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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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