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Birth:          ABT 1134 of Leicestershire, England
Death:          1 Apr 1212 Leicester, Leicestershire, England
Burial:         Abbey, Leicester, Leicestershire, England

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petronilla_de_Grandmesnil,_Countess_of_Leicester
Petronilla de Grandmesnil, Countess of Leicester (c. 1145 – 1212) was the wife of 
Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester, known as “Blanchmains” (d. 1190). After a 
long widowhood, she was buried in Leicester Abbey after her death on April 1, 1212.

The chronicler Jordan Fantosme wrote that Earl Robert and his wife Petronilla were 
participants in the 1173–1174 rebellion of Henry "the Young King" against King Henry 
II, his father. Jordan claimed that Earl Robert participated because of grievances 
against King Henry and credits dismissive remarks about the English who were fighting 
on the king's side to the countess: "The English are great boasters, but poor fighters; 
they are better at quaffing great tankards and guzzling."[1] Countess Petronilla 
accompanied her husband on his military campaign against English troops under the 
command of the earl of Arundel and Humphrey III de Bohun. During the final 
showdown, she is said to have fled from the battle, only to be found in a ditch. "The 
earl’s wife wanted to drown herself, when Simon of Odell saw to pulling her out: ?My 
lady, come away from this place, and abandon your design! War is all a question of 
losing and winning."[2] She was noted as wearing male armour when captured.[3] She 
was wearing a mail hauberk with a sword and a shield. Earl Robert was also captured 
and his holdings were confiscated. Countess Petronilla was released and during the 
earl's continued imprisonment he wrote to her asking that she discharge the bequests 
stated in his father's will.[4]

Family[edit]

Petronilla claimed to be the heiress of the Grandmesnil barony, but the records do not 
record the names of her parents.[5] She married in the mid-1150s and bore at least 
seven children:
William (d. before 1190)
Robert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Leicester, “FitzParnel/FitzPetronilla” (d. 1204) married 
Loretta de Braose
Roger, Bishop of St. Andrews (d. 1202)
Amice married (1) Simon de Montfort III (fr) (d. 18 July before 1188); parents of Simon 
de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester
(2) William de Barres (d. 3 Sept. 1215)Margaret married Saer de Quincy, later 1st Earl 
of Winchester
Hawise, who became a nun at Nuneaton Priory
Pernel/Petronilla
Two additional children are possible: Geoffrey and Mabel[6]

Parents
DE GRENTMESNIL Hugh (ABT 1092 - )
BEAUMONT Alice (ABT 1105 - )

Siblings
DE GRENTMESNIL Petronille (ABT 1134 - 1 Apr 1212)

Marriage To HARCOURT [DE BEAUMONT] Robert "Blanchmains" (ABT 1121 - 31 Aug 1190)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
DE BEAUMONT Robert "Bossu" (1104 - 5 Apr 1168)
DE MONTFORT Amice (ABT 1103 - ABT 31 Aug 1168)

Children by HARCOURT [DE BEAUMONT] Robert "Blanchmains" ABT 1121 - 31 Aug 1190
DE HARCOURT [DE BEAUMONT] Margaret (ABT 1156 - 12 Jan 1236)

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