Amieria (Montgomery) de Balliol (abt. 1055 - 1133)

Born about 1055 in Saint Germain de Montgommerie, Normandy, France

Ancestors

Wife of Warin (Warenne) de Loraine — married 1075 in England

Wife of Rainald (Balliol) de Balliol — married 1086 in Bailleul, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France

Died 1133 at about age 78 in Shropshire, England

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Biography

Name

• Amieriam is the the Latin version of her name as it appears in the writing of Orderic Vitalis. ^[1]
• Amieria would be the English language version equivalent. ^[1]
• Aimeria is a variant spelling used by Bridgman. ^[2]
• Emma is sometimes seen as a variant of the name

Parents

Amieria appears first in genealogy as a niece rather than a daughter; Orderic Vitalis describes her as Roger de Montgommery's "Amieriam neptem suam." Cawley notes that "the word "neptis" may indicate a more remote family relationship than niece." ^[1]

Taking a broad view of "neptem" or "neptis" requires seeing Amieria as the daughter of one of Roger's siblings, or one of Roger's wife's siblings, or a more distant relative, so that based on this statement alone, it is impossible to know who her parents are.

Taking a narrow view that Amieria is the daughter of one of Roger's brothers, one can study the brothers and determine which is the most likely to have had a daughter ready for marriage at the right time. Several researchers have determined that Roger's brother Gilbert is the most suitable candidate.

Gilbert was poisoned to death by his wife in 1064 ^[1] so that custody of his children would have devolved to others of his family.

Cawley notes that "Amieria is shown as the daughter of Gilbert in Europäische Stammtafeln, but this may be no more than speculation." ^[1] She is linked here as a daughter of Gilbert, but with the notation that the relationship is uncertain.

1075 First Marriage to Warin the Bald

Amieria's record begins with her marriage. Orderic Vitalis reports that Roger de Montgommery married "Amieriam neptem suam" to "Warino autem Calvo", who was "a man small in body but great in spirit", to whom he granted “præsidatum Scrobesburiæ”. ^[1]

In Cawley's words, "Amiera married first Warin [Guérin] "the Bald/le Chauve", who died between 25 February 1083 and 1086. ^[1]

Bridgman notes that with the marriage came considerable property and that Warin the Bald had greatly assisted Earl Roger in his enterprise in Shropshire. ^[2]

Earl Roger made Warin the Bald the Sheriff of Salop (Shropshire). ^[2]

Date and Place Estimation

From the facts at hand, some estimation of dates can be made. The rule of Roger de Montgomery as Earl of Shropshire did not begin until 1070, so the marriage occurred after 1070. Hugh, the documented child of the marriage, must have been born after the marriage and before Warin's death in the period 1083-1086. Hugh was a child at the time of Warin's death. From this analysis, place the marriage of Amieria and Warin at 1075.

Young women were married early, often reflecting family desires to maintain or acquire wealth, or to reward associates. Therefore estimate that she was no older than 20 at the time of this marriage, which would place her birth in the year 1055. A birth in 1055 would have made her 11 when Gilbert, her plausible father, was poisoned in 1064. If she then grew up in earl Roger's household, her marriage in 1075 would have been his to decide.

Given that an estimated birth year of 1055 occurs prior to the Norman Invasion, it may safely be assumed that she was born on the Continent. If she was Gilbert's daughter, her birth would have occurred in Normandy.

1081 Warin Witnesses Donations to St. Evrouilt

Warin is in Winchester in 1081 when as "Guarinus Vicecomes de Scrobeswburia" he is one of the witnesses to a charter of William the Conqueror to the Abbey of St. Evroult of Uticum (Ouche) in Normandy ^[3] Warin makes specific grants to the Abbey, which are enumerated. ^[2]

Other Donations to Abbeys

A manuscript reciting the foundation of Shrewsbury abbey records donations including by "Warinus vicecomes…in villa…Tugfort" and “uxor…illius post eius obitum…domum…in civitate”, with the consent of "filiis suis". ^[1]

Orderic Vitalis records that “V Kal Mar” in 1083 “Rogerius comes” declared to “Guarinum vicecomitem et Picotem de Saia cæterosque proceres suos” his intention of founding the abbey of Saint-Pierre. ^[1]

1085 Death of Husband

Warin the Sheriff was dead before 1085, leaving his wife Aimeria surviving, and a son and heir Hugh then a minor, ^[2]

Amiera's Grant to Shrewsbury Abbey

The only recorded act of Aimeria during her short widowhood is a grant to Shrewsbury Abbey out of her dower. ^[2]

