This project's purpose is to gather and research material about the Anglo-Norman Malet (aka Mallet or Mallett) family, which apparently originated in Graville-Saint-Honorine, France and some of whose members came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066.

Charles Cawley's Medieval Lands database only provides a fragmentary view of the Malet family, beginning with Hesilia Crispin de Brionne (daughter of Gilbert, Count of Eu) who was either the mother or wife of Guillaume Malet, a companion of William the Conqueror who was present at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and died at the Abbey of Bec sometime after 1110:

Chapter 10. MALET

1. --- . m [ESILIA, daughter of GILBERT Crispin & his wife Gunnora ---. The De nobili genere Crispinorum names "Emmam, Petri de Condeto genetricem, atque Esiliam, matrem Willelmi Malet" as the two daughters of "Gislebertus…Crispini cognomen" and his wife[435]. owever, the recorded wife of William Malet is recorded in a later primary source with the same name so it is possible that the manuscript confuses his mother and his wife.] One child:

a) GUILLAUME or William Malet (-Bec abbey [after 1110]). A history of the Crispin family names "Esiliam matrem Willelmi Malet" as daughter of Gilbert Crespin, adding that Guillaume ended his life at Bec abbey[436]. The Chronique de Normandie, based on le Roman de Rou, names "Guillaume de Malet" among those who took part in the conquest of England in 1066[437]. “…Willielmus Maleit…” witnessed the charter dated to [1067] under which William I King of England confirmed the privileges of Peterborough abbey[438]. The Annals of Waverley record that “Philippus de Brausa et Willelmus Malet et Willelmus Barnard et Helias comes Cenomanniæ” were deprived of their lands in 1110[439].

m HESILIA, daughter of ---. “Robertus Malet” founded Eye priory, for the souls of “patris mei Willelmi Malet et matris meæ Hesiliæ” who became a nun there, by undated charter dated to the reign of William I King of England[440]. [NOTE: in the Geni tree we have placed her as the wife rather than mother of William Malet I.]

Guillaume & his wife had three children:

i) ROBERT Malet of Eye (-killed in battle Tinchebrai 1106). The Testa de Nevill includes a writ of King John dated 1212 which records that King William I granted "honorem de Eya" to "Roberto Malet" but that King Henry I acquired the honour and held it for seven years before granting it to "comiti Stephano nepoti suo"[441]. “Robertus Malet” founded Eye priory, for the souls of “patris mei Willelmi Malet et matris meæ Hesiliæ” who became a nun there, by undated charter dated to the reign of William I King of England[442]. “…Roberti Malet…” witnessed the charter dated 1082 under which William I King of England granted land at Covenham to the church of St Calais[443]. “Beatrix soror Roberti Malet” donated property to Eye priory, for the souls of “fratrum meorum Roberti Maleth et Gilberti Malet”, by undated charter[444]. "…Robertus Maleth…Willielmus Malet…" subscribed a charter dated Sep 1101 under which Bishop Herbert donated property to Norwich priory[445]. According to a charter of Henri Duke of Normandy (later Henry II King of England) issued in favour of her son Ranulf Earl of Chester dated 1153, Ctss Lucy was the niece of Robert Malet of Eye and of Alan of Lincoln, as well as kinswoman of Thorold "the Sheriff"[446]. Military fee certifications in the Red Book of the Exchequer, in 1166, record that "Robertus Malet" used to hold ten knights´ fees from the abbot of Glastonbury in Somerset "tempore Regis Henrici" (presumably indicating King Henry I) and that "Hubertus de Sancta Susanna" now held two of these and "Willelmus Malech" now held twelve[447]. "Hubertus de Sancta Susanna" has not been identified with certainty but the likelihood is that he was the son of Hubert de Beaumont, son of Hubert Vicomte de Maine and Ermengarde de Nevers, who is recorded as holding lands in England during the reign of King Henry I (see MAINE). The fact that Hubert held two of the knights´ fees previously held by Robert Malet may indicate a family relationship, possibly that Hubert was the husband or son (the latter being more likely from a chronological point of view) of Robert´s daughter. Henry II King of England confirmed the possessions of the abbey of Bec, including donations by "Roberti Malet", by charter dated to [1181/89][448].

