Chateau arques la bataille rempart sud est

Helias of Saint Saens (?–1128),Stephanie L. Mooers, "Backers and Stabbers": Problems of Loyalty in Robert Curthose's Entourage, ''Journal of British Studies'', Vol. 21, No. 1, (Autumn, 1981). p. 17 Count of Arques was a Norman magnate of the eleventh and twelfth century, a loyal supporter of

Robert Curthose Robert Curthose, or Robert II of Normandy ( 1051 – 3 February 1134, french: Robert Courteheuse / Robert II de Normandie), was the eldest son of William the Conqueror and succeeded his father as Duke of Normandy in 1087, reigning until 1106. ...

and protector of his son

William Clito William Clito (25 October 110228 July 1128) was a member of the House of Normandy who ruled the County of Flanders from 1127 until his death and unsuccessfully claimed the Duchy of Normandy. As the son of Robert Curthose, the eldest son of William ...

. His support of the latter eventually brought him into conflict with

Henry I of England Henry I (c. 1068 – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts. On William's death in ...

, ending in his willing exile from Normandy.Stephanie L. Mooers, "Backers and Stabbers": Problems of Loyalty in Robert Curthose's Entourage, ''Journal of British Studies'', Vol. 21, No. 1, (Autumn, 1981). p. 4

His Life

Helias was an important baron in

Upper Normandy Upper Normandy (french: Haute-Normandie, ; nrf, Ĥâote-Normaundie) is a former administrative region of France. On 1 January 2016, Upper and Lower Normandy merged becoming one region called Normandy. History It was created in 1956 from two d ...

who held the fortress-stronghold of Saint-Saens.Frank Barlow, ''William Rufus'', (Methuen, London, 1983), p. 275 In 1090 he supported

William Rufus William II ( xno, Williame; – 2 August 1100) was King of England from 26 September 1087 until his death in 1100, with powers over Normandy and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales. The third so ...

against his brother Duke Robert of Normandy and led the attack on Rouen.William Farrer, Charles Travis Clay, ''Early Yorkshire Charters'', Volume VIII - The Honour of Warenne (The Yorkshire Archaeological Society, 1949), p. 6 n. 1 But within a year, Duke Robert gave him an illegitimate daughter in marriage, whose '' maritagium'' included the county of Arques along with the lordship of

Bures-en-Bray Bures-en-Bray (, literally ''Bures in Bray'') is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France. Geography A farming village situated in the Pays de Bray, southeast of Dieppe, at the junction of the D1 wi ...

.C. Warren Hollister, ''Henry I'' (Yale University Press, New Haven & London, 2003), p. 69 From this time on, Helias was a loyal supporter of Duke Robert and later to his son William Clito. In 1094, William Rufus crossed over from England and, after failing at diplomacy, raised an army of mercenaries at Eu and attacked south into Normandy. His first victory was in capturing Helias' castle of Bures-en-Bray, at the time garrisoned by Duke Robert's men. During the period from 1104 to 1106, Helias supported Robert Curthose, but in 1106 after the

Battle of Tinchebray The Battle of Tinchebray (alternative spellings: Tinchebrai or Tenchebrai) took place on 28 September 1106, in Tinchebray (today in the Orne ''département'' of France), Normandy, between an invading force led by King Henry I of England, and th ...

(in which Robert Curthose was captured and imprisoned by Henry) Helias seems to have been on curiously good terms with Henry I.C. Warren Hollister, ''Henry I'' (Yale University Press, New Haven & London, 2003), p. 204 n. 1 Secure in his victory, Henry encountered young William Clito, Duke Robert's son, at Falaise. To show he was compassionate, he placed the boy, then about three years old, under the protection of Count Helias. By the time William Clito was seven or eight, he had become the focal point of resistance to Henry I's rule of Normandy and support was growing for William to be Henry's rival for Normandy and perhaps even England.C. Warren Hollister, ''Henry I'' (Yale University Press, New Haven & London, 2003), p. 227-8 In 1111, Henry I ordered Robert de Beauchamp, Viscount of Arques, to capture his nephew, William Clito, at the castle of Saint-Saens. Helias was absent from the castle at the time, but before the Viscount arrived, the boy was taken out of Normandy to join Helias.Ordericus Vitalis, The Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy, Translated by Thomas Forester, Volume III (Henry G. Bohn, London, 1854), p. 431 The boy and his protector eventually found safe haven at the court of

Baldwin VII, Count of Flanders Baldwin VII of Flanders (1093 – 17 July 1119) was Count of Flanders from 1111 to 1119. Baldwin was the son of Count Robert II of Flanders and Clementia of Burgundy. He succeeded his father as count when he died on 5 October 1111. Reign Bald ...

. Meanwhile, Robert de Beauchamp seized the castle of Saint-Saens and held it for Henry I, who then gave it to his cousin (''consobrinus'')

William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey (died 11 May 1138) was the son of William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey and his first wife Gundred. He was more often referred to as ''Earl Warenne'' or ''Earl of Warenne'' than as Earl of Surrey.G. E. ...

. At the

Battle of Bremule A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

in 1119, William Clito fought on the side of

Louis VI of France Louis VI (late 1081 – 1 August 1137), called the Fat (french: link=no, le Gros) or the Fighter (french: link=no, le Batailleur), was King of the Franks from 1108 to 1137. Chronicles called him "King of Saint-Denis". Louis was the first member ...

, but for some reason Helias did not participate in the battle. Fighting against

Thierry of Alsace Theoderic ( nl, Diederik, french: Thierry, german: Dietrich; – 17 January 1168), commonly known as Thierry of Alsace, was the fifteenth count of Flanders from 1128 to 1168. With a record of four campaigns in the Levant and Africa (including pa ...

, William Clito was killed in battle in July 1128. His followers, including Helias, kept his death a secret and kept fighting. William had written letters to his uncle, Henry I, asking for his followers to be pardoned; Henry did as requested. Some followers returned to Henry I while others set out for the crusade. Helias died about 1128.

Family

His father was Lambert of Saint-Saens,M. Guizot, Collection Des Memoires Relatifs A L'Histoire De France, (J. L. J. Briere, Paris, 1826, p. 304 who was a son of

Richard de Lillebonne, viscount of Rouen Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'str ...

. He descended from one of the nieces of

Gunnor Gunnor or Gunnora ( – ) was Duchess of Normandy by marriage to Richard I of Normandy, having previously been his long-time mistress. She functioned as regent of Normandy during the absence of her spouse, as well as the adviser to him and later to ...

Duchess of Normandy The Duchess of Normandy was the wife of the ruler or sub-ruler of the Duchy of Normandy.However,for the queen regnant such as Elizabeth II will be also called the Duke of Normandy. Duchess of Normandy First Creation House of Normandy, 911 ...

, and hence was a distant cousin of the English royal family.Elisabeth M. C. van Houts, "Robert of Torigni as Genealogist", ''Studies in Medieval History presented to R. Allen Brown'', p.215-33

References

{{reflist

External links

Robert de Torigny and the family of Gunnor, Duchess of Normandy
11th-century Normans 12th-century Normans Norman warriors