Drogo de la Beuvrière

Drogo de la Beuvrière
Disappeared	c.1087
Notable work	Skipsea Castle

Drogo de la Bouerer (also recorded as Drogo of la Beuvrière, Drogo de la Bouerer.[note 1]) was a Flemish associate of William the Conqueror, who was rewarded after the conquest with a large grant of land in northern and eastern England, primarily in Holderness, where he built Skipsea Castle.

After the unexplained death of his wife Drogo fled England, supposedly for Flanders, and disappears from history. His land in England subsequently became the property of Odo, Count of Champagne.

Biography

Much of what is known about Drogo de la Bouerer is known from the Domesday Book of 1086, and the chronicles of Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire and of Meaux Abbey in East Yorkshire.[4]

According to the Domesday record, after the Norman Conquest Drogo held lands in and was lord of all of Holderness, holding dozens of manors there;[5][note 2] he also held land in Lincolnshire and was lord of Castle Bytham, Little Bytham, Anwick, Ruskington, Carlton-le-Moorland, Barrow-upon-Humber, Goxhill, and Great Limber;[7] in Norfolk he was lord of Saxlingham, Bessingham, North Barningham, Hindringham, Burgh-next-Aylsham, Erpingham, and Gissing as well having other possessions there;[8][9] he was lord of Chadstone, Northamptonshire;[10] and lord of Oakley, Suffolk,[11] and also had land in Sotherton, Suffolk;[12] and in Cold Overton, and Hoby, Leicestershire.[13] Drogo acquired his lands primarily from the holdings of Morcar of Northumbria, also from Ulf son of Tope.[1]

The Cistercian writers give very similar accounts.[1] In the Chronica Monasterii de Melsa (Chronicles of Meaux Abbey), Drogo is said to have been from Flanders.[note 3] - he was rewarded by William of Normandy after the conquest with the Isle of Holderness, and was the builder of Skipsea Castle.[15][1]

Drogo poisoned his own wife, possibly by accident, after which he visited the King asking permission to return to Flanders, and borrowed money from him, and then left the country by sea.[16][1] According to William Camden his wife was the King's niece, and he killed her by poisoning.[2]

On discovering the lie King William sent for Drogo to be arrested, but he was never caught, and subsequently Drogo's possessions in Holderness were passed to Odo, Count of Champagne.[17][1] Odo became Lord of Holderness sometime before September 1087.[18]

Notes

1. Written as wide variety of variants, including 'Drogo de la Beuvrière' in the Fountains Abbey record; 'Drogo de la Bouerer' in the Meaux chronicle; 'Drogo de Bevrere', '.. Bevaria', '.. Bevriere', or 'Drogo de Heldrenesse' in the Domesday book;,[1] in Camden 'Drugoni de Buerer',[2] elsewhere written 'Drue Debeverer', or 'Drago de Holderness'.[3]
2. Drogo held all the lands in Holderness, excluding those owned by the church - he claimed the lands of William Malet who had been captured by Danes in 1069.[6]
3. It is thought that Drogo would have been from either La Beuvrière, or possibly Beuvry, both near Béthune.[14]

References

1. English 1979, p. 7.
2. Camden, William (1607), Britannia (in Latin), Brigantes : Yorkshire, p.580, "Hanc Holdernessiam regiunculam Guilielmus Primus Drugoni de Buerer Flandro dedit, cui etiam neptem in uxorem dederat, quam cum ille veneno sustulisset fugaque saluti consuluisset, successorem habuit Stephanum Odonis filium"
3. Sheahan & Whellan 1856, pp. 305–6.
4. English 1979, pp. 6–7.
5. Powell-Smith, Anna; Palmer, J.J.N., "DROGO OF LA BEUVRIËRE", opendomesday.org
6. English 1979, p. 100.
7. Powell-Smith, Anna; Palmer, J.J.N., "DROGO OF LA BEUVRIËRE", opendomesday.org
8. Powell-Smith, Anna; Palmer, J.J.N., "DROGO OF LA BEUVRIËRE", opendomesday.org
9. Powell-Smith, Anna; Palmer, J.J.N., "DROGO OF LA BEUVRIËRE", opendomesday.org
10. Powell-Smith, Anna; Palmer, J.J.N., "DROGO OF LA BEUVRIËRE", opendomesday.org
11. Powell-Smith, Anna; Palmer, J.J.N., "DROGO OF LA BEUVRIËRE", opendomesday.org
12. Powell-Smith, Anna; Palmer, J.J.N., "DROGO OF LA BEUVRIËRE", opendomesday.org
13. Powell-Smith, Anna; Palmer, J.J.N., "DROGO OF LA BEUVRIËRE", opendomesday.org
14. English 1979, p.7 (Note 1).
15. de Burton 1866, p.89. quote: "Dederat autem praefatus rex dictam insulam de Holdemesse prius militi cuidam valde probo et in armis probato, qui cum ipso in Angliam venerat, Drugoni de la Bouerer, Flandrensi, qui construxit castellum de Skypse.".
16. de Burton 1866, p.89. quote: "Habuit autem idem Drugo uxorem quandam, regis cognatam, quam omine infausto interemit. Post cujus necem, venit dictus Drugo ad regem, simulans se velle cum uxore sua in Flandriam reverti; et petiit ab ipso aliquantam pecuniam sibi dari. Accepta ergo a rege pecunia, festinavit ad mare.".
17. de Burton 1866, p.89. quote: "Cujus nefandum factum et fictum negotium cum rex cognovisset, misit post illum ut comprehenderetur. Sed ipse denuo non reversurus transfretavit. Data est ergo Odoni de Campania, qui habuit sororem regis uxorem, Holdemesia, sicut dictum est; .. ".
18. English 1979, p. 145.

Sources

• English, Barbara (1979), The Lords of Holderness 1086-1260, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-713437-8
• Sheahan, James Joseph; Whellan, T. (1856), History and topography of the city of York: the Ainsty wapentake; and the East riding of Yorkshire, vol. 2
• de Burton, Thomas (1866) [1396], Bond, Edward A. (ed.), "Chronica Monasterii de Melsa, a Fundatione Usque ad Annum 1396, Auctore Thoma de Burton, Abbate. Accedit Continuatio ad Annum 1406", Rerum Britannicarum medii aevi scriptores (Chronicles and Memorials of Great Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages) (in Latin and English), vol. 1, Longmans, Green, Reader and Dyer