THE SEIGNEURIAL TITLES OF THE NORMAN ISLANDS
OF THE CHANNEL. GUERNSEY TITLES.
(I) Historical background
See
Guernsey Official government web site (history page) for update
Based mainly on the James Marr
book (*) : “The History of Guernsey. The Bailiwick's history”
The Guernsey Press Company Ltd. Braye Road Vale Guernsey. Copyright
James Marr, 1982 & 2001.
(*) There has been some
criticism of the previous (1982) edition of this book as some have considered
that it was based on tertiary sources, printed material, etc., and included
some wrong data. The second edition of the book (2001) however has been
extensively reviewed and updated and to our knowledge and without any
aim of academic dispute it is still the most comprehensive source of
information about the history of Guernsey. In any case, the historical
information provided here is given only with the aim of providing a
better understanding of the Seigneural titles. The serious scholar should
go directly to the reference above and other sources of information.
Prehistory and early history
It has been considered that the island had occasional
visits by hunting nomads as far back as 5,500 B.C. The tomb found at
L’Ancresse has been dated
circa 4,500 BC. It is a pre-megalithic grave that must be included among
the oldest in Europe. Other remains of a fertility religion such as
Dolmens and Menhirs are dated as far back as 4,000 and 3,000 B.C. The
exact date when a permanent settler arrived to the island, probably
in the form of a farmer with domestic cattle, sheep and goats as opposed
to the seasonal nomadic hunter has not been completely established.
During the first centuries (A.C.) the Bailiwick of
Guernsey saw the Roman domination and collapse. It was a part of the
administrative unit based on Constantia (Countances),
Province of <<Gallia Lugudensis Secunda>>.
The coming of Christianity is attributed to St.
Martin de Tours, who died between 396 and 400 A.D.
After the Roman domination there followed a period
of frequent invasions by Norsemen. The Charlemagne descendant King Louis
the Pious suffered severe attacks from Norsemen in the 830s.
The Norsemen caused great trouble to the Frankish
King in Normandy (then known as Nuestria). The islands were ecclesiastically
subordinated to the Bishop of Countances from the sixth century, but
even this Bishop found it prudent for about a century to reside in Rouen
as the pagan Norsemen so effectively subjugated the Cotentin region
and near islands. It was not until 1049 that effective ecclesiastical
control of Guernsey by the see of Countances could have been established.
The islands come into English possession. The Norman period
In the year 911 Rollo became the first Duke of Normandy
and 22 years later the victory of William <<Longsword>>
over Bretons added the archipelago to the Duchy of Normandy. However
it was not until the year 996 that Duke Richard II established effective
ducal control over the Islands as the Vicomptes
of the Cotentin, Bessin and Avranchin
retained their pagan warlike ways, continued speaking Norse rather than
French, while defying the ducal authority and probably conniving in
the piratical attacks for a share of the booty.
In the year 1020 Duke Richard II divided Guernsey diagonally in two halves, granting the east part to Neel, Vicomte of the Cotentin and the west part to Anchetel, Vicomte of the Bessin. In 1066 Duke William II conquered England becoming King William I of England. From that moment, the fate of the islands was linked to the English crown although a number of vicissitudes still had to pass before arriving at the current Islands status.
In the year 1020 Duke Richard II divided Guernsey diagonally in two halves, granting the east part to Neel, Vicomte of the Cotentin and the west part to Anchetel, Vicomte of the Bessin. In 1066 Duke William II conquered England becoming King William I of England. From that moment, the fate of the islands was linked to the English crown although a number of vicissitudes still had to pass before arriving at the current Islands status.
Oldest
conserved document of Guernsey (dated 1060). Six churches pay tithes
to an abbady in Normandy. Photo obtained by courtesy of Guernsey Candie
Museum
In 1204 King John lost Continental Normandy. This
started a long period of disputes between France and England over the
islands with frequent French raids over the archipelago. It also presented
to the Seigneurs to the alternative
of rendering homage to the King of France and thus losing the properties
on the island or rendering homage to the King of England (now no longer
Duke of Normandy), and thus losing their Continental properties.
Also
interesting for us, on the lower part of the document over the seal
the text "John Blondel Bailiff " is clearly understandable.
The islands after the King of England Lost the Normandy
Dukedom
From 1204 onwards the Seigneurs
had the obligation for rendering homage to the reigning English monarch
in his or her capacity as successor of the rights formerly belonging
to the Duke of Normandy. This is known as the meeting of the “Cour
de Chefs Plaids” of the Royal Court and takes place
at Hilary (later Christmas), Easter and Michaelmas. On a few occasions
such as in 1957 and in 1978, the monarch personally presided at the
Ceremony of Homage instead of His/Her delegate. A summary of the description
of the 1957 ceremony as in James Marr's reference (page 85) follows:
<<First came the Bailiff’s procession
with the Bailiff in ceremonial robes, then the Queen’s procession
preceded by the Sheriff with drawn sword. After the Greffier
had said the Lord’s Prayer,
he read the roll and the Seigneurs
answered to his or her name. The Bailiff read a loyal address to the
Queen that was answered by Her Majesty. The Seigneur
of Fief the Sausamez as the paramount Seigneur
of the island was then called by the Greffier.
Escorted by the Bailiff and the Lieutenant-Governor he approached the
Queen, bent and knelt and spoke the words of homage. The Greffier
then called the Seigneur des
Eperons [He is not obliged to assist
in the yearly homage sessions but must be present in case of assisting
the monarch in his/her feudal obligation to offer a pair of spurs to
the monarch], who touched them as a token of acceptance. The
Seigneur then rose and withdrew.
