Biography of Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia 1041-1096

Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia was appointed Seigneur Gaël.

Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia was appointed Seigneur Montfort.

Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia succeeded Earl East Anglia. Emma Fitzosbern Countess East Anglia by marriage Countess East Anglia.

Before 1042 Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia was born to Ralph "Staller" Gael 1st Earl East Anglia (age 30) at Hereford [Map].

14th October 1066 Battle of Hastings

                    On 14th October 1066 the Norman army led by King William "Conqueror" I of England (age 38) defeated the English army of King Harold II of England (age 44) at the 14th October 1066 Battle of Hastings fought at Senlac Hill Hastings. Aimery Thouars (age 42), Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia (age 24), Eustace Flanders II Count Boulogne (age 51), William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford (age 46), Geoffrey Chateaudun II Count Mortain III Count Perche, William Warenne 1st Earl of Surrey, Raoul Tosny, Robert Beaumont 1st Earl of Leicester Count Meulan (age 26), Hugh Grandesmil (age 34), Roger "The Great" Montgomery 1st Earl of Shrewsbury (possibly), Robert Mortain Count Mortain 1st Earl Cornwall (age 35) and Bishop Odo of Bayeux fought for William.
                
                    King Harold II of England was killed. Earl Wessex, Earl Hereford extinct.
                
                    Leofwine Godwinson 2nd Earl Kent (age 31) was killed. Earl Kent extinct.
                
                    His brothers Gyrth Godwinson Earl East Anglia (age 34) and Engenulphe Aigle (age 56) were killed.

In 1068 [his father] Ralph "Staller" Gael 1st Earl East Anglia (age 57) died. His son Ralph (age 26) succeeded 2nd Earl Norfolk and Suffolk aka East Anglia.

In 1075 Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia (age 33) and Emma Fitzosbern Countess East Anglia were married at Exning. She the daughter of William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford and Adelise Tosny Countess Hereford. He the son of Ralph "Staller" Gael 1st Earl East Anglia.

Revolt of the Earls

In 1075 three Earls joined in rebellion against King William "Conqueror" I of England (age 47). The three Earls were: [his brother-in-law] Roger de Breteuil Fitzosbern 2nd Earl Hereford, Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia (age 33) and Waltheof Northumbria 1st Earl of Northampton 1st Earl Huntingdon. The ostensible cause of their rebellion was William's the marriage of [his wife] Emma Fitzosbern Countess East Anglia, daughter of William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford, with Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia. Possibly to do with she being Norman and he being British/English.

Roger de Breteuil Fitzosbern 2nd Earl Hereford forfeit Earl Hereford and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In 1075 Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia (age 33) forfeit his Earldom and his lands.

Flowers of History. 1075. Queen Edith (age 49) died on the fifth of April. The same year, king William (age 47) gave the [his wife] daughter of William, the son of Osbert, to earl Radolph (age 33), as his wife, and gave him also the government of Norfolk and Suffolk. This Radolph was of British extraction, on his mother's side, and his father was an Englishman. He was born in Norfolk, and there he celebrated his marriage, which was the cause of destruction to many persons. At that wedding there were present [his brother-in-law] earl Roger and earl Waltheof; and many bishops and abbots; and they took counsel how to expel king William from his kingdom. And this speedily became known to the king, who was in Normandy, and immediately the king returned to England, and took Waltheof, and Roger, who was his own kinsman, and threw them into prison. As to the rest who were present at the wedding, he deferred his determination.

All About History Books

The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1075. This year King William (age 47) gave Earl Ralph (age 33) the [his wife] daughter of William Fitz-Osborne to wife. This same Ralph was British on his mother's side; but his father, whose name was also [his father] Ralph, was English; and born in Norfolk. The king therefore gave his son the earldom of Norfolk and Suffolk; and he then led the bride to Norwich [Map]. There was that bride-ale the source of man's bale. There was [his brother-in-law] Earl Roger, and Earl Waltheof, and bishops, and abbots; who there resolved, that they would drive the king out of the realm of England. But it was soon told the king in Normandy how it was determined. It was Earl Roger and Earl Ralph who were the authors of that plot; and who enticed the Britons to them, and sent eastward to Denmark after a fleet to assist them. Roger went westward to his earldom, and collected his people there, to the king's annoyance, as he thought; but it was to the great disadvantage of himself. He was however prevented. Ralph also in his earldom would go forth with his people; but the castlemen that were in England and also the people of the land, came against him, and prevented him from doing anything. He escaped however to the ships at Norwich [Map].⁹⁷ And his wife was in the castle; which she held until peace was made with her; when she went out of England, with all her men who wished to join her. The king afterwards came to England, and seized Earl Roger, his relative, and put him in prison. And Earl Waltheof went over sea, and bewrayed himself; but he asked forgiveness, and proffered gifts of ransom. The king, however, let him off lightly, until he⁹⁸ came to England; when he had him seized. Soon after that came east from Denmark two hundred ships; wherein were two captains, Cnute Swainson, and Earl Hacco; but they durst not maintain a fight with King William. They went rather to York, and broke into St. Peter's minster, and took therein much treasure, and so went away. They made for Flanders over sea; but they all perished who were privy to that design; that was, the son of Earl Hacco, and many others with him.

Note 97. Whence he sailed to Bretagne, according to Flor. S. Dunelm, etc.; but according to Henry of Huntingdon he fled directly to Denmark, returning afterwards with Cnute and Hacco, who invaded England With a fleet of 200 sail.

Note 98. i.e. Earl Waltheof.

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After 1087 [his brother-in-law] Roger de Breteuil Fitzosbern 2nd Earl Hereford died.

Around 1096 Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia (age 54) died. Earl Norfolk and Suffolk aka East Anglia extinct.

After 1096 [his former wife] Emma Fitzosbern Countess East Anglia died.

[his son] Alain Gael was born to Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia and Emma Fitzosbern Countess East Anglia.

[his son] William de Gael Gael was born to Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia and Emma Fitzosbern Countess East Anglia.

[his son] Raoul Gael was born to Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia and Emma Fitzosbern Countess East Anglia.

Biography of Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia 1041-1096

Royal Descendants of Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia 1041-1096