Battle of Mortemer

For 16 years the Norman realms of the young William I of England, then known as Duke William II, were gravely threatened by other Norman barons and also by the French King. This was because William came to power at age seven.

This conflict reached its greatest level in the Campaign of 1052-1054. In February 1054, the French King led a combined force to invade the Norman territories. Troops came from all over north-western France. A large force under Odo, brother to the king, came from north-eastern France along with troops under Rainald, Count of Cleremont and Guy, Count of Ponthieu. This second force entered Eastern Normandy and began widespread devastation.

While Duke William faced off against the French King to the west of the Seine River, an allied force of Norman barons led by Robert, Count of Eu, Hugh of Gournay, Walter Giffard, Roger of Mortemer, and the young William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey came out of their own lands to stop the incursion by Count Odo and Count Rainald.

The French force was widely scattered in its depredations of rape and pillage in the Norman lands that it was an easy target for the Norman forces of Robert, Count of Eu. The fierce engagement lasted many hours, but the French left with heavy losses.

When news of the battle reached the other side of the River, where the French King was preparing to battle Duke William, the French king withdrew in dismay.

References

* William the Conqueror by David C Douglas, publ 1964 Berkeley Press (Pg 67-69).
* Gesta Guillelmi Ducis Normannorum et Regis Anglorum by William of Poitiers - ed by R Foreville - 1952.