This page was set up by Robert Sewell in July 2006 to show the descent of the Sewell Family from the Robertian and Capetian Kings of France.  Robert Sewell graduated from McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) in 1967 with a B.Sc. degree in chemistry.  After a year of studies at the University of Toronto's College of Education, he taught high school science in Collingwood, Ontario for a year and then taught chemistry, physics and general science in Hamilton, Ontario for twenty-nine years.  Robert Sewell retired from teaching in June 1998.

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Sources

Sewell Vincent Sample: Letters

George E. Cokayne: The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Sutton Publishing, August 24, 2000

Frederick L. Weis and Walter L. Sheppard:  Ancestral Roots, 7th Edition, Baltimore, 1999

World Book Millenium 2000 Deluxe Edition, © 1999 World Book Inc., © IBM Corp.

Microsoft Encarta Encyclopædia 99, © 1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation

Norman F. Cantor (ed.) The Encyclopædia of the Middle Ages, New York, 1999

Frederick L. Weis and Walter L. Sheppard:  Ancestral Roots, 7th Edition, Baltimore, 1999

Berhard Grun, The Timetables of History, New York, 1991

George Andrews Moriarty: The Plantagenet Ancestry of King Edward III and Queen Philippa,  Mormon Pioneer Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1985.

G.E. Cokayne:  Complete Peerage, Volume VII, page 526 (1929)

The Book of History (18 Volumes), London, 1914

Richard Thomson:  An Historical Essay on the Magna Charta of King John (London, 1829)

Periodical Historical Atlas of Europe,  http://www.euratlas.com

Mediæval History Guide, http://historymedren.about.com/index.htm

Brian Tompsett, Royal Genealogical Data, http://www3.dcs.hull.ac.uk/genealogy/royal/

Catholic Online Saints and Angels, http://saints.catholic.org/index.shtml

The Kings of France, http://www.beyond.fr/history/kings.html

France in Early Mediæval Times

    For most of the middle ages, the land we know to-day as France was neither a distinct political nor geographical place.  The territorial boundaries rarely coincided with modern France.  Originally part of the Roman Empire, the region was settled by Germanic tribes from central Europe including the Franks, Visigoths and Burgundians.  At the end of the fifth century, Clovis united many tribes into a single Frankish kingdom.  Following Clovis' death in 511, the kingdom was split up among his four sons according to ancient Frankish tradition and law.  Charlemagne (742 - 814) founded a Frankish empire covering what is to-day France and Germany; but it too was split up after the death of his son Louis (I) "the Pious" in 840.

    The election of Hugh Capet as king in 987 began the Capetian Dynasty which ruled France for much of the middle ages.  However, the actual royal domaine, known as Ile-de-France, was small and weak, consisting of little more that the land surrounding Paris, Orléans and Laon.  It was not until the 12th century that later Capetians took steps to strenghten the king in the Ile-de-France.

    Our genealogy shown here is considered reliable and is based on:

• George Andrews Moriarty: The Plantagenet Ancestry of King Edward III and Queen Philippa,  Mormon Pioneer Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1985

• Frederick L. Weis and Walter L. Sheppard: Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America before 1700, 7th Edition, Baltimore, 1999.

Generation One
Lambert I
Flourished early 7th century
Lambert I (also Lantbertus) was a nobleman in Neustria and a brother or son of Robert (also Chrorobertus and Chorodobertus) who was Reverendarium of the Merovingian King Dagobert I of Neustria on April 8, 630.  Lambert had a son:

• Robert

Generation Two
Robert
Flourished late 7th century
Robert (also Chrodobertus, Rodoberothus and Radobertus) was majordomis of King Clovis II of Neustria and Burgundy in 653 and chancellor of King Chlotar III of Neustria and Burgundy in 658. Robert married Doda or Detta and they had a son:

• Lambert II

Generation Three
Lambert II
Died in 741
Lambert II (also Lantbertus) was Bishop of Metz, Primate of Gaul and Germany, first Abbot of Lorsch and an uncle of St. Chrodegang. Lambert had a son:

• Rutpert

Generation Four
Rutpert
Died by 764
Rutpert was a Duke in the Haspengan in 732 and a Count in the Upper Rhine and Worms 722 - 757. Rutpert married circa 730 to Williswint who was a daughter and heiress of Count Achelhelm and they had the following sons:

• Count Cancor
• Thüringbert

Generation Five
Thüringbert
Flourished circa 767 - 770
Thüringbert had a son:

• Rutpert II

Generation Six
Rutpert II
Died circa 807
who was a Count in the Upper Rhine and the Wormsgau 770 - 807 and Lord of Dienheim in 795.

Rutpert II was a Count in the Upper Rhine and the Wormsgau 770 - 807 and Lord of Dienheim in 795. Rutpert married first circa 766-767 to Theoderate (also Tietrada and Thirrú) who died in 789 and second after 789 to Isingarda. Rutpert and Theoderate had a son:

• Rutpert III

Generations Seven
Rutpert III
Died circa 834
who was Count of Worms 812 - 830.

Rutpert III was Count of Worms 812 - 830. Rutpert married circa 800 to Waldrada (also Wieldruth and Vendrie) who was a niece of the Empress Hildegarde and daughter of Count Hadrian of Orléans and in the Wormsgau and Waldrat.  She was heiress to lands near Orléans. Rutpert III and Waldrada had a son:

• Rutpert IV better known as Robert the Strong

Generation Eight
Robert the Strong,
Died, slain at Brisarte on July 25, 866
Also known as Rutpert IV, Robert the Strong was Duke of Neustria, Count of Paris and Marquis of Anjou. According to G.A. Moriarty, Robert married a sister of Count Adelhelm of Leon and according to F.L. Weis, he married Aelis (or Adelaide) of Tours and Alsace, a daughter of Hugh, Count of Tours and his wife Bava.  (See Fredrick Lewis Weis: Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists, Baltimore, 1999, Line 48-17, George Andews Moriarty: The Plantagenet Ancestry of King Edward III and Queen Philippa, Mormon Pioneer Genealogical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1985, page 9 and the sources quoted therein.)

Robert the Strong had the following children:

• Eudes or Odo, born 856 and who was King of France 888-898
• Robert I, King of France
• Richilde who married Theobald, Count of Blois

Generation Nine
Robert I, King of France
Born in 866 after the death of his father.
Died on June 15, 923
 

Robert I was Count of Poitiers, Count of Paris and Marquis of Neustria. He was King of the West Franks for about a year prior to his death in 923. Robert married first to Aelis and they had a daughter:

• Liegarde (or Hildebrante) who married Herbert (II), Count of Vermandois.

Robert (I) and Beatrice had a son:

• Hugh "the Great" Capet

Generation Ten
Hugh "the Great" Capet
Born circa 895 at Paris, France
Died on June 16, 956 at Deurdan, Dourdan, France

Hugh Capet was Count of Paris, Orléans, Vexin and Le Mans and Duke of France. Hugh is also known as Hugh Magnus and is not to be confused with his great great grandson who is also known as Hugh "the Great" and Hugh Magnus

Hugh Capet had three marriages. The first two, it is unclear in which order, were to a daughter of the Count of Maine and to Edhilda, a daughter of Edward the Elder, King of England. Hugh married third to Hedwig, a daughter of Henry "the Fowler"; see below. Hugh had a daughter; but it is uncertain by which wife:

• Emma of Paris (d. 962) who married in 960 to Richard (I) "the Fearless" 3rd Duke of Normandy. Note: Weis states that: "Richard I 'the Fearless' . . . m. (2) 960 Emma . . . dau. Hugh Capet (see 53-20)"  The reference (53-20) is for Hugh Capet (941 - 996), the First Capatian King of France and a son of Hugh "the Great".  Clearly, Emma could not be a daughter of Hugh Capet (941 - 996) when she married in 960; Weis is mistaken and the reference should be (53-19) which is Hugh "the Great". See Frederick Lewis Weis, Ancestral Roots, Baltimore, 1999, 121E-20 and 53-20.

