Ansfrid II "le Goz"

Cawley (2017) only names one generation of Ansfrid, while others such as Planché (1874) delineate two generations of Ansfrid prior to Thurstan le Goz and links the elder as a son of Hrolf Thurstan (a nephew of Rollo) and Gerlotte le Blois.

Medilands (24 Mar 2022) Normandy Nobility: Avranches, Bayeux, Cotentin

C. VICOMTES d'AVRANCHES

ANSFRID, son of --- . His name and that of his son suggest that this family was of Viking origin, which is confirmed by Guillaume of Jumièges who names [his son] “Turstenus cognomento Guz, Ausfridi Dani filius...præses Oximensis”[101].
m ---. The name of Ansfrid's wife is not known. Ansfrid & his wife had one child:

1. THURSTAN "le Goz" (? – [1045/55]). Vicomte.
"Ricardi filii Gulberti, Nigelli vicecomitis…Storstingi vicecomitis" signed the charter dated 1027 (redated to [1017]%29 in which "secundus nominis mei Normannorum dux Ricardus" confirmed donations to Fécamp abbey[102].
"…Torstingus vicecomes…" witnessed the charter dated Aug 1027 under which Richard II Duke of Normandy donated property to the abbey of Bernay[103].
"…Turstingi vicecomitis…" witnessed the charter dated to [1030] under which Robert II Duke of Normandy donated "in comitatu Abrincatensi villam…Sancti Johannis" to the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel[104].
"…Nigelli vicecomitis, Tursteni vicecomitis…Willelmi Arcacensis comitis, Godefridi vicecomitis, Rodgerii filii Rodulfi, Wimundi…" witnessed the charter dated to [1040] under which Guillaume Comte de Talou donated property to Jumièges[105].
"Turstin vicecomes" witness the donation to Sainte-Trinité de Rouen of "Gozelinus vicecomes" dated [1038/50][106].
"…Nigelli vicecomitis, Tursteni vicecomitis, Godefredi vicecomitis…" subscribed the charter dated to [1040] under which "Vuillelmus Ricardi magni ducis Normannorum filius" donated property to the abbey of Jumièges[107].
"…Turstinci vicecomitis…Turstinci Gazel…Richardi filii Turstinci, Roberti fratris eius…" witnessed the charter dated to [1047 or before] under which Guillaume II Duke of Normandy confirmed the donation by "Adelelmi…Beatricis uxor eius…Rotberti filius eius" to the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel[108].
Guillaume of Jumièges records that “Turstenus cognomento Guz, Ausfridi Dani filius...præses Oximensi's” rebelled against Guillaume II Duke of Normandy at “Falesiæ castellum”, which was attacked by the duke’s forces led by “Rodulfus Waceiensis magister militum”, and was forced to flee into exile, dated to early during the reign of Duke Guillaume II from the context[109].
m ---. The name of Thurstan's wife is not known. Thurstan & his wife had two children:

