Victims Of The White Ship Disaster
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The victims of the ''
White Ship The ''White Ship'' (french: la Blanche-Nef; Medieval Latin: ''Candida navis'') was a vessel transporting many nobles, including the heir to the English throne, that sank in the Channel during a trip from France to England near the Normandy ...
'' disaster on 25 November 1120 (called 7
kalends The calends or kalends ( la, kalendae) is the first day of every month in the Roman calendar. The English word "calendar" is derived from this word. Use The Romans called the first day of every month the ''calends'', signifying the start of a ne ...
of December by Farrer) have been unevenly identified by various sources. The impact of the disaster on the throne of England is well-documented, and this article presents the details of what is known (and/or believed) about the crew and passengers of the ill-fated voyage as well as those who chose not to travel on her.


Captain and crew

*
Thomas FitzStephen Thomas FitzStephen ( fro, italic=no, Thomas fiz Estienne; died 1120) was captain of the ill-fated ''White Ship'' (french: la Blanche-Nef), which sank off Barfleur, Normandy, on 25 November 1120. Life FitzStephen was the son of Stephen FitzAirard ...
, Captain * Helmsman (unnamed), apparently drunk * Approximately 50 oarsmen and sailors (named)


Passengers who died

Approximately 250, including servants and marines. Of these, 140 were knights or noblemen and 18 were noblewomen.


Family of Henry I, King of England

*
William Adelin William Ætheling (, ; 5 August 1103 – 25 November 1120), commonly called Adelin (sometimes ''Adelinus'', ''Adelingus'', ''A(u)delin'' or other Latinised Norman-French variants of '' Ætheling'') was the son of Henry I of England by his wife M ...
, Duke of Normandy, son and heir to the English throne of his father
Henry I Henry I may refer to: 876–1366 * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry I the Long, Margrave of the No ...
, youngest son of
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 ...
. William, rescued in the only skiff available on the ship, had the crew return to get his sister Matilda. The small craft was overwhelmed by drowning passengers and crew and quickly sank. Upon hearing of his son's death, it was said that Henry never smiled again. * Matilda (Mathilde) FitzRoy, Countess of Perche, wife of
Rotrou III, Count of Perche Rotrou III (bef. 1080 – 8 May 1144), called the Great (''le Grand''), was the Count of Perche and Mortagne from 1099. He was the son of Geoffrey II, Count of Perche, and Beatrix de Ramerupt, daughter of Hilduin IV, Count of Montdidier. He was a ...
, William's illegitimate half-sister by Henry's mistress known only as Edith. The ''
Anglo-Saxon Chronicles The Anglo-Saxons were a cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo-Saxons happened w ...
'' do not list Matilda as being aboard the ship. * Richard of Lincoln, William's illegitimate half-brother. Richard's betrothed Amice, daughter of the vanquished defender of Brémule, did not travel with him.


Family of Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester

*
Richard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester Richard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester (1094 – 25 November 1120) was the son of Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester, and his wife, Ermentrude of Clermont. Early life He was seven years old when his father, known as Hugh the Fat, died. Due ...
, son of
Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester Hugh d'Avranches ( 1047 – 27 July 1101), nicknamed ''le Gros'' (the Large) or ''Lupus'' (the Wolf), was from 1071 the second Norman Earl of Chester and one of the great magnates of early Norman England. Early life and career Hugh d'Avra ...
. * Lucia-Mahaut (Matilda), Countess of Chester, the king's niece and wife of Richard d'Avranches. She was the daughter of
Stephen, Count of Blois Stephen Henry (in French, ''Étienne Henri'', in Medieval French, ''Estienne Henri''; – 19 May 1102) was the Count of Blois and Count of Chartres. He led an army during the First Crusade, was at the surrender of the city of Nicaea, and direc ...
and so sister to
Stephen, King of England Stephen (1092 or 1096 – 25 October 1154), often referred to as Stephen of Blois, was King of England from 22 December 1135 to his death in 1154. He was Count of Boulogne ''jure uxoris'' from 1125 until 1147 and Duke of Normandy from 1135 unti ...
, who chose not to board the vessel. Lucia-Mahaut's mother was
Adela of Normandy Adela of Normandy, of Blois, or of England (c. 1067 – 8 March 1137),LoPrete, Kimberly. "Adela of Blois." ''Women and Gender in Medieval Europe: An Encyclopedia.'' Ed. Margaret Schaus. New York: Routledge, 2006. 6–7. also known as in Roman ...
, daughter of William the Conqueror. * Ottuel d'Avranches, the illegitimate son of Hugh d'Avranches (and so half-brother of Richard d'Avranches), governor of the king's sons. * Geoffrey Ridel, Royal Justice, husband of Geva, daughter of Hugh d'Avranches (and so brother-in-law to Richard d'Avranches).


