Biography of William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford 1020-1071

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), [his future son-in-law] 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, [his future brother-in-law] 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.

On 22nd February 1071 Battle of Cassel was fought between uncle Robert "The Frisian" I Count Flanders (age 38) and nephew Arnulf III Count Flanders (age 16), supported by his mother Richilde Countess Flanders and Hainault and King Philip I of France (age 18), over the succession of Flanders.

Arnulf III Count Flanders was killed. His brother Baldwin (age 15) succeeded II Count Hainault. Robert "The Frisian" I Count Flanders was appointed I Count Flanders.

William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford (age 51) was killed. His son [his son] Roger succeeded 2nd Earl Hereford.

Eustace Flanders II Count Boulogne (age 56) and his son Eustace Flanders III Count Boulogne fought for Robert. During the battle Robert "The Frisian" I Count Flanders and Richilde Countess Flanders and Hainault were captured, and subsequently exchanged for each other.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1070. Earl Baldwin (age 40) also died, and his son Arnulf (age 15) succeeded to the earldom. Earl William (age 50), in conjunction with the king of the Franks (age 17), was to be his guardian; but Earl Robert (age 37) came and slew his kinsman Arnulf and the earl, put the king to flight, and slew many thousands of his men.

In 1075 three Earls joined in rebellion against King William "Conqueror" I of England (age 47). The three Earls were: [his son] Roger de Breteuil Fitzosbern 2nd Earl Hereford, [his son-in-law] 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 daughter] 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.

Flowers of History. 1075. Queen Edith (age 49) died on the fifth of April. The same year, king William (age 47) gave the [his daughter] daughter of William, the son of [his father] Osbert, to [his son-in-law] 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 son] 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.