William I Talvas

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William I Talvas (c. 995–after 1030), seigneur of Alençon. He was a son of William of Bellême and Mathilde of Condé-sur-Noireau.

He assumed the Bellême estates upon the murder of his brother Robert, by the Sor family in revenge for the deaths of their father and brothers (Robert of Bellême had hanged them after their capture in battle). His reputation was that of a wicked man, "in all things worse than his brothers, and his wickedness has flourished to this day among his heirs." He was married to Hildeburg, who was the mother of his son Arnulf and daughter Mabel. But his marriage was unsatisfying and he had his wife murdered on her way to church. He soon married the daughter of Rodulf the vicomte of Beaumont. Then he angered his neighbors by mutilating one William of Giroie: the Giroie family and their allies raided his lands then invested his castle in revenge. His son Arnulf quarreled with him, and he threw him out. His enemies challenged him to come out and fight, but Talvas' courage failed him and he surrendered and was exiled: the vicomte's daughter abandoned him at this point. Only his daughter Mabel stood by him. Although Arnulf got all his father's wealth and lands, it did him no good, and he was strangled one night in his sleep. After years of wandering about, Talvas and Mabel finally were taken in by the Montgomery family. And Talvas offered his daughter to Roger of Montgomery in marriage. These were the parents of Robert of Bellême, and a numerous family of other sons and daughters (nine in all). The girls are recorded as being of high moral character, but the Bellême-Montgomery sons were "dangerous, greedy and like madmen they harmed the poor."