Kingdom West Francia & Kingdom of the
Franks
ANCIENT NORMAN FIEF DE BLONDEL
OF THE CHANNEL ISLANDS - BAILIWICK OF GUERNSEY (A CROWN
DEPENDENCY OF THE DUKE OF NORMANDY ! ) A 1000 Year Old Normandy Fief Tradition !
" THE SEIGNEUR OF FIEF THOMAS
BLONDEL
ET FIEF DE
L'EPERONS "Est. 1179
Greetings from the Ancient Lords, Dames and Seigneurs of Private
Fief Blondel Est. 1179 - "Le Seigneurs de la Fief Thomas Blondel & Fief de L'Eperons including the Fief
Bouvée Duquemin in Torteval
The Fief of Thom. Blondel is One of the Last Great Private Fiefs of Normandy registered directly with the
Crown's Royal Courts in Her Majesty's Crown Dependencies
Fiefdom In feudalism, a fiefdom (also called a fief, feud, feoff,
or fee) was a property or right that an overlord, seigneur or Lehnsherr (sometimes granted directly from a King
or Queen) gave a vassal in exchange for fealty or service. This property, of whatever size, could be
inherited by the Lord's heirs.
Some Fiefs are Free Fiefs registered directly from the Sovereign such as this ancient Norman Fief.
The Lords of the Guernsey fiefs were originally all:
" liberi homines " and " franc-tenans
", free men, or free tenants. In other parts of Scandanivia, Frankonia, Germania, the name is Free
Lord, Free Tenant, or Feudal Lord.
Friherre af Fief Blondel, Kanaløyer Est. 1179 - "R.Frhr."
or "RFrhr."
History of the Viking Norman Seigneur & Fiefdoms
481–843 Kingdom of the Franks (Latin: Regnum
Francorum), Frankish Kingdom, Frankland or Frankish Empire - Merovingian rise and decline, 481–687; Clovis's sons;
Chlothar; Francia split into Neustria, Austrasia, and Burgundy; Rule of Chlothar II; Dagobert I; Dominance of the
mayors of the palace, 687–751; Death of Pepin; Umayyad invasion; Carolingian empire, 751–840; Divided empire, after
840
843–987AD - Kingdom of the West Franks - The
Channel Islands were held by Frankish Kings until Rollo the Viking conquered Normandy in
911AD
911AD -
ROLLO the VIKING - The Norse Channel Islands of
France's Normandy were conquered by the Vikings before 911AD. As a concession to the invaders, Fiefs of the
Channel Islands begin with the Grants by King Charles the Simple. In 912, Charles the Simple, King of France,
ceded to Rollo, the great Norwegian Viking Chieftain, the province of Neustria, now called Normandy, and
Rollo became the first duke of that province. On his baptism and marriage with Gisele, daughter of Charles,
he also received Brittany, for which Juhael Berengier, Earl of Rennes, did him homage.
911AD. The Great Viking
Chief Rollo Göngu-Hrólfr or Gaange Rolf is first Seigneur of the Guernsey Islands. Chief Rollo was a Viking Warrior who became the first ruler of Normandy, a region of France. He
is sometimes called the 1st Duke of Normandy and speculations point to Denmark as Rollo's birth place. Guernsey,
second largest of the Channel Islands. It is 30 miles (48 km) west of Normandy, France, and roughly triangular in
shape. With Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou, and associated islets, it forms the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The reigning
Queen or King of England is still known as the "Duke of Normandy" to all those in the Channel Islands. This
fief was held directly from the Crown which would imply that the title appying to the Fief Blondel during the
Norman Age was Reichsfriherre. The common Dane/Germanic acronym for "Reichsfreiherr" is "R.Frhr." or "RFrhr." for
short.
933AD the islands were granted
to William I Longsword by Raoul, the King of West Francia, and annexed to the Duchy of Normandy
West Francia Rule of
Guernsey - Somewhere around A.D. 968, monks, from the Benedictine famous monastery of Mont
Saint-Michel, came to Guernsey to establish a community in the North of the island called the: The Priory of Mont
Saint-Michel which was a dependency of the famous Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel. Robert II, Duke of Normandy (the
father of William the Conqueror) was journeying to England in 1032, to help Edward the Confessor. He was obliged to
take shelter in Guernsey and gave land, now known as the Clos du Valle, to the monks on Guernsey. These exchanges
and laws create an exact correlation between West Francia Territory and Guernsey Fiefs. The Priory had the largest
feudal court of all the Seigneuries, consisting of a Seneschal, eleven Vavasseurs, a Greffier (registrar), six
Bordiers, and a Batonnier (wand-bearer).
