Cecilia of Normandy

Cecilia of Normandy (or Cecily; – 30 July 1126) was a French abbess, thought to be the eldest daughter of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders. Life

She was the sister of William II and Henry I of England. She was very close to her other brother, Robert Curthose. She was given a high education in the arts, Latin, rhetoric and logic by the scholar Arnulf of Chocques.

Cecilia was entered into the Abbey of the Holy Trinity of Caen at a young age by her parents. She was placed in the convent in June 1066 at its formal inauguration. The convent was founded by her mother as a penance for her marriage, which was initially regarded as a prohibited degree of kinship, as well as during the preparations of the invasion of England.

In 1100, she was visited by her brother Robert Curthose on his return from the First Crusade. He presented her and her abbey with a captured Saracen banner.

Cecilia had a successful career at the convent. Cecilia was possibly the only child to be present on the funeral of her mother in 1083, as it took place in her convent, and no other child is confirmed to have been present.

Her good reputation was described by Baldric of Dol, archbishop of Dol, and the poet Hildebert of Le Mans, who referred to her as "a queen, a goddess and a royal virgin, who married a heavenly husband".

Cecilia died on 30 July 1126 in Caen, France. She was buried within the abbey walls. Her tomb is walled up without any opening being left through which it can be discovered. Her father was also buried in Caen.