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Birth:          ABT  942 Arque, Normandy
Death:          5 Jan 1031 

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunnora
Gunnora de Crepon (or Gunnor or simply Gunnora) (circa 936 – 5 Jan 1031) was a 
Duchess of Normandy and the wife of Richard I of Normandy.
Life[edit]

The names of Gunnora's parents are unknown, but Robert of Torigni wrote that her 
father was a forester from the Pays de Caux and according to Dudo of Saint-Quentin 
she was of noble Danish origin.[2] Gunnora was probably born c.? 950.[3] Her family 
held sway in western Normandy and Gunnora herself was said to be very wealthy.[4] 
Her marriage to Richard I was of great political importance, both to her husband[b] 
and her progeny.[5] Her brother, Herfast de Crepon, was progenitor of a great Norman 
family.[4] Her sisters and nieces[c] married some of the most important nobles in 
Normandy.[6]

Robert of Torigni recounts a story of how Richard met Gunnora.[7] She was living with 
her sister Seinfreda, the wife of a local forester, when Richard, hunting nearby, heard 
of the beauty of the forester's wife. He is said to have ordered Seinfreda to come to 
his bed, but the lady substituted her unmarried sister, Gunnora. Richard, it is said, was 
pleased that by this subterfuge he had been saved from committing adultery and 
together they had three sons and three daughters.[d][8] Unlike other territorial rulers, 
the Normans recognized marriage by cohabitation or more danico. But when Richard 
was prevented from nominating their son Robert to be Archbishop of Rouen, the two 
were married, "according to the Christian custom", making their children legitimate in 
the eyes of the church.[8]

Gunnora attested ducal charters up into the 1020s, was skilled in languages and was 
said to have had an excellent memory.[9] She was one of the most important sources 
of information on Norman history for Dudo of St. Quentin.[10] As Richard's widow she 
is mentioned accompanying her sons on numerous occasions.[9] That her husband 
depended on her is shown in the couple's charters where she is variously regent of 
Normandy, a mediator and judge, and in the typical role of a medieval aristocratic 
mother, an arbitrator between her husband and their oldest son Richard II.[9]

Gunnora was a founder and supporter of Coutances Cathedral and laid its first stone.
[11] In one of her own charters after Richard's death she gave two alods to the abbey 
of Mont Saint-Michel, namely Britavilla and Domjean, given to her by her husband in 
dower, which she gave for the soul of her husband, and the weal of her own soul and 
that of her sons "count Richard, archbishop Robert, and others..."[12] She also 
attested a charter, c.?1024–26, to that same abbey by her son, Richard II, shown as 
Gonnor matris comitis (mother of the count).[13] Gunnora, both as wife and countess,
[e] was able to use her influence to see her kin favored, and several of the most 
prominent Anglo-Norman families on both sides of the English Channel are descended 
from her, her sisters and nieces.[9] Gunnora died c.?1031.[3]

Family[edit]

Richard and Gunnora were parents to several children:
Richard II "the Good", Duke of Normandy[14]
Robert, Archbishop of Rouen, Count of Evreux, died 1037[14]
Mauger, Count of Corbeil[14]
Emma of Normandy (c.?985–1052), married first to Æthelred, King of England and 
secondly Cnut the Great, King of England.[14]
Hawise of Normandy, wife of Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany[14]
Maud of Normandy, wife of Odo II of Blois, Count of Blois, Champagne and Chartres
[14]

Parents
DE ARQUE Herbastus (ABT  911 -  979)
OLAFSDOTTIR Gunild (ABT  920 - )

Siblings
DE CREPON Gunnora (ABT  942 - 5 Jan 1031)
DE ARQUE ----- (ABT  944 - )
DE ARQUE Senfrie (Senfria) (Seinfreda) (ABT  950 - )
DE CREPON Herfast (ABT  950 - )
DE CREPON Duvelina (Eva) (Dulceline) (ABT  953 - )
DE CREPON Avelina (Wevia) (ABT  957 - )

Marriage To ____ Richard I "the Fearless" (28 Aug  933 - 20 Nov  996)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
____ William I "Longsword" (ABT  893 - 17 Dec  942)
DE BRETAGNE Sprote "Danish Wife" (ABT  911 - )

Children by ____ Richard I "the Fearless" 28 Aug  933 - 20 Nov  996
____ Richard II "the Good" (23 Aug  963 - 28 Aug 1026)
____ Robert (ABT  964 - 1037)
____ Mauger ( 974 - 1040)
____ Avicia (Hawise) (ABT  977 - 21 Feb 1034)
OF NORMANDY Beatrice (ABT  980 - 18 Jan 1035)

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