable.

William was the son of Stephen, count of Aumale, and Hawisa, the daughter of Ralph de Mortimer of Wigmore. William had at least two brothers and four sisters. His wife, Cecily de Rumilly, a daughter of William fitz Duncan and Alice de Rumilly, is said to have been given in marriage by Henry II. William may have had a previous wife who is stated to have left him for another earl. Cecily inherited the honours of Skipton and Copeland, and with William had a daughter, Hawisa.

By 1129–-30, William was in possession of his father's estate and may then already have begun to use the title count of Aumale. He was entrusted by King Stephen with the city of York, and was one of the leaders of the English army at the battle of the Standard on 22 August 1138. He was then an energetic young man, possessed of military ability and an outstandingly courageous spirit.

William was a considerable benefactor of the church. He founded the priory (later abbey) at Thornton (1139) and the abbeys of Bytham (1147) and Meaux (1151), and co-founded North Ormsby Priory (1148–54). He made the house of St Martin-d'Auchy at Aumale into an abbey, and was a benefactor of the houses of St Bees, Bridlington, Nun Cotham, Pontefract, St Leonard's Hospital (York), St Nicholas (Exeter), and Whitby.

William died on 20 August 1179 and was buried at Thornton Abbey. He was succeeded by his daughter Hawisa.

Sources

• The Phillips, Weber, Kirk, & Staggs families of the Pacific Northwest, Jim Weber, rootsweb.com

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

• Transactions of the East Riding Antiquarian Society (William Andrews & Co., The Hull Press., 1893-1907) Vol. 1, Page 4

• Wikipedia: William le Gros, Earl of York

• Wikidata: Item Q1378004, en:Wikipedia