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Egidia de Lacy, Lady of Connacht (born c. 1205), was a Hiberno-Norman noblewoman, the wife of Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Baron of Connaught and Strathearn (c.1194-1242), and the mother of his seven children, including Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster. She was also known as Gille de Lacy. Egidia was the daughter of Walter II de Lacy by his second wife Margaret de Braose.

Family

Egidia de Lacy was born at Trim Castle, Co. Meath, Ireland about 1205, the daughter of Walter de Lacy, Lord of Trim Castle in Meath and Ludlow Castle in Shropshire (c.1172/1241), and Margaret de Braose (1177- after 1255). Egidia was also known as Gille. She was one of at least six children. Her brother Gilbert de Lacy (c.1202 - 25 December 1230), married Isabel Bigod, by whom he had issue. Her sister Pernel de Lacy (c.1201 - after 25 November 1288), married firstly, William St. Omer, and secondly, Ralph VI de Toeni, by whom she had issue.

Egidia'a paternal grandparents were Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, and Rohese of Monmouth, and her maternal grandparents were William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber, and Maud de St. Valery.

Marriage and children

On 21 April 1225, she married Richard Mor de Burgh (1194 -17 February 1243), Lord of Connacht (May 1227- 1242/1243), Justiciar of Ireland (1228-1232), the son of William de Burgh and More O' Brien, daughter of Donal Mor mac Turlough O' Brien, King of Thomond and Orlachan MacMurrough of Leinster. The marriage produced seven children:

Richard de Burgh, Lord of Connacht (died 1248)
Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster (1230 - 28 July 1271), married Aveline FitzJohn, daughter of John FitzGeoffrey, Justiciar of Ireland and Isabel Bigod, by whom he had issue, including Richard Og de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster.
William de Burgh (died 1270), married and had a son, William Liath.
Margery de Burgh (died after 1 March 1253), married Theobald le Botiller, son of Theobald le Botiller, chief Butler of Ireland and Joan du Marais, by whom she had issue. They were ancestors of the Butler Earls of Ormond.
Unnamed daughter who married Gerald de Prendergast, by whom she had issue, including a daughter Maud de Prendergast who in her turn married as his first wife Maurice FitzGerald, 3rd Lord of Offaly. Maurice FitzGerald and Maud de Prendergast were the parents of a daughter, Juliana FitzGerald.
Unnamed daughter who married Hamon de Valoignes, by whom she had issue.
Alice de Burgh

Death

Egidia died on an unknown date in Ireland.

Royal ancestor

Egidia had many notable descendants, including Elizabeth de Burgh, Catherine Parr, Margaret de Clare, the Earls of Ormond, and many Kings and Queens of Scotland and England. She was the ancestor of both Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII of England, the parents of Elizabeth I. Through the Royal families of England and Scotland, she became the ancestor of Royal houses all over Europe.

Egidia became:

the ancestor of David II, James V, Mary I, and James VI of Scotland;
the ancestor of all the Kings and Queens regnant of England from Edward IV to Elizabeth II, with the single exception of Henry VII who was married to her greatx9-granddaughter Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV.

Line of descent for the Scottish Royal family from Egidia de Lacy to David II of Scotland:

Egidia de Lacy (b.c.1205)
Walter de Burgh (c.1230-1271)
Richard Og de Burgh (1259-1326)
Elizabeth de Burgh (c.1284-1327), the wife of Robert the Bruce (Robert I of Scotland)
David II of Scotland (1324-1371)

Line of descent for the English Royal family from Egidia de Lacy to Edward IV of England:

Egidia de Lacy (b.c.1205)
Walter de Burgh (c.1230-1271)
Richard Og de Burgh (1259-1326)
John de Burgh (c.1286-1313)
William Donn de Burg (1312-1333)
Elizabeth de Burgh (1332-1363), the wife of Lionel of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence, 3rd son of Edward III of England
Phillipa of Clarence (1355-1382), the wife of Edmund Mortimer
Roger de Mortimer (1374-1398)
Anne de Mortimer (1390-1411), the wife of Richard of Conisburgh
Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460)
both Edward IV of England (1442-1483) and Richard III of England (1452-1485)

From Edward IV descend all subsequent Kings and Queens regnant of England who followed his brother Richard III, with only 1 exception as mentioned above, as well as James V of Scotland and his descendants.

Another link exists into the Royal Windsor family through Sarah Ferguson via Wingfield[disambiguation needed], Meade[disambiguation needed], O'Brien, Fitzgerald, and then to Richard Og de Burgh, a grandson of the said Egidia de Lacy, and a greatx5-grandson of Walter de Lacey the Norman soldier. This link makes Sarah Ferguson and her ex-spouse, Queen Elizabeth II's second son Prince Andrew, Duke of York, distant cousins.

Egidia married Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Baron of Connaught 21 Apr 1225. Richard (son of William de Burgh and Mór Ua Briain) was born Abt 1194; died 17 Feb 1241/42, Poitou, France. [Group Sheet]

1. Matilda de Burgh

Notes:

Walter de Lacy (c. 1172 - 1241) was Lord of Meath in Ireland and Ludlow in Shropshire in the Welsh Marches. He was the eldest son of Hugh de Lacy, a leading Cambro-Norman baron in the Norman invasion of Ireland.

Life

With his father he built Trim Castle (Irish: 'Caisletheán Bhaile Atha Troim) in Trim, County Meath.

During the revolt of Prince John Lackland, Lord of Ireland, against his brother, King Richard the Lionheart, in 1193-94, Walter joined with John de Courcy to support Richard. Walter apprehended some knights loyal to John along with Peter Pipard, John's justiciar in Ireland. Walter did homage to Richard for his lands in Ireland in 1194, receiving his lordship of Meath. After mounting the throne of England in 1199, John wrote to his justiciar in Ireland to complain that de Courcy and de Lacy had destroyed John's land of Ireland. Walter had made John his enemy.

In 1203, John granted custody of the city of Limerick to Walter's father-in-law, William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber. As de Braose was an absentee, Walter served as de Braose's deputy in Limerick.

