Giroie, Lord of Échauffour

Giroie (, a.k.a. Géré) († 1033), Lord of Echauffour and Montreuil-l'Argillé, was a knight from Brittany who became a Norman nobleman and the progenitor of a large family in Normandy, England, and Apulia.

Career Giroie was the son of Arnold-le-Gros, of Courcerault, who was in turn the son of Abbo the Breton. Giroie's arrival in Normandy from Brittany did not apparently raise concerns with Richard II, Duke of Normandy, but was challenged by Gilbert, Count of Brionne whose lands nearby were threatened by the newcomer and his followers. Duke Richard intervened only to maintain the peace in the area and not to repel the newly settled Giroie. In battle against Herbert I, Count of Maine, William and his followers were overwhelmed and fled the battlefield, but Giroie and his small force held their ground and defeated Herbert's forces completely. who, in recognition of his great accomplishments granted the lands of Heugon to Giroie. On returning from Rouen, Giroie then married Gisle, daughter of Thurston de Bastembourg, lord of Montfort-sur-Risle.

After succeeding to the lands of Heugon, Giroie discovered the ecclesiastical houses in his domain were under no bishopric. He further inquired to find the most devout of the bishops surrounding his lands and found that to be Roger, Bishop of Lisieux. After his death, and only two of his sons being of age his lands were attacked again by Gilbert of Brionne, seeking an easy victory and wanting to add these lands to those of his own. The two sons, gathering up all their kinsmen and vassals, soundly defeated Gilbert's forces. Fulk fitz Giroie Robert fitz Giroie, Lord of Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei. His son Robert Giroie held the castle of Saint Ceneri against Henry I in 1118 Ralph 'Ill-tonsured', a monk at Marmoutier Abbey, Tours Hawise de Echauffour, wife of Robert de Grandmesnil, and secondly of William d'Évreux, being mother of, with others, Hugh and Robert de Grandmesnil and Judith d'Évreux Emma, married Robert Melrant