Ralph de Gaël (otherwise Ralph de Guader, Ralph Wader or Radulf Waders or Ralf Waiet or Rodulfo de Waiet; before 1042c. 1100) was the Earl of East Anglia (Norfolk and Suffolk) and Lord of Gaël and Montfort (Seigneur de Gaël et Montfort). He was the leading figure in the Revolt of the Earls, the last serious revolt against William the Conqueror.
Birth
Ralph de Gaël was born as a noble before 1042, most probably about 1040. He was the high-born son of an Earl Ralph who was English, or born in England, and lived at the time of the Confessor. Some sources believe this to be Ralph the Staller, while others argue that he was the son of Earl Ralph Mantes of Hereford, and who briefly held the Earldom of East Anglia. Both English and French sources highlight that he had mixed ancestry, both English, and with a Breton parent, possibly his mother, that was 'Bryttisc' meaning 'British', a Breton. Other sources state that it was his father who was of Breton ancestry (although born in Norfolk), and that his mother was English. French sources state that he was a 'man of illustrious birth, descended from the Kings of the Bretons', including Warrior Saint King Judicaël, the castle of Gaël being the traditional seat of the Kings of Brittany.
In the Domesday book, an English Alsi, is named as 'nephew of Earl Ralph', and a Godwin, English with Anglo-Saxon and possible Dutch connections, is named as Earl Ralph's uncle. Other sources cite a possible relation (possibly a cousin), to rebel Hereward the Wake, also stated to be of noble birth. His wedding feast and associations highlight connections to both Anglo-Saxon and Danish nobles, as well as his vast inherited lands in Brittany.
Inheritances
He inherited the great Breton barony of Gaël, which comprised more than forty parishes. In England, he also inherited estates, but it is not known whether he obtained the Earldom of Norfolk immediately on his father's death. Shortly after the Norman conquest, he held large estates in Norfolk, as well as property in Suffolk, Essex, Hertford, and possibly other counties. He was named Earl of East Anglia by William I. Some accounts suggest that his service in the conquest restored lands that were already his by inheritance. This is mentioned in the Norman chronicler Wace's account of the conquest of 1066:
Prior to the Revolt of 1075
In 1065 he was with Conan II, Duke of Brittany when he besieged Rivallon I of Dol, Lord of Dol, in the castle of Combourg.
He fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and was known for his bravery and strength of character. Later he is found in February or March 1068 at William the Conqueror's court.
Then in 1069, he routed a force of Norsemen which had invaded Norfolk and occupied Norwich, and he would later be created Earl of Norfolk and Suffolk, or of the East Angles, the Earldom being also styled, from its capital, "of Norwich".
It was likely this Ralph who on 13 April 1069 was with the King at Winchester and he witnessed, as Earl Ralph, a diploma in favour of St Denis of Paris and a grant in favour of the Bishop of Essex. He also attested a charter between 1068 and 1070 as "Comes", a hereditary count.
Ralph built a church, St Peter Mancroft in Norwich, in the new town, and gave it to his chaplains.
Marriage
He married, in 1075 at the manor of Exning, Cambridgeshire, Emma, only daughter of William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford and his first wife Alice (or Adelise/Adelissa), daughter of Roger I of Tosny. Their marriage united two extremely large estates, as well as noble lines, including to the English Saxon Kings and Queens of old. Some writers have indicated that King William I may have seen the alliance as a threat to his reign.
Revolt of the Earls
The king's refusal to sanction the marriage between Ralph and Emma, from two powerful families, caused a revolt in his absence. Ralph and Emma married in spite of the King's disapproval. At the Wedding Feast 'Bride Ale', Ralph, his new brother-in-law Roger de Breteuil, 2nd Earl of Hereford, and Anglo-Saxon Earl Waltheof, 1st Earl of Northumberland planned a revolt against the King. Orderic Vitalis stated some of the grievances that led to the revolt. These included William I's tendency to knock off any real or perceived threats to his crown.