In 1206-07, Walter became involved in a conflict with Meiler Fitzhenry, Justiciar of Ireland, and Walter's feudal tenants for lands in Meath; Meiler had seized Limerick. King John summoned Walter to appear before him in England in April, 1207. After Walter's brother Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster, had taken Meiler FitzHenry prisoner, John in March, 1208 acquiesced in giving Walter a new charter for his lands in Meath. Upon his return to Ireland later in 1208, Walter may have acted as Justiciar of Ireland in lieu of the deposed Meiler fitz Henry. By this time, John had begun his infamous persecution of Walter's father-in-law, de Braose, who fled to Ireland.

On 20 June 1210, King John landed in Crook, now in Co. Waterford, with his feudal levy and a force of Flemish mercenaries; John marched north through Leinster. When John reached Dublin on 27 or 28 June, Walter attempted to throw himself on John's mercy, sending five of his tenants to Dublin to place his lands in Meath back in the king's hand, and disclaiming any attempt to shelter his brother Hugh from John's wrath. John attacked eastern Meath, and was joined by 400 of Walter's deserting followers. John would hold Walter's lands in Meath for five years.

In 1211 Walter erected the castle on Turbet Island in the abortive Anglo-Norman attempt to gain control of West Ulster.

Attempting to secure support in Ireland against the brewing revolt that would lead to Magna Carta, John began negotiations to restore Walter to his lands in Meath in the summer of 1215.

Walter was Sheriff of Herefordshire from 1218 to 1222. In 1230 he joined with Geoffrey de Marisco and Richard Mór de Burgh to subdue Aedh mac Ruaidri Ó Conchobair, King of Connacht.

He was a benefactor to the abbeys of Lanthony and Craswall (Herefordshire) and also founded the abbey of Beaubec in Ireland.

On his death his estate was divided between his granddaughters Margery and Maud.

Ancestry

Family, Marriage and Issue

Brother of Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster
Husband of Margaret de Braose, daughter of William de Braose and Maud de St. Valery.
His son Gilbert de Lacy of Ewyas Harold, Herefordshire was taken hostage for his father in August 1215, and died before 25 December 1230. Gilbert married Isabel Bigod, daughter of Sir Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk (Magna Charta Surety) & Maud Marshal. They had 1 son and 2 daughters:

Walter de Lacy married Rohese Le Boteler but had no issue. Walter died between 1238 and 1241.
Margery (Margaret) de Lacy married Sir John de Verdun, Lord of Westmeath, son of Theobald le Boteler and Rohese de Verdun.
Maud de Lacy married Sir Geoffrey de Geneville, Lord Geneville, Justiciar of Ireland, son of Simon de Joinville, Seneschal of Champagne, & Beatrix of Burgundy.

His daughter Petronilla de Lacy married Sir Ralph VI de Toeni, Lord of Flamstead, son of Sir Roger IV de Toeni, Lord of Flamstead & Constance de Beaumont.
His daughter Egidia de Lacy (also called Gille) married Richard Mor de Burgh Lord of Connaught and Strathearn. Together they had many notable descendants, including Elizabeth de Burgh, Catherine Parr, Margaret de Clare, the Earls of Ormond, King Edward IV of England, King Richard III of England, and many other British monarchs including Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth Realms. They are also the ancestors of both Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII of England, the parents of Elizabeth I. Through the Royal family of the United Kingdom and its predecessors states, and especially through Queen Victoria they became the ancestors of Royal houses all over Europe.

Walter married Margaret de Braose, Lady of Trim Nov 1200. Margaret (daughter of William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber and Maud de Saint Valéry) was born 1177; died Aft 1255; was buried Holme Lacy, Herefordshire, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Margaret de Braose, Lady of Trim (1177 - after 1255), was an Anglo-Welsh noblewoman, the daughter of Marcher Lord William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber and the legendary Maud de St. Valéry, who was left to starve to death by orders of King John of England. Margaret founded a religious house, the Hospital of St. John in her mother Maud's memory. Margaret was the wife of Walter de Lacy, Lord of Trim Castle in County Meath, Ireland, and Ludlow Castle in Shropshire.

Family

Margaret was born in 1177, the second eldest daughter of William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber, a powerful Marcher Lord, and Maud de St. Valéry. She was reputed to have had about fifteen siblings, although only eight have been recorded. Her paternal grandparents were William de Braose, 3rd Lord Bramber and Bertha of Hereford, and her maternal grandparents were Bernard de St. Valery and Matilda.

Marriage and issue

In November 1200, Margaret married Walter de Lacy, Lord of Trim Castle in County Meath, Ireland, and Ludlow Castle in Shropshire. He also owned many estates and manors in Herefordshire including Ewyas Lacy. He was later appointed Sheriff of Hereford. It was an advantageous marriage as Walter and her father both held castles and lordships in the Welsh Marches as well as Ireland, and thus the two men looked after each other's interests in both places.

Together Walter and Margaret had at least six children who included:

Gilbert de Lacy (1202 - 25 December 1230), married as her first husband Isabel Bigod, by whom he had issue.
Pernel de Lacy (1201 - after 25 November 1288), married firstly William St. Omer, and secondly Ralph VI de Toeni by whom she had issue.
Egidia de Lacy (born c. 1205), married Richard Mor de Burgh, by whom she had issue.

Hospital of St. John

In 1208, Margaret's parents lost favour with their patron, King John of England, who seized all of the de Braose castles in the Welsh Marches. In order to escape from John's vindictive wrath, Margaret's mother, Maud and her eldest brother William fled to Ireland where they found refuge with Margaret and her family at Trim Castle. In 1210, however, King John sent an expedition to Ireland. Maud and William escaped from Trim but were apprehended on the Antrim coast while attempting to sail to Scotland. They were dispatched to England where they were both left to starve to death inside the dungeon of Corfe Castle, Dorset on the orders of King John. Walter de Lacy's estates were forfeited to the Crown as punishment for having harboured traitors inside his castle.

