De Montbray, from his name, was apparently from
Montbrai, Manche, in the
arrondissement of Saint-Lô in the
Basse-Normandie region of the former
Duchy of Normandy. In 1049 he obtained the
see of Coutances (), arranged by his brother Malger (see
Mowbray). Later that year at the
Council of Reims he was accused of
simony, in other words, of having purchased his bishopric. In a skilful defence, Geoffrey claimed that without his knowledge his brother bought the bishopric for him. For nearly a century the church in the
Cotentin had not recovered from destruction at the hands of the Northmen. There was obstinate paganism, few canons, and no books, bibles, or ornamentation. He was present at the
battle of Hastings, and at his lord's subsequent coronation William was presented to his new subjects in English by Archbishop
Aldred and in French by Bishop Geoffrey. His reward in England was a large
fief scattered over 12 counties. He accompanied William on his visit to Normandy (1067). Having returned to England he took a leading role in suppressing the wave of English rebellions which erupted in the late summer of 1069. While William marched north against the uprisings in
Mercia and
Northumbria, Geoffrey gathered troops from the forces occupying
London,
Winchester and
Salisbury and led them to victory against the rebels besieging
Montacute Castle in September 1069. In 1075 he again took the field against the
Revolt of the Earls, leading with Bishop Odo a large army against
Ralph de Guader, the rebel Earl of Norfolk, besieging and capturing his stronghold at
Norwich. Meanwhile, the Conqueror had invested him with important judicial functions. In 1072 he presided over
the great Kentish suit between the primate and Bishop Odo, and about the same time over those between the abbot of
Ely and his despoilers, and between the
Bishop of Worcester and the abbot of Ely, and he likely acted as a
Domesday commissioner (1086), and was placed about the same time in charge of
Northumberland. He also signed the
Accord of Winchester. The bishop, who attended the Conqueror's funeral, joined in the rising against
William Rufus in 1088, making
Bristol, with which (as Domesday shows) he was closely connected and where he had built a strong
castle, his base of operations. He burned
Bath and ravaged
Somerset, but submitted to the king before the end of the year. He appears to have been at
Dover with William in January 1090, but, withdrawing to Normandy, died at Coutances in 1093. In his fidelity to Duke Robert he seems to have there held out for him against his brother Henry, when the latter obtained the
Cotentin. ==His character==