Sprota DE BRETAGNE ²⁰⁹³

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Find A Grave ID: 132471168

  General Notes:

LifeSketch
Sprota was an early 10th century woman of obscure origin who became wife "in the Viking fashion" (more danico)[1][2] of William I, Duke of Normandy, by her becoming mother of his successor, Duke Richard I. After the death of William, she married a wealthy landowner, Esperleng, by him having another son, Norman nobleman Rodulf of Ivry.[3][4][5]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprota

Life
The first mention of Sprota is by her contemporary, Flodoard of Reims. Although he does not name her, he identifies her under the year [943] as the mother of "William's son [Richard] born of a Breton concubine".[6] Elisabeth van Houts wrote "on this reference rests the identification of Sprota, William Longsword's wife 'according to the Danish custom', as of Breton origin",[7] and this could apply to someone of native Breton, Scandinavian, or Frankish ethnicity, the latter being the most likely based on her name spelling.[8] The first to provide her name was William of Jumièges,[9][10] writing in the second half of the 11th century. The name Sprota seems to contain the same root as the anthroponym Sprot found in the Domesday Book and in various place-names both in England such as Sprotbrough (Sproteburg 1086) and in Normandy like the Eprevilles, such as Epreville (Sprovilla 1025),[11] which is at the same time Anglo-Saxon as Sprota,[12] Anglo-Scandinavian and Scandinavian (see Sproti[13]).

The non-Christian nature of her relationship with William became a source of ridicule for her son Richard. The French King Louis "abused the boy with bitter insults", calling him "the son of a whore who had seduced another woman's husband."[14][15]

At the time of the birth of her first son Richard, Sprota was living in her own household at Bayeux, under William's protection.[4] William, having just quashed a rebellion at Pré-de Bataille (c. 936),[a] received the news by a messenger that Sprota had just given birth to a son; delighted at the news William ordered his son to be baptized and given the personal name of Richard.[10] William's steward Boto became the boy's godfather.[16]

After the death of William Longsword and the captivity of her son Richard, she had been "collected" from her dangerous situation by the "immensely wealthy" Esperleng.[3] Robert of Torigni identified Sprota's second husband[b] as Esperleng, a wealthy landowner who operated mills at Pîtres.[4][17]

Sprota married William I 'Longsword' DE NORMANDY Count of Rouen, son of Rollo RÖGNVALDSSON of Normandy and Lady Poppa DE BAYEAUX. (William I 'Longsword' DE NORMANDY Count of Rouen was born about 905 in Bayeux, Calvados, Normandy, France,²⁰⁹³ died on 17 December 942 in Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France ²⁰⁹³ and was buried on 18 December 942 in Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France ²⁰⁹³.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. Common Law Marriage: about 932,. ²⁰⁹⁵

Sprota next married Asperling I DE VAUDREUÏL in 943.²⁰⁹⁵ (Asperling I DE VAUDREUÏL was born in 910 in Aubigné, Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, France ²⁰⁹⁵ and died in 975 in , , , England ²⁰⁹⁵.)