Fressenda

  Noted events in her life were:

• Web Reference:
Charles Cawley's Medieval Lands: Tancred de Hauteville was the "hereditary seigneur de Hauteville-le-Guichard, near Coutances, Normandy [Malaterra, Book I.3 and I.4, p. 9]. Orderic Vitalis records that "Tancredus de Alta-Villa" originated "de pago Constantino" [Orderic Vitalis (Prévost), Vol. II, Liber III, V, p. 88]." He married twice, first to a woman named Moriella (mother of six children) and the second Fressenda (mother of eight children). "Malaterra names "Fresendis" as the second wife of Tancred [Malaterra, I.4, p. 9]. A myth, not based on any evidence, emerged in the 16th century to the effect that both wives of Tancred de Hauteville were daughters of Richard I Duke of Normandy [Houts (2000), p. 224, Stasser (1990), p. 55, and Szabolcs de Vajay (1971), pp. 130-1]. Orderic Vitalis records that "Fredesendis uxor Tancredi de Alta-Villa" was buried at "ecclesiam Sanctæ Eufemiæ...super littus Adriatici maris" [Orderic Vitalis (Prévost), Vol. II, Liber III, V, p. 89]. Malaterra names (in order) "Gulielmum…cognomine Ferrea-branchis, Drogonem, Humfredum, Gaufredum et Serlonem" as five sons of Tancred by his first wife and "Robertus…Guiscardus…Malgerius, Willelmus, Alveredus, Hubertus, Tancredus, Rogerius" as his seven sons by his second wife [Malaterra, I.4, p. 9]."

Fressenda married Tancred de Hauteville. (Tancred de Hauteville was born abt 980=990 in Normandy and died about 1041.)