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]

1. Gilbert de Lacy was born Abt 1202; died Between 12 Aug and 25 Dec 1230, Meath, Ireland.
2. Egidia de Lacy, Lady of Connacht was born Abt 1205, Trim, Meath, Ireland.

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.

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:

• Name:

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.

Notes:

Roger de Lacy,(died after 1106) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman, a Marcher Lord on the Welsh border. Roger was a castle builder, particularly at Ludlow Castle.

Lands and titles

From Walter de Lacy he inherited Castle Frome, Herefordshire. The Domesday Survey (1086) shows Roger holding also Almeley Castle, and Eardisley Castle. He had an insecure lordship at Ewias Lacy now known as Longtown Castle on the modern day Welsh border, in Longtown, Herefordshire; Stanton Lacy was probably also his after Walter. His main stronghold was Weobley. He held directly from the King.

Rebel Baron

He took part in the rebellion of 1088 against William Rufus, with the other local lords Osbern fitzRichard of Richard's Castle, Ralf of Mortemer, and Bernard of Neufmarche. He was later implicated in the conspiracy of 1095 against William, and was exiled.

Legacy of family conflict

Weobley passed to his brother Hugh de Lacy who died before 1115 when the de Lacy lands passed to Pain fitzJohn. Roger's son Gilbert de Lacy spent much effort recovering the Longtown[disambiguation needed] and Ludlow holdings.

Notes:

William fitzBaderon (c. 1060/65? - before 1138) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman of Breton descent, who was lord of Monmouth between about 1082 and 1125. He was mentioned in the Domesday Book as being responsible for Monmouth Castle and ten other manors in the surrounding region, and was responsible in 1101 for the consecration of the town’s Priory which had been established in 1075 by his uncle Withenoc.

Life

He was the son of Baderon, a nobleman of La Boussac, near Dol in Brittany. Baderon's brother Withenoc (or Gwithenoc) was appointed lord of Monmouth by King William after the disgrace of Roger de Breteuil in 1075, and founded the Priory at Monmouth. The pious Withenoc then gave up his secular responsibilities in about 1082 to become a monk at Saumur, and, because his own son Raterius and his brother Baderon were also monks, the responsibilities fell on Baderon’s son, William. Withenoc's responsibilities initially passed for a short time to Ranulf de Colville, perhaps because William had not yet reached adulthood.

In any event, by the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, William had become a major landowner. Besides his castle at Monmouth, he was also lord of Huntley, Longhope, Ruardean, and Siddington, in Gloucestershire; and of Ashperton, Hope Mansell, Munsley, Stretton Grandison, Walsopthorne and Whitwick, in Herefordshire. At Monmouth, he may have been responsible for completing the rebuilding of the original wooden motte and bailey castle in stone.

He and his family, together with his vassals, their wives, and Wihenoc, were present when Monmouth Priory was consecrated in 1101. William was of sufficient eminence to attract to the ceremony such notables as King Henry’s chaplain, Bernard. William granted, to the abbey of Saint Florent at Saumur, the Priory Church of St Mary at Monmouth, "and all their churches, and the tithes of all their lands and of all their tenants, namely, of grain, of stock, of honey, of iron, of mills, of cheeses, and of whatever is tithed. They also gave, near the castle of Monemuda (Monmouth) the land of three ploughs and the mill of Milebroc (?), and a meadow at Blakenalre (?), and land at St. Cadoc (Llangattock-Vibon-Avel), and a meadow beneath their castle, and a virgate of land, namely, Godric's, and at Siddington a hide of land, and in all their woods pannage for swine of the monks' demesne. They also gave all wood required by the monks or their men for building. Lastly, [he] granted seven burgesses in their market-place, free from all toll and from all dues, save offences deserving corporal penalty."

William married Hawise (or Hadwise), and was succeeded as lord of Monmouth by his eldest son, Baderon fitzWilliam of Monmouth, in about 1125. It is not known whether he died at that time, or retreated to a monastic life.

