William of Talou

[3] In 1035, following the death of Robert I of Normandy on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, William of Talou challenged his nephew's right to succeed his father, basing his own claim on a legitimate descent from Richard II.

[11] The events that followed are as recalled by the Conqueror himself in his deathbed speech in 1087:My uncles, Mauger, archbishop of Rouen, and his brother William, to whom I had gratuitously given Arques and the county of Talou, treated me with contempt as a bastard, and induced King Henry and Engelran, count of Penthieu, to take up arms against me.

But before I reached the country between the two rivers, the Sie and Garenne, the advanced guard fell in with Count Engelran pushing forward to occupy the fortress, and killed him, fighting bravely, for he was a valiant knight, and routed his squadrons.

I also, by virtue of a papal decree, deposed the insolent archbishop, who neither observed his fealty to me, nor his duty to God, and raised to the see the venerable monk Maurilius who was providentially sent from Florence, an Italian city.

[12] William of Talou's rebellion lasted from 1052 to 1054 at which time he was expelled from Normandy and fled to the court of Eustace II, Count of Boulogne.