By 1215, Walter and Margaret were back in the King's favour, and Walter's confiscated estates were restored to him. As a further token of John's favour, Walter was appointed Castellan and Sheriff of Hereford the following year, and Margaret obtained permission to found a religious house in memory of her mother. On 10 October 1216, eight days before his death, King John conceded three carucates of land in the royal forest of Aconbury, Herefordshire to Margaret for the construction of the Hospital of St. John. King John sent the instructions to her husband Walter by letters patent. Margaret's subsequent attempts to free her foundation from the control of the Hospitallers led her into a lengthy dispute which ultimately involved the Pope.

Margaret died on an unknown date sometime after 1255. She was buried at Priory Church in Holme Lacy, Herefordshire. Her husband had died in 1241, leaving his vast holdings and lordships to their granddaughters by their son Gilbert, Margery de Lacy, and Maud de Lacy, Baroness Geneville.

Notes:

Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath (died 25 July 1186, Durrow, Leinster) was an Anglo-Norman magnate granted the lands of the Kingdom of Meath by Henry II in 1172, during the Norman Invasion of Ireland.

Early life

Hugh de Lacy was born before 1135. He was the son of Gilbert de Lacy (-c.1163), of Ewias, Weobley and Ludlow castles in the Marches of Wales, 4th Baron Lacy.

Hugh de Lacy is said to have had a dispute with Joscelin de Dinan as to certain lands in Herefordshire in 1154. He was in possession of his father's lands before 1163, and in 1165-6 held fifty-eight and three-quarters knights' fees, and had nine tenants without knight service.

Career in Ireland

In October 1171 he went over to Ireland with Henry II, and early in 1172 was sent to receive the submission of Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (Roderic), High King of Ireland. Before Henry's departure about the end of March Lacy was granted Meath by the service of fifty knights and with almost royal authority; he was also put in charge of Dublin Castle.

The grant of Meath was not accepted by Tighearnán Ó Ruairc, King of Bréifne, who ruled it at that time. Ó Ruairc refused to concede, but parleyed with De Lacy on the Hill of Ward,in Meath. After negotiations stalled, a dispute ensued in which an interpreter was killed by a blow aimed at De Lacy, who fled; Ó Ruairc was killed by a spear-thrust as he mounted his horse, and he was decapitated. His head was impaled over the gate of Dublin Castle and later was sent to Henry II. The Annals of the Four Masters say that Ó Ruairc was treacherously slain. From the account given by Giraldus Cambrensis, it would appear that there was a plot to destroy Ó Ruairc.

De Lacy only escaped with difficulty; he seems to have left Dublin in charge of Earl Richard de Clare by the king's orders, and to have commenced securing Meath by the erection of castles. Among these was Trim Castle, which was put in charge of Hugh Tyrrell. The Song of Dermot and the Earl states And Skryne he then gave by charter to Adam de Feypo he gave it and he built his castle there.

After this Lacy went back to England. On 29 December 1172 he was at Canterbury, where, according to a story preserved by Giraldus, he reproved Archbishop Richard of Dover for his boastful language. Next year he was fighting for Henry in France, and held Verneuil against Louis VII for a month; but at the end of that time the town was forced to capitulate.

He was sent over to Ireland as procurator-general in 1177, Richard de Clare having died shortly before. The grant of Meath was now confirmed, with the addition of Offelana, Offaly, Kildare, and Wicklow. As governor of Ireland Lacy secured Leinster and Meath, building numerous castles, while preserving the Irish in possession of their lands. He was subject to an accusation that he intended to seize the sovereignty of the island for himself. The author of the Gesta Henrici, however, says that Lacy lost his favour with Henry in consequence of complaints of his injustice by the Irish.

In 1181, he was recalled from his government for having married the daughter of Ruadri O Conchobair, King of Connaught and deposed High King of Ireland, without leave of Henry. But in the following winter Hugh was sent back, though with a co-adjutor in the person of one of the royal clerks, Robert of Shrewsbury. When, early in 1185, Henry sent his son John over to Ireland, the young lord complained to his father that Hugh would not permit the Irish to pay tribute. This led to fresh disgrace, but Hugh remained in Ireland, and occupied himself as before with castle-building.

Death, aftermath and legacy

De Lacy himself was killed while supervising the construction of a Motte castle at Durrow, Tullamore in 1186 at the instigation of An tSionnach (the Fox) and O'Breen (see Annals of the Four Masters, 1186.5). Prince John was promptly sent over to Ireland to take possession of his lands.

De Lacy was initially buried at Durrow Abbey. In 1195 the archbishops of Cashel and Dublin disinterred him and buried his body in Bective Abbey in Meath and his head in St. Thomas’s Abbey, Dublin. A long controversy was then carried on between the two abbeys for his body, settled only in 1205 when his body was disinterred again and reburied in St. Thomas's Abbey, in the tomb of De Lacy's first wife.

Hugh was a benefactor of Lanthony Abbey, and also of many churches in Ireland, including the abbey of Trim.

Feudal arrangements

Henry II applied to Ireland the feudal system of land tenure, displacing Murchadh Ó Maoilseachlainn, king of Meath or Tara. Henry granted Hugh de Lacy “the land of Meath in as full a measure as Murchadh...or anyone before or after him held it.” By this grant, known as a Liberty, within the territory de Lacy was granted power equal to that of the king himself, the only reservation being that the king could dispose of Church lands anywhere. A person with this jurisdiction was known as a Count and the territory over which he ruled was called a county. One of the privileges of a Count Palatine such as de Lacy was that he could create barons or inferior lords.

