Herluin de Conteville

Herluin de Conteville was the stepfather of William the Conqueror and the biological father of Odo of Bayeux and Robert, Count of Mortain, who both played significant roles during William’s rule. He passed away in the same year that William conquered England, 1066. As a lord, Herluin held lands near the river Seine and was the viscount of Conteville, likely appointed by William, and he also held the honour of Sainte-Mère-Église. Around 1050, he founded Grestain Abbey with his son Robert.

Herluin’s parentage remains unclear, with no contemporary records confirming his lineage. He married Herleva, the mother of William the Conqueror, and they had two sons, Odo and Robert, as well as daughters, one of whom married Richard le Goz, and another possibly named Muriel. After Herleva’s death, Herluin married Fredesendis, with whom he had a son who may have died young and another son, Ralph, mentioned in the Domesday Book. Herluin’s final resting place is Grestain Abbey in Normandy.