Raoul de Guînes (c. 992-30 May 1036), or ''Ralph, Rodolphe,'' or ''Rudolph,'' was the third

Count of Guînes Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

. He was the son of

Ardolf, Count of Guînes Ardolf I, Count of Guînes (Ardulf, Ardolph, Ardolphus), also known as Ardulf of Guînes was born about 965–966. His father was Siegfried, Count of Guînes and his mother was Elftrude, daughter of Arnulf I, Count of Flanders and Adele of Vermand ...

and Matilda, the daughter of

Count Erniculus of Boulogne Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

. He had one brother, Roger, who died young. According to Lambert of Ardres, Raoul "lived too prodigally, was unjust and hateful to his people, and died not a timely but a miserable death through their rebukes." Raoul stands out for being a tyrant of a ruler. According to Lambert, Raoul did not have enough of his own property to apportion to his retinue, so he "rampaged among his subjects," demanding unjust exactions and constantly plundered, slandered, and oppressed them. He died in a tournament in Paris. Lambert goes into detail describing Raoul's death: after receiving a wound to his stomach, Raoul was thrown off his horse by arrows coming from archers (which also pierced his right eye). Then, they seized the count, "who was only half alive, and despoiled him." After he was clearly dead, "they were moved by no mercy and threw him unmercifully into the Seine, whereupon he was never seen again."

Marriage & Issue

Raoul married Rosella of Saint-Pol, daughter of Count Hugh of Saint-Pol. They had at least one son, Eustace, Count of Guînes. According to Sir Bernard Burke's

peerage A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks. Peerages include: Australia * Australian peers Belgium * Belgi ...

, two more sons were born to Rauol and Rosella: William le Blount and Robert le Blount. These two brothers were born in the

County of Guînes The County of Guînes, was a Flemish fief and later French fief in the Middle Ages. The county was split from the County of Boulogne in about 988. Counts *?-c.965 - Siegfried, Count of Guînes **Although he never seemed to be formally design ...

and, along with Eustace, accompanied

William the Conqueror William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in 1066. After this, Eustace returned to his native country, but both William and Robert stayed in England. The two le Blount brothers are the originators of the Blount family in England. Sir William le Blount, the younger of the two le Blount brothers, was a general of foot at

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

, and was rewarded with grants of several lordships in

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...

. Sir Robert le Blount was in command of William the Conqueror's war ships and was styled "''Dux Navium Militarium."'' He was created the 1st feudal Baron of Ixworth (his place of residence), and Lord of Orford Castle.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raoul de Guines 10th-century French nobility Counts of Guînes 1036 deaths