1020AD - The Fief de Blondel or
Fiefdom of Thomas Blondel came about through the medieval fragmentation of Fief Au Canelly and consequently, of the
initial half of Guernésiais or Guernsey given by Duke Richard II in 1020 to Neel, Vicomte of the
Cotentin.
Fief Blondel was part of Fief Canelly and Fief of the Cotentin of Torteval and Fief
of Bessin ( or Bayeux ) which was in St. Pierre-du-Bois, and Blondel may have had territory in the Fief of
Ansquetil.. Thus, Blondel is one of the only fiefs which has territory in all of the great fiefs
The holders of the property title of the
Fief Blondel territory were Counts or Viscounts of Contentin and Bessin. The definition of a
vicomte is a French nobleperson, ranked just above a baron. This fief Blondel was held directly from the
Crown which would imply that the title appying to the Fief Blondel during the Norman Age was Reichsfriherre. The
common Dane/Germanic acronym for "Reichsfreiherr" is "R.Frhr." or "RFrhr." for short.
In 1066, William the Conqueror mandated Norman Feudal Tenure into England and the
Channel Islands and divided it up into 700+ baronies or fiefs. The Lord Barons were called Seigneurs Normands who
were part of the new Kingdom of William the Conqueror.
In
12th Century Kingdom of France, the term baronnie or Baron was generally applied to all lords or seigneurs
possessing an important fief, but laterin the
13th century the title of Baron meant that the holder held his Fief
directly from the Crown and was thus more important than a count since counts were
typically vassals. Several Knightly Orders were created - Order of the Genet 726AD - Order of the Star 1022AD - Order of the Thistle of Bourbon 1370AD. These
three orders are still maintained by the Seigneur of Fief Blondel
AD 1179 - We find Legal
Reference of Lord Seigneur of Thomas Blondel, a noble fief, in a charter of 1179AD when he is witnessing a grant to
St. Michael's Mount. He is Robert Malmarchie (Thomas Blondel).
1204 AD - Fief
Blondel and other Ancient Fiefs were Forfeited to the Crown with separation of Guernsey from
France and Normandy and given to loyal Seigneurs and Dames who were Feudal Lords to the Sovereign of the UK
Crown.
1200's AD - The Parish of St. Andrew in
which Thomas Blondel lies contained a group of four late 12 century ecclesiastical Fiefs, one held by the Bishop of
Countances, the second held by the Abbot of Cormery, Tours, the third held by the Abbot of La Croix St. Lewfroy,
Evreux, and the fourth held by the Abbess of Trinity, Caen. The Fief Thomas Blondel derives its name, as we have
already observed from the family of
Malmarcher or Malmarchy who are recorded in the charters as existing in Guernsey in the 12th
Century. Today, The region of The Fief de Thomas Blondel lies in
both St Pierre du Bois (St. Peter of the Wood) and of the
Parish of Notre Dame de Torteval along with the Blondel Dependency Fief de l'Eperon of
Torteval Parish of the Island of
Guernsey.
In 1270, on the death of Sir
Henry Le Canelly, the great Guernsey fief Fief Au Canelly was
divided between his daughters. Guilemette, the wife of Henry de Saint Martin obtained a considerable part of the
island originating the Fiefs of Janin Besnard, Jean du Gaillard, Guillot Justice and Thomas
Blondel. This was confirmed by the tenants and officers of the Fief in letters patent issued by Guernsey's Royal
Court under the Bailiwick Seal in 1463. The original noble, Thomas Blondel was a jurat of Guernsey’s Royal Court
from 1421-45. The Blondel family has given several jurats to the island. Later the Columbines and Fiotts were the
holders of the title. For a time, the rights over the Fief were divided in two.
