Reginald de Dunstanville, 1st Earl of Cornwall

Reginald de Dunstanville (Reginald FitzRoy, Rainald), Earl of Cornwall (French: Renaud de Donstanville or de Dénestanville) (c. 1110, Dunstanville, Kent, England – 1 July 1175, Chertsey, Surrey, England), High Sheriff of Devon, Earl of Cornwall, was an illegitimate son of Henry I of England and Lady Sybilla Corbet.

Reginald had been invested with the Earldom of Cornwall by King Stephen of England, but having afterwards taken up the cause of the Empress Matilda, his sister, he forfeited his lands and honours. Around 1173 he granted a charter to his free bugesses of Triueru, and he addressed his meetings at Truro to All men both Cornish and English suggesting a continuing differentiation. He served, according to some accounts, as High Sheriff of Devon from 1173-1174.

He was buried in Reading Abbey.

Family and children

He married Mabel FitzRichard, daughter of William FitzRichard (who held a number of fiefs in Cornwall) and had the following children:

  1. Nicholas de Dunstanville (1136–1175).
  2. Hawyse (or Denise) de Dunstanville (1138–21 April 1162). Married Richard de Redvers, 2nd Earl of Devon (Richard de Reviers).
  3. Maud FitzRoy de Dunstanville of Cornwall (b. 1143, Dunstanville, Kent, England). Married Sir Robert de Beaumont, Count of Meulan.
  4. Ursula de Dunstanville (b. 1145). Married Walter de Dunstanville Lord Castlecomb.
  5. Sarah de Dunstanville (b. 1147). Married Ademar V, viscount of Limoges.
  6. Reginald de Dunstanville (b. c. 1152).
  7. Joan FitzRoy (b. c. 1150). Married Ralph de Valletort, Lord of Trematon.

He also had illegitimate children by Beatrice de Vaux, who was later married to William Brewer (justice).

  1. Henry FitzCount, Sheriff of Cornwall, Earl of Cornwall (d. 1222).
  2. William FitzCount.

Sources