Simon I de Senlis (or Senliz), 1st Earl of Northampton and 2nd Earl of Huntingdon, who was born 1068 and died between 1111 and 1113, was a Norman nobleman
From schools to churches that have stood for almost a millennium, everyone in Northampton has heard the name Simon de Senlis.
The knight, whose family came over from Normandy with William the Conqueror, rose to the height of the new English aristocracy.
He founded some of the best-known landmarks in Northampton before returning to the land of his birth in his later years.
Here, lay out of ten facts known about this key character in Northampton’s past.
1. Simon de Senlis, 1st Earl of Northampton-Huntingdon (1068-1111)
Simon de Senlis, 1st Earl of Northampton-Huntingdon (1068-1111) was a Norman knight who lent his name to many places in Northampton Photo: NA
2. Capelle-les-Grands, Normandy
Simon de Senlis was born in Capelle-les-Grands, Normandy, in around 1068 - the third son of Laudri de Senlis, lord of Chantilly and Ermenonville (in Picardy), and his wife Ermengarde Photo: NA
3. Battle of Hastings
Simon's birth occurred around two years after William the Conqueror's victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, which saw legions of Norman knights follow their master to England (Pictured: The Bayeux Tapestry) Photo: NA
4. Crusades
As a young knight, Simon de Senlis was sent to Jerusalem where he fought in the Holy Crusades. There, it is believed he would have seen the famous Church of the Holy Sepulchre near the centre of Jerusalem Photo: Google Streetview