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Birth:          ABT 1062 Normandy
Death:          8 Mar 1137 Marsilly, Aquitaine
Burial:         Caen, Normandy

Notes
d as a nun
m 1080/81
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adela_of_Normandy
Adela of Normandy, of Blois, or of England (c. 1067[1] – 8 March 1137), also known as 
Saint Adela in Roman Catholicism,[2] was, by marriage, Countess of Blois, Chartres, 
and Meaux. She was a daughter of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders. 
She was also the mother of Stephen, King of England and Henry of Blois, Bishop of 
Winchester.
Family[edit]

Her birthdate is generally believed to be between 1066 and 1070, after her father's 
accession to the English throne in 1066.[1] She was the favourite sister of King Henry 
I of England; they were probably the youngest of the Conqueror's children.[3] Adela 
was a high-spirited and educated woman, with a knowledge of Latin.[4]

Marriage[edit]

House of Normandy

She married Stephen Henry, son and heir to the count of Blois, between 1080 and 
1083, around her fifteenth birthday.[5] Stephen was nearly twenty years her senior.[1] 
Stephen inherited Blois, Chartres and Meaux upon his father's death in 1089, as well 
as lands and right in parts of Berry and Burgundy.[5] Stephen-Henry joined the First 
Crusade in 1096, along with his brother-in-law Robert Curthose. Stephen's letters to 
Adela form a uniquely intimate insight into the experiences of the Crusade's leaders[6] 
and show that he trusted Adela to rule as regent while he was on crusade.[5] The 
Count of Blois returned to France in 1100 bringing with him several cartloads of maps, 
jewels and other treasures, which he deposited at Chartres. He was, however, under 
an obligation to the pope for agreements made years earlier and returned to Antioch to 
participate in the crusade of 1101. He was ultimately killed in an ill-advised charge at 
the Battle of Ramla in 1102.[7]

Issue[edit]

Adela and Stephen's children are listed here in probable birth order. Their birth order 
is uncertain.
1.William, Count of Sully married Agnes of Sully (d. aft 1104) and had issue
2.Theobald II, aka Thibaud IV Count of Champagne
3.Odo of Blois, aka Humbert. died young
4.Adela, married Milo II of Montlhéry (divorced 1115)
5.King Stephen of England, married Matilda of Boulogne
6.Lucia-Mahaut, married Richard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester. Both drowned on 
25 November 1120 in the White Ship disaster.
7.Agnes, married Hugh de Puiset and were parents to Hugh de Puiset, Bishop of 
Durham
8.Alix, (d. 1145) married Renaud II of Joigny (d.1134) and had issue
9.Henry, Bishop of Winchester (1101-1171), an oblate child raised at Cluny Abbey in 
Saône-et-Loire, France[8]
10.Eleanor, (d. 1147) married Raoul I of Vermandois (d.1152) and had issue, they were 
divorced in 1142

Some of the daughters may have been step-daughters of Adela, rather than biological 
children. It is known that Adela had five biological sons and may have had three or 
more daughters,[1] though not all of the daughters were necessarily Adela's biological 
children.[9] The daughters are not mentioned by name during their youth, only 
appearing when they reach marriageable age and play an important part in building 
alliances.[5]

Adela, a devout Benedictine sympathizer, employed several high-ranking tutors to 
educate her children.[10] Her youngest son, Henry, was conceived during the single 
year Stephen was in France between crusading duties. At two years of age Henry was 
pledged to the Church at Cluny Abbey, Saône-et-Loire, France, as an oblate child, 
that is, he was dedicated to the service of God, according to medieval practice. Henry 
went on to be appointed Abbot of Glastonbury and Bishop of Winchester. In that 
capacity he sponsored hundreds of constructions including bridges, canals, palaces, 
forts, castles and whole villages. In addition, Bishop Henry built dozens of abbeys and 
chapels and sponsored books including the treasured Winchester Bible.

Adela quarrelled with her eldest son William and despite his previously being named 
heir-designate,[11] she appointed his younger brother Theobald to replace him as heir 
in 1107. Her son Stephen moved to London in 1111 to join his uncle's court and 
became the favorite of his uncle King Henry I (Beauclerc). Upon Beauclerc's death in 
Normandy (1135), Stephen of Blois seized the English throne.

