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. He had one brother, Roger, who died young. According to

Lambert of Ardres Lambert of Ardres (active 1194–1203) was a chronicler in the twelfth-century Kingdom of France, from on the frontiers of the County of Flanders. Cyriel Moeyaert, "Aarde (Ardres), Lambert van (Lambertus Ardensis)", '' Nationaal Biografisch Woordenb ...

, 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 and children

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 Life peer, non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted Imperial, royal and noble ranks, noble ranks. Peerages include: A ...

, 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. Though dominated by the larger county of Flanders, it often acted independently. In 1180, Guînes w ...

and, along with Eustace, accompanied

William the Conqueror William the Conqueror (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), sometimes called William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England (as William I), reigning from 1066 until his death. A descendant of Rollo, he was D ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

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 seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

, and was rewarded with grants of several lordships in

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...

. 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 Ixworth is a village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk, England, north-east of Bury St Edmunds on the A143 road to Diss and south-east of Thetford. The parish had a population of 2,365 at the 2011 Census. History Ix ...

(his place of residence), and Lord of Orford Castle.

References

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