Judith of Lens

[ABB]

Has her parentage been firmly established? My old copy of AR 7th Ed.
indicates the prior established identification was problematic.

Thanks

ADRIAN BENJAMIN BURKE
NEW YORK CITY

[John P. Ravilious]

Thursday, 19 November, 2009

Dear Adrian,

The evidence for this identification [i.e. Judith as daughter of
Lambert, count of Lens by Adelaide (Adela/Adelais are also used),
sister of William the Conqueror, is well laid out by Stewart Baldwin
on the Henry Project page for Robert, Duke of Normandy:

http://sbaldw.home.mindspring.com/hproject/prov/rober000.htm

In addition to the evidence and analysis therein provided, there
is also the foundation charter (1146) for Saltrey Abbey. Simon 'II'
de St. Liz, Earl of Huntingdon and Northampton (d. 1153) and eldest
grandson of Judith, provides additional confirmation of Judith's
relationship as niece of King/Duke William:

' Sciendum vero quod Willielmus rex Angliae adquisitor,
per neptem suam Judetam, comitissam,...'

' ..a tempore quo Wallevus comes neptem regis Willielmi
Judetam in matrimonio accepit,...'

' Optinuit enim eadem comitissa Judeta ab avunculo suo
rege Willielmo...

This charter can be found in Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum V:
522-3, Num. I [link given below]. Judith's parentage (and that of her
half-siblings, including Stephen, lord of Holderness and Count of
Aumale) is no longer deemed problematic.

http://monasticmatrix.usc.edu/MatrixBooks/Dugdale/Volume5/Dugdale-Monasticon%20(Vol.%205%20Part%20080%20Saltrey).pdf

Cheers,

John

[ABB]

>    http://monasticmatrix.usc.edu/MatrixBooks/Dugdale/Volume5/Dugdale-Mon...
>
>      Cheers,
>
>                                 John

THANK YOU SO MUCH JOHN!!!!!! I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP WITH THIS.

REGARDS,

ABB
NYC