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Hugh de Cressy

Hugh de Cressy was an Anglo-Norman administrator and nobleman. Little is known of his ancestry and he first served two brothers of King Henry II of England before becoming a royal official. He was rewarded with a marriage to an heiress for his service to the king. In England he often served as a royal justice and witnessed documents, which showed his closeness to the king. On the continent, he recruited mercenaries for the royal army and was named constable of the castle of Rouen in the royal lands in France. He died in 1189 after giving lands to various monasteries before his death.

Background and early life
Hugh's family was from Cressy, in Normandy, After William's death in 1164, Hugh passed into royal service, while also serving as seneschal to the new Earl of Surrey, Hamelin, On the Cartae Baronum in 1166 he held one knight's fee in the barony of Giffard. In 1167 Hugh paid a fine that is recorded in the pipe rolls for the custody of his nephew's lands at Tickhill. In 1170, he was present at the coronation of Henry the Young King in June at Westminster Abbey, During the Revolt of 1173–74 by King Henry's sons, Hugh was a partisan of the king. During the Revolt, Hugh fought at the Battle of Fornham near Fornham St Martin in Suffolk, but otherwise took little part in the revolt's suppression. ==Royal service==
Royal service
Hugh was close to King Henry II, witnessing a large number of royal charters and serving as a royal justice. During the last 10 years of Henry's reign, Hugh witnessed 15 royal charters. In 1180 he was in charge of Rouen in Henry's possession of Normandy, He appears to have led military forces for the king as well, being recorded several times as a commander of part of the royal forces in Potiou. He is last recorded in England during the period around 1187. Margaret was one of three daughters, but she inherited the bulk of her father's estates. Although Margaret was the eldest daughter, the reason she received the bulk of the estates was King Henry's desire to reward Hugh, as the king arranged the marriage as well as ensuring that most of her father's lands went to her. Through Margaret, Hugh gained the barony of Blythburgh in Suffolk, which he had control of by 1174. He also acquired lands at Rottingdean in Sussex from Margaret. ==Death and legacy==
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