Constables of the Tower
Geoffery - William - Geoffrey - at least 3 generations
Geoffery d. 1100 (The 11th Century Geoffrey de Mandeville) - William de Mandeville d. 1120 (before 1130 - Wikiwand - not sure where the 1120 came from) - Geoffrey d. 1144 - Geoffrey fitz Geoffrey d.1216 (The Magna Carta de Mandeville).
Ranulf Flambard - William Rufus - The Domesday Survey - The Conqueror - Odo of Bayeux - Robert Curthose - Henry I - Battle of Tinchebray - The Anarchy
de Vere a dump of Thomas Wright's history on Belchamp Walter - de Vere and de Mandeville
I don't think that the de Mandevilles are explained that well on the Wikipedia pages. "Why don't you fix them" I hear you ask. Well, that is not my thing and I am trying to build my own website of things that interest me and the experiences that I have.
A visit in Jan 2026 seems to justify this page. There must be something on this page the justified a click. It could have been the 11th century heading or maybe the Kray Brothers.
There is a lot of key information on this page and it should tie up the connections between all the de Mandevilles and the relation to the de Veres and William the Conqueror.
The de Mandeville Family
The 11th Century Geoffrey de Mandeville
The Wikipedia/Wikiwand pages for this Geoffrey indicate that de Mandeville was a contemporary to William the Conqueror. He died in 1100 and was the first Constable of the Tower of London. The Tower was a newly built castle.
His son, William, inherited his lands and was also Constable of the Tower. William was charged with the imprisonment of Ranulf Flambard. His son, William was implicated in the escape of Flambard from the Tower.
Geoffrey, William's son, was very active during The Anarchy. This Geoffery, d. 1144, was my first interest in this history as he was married to Rohse de Vere and was given Belchamp Walter as a dowry.
Geoffrey aligned himself with King Stephen and the Empress Matilda and died rather ignomignously and ended up interred in Temple Church along with William Marshall.
Ranulf Flambard
Ranulf Flambard is thought to have been the chief administrator of the Domesday Survey, in fact he could have been its instigator.
He served William Rufus after the Conquerors death but was imprisoned by Henry I on Rufus's death. His escape from the Tower was under William de Mandeville (d. 1120) in 1101. He then went into exile with Robert Curthose.
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The Tower of London - Constable of the Tower
When William built the White Tower on the bank of the river Thames in London he installed Geoffrey de Mandeville as constable.
The office of Constable of the Tower is one of the oldest in England, dating back to within a few years of the Norman Conquest, and has always been one of great honour and dignity. In the past, this appointment has been held by eminent prelates of the Church, prominent politicians and distinguished soldiers. The first Constable, Geoffrey de Mandeville was appointed by William the Conqueror (AD 1066–87) in the 11th century. Formerly, in the absence of the Sovereign, the Constable would have been among the most powerful men in London. Today the Constable retains the right of direct access to the Sovereign. Since 1784 the Constable has always been a senior military officer.
The Norman bishop Ranulf Flambard was one of the first prisoners and on his escape Willima de Mandeville, Geoffrey's son and inheritor of the constableship, was held somewhat responsible.
During the medieval period the Constable ran the Tower, which included building maintenance, soldiers' pay and, as the Royal menagerie was housed in the Tower, supervision of the 'Keeper of the King's Animals'. He was also ultimately responsible for the prisoners kept there. The first known prisoner was the Norman bishop Ranulf Flambard in 1100, and the London gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray were the last official prisoners, for a few days in 1952, for refusing to do their National Service. They were sent to the Tower as it was the barracks of the 1st Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) to which they had been assigned.
William de Mandeville - Constable of the Tower - 1100-1103
Either Round or Derek Taylor in his 20 Pla. ces describes the de Mandeville antics - Ranulf Flambard escaped the tower under William's watch (1101). This was in Henry I reign who imprisioned Flambard when he succeeded in 1100. Flambard then took refuge with Robert Curthose.
Geoffrey, d 1144 - and his part in the Anarchy
This the Geoffrey who was connected to Belchamp Walter through his marriage to Rohse de Vere. By all accounts this Geoffrey was a busy boy and has quite an inflence in the region and the civil war of the Anarchy.