Seigneurs de l'Aigle, also related to Hugh d'Avranches

* Gilbert d'Aigle, Vicomte of Exmes, father of Geoffroy and Engenulf, and married to Juliette, the second daughter of
Geoffrey II, Count of Perche Geoffrey, Geoffroy, Geoff, etc., may refer to: People * Geoffrey (name), including a list of people with the name * Geoffroy (surname), including a list of people with the name * Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1095–c. 1155), clergyman and one of the m ...
, and therefore sister of Rotrou III the Great. His mother was Judith d'Avranches, sister of Hugh d'Avranches. * Geoffroy de l'Aigle (survived clinging to a rock, but then succumbed to exhaustion). Geoffroy was son of Gilbert d'Aigle and Juliette du Perche (sister-in-law to the king's daughter Matilda) who was the daughter of Geoffrey II, Count of Perche.
Margaret_ Margaret_is_a_female_first_name,_derived_via_French_()_and_Latin_()_from__grc,_μαργαρίτης_()_meaning_"pearl"._The_Greek_is_borrowed_from_Persian. Margaret_has_been_an_English_name_since_the_11th_century,_and_remained_popular_througho_...
_was_the_Queen_consort_of_Navarre_as_the_first_wife_to_García_Ramírez_of_Navarre.html" ;"title="Margaret_of_L'Aigle.html" "title="eoffroy’s sister Margaret of L'Aigle">Margaret Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular througho ...
was the Queen consort of Navarre as the first wife to García Ramírez of Navarre">Garcia Ramirez “the Restorer” of Navarre.] * Engenulf d'Aigle, brother of Geoffroy de l'Aigle.


Household of the King

* William Bigod, steward of the household of King Henry. * Gisulf, the king's "iniquitous secretary". * Robert I of Mauduit, chamberlain to the king, son of William I of Mauduit. Robert's brother William II was the great-great-grandfather of
William Maudit, 8th Earl of Warwick William Mauduit, 8th Earl of Warwick or William Maudit (c. 1221 – 8 January 1268) was an English nobleman and participant in the Second Barons' War. He was the son of Lady Alice de Newburgh (daughter of 4th Earl of Warwick from his second wife, ...
. * Stewards, chamberlains, cupbearers and various officers. * An armed marine force, who were apparently very disorderly, drunk and scarcely paid attention to anyone on board.


Nobles of England

A number of other nobility of England were on board, although very little is known about them. * Walter of Everci. * Richard Anskill, son and heir of a Berkshire landowner. Illegitimate son of Henry I and 3rd mistress, Ansfride or Ansfrida * Richard de Bostock, Bostock Hall, Cheshire (b1075 d 1120) * Robert Mauduit, nobleman. * Hugh of Molines.