Hugh and Hedwig had the following children:

• Hugh Capet, King of France (shown next)
• Beatrice, born circa 939 who married in 954 to Frederick, Duke of Upper Lorraine.

Generation Eleven
Hugh Capet, King of France
Born about 938
Died on August 24, 996 at Paris, France

Hugh Capet was Count of Poitou, Count of Orléans and the first Capetian King of France from 987 to his death in 996. He married about 969 to Adelaide of Poitou, who was a granddaughter of Rolf the Ganger who was the 1^st Duke of Normandy. Hugh and Adelaide had the following children:

• Robert (II) Capet "the Pious", King of France, mentioned next.
• Hedwig who married Régnier IV, Count of Hainault who died in 1013 and was a son of Régnier III. Their children:
• Régnier V, Count of Hainault
• Beatrix of Hainaut who married Ebles I, Count of Rheims and Roucy, Archbishop of Rheims who died on May 11, 1033. Their daughter:
• Adele (or Alix) de Roucy, died in 1062, who married in 1031 to Hildouin III, died circa 1063, Count of Montdidier & Roucy and Seigneur of Rameru. Their daughters:
• Beatrix de Montdidier
• Margaret (or Marguerite) de Roucy who married circa 1080 to Hugh de Creil, died 1101, Count of Clermont in Beauvaisis. Their daughter:
• Adelaide (also Adeliza and Alice) de Clermont who married Gilbert Fitz Richard de Clare, Earl of Clare.

Generation Twelve
Robert II Capet "the Pious", King of France
Born on March 27, 972 at Orléans, France
Died in 1031

Robert married first about 987 to Rosela (or Susanna), widow of Arnold, Count of Flanders who died on March 30, 987. This marriage was repudiated in 992.
Robert married second in 996 to Bertha of Burgundy who was a distant relative. This marriage was repudiated in 998.
Robert married third in 1003 to Constance of Provence and they had the following children:

• Hugh Capet born in 1007 and died before his father in 1025.
• Henry I Capet, King of France
• Robert I "the Old", Duke of Burgundy
• Princess Adela or Alix Capet of France, born in 1009 who married in 1028 to Baldwin V "the Pious", Count of Flanders.  Adela and Baldwin had a daughter:
• Mathilda who married William the Conqueror.  Please click on Baldwin V for the continuation of this line.

Generation Thirteen
Henry I Capet, King of France

Born in April 1008
Died on August 4, 1060 at Vitry-en-Brie, France

Henry married on January 29, 1044 to Princess Anne of Kiev.  For her descent from the early Viking chieftains in Russia, click on Princes of Kiev.
Henry and Anne had the following children:

• Philip (I) "the Fair" Capet, King of France, born in 1052 and King of France 1060-1108
• Hugh "the Great" de Crépi, Count of Vermandois

Robert, the first of the Burgundian Capets,  married firstly to Irmegard of Anjou who d.s.p. and secondly circa 1033 to Hélie, a daughter of Dalmas (I), Seigneur de Sémus (Semur-en-Auxois) and his wife Aremburge. There appears to have been some friction in this family. Robert divorced Hélie on January 15, 1055 and he murdered her father, Dalmas (I), about the same time. It is unclear which came first, the divorce or the murder; but obviously Robert wasn't getting along very well with his wife and her family.
However, despite all the hard feelings, Robert and Hélie had the following children:

• Henry of Burgundy who was born circa 1035 and died on January 27, 1073/74. Henry married Sibylle, a daughter of Raymond Berenger (I), Count of Barcelone and his wife Guisle d'Ampurias. Henry and Sibylle had a son:
• Eudes I, Duke of Burgundy who died on March 23, 1102/03. Eudes married Matilda (or Maud), a daughter of William I, Count of Burgundy. William was a grandson of Richard (II) "the Good", 4th Duke of Normandy and his wife Judith of Brittany. Eudes and Matilda had a daughter:
• Alice (or Ela) of Burgundy (died 1194/95) who married William III Talvas, a son of Robert (II) de Belleme, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury. Their daughter:
• Ela Talvas married firstly to William de Warren, 3rd Earl of Warren and Surrey, and secondly to Patrick, Earl of Salisbury. The son of Patrick and Ela was:
• William Fitz Patrick, Earl of Salisbury (born circa 1150, died on April 17, 1196), Earl of Salisbury. William married Eleanor de Vitré; their daughter and heiress was:
• Ela, Countess of Salisbury who married William Longespée
• Constance who married Alfonzo (VI), King of Leon
• Hildegarde who married Gui Geoffrey, called William (VI), Count of Poitou.

