Willliam D'Aubigny "Brito"

     Willliam D'Aubigny "Brito", son of William D'Aubigny, was born circa 1090 in Dol de Bretagne, Brittany, France.

Willliam married Cecelia Bigod circa 1107 in England. Cecelia was the daughter of Roger Bigod and Adelisa de Tosny. Robert de Tosny was the lord of Belvoir, built about 1088. All three of his sons died without issue leaving his three daughters as heirs. The eldest daughter, Albreta, died without issue leaving her younger sister, Adelisa, wife of Roger Bigod, to inherit. Belvoir passed from Adelisa to her youngest daughter, Cecily, and from her to William D'Albini upon their marriage. The castle's name means beautiful view. The name "Belvoir", is in fact, a Norman import by the French-speaking conquerors, though the native Anglo-Saxon population was unable to pronounce such a foreign word, preferring to pronouncel it "Beever Castle". Belvoir Castle is still pronounced "Beever" -- despite its spelling -- to this very day, which may actually go a long way to explaining the age-long animosity between the insulted French and the traditionalist English..¹ He was Lord of Stackhorne (Stathern) and Belvoir in Leicestershire.. Called "the Brito" or the Briton, because he had been born in Brittany, to distinquish him from his cousin, William of Arundel. This feudal Baron was a soldier of distinction, and acquired great renown in the celebrated battle of Tenercheby in Normandy when he commanded the calvary, for "by a charge of much spirit, he determined at once the fate of the day." The monk Matthew Paris records "in this encounter chiefly deserveth honour the most heroic William d'Albini, the Briton, who with his sword broke through the enemy and terminated the battle."

The battle of Tinchebray (or Tinchebrai) was fought September 28, 1106, in the town of Tinchebray, Normandy, south of Bayeux, between an invading force led by Henry I of England, and his older brother Robert Curthose, the Duke of Normandy. Henry's knights won a decisive victory, capturing Robert and imprisoning him in England and then Wales until Robert's death in Cardiff Castle. England and Normandy remained under a single ruler until 1204.

From the Pipe Roll of 1130 we know that William was one of a small group of itinerate justices who traveled through certain counties to hold pleas-- mainly crown and forest pleas-- and to supervise and suppliment the local courts. The country was not yet divided into circuits as to completely encompass its mission, and the number of justices were few, but this system, began by Henry I was the birth of the English Common Law.

William acquired the honor of Belvoir Castle, which became the center of the family estates, as marriage portion from his wife, Cecily, daughter of Roger Bigod. When he became a supporter of the Empress Maud, his castle at Belvoir with all its great possessions, were seized by King Stephen who presented them to Ranulph de Meschines, the Earl of Chester.

Willliam D'Aubigny "Brito" died in 1155 in Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, England.