In turn de Lacy divided the land among his barons (cf. The Song of Dermot and the Earl, a 12th century Norman French poem), the beneficiaries being:

Hugh Tyrrell, who obtained the Barony of Castleknock;
Gilbert de Angulo (or Gilbert de Nangle), who became Baron of Navan and obtained Morgallion;
Jocelin, son of above Gilbert, who obtained Navan;
William de Misset;
Adam de Feypo (or Adam de Phepoe), who obtained Skryne by charter;
Gilbert FitzThomas;
Hugh de Hose (or Sir Hugh Hussey Kt.), who became Baron of Galtrim
Hussey;
Thomas Fleming;
Adam Dullard (or Adam Dollard);
Gilbert de Nugent;
Risteárd de Tiúit, who received land in Westmeath and Longford; later Barony of Moyashell, in Westmeath;
Robert de Lacy, who obtained Rathwire;
Geoffrey de Constantine Kilbixi, who obtained 'good and fine land' near Rathconarty;
William le Petit; who obtained Castle Brack, Magherdernon and Rathkenny;
Meiler Fitz Henry, who obtained Ardnorcher;
Richard de Lachapelle.

Hugh de Lacy and his son Walter (1180 - 1240) built Trim Castle and Kilkea Castle. Some time after 1196, the son of Hugh de Lacy, named Walter, granted “the whole land of Rathtowth” to his younger brother, Hugh. The sub-division of the county Meath was named the Barony of Ratoath, perhaps the first instance of the term barony used in Ireland for a division of a county.

Marriage and Issue

Hugh de Lacy was married twice.

Before 1155 Hugh married Rohese (Roysya) de Monemue (Monmouth), daughter of Baderon of Monmouth and Rohese de Clare (the daughter of Gilbert Fitz Richard).
They had 9 children, 4 sons and 5 daughters:

Walter de Lacy (1166-1241)
Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster (bef.1179-1242)
Gilbert de Lacy
Son de Lacy (Robert?) (died young)
Aegida de Lacy, who married Richard de Burgh
Elayne (Elena) de Lacy, who married Richard de Beaufo (Belfou)
Daughter de Lacy, who married Sir William FitzAlan, son of Sir William FitzAlan, Lord of Oswestry, and Isabel de Say.
Daughter de Lacy, who married Geoffrey de Marisco, Justiciar of Ireland, son of Jordan de Marisco, Justiciar of Ireland.
Daughter de Lacy

Rohese died before 1180.

Hugh married 2nd Princess Rose Ní Conchobair, daughter of King of Ireland, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair.
They had 2 children, a son and a daughter:

William Gorm de Lacy (declared illegitimate by Henry II of England)
Ysota de Lacy

Hugh married Rohese of Monmouth Abt 1155. Rohese (daughter of Baderon of Monmouth and Rohese de Clare) was born Abt 1137; died Abt 1180. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Rohese of Monmouth (Rohese de Monemue in Anglo-Norman; born about 1135/1140; died in or near 1180) was the daughter of Baderon fitzWilliam, lord of Monmouth, and of his wife Rohese de Clare. About the year 1155 Rohese married Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath. They had eight children

Walter, born about 1172, who succeeded his father as Lord of Meath
Hugh, born about 1176, who was created 1st Earl of Ulster
Gilbert
Robert, who died young
William, who was captured in Ireland in 1210 by King John and died in captivity
Elaine, who married Richard de Beaufo
Alicia, who married Roger Pipard and afterwards Geoffrey de Mareys
a daughter, who married William fitzAlan

Rohese is notable for the gift that she made, jointly with her husband and her son Robert, to Monmouth Priory. The Priory had benefited for more than half a century from her family's generosity, and it was clearly at her persuasion that this donation took place. Three shillings were to be given to the priory each year on St Michael's Day from the revenues of the town of Lydney in Gloucestershire. Rohese's brother Gilbert, otherwise known as a patron of literature, was among the witnesses to this donation.

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He succeeded to the title of Lord of Bramber, Sussex [Feudal]. He gained the title of Lord of Brecon [Feudal]. He succeeded to the title of Lord de Briouze, Normandie. He succeeded to the title of Lord Abergavenny [Feudal] after 1179. In 1208 as a result of his well-known quarrel with King John, his lands were forfeited.

William de Braose, (or William de Briouze), 4th Lord of Bramber (1144/1153 - 9 August 1211), court favourite of King John of England, at the peak of his power, was also Lord of Gower, Abergavenny, Brecknock, Builth, Radnor, Kington, Limerick, Glamorgan, Skenfrith, Briouze in Normandy, Grosmont, and White Castle.

Lineage

William was the most notable member of the de Braose dynasty and his steady rise and sudden fall at the hands of King John is often taken as an example of that king's arbitrary and capricious behaviour towards his barons.

William was the son of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber and his wife Bertha of Hereford, also known as Bertha de Pitres, (born 1130) daughter of Miles Fitz Walter, Earl of Hereford and his wife, Sibyl, daughter of Bernard de Neufmarche. From his father he inherited the Rape of Bramber, in Sussex, and through his mother he inherited a large estate in the Welsh Marches area of modern day Monmouthshire.

Abergavenny Massacre

In 1175, William de Braose carried out the Abergavenny Massacre, luring three Welsh princes and other Welsh leaders to their deaths. His principal antagonist was a Seisyll ap Dyfnwal, of Castell Arnallt near Llanover in the valley of the River Usk near Abergavenny, whom he blamed for the death of his uncle Henry. After having invited the Welsh leaders to a Christmas feast at Abergavenny Castle under the pretence of peace and the start of a new era at the end of the year (a traditional time for settling outstanding differences amongst the Welsh), he had them murdered by his men. This resulted in great hostility against him among the Welsh, who named him the "Ogre of Abergavenny". Gerald of Wales exonerates him and emphasises the religious piety of de Braose and his wife and de Braose generosity to the priories of Abergavenny and Brecon. William de Braose did however reputedly hunt down and kill Seisyll ap Dyfnwal's surviving son, Cadwaladr, a boy of seven.

In 1192 William de Braose was made sheriff of Herefordshire, a post he held until 1199. In 1196 he was made Justice Itinerant for Staffordshire. In 1195 he accompanied King Richard I of England to Normandy and in 1199, William de Braose fought beside Richard at Chalus, where the king was mortally wounded.

He then supported King John's claim to the throne of England, supported the new king in making various royal grants and was in attendance with John in Normandy at the time of Arthur of Brittany's death in 1203. Arthur was John's nephew and was seen by many as the rightful heir to the English throne.

