Spouse Agnes de Percy Grandchildren William de Percy Name Joscelin Louvain | Noble family House of Reginar | |
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Coat of arms The "Lion of Brabant", Sable a lion rampant or, arms adopted late in the 12th century at the start of the age of heraldry by the Dukes of Brabant. It is said to be the origin of the "modern arms" adopted by the Percys: Or, a lion rampant azure Children Richard de Percy, Henry de Percy Parents Clementia of Burgundy, Godfrey I, Count of Louvain Grandparents Henry II, Count of Louvain, William I, Count of Burgundy Great-grandparents Lambert II, Count of Louvain, Alice of Normandy, Reginald I, Count of Burgundy | ||
Joscelin of Louvain, also spelled Jocelin de Louvain and Jocelyn of Leuven, (1121–1180) was a nobleman from the Duchy of Brabant who settled in England having married an English heiress. Through his son, the House of Percy—as the Earls and later the Dukes of Northumberland—became the most powerful family in Northern England. He was brother-in-law to King Henry I, whose second wife was Joscelin's half sister Adeliza of Louvain.
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Origins
He was a son of Godfrey I, Count of Louvain either by his second wife, Clementia of Burgundy, or by a mistress.
He married Agnes de Percy (d.1203), one of the two daughters and co-heiresses of William II de Percy (d.1174/5), 3rd feudal baron of Topcliffe, Yorkshire. Upon his marriage, he adopted the Percy surname.
Petworth
Joscelin was granted the manor of Petworth, in Sussex, by his sister Adeliza, the widow of King Henry I of England. His descendants were seated at Petworth House for many centuries.
Though they originally intended Petworth to be their southern home, the Earls of Northumberland were confined to Sussex by Elizabeth I in the late 16th century, when she grew suspicious of Percy allegiance to her rival, Mary, Queen of Scots. Petworth then became their permanent home.
Marriage and progeny
He married Agnes de Percy (d.1203), one of the two daughters and co-heiresses of William II de Percy (d.1174/5), 3rd feudal baron of Topcliffe, Yorkshire and settled in England. He and his descendants, later created Earls of Northumberland, adopted the surname Percy. By his wife he had at least seven children: