User:Jack d'Or

Fulco d'Aunou

Fulco was one of the great Norman French barons and a guardian and later confidant of William the Conqueror. He was born about 1004. His father was Baldric le Teuton of Bacqueville, on the Caux River near Dieppe in Normandy who was also called Baldric de Bacqueville Senior. Baldric in turn was the son of Wiger or Wigerius, born 952, who in turn was a likely member of a Jewish trading family brought into Normandy by Duke Richard the First to promote trade in the region. Baldric was married to Clare de Clare a daughter of Richard de Clare (born 948) and Rohesia (born 959), a natural daughter of Duke Richard the First and a concubine of name unknown. Clare was a full sister of Geoffrey de Brionne. Fulco was a second cousin of William the Conqueror.

Baldric, who was for some time in Apulia in Italy with the Norman contingent and here adopted as the family seal the crescent moon and star of the Byzantine empire which symbol was later adopted by the Ottomans and thence the religion of Islam. Baldric had six sons, all of whom achieved great prominence, and two daughters. These are detailed in the book by the historian J.R.Planche "The Conqueror and his Companions", Tinsley Brothers, London, 1874. The children of Baldric are: 1) Nicholas de Bacqueville whose son Martel fought at Hastings with the Conqueror; 2) Fulco d'Aunou who fought at Hastings (see below for further details); 3) Robert de Courci father of Richard and ancestor of the great English and Irish family of de Courcy; 4) Richard de Neuville ancestor of the famous Neville family who had his feif at Neuville-sur-Tocque; 5) Baldric de Balgenzais, had his fief at Bauquence; 6) Wiger Apulensis, probably born in Apulia and named after his grandfather and an uncle; 7) Elizabeth, married Fulco de Boneva, and 8) Hawise, married Robert Fitz Erneis, who was killed a Hastings.

Fulco had his fief at Aunou le Faucon on the Orne River a little to the south east of the now town of Argentan in Normandy. Planche quoting the historian le Prevost says that the name "Faucon" meaning the falcon, was a designation derived from the repitition of the name Fulco during several generations of its ancient possessors. Fulco d'Aunou was the "hunter of the Orne".

As a point of interest his signature appears on four documents also signed by William the Conqueror. Of these three remain only as copies and are in the Bibliotheque Nationales de France in Paris. The fourth, the Abbaye aux hommes document, survives in original form and is lodged in the records office in Caen, Calvados. The document, written in Latin concerned the endowment of the Abby for Men which is part of the church of St. Etienne, which William and Matilda made as a reconciliation regarding the matter of their marriage which was opposed by the then Pope, Leo IX. In 1066 Leo had died and Alexander II was pontiff. The penalty was actually imposed by Pope Nicholas II, died 1059. The document was signed at Caen the then capital of southern Normandy. It has the crosses as signaturers of The Conqueror, Queen Matilda, Richard de Courcy, Bishop Guaffidus Constantiensis and Fulco d'Aunou (in Latin his name is written as Fulconis de Alnou). The abbey was dedicated on the 18th June, 1066, only months before the conquest. The interested reader may refer to Marie Fouroux "Recveil des actes des dues de Normandie" (911-1066), societe des antiquaries de Normandie, Caen, 1961. These documents give some pointer to Fulco's status. As well his name is recorded on the Battle Abbey Roll and the Falaise Roll which rolls record those knights who fought at Hastings.

Fulco married Hadvisa of family unknown to the writer. They had at least two sons, Fulco and Nicholas. (At Hastings Fulco was accompanied by "four knights kindred to himself".) Fulco, the eldest son, inherited the estate at Aunou le Faucon and there are still members of the d"Aunou family in the area of Argentan to this day. Nicholas settled in the county of Wiltshire in England in the area of Quemerford near present day Calne. Two families at least are seen to descend from him. One, the Dando family, flourished in the county of Somerset, and became one of England's distinguished families. The family name was elided from the original d'Aunou. The second family was the de Quemerfords who were the d'Aunous of Quemerford. This family migrated to Ireland and elided the name eventually to Comerford and became one of the leading families of County Kilkenny where they first settled. The name Fulco was carried in this family into the 1800's. Some members also include the name d'Aunou. They were granted the palatine title Barons of Danganmore and the head of the family was seated at Ballybur Castle in Kilkenny. There is a d'Aunou street, Rue Daunou, in the centre of Paris which includes the opera house. The reason this came to be named is not known to the writer.

Today Aunou le Faucon is a small rural service town in a most picturesque setting and is renowned as a horse breeding area. Many references to Fulco can be found on the internet. –Jack d&#39;Or 02:06, 3 December 2006 (UTC)

None of the content of this page has been sourced or verified. I find it misleading in the extreme.