De Braose served in the war of 1204 against King Philip II of France in France.

Royal favourite

He was greatly favoured by King John early in his reign. John granted him all that he might conquer from the Welsh in Radnorshire, gave him lordship over Limerick in Ireland (save for the city itself), possession of Glamorgan castle, and the Lordship of Gower with its several castles.

In 1203, William de Braose was put in charge of Arthur of Brittany, whom he had personally captured the previous year at the Battle of Mirebeau. William was suspected of involvement in Arthur's disappearance and death, although no concrete evidence ever came to light. There is somewhat better evidence that he at least knew the truth of the matter.

In 1206 King John gave William de Braose the three great neighbouring trilateral castles of Gwent (Skenfrith Castle, Grosmont Castle, and White Castle). These have been interpreted as bribes encouraging silence on the demise of Arthur, seen by many as a rightful heir to the throne occupied by John of England.

At this point only an earldom separated him from the greatest in England.

Royal persecution and exiled death

But soon after this William de Braose fell out of favour with King John of England. The precise reasons remain obscure. King John cited overdue monies that de Braose owed the Crown from his estates. But the King's actions went far beyond what would be necessary to recover the debt. He distrained de Braose's English estates in Sussex and Devon and sent a force to invade Wales to seize the de Braose domains there. Beyond that, he sought de Braose's wife, Maud de St. Valery, who, the story goes, had made no secret of her belief that King John had murdered Arthur of Brittany. Gerald of Wales describes Maud as a 'prudent and chaste woman' who bore her husband three sons William, Giles and Reginald de Braose.

De Braose fled to Ireland, then returned to Wales as King John had him hunted in Ireland. In Wales, William allied himself to the Welsh Prince Llywelyn the Great and helped him in rebellion against King John.

In 1210, William de Braose fled Wales disguised as a beggar, to France. His wife and eldest son were captured, and William died the following year in August 1211 at Corbeil, France. He is buried in the Abbey of St. Victor in Paris by a fellow exile and vociferous opponent of King John, Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury. His hopes to return alive to Wales and a burial in Brecon were to be unfulfilled. William's wife, Maud, and eldest son, William, once captured, were murdered by King John, possibly starved to death while incarcerated at Windsor Castle and Corfe Castle in 1210.

While William had aroused the jealousy of the other barons during his rise, the arbitrary and violent manner of his fall very likely discomfited them and played a role in the Baronial uprisings of the next decade. The historian Sidney Painter, in his biography of King John, called it "the greatest mistake John made during his reign, as the King revealed to his Barons once and for all his capacity for cruelty."

The de Braose lineage

William de Braose's eldest son, William, married Maud (Matilda) de Clare (ca. 1184-1213), the daughter of Richard de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford. William was captured with his mother and starved to death in 1210. He had fathered four sons. They were John, Giles, Philip and Walter and although they were also held in prison they were released in 1218. John, the eldest, was said to have been brought up secretly, in Gower, by a Welsh ally or retainer. On release he came under the care of his uncle Giles de Braose. John made a claim to being the rightful heir of the de Braose lands and titles and although the courts did not find for him, his other uncle Reginald de Braose was able to cede by a legal convention the Baronies of both Gower and Bramber to him for a fee. This established John's branch of the family and positioned it for survival at worst and at best opportunity, continued future power and influence.

Later dynasty

The middle son, Giles de Braose, exiled in France until 1213, was Bishop of Hereford from 1200 until his death in 1215. He made peace with King John and agreed terms for regaining de Braose lands in 1215 but had also made alliances with the Welsh leader Llywelyn the Great. He died in 1215 before he could come into the lands.

William's third son, Reginald de Braose reacquired his father's lands and titles for himself through simply seizing them back by force following the death of Giles. Reginald did not actually come to terms with the Crown until 1217 and the new, young King Henry III of England, after the death of King John. This in turn aroused the anger of Llywelyn the Great who had an understanding with Giles de Braose and the seeming duplicity caused the Welsh to attack de Braose lands in Brecon and Abergavenny and Gower. Abergavenny Castle had to be rebuilt as a result. Reginald de Braose died in 1228.

William's eldest daughter Matilda (also called Maud) married a prominent Welsh prince, Gruffydd ap Rhys II of Deheubarth. Another daughter, Margaret, married Walter de Lacy, Lord of Meath in Ireland and himself another powerful Marcher Lord.

William married Maud de Saint Valéry Abt 1166. Maud (daughter of Bernard de Saint Valéry and Matilda) was born Abt 1155, France; died 1210, Windsor, Berkshire, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

She was the daughter of Bernard de Saint Valéry. She died in 1210 at Corfe Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England, starved to death in the dungeons. Maud de Saint Valéry also went by the nick-name of 'Lady of La Haie'.

Maud de Braose, Lady of Bramber (c. 1155-1210) was the wife of William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber, a powerful Marcher baron and court favourite of King John of England. She would later incur the wrath and enmity of the King who caused her to be starved to death in the dungeon of Corfe Castle along with her eldest son.

She features in many Welsh myths and legends; and is also known to history as Matilda de Braose, Moll Wallbee, and Lady of La Haie.

Family and marriage

She was born Maud de St. Valéry in France in about 1155, the child of Bernard de St. Valéry of Hinton Waldrist in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire) and his first wife, Matilda. Her paternal grandfather was Reginald de St. Valéry (died c.1162).

She had many siblings and half-siblings, including Thomas de St. Valery (died 1219), who was a son of Bernard by his second wife Eleanor de Domnart. Thomas married Adele de Ponthieu, by whom he had a daughter, Annora, who in her turn married Robert III, Count of Dreux, by whom she had issue. Thomas fought on the French side, at the Battle of Bouvines on 27 July 1214.

Sometime around 1166, Maud married William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber, son of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber and Bertha of Hereford de Pitres. He also held the lordships of Gower, Hay, Brecon, Radnor, Builth, Abergavenny, Kington, Painscastle, Skenfrith, Grosmont, White Castle and Briouze in Normandy. When King John of England ascended the throne in 1199, he became a court favourite and was also awarded the lordship of Limerick, Ireland. Maud had a marriage portion, Tetbury from her father's estate.

