William Strong Hand Pincerna ALBINI, EARL WILLIAM "STRONG HAND" PINCERNA ALBINI1ST EARL OF ARUNDELD'AUBIGNY

                   LORD OF BUCKENHAM, EARL OF SUSSEX, 1ST EARL OF ARUNDEL
William married Henry I's widow and through her inherited the Earldom and Castle of Arundel, where the couple resided. William supported Empress Maud and was duly rewarded by her son King Henry II. He was a great castle builder, erecting CastleRising in 1140 and Buckenham Castle in 1146. He played a critical role in reconciling King Stephen and Henry II at Wallingford Castle in 1152. He was also involved in negotiations regarding the King's dispute with Thomas a Becket. As a militarycommander he led the royal army against Henry II's rebellious sons in Normandy. William is buried in the Abbey of Wymondham.
THE STORY OF WILLIAM STRONGHAND (as related by William Dugdale):
It happened that the Queen of France, being then a widow, and a very beautiful woman, became much in love with a knight from an other country, who was a comely person, and in the flower of his youth; and because she thought that no man excelledhim in valor, she caused a tournament to be proclaimed throughout her dominions, promising to reward those who should exercise themselves therein, according to their respective abilities; and concluded that if the person whom she so well affectedshould act his part better than others in those military exercises, she might marry him without any dishonor to herself. Hereupon divers gallant men, from foreign parts hasting to Paris, amongst others came this our William de Albini, bravelyaccoutered, and in the tournament excelled all others, overcoming many, and wounding one mortally with his lance, which being observed by the queen, she became exceedingly enamored of him, and forthwith invited him to a costly banquet, andafterwards bestowing certain jewels upon him, offered him marriage; but, having plighted his troth to the Queen of England, then a widow, he refused her, whereat she grew so discontented that she consulted with her maids how she might take awayhis life; and in pursuance of that design, inticed him into a garden, where there was a secret cave, and in it a fierce lion, unto which she descended by divers steps, under color of showing him the beast; and when she told him of its fierceness,he answered, that it was a womanish and not a manly quality to be afraid thereof. But having him there, by the advantage of a folding door, thrust him to the lion; being therefore in this danger, he rolled his mantle about his arm, and puttinghis hand into the mouth of the beast, pulled out his tongue by the root, which done, he followed the Queen to her palace and gave it to one of her maids to present her.
Returning thereupon to England, with the fame of this glorious exploit, he was forthwith advanced to the Earldom of Arundel, and for his arms the Lion given him. (And thus was he called William with the strong hand.) --courtesy of Sparrowhawk.
CASTLE RISING passed from the D'Albini Earls of Arundel to the Howard Earls of Norfolk. Its most famous resident was Isabella, the She Wolf of France, Queen of Edward II, who spent the last years of her life there.
ARUNDEL CASTLE was owned by Henry II after Stronghand's death. The king lived there in 1182. The castle reverted back to the de Albinis in the reign of Richard I, then passed to the FitzAlans who held it until 1555, and finally to the Howardswhere it remains to this day.
Surname PINCERNA. Earl of Arundel & Sussex, England. Aka D'AUBUGNY.
Came to England with William the Conqueror and was rewarded by theKing with
grant to many lands, among them was Rockingham to hold by the serviceof being
Butler to the Kings of England on the day of their coronation.  He was
confirmed Earl of Sussex and obtained the Earldom and Castle ofArundel by
marriage with Adeliza, widow of King Henry I, who held the same indower.
Arms - Gules, a lion rampant or.