Notes
Matches 1,451 to 1,500 of 1,662
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| 1451 | She was also known as Eadburh. She was a nun at Nunnaminster Abbey, Winchester, Hampshire, England. | Saint Edburga (I2538)
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| 1452 | She was also known as Edith. Hedwiga (also known as Hathui) was the daughter of Henry of Franconia (died ~886) and his wife Ingeltrude. She married Otto I, Duke of Saxony (851-912). They had three sons, Henry (who succeeded his father as Duke of Saxony), Thankmar and Liudolf (who both died young), as well as a daughter, Oda. Oda married Zwentibold, King of Lotharingia. | Hedwige (I2010)
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| 1453 | She was also known as Eleanor Bohun. | de Bohun, Alianor (I3098)
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| 1454 | She was also known as Ermengarde. Ermengarde or Erembourg of Maine, also known as Erembourg de la Flèche (died 1126), was Countess of Maine and the Lady of Château-du-Loir from 1110 to 1126. She was the daughter of Elias I of Maine, Count of Maine, and Mathilda of Château-du-Loire. In 1109 she married Fulk V of Anjou, thereby finally bringing Maine under Angevin control. She gave birth to: Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou (d. 1151) Elias II of Maine (d. 1151) Matilda of Anjou (d. 1154), who married William Adelin, the son and heir to Henry I of England Sibylla of Anjou (d. 1165), married in 1121 to William Clito, and then (after an annulment in 1124) to Thierry, Count of Flanders She died in 1126, on either the 15th January or the 12 October. After her death, Fulk left his lands to their son Geoffrey, and set out for the Holy Land, where he married Melisende of Jerusalem and became King of Jerusalem. | Ermengarde Countess of Maine (I2141)
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| 1455 | She was also known as Grecia Briwere. | Brieguerre, Grecia (I3593)
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| 1456 | She was also known as Gundred de Normandie. | de Normandie, Matilda (I4458)
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| 1457 | She was also known as Gunnild of Dunbar. | of Allerdale, Gunilda (I1256)
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| 1458 | She was also known as Hatwide. Hedwige of Saxony (c. 910 - May 10, 965) was a daughter of Henry I the Fowler, and his wife Matilda of Ringelheim. She was a sister of Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor; Henry I, Duke of Bavaria; Gerberga of Saxony; and Bruno I, Archbishop of Cologne. After her brother Otto I came to power, an alliance and marriage was arranged with Hugh the Great in 936. Her son, Hugh Capet, was crowned King of France in 987. | of Saxony, Hedwig (I2756)
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| 1459 | She was also known as Helga. She held the office of Regent of Kiev between 945 and 957. | Saint Olga (I821)
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| 1460 | She was also known as Herleve, Arlotta and Arlette. Herleva (c. 1003 - c. 1050) also known as Herleve, Arlette, Arletta and Arlotte, had three sons - William I of England, who was fathered by Robert I, Duke of Normandy, and Odo of Bayeux and Robert, Count of Mortain, who were both fathered by Herluin de Conteville. All became prominent in William's realm. Life The background of Herleva and the circumstances of William's birth are shrouded in mystery. The written evidence dates from a generation or two later, and is not entirely consistent. The most commonly accepted version says that she was the daughter of a tanner named Fulbert from the town of Falaise, in Normandy. Translation being somewhat uncertain, Fulbert may instead have been a furrier, embalmer, apothecary, or a person who laid out corpses for burial. It is argued by some that Herleva's father was not a tanner but rather a member of the burgher class. The idea is supported by the fact that her brothers appear in a later document as attestors for an under-age William. Also, the Count of Flanders later accepted Herleva as a proper guardian for his own daughter. Both facts would be nearly impossible if Herleva's father (and therefore her brothers) was a tanner, which would place his standing as little more than a peasant. Orderic Vitalis described Herleva's father Fulbert as being the Duke's Chamberlain (cubicularii ducis). Relationship with Robert the Magnificent According to one legend, still recounted by tour guides at Falaise, it all started when Robert, the young Duke of Normandy saw Herleva from the roof of his castle tower. The walkway on the roof still looks down on the dyeing trenches cut into stone in the courtyard below, which can be seen to this day from the tower ramparts above. The traditional way of dyeing leather or garments was for individuals to trample barefoot on the garments which were awash in the dyeing liquid in these trenches. Herleva, legend goes, seeing the Duke on his ramparts above, raised her skirts perhaps a bit more than necessary in order to attract the Duke's eye. The latter was immediately smitten and ordered her brought in (as was customary for any woman that caught the Duke's eye) through the back door. Herleva refused, saying she would only enter the Duke's castle on horseback through the front gate, and not as an ordinary commoner. The Duke, filled with lust, could only agree. In a few days, Herleva, dressed in the finest her father could provide, and sitting on a white horse, rode proudly through the front gate, her head held high. This gave Herleva a semi-official status as the Duke's mistress. She later gave birth to his son, William, in 1027 or 1028. Marriage to Herluin de Conteville Herleva later married Herluin de Conteville in 1031. Some accounts however, maintain that Robert always loved her, but the gap in their social status made marriage impossible, so, to give her a good life, he married her off to one of his favourite noblemen. Another source suggests that Herleva did not marry Herluin until after Robert died because there is no record of Robert ensuing another relationship, whereas Herluin married another woman, Fredesendis, by the time he founded the abbey of Grestain. From her marriage to Herluin she had two sons: Odo, who later became Bishop of Bayeux, and Robert, who became Count of Mortain. Both became prominent during William's reign. They also had at least two daughters, Emma, who married Richard LeGoz or Richard Goz (count or viscount of Avranches), and a daughter of unknown name who married William, lord of la Ferté-Macé. Death According to Robert of Torigni, Herleva was buried at the abbey of Grestain, which was founded by Herluin and their son Robert around 1050. This would put Herleva in her forties around the time of her death. However, David C. Douglas suggests that Herleva probably died before Herluin founded the abbey because her name does not appear on the list of benefactors, whereas the name of Herluin's second wife, Fredesendis, does. | Herleva de Falaise (I1431)