1086 Second Marriage to Rainald de Bailleul

After Warin's death, Aimeria married Rainald de Bailleul, Sheriff of Salop and Lord of Weston 1096, who was living in 1121. ^[2]

The date of death of Amieria’s first husband and the date of her second marriage is indicated by Domesday Book which records "Raynaldus" as "vicecomes" of Shropshire. ^[1]

Rainald de Bailleul, the husband of Aimeria, was lord of Bailleul-en-Gouffern, a fief within the Forest of Gouffern, which he held under Roger de Montgomery, the Bourg of which was situated about ten miles north-west of the town of Oximae or Exmes, the caput of Roger de Montgomery's Vicomte of the Oximin. ^[2]

The place of marriage is not known. Some undocumented reports show the marriage in Bailleul, of which Rainald was lord. However, since Aimeria was already in Shropshire, and Rainald became sheriff of Shropshire, it would be plausible that they married in Shropshire. The facts are not known.

Cawley notes that Amieria's second marriage is confirmed by a manuscript which recites the history of the foundation of Shrewsbury abbey and records donations including that of "Reginaldus frater Warini vicecomes…villam…Lega", adding in a later passage that "Reinaldus…post mortem Warini vicecomitis uxorem illius, cum honore, suscepit". ^[1]

Cawley states that Amieria married secondly (before 1086) her first husband’s brother, Rainald de Bailleul [Bailleul-en-Gouffern], ^[1] Cawley adds that that Eyton interprets "frater" in this document as meaning "brother-in-law or rather husband of Warin’s widow" but, assuming that the extract quoted above reflects the facts, such an interpretation is unnecessary as Rainald was both Warin’s brother and second husband of Warin’s widow. ^[1] This comment provokes further research into the actual relationship between Rainald and Warin, if any, because marrying within close degrees of consanquinity was strongly discouraged, and a marriage of a woman to two brothers in succession would have occasioned significant notice!

"Rainaldus" donated “Dodefort” to Shrewsbury abbey for the soul of "Warini antecessoris sui". ^[1]

Domesday Book records "Raynaldus" as "vicecomes" of Shropshire. ^[1]

Orderic Vitalis records that “Rogerius...Scrobesburiensis comes” donated properties to Ouche, including confirmation of the donation of “in ecclesia de Bailol altare sancti Leonardi et unam partem decimæ eiusdem villæ cum terra” donated by “Rainaldus de Bailol et Amieria uxor eius neptis mea”, undated but dated to after his second marriage.

Some sites show Amieria's marriage to Rainald as occuring immediately after the Norman Conquest. This sites are apparently unaware of her earlier marriage to Warin the Bald.

Knightley

Aimera also held a fief near Stafford in the Midlands, called "Cbenistelei" in the 1086 Domesday Book, that they renamed "Knightley." Their second son, William, inherited Knightley manor and added "de Knightley" to his name to distinguish his family from his older brother Hugh de Balliol's, who inherited the de Baliol lands and titles under the law of primogeniture.

Rainald makes donation

Orderic Vitalis records that “Rogerius ... Scrobesburiensis comes” donated properties to Ouche, including confirmation of the donation of “in ecclesia de Bailol altare sancti Leonardi et unam partem decimæ eiusdem villæ cum terra” donated by “Rainaldus de Bailol et Amieria uxor eius neptis mea”, undated but dated to after his second marriage. ^[1]

1102 Rebellion against Henry

According to Keats-Rohan, Domesday Descendants books, Rainald and Ameria, had two sons; Rainald who succeeded to the Norman estates, and William (definitely not Knightley) who had died before 1144. The dates of birth are also incorrect if Rainald and Ameria, married about 1086. Of the other two sons, Bernard, is from a totally different family, and I haven't found any trace of Hugh yet. The reason Rainald ceases to be Sheriff, is that the Montgomery's rebelled against Henry I in 1102 and were deprived of their English estates. Rainald as a loyal follower of the Montgomery's probably joined in the rebellion and suffered the same fate.

Rainald must have ceased to be Sheriff in the early 1100s as a manuscript reciting the foundation of Shrewsbury abbey records that "Alanus filius Fladaldi" held “honorem vicecomitis Warini” after "filium eius" ^[1]

Property

The lands and manors, viz Weston, Beighterton (in the parish of Weston), and Newton (in the parish of Blithfield), together with all the great estates which wee held by Rainald de Balgoiole as Vicecomes or Sheriff under Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury and Arundel, had been previously held by Warin the Bald, the first Sheriff of Shropshire, who must therefore be considered the first lord of Weston after the Conquest. ^[2].