Generation Fourteen
Hugh "the Great" Capet
Born in 1057
Died on October 18, 1102 at Tarsus.

Hugh was Duke of France and Burgundy, Marquis of  Orléans, Count of Amiens, Chaumone, Paris, Valois and Vermandois. He was a leader of the First Crusade, and died at Tarsus which is on the Mediterranean Sea about 250 miles south east of Ankara, Turkey.

Hugh married to Adelaide of Vermandois daughter of Herbert (IV), Count of Vermandois and a descendant of Charlemagne.  Please click Charlemagne for details.
Hugh and Adelaide had a daughter:

• Isabel (or Elizabeth) of Vermandois

Isabel, also known as Elizabeth of Vermandois, married in 1096 to Robert de Beaumont, Count of Meulan. Isabel and Robert had children named Waleran and Robert which tend to be confusing because they were twins both born, of course, in 1104.  Both married ladies names "de Montfort" and both had sons named Sir Robert de Beaumont.  One begins to wonder if perhaps Robert and Waleran were the same person, but there are differences as shown next.
    Isabel's and Robert's children were:

• Waleran de Beaumont (1104 - 1166, twin brother of Robert de Beaumont), Count of Meulan and Earl of Worcester who married circa 1141 to Agnes de Montfort,a daughter of Amauri de Montfort, Count of Évreux.  They had a son:
• Sir Robert de Beaumont (died in 1207), Count of Meulan.
• Robert de Beaumont (1104 - 1168, twin brother of Waleran de Beaumont), 2nd Earl of Leicester who married Amice de Montfort, a daughter of Ralph de Gael de Montfort, Seigneur of Montfort de Gael in Brittany.   Their children:
• Hawise de Beaumont who married William Fitz Robert, Earl of Gloucester
• Sir Robert de Beaumont (born before 1135, died at Durazzo, Greece, 1190), 3rd Earl of Leicester, married Petronilla de Grandmesnil, their daughter:
• Margaret de Beaumont married Saher de Quincy.
• Hugh de Beaumont, said to have been created Earl of Bedford.
• Adeline who married Hugh IV, Seigneur of Montfort-sur-Risle.
• Aubrée who married Hugh II, Seigneur of Chateauneuf-en-Thimerais.
• Maud who married William Louvel, Seigneur of Ivri and Brevel.
• Isabel (or Elizabeth) de Beaumont who first "had an affair" with King Henry I of England and later married Gilbert FitzGilbert de Clare.

• William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Warren & Surrey, born in 1119; whose daughter married Hamlin Plantagenet.  Click on Hamlin Plantagenet for this line.
• Adelaide (or Ada) de Warren

Generation Sixteen
Adelaide de Warren who is also known as Ada de Warren.
Died in 1178

Adelaide married in 1139 to Henry, Earl of Huntingdon who was the son of David (I) "the Saint", King of Scotland and Matilda of Nothumberland.  Henry was next in line as King of Scotland, but he died about a year before his father.  When David (I) died in 1153, he was succeeded Henry's son, Malcolm (IV).
Adelaide de Warren and Henry of Huntingdon had the following children:

• Malcolm (IV) "the Maiden", King of Scotland, born on March 20, 1141/42
• William (I) "the Lion", King of Scotland, born in 1143
• Margaret of Huntingdon, Countess of Hereford
• Ada
• David, 9th Earl of Huntingdon, born about 1144
• Maud
• Isabella
• Marjory

Generation Seventeen
David, 9th Earl of Huntingdon

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