• Born: Abt 1078, Dol, St Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne, France
• Married: Abt 1105
• Died: After 1122, Oswestry Castle, Shropshire, England

  Research Notes:

Hereditary Seneschal of Dol. "Maino filius Theogineti […Theonus]" donated the churches of Gugnen and Voël to Combourg priory, with the consent of "filiis suis Haimone et Gauterio, et Alanus filius Flaudi", by undated charter. "Baderon" donated "villam Beren cum filia sua" to the abbey of Saint-Georges de Rennes, with the consent of "Guillelmo eius filio" and in the presence of "Rivalloni filii Johannis, Radulphi Filicensis", by undated charter, witnessed by "Alanus filius Flaaldi…" “Alanus Siniscallus” granted rights to Mezuoit, a cell of Saint-Florent near Dol, with the consent of “Fledaldus frater eius”, in return for admitting his brother Rhiwallon into the fraternity. Orderic Vitalis records that "Alanus dapifer Dolensis" was present at the capture of Nikaia in 1097. “…Alanus Flaaldi filius…” subscribed an undated charter of Herbert Bishop of Norwich relating to the foundation of Norwich priory. “…Alanus Haraldi [presumably an error for "Flaaldi"] filius…” subscribed a charter of Henry I King of England, dated 3 Sep 1101, relating to Norwich priory.

Sheriff of Shropshire: a manuscript reciting the foundation of Shrewsbury abbey records that "Alanus filius Fladaldi" held “honorem vicecomitis Warini” (who was Sheriff of Shropshire) after "filium eius". Henry I King of England confirmed the donation to Norwich priory of "manerium meum de Eattona" by "Alanus filius Flahaldi" by charter dated to [1107/16]. He established a religious community in 1110, possibly on the site of the future abbey of Haughmond in Shropshire which was later founded by his son William FitzAlan. “Alanus filius Flaaldi et Adelina uxor mea” donated land at Kempston and Sporle to Castle Acre Priory by undated charter. “Alan son of Flaald” granted Sporle Priory, Norfolk to Saumur Saint-Florent by charter, dated to before 1122, witnessed by “…Rivallonus Extraneus…”. Round suggests that the witness was the founder of the Lestrange family in Norfolk. ¹

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Alan fitz Fleald or Flaald; feudal Baron of Oswestry, Sheriff of Salop 1101; founder of Sporle Priory, Norfolk by 1122; married Aveline, daughter of Arnulf or Ernulf, Seigneur of Hesdin, Picardy, a large land-holder in England 1086. [Burke's Peerage]

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In the time of William the Conqueror, Alan, the son of Flathald (or Flaald) obtained, by the gift of that King, the castle of Oswaldestre, with the territory adjoining, which belonged to Meredith, Prince of Powys ap Bleddyn, King of Powys. This Alan, having m. the dau. and heir of Warine, sheriff of Shropshire, had, in her right, the Barony of Warine, and was s. by his son, William FitzAlan. ²

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Alan (Alain Fitz Flaald), the son of Flathald (or Flaald), having participated in the Conquest, obtained by the gift of King William the Conqueror, the barony and castle of Oswaldestre, Salop, and Milcham, Norfolk, some of which belonged to Meredith, Prince of Powys ap Bleddyn, King of Powys. He received the shreivalty of Shropshire from King Henry I. and died circa 1114. While his parentage is more or less obscure, there is evidence to show that Flaald, his father, lived in Brittany and was a brother of Alain, seneschal of Dol, descended from the old Armonican counts of Dol and Dinan. This Alan, having married Adeline daughter and heir of Warine, Sheriff of Shropshire, had in her right, the Barony of Warine, and was succeeded by his son, William.

The following is quoted from Crispin and Macary, "Falaise Rolls," pg. 2: "Alain Fitz Flaald came to England at the Conquest in 1066 and was baron of Oswaldestre, Salop, and Mileham. He received the shreivalty of Shropshire from Henry I and died circa 1114. Wace in recording "Sire de Dinan," undoubtedly referred to him. While his parentage is more or less obscure, there is evidence to show that Flaald, his father, lived in Brittany and was a brother of Alain, seneschal of Dol, descended from the old Armorican counts of Dol and Dinan. Alain Fitz Flaald was also the father or grandfather of William Fitz Alan, steward to David I., King of Scotland, ancestor of the Stuarts, kings of that country. Alain Fitz Flaald was also the father of William Fitz Alan, to whom Henry II. gave in second marriage Isabel de Say, baroness of Clun, the greatest heiress of Shropshire. He was ancestor of John Fitz Alan, who married Isabel, sister and co-heiress of Hugh d'Albigny. Upon a division of Hugh's property at his death in 1243, the castle of Arundel was assigned to John, son of the aforementioned John and Isabel, who thus became the first earl of Arundel of the Fitz Alan line. This property eventually passed to Mary, daughter and heiress of Henry Fitz Alan, who carried it, together with the earldom and the barony of Maltravers, to her husband Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, in which family it still remains. Alain Fitz Flaald and his wife Adeline were benefactors to the Norfolk priory of Castle Acre, early in the reign of Henry I."

Fitz-Aleyn. The first bearers of this great historical name were the sons of Alan Fitz-Flaald, Baron of Oswaldestre in Shropshire and of Mileham in Norfolk, who received from Henry I. the shrievalty of Shropshire, and died about 1114. No one exactly knows who he was. Eyton, after a close and laborious investigation of the question, has adopted the legend found in the fanciful Booke of Hector Boece, who believed he had discovered in him the grandson of Banquo, the murdered Thane of Lochaber.* The names of Fleanchus and Flaaldus are, as he argues, easily convertible; and he states that when Fleance fled from Scotland about 1050, he took refuge at the court of Gruffyth-ap-Llewellyn, and fell in love with Gruffyth's daughter Guenta, who became his wife, and the mother of Alan. The author of The Norman People brings evidence to show that Flaald, his father, lived in Brittany, and was a brother of Alan, Seneschal of Dol, descended from the old Armorican Counts of Dol and Dinan. At all events, whatever may have been the origin of Alan Fitz Flaald, he was "The mighty Father of our Kings to be," for, from his second son, Walter Fitz Alan, appointed Steward or Seneschal to David I. of Scotland, sprung the royal House of Stuart. The elder son, William Fitz Alan, was the progenitor of the Earls of Arundel, and received from Henry II. in second marriage Isabel de Say, Baroness of Clun, the greatest heiress in Shropshire. His name must have been a later addition to the Roll; for Alan Fitz Flaald, who survived the Conquest for nearly sixty years, must have been far too young a man when he fought at Hastings to have had a grown-up son by his side. Nor do either William or Walter occur in Domesday , where we find only Ricardus filius Alann entered as a sub-tenant in Norfolk. ³