ID: I00957
Name: *Adela of NORMANDY
Sex: F
Birth: ABT 1067 1
Death: 8 MAR 1136 in Marcigny-sur-Loire, France
Occupation: Countess of Blois, Chartres, and Meaux 1
Note:
She was a daughter of William the Conqueror and the mother of both Stephen, King of England and Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester. Her birthdate is generally believed to have been between 1060 and 1064; however, there is some evidence she was born after her father's accession to the English throne in 1066. Adela was regent for her husband during his extended absence as a leader of the First Crusade (1095-1098), and it was at least in part at her urging that he returned to the east to fulfill his vow of seeing Jerusalem. She was again regent in 1101, continuing after her husband's death on this second crusading expedition in 1102, for their children were still minors. (Wikipedia)

She was by marriage countess of Blois, Chartres, and Meaux. She was a daughter of William the Conqueror and the mother of both Stephen, King of England and Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester.
Her birthdate is generally believed to have been between 1060 and 1064; however, there is some evidence she was born after her father's accession to the English throne in 1066. She was the favorite sister of King Henry I of England; they were probably the youngest of the Conqueror's children. She was a high-spirited and educated woman, with a knowledge of Latin.
She married Stephen Henry, son and heir to the count of Blois, sometime between 1080 and 1084, probably in 1083. Stephen inherited Blois, Chartres and Meaux in 1089, making him one of the wealthiest men of his day. He was a proud and self-indulgent man, who had no intention of taking the cross until Adela insisted upon it. Stephen reluctantly left to join the First Crusade, along with his brother-in-law Robert Curthose.
Adela was regent for her husband during his extended absence as a leader of the First Crusade (1095-1098), and when he returned in disgrace it was at least in part at her urging that he returned to the east to fulfill his vow of seeing Jerusalem. She was again regent in 1101, continuing after her husband's death on this second crusading expedition in 1102, for their children were still minors. Orderic Vitalis praises her as a "wise and spirited woman" who ably governed her husband's estates in his absences and after his death.
She employed tutors to educate her elder sons, and had her youngest son Henry pledged to the Church at Cluny. Adela quarrelled with her eldest son Guillaume, "deficient in intelligence as well as degenerate", and had his younger brother Theobald replace him as heir. Her son Stephen left Blois in 1111 to join his uncle's court in England.
Adela retired to Marcigny in 1120, secure in the status of her children. Later that same year, her daughter Lucia-Mahaut was drowned in the wreck of the White Ship alongside her husband. She lived long enough to see her son Stephen seize the English throne, but died soon after.
(Wikipedia)


Father: *William "the Conqueror" of NORMANDY b: 14 OCT 1024 in Falaise, Normandie, France c: 1066 in Norman Conquest, As An Adult
Mother: *Matilda of FLANDERS b: ABT 1029 in Flandres, France

Marriage 1 Stephen II of BLOIS b: ABT 1045 in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Centre, France
Married: 1080 in Chartres, France 1
Children
Agnes of BLOIS b: in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Orleanais, France
Philip BLOIS b: in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Orleanais, France
*Guillaume of CHARTRES b: 1080 in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Orleanais, France
*Theobald II "the Great" of CHAMPAGNE b: 1090 in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Centre, France
Henry of BLOIS b: ABT 1092 in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Orleanais, France
Humbert BLOIS b: ABT 1094 in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Orleanais, France
Matilda of BLOIS b: ABT 1097 in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Orleanais, France
*Stephen of ENGLAND b: 1097 in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Centre, France
Lithuise of BLOIS b: ABT 1098 in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Orleanais, France
Alix of BLOIS b: ABT 1100 in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Centre, France
Odo of BLOIS b: 1101 in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Orleanais, France
Eléonore of BLOIS b: 1102 in Blois, Loir-et-Cher, Centre, France

Sources:
Title: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia