List of those who drowned in the 1120 White Ship disaster
The White Ship disaster on 25 November 1120 (called 7
kalends of December by Farrer[1]) claimed the lives of numerous high-ranking people of
Norman England.
Approximately 250, including servants and marines. Of these, 140 were knights or noblemen and 18 were noblewomen.[2]
Family of Henry I of England
William Adelin, duke of Normandy, sole legitimate son of King
Henry I of England. William, rescued in the only skiff available on the ship, had the crew return to get his sister Matilda. The small craft was overwhelmed by drowning passengers and crew and quickly sank. Upon hearing of his son's death, it was said that Henry never smiled again.[3]
Lucia-Mahaut (Matilda), Countess of Chester, the king's niece, wife of Richard d'Avranches, and sister of
Stephen of Blois, who chose not to board the vessel
Ottuel d'Avranches, the illegitimate half-brother of Richard d'Avranches, governor of the king's sons
Geoffrey Ridel, royal justice and brother-in-law to Richard d'Avranches
Seigneurs de l'Aigle
Gilbert d'Aigle, viscount of Exmes, first cousin of Richard d'Avranches
Geoffroy de l'Aigle, son of Gilbert, survived clinging to a rock, but then succumbed to exhaustion
Engenulf d'Aigle, son of Gilbert
Royal household
William Bigod, steward of the household of King Henry.
Robert I of Mauduit, chamberlain to the king, son of William I of Mauduit. Robert's brother William II was the great-great-grandfather of
William Maudit, 8th Earl of Warwick.
Stewards, chamberlains, cupbearers and various officers.
An armed marine force, who were apparently very disorderly, drunk and scarcely paid attention to anyone on board.
Nobles of England
A number of other nobility of England were on board, although very little is known about them.
Walter of Everci
Richard de Bostock, Bostock Hall, Cheshire (b1075 d 1120)
William, son of Roger,
bishop of Coutances, with his brother and three nephews
Family of the Emperor
Theodoric, son of Henry (d. 1105), a relative of
Emperor Henry V. Henry was likely the son of Agnes, sister of the emperor.
Orderic Vitalis identified him as Teodericus puer Henrici nepos imperatoris Alemannorum,[5] which would imply that he was the grandson of Agnes. Farrer identifies him as a nephew of Emperor Henry by his sister Agnes and Frederic, Duke of Swabia.[1]
The sole survivor
Berold, a butcher from Rouen, who was likely on board to collect the debts owed to him by the travellers.
Those who chose to travel on a different ship
Henry I, King of England.
Matilda, wife of William Adelin and daughter-in-law of Henry I. She took a different ship.
William de Pirou, steward to the king (
Orderic Vitalis claims he died aboard the ship,[6] which seems unlikely since he was apparently still alive in 1123)