Gerbod the Fleming, 1st Earl of Chester facts for kids
Gerbod the Fleming, from a town called Oosterzele in Flanders (which is now part of France), was a very important person. He was the first Earl of Chester in England in the year 1070. His family had a special role: they were the protectors or legal representatives for the Abbey of Saint Bertin in Saint-Omer.
Gerbod's Life and Adventures
Gerbod of Oosterzele was the son of another man named Gerbod, who also held the family's special job of protecting the Abbey of Saint-Bertin. Gerbod the Fleming was one of the most important people from Flanders who owned land directly from the king in England after the Norman Conquest. His family owned lands in Oosterzele and Scheldewindeke, and they also had rights in a place called Arques and in the city of Saint-Omer.
In 1066, Gerbod was working for William the Conqueror, who became King of England. He was probably part of the famous Battle of Hastings. Between 1067 and 1070, King William made Gerbod the Earl of Chester. This meant he was given a large part of the county of Chester, including the city itself. Chester was a special area called a "county palatine," where the Earl had a lot of power, almost like a mini-king.
Gerbod had a brother named Frederic, who also owned land directly from the king in East Anglia. His sister, Gundred, married William I de Warenne, who later became the first Earl of Surrey. William's main home was at Castle Acre in Norfolk.
In 1070, King William the Conqueror took control of Cheshire, and that's when Gerbod was officially given the Earldom of Chester. However, a historian named Orderic Vitalis wrote that Gerbod faced many problems from both the English and Welsh people in his new role. He might have been happy to return to Flanders later that same year. This quick return might have been because the Count of Flanders, Baldwin VI, had died, and there was a civil war happening there.
According to Orderic Vitalis, Gerbod fought in the Battle of Cassel in February 1071 in Flanders. During this battle, he was captured by his enemies. Because the Earldom of Chester was now empty, King William I gave it to Hugh 'Lupus' d'Avranches. Another historical book, the Hyde Chronicle, said that Gerbod died while he was a prisoner.
However, some English and Norman historical sources say that Gerbod was not imprisoned after the Battle of Cassel. Instead, they say he went to Rome to ask for forgiveness. He felt bad for killing Arnulf III, Count of Flanders, who was his lord, during the battle. Pope Gregory VII then sent him to Hugh, who was the Abbot of Cluny. Gerbod stayed at Cluny and became a respected monk in that religious community.
Before he became a monk, Gerbod married a woman named Ada (her last name isn't known). They had at least three children together.
Gerbod's Children
Gerbod and Ada had the following children:
- Arnulf III of Oosterzele-Scheldewindeke
- Gerbod III of Oosterzele-Scheldewindeke
- Albert of Scheldewindeke
See also
