Ralph de Gaël (otherwise Ralph de Guader, Ralph Wader or Radulf Waders or Ralf Waiet or Rodulfo de Waiet; before 1042 – 1100) was the Earl of East Anglia (Norfolk and Suffolk) and Lord of Gaël and Montfort (Seigneur de Gaël et Montfort). He was the leading figure in the Revolt of the Earls, the last serious revolt against William the Conqueror.
Birth Ralph de Gaël was born as a noble before 1042, most probably about 1040. He was the high-born son of an Earl Ralph who was English, or born in England, and lived at the time of the Confessor. Some sources believe this to be Ralph the Staller, while others argue that he was the son of Earl Ralph Mantes of Hereford, and who briefly held the Earldom of East Anglia. Both English and French sources highlight that he had mixed ancestry, both English, and with a Breton parent, possibly his mother, that was 'Bryttisc' meaning 'British', a Breton. Other sources state that it was his father who was of Breton ancestry (although born in Norfolk), and that his mother was English. French sources state that he was a 'man of illustrious birth, descended from the Kings of the Bretons', including warrior saint King Judicaël, the castle of Gaël being the traditional seat of the kings of Brittany.
In the Domesday Book, an English Alsi, is named as 'nephew of Earl Ralph', and a Godwin, English with Anglo-Saxon and possible Dutch connections,"Godwin Halden, by his name, seems to be an Old English Saxon, or Dane, and how he came to be in such favour, and to merit so much from the Conqueror, is not known; it is however worthy of our remark, and notice, that if he was an English Saxon, &c. he is the only one I have yet found in Norfolk, that was allowed to keep his land at the Conquest, and hold it at the survey." An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 10. Originally published by W Miller, London, 1809. is named as Earl Ralph's uncle. Other sources cite a possible relation (possibly a cousin), to rebel Hereward the Wake, also stated to be of noble birth. His wedding feast and associations highlight connections to both Anglo-Saxon and Danish nobles, as well as his vast inherited lands in Brittany.
Inheritances
He inherited the great Breton barony of Gaël, which comprised more than forty parishes. In England, he also inherited estates, but it is not known whether he obtained the earldom of Norfolk immediately on his father's death. Shortly after the Norman conquest, he held large estates in Norfolk, as well as property in Suffolk, Essex, Hertford, and possibly other counties. He was named Earl of East Anglia by William I. Some accounts suggest that his service in the conquest restored lands that were already his by inheritance. This is mentioned in the Norman chronicler Wace's account of the conquest of 1066:
Prior to the Revolt of 1075
In 1065 he was with Conan II, Duke of Brittany when he besieged Rivallon I of Dol, Lord of Dol, in the castle of Combourg.
He fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and was known for his bravery and strength of character."His valor was so great, says D. Morice, that his name alone was worth an army." (Dom Morice, tome II, p. 183). Later he is found in February or March 1068 at William the Conqueror's court.
Then in 1069, he routed a force of Norsemen which had invaded Norfolk and occupied Norwich, and he would later be created Earl of Norfolk and Suffolk, or of the East Angles, the earldom being also styled, from its capital, "of Norwich".
It was likely this Ralph who on 13 April 1069 was with the king at Winchester and he witnessed, as Earl Ralph, a diploma in favour of St Denis of Paris and a grant in favour of the Bishop of Essex. He also attested a charter between 1068 and 1070 as "Comes", a hereditary count.
Ralph built a church, St Peter Mancroft in Norwich, in the new town, and gave it to his chaplains."At the latter end of the Confessor's time it began to be inhabited, and at the Conqueror's survey, all this land was owned and held by Ralf Waiet, or Guader, Earl of Norfolk, (fn. 2) in right of his castle, and he granted it to the King in common, to make a new-burgh between them; which burgh contained all this and St. Giles's parish; (fn. 3) and this Earl it was, that first founded the church of St. Peter and Paul at Mancroft, and gave it to his chaplains" An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 4, the History of the City and County of Norwich, Part II. Originally published by W Miller, London, 1806."at the Conqueror's survey, all this land was owned and held by Ralf Waiet, or Guader, Earl of Norfolk, in right of his castle, and he granted it to the King in common, to make a new-burgh between them; which ... contained all this and St. Giles's parish; and this Earl it was, that first founded the church of St. Peter and Paul at Muncroft, and gave it to his chaplains." The History of the City and County of Norwich. 1833.
Marriage In 1075, he married, at the manor of Exning, Cambridgeshire, Emma, only daughter of William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford and his first wife Alice (or Adelise/Adelissa), daughter of Roger I of Tosny. Their marriage united two extremely large estates, as well as noble lines, including the English royal lineage. Some writers have indicated that King William I may have seen the alliance as a threat to his reign.
Revolt of the Earls
The king's refusal to sanction the marriage between Ralph and Emma, from two powerful families, caused a revolt in his absence. Ralph and Emma married in spite of the King's disapproval. At the Wedding Feast 'Bride Ale',The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: Eleventh Century. Yale Law School. Lillan Goldman Law Library. Accessed: 10 November 2022. Ralph, his new brother-in-law Roger de Breteuil, 2nd Earl of Hereford, and Anglo-Saxon Earl Waltheof, 1st Earl of Northumberland planned a revolt against the king. Orderic Vitalis stated some of the grievances that led to the revolt. These included William I's tendency to knock off any real or perceived threats to his crown.
