Hugh (Bigod) le Bigod (abt. 1095 - bef. 1177)

Born about 1095 in Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died before 9 Mar 1177 before about age 82 in Norfolk, England

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Biography

Hugh was the 3rd earl of Norfolk overall and 1st of the 2nd creation.^[1]

Quoted from the Medieval Lands project:

"HUGH Bigod, son of ROGER Bigod of Earsham, Suffolk & his [second] wife Adelise de Tosny ([1095]-1177 before 9 Mar). “Willielmus Bigot, dapifer regis Anglorum” donated property to Thetford Priory, for the souls of “patris mei Rogerii Bigoti et matris meæ Adelidis” and for the salvation of “fratris mei Hugonis et sororum mearum”, by undated charter dated to the reign of King Henry I. The Complete Peerage states that he was William´s brother “presumably of the half-blood”, the basis for the statement being explained on the previous page. He succeeded his [half-]brother in 1120 as Lord of Framlingham, Suffolk. "…Hug Bigoto…" subscribed the charter date [3/10] Jun 1123 under which Henry I King of England granted the lands of "Edrici fil Chetelli" to "Walto de Gloec"[806]. King Stephen created him Earl of Norfolk in [Dec 1140/Jan 1141]. The Chronicle of Ralph of Coggeshall records the death in 1177 of "comes Hugo Bigod, vir magnificus". Robert of Torigny records the death in 1177 of "Hugo Bigot comes" and that he was succeeded by "Rogerius filius eius".

"m firstly (annulled) as her first husband, JULIANE de Vere, daughter of AUBREY de Vere Lord of Hedingham & his wife Adelisa de Clare (-after 1185). “Rogerus Bigot comes Norfolchiæ” donated property to Colne priory, for the souls of “Hugone Bigot fratris mei et comitissæ Julianæ matris meæ et Idæ uxoris meæ”, by undated charter, witnessed by “Hugone Bigot filio meo…”. The Rotuli de Dominabus of 1185 records property “Duvercurt” held by “comitissa Juliana…soror comitis Albrici”. She married secondly Walkelin Maminot. The Complete Peerage says that “for the souls of her father and mother and of her husbands Hugh Bigoth and Walkelin Maminot she granted Begham Abbey land in Brockley” but does not quote the original. According to the Complete Peerage, she was still living in 1185, citing a grant by “Juliana comitissa” at Dovercourt to Colne Priory, witnessed by “Alberico comite et Alberico filius eius”, adding “which being notified to Gilbert Bishop of London was not later than 1189”.

Hugh married secondly as her first husband, GUNDRED, daughter of --- (-[1200/08]). Documents show that “Gundred, widow of Hugh Earl of Norfolk”, disputed her husband´s inheritance after his death in favour of her son Hugh. She married secondly, as his second wife, Roger de Glanville. A charter of King Henry II confirmed donations to Bungay Nunnery by “Rogeri de Glanvill et Gundredæ comitissæ uxoris meæ” of property at Bungay. It is probably a safe conclusion that Roger de Glanville´s “countess Gundred” was the widow of the earl of Norfolk as no other countess of this name has been identified at that time in England. According to The Complete Peerage, she was “apparently” Gundred of Warwick, daughter of Roger Earl of Warwick & his wife Gundred de Warenne of Surrey. This parentage is deduced from a charter under which "Willelmus de Lancastre" donated pasture rights in "feodum meum in Lonisdale et in Aumundernesse" to Leicester, St Mary de Pré, with the consent of "Willelmi filii mei et heredis et Gundree uxoris mee", for the souls of "…Gilberti patris mei et Godithe matris mee et Jordani filii mei et Margarete filia Comitisse", by charter dated to [1156/60], witnessed by "Willelmo filio meo et herede, Gundr fil Comitisse…". The Complete Peerage makes the assumption that “Gundrede uxoris mee” and “Comitisse” in this document refer to the same person. A charter of King Henry II which records that “primus Willielmum de Lancaster, baronem de Kendale, qui prius vocabatur de Tailboys” married “Gundredam comitissam Warwic”, certainly suggests that this assumption is probably correct, but the question is not entirely without doubt. However, greater problems arise when attempting to link the supposed daughter of Roger Earl of Warwick with these two marriages. The Complete Peerage cites a series of documents based on which, it suggests, the link is a reasonable assumption. However, on closer examination, the only one of these documents which provides any indication of a connection is the Red Book of the Exchequer, in which the 1166 return of William Earl of Warwick (Gundred´s supposed brother) shows that he had received Bungay (subject of the donation in the charter quoted above) in exchange from the Earl of Leicester. However, this provides only circumstancial evidence regarding the link and, if this is the only indication available, it cannot safely be concluded that the link is proved beyond all doubt. The safest position is therefore to show Gundred´s parentage as unproven.

Earl Hugh & his first wife had one child:

1. ROGER Bigod (-1221 before 2 Aug). Robert of Torigny records the death in 1177 of "Hugo Bigot comes" and that he was succeeded by "Rogerius filius eius". He was recognised as Earl of Norfolk 25 Nov 1189....

Earl Hugh & his second wife had two children:

2. HUGH Bigod . Documents show that “Gundred, widow of Hugh Earl of Norfolk”, disputed her husband´s inheritance after his death in favour of her son Hugh[843]. “Rogerus Bigot comes Norfolchiæ” donated property to Colne priory, for the souls of “Hugone Bigot fratris mei et comitissæ Julianæ matris meæ et Idæ uxoris meæ”, by undated charter, witnessed by “Hugone Bigot filio meo…".

3. WILLIAM Bigod . m MARGARET, daughter and heiress of ROBERT de Sutton, of Bures, Essex & his wife ---. Bracton records a claim, dated 1220, by "Walterus de Verdun" against "abbatem de Meaudona" for "aduocacionem ecclesie de Langedona" granted by "Robertus de Sutton" to "Willelmo de Bigod in maritagium cum filia sua".

Sources

1. ↑ G E Cokayne. Complete Peerage, revised edition, Vol. IX, St Catherine Press, 1936, pp. 579-586, NORFOLK III, viewable on Familysearch

• A. F. Wareham, ‘Bigod, Hugh (I), first earl of Norfolk (d. 1176/7)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
• Medieval Lands
• William Farrer, Charles Travis Clay. Early Yorkshire Charters (Yorkshire Archaeological Society Pub. between 1914 and 1965) Vol. 1, Page 508