The Family of Tosny

 

The family of Tosny deserves to be better known to historians of the early Norman period. Arising possibly from French (Frankish) rather than Norman ancestors, they became, after only perhaps two or three generations, so famous that troubadors wrote and sang chansons (songs) which carried that fame across all of Europe.

We introduce here a number of essays regarding different members of the family and also information about their religious activities as well as their secular land-holdings. Most of what we record relates to the family's activities in Normandy, but we also include material which reflects their considerable activities in England. Much more could be said about the Tosnys to bring together the many theses that have been written, articles and antique records that exist in various archives, and the folk-lore of Normandy. We only offer here a skeleton upon which we hope that some historian will, in the future, hang the flesh and create a full and comprehensive account of the family.

But, you may ask, why are we so concerned about the Tosny family? The reason is that one of the family, who had already had an illustrious career as Abbot of a Royal monastery in England, eventually rose to become one of the first of the long line of Bishops of Moray. We can glean a great deal about this bishop by considering the history and traditions of his family. This, in turn, yields a glimpse of the early life of the Diocese of Moray during a time when very little is known about the Scottish Church.