Haimo (dapifer)

Hamo DapiferHollister ''Henry I'' pp. 363–364 (died c. 1100) (''alias'' HaimoBarlow ''William Rufus'' pp. 188–189) was an Anglo-Norman royal official under both King William I of England (r. 1066–1087) and his son King William II of England (r. 1087–1100). He held the office, from which his epithet derives, known in Latin as ''dapifer'' and in French '' seneschal'', in English "steward", as well as the office of Sheriff of Kent.

Origins

Hamo was the son of Hamon Dentatus (died c. 1047), a Norman noble who held the lordship of Torigni-sur-Vire, and died in about 1047.Keats-Rohan ''Domesday People'' p. 242

Career

Hamo was steward to both King William I and his son King William II.Green "Robert fitz Haimon (d. 1107)" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' He was acting as royal steward by 1069.Douglas ''William the Conqueror'' p. 290 Hamo was appointed to the office of Sheriff of Kent in 1077 and held it until his death.

During the reign of William II, Hamo was one of five known stewards, the others being Eudo Dapifer, Eudo's brother Hubert of Ryes, Roger Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk, and Ivo Taillebois.Barlow ''William Rufus'' p. 279

The historian Emma Mason suggests that Hamo, along with Ranulf Flambard, Urse d'Abetot, Robert FitzHamon (Hamo's son), Roger Bigod and Eudo Dapifer, were the first recognisable Barons of the Exchequer under William II.Mason ''William II'' p. 75 These men were often associated together as royal officials in government and jointly witnessed documents.Barlow ''William Rufus'' p. 202 Hamo witnessed six writs of William II.Barlow ''William Rufus'' p. 93 Hamo's involvement in the higher levels of government dates especially from King William II's absence from England in the late 1090s.Barlow ''William Rufus'' pp. 209–211 In 1099, when William II was in Normandy, Hamo was one of the main assistants to Flambard, who had been left as regent of England in the king's absence.

According to Domesday Book, Hamo held lands in Kent, Surrey, and Essex, his estates in Essex being larger than those in the other two counties.Barlow ''William Rufus'' p. 140 and footnote204

Hamo was still witnessing royal documents in September 1099,Barlow ''William Rufus'' p. 407 and was one of the witnesses to the letter which King Henry I (1100–1135), William II's brother and successor, wrote to Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, shortly after his accession.Barlow ''William Rufus'' p. 420 Hamo died shortly after witnessing these documents.

Family

Hamo had two sons, Hamo, who became sheriff after him, and Robert Fitzhamon. Robert was probably the elder, as he received his father's lands in Normandy after Hamo's death. The younger Hamo received the English lands.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Haimo Dapifer
High Sheriffs of Kent
Anglo-Normans
11th-century English people
1100s deaths
Year of birth unknown