The Bridgman study is concerned with the Aimeria's property, which would have first gone to her husband Warin, and then with her to her second marriage to Rainald. She had no children with Rainald, and so the property would have reverted to the king -- unless, it pleased the king to retain Rainald in his role, and unless their was a minor heir of Warin, namely Hugh, who would inherit the property upon his majority. ^[2]

Upon the death of Hugh without issue however, the Weston property appeared in the hands of Rainald's nephew Hamelin de Bailleul. ^[2]

Death

It is not known if Aimera died at Knightley or in Northumberland where her oldest son Hugh lived. Her death was sometime between 1075 (birth of William) and 1100, probably closer to the latter.

Documented Issue

1. Hugh FitzWarin, documented son of Amiera and Warin, was born, say, 1076, assuming his parents marriage in 1075. He would have been born in Shropshire. He was a minor at the time of Warin's death in, say, 1085. Amieria & her first husband had one child: ^[1] Hugh, died between 1102 and 1110. A manuscript reciting the history of the foundation of Shrewsbury abbey records donations including that of "Hugo filius eiusdem Warini". Sheriff of Shropshire. A manuscript reciting the foundation of Shrewsbury abbey records that "Alanus filius Fladaldi" held “honorem vicecomitis Warini” after "filium eius". As the death of Alan FitzFlaald is dated to before 1114, it is assumed that Hugh died early in the 1100s, probably without issue. ^[1] On the death of Warin, a son and heir, Hugh then a minor, survived. He succeeded to his father’s honour and estates in about the year 1102-3, and died soon afterwards without issue. ^[2]
2. Rainald, son of Amiera and Rainald, born, say, 1087 assuming parents' marriage in 1086. Succeeded to the Norman estates. ^[4] . Ameria's profile on Geni asserts that she and Renald had four sons, one of whom was Rainald de Balliol.^[5]
3. William, son of Amiera and Rainald, born, say, 1089, assuming parents' marriage in 1086. Died before 1144. Ameria's profile on Geni asserts that she and Renald had four sons, one of whom was Willem de Balliol.^[5] William, son of Amiera and Rainald, is not William Knightley, who is no longer linked.

Research Notes

Children Claimed by Some Genealogies to be of Amieria

1. Fulk FitzWarin. Some sources show that Amieria de Montgomery had a son, Fulk FitzWarine, There is no documentation for such a son. Bridgman notes that Amieria's property which passed to her first husband, was held in trust by her second husband, and then came to Hugh, as her son, would have passed to Hugh's descendants if there were any, or to Amieria's other children, if there were any, but instead passed into the family of her second husband. ^[2] Other late sources such as Joseph Morris ^[6] show Fulk as a son of Amieria and Warin, but in the absence of any early documentation, he is not linked.
2. Hugh de Balliol, b. 1068. Ameria's profile on Geni asserts that she and Renald had four sons, one of whom was Hugh de Balliol.^[5] The Geni site does not explain whether this Hugh was the same Hugh as Hugh, son of Amieria and Warin, or whether Amieria had two sons Hugh by different fathers.
3. Bernard de Balliol I, b. ca. 1075. Ameria's profile on Geni asserts that she and Renald had four sons, one of whom was Bernard de Balliol.^[5] Atkinson notes that Bernard, is from a totally different family
4. Avelina. Some genealogies state that Amira/Emma remarried to Warin, another Sheriff of Shrewsbury and Shropshire, and that they had a daughter, Avelina, but Avelina's parentage has been shown to be different by modern research. She was the daughter of Ernulf de Hesdin (?-1097) a companion of William the Conqueror. See Ernulf de Hesdin on Wikipedia.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18} Charles Cawley. Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. Medieval Lands Database. Roger Montgomery Accessed December 16, 2017 jhd
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12} Manuscripts of Rev. T. O. Bridgman, compiled by Rev. Earnest R. O. Bridgman and Charles G. O. Bridgman, Esq. History of the Manor and Parish of Weston-under-Lizard, in the County of Stafford The William Salt Archaeological Society, ed. Collections for a History of Staffordshire, London:1899, Volume XX, pages 2-12. Accessed December 15, 2017. jhd
3. ↑ Wikipedia. Abbey of Saint Evroul Accessed December 27, 2017 jhd
4. ↑ Keats-Rohan, Domesday Descendants Books. Research of John Atkinson.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Ameria de Montgomery on Geni.com
6. ↑ Joseph Morris. The Family of Fitz-Warine Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society. Shrewsbury, 1882: Volume V, page 242-243. Accessed December 15, 2017. [[Day-1904|jhd]

See also:

• Early History of the Baliol Family

Acknowledgements

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