Geoffroy de Montbray

Geoffroy de Montbray or Geoffroy de Coutances (sometimes Mowbray in English) († February 2nd 1093, Coutances), bishop of Coutances of 1049 with 1093, was one of the closest advisers of William the Conqueror, than it accompanied in his Conquête by England.

Biography

Resulting from a family of Norman tycoons of the Cotentin, he becomes bishop of Coutances in 1048 or 1049. It is suspected of having bought its function of bishop (Simonie) .

Before 1066, it is one of the main actors of the ecclesiastical reforms in Normandy which are sponsored by the Duc of Normandy Guillaume Bastard the (later the Conqueror ).

To the beginning of the year 1050, it goes to Rome and meets its exiled parishioners, the Hauteville, which reigns on the south of Italy. Making display of its talent for the secular businesses, it raises funds for the rebuilding of its cathedral (dedicated in 1056).

Close friend and close adviser of the duke of Normandy, it accompanies it in its Conquête by England in 1066. Guillaume by Poitiers reports that with Odon de Conteville, bishop of Bayeux and half-brother of the Conqueror, it is present at the Hastings to only help by his prayers, and that they do not take part in the famous battle. It also attends the crowning of William the Conqueror in Westminster on December 25th, 1066, and the acclamation which it carries out lack to create a riot.

In 1069, it helps to repress some rebellions, whereas the conquest of England finishes. Belonging to the right-hand men of the Conqueror, it is massively rewarded for its participation in the conquest, and on the whole receives 280 manors, including 80 in the Somerset.

During the Revolt of the counts in 1075, it jointly carries out an army with Odon of Bayeux against Ralph de Gaël, the Count de Norfolk. They besiege and take the castle of Norfolk. The captured rebels have the right foot cut in order to be able to be recognized later on.

Although always bishop of Coutances, it passes practically all the reign of William the Conqueror in England. Its principal activity is to regulate the most important ground arguments, like that of Penenden Heath in 1072, where Lanfranc asserts grounds which are under the control of Odon of Bayeux.

With died from the Conqueror in 1087, Robert Courteheuse receives in heritage the Normandy, and William Rufus the England. This situation poses a large problem of honesty to the Norman barons, almost all the possessions on the two sides of the handle, which must obey two lords. Geoffroy de Montbray belongs to those which want a return to a single command. He thus takes part in the Rébellion of 1088, the purpose of which is to replace the king Guillaume II the Russet-red by his/her older brother, the duke Robert Courteheuse. 1=Accompagné of its nephew Robert, Count de Northumbrie, it puts at bag Bristol, Bath, Berkeley and most of the Wiltshire .

The rebellion fails, but the king decides to forgive the rebels massively.

He tries to penetrate in the good thanks of the king during the lawsuit made to Guillaume of Saint-Calais, one of the instigators of the plot, but vis-a-vis the hostility of Lanfranc, he prefers to withdraw himself in Normandy, where it will remain until his death in 1093.

Its nephew Robert de Montbray inherits his English strongholds but William Rufus will confiscate to him following a plot against its person in 1095.

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