The proceedings closed with the Greffier
reading The Grace.>>
In 1254 Henry II annexed the archipelago to the Crown and three years later dropped the title of Duke of Normandy although the islands continued to be administered as before.
In 1254 Henry II annexed the archipelago to the Crown and three years later dropped the title of Duke of Normandy although the islands continued to be administered as before.
Court of Chief Pleas:
La Dame Des Eperons offers a
pair of spurs to H.M. the Queen (1978) From:
A History of the Bailiwick of Guernsey L. James Mar. Phillimore and
Co Ltd. 1982
The Ceremony
of Homage: The
Seigneurs have (still nowadays) to swear
homage to the crown, directly to the King or to the King’s representative.
It is performed three times a year at the Royal Court after St. Maurus’
day (January 15th), Easter Chief Pleas (Monday after Easter week) and
after the Feast of St. Michael (Monday after Michael’s Day). This
obligation holds only for the 17 seigneurs of certain fiefs at the time
(XIII century) that the obligation began [*].
The
Spurs dated 1675 belonged to Fief des Esprons
(Spurs). The holder of this Fief had the service of presenting a pair
of spurs to the King everytime that H.M. visited Guernsey. Photos taken
at H.M. Greffe with permission.
[*]
The fiefs owing suit at Royal Court
Chief Pleas are: Bruniaux-de Nermont, Philippes, Sausmarez, Fantome,
Rohais, Blanchelande, Canely, Anneville,
Maumarquis, Henry du Vaugrat and Bruniaux. The rest of the fiefs with
that obligation are now held by Her Majesty (Le Roi, Saint-Michel, Saint-Martin,
Eveque, Rue-Frairie and Caen).
The XIV century was the time for five General Eyre
and wars, including a French occupation of the Bailiwick (1338-1340) and the start of the 100 Years War. This conflict
left some effects over the islands including the Castle-Cornet taken
and re-taken by France and England. In 1360 by the Treaty of Bretigny
France abandoned the claims to the islands in return for English recognition
of the Bishop of Coutances. This dependence was interrupted during the
Papal schism (1378-1417).
In 1483 a remarkable historical document, the bull of Sixtus IV granted neutrality to the archipelago that would last for over two centuries. In 1496 Pope Alexander VI transferred the Islands to the Diocese of Salisbury. In 1569 Elizabeth I placed the Islands definitively under the See of Winchester. She also authorized the first privateering adventure in 1598.
The XVII century was the time of the Civil War. The islands declared for parliament in 1642. Castle Cornet remained royalist until 1651. In 1663 Anglicanism was officially established. The bishop of Winchester appointed John de Sausmarez as Dean of Guernsey.
The XVII century religious fights had less impact on the archipelago although in 1687 James II appointed a Roman Catholic as Lieutenant-governor. One year later after a protestant coup the Lieutenant-governor was taken into custody while Queen Mary was acknowledged.
In 1483 a remarkable historical document, the bull of Sixtus IV granted neutrality to the archipelago that would last for over two centuries. In 1496 Pope Alexander VI transferred the Islands to the Diocese of Salisbury. In 1569 Elizabeth I placed the Islands definitively under the See of Winchester. She also authorized the first privateering adventure in 1598.
The XVII century was the time of the Civil War. The islands declared for parliament in 1642. Castle Cornet remained royalist until 1651. In 1663 Anglicanism was officially established. The bishop of Winchester appointed John de Sausmarez as Dean of Guernsey.
The XVII century religious fights had less impact on the archipelago although in 1687 James II appointed a Roman Catholic as Lieutenant-governor. One year later after a protestant coup the Lieutenant-governor was taken into custody while Queen Mary was acknowledged.
Recent
Centuries
The XVIII century was the golden era of privateering.
In 1756 the Seven Years War started. With the coming of the French Revolutionary
War, the assistance rendered by the privateers to the Royal Navy was
so valuable that the islands were declared to be “One of the
Naval Powers of the world”. The opportunities for privateers
became even wider during some more years of the following century with
the entry of the U.S.A. as Napoleon’s ally in 1812.
18th
Century Grenadier's mitre worn by Thomas Le Patourel. The only known
Guernsey Militia example to survive. Castle Cornet museum.
This period of the turn of the century saw also the
construction of Fort George (started in 1780) and the Royal Court House
(1799). It is interesting in our case that 1799 is also mentioned as
a time for tension with the Russian troops quartered at Delancey. Also
relevant in our family history is the fact that finally and after almost
one hundred years of British customs attempts for the control of the
islands trade, in 1807 the “British
Smuggling Act” was applied to the Islands but not
without protest.
The rest of the century was interesting for many reasons
including several historical visits. 1829 was the time of the first
visit to the Bailiwick of the Bishop of Winchester. 1846 saw the first
visit of a reigning monarch (Victoria and Albert). From 1855 to 1870
Victor Hugo visited the Island
In 1921 another monarch's visit took place (George
V and Queen Mary). From 1940 to 1945 the Islands were occupied by the
Germans. In 1949 H.R.H. Princess Elizabeth visited the island and the
Princess Elizabeth Hospital was opened. 1957, 1978 and 1989 were years
of visits by Queen Elizabeth II. On February 25th 1976, the
States voted in favour of abolishing “Congé”.
A one-time payment of 50,000 pounds was confirmed later (October 28th)
for private Seigneurs in an attempt
to reconcile opposite interests.
In summary, the islands were
annexed to the Crown, but were not incorporated into the Kingdom of
England then or at any subsequent time. Trading, and personal relations with Normandy remained
very close until well into modern times. Although the title of Normandy
had been surrended, the King of England continued to rule the islands
as though he were Duke of Normandy, observing their laws and customs
and liberties, confirming them by charters of successive sovereigns.