Roger Bigod

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Roger Bigod († September 1107 in Earsham ) was an Anglo- Norman nobleman. He is considered to be the founder of the aristocratic Bigod family .

origin

Roger Bigod was probably a son of Robert Bigod, a small follower of the Count of Mortain , who in 1055 betrayed the planned rebellion of his overlord to Duke Wilhelm of Normandy . As a reward he had a small rule in the Calvados under the rule of Bishop Odo von Bayeux . Although it is occasionally claimed that Robert Bigod participated in the Norman conquest of England and the Battle of Hastings , this is unlikely.

Life

Roger Bigod is first mentioned in 1075 when he was given a large piece of land in East Anglia from his overlord, Bishop Odo von Bayeux , after the previous owner, Earl Ralph de Gaël , had been driven out of England because of the failed uprising of the counts . From 1081 to 1086 served as Bigod Sheriff of Norfolk . He presumably used this office to increase his land holdings significantly, because in the Domesday Book in 1086 the annual value of his honor is given as £ 430, which makes it 15th among English rulers. King Wilhelm II deposed Bigod as sheriff in 1087. Thereupon Bigod occupied or fortified Norwich Castle and ordered one of his vassals to occupy the property of Southwold , which had previously belonged to the Abbey of Bury St Edmunds . The king relented in the face of the opposition Bigod and appointed him again in 1091 Sheriff of Norfolk and Steward of the Royal Household . He retained these two offices until his death.

Marriages and inheritance

Bigod was married twice. In his first marriage he had married Adelaide, in his second marriage Alice de Tosny. His heir was initially his son William from his first marriage, who died in 1120 when the White Ship sank. Then his son Hugh from his second marriage became his heir. His other children included Maud Bigod, who married William d'Aubigny Pincerna , Lord of Buckenham of the House of Aubigny , and Cecilia, who married William d'Aubigné Brito .

Bigod had donated Thetford Priory around 1104 , and he was the patron of the priory of Norwich Cathedral . After his death there was a dispute between the monks of the cathedral priory and those of Thetford as to where Bigod was to be buried. Both parties claimed that Bigod wanted their church as a burial place. Allegedly, the Bishop of Norwich should then have Bigod's body secretly brought to Norwich Cathedral at night.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ See also: Companion of Wilhelm the Conqueror
  2. ^ Judith A. Green: Aristocracy of Norman England . Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1997. ISBN 0-521-33509-4 , p. 374
personal data
SURNAME Roger Bigod
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Le Bigod, Roger
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Anglo-Norman nobleman
DATE OF BIRTH 11th century
DATE OF DEATH September 1107
Place of death Earsham