William Pantulf

Pantulf was from Normandy. His family had lived there since at least around 1030, as a charter of Jumièges Abbey shows the family as vassals of the House of Montgomery in the Montgomery lands near Sées. Pantulf's mother was named Beatrice, and his sister was named Helwise, but his father's name and other siblings are not known. ==After the Conquest==

After the Norman Conquest of England, Pantulf held lands in Shropshire from Earl Roger de Montgomery. Pantulf was probably not present at the Battle of Hastings, likely due to Earl Roger's lack of participation in the campaign of conquest. Pantulf's grants totalled eleven manors located in Hodnet Hundred. Pantulf's lands in England were centered on Wem, and are considered a feudal barony, making Pantulf the first Baron of Wem. Pantulf came under suspicion because Mabel had seized a castle at Peray en Saonnais held by Pantulf. Pantulf was in southern Italy, which had also been conquered by Normans. Pantulf sought refuge at the Abbey of Saint-Evroul in Normandy while he was under suspicion; he and his family were under the protection of the abbot. through the mechanism of a trial by ordeal. It is not clear why the ordeal was required, with the historian David Bates speculating that either the evidence of Pantulf's involvement was not conclusive or that murder victim's family demanded the ordeal because they suspected any evidence pointing to Pantulf's innocence. By 1086 Pantulf held 29 manors in Shropshire, along with other lands in Staffordshire and Warwickshire. When Roger's son Robert de Bellême became Earl of Shrewsbury in 1098, Pantulf was once more deprived of those lands he held as a vassal of the Earl. ==Role in rebellion==

In 1102 Robert de Bellême rebelled against King Henry I of England. Although Pantulf was still deprived of his previous holdings, he offered to support Robert but was rebuffed and instead supported the king. Besides controlling Stafford Castle, Pantulf mediated between Henry and some of the Welsh princes, who had previously sided with Robert, and helped secure their support for the king. Later Pantulf again acted as an envoy for the king, being sent to secure the switch of sides of Robert's men who were holding Bridgnorth. Pantulf won their change of sides by offering the men lands worth 100 pounds on the king's behalf. His services to the king earned Pantulf the restoration of his confiscated estates as well as the grant of further lands—including the fief of Roger de Courcelles. ==Death and legacy==

Pantulf married Lescelina and they had four sons – Philip, Ivo, Arnald, and Robert. He and his wife founded Noron Priory, Pantulf and his wife were buried at Noron in the cloister of his priory there. ==Notes==