Roger DE MONTGOMERY, II

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Earl of Arundel

Notes:

Excerpts from "Origin and History of the Comtes de Montgomery, Ponthieu, Alencon and La Marche......": Roger was a man with a stron sense of spiritual values. In 1050 he founded the church of Troarn. His father had made an endowment for the support of twelve deacons, but he made provision for twelve monks.
Roger's own domains stretched from Hiemois almost to the sea. Besides the castles of Montgomery, Trun, Saint-Sylvin, Thuit and Montaigu-la-Brisette he owned the town of Bernay and the major part of the forests of Gouffern and Auge. Through his marriage to Mabile de Belleme, the daughter and heiress of Guillaume Talvas, Prince de Belleme, he more than doubled his domains, which covered almost one-third of all land in Normandy. Very probably his marriage was arranged by the Duke out of regard to the defence of the Norman frontier. Bellemois had an exposed position and always recived the first blow when the Count of Anjou attacked Normandy. Moreover, the people in Bellemois were not altogether reliable. In this part of the country the Duke needed an experienced warrior who was equally a man with a strong will. Such a man was Roger, and he was therefore chosen as husband to the richest heiress in the duchy. Through his marriage to Mabile de Belleme Roger was tied to this restless corner of Normandy after the death of her father.
Roger was a good husband....One day in December he received news that Mabile had been assassinated--beheaded in her bedchamber. The murderers were four officers suspected of treason. roger's sorrow and indignation were boundless, and King deeply regretted his best and most reliable supporter in Normandy. Big rewards were promised to those who could capture the murderers dead or alive. They were chased over practically the whole continent, but left no trace. One of them was found in the Orient during the first crusade, sixteen years later. He had sought refuge amongst the Mussulmans.
After the death of Mabile, Roger immediately wnet to Normandy, where he remined for several years. During this time he married again. His wife was Adelaide de Puiset, whoe character was the very opposite to that of Mabile. While Mabile was born to intrigue and to leas out troops to battle, Adelaide spent most of her time at home embroidering altar-cloths or arranging church festivals. Which of his wives was nearest his heart is difficult to tell. Mabile was the love of his youth, and no doubt he admired her mosst. But the sweet and gentle Adelaide was the comfort and companion of his old age.

Roger's sons by Mabile were:

1- Robert, Prince of Belleme, Count of Allencon and Ponthieu
2- Hugh, Earl of Shrewsbury
3- Roger "Pictavinus", Earl of Lancaster, Count of La Marche
4- Philip "Grammaticus", crusader
5- Arnulf "Cimbricus", Earl of Pembroke

His daughters were:

1- Emma, Abbess of Almeneches
2- Mathilde, married to Robert, Earl of Morton, half-brother of William Conqueror
3- Mabile, married to Hugo I de Chateauneuf
4- Sibylle, married to Robert Fitzhamon, Earl of Gloucester and Bristol

Adelaide bore him one son, Everard, chaplain to the kings William Rufus and Henry I.

During his stay in Normandy Roger persuaded his son Robert to return home, and according to the wish of Mabile and with royal consent arranged his marriage with Agnes de Ponthieu, daughter and heiress of Guy, Count of Ponthieu, whose lands had the King of France as feoffor. (The Counts of Ponthieu were descended from Angilbert, who married Bertha, daughter of Charlemagne.) After his marriage, Robert settled at Belleme, where he took over his mother's role as defender of Normandy's southern frontier. He also was destined to play an important but tyragic part in the history of his country.

After his marriage Roger lived for some time with his wife at the castle of Alencon, where his son Everard was born, but when Robert had been installed in his mother's office Roger could return to his beloved Shrewsbury. The King was at that time in Normandy, and it was probably also at his wish that Roger returned to England to supervise the government of that country during his absence.
A little later Adelaide also went to England. It has been told that she had a very bad crossing and that the ship was nearly wrecked. In her despair she made a holy vow to found a nunnery at the place where she first met her husband. The nunnery of Madeleine at Quatford is said to be the result. She made another endowment to the idyllic little monastery ofWenlock, which Roger accroding to her wish restored and partly rebult.

History knows of no noble who has been more generous to the Church than Roger de Montgomery, and many other Normans followed his example. Almost boundless riches in this way flowed from the temporal to the spiritual lords and the Church of Rome. Since wealth means power, the influence of the Church over the government of the country in temporal matters steadily increased. This was one of the objects of Roger's policy.

Among all the churches Roger built was Shrewsbury Abbey. To this church was attached a monastery of the Benedictine Order which was recruited chiefly from Norman monks....

The tragic death of William the Conqueror in 1087 was a hard blow to Roger. In him he lost his most reliable friend. But not only this: the death of the great chief loosened the bonds between England and Normandy and both countries became scenes of sanguinary strife between his sons. The old Earl was draged, against his will, into a fraternal war which made a sad conclusion of his long life of achievement.

Despite all his endeavours, Roger failed to bring about reconciliation and lasting peace between the sons of the Conqueror. The last years of his life were also darkened by the violent rebellion in Wales, during which much of his work there was undone. There is no doubt that all these sorrows undermined his health and reduced his desire to live. Feeling his end near, he retired to the monastery of Shrewsbury Abbey, assumed the habit of a monk, and died a few days later after almost incessant devotion. The inscription in brass over his tomb in Shrewsbury Abbey gives 1st August 1095 as the date of his death. According to Ordericus Vitalis (II, 203), he died a year earlier, on 27th July 1094. the latter date is probably correct.

Roger de Montgomery bore many titles. In Normandy he was Count of Montgomery and Viscount of Exmes. In England he was Earl of Arundel, Chechester, Shrewsbury, Mercia and Montgomery. He was also styled Earl of Sussex and Earl of Salop.

Family/Spouse: Mabel TALVAS. Mabel (daughter of Seigneur de Belleme William Talvas DE BELLEME, II and HILDEBURGE) was born about 1026 in Alencon, Eure, France; died on 02 Dec 1079 in Murdered; was buried in Abbey Of Troarn, Eure, France. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Mabel DE MONTGOMERY was born about 1064.
2. Roger DE MONTGOMERY
3. Phillip DE MONTGOMERY was born in Montgomery, Wales; died in 1099 in Siege Of Antioch.
4. Maude DE MONTGOMERY was born about 1041 in Mortaigne, S-Mnch, France; died about 1085; was buried in Grestain Abbey.
5. Abbess of Almeneches Emma DE MONTGOMERY was born about 1060.
6. Hugh DE MONTGOMERY died in d.s.p. 1098.
7. Prince of Belleme Robert De Belleme MONTGOMERY, II was born about 1056; died on 08 May 1131 in A Prinsoner at Wareham Castle, Dorsetshire.
8. Sibyl DE MONTGOMERY was born about 1066 in St Germain Mntgm, Normandy, France.
9. Arnulf DE MONTGOMERY was born about 1074 in St Germain Mntgm, Normandy, France.

Family/Spouse: Adelaide DE PUISET. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Everard DE MONTGOMERY

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Earl of Arundel and Shrewsbury

Roger married JOSCELINE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]