Fressenda, wife of Tancred de Hauteville.

Parents unknown. NB: Some people list Fressende as the daughter of Richard I Sans-Peur. There is NO evidence that he had a daughter called Fressenda/Fredesende.

Children:

   * Robert Guiscard de Hauteville, count of Apulia (1057), then duke of Apulia and Sicily (d. 1085)

   * Mauger, count of the Capitanate (d. 1064)

   * William, count of the Principate (d. 1080)

   * Aubrey (Alberic or Alvared, Alveredus in Latin; sometimes called Alvred or Alfred) (stayed in Normandy)

   * Humbert (Hubert) (stayed in Normandy)

   * Tancred (stayed in Normandy)

   * Roger de Hauteville, count of Sicily from 1062 (d. 1101)

   * Fressenda, who married Richard I (dead in 1078), count of Aversa and prince of Capua

LINKS

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORMANDY.htm#RobertIdied928

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SICILY.htm#Rogerdied1101B

MEDIEVAL LANDS

FRESSENDA, daughter of --- (-bur Church of St Eufemia, near Lampetia[72]). Malaterra names "Fresendis" as the second wife of Tancred[73]. A myth, not based on any evidence, emerged in the 16th century to the effect that both wives of Tancred de Hauteville were daughters of Richard I Duke of Normandy[74].

ROGER de Hauteville, son of TANCRED de Hauteville & his second wife Fressenda --- ([1031]-Mileto 22 Jun 1101, bur Mileto, Abbey of the Holy Trinity). Malaterra names "septimus Rogerius minor" last among the sons of Tancred & his second wife[382].

TANCRED de Hauteville ([980/90]-[1041]). Contemporary sources are contradictory concerning Tancred's origin, varying from "of quite distinguished family" in Malaterra[65] to "of obscure origin" in the Alexeiad[66]. He is described as "one of the household of the count of the Normans Richard II" by Geoffrey Malaterra, who recounts a colourful story of Tancred having killed a boar which had been flushed out by the count during a hunting expedition[67]. Hereditary seigneur de Hauteville-le-Guichard, near Coutances, Normandy[68]. According to Orderic Vitalis, Tancred was "a native of the Cotentin"[69].

m firstly MORIELLA, daughter of ---. Malaterra names "Moriellam" as the first wife of Tancred[70]. A myth, not based on any evidence, emerged in the 16th century to the effect that both wives of Tancred de Hauteville were daughters of Richard I Duke of Normandy[71].

m secondly FRESSENDA, daughter of --- (-bur Church of St Eufemia, near Lampetia[72]). Malaterra names "Fresendis" as the second wife of Tancred[73].

A myth, not based on any evidence, emerged in the 16th century to the effect that both wives of Tancred de Hauteville were daughters of Richard I Duke of Normandy[74].

The names and order of birth of the children of Tancred de Hauteville are uncertain, although there appears to be unanimity among the various sources about their number. The Annals of Romoald name Tancred's twelve sons (in order) "Sarnus qui miles insignis extitit…comes Coffridus…Drogo comes…Guillelmus ipse comes…Brachiferreus prenomine dictus…comes Unfridus…Malgerius comes probus atque famosus…Robertus Guiscardus…Alberedis armis strenuous…Tancredus…Wilhelmus de Sancto Nicandro…Frumentinus…Rogerius Sicilie comes" and in addition state that he had three daughters (unnamed)[75]. Malaterra names (in order) "Gulielmum…cognomine Ferrea-branchis, Drogonem, Humfredum, Gaufredum et Serlonem" as five sons of Tancred by his first wife and "Robertus…Guiscardus…Malgerius, Willelmus, Alveredus, Hubertus, Tancredus, Rogerius" as his seven sons by his second wife[76]. The name differences between these two sources are not difficult to reconcile: presumably "Sarnus" and "Serlo" are the same, and even "Frumentinus" and "Hubertus" bear some similarity. It is possible that the variations are due solely to errors in transcribing unclear script. The differences in the order of birth of the sons are less easy to reconcile. The sources only agree that Roger was the youngest son. The order in which Tancred's sons by his second wife are shown here follows Malaterra. However, the order of birth of his sons by his first wife follows Romoald, with one minor adjustment, for the reasons explained below.