Ranulf "the Moneyer"

• Born: Unknown
• Died: before 1061
• Father: Unknown
• Mother: Unknown
• Spouse: Unknown

Issue:

• Osbern fitzRanulf
• Waleran fitzRanulf
• Richard fitzRanulf
• Conan fitzRanulf

"RANULF the Moneyer, whose antecedents are unknown, first appears in 1035 when, Robert I of Normandy having died on his way home from Jerusalem, the Abbot of Le Mont St. Michel sold to Ranulf the mill of Vains which the Duke had given to the Abbey." [Complete Peerage 12B, p. 268.]

Sources [S128] The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant. First edition edited by George Edward Cokayne, Clarenceux King of Arms, published in eight volumes 1887-1898. Second edition, much revised, edited successively by Vicary Gibbs, H. A. Doubleday, Duncan Warrand, Lord Howard de Walden, Geoffrey H. White and R. S. Lea, published in fourteen volumes 1910-1959 (Volumes 1-13, but volume 12 was two books, 12A and 12B). A Volume 14 consisting of "addenda & corrigenda", edited by Peter W. Hammond, appeared in 1998.

Henri Jean Louis Joseph Massé, A Short History & Description of the Church & Abbey of Mont S. Michel, London: George Bell and Sons, 1902, p. 14 [online on Googlebooks]

Suppon [Abbot of Mont Saint-Michel] had to retire in 1048 for having sold a mill at Moulin-le-Comte to Ranulf the Moneyer, without the permission of the donor (Robert the Magnificent) and without consulting his chapter. In the time of the next abbot, Ranulf de Beaumont, the mill was purchased and a new grant was made to the Abbey, duly witnessed by William Duke of Normandy and several bishops. Some years after a descendant of Ranulf the Moneyer put in a claim for the mill and took possession by force. The abbot applied to William, who by that time was King of England, and a charter was drawn up in which that monarch expressly forbids any of his successors or any abbot of the Mount, no matter what consideration might be offered, to vary or annul his ordinance. Needless to say that this document, signed by "le roi tres victorieux, et Mathilde la tres noble reine," had the desired effect, and the mill remained the property of the abbots of the Mount.

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLISHNOBILITYMEDIEVAL3T-Z.htm

1. RANULF (-before 1061). A charter of Guillaume II Duke of Normandy dated 1061 records that the abbot of Mont Saint-Michel had wrongfully sold property to “Ralf the moneyer” [764]. Another document dealing with the same matter also records that the abbot of Mont Saint-Michel had wrongfully sold property to “Ranulf the moneyer” but that it was inherited by “Gualeran son of Ranulf” who sold it back to the abbey[765]. m ---. The name of Ranulf’s wife is not known. Ranulf & his wife had four children:

a) OSBERN . “…Rannulfus Monetarius et Osbernus filius eius…” witnessed an undated charter of “Roger son of Hugh bishop of Coutances” for the abbey of Saint-Amand, Rouen[766].

b) WALERAN . A document records that the abbot of Mont Saint-Michel had wrongfully sold property to “Ranulf the moneyer” but that it was inherited by “Gualeran son of Ranulf” who sold it back to the abbey[767]. The charter dated 1080 which records the foundation of Caen Sainte-Trinité, before 1066, lists property including that sold by "Waleranno filio Rannulfi monetarii" in Caen and "in Amblida unum molendinum et illam terram quam frater suus Conanus in eaden villa tenuit in alodio"[768].

c) [RICHARD . No direct proof has been found that Richard was the son of Ranulf. However, this parentage is inferred from a document which records that the abbot of Mont Saint-Michel had wrongfully sold property to “Ranulf the moneyer”, that it was inherited by “Gualeran son of Ranulf” who sold it back to the abbey, that it was claimed by “John of Richard” who “some fifteen years…later” seized the property, and that judgment in the ensuing dispute was awarded to the abbey[769]. In addition, Richard’s son is named “Johannes nepos Walerami” (presumably Waleran, son of Ranulf, see above) in his capacity as holder of the manor of Elsenham, Essex in Domesday Book[770], although this phrase does not exclude the possibility that the relationship was through a sister of Waleran and that Richard was her husband.] m ---. The name of Richard’s wife is not known. Richard & his wife had one child:

i) JOHN . A document records that the abbot of Mont Saint-Michel had wrongfully sold property to “Ranulf the moneyer” but that it was inherited by “Gualeran son of Ranulf” who sold it back to the abbey, that it was claimed by “John of Richard” who “some fifteen years…later” seized the property, judgment in the ensuing dispute being awarded to the abbey[771].

d) CONAN . The charter dated 1080 which records the foundation of Caen Sainte-Trinité, before 1066, lists property including that sold by "Waleranno filio Rannulfi monetarii" in Caen and "in Amblida unum molendinum et illam terram quam frater suus Conanus in eaden villa tenuit in alodio"[772].