Humphrey de Vieilles

Who was Humphrey de Vieilles?

Humphrey de Vieilles was the first holder of the "grand honneur" of Beaumont-le-Roger, one of the most important groups of domains in eastern Normandy and the founder of the House of Beaumont. He was married to Albreda or Alberée de la Haye Auberie.

His early life and origins are the subject of much discussion. As reported by later Norman chronicler Robert of Torigni, he was son of Thorold de Pont-Audemer and grandson of a Torf, from whose name derived that of the village of Tourville-sur-Pont-Audemer. Humphrey's mother, according to Robert of Torigni, was Duvelina, sister of Gunnora, concubine of Richard I, Duke of Normandy. Thus Humphrey and his Beaumont descendants were kinsmen of the Norman Dukes and other members of the early Anglo-Norman nobility similarly descended from Gunnora's kindred.

Besides Beaumont-le-Roger, he had lands dispersed through the whole of Normandy, in Cotentin, in Hiémois, in the Pays d'Auge, in Basse Seine, in Évrecin and in Vexin normand. These lands originated in the favour of the dukes Richard II and Robert II, from confiscated church lands. The "honneur" of Beaumont was, for example, constituted from the remains of the lands of the abbey of Bernay. On the other hand, the possessions around Pont-Audemer came to him by family inheritance.