Regent[edit]

Adela filled in as regent for her husband's duties during his extended absence as a 
leader of the First Crusade (1095–1098)[5] as well as during his second expedition in 
1101. This included granting monks the right to build new churches, as well as other 
charters. Adela also worked with Ivo of Chartres at various points, exchanging letters 
throughout her regency,[12] to discuss matters such as the control of misbehaving 
nuns and larger issues such as disputes about sworn oaths.[5] While her husband was 
away, Adela would continue to tour their lands, settling disputes, promoting economic 
growth, and even commanding knights to go to battle with the king.[5] In 1105, after 
St Anselm visited her during a sickness, she was responsible for communicating the 
archbishop's earnestness in threatening excommunication to her brother Henry I. 
Orderic Vitalis praises her as a "wise and spirited woman" who ably governed her 
husband's estates and her own.[5]

Adela continued to act as regent after her husband's death and through her son 
Thibaud's early rule until her retirement in 1120.[5] Even after Thibaud came of age 
and no longer needed a regent, Adela continued to issue charters and act as co-ruler 
of many parts of their land. Adela did not secure a marriage alliance for Thibaud, who 
did not get married until after Adela's retirement, which helped to maintain her power 
and influence over both her son and her lands.[13]

Retirement[edit]

Adela retired to Marcigny Convent in 1120. Though she may have considered retiring 
to an abbey in Normandy, where members of her family, including sisters and nieces 
may have already been living; Adela was drawn to and chose the larger, more 
prestigious convent at Marcigny near her son Henry at Cluny Abbey.[14] Adela may 
have acted as prioress within the community at Marcigny, though this is not certain.
[15] She continued to interact with her children and the ecclesiastical leaders of lands 
that she had once ruled, communicating with them and maintaining her influence over 
the area.[16] In one instance, Adela sent letters to both her son Thibaud [17] and 
Geoffrey, bishop of Chartres reminding them of her settlement of a monastic case.[18]

Later that same year, her daughter Lucia-Mahaut, was drowned in the wreck of the 
White Ship alongside her husband. Adela lived long enough to see her son Stephen 
on the English throne, though any response she had to this development has been 
lost.[19] She likely took pride in the ascension of her youngest child, Henry of Blois, 
to the bishopric of Winchester in 1129.[3] She died in 1137 at Marcigny.[20] After her 
death, prayers were offered at a number of churches that she had endowed personally 
or had recognized at some point during her life.[21]

Legacy[edit]

Adela is a saint in the Roman Catholic church. Her feast day is 24 February.[2]

In fiction[edit]

Adela was portrayed by Nike Arrighi in the two-part BBC TV play Conquest (1966), 
about her father's conquest of England, part of the series Theatre 625.

In art[edit]

Adela is a featured figure on Judy Chicago's installation piece The Dinner Party, being 
represented as one of the 999 names on the Heritage Floor.[22][23]

Parents
____ William I "the Conqueror" (14 Oct 1024 - 9 Sep 1087)
OF FLANDERS Maud (Matilda) (1028 - 2 Nov 1083)

Siblings
____ Robert II ("Curthose") (ABT 1054 - 2 Oct 1134)
OF NORMANDY Gundrada (ABT 1060 - 27 May 1085)
OF NORMANDY Adele (Alice) (ABT 1062 - 8 Mar 1137)
____ Henry I "Beauclerc" (1070 - 1 Dec 1135)

Marriage To OF BLOIS Stephen [chg from Henry] (Etienne Henri) III "Le Sage" (ABT 1045 - 27 May 1102)
    m. ABT 1080 

Notes

Parents
____ Thibaud (Theobald) III (1012 - 30 Sep 1089)
OF MAINE Gersinde (ABT 1019 - BEF 1096)

Children by OF BLOIS Stephen [chg from Henry] (Etienne Henri) III "Le Sage" ABT 1045 - 27 May 1102
DE CHAMPAGNE William ("the Simple") (ABT 1080 - ABT 1150)
OF BLOIS Theobald (Thibaud) IV (II) "the Great" (1090 - 8 Jan 1152)
OF BLOIS Stephen (ABT 1095 - 25 Oct 1154)

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