Maud supported her husband's military ambitions and he put her in charge of Hay Castle and surrounding territory. She is often referred to in history as the Lady of Hay. In 1198, Maud defended Painscastle in Elfael against a massive Welsh attack led by Gwenwynwyn, Prince of Powys. She successfully held off Gwenwynwyn's forces for three weeks until English reinforcements arrived. Over three thousand Welsh were killed. Painscastle was known as Matilda's Castle by the locals.

Maud and William are reputed to have had 16 children. The best documented of these are listed below.

Issue

William de Braose (1175 - 1210). Starved to death with his mother in Corfe Castle. He married Maud de Clare, daughter of Richard de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford and Amice FitzRobert de Meullant of Gloucester, by whom he had issue, including John de Braose.
Giles de Braose, Bishop of Hereford (1180 - 11 November 1215)
Reginald de Braose (1178 -9 June 1228), he married firstly, Grecia Briwere, daughter of William Briwere and Beatrice de Vaux, and secondly, after 1222, Gwladus Ddu, daughter of Welsh Prince Llewelyn the Great. He had issue by his first wife, including William de Braose, who married Eva Marshal, and Matilda de Braose, who married Rhys Mechyll.
Matilda de Braose (1172 - 29 December 1210), married Gruffydd ap Rhys II, by whom she had two sons, Rhys and Owain.
Margaret de Braose (1177 - after 1255), married Walter de Lacy, 6th Baron Lacy of Trim Castle, Sheriff of Hereford, son of Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath and Rohese of Monmouth, by whom she had issue, including Gilbert de Lacy, Pernel de Lacy, and Egidia de Lacy. Margaret was buried at Priory Church in Holme Lacy.
Annora de Braose (1190 - 1241), married Hugh de Mortimer
Loretta de Braose, married Robert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Leicester. She died without issue.
John de Braose (c.1180 - 1205), married Amabil de Limesi
Flandrina de Braose, Abbess of Godstow, (elected 1242, deposed 1248).

Enmity of King John

In 1208, William de Braose quarrelled with his friend and patron King John. The reason is not known but it is alleged that Maud made indiscreet comments regarding the murder of King John's nephew Arthur of Brittany. There was also a large sum of money (five thousand marks) de Braose owed the King. Whatever the reason, John demanded Maud's son William be sent to him as a hostage for her husband's loyalty. Maud refused, and stated loudly within earshot of the King's officers that "she would not deliver her children to a king who had murdered his own nephew." Maud, upon realising her grave error, tried to make amends by sending Queen Isabella a herd of four hundred cattle, whose quality she had previously boasted of. The King would not be mollified and quickly led troops to the Welsh border and seized all of the castles that belonged to William de Braose. Maud and her eldest son William fled to Ireland, where they found refuge at Trim Castle with the de Lacys, the family of her daughter Margaret. In 1210, King John sent an expedition to Ireland. Maud and her son escaped but were apprehended on the Antrim coast while trying to sail for Scotland. After being briefly held at Carrickfergus Castle, they were dispatched to England.

Imprisonment at Corfe Castle

Maud and her son William were first imprisoned at Windsor Castle, but were shortly afterwards transferred to Corfe Castle in Dorset where they were placed inside the dungeon. Maud and William both starved to death. Her husband died a year later in exile in France where he had gone disguised as a beggar to escape King John's wrath after the latter had declared him an outlaw, following his alliance with Llywelyn the Great, whom he had assisted in open rebellion against the King, an act which John regarded as treason. He was buried in the Abbey of St. Victor, Paris.

Maud's daughter Margaret de Lacy founded a religious house, the Hospital of St. John, in Aconbury, Herefordshire in her memory. On 10 October 1216, eight days before his death, King John conceded three carucates of land in the royal forest of Aconbury to Margaret for the construction of the religious house. He sent the instructions to her husband Walter de Lacy, who held the post of Sheriff of Hereford, by letters patent.

Maud de Braose features in many Welsh folklore myths and legends. There is one legend which says that Maud built the castle of Hay-on-Wye single handed in one night, carrying the stones in her apron. She was also said to have been extremely tall and often donned armour while leading troops into battle.

The legend about her building Hay Castle probably derives from the time she added the gateway arch to a tower which was built in the 1180s.

In contemporary records, she was described as beautiful, very wise, doughty, and vigorous. She kept up the war against the Welsh and conquered much from them.

The manner in which Maud and her son William met their deaths so outraged the English nobility that Magna Carta, which King John was forced to sign in 1215, contains clause 39; it reads:

No man shall be taken ,imprisoned, outlawed, banished or in any way destroyed, nor will we proceed against or prosecute him, except by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land.

Notes:

Gilbert de Lacy (died after 1163) was a medieval Anglo-Norman baron in England, the grandson of Walter de Lacy who died in 1085. Gilbert's father forfeited his English lands in 1096, and Gilbert initially only inherited the lands in Normandy. The younger de Lacy spent much of his life trying to recover his father's English lands, and eventually succeeded. Around 1158, de Lacy became a Templar and went to the Holy Land, where he was one of the commanders against Nur ad-Din in the early 1160s. He died after 1163.

Background and family

Gilbert de Lacy was the son of Roger de Lacy the son of Walter de Lacy who died in 1085. Roger de Lacy was banished from England in 1096, and his estates were confiscated. These lands, which included substantial holdings along the border with Wales, were given to Pain fitzJohn, Josce de Dinan and Miles of Gloucester. Roger de Lacy's lands in Normandy, however, were not confiscated, as they were held of the Bishop of Bayeux in feudal tenure.

Stephen's reign

Gilbert de Lacy had inherited his father's lands in Normandy by 1133, and by 1136 was in England with King Stephen of England. Although de Lacy recovered some of his father's lands, the border lands near Wales were not recovered. Among the lands Gilbert recovered were lands about Weobley. He also was granted some lands in Yorkshire that had been in dispute.