William — Hawise of Monmouth. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Hawise or Hadewis (lived early 12th century), whose origin and parentage are unknown, was the wife of William fitzBaderon, who held Monmouth, Wales and lived in Monmouth Castle from the year 1082 on the orders of King William I of England. Monmouth was previously held by William's uncle, Withenoc, who never married and retired from this charge to become a monk. Hawise is the first woman resident of Monmouth whose name is recorded.

Hawise and William fitzBaderon had two daughters and one son:

Iveta and Advenia were their daughters, one of whom married a member of the de Cormeilles family. The children of this marriage, grandsons to Hawise and William, were Richard, Robert and Alexander de Cormeilles.
Baderon fitzWilliam was their son. He was his father's successor as lord of Monmouth and held the lordship until about 1170/1176.

In 1101, when William presented the newly completed St Mary's Priory Church and its attached Priory to the parent Abbey of Saint-Florent de Saumur, along with the revenues of several local churches, the donation was formally confirmed by Hawise, Iveta and Advenia. On 18 March 1101 or 1102 the Priory Church was consecrated by Hervey le Breton, bishop of Bangor, in the presence of abbot William of Saint-Florent de Saumur and of Bernard, King Henry I's chaplain. On this occasion Hawise and her two daughters made crosses that were used in the ceremonial.

Notes:

He was the son of Richard fitz Gilbert and Rohese Giffard. He married Adeliza de Clermont, daughter of Hugues, Comte de Clermont and Marguerite de Montdidier, circa 1083. He was also known as Gilbert de Tonbridge. He was also known as Gilbert de Clare. He succeeded to the title of 2nd Lord of Clare [feudal baron] circa 1090. In 1090 he founded the Priory at Clare.

Gilbert Fitz Richard (died 1114/7) was son and eventual heir of Richard Fitz Gilbert of Clare and heiress Rohese Giffard. He succeeded to his father's possessions in England in 1091; his brother, Roger Fitz Richard, inherited his father's lands in Normandy. Gilbert's inheritance made him one of the wealthiest magnates in early twelfth-century England. He was the earl of Hertfordshire, but references rarely indicated the county; he was consistently called Earl Gilbert or Gilbert earl of Clare.

Gilbert may have been present at the suspicious death of William II in the New Forest in 1100. He was granted lands and the Lordship of Cardigan by Henry I, including Cardigan Castle. He founded the Cluniac priory at Stoke-by-Clare, Suffolk.

He married Adeliza/Alice de Claremont, daughter of Hugh, Count of Clermont, and Margaret de Roucy. She remarried one of the sons of Hervé de Montmorency after his death. Gilbert and Adeliza had at least eight children:

Walter de Clare, d. 1149
Adelize/Alice de Clare, d. 1163, m. (ca. 1105), Aubrey II de Vere, son of Aubrey I de Vere and Beatrice. She had 9 children and in her widowhood was a corrodian at St. Osyth's, Chich, Essex.
Margaret de Clare, d. 1185, m. (ca. 1108), Sir William de Montfitchet, Lord of Stanstead Mountfitchet.
Baldwin Fitz Gilbert de Clare, Lord of Bourne, d. 1154, m. Adeline de Rollos.
Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare, d. 1136
Hervey de Clare
Gilbert Fitz Gilbert de Clare, d. 1148, 1st Earl of Pembroke
Rohese de Clare, d. 1149, m. (ca. 1130), Baderon of Monmouth

He was the son of Richard fitz Gilbert and Rohese Giffard. He married Adeliza de Clermont, daughter of Hugues, Comte de Clermont and Marguerite de Montdidier, circa 1083. He was also known as Gilbert de Tonbridge. He was also known as Gilbert de Clare. He succeeded to the title of 2nd Lord of Clare [feudal baron] circa 1090. In 1090 he founded the Priory at Clare.

Gilbert married Adeliza de Clermont Abt 1083. Adeliza (daughter of Hugh, Count of Clermont and Margaret de Roucy) was born Abt 1058, Northamptonshire, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

She is the daughter of Hugues, Comte de Clermont and Marguerite de Montdidier. She married, firstly, Gilbert fitz Richard, son of Richard fitz Gilbert and Rohese Giffard, circa 1083. She married, secondly, Bouchard de Montmorency after 1117.