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Saturday, August 22, 2020

Comte Eustace III of Boulogne & Comtesse Mary of Scotland

 378220862. Comte Eustace III of Boulogne & 378220863. Comtesse Mary of Scotland

1059, Eustace born in Boulogne, s/o 756441724. Eustace II of Boulogne & 756441725. Ida of Lotharingia.

9/1066, Eustace given as a hostage at Rouen by his father during the invasion of England.

1087, Eustace and his father witnessed a grant to Bec by William of Breteuil.

1087, Eustace succeeded his father as Comte de Boulogne et de Lens.

9/26/1087, William Rufus crowned King of England; succeeding William the Conqueror. His elder brother Robert became Duke of Normandy.

1088, Eustace, with Bishop Odo of Bayeux and Robert of Belleme supported the succession of Duke Robert over his brother William in England. Eustace forfeited the Honour of Boulogne and was exiled by King William.

1088, Eustace and Robert of Belleme crossed to England and held the castle of Rochester against King William; but did not receive support and had to surrender.

~1087, Mary of Scotland d/o 378220550. King Malcolm III of Scotland & 378220551. Saint Margaret of Hungary. [Mary educated in England by the nuns at Wilton.] (S) King Stephen, King, 2010, P103.

1091, Eustace with his allies Guy, count of Ponthieu, and Hugh I, count of St. Pol witnessed an act of Abbot Lambert.

1091, Eustace attended the Flemish court in a case involving the abbey of St. Bertin.

2/1092, Eustace attested the charter of Duke Robert to the abbey of Bec.

1096 at the Flemish court, Eustace present at a lawsuit concerning St. Bertin with Robert II, count of Flanders.

1096, Eustace issued his 1st charter, witnessed by his brother Baldwin.

9/1096, Eustace attended the crusade with his brothers Godfrey of Bouillon, duke of Lower Lotharingia, and Baldwin of Boulogne as a member of the retinue of Robert II, count of Flanders.

4/1097, The crusaders sailed from Brindisi to Durazzo; then overland by the Via Egnatia road to Constantinople. [Albert of Aix records the arrival in Constantinople of ‘Robertus Normannorum comes, Stephanus Blesensis, Eustachius frater prædicti Ducis.’]

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]. In a poem about the battle: “Look you! Count Eustace, who was of Boulogne, And goes to strike a Turk with a Viennese lance, With the length of his full lance he strikes him dead in the joncois.’ (S) The Crusades, Semaan, 2003, P88.

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 suprised by the arrival of the 2nd 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. [From a letter of Stephen of Blois: “… we conquered for the Lord all Romania and afterwards Cappadocia. And we learned that there was a certain Turkish prince Assam, dwelling in Cappadocia; thither we directed our course. All his castles we conquered by force and compelled him to flee to a certain very strong castle situated on a high rock …”] Clearing the Taurus mountains, they arrived at Antioch [which Stephen of Blois said of it: “a very great city, stronger than one can imagine, and utterly impregnable.”]

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

12/1097-2/1098, Cold and rain prevented much activity. [A chronicler noted that by February, as many had died of sickness as had died in battle.]

6/3/1098, In a swift assualt through gates opened by crusaders that had scaled the walls at night, Antioch fell. The next day they were attacked by a Moslem army of Kerbogha, who laid siege to the city. [During this time they discovered the lance that was used to pierce the side of Jesus – which they saw as divine intervention on their part.]

6/28/1098, The crusaders went on the offensive and attacked, driving off the disorganized opposition.

1/13/1099, The crusaders started towards Tripoli [leaving there May 16th], and then to Jerusalem.

6/7/1099, The main army came in sight of Jerusalem.

7/8/1099, The crusaders captured Jerusalem. [Describing the moments before the walls were breached, Robert the Monk equated Eustace and his brothers to lions. Godfrey, brother of Eustace, elected the 1st ruler of Jerusalem, not accepting the use of ‘King’ in his title.]

8/12/1099, Eustace fought at the battle of Ascalon.

1100, Eustace returned from the crusade.

