The Family of Eu
The early history of the family of Eu has been somewhat difficult to unravel. Richard I. (Duke of Normandy, died 996), surnamed the Fearless, married Gunnor, daughter of Herfast (died 1031). Their son, Richard II., surnamed the Good (died 6th August, 1026), succeeded to the Dukedom of Normandy on his father's death. He had a uterine brother ('uterinus frater) named William, the father of whom we do not know.[1] To this William was granted the County and Castle of Eu. At the time of its grant to William it was an ancient building, having been a stronghold of Rolf. The original fortress now no longer exists, but it formerly stood on the border-line between Normandy and Ponthieu. It was a citadel of great importance, and a favourite resort of the Norman dukes. Count William of Eu married Lesceline, daughter of Turketill d'Harcourt, who, as a widow, subsequently founded the Abbey of St. Pierre-sur-Dive, in 1057 (Gallia Christiana, vol. xi. p. 856). She was also a benefactress of the Church of secular canons, Notre Dame, at Eu (transferred to regulars, 1177 ;Gallia Christiana, vol. xi. p. 293), founded by her husband at Eu about 1024. She became joint founder with her sone Hugh of the Nunnery of St. Désiré, near Lisieux, where she afterwards lived as a nun; and dying there on February 1st, 1057, was buried in the choir of the nuns, in front of the high altar. Her son Hugh, the Bishop of Lisieux, was buried in 1077 in the same place, in the presence of his brother, Robert, Count of Eu (see Orderic Vitalis, B. V. c. viii., where Hugh's epitaph is given). It was at this church that William, Duke of Normandy, received his bride Matilda from her father, Count Baldwin of Flanders. Count William had three sons by her. The respective ages of these sons, and the order of their birth, are open to question ; but their names were Hugh, William Busac, and Robert. Hugh became Bishop of Lisieux (1050 till 1077). William Busac is stated by William of Jumieges (vii. 20) to have claimed the Duchy of Normandy, and at that time to have been in possession of the Castle of Eu. The Castle was besieged and taken from him by William, Duke of Normandy, and he was banished from the Duchy (1058). Robert of Eu, his brother, was then put in possession of the Castle and County of Eu. Robert was one of the chief companions and counsellors of William, and throughout his career proved himself a loyal and gallant soldier in the service of his lord and kinsman. He fought by William's side at the Battle of Mortemer, in Normandy, in 1054. He was one of the nobles who were summoned to the Council of Lillebonne, when William asked his great vassals for assistance to invade England ; and he contributed sixty ships towards the flotilla which bore the Duke's soldiery to the shores of Sussex. He fought also at the Battle of Hastings, and, as Wace says of him and his companions, they " demeaned themselves like brave men, and those whom their blows reached were ill-handled."
Nor was this the sum of his services to the Conqueror. He appears to have followed William through the various campaigns which led to the conquest of England. He was with the King when the Normans dispersed the Danes near Lindsey (1069), and he was there left in company with the Conqueror's half brother, the Count of Mortain, to check any further incursions of the Danes. At Christmas, 1069, they surprised the Danes in the Fens, driving them to their -
- ↑ Vol. ix., Yorkshire Arch. Journal. Mr. Chester Waters makes this Count William of Eu a bastard son of Duke Richard I. of Normandy by an unknown mother.
