The de Verdun family in England, Ireland and Wales, 1066-1316: a study

Abstract

This thesis is composed of an introduction and five chapters. The introduction examines the various sources which can be used in establishing the actions of the family (chronicles, charters, central government rolls and so on) and attempts to make some general remarks about them. From this discussion of the sources, chapters one and two move on to examine the careers of the ten members of the family who, over the course of nine generations, ruled over the lands which were acquired between 1066 and 1316. The composition of these estates and the ways in which they came into the family's possession is also considered here. Chapter three looks at the family's demesne manors, examining the various franchises which the family held, the revenues these estates produced - in so far as they can be recovered - and the location and economic structure of the demesne manors in England, Ireland and Wales. Chapter four examines the household officials employed by the family and identifies those who formed the most prominent members of the de Verduns' following. The chapter also discusses the tenantry, seeking to establish why individuals were granted lands by the family and identifying any relationships between the tenants of their English estates and those found living in their Irish lordships. Chapter five looks at the family as a unit. The various cadet lines are identified where possible, and the patronage and role of younger sons or siblings is discussed. The identities of the de Verduns' wives or husbands are examined and the treatment meted out to widows is explored. So too are the family's possible views of its own identity. This has been done by looking at, for example, naming patterns and the various marriages which were made.