Hugh Bunel

Hugh Bunel was a Norman warrior. He was the son of Robert d'Ige and set to inherit La Roche-Mabile in northern France from him. After his inheritance was taken by Mabel de Bellême, Bunel and his three brothers entered Mabel's castle where Bunel decapitated her. The men afterwards fled into exile in Italy and Byzantium before, pursued by bounty hunters, they joined the Saracen army. When Robert Curthose, who had inherited Normandy, reached Jerusalem on the First Crusade, Bunel pledged allegiance to him and provided him with details of Saracen tactics.

Murder of Mabel de Bellême Bunel was the son of Robert d'Ige, his brothers were Ralph, Richard and Goislin. Bunel cut off Mabel's head with his sword. William Pantulf, who had also been deprived of his inheritances by Mabel, came under suspicion for the murder after his return from Italy. He escaped punishment after passing an ordeal of hot iron. Bunel and his brothers fled into exile to Apulia followed by Sicily and then Byzantium where they entered the service of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081-1118). Mabel's sons sent emissaries across Europe seeking the brothers and their agents followed them to Apulia, Sicily and Byzantium. A bounty was placed on the brothers' heads and they left Byzantium fearful that they would be killed for it or found by agents of the Conqueror. Bunel learnt Arabic and adopted the manners of the Saracens. This offer was accepted and Bunel also acted as a translator to Curthose. There is no evidence that Hugh ever received his ancestral lands in Normandy in return for his service to Curthose but it does seem to have put an end to his pursuit over the murder.