In 12th Century Kingdom of France, the term baronnie or Baron was generally applied
to all lords or seigneurs possessing an important fief, but later in
the
13th century the title of Baron meant that the holder held his Fief
directly from the Crown and was thus more important than a count since counts were
typically vassals.
-
France Held Guernsey
1338-1345 - The islands were invaded by the French in 1338, who held some territory
until 1345.
-
Edward III of England granted a Charter in July 1341 to Jersey, Guernsey,
Sark and Alderney, confirming their customs and laws to secure allegiance to the English
Crown.
-
1378 Guernsey Charter Liberties and
Tax Treatment - The young King Richard II of England reconfirmed in 1378 the
Charter rights granted by his grandfather, followed in 1394 with a second Charter granting, because of
great loyalty shown to the Crown, exemption for ever, from English tolls, customs and
duties
A 1440 Record of the
Fiefdom Deed of the Fief of Thomas Blondel which the deed is still at University Leeds,
shows the parishes of St Peter of the Wood and Torteval, Guernsey, made by Janet Blondel to Thomas de la
Court. attested by Jean Bonamy and Jacques Guille, jurats. According to the Deed, the Fief Blondel further includes the: Fief
Blondel territory in the parishes of St Pierre du Bois (St. Peter of the Wood) and of Notre Dame de Torteval
along with the Fief de l'Eperon of Torteval, the Bouvée Phlipot Pain, lying in the said parish of St Pierre duBois,
and the Bouvée Torquetil and Bouvée Bourgeon lying in the said parish of Torteval.
SEE DIGITAL FIEF MAP
1848 - French Nobility and Titles are
eliminated while the Fief Seigneurs of Guernsey continue to exist under Ancient British Norman
Laws.
1919 - Nobility eliminated in Germany and
Austria. Since 1919 nobility is no longer legally recognized in Germany. Under the Law on the
Abolition of Nobility, Austria eliminated its noble classes in 1919. However in Guernsey, the ancient property
titles of Fief Seigneur or Free Lord of a Fief continued to exist.
A few of these Guernsey fiefs are still registered directly with the Crown where a
treizième or conge was paid in Royal Court to Her Majesty. A lawyer must be hired to register the fief in French. Conge is part of the feudal past when a due (representing
one thirteenth of the property price) was charged on the property changing hands and was paid to the Seigneur of
the fief upon which the property sat. It remains due and payable to the Receiver General in respect of the
conveyance of fiefs. The
owners of Fiefs maintain the legal right to be styled with the ancient title
of: Seigneur or Dame.
In the case of the Fief Blondel, the fee was paid by the Seigneur of Fief Blondel
directly to the Crown of the United Kingdom. There may be only a few legally recognized feudal fiefs in the world
left at this time which are legally allowed or directly registered with a Sovereign King or
Queen.
The Noble Fief of Blondel is one of the island's few "private fiefs" or"
feudal titles" not held by the King and Queen.
The Feudal Lord's of Blondel - Approx. Chronology of FreeLords who Held the
Norman Title.
-
1st Count of Normandy -The Viking Seigneur Duke Rollo 911AD
( C
omes Normanniae
) - Feudal Duke & Lord - Great Viking Chief Rollo
Göngu-Hrólfr or Gaange Rolf - Le Seigneur of the Noble Fief including Fief Blondel a Norman
Freeholder Lord of property, region, and land rights over small palatinates. Also known in Northern, Viking, & Scandanavian Countries as:
Free Lord - Friherre - The Fief Thomas Blondel
-
2nd Seigneur - 933AD - Siegneur
Ranulf Fitz Anhetil & Duke Robert the Magnificent
-As far as Guernsey is concerned, Siegneur
Ranulf Fitz Anhetil, Viscount of Bessin,
was part of the Norman Court of Duke Robert the Magnificent [an heir of Rollo] when the latter
took possession of the Channel Islands in 933. Anhetil was appointed to rule over the northern
fief in Guernsey comprising the parishes of the Vale, Catel, St. Saviour and St. Pierre du
Bois.
-
3rd
Seigneur 1032 AD - Seigneur Monastery of Mont St.
Michel - In 1032 this fief was passed over to the
Monastery of Mont St. Michel
-
4th Seigneur
1042 - Viscount Ranulf de
Briquessart, in
1042.