7/18/1100, Eustace’s brother Godfrey died.

12/25/1100, Eustace on his return trip, stopping at Liege, renounced his claims on the castle of Bouillon.

1100, Eustace confirmed gifts of his mother ida and made a grant to Capelle of relics from the crusade.

8/5/1100, Henry I crowned King of England.

12/25/1100, Eustace’s brother Baldwin crowned the 1st King of Jerusalem [in Bethlehem.]

3/10/1101, In an agreement between King Henry I of England and Robert II of Flanders, Eustace is exempted from the terms of the agreement.

1101, Eustace and King Henry I of England reconciled when Henry restored the Honour of Boulogne to Eustace [Henry needed allies since he was expecting an invasion of England by his brother Robert, duke of Normandy, which occurred the next August.]

1101, Eustace, with the consent of King Henry, restored Cripplegate to St. Martin’s le Grand.

9/3/1101, The King [Henry I of England] grants to Bishop Herbert … ‘Nomina primatum et principum:’ Robert count of Ponthieu, Stephen count of Brittany, Robert count of Meulan, Eustace count of Boulogne, Henry earl of Warwick, Simon earl of Northampton, William earl of Warren, William count of Mortain, Count Rogert the Poitevin, Eudes the sewer, Hamon the sewer, William the butler, Richard de Retvers, Robert fitz Hamon, Alan fitz-Flaad, Gilbert Fitz-Richard, Robert Malet, Roger fitz-Richard.

[––Eustace & Mary––]

1102, Eustace married Mary. [Florence of Worcester records that Henry I King of England arranged the marriage of ‘Mariam reginæ sororem’ and ‘Eustatio Bononensium comiti’.]

1103-05, Eustace witnessed a grant of King Henry I to St. Peters.

1104, Eustace and Bishop Lambert of Arras reached an agreement, through mediation of Pope Pascal II, over the restoration of 10 altars in the Arras diocese.

8/1104, Eustace attended King Henry of England when he invaded Normandy.

1105, Eustace and Mary founded the priory of Rumilly.

1106, Eustace sought confirmation by Bishop Lambert of Arras of the canons of Lens’ possessions.

1106, Eustace made a gift to the canons of SS Juliand and Botulph, Colchester.

1106, Eustace’s charter to St. Paul’s attested by his sons Raoul and Eustace.

By 1107, King Henry I restored Duxford to Eustace.

1107, Eustace and Mary granted St. Wulmer, Samer, to Cluny.

8/1107, Eustace witnessed a confirmation of King Henry I to Montebourg.

5/1108, Eustace witnessed a grant of King Henry I to Romsey abbey.

8/3/1108, Louis VI crowned King of France.

Bef. 1109, Eustace described as a man of great courage and honesty in ‘The Gesta Francorum expugnantium Iherusalem.’ (S) The Crusades, Semaan, 2003, P87.

2/1110, Matilda, d/o King Henry I of England, landed at Boulogne on her journey to marry King Henry V of Germany. [Eustace likely her escort during this part of the journey.]

1110, Eustace a witness to the Treaty of Dover between King Henry of England and Robert II of Flanders. [Eustace acted as a pledge for both sides.]

1111, Baldwin VII succeeded as Count of Flanders.

Bef. 1112, Eustace granted Frencq to St. Wulmer, Samer.

Aft. 2/1112, Eustace obtained possession of Palendyck.

7/1112, ‘Eustacius Bolonie comes’ confirmed the possession of St. Wulmer to the abbey of Samer.

4/1113, Eustace at King Henry I’s [of England] court in Normandy attested a confirmation to the Bishop of Lisieux.

1113, Eustace’s mother died.

1113, Bishop Lambert of Arras sought clemency from Eustace in a matter associated with a knight of Nigella who had sought refuge in the church of Arras.

1113, Eustace and Mary made a grant to St. Martin des Champs of Frevent church. [The French monarchy also benefactors of St. Martin des Champs.]

3/1113, A general peace agreement between the kings of France and England included an angreement between Eustace and Baldwin VII of Flanders.

