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DE MORTIMER Ranulph (Ralph)
Birth: ABT 1058 Saint-Victor-en-Caux, Normandy
Death: ABT 1104 Wigmore, Herefordshire, England
Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranulph_de_Mortimer
Ranulph I de Mortimer (Ralf, Ralph, Raoul de Mortemer) (born before c.1070–died
in/after 1104) was a Marcher Lord from the Montgomery lands in the Welsh Marches
(border lands between Wales and England). In England, he was Lord of Wigmore in
Herefordshire. In Normandy, he was the Seigneur of St. Victor-en-Caux. Ranulph was
the founder of the English House of Mortimer of Wigmore. He acquired Wigmore Castle
after William Fitz Osbern's son Roger de Breteuil joined the Revolt of the Earls of
1075. His lands and holdings in Herefordshire and Shropshire [1] were granted to him
by William the Conqueror before 1086.[2]
Background[edit]
Allegiance to England[edit]
After William the Conqueror's death, the Kingdom of England and the Duchy of
Normandy were divided. Ranulph of Mortemer joined the ranks of the Rebellion of
1088 against the new King of England, William Rufus. Together with Norman, English
and Welsh Marcher Lords, they invaded and conquered the lands of Hereford,
Gloucester and Worcestershire. A year later, the revolt failed and the marches of
Normandy, from Maine to the Evrecin, were in disorder. King Rufus took advantage of
this opportunity to align with the barons of Upper Normandy by bribing them.[3] Of
these barons, Ranulph maintained his land by accepting a bribe from the King in which
he had to give his support to England. He did this by garrisoning his castle and
sacking surrounding enemy territories as an attack against the new Duke of
Normandy, Robert Curthose. The Norman baron allegiance set the stage for a race
between the heirs of William I, where the Duke of Normandy and the King of England
sought to gain as much support from powerful and influential houses as possible
against each other.[4]
Allegiance to Normandy[edit]
Throughout the power struggle between Normandy and England in the early 1090s,
Ranulph ended up switching sides and submitting to the Duke of Normandy.[5] At the
Welsh Marches in 1093, Ranulph joined Norman forces,[6] leading with Earl Roger of
Shrewsbury, Ralph Tosny of Clifford Castle and Philip de Braose of Radnor. They
invaded the ancient Welsh county of Radnorshire, which is now Powys, and sacked
the kingdom of Cynllibiwg. This territory was known as Rhwng Gwy a Hafren, located
between the Rivers Wye and Severn.[7] They founded the castles of Dinieithon, near
present Llandrindod Wells, and Cymaron in Maelienydd, located between Llanbister
and Llangunllo.[8] A century later, after the collapse of Norman authority, the
descendants of Mortemer were eventually expelled from this territory by the Cynllibiwg
rebellion of 1148.[7]
Family[edit]
Ranulph de Mortemer was born in Normandy before 1070 and died in 1104 or after, at
un unknown date.[9] He was the son of the Norman baron Roger of Mortemer and
Hawise. His father assumed the name Mortemer after being given the possession of
the castle and village of Mortemer in the Pays de Bray, called sometimes Morte-mer
sur Eaulne or en Brai. However, after the Battle of Mortemer of 1054, Roger lost the
land and was banned from Normandy for his failure to capture an enemy of the Duke
William. Decades later, the property was granted back to the Mortemer family, namely
by Ranulph, who acquired it. They were related to William de Warenne, 1st Earl of
Surrey, and descendents of a sister of Gunnor, the wife of Richard I of Normandy.
Ranulph married Millicent, whose parentage is currently unknown. Their daughter
Hawise de Mortemer (d. 1127), married Earl Stephen of Aumale before 1100.[10]
Ranulph supported the cause to have his son-in-law replace Henry I of England,
however, Henry had control of both England and Normandy until 1135.
Ranulph's son, Hugh I de Mortemer, rebuilt Cymaron Castle in 1144. Wigmore Castle
remained the Mortimer dynasty's family home in England. His grandson Hugh II married
Maud (Matilda) de Meschines.
wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jweber&id=I02704
Parents
DE MORTIMER Roger (ABT 1030 - ABT 1080)
OF VALOIS Hawise (ABT 1032 - )
Siblings
DE MORTIMER Ranulph (Ralph) (ABT 1058 - ABT 1104)
Marriage To FERRERS Millicent (ABT 1040 - BEF 1088)
m.
Notes
Children by FERRERS Millicent ABT 1040 - BEF 1088
DE MORTIMER Hugh (BEF 1082 - 26 Feb 1148)
DE MORTIMER Hawise (BEF 1088 - 1189)
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