Thomas FitzStephen

Thomas FitzStephen (; died 1120) was captain of the ill-fated White Ship , which sank off Barfleur, Normandy, on 25 November 1120.

Life

FitzStephen was the son of Stephen FitzAirard , the captain of the Mora, the ship which brought William the Conqueror over from Normandy during his invasion of England in 1066. FitzStephen owned and captained the White Ship, which at that time was docked at Barfleur harbour. When Thomas FitzStephen presented himself to the king he said:

Henry had already made other arrangements, but gave permission for his sons William Adelin and Richard, as well as the young nobles in William's entourage, to travel on it instead. According to Orderic Vitalis, the nobles as well as the crew were drinking. FitzStephen and his crew were challenged by the revelers to overtake the king's ship which had already sailed. Orderic also claims that FitzStephen let himself drown rather than face the wrath of King Henry I, as Henry's son William Adelin had been among those drowned.