William I de Bellême
Seigneur of Alençon
Events
Date of Birth: about 960-5.
Place of Birth: unknown.
The estimated dates are given by White.
Date of Death: probably 1028.
Place of Death: unknown.
The date is given by White, who notes that the date 1031 often given is certainly wrong, as William’s son Robert was taken prisoner in 1031, which was described as several years (aliquot annos) after his father’s death.
Relationships
This relationship is given by père Anselme (3:283), by Lesmesle (p. 228), by White, and by Thompson (p. 37).
Mother: Godeheut (Godehildis).
This relationship is given by père Anselme (3:283), by White, and by Lesmesle (p. 228). White notes that Godeheut’s parentage is unknown, but that her brother Seinfroy was bishop of Le Mans and she was also sister either of Fulcoin or of his wife Rhotaïs.
Spouse: Mathilde.
This relationship is given by père Anselme (3:285) and by White, who notes that her parentage is unknown.
Children (by Mathilde):
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Fulk de Bellême (slain about 1028).
Warin de Bellême (died 1026).
Robert de Bellême (murdered 1033).
Yves de Bellême (died 5 April 1070), bishop of Sées.
William “Talvas” de Bellême, lord of Alençon, married (1) Hildeburge, daughter of Arnould; married (2) a daughter of Raoul de Beaumont, vicomte of Maine.
Benoît, a monk.
Children (illegitimate):
Seinfroy.
References
Anselme de Sainte-Marie. Histoire Généalogique et Chronologique de la Maison Royale de France, des Pairs, Grands Officiers de la Couronne, de la Maison du Roy et des Anciens Barons du Royaume. 9 Volumes (Paris: 1726-1733).
Lesmesle, Bruno. La société aristocratique dans le Haut-Maine (Presses Universitaires de Rennes, 1999).
Thompson, Kathleen. Power and Border Lordship in Medieval France: The County of the Perche, 1000-1226,(The Boydell Press, 2002).
White, Geoffrey H. “The First House of Belleme” in Transactions of the Royal Historical Society Vol. 22 (1940) pp. 67-99.