Adele of Normandy was originally called Gerloc but changed her name when she was christened. She is known for founding the monastery of Sainte-Trinité.

She is my 27 x great-grandmother.

Adela, or Gerloc, was born in Rouen¹, Normandy, France, in 912. She was the daughter of Rollo the Viking, also known as Robert I of Normandy, and his wife Popa of Bayeux².

Titles

After marrying William III, Duke of Aquitaine, she would have held the title of Duchess.

William was also the Count of Poitiers and, separately, Count of Auvergne and Limoges.

There is no record of her holding these titles.

Family

In 935, she married William of Aquitaine, later William III of Aquitaine, and had two children with him²:

1. William, who became William IV
2. Adelais

Notable events

She was christened Gerloc when born and took the name Adela when she was baptised².

Despite her father being a Viking, Rollo knew he needed to raise his children in continental customs if the family was to survive. He raised his children, including Gerloc, to be “fit companion[s] for the Princes of the Carolingian Empire”³.

There is a charter recording a donation by Adela and William III to the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny in 963². This abbey had been founded by Duke William I in 910⁴.

On 14 October 962, the King of France granted her the right to dispose of extensive property in Poitiers². She used the property to found the Nunnery of Sainte-Trinité², also known as the Abbey aux Dames. This is now houses the regional council of Normandy.

Death

She died on 14 October 962¹. I don’t know where she died, what caused her death or where they buried her.

Lineage

She is my 27 x great-grandmother.

1. Family Tree Roldan Hamilton; Geneologie Online; (Retrieved 2018-07-15) [↩][↩]
2. Medieval lands – Dukes of Aquitaine; Charles Crawley[↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩]
3. History of Normandy and England, The; Volume I; Sir Francis Palgrave; 1851-01[↩]
4. Crusaders: An Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Lands; Dan Jones; 05 September 2019[↩]