1113, Baldwin VII of Flanders visited Lens, and placed Nigella castle under Eustace’s jurisdiction.

Aft. 7/1113, Baldwin VII of Flanders confirmed Eustace’s gift of the sheepfold of Neuenna, Merck to St. Wulmer.

1114, Eustace and Mary visited England.

1114, Mary granted the manor of Kingweston to Bermondsey abbey.

By 1115, Eustace made a gift to the priory of St. Geroges, Hesdin.

5/1116, Mary died; buried at Bermondsey priory [Southwark, London].

[––Eustace––]

1116, Eustace confirmed Mary’s grant of Kingweston to Bermondsey.

1117 at St. Omer, Eustace witnessed Baldwin VII’s charter to Watten.

1117, Eustace negotiated a peace between Baldwin VII and Hugh of St. Pol and his ally Gautier of Hesdin. In the peace agreement, Eustace confirmed a grant to St. Georges d’Hesdin that was part of the settlement.

4/1118, Eustace’s younger brother Baldwin I, King of Jerusalem, died; Eustace offered the throne. Eustace traveled as far as Apulia before finding out that Baldwin of Bourcq had already been crowned.

1119, Charles the Good succeeded as Count of Flanders.

2/1120, Eudo (319837350), dapifer of King Henry I of England, died. King Henry granted Eustace several of the manors of Eudo: Lillechurch, Kent; Gamelegia, Cambridge; Neuselle, Herts; Roinges, Essex; Widham, Essex; and Ereswelle, Suffolk.

1120, Eustace confirmed Eudo Dapifer’s grant to St John’s, colchester. [Signed by his sons Raoul and Eustace.]

4/1120 at Arras, Eustace III and Hugh III of St. Pol were together acting as counselors in a case before Charles the Good dealing with St Peters, Gent.

1120, Eustace instrumental in a peace agreement between Hugh of St. Pol and Charles the Good of Flanders.

1120, Eustace made a grant to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. [Signed by his sons Raoul and Eustace.]

1121, Eustace confirmed the grants made by his ancestors to St. Wulmer, Boulogne.

1122, Eustace granted freedom from customs and exactions within Merck to Saint-Bertin, for the souls of ‘Eustacii comitis patris mei et Yde matris mee comitisse.’ [Eustace’s parents].

1122 at Arras, Eustace III a counselor in a case before Charles the Good over the tonlieu of Arras between St. Vaast and the townsmen of Arras. Others present were Hugh of St. Pol and Walter Tirel.

1122-25, Eustace’s illegitimate sons Raoul and Eustace died.

1123, Hugh of St. Pol made a grant of Palendyck to the comital foundation of Bourgourg witnessed by Eustace, ‘Boulonnais count’. [Hugh held Palendyck of Eustace.]

1125, Count Eustace of Boulogne by charter gave his inheritance to his son-in-law Count Stephen.

1125, ‘Eustachius olim comes Boloniensis nunc autem … monachus Cluniacensis’ donated property to Cluny; which names ‘Maria uxore mea …[et] Mathildi filia mea’, and is subscribed by ‘Stephani comitis Bolonie, Matildis comitisse.’

1125, Eustace retired to the Cluny monastery at Rumilly [SE France].

1125, Eustace died holding the castles of Bellebrune, Boulogne, Fiennes, Tingry and Lens.

(S) English Historical Review, V34, 1919. (S) Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. (S) Boulogne and Politics, Tanner, 2004.

Family notes:

9 copies of the Boulonnais comital genealogy were made between 1087 and 1119 in monastic criptoria of norther France. The 3 brothers were characterized as heroes in the crusade romances ‘Chanson D’Antioch’ and ‘Chanson de Jerusalem.’

Eustace minted coins in Lens and Boulogne: obverse – a castle with the legend ‘+EUSTASHIVS’.

Eustace made a grant of 7000 herring to be paid on the Feast of St. Andrew to St. Berthe, Blangy.

Child of Eustace and Mary:

i. Mathilde of Boulogne (189110431), born ~1105 in Boulogne, France.

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