m ---. The name of Robert´s wife is not known.
Robert & his wife had one child:
(a) WILLIAM Malet of Dullingham (-1169). Steward of Henry II King of England. Military fee certifications in the Red Book of the Exchequer, in 1166, record that "Robertus Malet" used to hold ten knights´ fees from the abbot of Glastonbury in Somerset "tempore Regis Henrici" (presumably indicating King Henry I) and that "Hubertus de Sancta Susanna" now held two of these and "Willelmus Malech" now held twelve[449]. - see below.

ii) 'GILBERT Malet . “Beatrix soror Roberti Malet” donated property to Eye priory, for the souls of “fratrum meorum Roberti Maleth et Gilberti Malet”, by undated charter[450]. Ancestor of the Malet family of Curry Malet, and Enmore, Somerset, and the Baronets Malet[451].

iii) BEATRIX . “Beatrix soror Roberti Malet” donated property to Eye priory, for the souls of “fratrum meorum Roberti Maleth et Gilberti Malet”, by undated charter[452]. The primary source which confirms her marriage has not yet been identified. m GUILLAUME de Arches, son of ---.

[It is not clear how the following Malets are related to Guillaume, above]

1. IVO Malet . m MARGARET, daughter of ---. Her marriage is confirmed by the undated charter under which her son "Hugo Malet" donated "dominium meum in Rouuelle", held by "pater meus Ivo Malet…matre mea Margareta"[453]. Ivo & his wife had one child:

a) HUGH Malet (-after 1147). "Hugo Malet" donated "dominium meum in Rouuelle", held by "pater meus Ivo Malet…matre mea Margareta", by undated charter, dated to [1092/1123] or [1147/68][454]. same person as…? HUGH Malet (-after 1166). Military fee certifications in the Red Book of the Exchequer, in 1166, record that "Hugo Malet" held seven knights´ fees "ex baronia Willelmi Meschin ex parte matris suæ" from "Willelmi de Curcy dapiferi" in Somerset[455].

2. HERVE Malet (-after 1166). Military fee certifications in the Red Book of the Exchequer, in 1166, record "Urveius Malet" holding one and one half knights´ fees in the honour of Wallingford in Berkshire[456].

[Note from Pam Wilson, curator: There is also evidence provided by Cawley (ad elaborated upon more fully by Keats-Rohan) indicating that at least one, and possibly two generations of Malet women married into the Anglo-Saxon family of Lucy who married Ivo de Taillebois, Ranulph de Bayeux (first Count of Chester) and Richard de Roumare of Bolingbroke.]

WILLIAM Malet of Dullingham, son of ROBERT Malet of Eye & his wife --- (-1169). "…Robertus Maleth…Willielmus Malet…" subscribed a charter dated Sep 1101 under which Bishop Herbert donated property to Norwich priory[482]. It is more likely that William named in this charter was the son, rather than father, of Robert as his name follows Robert´s in the list of subscribers. The 1130 Pipe Roll records "Willo Maled" in Hampshire[483]. Steward of Henry II King of England. The 1155 Pipe Roll records "Willo Malet" in Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire[484]. The 1156 Pipe Roll records "Willo Malet" in Kent[485]. The 1157 Pipe Roll records "Will. Maled" in Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire, and in Northamptonshire, both under "Nova Placita & Noue Conuentiones"[486]. The Red Book of the Exchequer refers to "Willelmo Malet viii l" in Somerset in [1161/62][487]. It is not certain that all these entries refer to the same person. Military fee certifications in the Red Book of the Exchequer, in 1166, record that "Robertus Malet" used to hold ten knights´ fees from the abbot of Glastonbury in Somerset "tempore Regis Henrici" (presumably indicating King Henry I) and that "Hubertus de Sancta Susanna" now held two of these and "Willelmus Malech" now held twelve, another section recording the knights´ fees held from "Willelmi Malech" in Somerset[488]. "Roberto …Willelmo Malet dapifero…" subscribed the charter dated 1168 under which Henry II King of England confirmed the property "in manerio de Hinton" of "Roberto de Basoges" granted to him by "comes Conanus"[489].

m firstly ---. The name of William´s wife is not known.

m secondly (1165 or before) as her first husband, EUGENIA Picot, daughter of RALPH Picot & his wife --- ([1154/55]-after 1194). She married secondly Thomas FitzBernard. The Rotuli de Dominabus of 1185 records “Ewgenia Picot…filia Radulfi Picot de Kancia et uxor Thome filii Bernardi…xxx annorum”, her property “in hundredo de Redefeld…de feodo Gileberti Malet" given to her by "Willelmus Malet…in dotem”, adding that she had three sons, aged 10, 8 and 3, and one daughter, given by "Dominus Rex, filio Johannis de Bidun", by her second husband[490]. The Red Book of the Exchequer refers to "Eugenia Picot x s" in Kent in [1186/87][491]. The 1194/95 Pipe Roll records "Eugenia Pikot…pro custodia Johannis f sue et terre sue" in Kent[492].

