Herleva 'Arlette' DE FALAISE Lady of Conteville ²⁰⁸⁸

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  General Notes:

Herleva or Arlette was the mother of William the Conqueror. She was the teenage daughter of a local tanner from a little French town of Falaise, where they lived. Herleva's Legend is that it all started when Robert, the young Duke of Normandy saw Herleva washing in the river near his castle. He was unable to resist her and took her for his mistress. She later gave birth to his son, William in 1027 or 1028. Their love affair didn't last. While Robert went on a pilgrimage, Herleva married Herluin de Conteville in 1029. From this marriage she had two sons: Odo and Robert, who both became prominent during William's reign. They also had at least one daughter, who married William, lord of La Fert-Mac. William the Conqueror had a (half or full) sister, Adelaide, who may have been Herleva's daughter, but could possibly have been a daughter of Robert by some other mistress. Adelaide married first Enguerrand, count of Ponthieu, second Lambert of Lens, and third Odo, count of Champagne.

LifeSketch
The "Burke's Guide to the Royal Family," c. Feb. 1973, p. 310, says this about Herleva, or as they call her, Harlette: "Harlette subsequently m [married] Herluin de Conteville, by whom she had issue, Odo, Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent; Robert, Count of Mortagne; and Adellaide, who m [married] Lambert, Count of Lens, and had issue, Judith, who m [married] Wltheof, Earl of Northampton and Huntingdon (see BURKE'S 'Dormant and Extinct Peerages')."

Herleva or Arlette was the mother of William the Conqueror. According to later legend, she was a young woman in the town of Falaise who attracted the attention of Duke Robert of Normandy when she was washing in the river near his castle, and he took her for his mistress. She was daughter of Fulbert, of whom little is known. Much later, when her son William the Conqueror, was besieging a town, the defenders are said to have taunted him by hanging animal skins from the walls in reference to his maternal grandfather. The obscure word used to describe the man has traditionally been interpreted as 'tanner', but several decades ago a historian suggested it may instead have referred to Fulbert having been a ducal chamberlain, among whose roles was the preparation of corpses.

By Robert, Herleva had a son, William in 1027 or 1028. Robert's other child, a daughter Adelaide, is said by chronicler Rodert de Torigny to have been born "de alia concubina" (to another mistress), so she was NOT Herleva's daughter. Herleva married Herluin de Conteville in 1029. From this marriage she had two sons: Odo and Robert, who both became prominent during William's reign. They also had 2 daughterS.

Herleva married Robert I 'The Magnificent' of Normandy, son of Richard II 'The Good' of Normandy and Judith DE BRETAGNE Duchesse Consort of Normandy. (Robert I 'The Magnificent' of Normandy was born about 1005 in Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France,²⁰⁸⁸ died on 2 July 1035 in , , Nicaea, Byzantine Empire ²⁰⁸⁸ and was buried after 3 July 1035 in Nicaea, , Nicaea, Byzantine Empire ²⁰⁸⁸.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. Common Law Marriage: about 1028,. ²⁰⁸⁹

Herleva next married Herluin DE CONTEVILLE about 1030.²⁰⁸⁹ (Herluin DE CONTEVILLE was born about 1000,²⁰⁸⁹ died on 1 May 1066 in , Eure, Normandy, France ²⁰⁸⁹ and was buried in 1066 in Fatouville-Grestain, Eure, Normandy, France ²⁰⁸⁹.)