Hamelin de Balun
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Hamelin de Balun, (died 5 March 1105/6), was an early Norman Baron and the first Lord of Baron Abergavenny and Lordship of Over Gwent and Abergavenny, granted shortly after the Norman Conquest of England and Wales by King William I of England, William the Conqueror, and he also served William Rufus.
Hamelin de Balun has also been transcribed as Hamelin de Balodun, Hameline de Ballon Hamelyn de Balon, Hamelin de Baalan.
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[edit] Origin
He was from Ballon (known as the 'Gateway to Maine'), a town in the Maine (province) of France, which had recently been invaded and conquered by Duke William in the early 1060's, just prior to his invasion of England.
He was a son of Drogo de Balun (or de Balodun) and was accompanied in England by his brothers, Wynoc and Wynebold (or Guinebaud de Balun).
It is not known if he was present at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 but it is likely.
[edit] Rewards & Duties
Hamelin de Balun was rewarded with land in Cornwall and in south east Wales, in what was to become the Welsh Marches, and charged with its speedy and successful conquest and management. He sited the early motte and bailey version of Abergavenny Castle and organised the early Norman protection of the settlement of what became the town of Abergavenny around 1075, founding the Benedictine Priory in the town and making it a defensible site.
[edit] Marriage & Issue
He married a woman called Agnes, Agnetis de Balun.
He had two sons William de Balun and Matthew de Balun and a daughter Emeline de Balun. But his sons predeceased him. The descendants of Emeline took his name as the Balun lords of Much Marcle.
[edit] Succession
He was succeeded in the title Baron Abergavenny by his nephew Brien FitzCount who was also lord of Grosmont.
