William FitzRalph

William FitzRalph

Continental domains of the Angevins, the most northern being the Duchy of Normandy, governed by William FitzRalph.
Born 1140
Derbyshire[1]
Died 1200
Tenure 1178 - 1200
Other names Guillaume fils Raoul
Years active 1169 - 1200
Nationality Anglo-Norman
Residence Caen
Offices Seneschal of Normandy, High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the Royal Forests
Predecessor Richard of Ilchester
Successor Guérin de Glapion
Issue Robert FitzRalph

William FitzRalph was the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the Royal Forests from 1169 to 1177.[2] After, he was the seneschal of Normandy for 22 years under two dukes of Normandy, Henry II and Richard I, from 1178 to 1200.[3]

Life

Although it is not clear when William FitzRalph was born, he owned land in Derbyshire and was the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the Royal Forests from 1169 until 1177.[2] After that he was appointed the seneschal of Normandy in 1177[4] and was in office from 1178.[5] He took over the position after Richard of Ilchester stepped down from the role he had been acting as since 1176 to become the English exchequer.[5] He resided in, and owned, Caen, where in January 1183 he presided over King Henry II of England's court there.[6][7] Caen was also the home of the Exchequer of Normandy.[7] He also held court in Argentan, Bernai, Longueville, Neufchâtel, Saint-Wandrille, and Rouen.[8] When Richard I of England became duke in 1189, he reconfirmed his father's appointment of William FitzRalph. FitzRalph was the only seneschal of Richard's duchies and counties in France to keep his office; Stephen of Tours was replaced in Anjou by Payn de Rochefort, Peter Bertin was made seneschal of Poitou, and Helie de la Celle was made seneschal of Gascony. Charles Haskins believed that the seneschal of Normandy had enhanced importance during William FitzRalph's tenure in part, at least, due to his personality, as he became second only to the sovereign in all administrative matters.[9] The prestige of the office of seneschal of Normandy increased during his tenure, and began to fulfill the same functions as the Justiciar of England.[1] However, in Jacques Boussard's view the power and eminence of William FitzRalph resulted from Richard of Ilchester's work on reorganising the exchequer.[10]

William FitzRalph was not a soldier, but an administrator. William Marshal stated that FitzRalph was "brave and wise but too old to fight" after a French courtier jokingly suggested that he should be one of King Henry's champions.[11]

At an unknown date, William FitzRalph had a son, Robert FitzRalph, who became Archdeacon of Nottingham circa. 1185 and later became Bishop of Worcester on 1 July 1190.[2][12]

In 1938, the leaden seal-die of William FitzRalph was found at Exton, Rutland.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 Harper-Bill, Christopher; Van Houts, Elizabeth (2002). A Companion to the Anglo-Norman World. p. 72. ISBN 978-1843833413.
  2. 1 2 3 "British History Online Archdeacons of Nottingham" accessed 2 January 2015.
  3. ↑ Haskins, Charles (1918). Norman Institutions. USA: Harvard University Press. p. 183. ISBN 9780674336902.
  4. ↑ Strayer, Joseph R. (1959). A Forged Charter of Henry II for Bival. Medieval Academy of America. p. 1.
  5. 1 2 Warren, W.L. (2000). "The King's Government". Henry II. Great Britain: Yale University Press. p. 312. ISBN 978-0-300-08474-0.
  6. ↑ Warren, W.L. (2000). "The King's Government". Henry II. Great Britain: Yale University Press. p. 301. ISBN 978-0-300-08474-0.
  7. 1 2 "Exchequer of Normandy: Pipe Rolls". 1180. In the period for which the rolls survive it is clear that the Exchequer of Normandy was settled in the castle at Caen, which by then was in the custody of the seneschal of Normandy.
  8. ↑ Haskins, Charles (1918). Norman Institutions. USA: Harvard University Press. p. 184. ISBN 9780674336902.
  9. ↑ Haskins, Charles (1918). Norman Institutions. USA: Harvard University Press. pp. 183 & 184. ISBN 9780674336902.
  10. ↑ Duggan, Charles (1966). "Secular Administration". Richard of Ilchester, Royal Servant and Bishop. Cambridge University Press. p. 9.
  11. ↑ "L'Histoire de Guillaume le Marechal", ed. P. Meyer, 3 vols, Pris 1891-94, i, lines 7517-28, 7596-604 (iii, 88-90)
  12. ↑ "British History Online Bishops of Worcester" accessed 2 January 2015.
  13. ↑ "Other Acquisitions". The British Museum Quarterly: 66. April 1938. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
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