a) RICHARD "le Goz" (? – after 1082). Guillaume of Jumièges records that “Ricardus Turstini filius” served Duke Guillaume II loyally after his father “Turstenus cognomento Guz, Ausfridi Dani filius...præses Oximensis” rebelled and was forced to flee into exile[110]. "…Turstinci vicecomitis…Turstinci Gazel…Richardi filii Turstinci, Roberti fratris eius…" witnessed the charter dated to [1047 or before] under which Guillaume II Duke of Normandy confirmed the donation by "Adelelmi…Beatricis uxor eius…Rotberti filius eius" to the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel[111]. Vicomte d'Avranches. "…Richardi filii Torestini…" witnessed the charter dated to [1055] under which Guillaume II Duke of Normandy donated property to the abbey of Marmoutier[112]. "…Willelmi filii Osberti, Rotgerii de Monte Golmerii, Richardis vicecomitis Abrinchensis…" witnessed the charter dated [1055/56] under which Guillaume II Duke of Normandy "in pago…Constantino, villam…Flotomannum" to Saint-Florent de Saumur[113]. "…Ricardus vicecomes Abrincatinus…" witnessed the charter dated 1064 under which Guillaume II Duke of Normandy settled a claim in favour of the monks of Marmoutier relating to property donated by "Guido de Valle"[114]. The Chronique de Normandie, based on le Roman de Rou, names "Richart d’Avrenchin" among those who took part in the conquest of England in 1066[115]. "Richardi filii Torsteingoiz" witnessed a charter of William I King of England dated 1069[116]. "Ricardo filio Turstini Guz et Guillelmo Caritate, Fulkoque filio Gerardi Budel atque Radulfo de Ollei" are named as present in the charter dated 30 Nov 1074 under which Odo Bishop of Bayeux bought "la terre de Chernet" from "Herberto de Agnellis", with the consent of "suo domino Radulfo de Conchis"[117]. m (before [1047]%29 ---. The name of Richard’s wife is not known. She is called “Emma” in the Complete Peerage [118], but the primary source on which this is based has not been identified. A manuscript relating to St Werburgh’s Chester records that “Hugo Lupus filius ducis Britanniæ et nepos Gulielmi magni ex sorore” transformed the foundation into a monastery[119]. This suggests that Hugues’s mother may have been a uterine sister of King William, and therefore daughter of Herluin de Conteville. However, no indication has been in other primary sources which supports the contention that Hugues was the son of a duke of Brittany. It is assumed therefore that both lines of his parentage have been romanticised in this document to improve his status and reputation. Another possibility is that she was related to the Grantmesnil family: Orderic Vitalis records that “Rodbertus, Unfridi filius” [Robert of Rhuddlan, son of Onfroi de Tilleul and his wife Adelise de Grantmesnil] went “cum Hugone consobrino suo, Richardi de Abrincis cognomento Goz filio” to England[120]. If the relationship is as indicated by Orderic, from a chronological point of view Richard’s wife could have been --- de Grantmesnil, daughter of Robert de Grantmesnil & his wife Hawise ---. Richard & his wife had four children:

1. HUGUES d'Avranches "Lupus"[121] ([1047] – St Werburg's Abbey, Chester 27 Jul 1101). Orderic Vitalis records that King William granted “Cestrensem consulatum” to “Hugonis de Abrincis filio Ricardi cognomento Goz” after Gerbod returned to Flanders, dated to 1071[122], whereby he is held to have become Earl of Chester. – Earls of Chester.
2. MARGUERITE [Mathilde] d'Avranches (? – after [1098]). She is named "Mathilda soror Hugonis comitis" by Orderic Vitalis, who also names her son[123]. The Liber Vitæ of Durham names "Rannulfus Mahald uxor eius Ricardus Rannulfus de Mesc filii eorum Lucia uxor Rann"[124]. m RANULF Vicomte du Bessin, son of RANULF Vicomte du Bessin & his wife Alix de Normandie ? – after [1098]).
3. HELISENDE d'Avranches. Her marriage is referred to by Orderic Vitalis, who says that she was the sister of Hugh Earl of Chester but does not give her name[125]. The primary source which confirms her name has not yet been identified. m as his second wife, GUILLAUME (II) Comte d'Eu, son of ROBERT Comte d'Eu & his first wife Beatrix --- (? – 2 Jan after 1096).
4. JUDITH d'Avranches. Orderic Vitalis records that “Richerium de Aquila Engenulfi filium” married “Judith filiam Ricardi Abrincatensis cognomento Goz, sororem...Hugonis Cestrensium comitis”[126]. "Robertus…" donated property to Chartres Saint-Père by charter dated to [1101/17], confirmed by "Gisleberti…de Aquila" and witnessed by "Gisleberti de Aquila, Julite eiusdem matris et Juliane uxoris ipsius"[127]. "Richer de Aquila son of Ingenulf de Aquila" donated property to the abbey of Saint-Evroul by charter dated to [1099] (although this date is incorrect if the date of his death is as shown above), witnessed by "…Judiht uxore mea, filia Richardi de Abrincis et sorore Hugonis comitis Cestrensis"[128]. "Robertus…" donated property to Chartres Saint-Père by charter dated to [1101/17], confirmed by "Gisleberti…de Aquila" and witnessed by "Gisleberti de Aquila, Julite eiusdem matris et Juliane uxoris ipsius"[129]. m RICHER de Laigle, son of ENGENULF & his wife Richereda --- (? – killed in battle Sainte-Suzanne 18 Nov 1085; bur Monastery of St Sulpice-sur-Risle).

