Baron Ralph de Gael de Montfort & Dame Avice Waer

 318232094. Baron Ralph de Gael de Montfort &  318232095. Dame Avice Waer

~1076, Ralph born in Normandy, s/o 636464188. Ralph de Gael & 636464189. Emma of Hereford. [Ralph (636464188), Earl of Norfolk, had over 100 forfeitures due to being in a plot against the King.]

~1085, Amice born in France.

9/26/1087, William Rufus crowned King of England; succeeding William the Conqueror. Duke Robert Curthose [the elder brother] succeeded in Normandy.

11/27/1095, at Clermont, Pope Urban proposed the 1^st crusade; with a new doctrine that the blood they shed would not be held against them.

9/1096, Ralph de Gael, with his father and mother, attended Duke Robert Curthose of Normandy as they set out on crusade. They traveled south to Lucca, then Rome, then the south coast of Italy to the port of Bari. Not having access to ships, they wintered at Calabria.[Ralph’s parents died on crusade.]

4/1097, The crusaders sailed from Brindisi to Durazzo; then overland by the Via Egnatia road to Constantinople.

6/1097, The crusaders reached Nicea, joining a siege in process, while be harrassed by mounted archers of Kilij Arslan [who’s wife was in the city].

6/30/1097, Half the forces a day ahead of the other half encamped in a valley near Dorylaeum in Aisa Minor. The next morning they were attacked by archers of Kilij Arslan. Forming a defensive perimeter, they held off the attack until the Moslems were supprised by the arrival of the 2^nd half of the force and had to flee, leaving behind horses and camels, as well as treasure. They then moved south.

8/1097, The crusaders reached Iconium in Asia Minor, closely populated by Armenian Christians.

8/1097, Traveling east, the crusaders engaged Seljuks at Heraclea, easily winning the city. The crusaders then divided their forces again, one part taking the Roman road that went shortest distance, but required difficult mountainous conditions; the other taking a longer, safer route, that could encounter early snowfalls.

1097, Leaving Caesarea, they traveled through the mountains capturing small towns including Coxon. Clearing the Taurus mountains, they arrived at Antioch [which Stephen said of it: “a very great city, stronger than one can imagine, and utterly impregnable.”]

10/1097 at Antioch, the crusaders 1^st captured the Iron Bridge to seal access from the east.

12/1097-2/1098, Cold and rain prevented much activity.

6/2/1098, Count Stephen of Blois and his contingent of crusaders returned home.

6/3/1098, The crusaders breached the wall of Antioch and captured the city; but were themselves immediately put to siege by another Muslim army led by Kerbogha.

6/1098, The crusaders lauched a premptive strike against Kerbogha, but were repelled. Soon after several other counts fled the city with there forces.

6/28/1098, The crusaders openly attacked the Muslim forces and captured the Citadel.

7/14/1098, A Genoese fleet arrived with much needed supplies. [Although soon after an epidemic killed many crusaders.]

1/13/1099, A much smaller band of crusaders marched towards Jerusalem led by Duke Robert Curthose, Count Raymond of Toulouse, and Tancred. [Count Raymond then split off and attacked Akkar.]

2/1099, Duke Robert with Robert of Flanders and Godfrey of Bouillon attacked Tripoli.

6/7/1099, By way of Beirut, Acre, Tyre, Haifa, Caesarea, Arsuf, Ramla, and Jaffa, they came within sight of Jerusalem.

6/13/1099, An unsuccessful attack was made on the city.

7/10/1099, The crusaders had 3 siege engines in place. Duke Robert intially used a battering ram to breech the wall, then brought up the siege tower of soldiers who entered the city and opened the gates.

8/10/1099, The crusaders defeated an approaching Egyptian army.

8/1099, Duke Robert and his crusaders left the Holy Land to return to Normandy.

8/5/1100, King Henry I succeeded William Rufus and King of England.

1103, Raoul de Gael heir to his uncle William de Breteuil.

[––Ralph & Amice––]

~1103, Ralph married Avice

8/3/1108, Louis VI succeeded Philip I as King of France.

1119, King Louis, supported by Amaury de Montfort, invaded Normandy. Louis 1^st burnt Ivry, then approached Bretueil, held by Ralph de Gael, who offered stiff resistance. At the height of the battle, 200 knights of King Henry arrived ahead of his main army. The French forces retreated. (S) Henry I, Green, 2006, P153.

8/20/1119, Ralph at the Battle of Bremule, France between King Henry I and King Louis VI of France. [The English winning: Orderic Vitalis … Henry, king of England, came down into it with 500 knights … William Clito, son of Robert duke of Normandy, armed himself there … in the battle of the 2 kings, in which about 900 knights were engaged, only 3 were killed …] (S) Dictionary of Battles, Eggenberger, 1967, P61. [Norman commander Ralph de Gael ‘brought down many distinguished champions that day.’ (S) War and Chivalry, Strickland, 1996, P103.]

1119-20, Ralph de Gael continued to hold the castle of Breteuil. With the help of King Henry, a local settlement involved Ralph de Tony getting Pont-Saint-Pierre, Eustace de Breteuil allowed to keep Pacy, and the daughter of Ralph de Gael was betrothed to King Henry’s son Richard. (S) Henry I, Green, 2006, P154.

1119-20, Ralph resigned his claims to his daughter.

Bef. 11/25/1120, Ralph de Gael died.

Child of Ralph and Avice:

i. Amice de Gael (159116047), born ~1005 in England.