Companions to William
Having started on my History of Belchamp Walter the name de Vere became pretty prominant. While I cannot deny that the family was pretty important in the shaping of the country, especially in the local area, I am intriged by the lack of certainty of where they are from and why did they come to be so influencial.
Being a "Companion to William the Conqueror" seems to be on the same lines of having a convict in your past to an Australian, the desire to be "on the list" seems to be a historians prime objective.
The Wikipedia page lists only 15 names of those that are definitly on the list.
There are 6 more names added by David C. Douglas and J. F. A.Mason plus some sources of "secondary merit".
For the purposes of this website and the history of Belchamp Walter and surrounding area there is no de Vere listed.
The three "trusted" sources
I find it interesting that there are three that are quoted as being "trusted" (Wikipedia).
- William of Poitiers
- Orderic Vitalis
- and the Bayeux Tapestry
There are many others that have written accounts of the battle including William of Malmesbury
The "proven" list
Bishop Odo, William's step brother, is not in William of Poitiers list although he features on the tapestry. If he was the sponsor of the embroideries creation that is not surprising.
Never the less Odo is seen as a proven participitant also with a couple more recorded by Orderic Vitalis.
Geoffrey de Mowbray, Bishop of Coutances is also recorded by William of Poitiers but are not included in the Wikipedia list. The Wikipedia page explains this, but, like all Wikipedia pages, that could change.
There are 6 more names that have been added by David C. Douglas and Geoffrey H. White and are from the Complete Peerage XII-1, Appendix L. and J. F. A. Mason in the English Historical Review.
In any case there are far fewer names that are included in lists such as the Battle Abbey Roll. There are various variations of these rolls including the Roll of Falaise, Normandy, 1931 which lists 315 names.
My interest in this started when I was researching the names of those relating to the village of Belchamp Walter. The name of Raimond came to light when searching for Raymond and an attempt to cross-reference that with another account from the Duchess of Cleveland's Abbey roll. In this she makes the claim that the Raymond family were a Domesday Tenent-in-chief (a mesne-lord in Essex) - I find this a "bit of stretch".
Aubrey de Vere as the Brother-in-law of the Conqueror
Making an Internet search about this quotes The House of Vere in Lavenham.
The "not related by marriage" is in line with my contention but there seems to be not recorded account of a de Vere accompaning William to England.