b) ROBERT. "…Turstinci vicecomitis…Turstinci Gazel…Richardi filii Turstinci, Roberti fratris eius…" witnessed the charter dated to [1047 or before] under which Guillaume II Duke of Normandy confirmed the donation by "Adelelmi…Beatricis uxor eius…Rotberti filius eius" to the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel[130].

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James Robinson Planché, The Conqueror and His Companions, Volume 2 (London: Tinsley Brothers, 1874), pp. 18-19.

The descent of Richard, surnamed Goz, Le Gotz, or Le Gois, from Ansfrid the Dane, the first who bore that surname, has been more or less correctly recorded, but in "Les Recherches" it will be found critically examined and carried up to Rongwald, or Raungwaldar, Earl of Msere and the Orcades in the days of Harold Harfager, or the Fair-haired; which said Rongwald was the father of Hrolf, or Rollo, the first Duke of Normandy. Rongwald, like the majority of his countrymen and kinsmen, had several children by a favourite slave, whom he had married "more Danico" and Hrolf Turstain, the son of one of them, having followed his uncle Rollo into Normandy, managed to secure the hand of Gerlotte de Blois, daughter of Thibaut Count of Blois and Chartres, which seems to have been the foundation of this branch of the great Norse family in Normandy, and the stock from which descended the Lords of Briquebec, of Bec-Crispin,of Montfort-sur-Risle, and others who figure as companions of the Conqueror.

The third son of Gerlotte was Ansfrid the Dane, the first Vicomte of the Hiemois, and father of Ansfrid the second, surnamed Goz, above mentioned, whose son Turstain (Thurstan, or Toustain) Goz was the great favourite of Robert Duke of Normandy, the father of the Conqueror, and accompanied him to the Holy Land, and was intrusted to bring back the relics the Duke had obtained from the Patriarch of Jerusalem to present to the Abbey of Cerisi, which he had founded. Revolting against the young Duke William in 1041,* Turstain was exiled, and his lands confiscated and given by the Duke to his mother, Herleve, wife of Herluin de Conteville.

Richard Goz, Vicomte d'Avranches, or more properly of the Avranchin, was one of the sons of the aforesaid Turstain, by his wife Judith.- de Montanolier, and appears not only to have avoided being implicated in the rebellion of his father, but obtained his pardon and restoration to the Vicomte of the Hiemois, to which at his death he succeeded, and to have strengthened his position at court by securing the hand of Emma de Conteville, one of the daughters of Herluin and Herleve, and halfsister of his sovereign. By this fortunate marriage he naturally recovered the lands forfeited by his father and bestowed on his mother-in-law, and acquired also much property in the Avranchin, of which he obtained the Vicomte, in addition to that of the Hiemois.

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Origin and Meaning of the Name Ansfrid:
The name Ansfrid is of Norwegian origin and means, "Protected by the Gods". His name, and that of his father, Ansfrid I Hrolfsson, suggest that this family was of Viking origin which is confirmed by Guillaume de Jumièges who names "Toustain surnommé Guz, fils d'Ansfroi le Danois", or in English: "Toustain called Guz, son of the Danish Ansfroi".

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORMAN%20NOBILITY.htm#_Toc243182159 http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORMAN%20NOBILITY.htm#_Toc254886770