William of Talou, Count of Talou (Arques) (before 1035–1086) was a powerful member of the Norman ducal family who exerted his influence during the early reign of William the Conqueror Duke of Normandy.
Background
William was born in ~1020 and was the son of duke Richard II of Normandy by Papia of Envermeu.David C. Douglas, William the Conqueror (University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles, 1964), p. 38 His brother was Mauger, who became archbishop of Rouen in or shortly after 1037.David C. Douglas, William the Conqueror (University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles, 1964), pp. 40-1
In 1035, following the death of Robert I of Normandy on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, William of Talou challenged his nephew's right to succeed his father, basing his own claim on a legitimate descent from Richard II.Elisabeth M. C. Van Houts, The Normans in Europe (Manchester University Press, Manchester and New York, 2000), p. 57 But the young Duke William had the backing of his powerful great-uncle, Robert II, the archbishop of Rouen. When Archbishop Robert died in 1037 there was a power vacuum and all of Normandy fell into disorder.David Crouch, The Normans; the History of a Dynasty (Hambledon Continuum, London & New York, 2007) p. 61 In an apparent attempt to help stabilize the situation Mauger was made archbishop in Robert's place; and his brother William was made count of Talou, but, according to William of Jumièges, he was to hold his countship as a benefice in return for his faithful service to the young Duke William.George Garnett, John Hudson, Law and Government in Medieval England and Normandy: Essays in Honour of Sir James Holt (University of Cambridge Press, New York, 1994), p. 102
Rebellion Archbishop Mauger and Count William occupied themselves with increasing their wealth and power in their new respective positions, independent of Duke William.Felice Lifshitz, The Norman Conquest of Pious Neustria (Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, Toronto, 1995), p. 195 But William of Talou continued to intrigue in plots against his young nephew, being careful his name did not come up in any of the revolts or conspiracies.Edward Augustus Freeman, The History of the Norman Conquest of England, Its Causes and Its Results, Vol. III (The Clarendon Press, 1875), p. 121 But in 1049 at the battle of Domfront, Count William of Talou deserted his suzerain Duke William in the midst of the battle,Paul Hilliam, William the Conqueror: First Norman King of England (Rosen Publishing Group, New York, 2005) p. 24 and denouncing his oath of vassalage he returned to his castle at Arques and began organizing his own rebellion.David C. Douglas, William the Conqueror (University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1964), p. 388 Duke William repeatedly sent messengers summoning his uncle, Count William, to attend him and show his allegiance; but in his arrogance the Count of Talou scorned each of these and secured himself in his castle.Elisabeth M. C. Van Houts, The Normans in Europe (Manchester University Press, Manchester and New York, 2000), p. 68 The events that followed are as recalled by the Conqueror himself in his deathbed speech in 1087: William of Talou's rebellion lasted from 1052 to 1054 at which time he was expelled from Normandy and fled to the court of Eustace II, Count of Boulogne.François Neveux, A Brief History of the Normans, Trans. Howard Curtis (Constable & Robinson, London, 2008), p. 123 Both uncles, William of Talou and Mauger, despite being defeated and exiled were provided with generous incomes to live on by the Conqueror. William was the last Count of Talou.David Douglas, 'The Earliest Norman Counts', The English Historical Review, Vol. 61, No. 240 (May, 1946), p. 151 William of Talou died in 1086.
Notes
References
Additional references The Gesta Normannorum Ducum of William of Jumièges, Orderic Vitalis, and Robert of Torigni, edited and translated by Elisabeth M. C. Van Houts, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1995.