Geraldus Tancarville (abt. 990 - aft. 1066)

Born about 0990 in Tancarville, Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France

Ancestors

Husband of Hélisende (Unknown) de Tancarville — married before 1008 in St Jean d'Abbetot, le Havre, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France [uncertain]

Descendants

Died after 1066 after about age 76 in Tancarville, Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Rev Daniel Washburn Jones [send private message] and Medieval Project WikiTree [send private message]

Gerald II Tancarville is managed by the Medieval Project. Pre-1500 certified? Join: Medieval Project Discuss: Medieval

Gerald II Tancarville is a member of the House of Tancarville.

"... in the highest ranks of the Anglo-Norman aristocracy, the lords of Tancarville".^[1]

SEIGNEUR GERALDUS II de la VILLE TANCRÉDE le DAPIFER de NORMANDIE et CHÂTELAIN de NEUFMARCHÉ

The name of Tancarville does not appear until the early twelfth century, first shown in a charter in 1103 for Raoul's son, Earl "Willelmus de Tancarvilla".

• Histoire du château et des sires de Tancarville

The Chronique de Normandie, based on le Roman de Rou, names "le sire de Tancarville" among those who took part in the conquest of England in 1066.

Planché

• James R. Planché, in his “The Conqueror and his Companions” writes:

”the Grandfather of Urso (Vicecomes/the Sheriff) and Robertus (Dispensator/the Bursar) was one Gerold (sic), Sieur de Tancarville. The overall lordship (seigneurie principale) of Tancarville embraced a number of smaller estates (manors, ‘domaines’) of which the lesser 'seigneurie’ of St. Jean d’Abbetot (sic) constituted one such holding. Gerold also held the hereditary appointment of Chamberlain at the Ducal court; that is, “head of the central revenue ‘chamber’ or office”.

Medieval Lands

• by Charles Cawley:

Update: Cawley has finally moved Gerald from "OTHER NORMAN NOBLILITY" to the head of "SEIGNEURS de TANCARVILLE", now shown as father to Raoul. This is a step forward.

GERAUD . m ---. Géraud & his wife had one child:

• RAOUL . Chambellan de Normandie.

A charter dated to [1034] records that “Hunfridus de Vetulis” donated property to Préaux Saint-Pierre, noting the presence of “...Radulfus camberarius filius Geraldi...”.^[2]

"… Radulfus camberarius filius Geraldi…" are named as present in the charter dated 1035 under which "Willelmus adhuc puerulus…Roberti comitis filius" donated "Turstini villa" to the abbey of Préaux".

Châtelain de Neufmarché. Orderic Vitalis records that Guillaume Duke of Normandy expelled "Belvacenses" from "castrum…Novus-Mercatus" and granted it to "Geroldo dapifero", dated to c. 1061/66.

another charter that appears to be related to the above:

"…Gerald de Neufmarché…" (Giraldi di Novomercato), subscribed the charter dated Apr 1067 under which "Willelmus…dux Normannorum…Anglorum rex" confirmed rights to the abbey of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire.

GERAUD (-after 1066). Dapifer. The Brevis Relatio de Origine Willelmi Conquestoris records that "Geraldo dapifero" contributed 40 ships towards the invasion of England in 1066.

This last recorded event is, I believe, key to the identification of the two Gerolds that Planché suggests below. We know at this moment, that we don't yet have the correct b. date for Gerold de Roumare (currently showing as bef. 1035), which would make him old enough to have donated the church recorded in the charter dated to bef. Aug 1067, on his profile, but unlikely to be yet of the means to have contributed 40 ships to the Conqueror.

The COUNTS of TANCARVILLE: by J.R. Planché

No identification of this noble Norman has yet been made by any of the commentators on the "Roman de Rou," in which alone we find such a personage included in the list of the followers of the Duke of Normandy. Mr. Taylor says, "M. le Prévost rather inconclusively observes that Ralph, William's guardian, was too old and his children too young to be engaged," and adds, "Ralph's age is hardly itself a competent contradiction to Wace's statement; for his charter giving the Church of Mireville to Jumièges shows that he was living in 1079. William, his son and successor as Chamberlain, so appears in 1082." I certainly do not share the opinion of Le Prévost, and am at a loss to know where he found that Ralph, the Chamberlain of Tancarville, was guardian to Duke William. I have just mentioned this Ralph as the supposed brother of Gerold de Roumare and uncle of the William de Roumare I believe to have been at Hastings. Ralph was hereditary chamberlain of Normandy; but which of his family had first exercised that office is at present unknown.

The small Church of St. George, in the village of that name in the forest of Roumare, first endowed by Duke William, was subsequently rebuilt by Ralph, who is styled by the Duke in his charter of confirmation, “Meus magister Aulaque et Camera mea princeps.” (“My major-domo or master of the household and first chamberlain.”) Ralph also had the church re-decorated, and confirmed the grant which his father, Geraldus, and his brothers had given to St. George. A brother of Ralph, named Giraldus, was also an officer of William's household; and it was "Coram Giraldo Dapifer meo" that William, while yet Duke of the Normans, ratified a convention between Hugh de Pavilly and the Canons of St. George, the witnesses being the same Giraldus and Robert his son.

Now we have here two Gerolds, one who simply styles himself "a soldier of Christ," and the other the Dapifer (steward or seneschal) of William, King of the English. We also find one of these Gerolds rejoicing in two wives, named Albreda and Emicia, and who has a son, Robert, by the first. The other Gerold had a wife named Helisendis. Whether they were both Gerolds of Roumare; how they were connected; which was the father of Roger de Roumare, and which of Ralph the Chamberlain, has yet to be distinctly proved. The names of Gerald, Robert, Ralph, and William were much too common at that period to be of themselves sufficient identification; but that the chamberlain of Tancarville or Tankerville mentioned by Wace was Ralph, the son of Gerold and father of William the Chamberlain, I think cannot reasonably be doubted.

Military Service

He fought at Hastings with William the Conqueror, Hastings, Sussex, England

Sources

1. ↑ Colonial England, 1066-1215, by J. C. Holt, p. 228
2. ↑ Gallia Christiana, Tome XI, Instrumenta, col. 199.

• Medieval Lands - SEIGNEURS de TANCARVILLE

• Medieval Lands - OTHER NOBILITY in NORMANDY

• Medieval Lands - EARLS of LINCOLN 1141-1198 - ROUMARE

• Brevis Relatio de Origine Willelmi Conquestoris, p. 22

• Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, LXXVIII, p. 203.

• Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum (1913), Vol. I, 6a, p. 2.

• The Counts of TANCARVILLE: by J.R. Planché

• The Battle Abbey Roll with Some Accounts of the Norman Lineages, by Duchess of Cleveland, publ. 1889 by John Murray, London, England. Battle Abbey Roll - Tankeruile

• Phillips, Weber, Kirk and Staggs Families of the Pacific Northwest, by Jim Weber, on Rootsweb.com

• Histoire du château et des sires de Tancarville" by Achille Deville, N. Périaux, 1834 - Histoire de Tancarville

Acknowledgements

• Chester Southworth Washburn & Family Rev. Daniel Washburn Jones