-
5th Seigneur and
Duke - William, Duke of Normandy
1066
(Viscount or C
omes Normanniae
)
-
6th Seigneur or Count -
Vicomte de Cotentin - Néel de Saint-Sauveur was also known as: (Niel, Nigel) II (III)
de Saint-Saveur, Vicomte de Cotentin born in 1016 and died around
1073.
-
7th Seigneur of
Blondel - Geoffrey Count of Anjou - Geoffrey
Plantagenet and Princess Mitilda 1145-1150 - According to Seigneur Lenfesty, Count Anjou granted the
guernsey fiefs the title or status of "Free Tenants" or Free Lords which have the status of Barons
when baron titles were later introduced.
-
8th Seigneur - Abbots of the Famous Mont St. Michel
-
9thSeigneur -
King John Duke of Normandy - 1204-5AD - Separation of
Guernsey from Normandy, The loss of Normandy by King John in 1204 isolated the Channel Islands from
mainland Europe where up to today, Guernsey is an independent crown dependency. Self governing
but loyal to the Crown of England
-
10th Seigneur - King Henry 1254
AD
-
11th Seigneur Edward
I - In 1254 Henry granted the Islands to his son,
the future Edward I, but at the same time stipulated that the Islands were never to be separated from
the English Crown.
-
12th Seigneur of the Fief Blondel and
(Feudal-Free-Lord) The Family Le Canelly until
1270 - Fief Blondel and other Fiefs
are Forfeited to the Crown with separation from Normandy and given to loyal Seigneurs and
Dames.
-
13th Seigneur or Dames - In
1270AD , on the death of Sir Henry Le
Canelly, the large Guernsey fief "Fief Au Canelly" or 'Le Kenele' was divided between
his daughters. Guilemette, the wife
of
de Saint Martin obtained a considerable part of the island which originated the fiefs of Janin Besnard, Jean du
Gaillard, Guillot Justice and Thomas Blondel.
-
-
The Assize Rolls of 1309 and 1320, and a
deed at Warwick Castle throw light on this last entry, as they show that Drouet de St
Martin had married Dame
Guilemette, and Thomas de Vic,
Dame Lucie, daughters and
co-heiresses of Sir Henry Le Canelly, Knight, Seigneur of Le Canelly, an important Guernsey manor which
stretched over part of the parishes of Torteval, St Peter-in-the-Wood and St
Saviour.
-
At the Assizes held in Guernsey, 1309, The
de St Martin brothers declared that Henry de St Martin and Avice de Vic held the
inheritance of 'Le Kenele' or Fief Cannely between them in the parishes of Torteval and St
Peter-in-the-Wood, suit of court, the right of chase and court of their tenants. This
inheritance passed in moiety to the Fief Blondel and other fiefs within Fief
Cannely
-
14th Seigneur of Fief Blondel -
Sir William De
Chesney 1284- Sir William De
Chesney
is named as the Seigneur of the Fief Thomas Blondel
in 1284 AD which
is 740 years ago
that this noble feudal fief has existed under the direct relationship with the Crown of
England.
-
15th Lord Seigneur - Thomas Blondel
1421-1440 and later Le Dame Janet
Blondel and Blondel Family until 1440. Thomas Blondel was born in 1422 in
Guernsey. His father was Guillaume Blondel, of La Perelle. Thomas Blondel's son Nicholas BLONDEL is
listed in some websites as the Seigneur of: (Fief Thos. Blondel of Fief Canelly). A John
Blondel was bailiff of Guernsey in 1483.
-
16th 1440 - Seigneur of Fief Blondel -
Sieur Thomas De La Court under the protection of Prince & Duke of Gloucester,
Lord of the Islands at the time.
Seigneur De La Court purchased: fief Thomas Blondel and Fiefs de l'Eperon lying in the said parish
of Torteval and likewise all and such seigneuries, dignities, liberties, graces and franchises as to
the aforesaid fiefs and each of them attach and belong with a certain dinner which the said Jenete
takes and owns annually for an estate of inheritance, she claims, on the fief of the Prior of
Lihou. De La Court was the Bailiff of the Island 2
times.