Although de Lacy had spent time at Stephen's court, during the civil war that occurred during Stephen's reign, he switched sides and served Stephen's rival, Matilda the Empress. In 1138, he was besieged by the king at Weobley along with his cousin Geoffrey Talbot, but both men escaped when the king took the castle in June. De Lacy also led an army in an attack against Bath in the service of the Empress, along with Geoffrey Talbot, which also occurred in 1138 and which some historians have seen as the opening act of the civil war.

De Lacy witnessed charters of the Empress in 1141. During the later 1140s, de Lacy was able to recover many of his father's Welsh marcher lands, and one of his efforts at Ludlow was later embroidered in the medieval romance Fouke le Fitz Waryn. He and Miles of Gloucester were claimants to many of the same lands, and during Stephen's reign were generally on opposite sides of the succession dispute. In June 1153, de Lacy was in the company of Matilda's son, Henry fitzEmpress, who became King Henry II of England in 1154.

De Lacy gave land to the cathedral chapter of Hereford Cathedral. He also gave a manor at Guiting to the Knights Templar and two churches, at Weobley and Clodock to Llanthony Priory, which was a monastery founded by his family.

Later years and death

Around 1158 de Lacy surrendered his lands to his eldest son Robert when the elder de Lacy became a member of the Knights Templar. He then traveled through France to Jerusalem, where de Lacy became precentor of the Templars in the County of Tripoli. In 1163, de Lacy was one of the crusader army commanders fighting against Nur ad-Din. His year of death is unknown, but he was commemorated on 20 November at Hereford Cathedral. Robert died without children sometime before 1162, when Gilbert's younger son Hugh de Lacy inherited the lands.

The Gesta Stephani called de Lacy "a man of judgement and shrewd and painstaking in every operation of war".

Other Events:

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Notes:

Baderon of Monmouth (c. 1100 - 1176), also known as Baderon fitzWilliam, was lord of Monmouth between about 1125 and 1176.

Biography

Baderon succeeded his father, William fitzBaderon, as lord of Monmouth in about 1125, when his father either died or retired to become a monk. Baderon confirmed the possessions of the Priory at Monmouth granted by his predecessors, and extended them. His sister Margaret, whose son Robert became prior of Monmouth, and whose second husband, Hugh fitzRichard, was a landowner in Worcestershire, made further grants of land to the priory. Baderon also became responsible for Goodrich Castle, which he is believed to have developed and extended.

At some point after 1130 Baderon married Rohese (or Rohesia), the daughter of Gilbert fitzRichard de Clare, and the sister of Gilbert de Clare, who was the lord of Striguil (or Chepstow) and later became Earl of Pembroke. The marriage took place at Chepstow, and brought together the families of the two neighbouring, and sometimes rival, lordships. Baderon and Rohese had two sons, James and Gilbert, and at least one daughter, Rohese of Monmouth, who married Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, before 1155.

He was a contemporary and possible kinsman of Geoffrey of Monmouth, who was born in the same town at around the same date. Baderon died in 1176. He was succeeded as lord of Monmouth by his son Gilbert, who was in turn succeeded by his own son, John of Monmouth, in 1190.

Baderon married Rohese de Clare Abt 1130. Rohese (daughter of Gilbert Fitz Richard and Adeliza de Clermont) died 1149. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Rohese de Clare, also known after her marriage as Rohese de Monemue (died 1149) was a daughter of Gilbert Fitz Richard de Clare. About 1130 she married Baderon fitzWilliam of Monmouth. Her father being already dead by that date, the wedding was celebrated at Striguil Castle (Chepstow), stronghold of her brother Gilbert fitzGilbert de Clare (soon to be created 1st Earl of Pembroke). Gilbert himself was absent, and it was Rohese's eldest brother, Walter fitzGilbert de Clare, who presided.

Rohese is most notable for her generosity to Monmouth Priory soon after her marriage. As a married woman she acted through her husband, who records in the charter that the gifts were made "by myself and my wife, at her request ... made at the Feast of All Saints on the same day on which she was married to me at Striguil". The gift was put into effect "on the Feast of St. Martin next following" at a ceremony at Monmouth attended by Rohese's brothers Walter and Gilbert and by Gilbert's wife Isabel de Beaumont (formerly King Henry I's mistress). The gift consisted of a tithe (one-tenth) of the regular revenues of the town of Monmouth, to be paid in instalments three times each year. In 1144 Rohese and Baderon made further donations to Monmouth Priory.

Rohese and Baderon had two sons, James and Gilbert; it was Gilbert who succeeded his father as lord of Monmouth. They also had a daughter, Rohese, who married Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath about 1155.

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Notes:

William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber (fl. 1135-1179) was a 12th-century Marcher lord who secured a foundation for the dominant position later held by the Braose family in the Welsh Marches. In addition to the family's English holdings in Sussex and Devon, William had inherited Radnor and Builth, in Wales, from his father Philip. By his marriage he increased the Braose Welsh holdings to include Brecon and Abergavenny.

William remained loyal to King Stephen during the 12th century period of anarchy. He became a trusted royal servant during the subsequent reign of Henry II, accompanying the king on campaigns in France and Ireland. He served as sheriff of Herefordshire from 1173 until 1175. The family's power reached its peak under his son William during the reigns of King Richard I and King John.

Lands and family

William was the eldest son of Philip de Braose, lord of Bramber. His mother was Aenor, daughter of Juhel of Totnes. He was the third in the line of the Anglo-Norman Braose family founded by his grandfather, the first William de Braose. After his father died in the 1130s William inherited lordships, land and castles in Sussex, with his caput at Bramber. He also held Totnes in Devon and Radnor and Builth in the Welsh Marches. He confirmed the grants of his father and grandfather to the abbey of St Florent in Anjou and made further grants to the abbey's dependent priory at Sele in Sussex. In about 1155, he also inherited through his mother's family one half of the honour of Barnstaple in Devon, paying a fee of 1000 marks for the privilege. William became an internationally recognised figure. When Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury was asked by Pope Adrian IV to inquire into the background of a certain Walter, canon of St Ruf, his reply, dated to 1154/9 read:

The facts which you demand need but little enquiry; for they shine so brightly in themselves that they cannot be hid; so great is the brilliance of his noble birth and the glory of all his kin. For Walter, as we know for a fact, was the son of a distinguished knight and born of a noble mother in lawful wedlock, and he is closely related by blood to the noble William de Braose.

