Genealogy Richard Bush » Fulbert of Falaise (± 978-1026)

Personal data Fulbert of Falaise 

• Alternative names: F Falaise, Fulbert de Falaise, Fulbert "The Tanner" de Falaise, Fulbert de Falsie
• He was born about 978 in Falaise, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France.Source 2
• (LifeSketch) : Fulbert of Falaise From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to nav.
• (LifeSketch) : We know nothing about him - maybe!! the father of Herleva !! We kno.
• He died in the year 1026 in Falaise, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France.
• Alternative: He died in the year 1022 in Normandy, France.Source 1
• Alternative: He died about 1022 in Normandy, France.Source 2
• A child of Earl Thorgils "Sprakaleg" and Dau Sigrid

Household of Fulbert of Falaise

He is married to Duxia de Falaise.

They got married in the year 1005 at Falaise, Normandie, France.

Child(ren):

1. Herleve of Falaise  1006-1050 

Notes about Fulbert of Falaise

Fulbert of Falaise (fl. 11th century) was the father of Herleva, mother of the illegitimate William the Conqueror, the 11th-century Duke of Normandy and King of England. The Walter of Falaise named by Orderic Vitalis is likely a son.

Fulbert has traditionally been held to be a tanner, based on translations of Orderic's additions to the Gesta Normannorum Ducum. He writes that during the siege of Alençon (1051-2), the natives had been mutilated by William after they called him a pelliciarius (pelterer), because his mother's kinsmen had been pollinctores (corpse preparers). One later poetic source interpreted the occupation to be that of tailor, but in part due to flawed transcripts of the original, many historians have concluded he was a tanner.[1] Others have favoured a more literal reading, that Herleva's family had been undertakers or embalmers.[2]

Orderic also added to the Gesta that Fulbert served as the Duke's chamberlain (cubicularii ducis).[3] It has been suggested that this occurred after William's birth.[4] Perhaps linking Orderic's two additions, contemporary practice made the chamberlain one of the persons responsible for burials.[5]

HERLEVE [Arlette], daughter of FULBERT [de Falaise] & his wife Doda [Duwa] ---. Guillaume de Jumièges names "Herlève fille le Fulbert valet de chamber du duc" as mother of Duke Guillaume II, recording that "un certain Herluin, brave chevalier, prit Herlève pour femme" after the death of Duke Robert[199]. Orderic Vitalis calls her "Duke Robert's concubine", and records her marriage, referring to her husband as stepfather to Duke Guillaume[200]. The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines refers to the mother of Duke Guillaume as "filia…Herbertus pelliparius et uxor eius Doda sive Duwa", specifying that they were from Chaumont in the diocese of Liège but moved to Falaise but that others said they were from Huy, and refers to her marriage to "Herlewino de Vado comitis"

Robert de Torigny names "Aeliz" as daughter of Duke Robert II"de alia concubina" from Herleve[198]. The name of Duke Robert's first mistress is not known. Mistress (2): HERLEVE [Arlette], daughter of FULBERT [de Falaise] & his wife Doda [Duwa] ---. Guillaume de Jumièges names "Herlève fille le Fulbert valet de chamber du duc" as mother of Duke Guillaume II, recording that "un certain Herluin, brave chevalier, prit Herlève pour femme" after the death of Duke Robert[199]. Orderic Vitalis calls her "Duke Robert's concubine", and records her marriage, referring to her husband as stepfather to Duke Guillaume[200]. The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines refers to the mother of Duke Guillaume as "filia…Herbertus pelliparius et uxor eius Doda sive Duwa", specifying that they were from Chaumont in the diocese of Liège but moved to Falaise but that others said they were from Huy, and refers to her marriage to "Herlewino de Vado comitis"[201].

Fulbert "The Tanner" de Falaise is William the Conqueror, King of England's grandfather.

Fulbert of Falaise (birth: 970, Falais, France, death: 1017, Normandy, France) aka Fulbert de Tonnerre, was the father of Herleva, mother of the illegitimate William the Conqueror, the 11th-century Duke of Normandy and King of England.

Fulbert has traditionally been held to be a tanner, but recent study of early sources questions this, proposing that his trade involved preparing corpses for burial and that he might even have been an embalmer or apothecary. Those theories also have been presented that Fulbert himself may have been married to Doada a member of the Scottish Clan Beaton, whose clan were well famed for being physicians, morticians and apothecaries (uisge-beatha Aqua vitae. If so he may have come by his occupation through marriage. Yet another variation of this story presents Fulbert as a member of the family of the Counts de Tonnerre, hence accounting for his surname Tanner; but this translation is incorrect. The French word, "Tonnerre", translates into English as "Thunder".

Truly, the French word for "tanner" is "tanneur". During the seige of Alençon (1051-2) William was taunted by his enemies for his connection to the tanner's daughter and reeking of the scent of the tannery. After the birth of William, Fulbert was appointed the Duke's chamberlain. Contemporary practice made the chamberlain one of the persons responsible for burials.

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Fulbert de FALAISE 1, 2 was born 980 in Falaise, Normandie, France. He married Duxia on 1005 in Falaise, Normandie, France.

Duxia was born 984 in Falaise, Normandie, France. She married Fulbert de FALAISE on 1005 in Falaise, Normandie, France.

They had the following children:

F i Herleve de FALAISE was born 1006 and died 1050. M ii Walter de FALAISE 1 was born 1008 in Falaise, Normandie, France. F iii Beatrice de FALAISE was born 1020 and died 10 Apr 1085. Sources:

1Weis, Frederick Lewis, Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America before 1700 (7th ed., Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992.), 121-23, 121E-22, Los Angeles Public Library, Gen 974 W426 1992. 2Cokayne, George Edward, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant (London: St. Catherine Press, 1910.), 1:351, Los Angeles Public Library, 929.721 C682.

Douglas, David C. (1963). William the Conqueror. * Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 by Frederick Lewis Weis, Lines: 121-23, 121E-22, 130-23 * The Church Hymn Book for the Worship of God. New York and Chicago, 1872. Editor Edwin F. Hatfield. (In the Librarian of the Congress at Washington D. C., 1872.)
---------------------------------- Fulbert of Falaise (fl. 11th century) was the father of Herleva, mother of the illegitimate William the Conqueror, the 11th-century Duke of Normandy and King of England.

The evidence is not beyond dispute, but Fulbert has traditionally been held to be a tanner, which was a common occupation in Falaise, and in King William's later life he was often taunted by enemies who pretended he stank of the tannery. After the birth of William, Fulbert was given a subordinate office at the Norman court, along with his two sons, Osbert and Walter.

Sources

Douglas, David C. (1963). William the Conqueror. * Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 by Frederick Lewis Weis, Lines: 121-23, 121E-22, 130-23

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Timeline Fulbert of Falaise

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