Sir Godfrey de Saint-Omer

Notes:

Godfrey of Saint-Omer (also known as Gaufred, Godefroi, or Godfrey de St Omer, Saint Omer) was a French knight, one of the founding members of the Knights Templar in 1119.

He is said to have come from the family of the Lords of Saint-Omer (in today's northern France), possibly the son of William I, Lord of Saint Omer and Melisende de Piquigny. William and Melisende were known to have a son, Hugh, and both William and Hugh participated in the First Crusade as vassals of Robert II of Flanders. Hugh of Saint-Omer was also mentioned as one of the best knights in the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

There are conflicting reports as to Godfrey's relationship to William and Hugh. Chronologically Godfrey may have been Hugh's brother but it is also said that he was Hugo's son. On the list of crusaders, a Gauthier de Saint-Omer is listed, which could be a mistake for Gaufred (Gauthier de Saint-Omer was not yet born). Therefore Godfrey probably came to Jerusalem in 1099 with William I and Hugh.

According to legend, Hugues de Payens (the first Grand-Master of the Templars) and Godfrey were so poor that between the two of them they had only one horse, and this gave rise to the famous image on the seal of the Templars, of two men riding a single horse.
Source: Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godfrey_of_Saint-Omer.

Other Events:

• Residence: Saint-Omer, France

Notes:

Lord de Saint-Omer
b. c. 1080
d. c. 1150
m. ___
Geoffrey
Odo (Eudo) (Eudes)
LORD_____DE SAINT-OMER, 1080-1150 was the feudal lord of the Artois (Agincourt) region's fife of St. Omer. The suzeraine (superior feudal lord) was Count William Clito of Flanders. Lord de Saint-Omer had two sons, Godfrey (born 1100) and a younger son named ) Odo (Eudes). Godfrey and Hugh des Payen were the two founders of the "Templers" in 1119.
Guillaume de St. Omer, son of Lord Huston de St. Omer’s son Odo de Saint-Amand (see below) became the 8th Grand Master of the Knights Templar.

Some documents give the Lord de Saint Omer's name as Huston de Saint-Omer and a date of birth of about 1045, however 1080 seems the more likely date. Godfrey appears to have been born "Geoffrey" and changed his name to Godfrey - JPD 1997
Source: Daspit, Patrick, Coteau de France (Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, August 1999), www.fluckers.com/family/daspit/