Nobles of Normandy

* Ralph the Red (Ralph le Roux) of Pont-Echanfray, who saved Richard from capture at
Les Andelys Les Andelys (; Norman: ''Les Aundelys'') is a commune in the northern French department of Eure, in Normandy. Geography It lies on the Seine, about northeast of Évreux. The commune is divided into two parts, Grand-Andely (located about from ...
. Ralph's second wife may have also been on the ship. Some sources identify him as an illegitimate son of
Robert de Lacy The honour of Pontefract, also known as the feudal barony of Pontefract, was an English feudal barony. Its origins lie in the grant of a large, compact set of landholdings in Yorkshire, made between the Norman conquest of England in 1066 and the co ...
, which seems unlikely. * Ivo II and William de Grandmesnil, described as the "two beautiful sons" of
Ivo de Grandmesnil Ivo de Grandmesnil (died 1101 or 1102), son of Hugh de Grandmesnil, was a Norman magnate in England and a participant in the First Crusade, in 1096. Ivo participated in the first crusade in 1096, following Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy. Havin ...
. * William of Rhuddlan, son of
Robert of Rhuddlan Robert of Rhuddlan (died 3 July 1093) was a Norman adventurer who became lord of much of north-east Wales and for a period lord of all North Wales. Robert was the son of Humphrey de Tillieul (or Bigod) and Adeliza de Grentemesnil, brother of Arn ...
and cousin of Ivo II and William de Grandmesnil.


Clergy

* Geoffrey,
Archdeacon of Hereford The Archdeacon of Hereford is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Church of England Diocese of Hereford. The archdeacon is the senior priest with responsibility over the area of the archdeaconry of Hereford. History The first recorded archdeac ...
. * William, son of Roger,
Bishop of Coutances The Roman Catholic Diocese of Coutances (–Avranches) (Latin: ''Dioecesis Constantiensis (–Abrincensis)''; French: ''Diocèse de Coutances (–Avranches)'') is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in France. Its mother church is the Cathe ...
, with his brother and three nephews.


Family of the Emperor

* Dietrich (Theodoric), son of Heinrich (d. 1105), a relative of
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor Henry V (german: Heinrich V.; probably 11 August 1081 or 1086 – 23 May 1125, in Utrecht) was King of Germany (from 1099 to 1125) and Holy Roman Emperor (from 1111 to 1125), as the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. He was made co-ru ...
. Heinrich was likely the son of Agnes of Germany, sister of the emperor.
Orderic Vitalis Orderic Vitalis ( la, Ordericus Vitalis; 16 February 1075 – ) was an English chronicler and Benedictine monk who wrote one of the great contemporary chronicles of 11th- and 12th-century Normandy and Anglo-Norman England. Modern historia ...
identified him as ''Teodericus puer Henrici nepos imperatoris Alemannorum'', which would imply that he was the grandson of Agnes. Farrer identifies him as a nephew of Emperor Henry (by his sister Agnes and Frederic, Duke of Swabia), but Dietrich's status as grand-nephew seems more likely.


The sole survivor

* Berold, a butcher from Rouen, who was likely on board to collect the debts owed to him by the travelers.