-
1481 - Papal Bull in
1481 directed against attacks on the islanders that
had the effect, beneficial to trade, of making Guernsey protected by
the Vatican .
-
17th 1595
Lord Dame Marie de La
Court
-
18th Seigneur of Fief
Blondel - George S. Le
Couteur Freeholder-Feudal-Lord & Friherre/Freiherr) , Seigneur of Fief Thomas
Blondel
-
19th 1644
Lord Seigneur Guilliume De Beauvoir and heirs
Pierre Beauvoir and Pierre Fiott
-
20th 1775 - Seigneur Thomas de
Guille
-
21st Lord Seigneurs or Freeholder-Feudal-Lord
& Friherre or Freiherr) Seigneur Daniel Hardy & Le Dame
Marie Guille in the 1700's until year 1800.
-
22nd Lord - Seigneur Pierre Robillard of
Maison de Pleinmont, Torteval, was the Seigneur of Fief de Thomas Blondel. The rights over the Fief
again joined during the XIX century as shown in documents of 11/10/1800 (Reg Tome 26, p 420) and
19/05/1798 - Pierre Robilliard obtained the Fief from Daniel Hardy & Marie Guille.
1800 "Monsieur Pierre Robilliard, Seigneur
des fiefs Thomas Blondel, Guillot Justice, Bouvee du Quemin, et fief La Cour
Ricard
-
23rd Seigneur 1901 - Nicholas Le
Huray of Pleinmont
-
24th Seigneur George S. Le
Couteur 1921
bought and became Seigneur of fief Thomas Blondel. Some other minor fiefs may have
remained to Dame Mary Robilliard, wife of M. Le P. Coquierre, and so passed to their daughter, Miss Le
Coquierre.
-
German Socialist
Empire - Fief Blondel, Guernsey, occupied by
Military WarLords of Germany, 1940-1945.
-
25th Seigneur ( Count Julio Emilio Marco Franco MD of
Spain ) The rights of Fief Thomas Blondel acquired from Le Couteur Family by (Count & Seigneur Dr. Marcov of Spain)
from Sept. 2000 until December of 2017.
-
26th
Free Lord & Seigneur - Commissioner & Counselor Dr./Jur George Mentz JD
MBA, Seigneur of Fief of Blondel et L'Epersons ) on the
island of (Dgèrnésiais - Guernsey French)
in Dec. 2017, the rights of the Private Fief of Thomas Blondel were
acquired by George Mentz, Esq of the United States. Acquired by conveyance and payment of: Duty, Treizième & Congé, and
Jurats fee, and Fief Permission Fees to the HM/Crown and Receiver General, HM Clerk Greffier and Royal
Courts ** Mentz is an
international advocate lawyer who studied  Common, Civil and French/Latin Law who has a keen interest in maintaining the
Feudal Courts of the Fief Blondel because it is one of the oldest feudal courts in the
world. Mentz is also the titular feudal Lord Baron of
Ancient Longford-Westmeath in Ireland through acquisition from the original sale from Earl and
Lord Westmeath. The Seigneur of the Fief of Thomas Blondel also holds the ancient
Fief of Spurs or The Fief à Eperon as a dependency. George Mentz, Seigneur of Fief de
Blondel (A Norman Fief) is a direct descendant of William the Conqueror and Rollo the Viking, 1st
Duke of Normandy. Mentz traces his roots from the Scottish Lords: McConnells to the Flemings, Ker,
Drummond Campbell and Stewart Families. From there up to the Kings and Queens of England to the
Plantagenets. George Mentz is also a direct descendent of Henry V The Blondell (1216 –
24 December 1281) The Count of Luxembourg - The Counts of Luxembourg are descendents of the
Count of Arlon and Dukes of Limburg which was a dynasty in present day Belgium and
Luxembourg.
-
Mentz is The Last
American International
Advocate Seigneur
™
-
The Seigneury of the Fief of Blondel historically over
the last 1000 years contains about seven bouvées
of land called the Bouvée Phlipot Pain, lying in the said parish of St Pierre
duBois, and the bouvées Torquetil and Bourgeon
along with the Fief de
l'Eperon lying in the
said parish of Torteval and likewise all and such
seigneuries, dignities, liberties, graces and franchises as to the aforesaid fiefs and each of them attach and belong with a
certain dinner annually supplied by the fief of the Prior of Lihou.
