Roger de Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_of_Montgomery%2C_1st_Earl_of_Shrewsbury

Roger de Montgomerie
Born (ca. 1030), France
Died 1094
Office Earl of Shrewsbury 1071-1094

Known as Roger the Great de Montgomery, son of another Roger de Montgomerie, who was a relative, probably a grandnephew, of the duchess Gunnor, wife of duke Richard I of Normandy, was the first earl of Shrewsbury. The elder Roger had large holdings in central Normandy, chiefly in the valley of the Dives, which the younger Roger inherited.

Roger was one of William the Conqueror's principal counselors. He did not fight in the initial invasion of England in 1066, instead staying behind to help govern Normandy. Afterwards he was entrusted with land in two places critical for the defense of England, receiving the Rape of Arundel at the end of 1067 (or in early 1068), and in November 1071 he was created Earl of Shrewsbury. (A few historians believe that while he received the Shropshire territories in 1071 he was not created earl until a few years later.)

Roger was thus one of the half a dozen greatest magnates in England during William the Conqueror's reign. In addition to the large part of Sussex included in the Rape of Arundel, and seven-eights of Shropshire which were associated with the earldom of Shrewsbury, he had estates in Surrey, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Middlesex, Hertfordshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Cambridgeshire, Warwickshire and Staffordshire.

After Williams's death in 1087, Roger had joined with other rebels to overthrow the newly crowned king William Rufus in the Rebellion of 1088. However William was able to convince Roger to abandon the rebellion and side with the king, which was fortuitious as the rebels were beaten and lost their land holdings in England. Roger first married Mabel of Bêlleme, who was heiress to a large territory on both sides of the border between Normandy and Maine. By her he had 10 children:

Name Birth Death Notes
By Mabel Talvas (Mabel of Belleme).
Roger Montgomery 1066
Robert of Bellême 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury
Hugh of Montgomery
Roger the Poitevin
Philip d. 1099 | | Died while on crusade at the Siege of Antioch
Arnulf of Montgomery
Emma, abbess of Almenchêches
Matilda m. Robert, Count of Mortain.
Mabel m. Hugh of Châteauneuf-en-Thimerais.
Sibyl m. Robert Fitzhamon.

Roger then married Adelaide de Le Puiset, by whom he had one son, Everard, who entered the Church.

After his death, Roger's estates were divided. The eldest surviving son, Robert, received the bulk of the Norman estates (as well as his mother's estates); the next son, Hugh, received the bulk of the English estates and the earldom of Shrewsbury. After Hugh's death the elder son Robert inherited the earldom.


[edit] References
J. F. A. Mason, "Roger de Montgomery and His Sons (1067–1102)", Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 5th series vol. 13 (1963) 1-28
Kathleen Thompson, "The Norman Aristocracy before 1066: the Example of the Montgomerys", Historical Research 60 (1987) 251-263
Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700 by Frederick Lewis Weis Lines: 124-26, 185-1



Shropshire and the Domesday Book
(at http://www.infokey.com/Domesday/Shropshire.htm)
Roger de Montgomery II, better known as Earl Roger in the Domesday, but officially the seigneur of Montgomery, was the major recipient of Shropshire holdings. An old man of considerable wealth and power, he contributed 60 ships to the invasion fleet and was in command of a wing at the Battle of Hastings. He returned to Normandy with Queen Matilda, and the young Duke Robert as Duke William's representative in Normandy. He became head of the council that governed the Duchy of Normandy in Duke William's frequent absences in England. The Norman Montgomery family ancestry was closely interwoven either by blood or marriage with the Duchy of Normandy. However, the family history in Normandy was not without blemish. Roger had four brothers, Hugh, Robert, William and Gilbert. All four brothers were murdered in revenge for the murder of Osberne de Crepon, guardian of Duke William. Roger was the survivor. Continuing, Roger de Montgomery had four sons. Eldest was Robert, Count of Alencon, and successor in Normandy to his vast estates which he still held for his father Roger as his chief domain. He was followed by second son, Hugh, who inherited the Earldom of Arundel, Chichester and Shrewsbury, the life custodian of the main Montgomery family domains granted in England. These would eventually go to Robert in 1098, purchased from William Rufus for 3000 pounds. Next youngest was Count Roger de Poitou who was made the first Earl of Lancaster by Duke William of Normandy, a less maganamious grant which befitted the third youngest son. Philip, the youngest, remained in Normandy and accompanied Duke Robert on the first crusade to the Holy land, and died there in 1094.

More information under his sone Roger.

Below from Ancestors of Sir Richard fitz Maurice Knight of Kerry" at http://www.ccma.ca/~mbone/webtree/data/geraldine_a/research0.htm

Roger7 DE MONTGOMERY 1st Earl of Shrewsbury (child of Roger, #136);[11],[11] born circa 1022 at St. Germain, Montgomery, Normandie, France;[11] married Mabel Talvas Countess Alençon, Bellême & Seez (see #69), daughter of Guillaume II de Talvas Comte d'Alençon & Bellême and Hildeberge de Beaumont, 1048 at Perche, France; died circa 1094.[11]

Roger was a councillor of William, duke of Normandy, before his invasion of England and was probably entrusted by William with the government of Normandy during the expedition of 1066. Roger came to England in the following year and received extensive grants of land in different parts of the kingdom. He was created earl of Shropshire in December 1074, a position which gave him palatine control of that county and placed him among the greatest of the Marcher lords; but he and his successors were usually styled earls of Shrewsbury. A great patron of monasticism, he became a monk in his newly founded Abbey of Shrewsbury just before he died in 1094. His Norman inheritance passed to his eldest surviving son, Robert of Bellême (q.v.), and the title and the English lands went to Robert's younger brother, Hugh. Upon the latter's death in 1098, the title went to Robert.[18] Roger founded Pembroke Castle in 1093, an earth and timber fortress rebuilt in stone a century later.

Children of Roger7 de Montgomery 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and Mabel Talvas Countess Alençon, Bellême & Seez (see #69) were as follows:

i. Robert6 de Montgomery 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury; born circa 1039 at Perche, France; died 1119.

ii. Maude de Montgomery; born circa 1050 at Mortaigne, Normandie, France; died 1082.

iii. Roger de Montgomery Earl of Lancaster; born circa 1058 at Marche, Poitou, France; died 1102.
He was also known as The Poitevin.

iv. Sybil de Montgomery; born 1066 at Normandie, France.
çon


11=Reed's Genealogy Page, online http://pages.prodigy.net/reed_wurts/genehp.htm

1. Robert de Belleme , 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury b: ABT 1054
2. Sibyl de Montgomery
3. Hugh de Montgomery , 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury b: ABT 1056
4. Roger 'the Poitevin' Earl of Lancaster de Poitou b: 1058
5. Philip 'Grammaticus' de Montgomery
6. Emma de Montgomery , Abbess of Almeneches
7. Maud de Montgomery
8. Mabel de Montgomery
9. Matilda de Montgomerie
10. Arnulf lord of Pembroke 'Cimbricde de Montgomery b: ABT 1090

1. Everard the Chaplin de Montgomery