William II Malet

Notes:

Magna Carta surety. Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset, 25 Dec 1209 to 29 Sep 1212. Fought at Poitou.

Family/Spouse: (Unknown first wife of William Malet). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Mabel Malet died before 16 Oct 1249.
2. Hawise Malet died after 4 May 1287.

Family/Spouse: Alice Basset. Alice (daughter of Thomas Basset and Philippe Malbank) died about 1263. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Gilbert married Alice Picot. Alice (daughter of Ralph Picot) was born in of Tong, Milton, Kent, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Sheriff of Kent and Sussex, circa 1154-61. Justice in Surrey, 1156.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: Bef 1156

Notes:

Proven companion of William the Conqueror.

Sheriff of York. Castellan of York.

"Of unknown parentage, he was described by Guy d'Amiens as part Norman part English and as 'compater Heraldi', which indicates either spiritual affinity or close companionship with Harold Godwinsson (Carmen de Hastingae Proelio, 2nd, edn, p. 34). His father was probably his predecessor as lord of Graville and tenant of the Giffards in numerous other fiefs in the same region. Legends associating his son-in-law Turold the Sheriff with Godiva of Mercia, mother of Harold's wife, probably indicate a relationship between William's mother and the earls of Mercia or their wives. A strong association of William and his family with Lincolnshire suggest that his English roots lay there. Between 1060 and c. 1066 William occurs with William I in a number of charters relating to the abbeys of Montivilliers and Jumieges (Fauroux, 89; CDF 329). He was associated with the abbey of Preaux in the Lieuvin, of which he was given the fellowship by Abbot Ansfrid in 1060, and with the abbey of Bee, which later mistakenly identified him with his descendant, a monk of the same name. His interests in the region of Lisieux probably originated in his marriage to Esilia, daughter of Gilbert I Crispin, castellan of Tillieres in the Vexin. He fought at Hastings and was soon credited with having been ordered to bury Harold's body on the sea-shore; whether he had anything to do with Harold's burial is uncertain, but it now seems clear that the body was buried at the church Harold founded at Waltham. In 1068 William became castellan of the first castle at York and sheriff of Yorkshire. In September 1069 the city was attacked by Danes. Briefly held captive, William, his wife, and their younger children were among the few to escape alive (Ord. ViI. 2, 178, 222; Symeon of Durham, Opera Omnia, ii. 188). He lost the shrievalty of York and the land associated with it soon afterwards, and was thereafter occupied in suppressing the fenland revolt led by Hereward the Wake. Domesday Book makes it clear that he died in the campaign, probably in 107l. At his death, the bulk of his wealth lay in the vast lordship (the honour of Eye) granted to him in East Anglia, principally in Suffolk (where he had a castle and a market at Eye), but also in Norfolk, Essex, Surrey, Bedfordshire and Nottinghamshire." [Domesday Descendants, citation details below]

William married Hesilia Crispin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]