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Birth:          ABT 1005 of Longueville, Normandy
Death:          ABT 1093 France

Notes
d betw 1085 and 1102
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Giffard,_Lord_of_Longueville
Walter Giffard, Lord of Longueville, Normandy (a.k.a. 'Giffard of Barbastre'), was a 
Norman baron, a Tenant-in-chief in England, a Christian knight who fought against the 
Saracens in Spain during the Reconquista and was one of the 15 or so known 
Companions of William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Walter[a] was the son of Osborne de Bolbec, Lord of Longueville and Avelina,[b][1] 
sister of Gunnora, Duchess of Normandy.[2][3] As such he was a cousin of William the 
Conqueror.[2]

From the mid 1040s Walter's name appears among the loyal supporters of William the 
Conqueror.[4] Walter was at the Battle of Mortemer and was among the Norman 
barons who surprised and defeated Counts Odo and Renaud leading the French 
contingent attacking Normandy from the east.[5] In particular, he and another great 
vassal Robert of Eu encountered Odo's army encamped in the village of Mortemer with 
no sentries and the soldiers were drunk.[6] The Normans attacked the French while 
they slept, most being either killed or taken prisoner.[6] While Odo himself escaped, 
when King Henry I learned of the fate of his brother Odo's army he promptly withdrew 
his remaining forces and left Normandy.[6] In 1054 Walter was in charge of 
maintaining the siege of Arques castle, against William of Talou, who had rebelled 
against the Conqueror.[7]

Like many other Norman and French knights during the eleventh and early twelfth 
centuries, Walter served as a Christian knight in Spain (c.?1064-65) against the 
Saracens.[8] His epithet le Barbastre[c] was earned when he took part in the Siege of 
Barbastro, an undertaking sanctioned by Pope Alexander II against the Moors in 1064, 
one of the more famous exploits of that time.[8] By the time of the Conquest, Walter 
had returned to Normandy bearing a gift of the King of Spain for Duke William, a 
magnificent war-horse. The same Spanish war-horse duke William called for on the 
morning of the Battle of Hastings.[8] The Spanish king in question was in all 
probability Sancho Ramírez of Aragon (1063–94) who was known for making friends 
and recruiting knights and soldiers from Northern France.[9] Walter was also one of 
the first, if not the first in England to go on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, 
which he did after the siege of Barbastro and before returning to Normandy.[9]

In early January 1066, after Duke William received news of the crowning of Harold 
Godwinson as king of England, he called together a meeting, the Council of 
Lillebonne, that included six of his key magnates, Walter Giffard being one of them.
[10] After telling them of his plan to invade England and take the crown they all 
advised him they supported him fully but suggested he call a meeting of all his 
vassals, which William did.[10] In the preparation stage for the Battle of Hastings, 
Walter was one of the Norman magnates who provided ships for William's invasion 
fleet. In his case, he provided thirty.[11] Walter was one of two who, having been 
offered the privilege of carrying William's standard in the battle, respectfully refused. 
Although by this time an older warrior with white hair, he wanted both hands free to 
fight.[12] As a reward for his participation, Walter was granted the feudal barony of 
Long Crendon,[13] comprising 107 manors, 48 of which were in Buckinghamshire,[14] 
of which the caput was at Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire. The date of his death is 
not recorded, but his son Walter succeeded him before 1085.[3][14]

Family[edit]

Walter was married to Ermengarde, daughter of Gerard Flaitel.[3][14][1] Walter and 
Ermengarde were the parents of:
Walter Giffard, 1st Earl of Buckingham.[3][1]
William Giffard, Bishop of Winchester.[15][16]
Rohese Giffard (d. aft. 1113), married Richard fitz Gilbert, Lord of Clare.[3][1]
Lora Giffard, married Sir Robert de Hampden.[1]

Parents
DE BOLBEC Osbern (ABT  945 - 1035)
DE CREPON Avelina (Wevia) (ABT  957 - )

Siblings
DE BOLBEC ----- (ABT  985 - )
____ Godfrey (Gozeline) (ABT  987 - AFT 1035)
DE PONTEAUDEMER Josceline (ABT  989 - AFT 1068)
DE BOLBEC Osbern II (ABT  990 - 1063)
GIFFARD Walter (ABT 1005 - ABT 1093)

Marriage To DE FLEITEL Agnes Ermentrude (ABT 1014 - )
    m.  

Notes

Parents
DE FLEITEL Gerhard (ABT  985 - )
D'EVEREUX Herleve (ABT  995 - )

Children by DE FLEITEL Agnes Ermentrude ABT 1014 - 
GIFFARD (GYFFARDE) Osborne (Osbert) (ABT 1030 - BEF 1096)
GIFFARD Rohese (1034 - BEF 1133)
GIFFARD Walter (ABT 1040 - 15 Jul 1102)

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