William de Courcy

William de Courcy (died c. 1114), feudal baron of Stoke Courcy (modern Stogursey) in Somerset, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. William was the son of Richard de Courcy by his wife Wandelmode. The family was from the Calvados region of Normandy. William inherited the English lands of his father in about 1088. On the accession of King Henry I of England in 1100, William was appointed a royal steward, or dapifer. There were probably four stewards in the royal household, and Henry kept in office the three he inherited from his brother King William II, namely Eudo, Haimo and Roger Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk. William was the only new appointment to this office at the start of Henry's reign. In March 1101 William served as a surety for Henry fulfilling a treaty with Robert II, Count of Flanders. William pledged 100 marks as security that would have been forfeited should the king fail to uphold the treaty terms. In 1107 William witnessed a charter of the king in Normandy and 6 more royal charters during 1110 in England. While Henry was absent from England in 1111 William was one of the advisors of Queen Matilda, who was left behind in England to govern the country. William gave a gift of land as well as the advowson of the church at Nuneham Courtenay in Oxfordshire to Abingdon Abbey, the advowson grant being related in the Historia Ecclesie Abbendonensis. Shortly after these grants, William further gave to Abingdon a fishery named "Sotiswere".