Généalogie de la famille de PRELLE de la NIEPPE

Herleva, the daughter of a tanner from Falaise in Normandie, was born in 1010. When she was sixteen gave birth to a son called Richard. The boy\'s father was Gilbert, Count of Brionne, one of the most powerful landowners in Normandie. As Herleva was not married to Gilbert, the boy became known as Richard Fitz Gilbert. The term \'Fitz\' was used to show that Richard was the illegitimate son of Gilbert. The following year, Herleva became the mistress of Robert, Duke of Normandie. In 1028, Herleva and Robert had a son who eventually became known as William, Duke of Normandie. Instead of marrying Herleva, Robert persuaded her to marry his friend, Herluin of Conteville. After marriage, Herleva had three more children, Odo, Robert and Muriel. Later the sons became known as Odo of Bayeux and Robert of Mortain. In 1035, Robert, Duke of Normandie died. Although William was illegitimate, he was Robert\'s only living son, and so inherited his father\'s title. Gilbert, Count of Brionne, became William\'s guardian. A number of Norman barons would not accept an illegitimate son as their leader and in 1040 an attempt was made to kill William. The plot failed but they did manage to kill Gilbert of Brionne. Gilbert of Brionne\'s large estates in Normandie were now passed on to his legitimate son, Baldwin of Flanders. As Richard Fitz Gilbert was illegitimate, he did not receive very much land when his father died. When William, Duke of Normandie, decided to invade England in 1066, he invited his three half-brothers, Richard Fitz Gilbert, Odo of Bayeux and Robert of Mortain to join him. Richard, who had married Rohese, daughter of Walter Giffard of Normandie, also brought with him members of his wife\'s family. Legend says that Robert spied on her while she washed clothes at the river. Source: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=wrcushing&id=P513635231