William Fitz Osbern, Earl of Hereford
Arfast/Herfast b abt 952, Normandy. The identity of his wife is not known.
Child of Arfast was:

Osbern [a], Steward of Normandy, b abt 995, Normandy. He md Emma abt 1016, daughter of Ralph [b], Count of Ivry. She was b abt 1002.
Child of Osbern and Emma was:

Sir William Fitz Osbern [c], Earl of Hereford, b abt 1032, of Herefordshire, England, d Feb 1070/71. He md Adelize de Toeni abt 1050, daughter of Roger I de Toeni, Standard Bearer of Normandy, and Godeheut.
Child of William Fitz Osbern and Adelize de Toeni was:

Emma b abt 1060, prob Herefordshire, England, d aft 1096. She md Sir Ralph de Gael, Earl of Norfolk and Suffolk, 1075.


NOTES:
a. Guardian to the young Duke William (later known as William the Conqueror), he was a nephew of Duchess Gunnora. He was murdered by William de Mongomery.

b. Ralph, Count of Ivry, was, on his mother's side, a half-brother in blood to Duke Richard I of Normandy.

c. Seigneur of Breteuil in Normandy, he played a leading part in the events leading up to, as well as during, the battle of Hastings, for which he was rewarded with vast estates in England, including the county of Hereford by which he became Earl of Hereford. During the Conqueror's absence in 1067, he was in command of the army, and the following year was with the King in Normandy. In 1068/69, he was governor of York. He divided Herefordshire into casteleries, and attracted many knights to his service. In 1070 or early 1071, he was sent to Normandy to assist Queen Maud in the administration of the Duchy, and there became involved in the troubles in Flanders. In Feb of 1070/71, after joining Philip of France and marching into Flanders, he was killed.

SOURCES:
CP: Vol VI[447-449]; AR: Line 53[25].
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