Aubrey de Coucy facts for kids
Aubrey de Coucy, also known as Alberic, was an important leader in England long ago. He held the title of earl of Northumbria from 1080 to about 1086. An earl was a powerful person who governed a large area for the king.
Who Was Aubrey de Coucy?
Aubrey de Coucy came from a place called Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique in Normandy, France. His family was part of the Normans, who were people from Normandy. Aubrey's wife, Ada, had inherited land in Coucy, making him a significant figure there.
Becoming an Earl
In 1080, the previous Earl of Northumbria, named Walcher, was killed in Gateshead. Walcher was also the Bishop of Durham. His death happened because of a big disagreement between his own knights and some powerful old families in Northumbria.
After Walcher's death, King William the Conqueror needed a new earl. He chose Aubrey de Coucy to take over. Aubrey was a Norman nobleman who already owned a lot of land in the middle of England.
Why He Left England
Aubrey de Coucy did not stay as earl for very long. He gave up his position, probably soon after 1085. Around that time, there was a threat of an invasion from the Danes.
Aubrey is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. This was a huge survey ordered by King William to record who owned land in England. The records suggest that Aubrey had recently lost his lands in England.
A writer from that time, Symeon of Durham, said that Aubrey "was not very good at difficult tasks" and went back to his own country. After Aubrey left, another nobleman named Robert de Mowbray became the new Earl of Northumbria.
His Later Life
When King William the Conqueror was dying in 1087, he was in Rouen, France. He decided that his oldest son, Robert Curthose, would become the ruler of Normandy. However, Robert would not rule England. Aubrey de Coucy was chosen to deliver this important news to Robert.
Aubrey de Coucy later died at his home, the Château de Coucy in France. His sister, Ermengarde, had warned him about a plot to kill him. An old book called the Vita Sancti Arnulfi mentions that the person who plotted against him later married Aubrey's widow.
