Mon arbre généalogique

The genealogy of the first dynasty of sires de Laval has been the subject of much confusion over the years. The main problem in reconstructing the family is that six out of the seven sires de Laval were named Guy, five of whom succeeded in a direct line from father to son. This makes it harder to identify the specific person to whom undated primary sources apply. Some early secondary sources misinterpreted the sources and incorrectly concluded that there were seven sires de Laval named Guy, instead of six. This introduced a hypothetical additional generation into the genealogy which caused a great deal of confusion. Broussillon appears to have been the first author to find his way accurately through the maze[310]. His structure provides the basis for the reconstruction set out below, with some minor modifications and additions. The primary sources which Broussillon collected do provide sufficiently accurate information to assert that this reconstruction is definitive and that there were only six sires de Laval named Guy. However, even Broussillon was confused about the numbering of the sires de Laval. The difficulty is that Guy [IV] described himself as "Guido quintus" in a charter dated to [1150] under which he donated profits from a fair to the Knights Hospitallers of Jerusalem[311]. At first sight this suggests that there must have been four earlier sires de Laval named Guy. The solution to the difficulty is found in one of the charters of his son Guy [V] who is called "Guido dominus sextus de Lavalle" in his donation to Olivet priory dated to [1205][312]. The appropriate translation of this phrase is (adding punctuation) "Guy, sixth lord of Laval" not "Guy the sixth, lord of Laval". The former is an accurate description of him when we remember that Hamon Sire de Laval, son of Guy [I], was the second sire de Laval. It is suggested that the Laval family in England descended from Hugues, son of Hamon Sire de Laval.

The castle of Laval was situated on the banks of the river Mayenne and was constructed by Guy [I] Sire de Laval, as shown by two charters which describe him as "Guido, castri quod Vallis nuncupatur, in pago Cynnomennensi conditor atque possessor"[313], who was a vassal of the comtes du Maine. No indication has been found about his parentage or origin. Broussillon suggests that he must have taken possession of Laval in [1020][314].

The first dynasty of sires de Laval became extinct in the male line on the death in 1211 of Guy [VI]. The castle passed to his sister Emma and to her children by her second husband Mathieu [II] Sire de Montmorency (who was constable of France). The Montmorency-Laval line is not included in this document. The primary sources which provide the basis for the reconstruction of their descent can be found in the later pages of volume 1 of Broussillon´s work and in volume 2

GUY [I] de Laval ([980/90]-before 26 Feb 1062). Sire de Laval. "Wido" relinquished rights to the chapter of Le Mans, before leaving for Jerusalem, with the consent of "Haimo, supra scripti Guidonis filius et uxor eius Hersendis filiique eorum Guido…et Hugo", by charter dated 11 Nov 1039[381]. The date of this charter is open to doubt, particularly because two of the known children of Guy´s grandson Guy [II] must have been born in the last decade of the 11th century. In addition, Guy [I] himself would have been unusually old when he died if he already had grandchildren in 1039. "…Guidonis de Valle filiorumque suorum Johannis et Hamonis" consented to a donation by "Fulcodius" to Marmoutier by charter dated to [1040][382]. The monks of Marmoutier record a donation by "Guido, castri quod Vallis nuncupatur, in pago Cynnomennensi conditor atque possessor", at the request of "Johannis filii sui monachi nostri", with the consent of "Haimone atque Guidone filiis suis…Gervasium…tres his…sorores Hildesindem, Agnetem, Hildeburgem", by charter dated to [1050][383]. The monks of Marmoutier record a donation by "Guido, castri…Vallis…in pago Cenomannensi conditorem ac possessorem", with the consent of "suorumque filiorum…Haimonis…Gervasii atque Guidonis, simulque Agnetis", by charter dated to [1050], witnessed by "…Rotrudis uxor predicti Widonis, Gualterius filius eius…"[384]. The date of his death is set by the charter dated 26 Feb 1062, witnessed by "…Haimo de Lavalle…", which records an agreement of confraternity between Saint-Maurice d´Angers and La Trinité de Vendôme[385]. Guillaume II Duke of Normandy settled a claim in favour of the monks of Marmoutier relating to property donated by "Guido de Valle" by charter dated 1064, which names "Iohannem monachum filium suum" and is witnessed by "…Hamo de Valle filius Guidonis…"[386]. This document does not state that Guy was alive at that date. m firstly ([1010/15]) BERTHE de Tosny, daughter of [RAOUL [II] de Tosny & his wife ---]. Her marriage is confirmed by the charter dated [Sep/14 Oct] 1055 under which the monks of Marmoutier record the donations by "quemdam militem…Johannem pagi Cenomannensis indigenum, Widonis de Valle filium" of property "in Normannia, territorio Vilcassino…ecclesiam in villa…Guarniacus…juxta fluvium Eptæ" which "Wido pater eorum" accepted from "uxore sua Berta, Johannis et Haimonis matre"[387]. Her connection with the Tosny family is confirmed by the charter dated 1063 which records the consent given by "Rotbertum de Toeniaco, avunculum domni Johanni monachi nostri, filii Widonis de Valle" to the donations by the latter to Marmoutier, authorised by "Berengerius filius eius"[388]. The remaining question is the identity of her father. The date of her marriage is estimated from the charter dated 11 Nov 1039 in which her two grandsons are named (see above)[389]. If this document is correctly dated (and this is open to doubt as discussed further above), Berthe could not have been the daughter of Roger [I] de Conches. There are two other possibilities. Either she was the daughter of Raoul [II] de Tosny or she was the related to Robert de Tosny, who was Lord of Belvoir in 1086 and whose precise relationship with the main Tosny family has not been ascertained. m secondly (before [1030]) as her second husband, ROTRUDE de Château-du-Loir, widow of ---, daughter of HAMON Seigneur d'Argentré & his wife Hildeburge de Bellême (-after [1050]). The monks of Marmoutier record a donation by "Guido, castri…Vallis…in pago Cenomannensi conditorem ac possessorem", with the consent of "suorumque filiorum…Haimonis…Gervasii atque Guidonis, simulque Agnetis", by charter dated to [1050], witnessed by "…Rotrudis uxor predicti Widonis, Gualterius filius eius…"[390]. Her parentage is confirmed by a charter dated to [1100] under which the monks of Angers Saint-Aubin recall the history of "ecclesiam de Comburniaco", seized by "Fulcho comes" [Foulques III "Nerra" Comte d´Anjou] and given to "Hamelino de Castro Ledi", who granted it to "Widdoni de Valle cum filia sua in maritagio"[391]. If this report is correct, Rotrude must have married before [1030], the estimated date of death of her father. The monks of Marmoutier record the division of Laval fair and market profits with "Guido de Valle", with the consent of "filii eius Hamon, Hildelinda, Agnes, Hildeburgis et Guido et Gervasius" by charter dated to [1050], witnessed by "…Rotrudis supradicti Guidonis uxor, Gualterius filius eius…"[392]. These charters confirm Rotrude´s first marriage, from which "Gualterius filius eius" was presumably born. Guy [I] & his first wife had five children