William & his first wife had [two] children:

1. GILBERT Malet (-1194). The primary source which confirms his parentage has not yet been identified. m ALICE Picot, daughter of RALPH Picot & his wife ---. The primary source which confirms her parentage and marriage has not yet been identified. Gilbert & his wife had one child:

a) WILLIAM Malet (-before 20 Dec 1215). "…Willelmo Malet…" subscribed the charter dated to [1172/89] under which Henry II King of England confirmed the prebends of Saint-Nicolas de Bayeux[493]. The Red Book of the Exchequer, listing scutage payments in [1190/91], records "Willelmus Malet de Gerardville" paying "x s, i militem" in Essex, Hertfordshire[494]. The Red Book of the Exchequer, listing scutage payments in [1194/95], records "Willelmus Malet" being granted delay to pay "per brevia" in Essex, Herefordshire[495]. The Red Book of the Exchequer, listing scutage payments in [1196/97], records "Willelmus Malet" among those granted delay in payment "per brevia" in Dorset, Somerset[496]. The Red Book of the Exchequer records "Willelmus de Malet" holding one knight´s fee in "Fineberge" in Norfolk, Suffolk in [1210/12][497]. The Red Book of the Exchequer records "Willelmus Malet" holding one half of one knight´s fee "in Aldeham" and one "in Lullingestone" in Kent in [1210/12][498]. King John granted "totam terram que fuit Willelmi Malet" to "Hug de Vivon" by order dated 20 Dec 1215[499].
[m firstly ---. The dates of the first marriages of William Malet´s daughters, together with the fact that his known wife Alice Basset had three children by her third husband, suggests that William´s two daughters must have been born from an otherwise unrecorded first marriage.]
m [secondly] as her first husband, ALICE Basset, daughter of THOMAS Basset of Headington & his wife --- (-[1263]). She married secondly (before 1221, annulled) H--- de Chaceporc, and thirdly (1223 or before) John Bisset.
William & his [first] wife had two children:
i) MABEL Malet . Her second marriage is confirmed by an order dated 18 Nov 1223 placing "in respite…the demand…from Hugh de Vivonne…for the debt that William Malet, father of the wife of Vivon, owed the king"[500]. m firstly NICHOLAS Avenell, son of --- (-[1221/22]). m secondly (before 18 Nov 1223) HUGUES de Vivonne, son of --- (-1249).
ii) HAWISE Malet . Henry III King of England made an order related to property "apud Exoniam" of "Hawisie que fuit uxor Hugonis Poinz", which she received from "Willelmi Malet patris vestri", dated 26 Aug 1220[501]. m firstly HUGH Poinz, son of --- (-before 26 Aug 1220). m secondly ROBERT de Mucegros, son of ---.

2. [BALDWIN Malet (-after 1166). Military fee certifications in the Red Book of the Exchequer, in 1166, record that "Baldewinus Malet" held two knights´ fees and three parts from "Willelmi Malech" [Malet] in Somerset[502].]

[Other currently unconnected Malets include:]

1. ROBERT Malet (-after 10 Mar 1216). The Red Book of the Exchequer records "Robertus Malet" holding one quarter of one knight´s fee "in Stanpelte" in Kent in [1210/12][503]. "Robertus Malet" paid a fine for returning to the king´s service, security given by "Falkes de Breaut", dated 10 Mar 1216[504].

2. RALPH Malet (-after 1212). The Red Book of the Exchequer records "Radulfus Malet" holding "viii l in Norcure…de dominico Rege" in Dorset, Somerset in [1210/12][505]. The Testa de Nevill includes a writ of King John dated 1212 which records that "Radulfus Malet" held "viii libratas terre in [manerio] de Wuttheham de dono Henrici Regis, patris Johannis Regis [per servicium]…quod facit Willelmo Malet" in Somerset[506].

See also the Mallett Family History site run by Bob Mallett at http://www.mallettfamilyhistory.org/