Those who chose to travel on a different ship

* Henry I, King of England. *
Matilda Matilda or Mathilda may refer to: Animals * Matilda (chicken) (1990–2006), World's Oldest Living Chicken record holder * Matilda (horse) (1824–1846), British Thoroughbred racehorse * Matilda, a dog of the professional wrestling tag-team The ...
, wife of William Adelin and daughter-in-law of Henry I. She was the daughter of
Fulk V, Count of Anjou Fulk ( la, Fulco, french: Foulque or ''Foulques''; c. 1089/1092 – 13 November 1143), also known as Fulk the Younger, was the count of Anjou (as Fulk V) from 1109 to 1129 and the king of Jerusalem with his wife from 1131 to his death. During t ...
, and
Ermengarde, Countess of Maine Ermengarde or Erembourg of Maine, also known as Erembourg de la Flèche (died 1126), was Countess of Maine and the Lady of Château-du-Loir from 1110 to 1126. She was the daughter of Elias I, Count of Maine, and Mathilda of Château-du-Loire, da ...
, and did not travel on the ''White Ship'', inexplicably going on a different ship. * Two monks of Tiron (names unknown). *
Stephen of Blois Stephen (1092 or 1096 – 25 October 1154), often referred to as Stephen of Blois, was King of England from 22 December 1135 to his death in 1154. He was Count of Boulogne ''jure uxoris'' from 1125 until 1147 and Duke of Normandy from 1135 unt ...
, later King of England, with two men-at-arms. *
William de Roumare, Earl of Lincoln William de Romare (born c. 1096) (also Roumare or Romayre or Romay), Earl of Lincoln, 2nd Baron of Kendal, Lord of Bolingbroke. He was the son of Roger FitzGerold (de Roumare), 1st Baron of Kendal, Lord of Bolingbroke and Lucy, widow of Ivo de T ...
. *
Edward of Salisbury Edward of Salisbury was a nobleman and courtier (''curialis''), probably part Anglo-Saxon, who served as High Sheriff of Wiltshire during the reigns of William I, William II and Henry I. The ''Chronicon Abbatiae Rameseiensis'' (1293) names him as ...
, High Sheriff of Wiltshire and chamberlain to the king. * Rabel, son of the chamberlain Robert I of Mauduit (see above). * Ranulf le Meschin, 3rd Earl of Chester, a nephew of Richard, 2nd Earl of Chester. * William de Pirou, steward to the king (
Orderic Vitalis Orderic Vitalis ( la, Ordericus Vitalis; 16 February 1075 – ) was an English chronicler and Benedictine monk who wrote one of the great contemporary chronicles of 11th- and 12th-century Normandy and Anglo-Norman England. Modern historia ...
claims he died aboard the ship, which seems unlikely since he was apparently still alive in 1123).


Commentary

As is true of all such tales, the stories about the ''White Ship'' abound with inconsistencies. Whether these amount to a conspiracy as some have claimed (e.g., Chandler, Follett ''
The Pillars of the Earth ''The Pillars of the Earth'' is a historical novel by British author Ken Follett published in 1989 about the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England. Set in the 12th century, the novel covers the time between the ...
''), there will likely never be resolution. Even by 12th-century standards, an act of mass murder of such a scale to gain political power stretches the imagination. Nevertheless, among the inconsistencies is, first and foremost, why an experienced captain such as FitzStephen would allow his crew to get drunk, especially when ferrying such an august group of nobles. While the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
was below par following the Norman conquest, it defies imagination that a captain would allow such behavior. Nor was the ship filled with immature persons, as there were many senior nobles and experienced Crusaders aboard. The king chose not to travel in the ''White Ship'' (although, as the king, he could certainly travel however he liked), but then neither did William Adelin's wife. Perhaps the best answer was that she was merely 14 years old at the time, and so must have been under the care of a custodian. It is also suspect that William, rescued in the only available skiff, would hear his half-sister's cries among the chaos and have the boat turn around. William's half-brother Richard was betrothed to Amice, daughter of Raoul II de Gael, and yet she was not traveling to England with her fiancé; however, most nobility married for political reasons, and there can be no assumption of affection between the two. Given the victory of Henry over the French, it would be assumed that perhaps the resultant marriage would take place in London. Although there is speculation that the king's agents must have known about the drunkenness and overcrowding of the ship and that many of the nobles (including the future king of England) chose not to board. However, contemporary accounts state that the ''White Ship'', which had a reputation of speed, left long after the others, and that its crew and captain expected to be able to catch the ship carrying the king. Perhaps King Henry would have conducted a full investigation of the incident, given that three of his children, including his only legitimate male heir, died. But such investigations are a modern practice, not necessarily a medieval one. No results of any such investigations seem to have been recorded.


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:White Ship, Victims Shipwrecks in the English Channel 1120 in England 12th-century maritime incidents