William had married Bertha, daughter of Miles of Gloucester and Sibyl de Neufmarché, by 1150. When each of Bertha's four brothers died leaving no issue, William's marriage became unexpectedly valuable. He gained control of the lordships of Brecon and Abergavenny after 1166 when the last brother died. These additional land holdings greatly expanded the territorial power and income of the Braose family. They now held a vast block of territory in the Welsh Marches as well as their extensive interests in Sussex and Devon. William's daughters were able to make good marriages, notably Sibyl to William de Ferrers, Earl of Derby. Maud was married to John de Brompton of Shropshire. William's son and heir, another William de Braose, became a major player in national politics under King John.

Royal service

Empress Maud, the only legitimate living child of Henry I, landed in England in 1139 in an attempt to press her claim to the monarchy. She was soon besieged by King Stephen's forces at Arundel castle. Stephen allowed Maud a safe conduct to Bristol and provided her with an escort, which included William de Braose, suggesting that he was an adherent of King Stephen. William was present as a witness when three charters were issued by Stephen at Lewes dated to the years 1148-53, therefore it appears that he remained loyal to the king until the Treaty of Wallingford ended the hostilities.

William was in Sussex in 1153, but he followed Duke Henry, soon to become King Henry II, to Normandy in 1154. William was frequently with the new king. He was one of the military leaders who supported Henry at Rhuddlan in 1157. He witnessed one of the king's charters at Romsey in 1158, and he is recorded at the king's court in Wiltshire in 1164 when the Constitutions of Clarendon were enacted. He accompanied the king on expedition to France, witnessing at Leons in 1161 and Chinon in 1162. William is also documented on the Irish campaign at Dublin in 1171 and Wexford 1172. William's younger brother, Philip, also accompanied the king to Ireland, and remained with the garrison at Wexford. In 1177 Philip was granted the kingdom of Limerick by Henry but failed to take possession after the citizens set fire to the town.

When Henry was facing war with his sons in 1173, William was appointed as sheriff of Herefordshire at Easter. He maintained the King's interests in Herefordshire until 1175.

Later life and death

King Henry withdrew his favour from the family after William's son organised the murder of Seisyll ap Dyfnwal and other Welsh princes at Abergavenny in 1176. There is little subsequent record of William in public life, and it is likely that he retired to his estates in Sussex. William died after 1179 and was succeeded by his son, William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber, who gained the favour of both King Richard I and King John and became a dominant force in the Welsh Marches during their reigns.

William married Bertha of Hereford Bef 1150. Bertha (daughter of Miles of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford and Sybil de Neufmarché) was born Abt 1130, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Bertha of Hereford, also known as Bertha de Pitres (born c.1130), was the daughter of Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford, and a wealthy heiress. She was the wife of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber to whom she brought many castles and Lordships, including Brecknock, Abergavenny, and Hay.

Family

Bertha was born in England in about 1130. She was the second daughter of Miles of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford (1097- 24 December 1143) and Sibyl de Neufmarché. She had two sisters, Margaret of Hereford, who married Humphrey II de Bohun, by whom she had issue, and Lucy of Hereford, who married Herbert FitzHerbert of Winchester, by whom she had issue. Her five brothers, included Roger Fitzmiles, 2nd Earl of Hereford, Walter de Hereford, Henry Fitzmiles, William de Hereford, and Mahel de Hereford.

Her paternal grandparents were Walter FitzRoger de Pitres, Sheriff of Gloucester and Bertha de Balun of Bateden, a descendant of Hamelin de Balun, and her maternal grandparents were Bernard de Neufmarché, Lord of Brecon, and Nesta ferch Osbern. The latter was a daughter of Osbern FitzRichard of Richard's Castle, and Nesta ferch Gruffydd. Bertha was a direct descendant, in the maternal line, of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (1007- 5 August 1063) and Edith (Aldgyth), daughter of Elfgar, Earl of Mercia.

Her father Miles served as Constable to King Stephen of England. He later served in the same capacity to Empress Matilda after he'd transferred his allegiance. In 1141, she made him Earl of Hereford in gratitude for his loyalty. On 24 December 1143, he was killed whilst on a hunting expedition in the Forest of Dean.

Marriage and issue

In 1150, she married William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber (1112-1192), son of Philip de Braose, 2nd Lord of Bramber and Aenor, daughter of Judael of Totnes. William and Bertha had three daughters and two sons, including William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber.

In 1173, her brothers all having died without issue, she brought the Lordships and castles of Brecknock and Abergavenny, to her husband. Hay Castle had already passed to her from her mother, Sibyl of Neufmarche in 1165, whence it became part of the de Braose holdings.

In 1174, her husband became Sheriff of Hereford.

Her children include:

William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber, (1144/1153- 11 August 1211, Corbeil), married Maud de St. Valery, daughter of Bernard de St. Valery, by whom he had 16 children.
Roger de Braose
Bertha de Braose (born 1151), married c.1175, Walter de Beauchamp (died 1235), son of William de Beauchamp and Joan de Walerie, by whom she had issue, including Walcherine de Beauchamp who married Joan Mortimer.
Sibyl de Braose (died after 5 February 1227), married William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby (1136- 21 October 1190 at Acre on crusade), son of Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby and Margaret Peverel, by whom she had issue.
Maud de Braose, married John de Brompton, by whom she had issue.

Legacy

Bertha died on an unknown date. She was the ancestress of many noble English families which included the de Braoses, de Beauchamps, de Bohuns and de Ferrers; as well as the Irish families of de Lacy and de Burgh.

Bernard — Matilda. [Group Sheet]