BRIONNE Godfrey

Abt 0953 - 1015  (62 years)

• Name	BRIONNE Godfrey
  Birth	Abt 0953	Brionne, Haute-Normandie, France
  Gender	Male
  Death	25 Aug 1015	Brionne, Normandy, France
  Notes	Godfrey (Geoffrey) was the eldest of the illegitimate children of Duke Richard I (the Fearless), the Conqueror's great-grandfather. While the Duke granted Godfrey Brionne, he did not make him a count. Godfrey's comital title derives from the grant of the county of Eu made to him after 996 by his half-brother, Duke Richard II. After Godfrey's death, Eu was given to William, another of Duke Richard I's bastard sons, and Gilbert, Godfrey's son, was left with only the lordship of Brionne. However, under Duke Robert I, father of William the Conqueror, Gilbert assumed the title of count of Brionne while not relinquishing his claim to Eu. When Count William of Eu died shortly before 1040, Gilbert assumed the land and title, but he was assassinated in 1040 and his young sons, Richard and Baldwin, were forced to flee Normandy, finding safety at the court of Baldwin V, count of Flanders. When William the Conqueror married Count Baldwin's daughter, he restored Gilbert's sons to Normandy, although he did not invest them with either Brionne or Eu or a comital title. William granted the lordships of Bienfaite and Orbec to Richard fitz Gilbert, and Le Sap and Meules to Baldwin. While Gilbert's descendants later pressed a claim for Brionne, it was never restored. About Geoffrey de Brionne d'Eu, Comte de Brionne (D' Eu & Brionne) Godefroi de Brionne (Crispin), comte d'Eu, Geoffrey, Godfrey or Goeffroy de Brionne Parents: Duke of Normandy Richard "The Fearless" I and an unknown mistress (not his wife Emma or Gunnor) Spouse: (unknown) Sources Waters, Robert Edmond Chester. Genealogical Memoirs of the Counts of Eu in Normandy (Bradbury, Agnew, & Co., Whitefriars, E.C., 1886) http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/NORMAN%20NOBILITY.htm#GeoffreyBrionnedied1015B Wikipedia:Godefroi_de_Brionne Wikipedia: Geoffrey, Count of Eu MEDIEVAL LANDS GEOFFROY de Brionne, illegitimate son of RICHARD I Duke of Normandy & his mistress ([953]-[1015]). Guillaume de Jumièges names "Godefroi et Guillaume" as the two sons of Duke Richard by his concubines, recording that the former was Comte d'Eu.(Willelmi Gemmetencis Historiæ (Du Chesne, 1619), Liber IV, XVIII, p. 247) Robert of Torigny names "unus Godefridus alter…Willermus" as sons of "Ricardi primi ducis Normanniæ" by concubines. (Chronique de Robert de Torigny I, 965, p. 25) He is named as son of duke "Richard the elder" by Orderic Vitalis, who specifies that his father gave Brionne "with the whole county"* to him. (Orderic Vitalis (Chibnall), Vol. IV, Book VIII, p. 209) * The comment is made in the context of the later dispute over Brionne between Robert de Meulan and Robert III Duke of Normandy. Comte d'Eu after 996. m ---. The name of Geoffrey's wife is not known. Geoffrey & his wife had [two] children: 1. GILBERT de Brionne "Crespin" ([979/1000]-murdered [Mar] 1040). Guillaume de Jumièges names "le comte Gilbert fils du comte Godefroi", recording that he was Comte d'Eu after his father before being murdered[1164]. Named as son of "Godfrey" by Orderic Vitalis[1165]. Comte d'Eu. "Gislebertus filius Godefridi comitis…" witnessed the charter dated to [1030] under which Robert II Duke of Normandy confirmed rights of Mont Saint-Michel[1166]. He was appointed guardian of Guillaume II Duke of Normandy after the death in 1040 of Alain III Duke of Brittany[1167]. He invaded Le Vimeu but was defeated by Enguerrand Comte de Ponthieu[1168]. He was murdered by his cousin Raoul de Waco, after which Brionne was kept by Guillaume II Duke of
  Person ID	I60058	Freeman-Smith
  Last Modified	27 Jan 2026

  
  

  Father	NORMANDIE Richard,   b. 28 Aug 0933, Fécamp, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France d. 20 Nov 0996, Fécamp, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France (Age 63 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	UNKNOWN Unknown,   b. Abt 0940, Normandy d. Abt 1033, Fécamp, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France (Age 93 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Family ID	F26667	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	GUISNES Hawise,   b. Abt 0958, Guînes, Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France d. 19 Jul 1000, Brionne, Eure, Haute-Normandie, France (Age 42 years)
  Children	1. BRIONNE Gilbert,   b. Aft 0979, France d. 1040, Bec, Eure, Normandy, France (Age < 59 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   2. BRIONNE Adele,   b. Abt 1000, Dieppe, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France d. Aft 1060, Saint Saveur, Normandie, France (Age > 61 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F26665	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	27 Jan 2026