William de Percy, 1st Baron Percy
Encyclopedia
William de Percy, 1st Baron Percy (d.b.1096-1099) known as Aux Gernons (with Whiskers) , was a Norman
baron who arrived in England immediately after the Norman Conquest of England
, and was the founder of the powerful English
House of Percy
.
The Cartularium abbathiae de Whitteby states Hugh d'Avranches
and William de Percy arrived in England in 1067.
It is also quite possible that Percy had been one of the Normans to whom Edward the Confessor
had given lands, but were later expelled by Harold Godwinson
. This may explain Percy's unusual epithet, Aux Gernons, as at the time Normans were generally cleanshaven and the English were not, and it may be that Percy had assimilated local custom. Later generations of Percies would use the soubriquet, as the Christian name Algernon
.
Earl of Northumbria
, and the subsequent Harrying of the North
, large swathes of territory in northern England and the Earldom of Chester were granted to Hugh d'Avranches, who had been instrumental in the devastation. Percy in turn was granted territory by d'Avranches, in addition to those already held by him of the crown.
Percy also married a Saxon noblewoman called Emma de Porte, her epithet presumably came from her landholdings at Seamer
, a once thriving harbour in North Yorkshire. It may be the case that the lands granted to Percy by the crown were de jure uxoris.
At the time of the Domesday Book
, Percy was in possession in capite
of a hundred and eighteen manors in Lincolnshire
and the North Riding
, with further lands in Essex
and Hampshire
.
and at Topcliffe
. He also granted land to the Benedictine
order and ordered construction of a new abbey at Whitby
, amongst the ruins of the Anglo-Saxon one of Streoneshalh.
on the First Crusade
, where he died "within sight of Jerusalem". His body was buried at Antioch
, but his heart was returned to England and is buried at Whitby.
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
baron who arrived in England immediately after the Norman Conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
, and was the founder of the powerful English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
House of Percy
House of Percy
The House of Percy were the most powerful noble family in Northern England for much of the Middle Ages, having descended from William de Percy who crossed from Normandy to England with William I in early December 1067 and was rebuilding York Castle in 1070...
.
The Cartularium abbathiae de Whitteby states Hugh d'Avranches
Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester
Hugh d'Avranches , also known as le Gros and Lupus was the first Earl of Chester and one of the great magnates of early Norman England.-Early career:...
and William de Percy arrived in England in 1067.
It is also quite possible that Percy had been one of the Normans to whom Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
had given lands, but were later expelled by Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
. This may explain Percy's unusual epithet, Aux Gernons, as at the time Normans were generally cleanshaven and the English were not, and it may be that Percy had assimilated local custom. Later generations of Percies would use the soubriquet, as the Christian name Algernon
Algernon (name)
Algernon is a given name which derives from the Norman-French soubriquet Aux Gernons, meaning "with moustaches". It is first heard of in reference to William de Percy, 1st Baron Percy, a Knight from Percy-en-Auge, who accompanied William the Conquerer to England in 1066, and ancestor of the Dukes,...
.
Consolidation
Following the rebellion of GospatricGospatric, Earl of Northumbria
Gospatric or Cospatric , , was Earl of Northumbria, or of Bernicia, and later lord of sizable estates around Dunbar...
Earl of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria was a title in the Anglo-Danish, late Anglo-Saxon, and early Anglo-Norman period in England. The earldom of Northumbria was the successor of the ealdormanry of Bamburgh, itself the successor of an independent Bernicia. Under the Norse kingdom of York, there were earls of...
, and the subsequent Harrying of the North
Harrying of the North
The Harrying of the North was a series of campaigns waged by William the Conqueror in the winter of 1069–1070 to subjugate Northern England, and is part of the Norman conquest of England...
, large swathes of territory in northern England and the Earldom of Chester were granted to Hugh d'Avranches, who had been instrumental in the devastation. Percy in turn was granted territory by d'Avranches, in addition to those already held by him of the crown.
Percy also married a Saxon noblewoman called Emma de Porte, her epithet presumably came from her landholdings at Seamer
Seamer, Scarborough
Seamer is a village and civil parish in the Scarborough district of North Yorkshire, England.According to the 2001 UK census, Seamer parish had a population of 3,774....
, a once thriving harbour in North Yorkshire. It may be the case that the lands granted to Percy by the crown were de jure uxoris.
At the time of the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, Percy was in possession in capite
Capite
In old English law, a capite was a tenure, abolished by Act 12 Chas. II, xxiv., by which either person or land was held immediately of the king, or of his crown, either by knight-service or socage. A holder of a capite is termed a Tenant-in-chief....
of a hundred and eighteen manors in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
and the North Riding
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...
, with further lands in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
and Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.
Building works
Percy set about fortifying his landholdings, constructing Motte and Bailey castles at SpofforthSpofforth Castle
Spofforth Castle in the village of Spofforth, North Yorkshire, England comprises the ruins of a hall range and is all that remains from a fortified house. The current castle was built by the Percy family in the early 13th century, with alterations made in the 14th/15th centuries...
and at Topcliffe
Topcliffe, North Yorkshire
Topcliffe is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. The village is situated on the River Swale, close to the A168 and about five miles south-west of Thirsk...
. He also granted land to the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
order and ordered construction of a new abbey at Whitby
Whitby Abbey
Whitby Abbey is a ruined Benedictine abbey overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, England. It was disestablished during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under the auspices of Henry VIII...
, amongst the ruins of the Anglo-Saxon one of Streoneshalh.
Death on the First Crusade
Percy accompanied Robert of NormandyRobert
The name Robert is a Germanic given name, from hrod "fame" and beraht "bright". It is also in use as a surname.After becoming widely used in Continental Europe it entered England in its Old French form Robert, where an Old English cognate form had existed before the Norman Conquest...
on the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
, where he died "within sight of Jerusalem". His body was buried at Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
, but his heart was returned to England and is buried at Whitby.
Issue
By Emma de Porte, Percy produced four sons:- Alan de Percy, 2nd Baron Percy
- Walter de Percy
- Willam de Percy, 2nd Abbot of Whitby
- Richard de Percy
Sources
- Brenan, Gerald-A History of the House of Percy II Vols-London 1902
- Fonblanque, Edward Barrington de-Annals of the House of Percy II Vols-London 1887 http://www.archive.org/stream/annalshouseperc00fonbgoog#page/n0/mode/2up