2017 to Present Day - The Goverment's Court of Chief Pleas is an ancient
Court and is constituted in the same way as a Full Court. Nowadays it will typically sit only once per year.
It is attended by the Full Court, the Law Officers of the Crown, Advocates and the Fief Seigneurs and Bordiers
owing suit to the Court. The Feudal Lords of the Fief are recognized directly by registration with the crown and
royal courts. Many esteemed lawyers and officers are in attendance each year at Michaelmas which is a
Christian festival observed in some Western liturgical calendars on 29 September. In some denominations a reference
to a fourth angel, usually Uriel, is also added. Michaelmas has been one of the four quarter days of the financial,
judicial, and academic year. Michaelmas annual Court in Guernsey is usually on the first Monday of October
accompained by government meetings, roll calls, traditional march parade, and dinner of legal,
governmental, and feudal dignitaries.
Commissioner Dr. Mentz, Seigneur of
Fief Blondel attending Chief Pleas
Fief Blondel Territory - Free Lords and Counts
The Fief territory itself is spread over areas in the parishes of St. Pierre-du-Bois
and Torteval and contains within it ancient buildings, beachfront, foreshore, ocean access, & port lands of the
island. The private Fief Blondel may be one of the few Legal Fiefs in the World that does not require or demand
annual or periodic fealty or oaths to and from the Crown. Thus, it is an independent and free fiefdom and one of
the oldest surviving fiefs and lordships in the world. The Lord of a Channel Island Fief would be called a Seigneur
or Dame or in other languages a Feudal Lord, Lehnsherr (Germanic), Friherre (Viking/Danish), or føydalherren
(Norwegian). As this free lordship direct from the Crown is Norman and predates typical baronial titles, it is one
of the most ancient fief titles in continuous use in the world. The term baron was not used or created until 1387
by Richard II when he created Baron of Kidderminster and in 1433, the second baron was created "Baron
Fanhope".
Ancient Feudal Court of Fief Blondel
The Chief Pleas of the Seignorial court of Seigneurial court of Fief Thomas Blondel
were originally held annually at the mounting block or steps (perron) of the Church of St.
Pierre-du-Bois. Now the Cheif Pleas Annual Court is held at the Old Government House and is led by the
Government of Guernsey where all of the Seigneurs and Bordiers attend and make procession in the streets of
Guernsey as they have done for over hundreds of years.
The Fief Blondel is a private fief dating back to 1179 in the Crown Holding Island of
Guernsey where the owners of a fief directly from the Crown are called a Seigneur according to present
law.
Where is Fief
Blondel
Fief Blondel – is a feudal area of land for which residents once paid fees or
rendered services to the Lord Baron or Seigneur in return for the right to use the land in commerce.
The Free Fief Blondel is in two parishes or counties of
Torteval and St. Peter of the Wood. The Fief sits on the Eastern part of the island and includes areas in the
North, Central and South East Sections of the Island including: beach, woods, buildings, common areas, sacred
lands, and other commercial buildings and farm land along with potentially including small islands offshore of the
fiefs beach and foreshore. The Fief Blondel has foreshore in Roquaine Bay and Portelet Beach where " The
Bissets " Rock Islands are considered part of the Fief Thomas Blondel.
Historically, fiefs and small baronnies of land, were granted as a form of
over-lordship, giving the Free-Lord or Seigneurs the rights over the people and property on that land under the
ancient Northman/Norman feudal system.
Style of Seigneur - As per the
The Feudal Dues (Guernsey) Law, 1980 Style of Seigneur of a fief etc. Section 4. The foregoing provisions of this
Law shall be without prejudice –
(a) to the right of any person to use, in the case of a male person, the style of Seigneur and, in the case of a
female person, the style of Dame, of a fief,
(b) to the feudal relationship between Her Majesty and any person holding an interest in a private fief on or at
any time after the commencement of this Law, or to the feudal relationship between any person holding an interest
in any fief and any person holding an interest in a dependency of that fief, and
(c) to the right or obligation of any person by virtue of that person holding an interest in any fief which is not
a right to which those provisions apply or any obligation correlative thereto.
www.guernseylegalresources.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=71301&p=0
Most of the legal rights formerly enjoyed by the Seigneurs of fiefs having been
abolished by law in 1966 but international law and custom still pertains to the rights of beaches, airwaves,
underground, common areas, foreshore, and other rights such as hunting and fishing.
