'Giffard of Barbastre'), was a Norman baron, a Tenant-in-chief in England, a Christian knight who fought against the Saracens in Spain during the Reconquista and was one of the 15 or so known companions of William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
[5] Walter was at the Battle of Mortemer and was among the Norman barons who surprised and defeated Counts Odo and Renaud leading the French contingent attacking Normandy from the east.
[9] His epithet le Barbastre[c] was earned when he took part in the Siege of Barbastro, an undertaking sanctioned by Pope Alexander II against the Moors in 1064, one of the more famous exploits of that time.
[9] The Spanish king in question was in all probability Sancho Ramírez of Aragon (1063–1094) who was known for making friends and recruiting knights and soldiers from Northern France.
[11] In early January 1066, after Duke William received news of the crowning of Harold Godwinson as king of England, he called together a meeting, the Council of Lillebonne, that included six of his key magnates, Walter Giffard being one of them.