Martin

• Preferred Name: Martin
  
• Gender: M
  
• Unconfirmed+father: with note: Robert's family was associated with the abbey of St Dogmael's in Pembrokeshire where a false memory of Robert's father Martin 'of Tours' was preserved (Hist. of St Dogmael's, fols 20, 25). Martin is more likely to have been the Martin de Walis, i.e. Vaux, who attested a charter of Juhel of Totnes of c. 1084
  
• FSID: GZZ5-N6R
  
• Birth: ABT 1020 in France
  
• Death: 1086 in England
  
• Notes:

  === Life Sketch ===
  What is known about Martin is his single name (no surname), his wife Geva, and his son Robert.
  
  There has been a lot of discussion about ideas concerning who he was, but not conclusive.
  
  Lyte gives perhaps the fullest explanation of discussion of the history of the TWO main proposals.
  
  Lyte recounts how the 16th century antiquarian Leland wrote two notes asserting without explanation that Martin was actually "Martin of Tours". (Which happens to be the name of a famous dark ages writer.) There seems to be no known evidence, and this idea is not widely accepted.
  More worth discussion, Lyte explains that the famous genealogist J.H. Round "has indeed thrown out a suggestion that the shadowy "Martin de Tours" may be the "Martinus de Walis" who figures first among the witnesses to the foundation of the priory of Totnes. In support of this it may be noted that Geva de Burci's home in Devon was close to Totnes and that her home in Somerset was not far from the south-eastern coast of Wales. The acceptance of this conjectural identification, however, involves the ascription of a very early date to the foundation of Totnes Priory."
  === Life Sketch ===
  What is known about Martin is his single name (no surname), his wife Geva, and his son Robert.
  
  There has been a lot of discussion about ideas concerning who he was, but not conclusive.
  
  Lyte gives perhaps the fullest explanation of discussion of the history of the TWO main proposals.
  
  Lyte recounts how the 16th century antiquarian Leland wrote two notes asserting without explanation that Martin was actually "Martin of Tours". (Which happens to be the name of a famous dark ages writer.) There seems to be no known evidence, and this idea is not widely accepted.
  More worth discussion, Lyte explains that the famous genealogist J.H. Round "has indeed thrown out a suggestion that the shadowy "Martin de Tours" may be the "Martinus de Walis" who figures first among the witnesses to the foundation of the priory of Totnes. In support of this it may be noted that Geva de Burci's home in Devon was close to Totnes and that her home in Somerset was not far from the south-eastern coast of Wales. The acceptance of this conjectural identification, however, involves the ascription of a very early date to the foundation of Totnes Priory."

1. Robert Martin, b. 1082 in Machynlleth, Powys, Wales.     d. 1159 in Combe Martin, Devon, England.