A fief owner does register the title in an act of legal title conveyance with Her
Majesty's Receiver General much like the transfer of land rights, mineral rights or water rights and the fief
buyer pays special consideration of Treizième & Congé fees to the CROWN for the transfer and rights. The Fief
holder can be styled Seigneur (or Dame) du Fief de la .....
Generally speaking, the title is not normally used except in formal settings. A fief,
in legal theory, is held directly from the Crown. However, this fief does not owe homage or any other services but
does maintain rights to conduct customs and formalities such as creating
honorific Fief Officers and Courts or possibly representing the
Fief in any unclaimed area of law such as foreshore, airwaves, water rights, hunting and fishing rights
etc.
The International Court of Justice Addresses many issues of Normandy, The English
Crown, and ownership of the Channel Island Fiefs in various cases.
During the Dane and Viking expansion of 800-1100, Guernsey is even mentioned in the
Edda. Guernsey was subject to Brittany until 933 when they were added to the Duchy of Normandy. Many of the
Fiefs were owned by Norman Seigneurs and thus the fiefs of Guernsey are Norman titles. King Philip declared the
islands forfeited in 1204 to England and King John. In 1568 after being Catholic for hundreds of years,
Guernsey was attached to the diocese of Winchester England. The Bailiwick of Guernsey dats from about 1290 where
there is a Lieutenant Governor and bailiff and royal court presiding for the Crown. Guernsey is not bound by
parliament unless specifically named.
English……... Free Lord or Baron of Feudal Baron
French……… Sgr. Seigneur or Dame
Italian………. Seignor/Barone Baronessa
German……. Frhr. Freiherr Freifrau
Swedish……. Frhr. Friherre Friherrinna
Norwegian…. Frhr. Friherre Friherrinna
Dutch………. Frhr. Vrijheer Vrijvrouw
Danish……… Frhr. Friherre Friherreinde
One of the Oldest Noble Grants and Territories in
Continuous Existence with Continous Crown Recognition - Since 1179
Fief Blondel appears to be older than the Seigneurs of Monaco as
the Grimaldi family settled in Monaco in 1297 and Fief Blondel is also older than ancient Sheikhdom of Kuwait,
Kingdom of Moscovy Russia 1362, Kingdom of Spain 1479, Kingdom of Bohemia, Kingdom of Belgium. Fief Blondel may
also be older than the Ottomon Empire, Habsburg Empire, and the Kingdom of Lithuania.
The
Fief de Thomas Blondel
produced “
Livres de perchage
” in 1595, 1644, 1680, 1709, 1775, 1809, 1844, 1876, 1901, 1921 and 1968. The contents of the
“
Livres de perchage
” reveal something of the history of the properties of the Territory and Fief boundaries.
** The fiefs of Thomas Blondel, Guillot Justice, Bouvee Duquemin adn Cour Ricard total about 238/9 vergees in
Torteval and St. Peter in the Wood. They are parts of the ancient Fief au Canelly. In 1890 the Seigneur of Fief
Blondel was Pierre Robilliard (Pleinmont). His Brother T Robilliard (Pleinmont) held the Torteval Fiefs Duquemin,
Fief Guillot Justice and Fief Cour Riqua or Ricar. In the Livre de Percharge of Fief Thomas Blondel year 1968,
Bouvee Duquemin is included as part of Thomas Blondel again.
Order of the Genet -Order of the Start Est. 1022-Knights of the
Thistle of Bourbon
Lord Kinnear, in Smith v. Lerwick Harbour Trustees said about the Crown's property rights: "If the solum of
Shetland as a whole is not originally the property of the Crown, I know of no authority, and can see no reason, for
holding (saying) that part of it which is called the foreshore is Crown Property". This statement could equally
well be applied to the seabed, especially since the foreshore is regarded as part of the seabed in English law.
KINGDOM OF WEST FRANCIA
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