Son of Dreu, count of Vexin, and Goda. In 1035 King Henry of France took
advantage of
the deaths of Duke Robert and Count Dreu and the youth and helplessness of Duke
William and re-annexed the French Vexin in which he was supported by
Gautier, count of Pontoise, who claimed for himself also the Norman
Vexin. This caused a bitter feud between them, and Duke William
confided the defence of this part of Normandy to William Crispin I,
whom he invested with the dignity of count of Vexin prior to 1048. He doubtless
did this not only to reward him for his military achievements but also
to keep in conspicuous prominence Normandy's justified claim to the
whole of the Vexin, which Duke William was unable to enforce, being too
much occupied elsewhere. Gautier did not immediately succeed his father
in this capacity, nor do any of the contemporary chroniclers so record
him. William of Poitiers refers to him as count of Mantes; Orderic Vital and
Milo Crispin refer to him as count of Pontoise; while Benoit de Sainte-More
calls him count of Maine. Be this as it may, the conflict between Duke William
and Gautier wsa not confined to tis district, for Gautier had married Biote,
sister of Hugh, count of Maine, on whose death, Count Hugh, his son, placed
himself and his estates under the protection of Duke William. Gautier, in the
right of his wife, claimed the whole comté and actually possessed part of it.
Duke William therefore in 1063 invaded and subdued Maine, at which time he
capture Gautier, and his wife, who were carried to Falaise where they died of
poison. [Falaise Roll, p. 129]