Work began to prepare the revolt; however, the plan was discovered by William after Waltheof lost heart and confessed the conspiracy to Lanfranc, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who urged Earl Roger to return to his allegiance, and finally excommunicated him and his adherents. Waltheof was imprisoned for a year, and later executed by William. Many believed that this action cursed William I for the rest of his life."The death of Earl Waltheof was the cause of much censure on King William from many quarters, and numerous were the troubles, which by the righteous judgement of God he afterwards suffered from various attacks which never afterwards permitted him to enjoy any continuance of tranquility...In the thirteen years he afterwards lived, he never won a pitched battle, nor succeeded in taking a town he besieged. The Almighty Judge...suffering no crime to go unpunished". Oderic Vitalis The last of the Anglo-Saxon earls, Waltheof had been known in his life as kind and pious. A cult later developed around Waltheof, who became a martyr to the oppressed English. His body is believed to have moved after death, he appeared in visions, and healing miracles were reported at his tomb,Orderic Vitalis.Farmer, David (14 April 2011). The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, Fifth Edition Revised. Oxford University Press. . Retrieved 31 August 2017 – via Google Books. and many pilgrims began to visit his grave.Orderic Vitalis. ibid. The Norse poet Þorkell Skallason composed a memorial poem for Waltheof—"Valþjófsflokkr".
Immediately after the confession of Waltheof, the Revolt now had inadequate time to prepare. Ralph retreated from the force led by warrior bishops Odo of Bayeux and Geoffrey de Montbray (the latter ordered that all rebels should have their right foot cut off) near Cambridge and retreated hurriedly to Norwich, hotly pursued by the royal army. Emma stayed to defend Norwich Castle, while Ralph sailed for Denmark in search of help (which may indicate familial ties), and returned to England with a fleet of 200 ships under Knud, son of King Svend, and Jarl Hakon,Anglo-Saxon Chronicle D, 1076 , and E, 1076 . which arrived too late, and instead sacked the Norman Cathedral St Peter's Minster in York, where a previous Saxon church had been destroyed.
Holding the fort
Meanwhile, Countess Emma bravely held the fort at Norwich Castle until she had negotiated terms for herself and the safe escape of her followers, who were deprived of their lands, but allowed forty days to leave the realm. Countess Emma escaped to Brittany, where she was rejoined by her husband. Ralph was deprived of all his lands and of his earldom. Roger was captured, and despite being much more involved in the revolt than Waltheof, was merely imprisoned, and released on William I's death in 1087.
Ralph and Emma both safely escaped England to Ralph's vast inherited lands in Brittany."Being banished the kingdom, he returned to Brittany with his wife and settled on his patrimonial estates which his attainder by the sovereign of England could not affect." Ordericus Vitalis History of England and Normandy by Thomas Forester. Volume 2. Book IV. George Bell and Sons 1854. Electronic edition prepared by Michael A. Linton. Date accessed 10 November 2022.
Baron of Brittany
Following Ralph and Emma's escape from England, they settled at their inherited lands in Brittany. As well as Gaël, these lands included 40 parishes, including Gauder Castle and Montfort castle,"In that province, he had on his domains two noble castles, Guader and Montfort, which his sons possess by hereditary right to the present day." Ordericus Vitalis History of England and Normandy by Thomas Forester. Volume 2. Book IV. George Bell and Sons 1854. Electronic edition prepared by Michael A. Linton. Date accessed 10 November 2022. located at the confluence of the Meu river. Ralph and Emma then lived as great Barons of Brittany.
In 1076, William I summoned an army, crossed the sea to France, and attempted to attack Ralph who was stationed at his Castle of Dol. William had enlisted Hoël II, Duke of Brittany in the conflict. William met with a humiliating defeat. His forces were overwhelmed and resoundingly defeated as the King of France, with a large army, roared to the defence of the Bretons;"King William now went over sea, and led his army to Brittany, and beset the castle of Dol; but the Bretons defended it, until the king came from France". "The city of Norwich, Chapter 5: Of the city in the Conqueror's time" whereupon William departed thence, having lost there both men and horses, and many of his treasures'.Orderic Vitalis. William's army was forced to hastily retreat to England, losing many men and horses, and leaving behind expensive military equipment and treasures. This resulted in such great losses for King William, that he conceded defeat, and "with so great loss of men, horses, and money, that the next year he was glad to make peace with him; and thus ended the whole affair, in the year 1077". Peace was made.
In 1089, Ralph attested the judgment in a dispute between the monks of Redon Abbey and the chaplains of the Duke of Brittany. He also attested a charter of Alan IV, Duke of Brittany, in favour of St. George's Abbey (on the site of the current Saint George Palace) at Rennes (1084–1096).
William being dead, Ralph appears in Normandy c. 1093 as a witness in the record of a suit between the abbots of Lonlay-l'Abbaye and Saint-Florent de Besneville.
Children
Ralph and Emma's children were: William (Guillame) de Gael, succeeded his father as Seigneur de Gael. He claimed Breteuil after the death of his uncle William de Breteuil in 1103,Orderic Vitalis (Prévost), Vol. II, Liber IV, VIII, p. 236 but died shortly thereafter, according to Orderic Vitalis. Alain de Gael, who went with his parents on the First Crusade.Orderic Vitalis, Vol. III, p. 507, cited in CP IX 574 footnote.