Gilbert de Vascoeuil explained

Gilbert de Vascoeuil
Birth Date:1150
Death Date:After 1193
Noble Family:De Vascoeuil
Issue:Pétronille De Vascoeuil
Father:Gautier De Vascoeuil
Mother:Aénor De Dammartin

Gilbert de Vascoeuil, Lord of Saint-Denis-le-Thiboult, Lord of Vascœuil, Castellan of Gisors, was a nobleman during the time of the Angevin Empire. He owned lands in both England and France, and served as Governor of Gisors during its surrender.[1]

He is best known for his role in the incredibly quick surrender of the Château de Gisors as part of the 1193 French invasion of Normandy. King Richard I of England was originally betrothed to Princess Alys, King Phillip II of France's sister with a dowry of the Vexin. Richard later repudiated the marriage to marry Berengaria of Navarre, but managed to force Phillip to allow him to keep the dowry.[2] Eventually, Phillip contested this, and while Richard was held captive by Leopold V, Duke of Austria he invaded Vexin. The keep of Gisors was described as "The key of the region" and was thus crucial to its defense. It fell so quickly under Gilbert's command that some chroniclers suspected foul play, and its fall perpetuated the loss of the entire Vexin region and later Normandy East of Rouen.[3]

He had an unknown wife, with whom he had a daughter in around 1170, named Pétronille.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vascœuil Castle . castles.nl . 17 March 2021.
  2. Book: Nicholson, Helen J. . Chronicle of the Third Crusade: A Translation of the Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ricardi . 189 . 1997 . Ashgate . Ashbury, UK . 1-85928-154-0 .
  3. Web site: Rees . Simon . "King Richard I of England Versus King Philip II Augustus" . historynet.com . Military History Magazine . 17 March 2021.
  4. Web site: Gilbert de Vascoeuil . geneanet.org . 17 March 2021.