ARNALDO DE BAIAO (ARNOLD DE BAYEUX, ARNALDO DE BAYAM)

[William F. Smyth]

Can someone enlighten me as to Arnaldo de Baiao, that
progenitor of the prominent Portuguese family of Baiao which
gave birth to so many other present day families? Desire to
know his pedigree and relationship to William the Conqueror.

[Francisco Antonio Doria]

Arnaldo de Bayão, given as son of Guido duke of Spoleto, is the legendary character, very much like the much-quoted infante dom Alboazar Ramires. Arualdo Gondesendes (and Abunazar or Abuuazar Lovesendes) are the historical characters.

I'll sketch some of its (conjectural) ancestry, as published in my book *Os Herdeiros do Poder* (1995). Sources are the reconstructions by José Mattoso and by Almeida Fernandes (as quoted by Mattoso):

Arualdo Gondesendes, attested in a document dated 1020, was the [conjectured] son of Gondesendo Soares (fl. 964), gson of Soeiro Gondesendes (dec. bef. 964) and Goldregodo; ggson of Gondesendo Eriz (fl. 910-947) and of Inderquina Mendes ``Pala,'' and gggson of Ero Fernandes, count of Lugo. The second Bayão branch, usually given as descended from Arualdo, comes [conjecturally] from Teresa Eriz, d. of Ero Fernandes, who m. Gonçalo Betotes. Conjectural is the next link: Galindo Gonçalves, father of Gonçalo Galindes and gfather of Galindo Gonçalves II, ancestor of the Paiva line (here you'll find Saint Anthony, Santo Antonio de Lisboa).

No relation to William the Conqueror. we can trace reloable lines from Arualdo to the Azevedos, lords of São João de Rei and to the Brazilian Bandeira de Mello family. (Press tycoon Assis Chateaubriand, former Brazilian ambassador to England belonged to that family.)

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