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| 1461 | She was also known as Matilda de Senlis. | de St. Liz, Matilda (I1824)
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| 1462 | She was also known as Maud d'Anjou. She was also known as Matilda d'Anjou. She was also known as Isabella d'Anjou. From June 1119, her married name became Matilda d'. She was a nun circa 1121 at Fontevraud Abbey, Fontevraud, France. | d'Anjou, Alice (I2140)
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| 1463 | She was also known as Maud FitzHamon. She was also known as Sybil FitzHamon. | FitzHamon, Mabel (I1684)
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| 1464 | She was also known as Maud. | Margaret d'Avranches (I1693)
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| 1465 | She was also known as Petronilla. | Grandmesnil, Pernel (I228)
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| 1466 | She was also known as Vere de. | of Burgundy, Adelaide (I4137)
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| 1467 | She was also reported to have died on 30 July 1126. She was a nun on 18 June 1066 at Abbey of the Holy Trinity, Caen, Normandy, France. She was the Abbess between 1112 and 1126 at Abbey of the Holy Trinity, Caen, Normandy, France. | de Normandie, Cecilia (I1686)
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| 1468 | She was an abbess | Æthelburh (I964)
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| 1469 | She was daughter of a Frankish king. | Emma (I3171)
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| 1470 | She was the Abbess at Shaftesbury, Dorset, England. | of Shaftesbury, Mary (I1959)
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| 1471 | She was the daughter of Albert III, Comte de Namur and Ida von Sachsen. | of Namur, Ida (I3861)
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| 1472 | She was the daughter of Berengar II d'Ivrea, King of Italy and Willa di Toscana. She married Arnulf II 'the Younger', Comte de Flandre, son of Baldwin III, Comte de Flandre et Artois and Mathildis Billung von Sachsen, circa 968. She was also reported to have died on 7 February 1003. She was also known as Susanna. | d'Ivrea, Rozela (I4272)
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| 1473 | 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. | de Saint Valéry, Maud (I3589)
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| 1474 | She was the daughter of Boson di Toscana, Marchese di Toscana and Willa II di Borgogna. She married Berengar II d'Ivrea, King of Italy, son of Abelbreta d'Ivrea and Gisella (?), before 936. | di Toscana, Willa (I3600)
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| 1475 | She was the daughter of Bouchard de Vendôme, Comte de Vendôme and Elizabeth. She died circa 1000, boiled to death. | of Vendôme, Elizabeth (I2131)
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| 1476 | She was the daughter of Charles I, Roi de France and Ermentrude d'Orléans. She married, firstly, Æðelwulf, King of Wessex, son of Ecgbeorht, King of Wessex and Redburga, on 1 October 856 at Verberie sur Oise, France. She married, secondly, Æthelbald, King of Wessex, son of Æðelwulf, King of Wessex and Osburga, in 858. She married, thirdly, Baldwin I, Comte de Flandre circa 863 at Auxerre, France. As a result of her marriage, Judith, Princesse de France was styled as Queen Judith of Wessex on 1 October 856. Her marriage to Æthelbald, King of Wessex was annulled in 860 on the grounds of consanguinity. Judith of Flanders (or Judith of France) (c. 843 - 870) was the eldest daughter of the Frankish King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles the Bald and his wife Ermentrude of Orléans. Through her marriages to two Kings of Wessex, Æthelwulf and Æthelbald, she was twice a queen. Her first two marriages were childless, but through her third marriage to Baldwin, she became the first Countess of Flanders and an ancestress of later Counts of Flanders. One of her sons by Baldwin married Ælfthryth, a daughter of Æthelbald's brother, Alfred the Great. She was also an ancestress of Matilda of Flanders, the consort of William the Conqueror, and thus of later monarchs of England. Queen of Wessex In 855 King Æthelwulf of Wessex made a pilgrimage to Rome, and on his way back in 856 he stayed at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles the Bald. In July Æthelwulf became engaged to Charles's daughter, Judith, who was no more than fourteen, while Æthelwulf was about fifty years old, and on 1 October 856 they were married at Verberie in northern France. The marriage was a diplomatic alliance. Both men were suffering from Viking attacks, and for Æthelwulf the marriage had the advantage of associating him with Carolingian prestige. In Wessex it was not customary for kings' wives to be queens, but Charles insisted that his daughter be crowned queen. The marriage provoked a rebellion by Æthelwulf's eldest surviving son, Æthelbald, probably because he feared displacement by a higher born half brother. However father and son negotiated a compromise under which Æthelwulf received the eastern districts of the kingdom and Æthelbald the western. It is not known whether this meant that Æthelwulf took Kent and Æthelbald Wessex, or whether Wessex itself was divided. Judith had no children by Æthelwulf, who died on 13 January 858. He was succeeded by Æthelbald, who married Judith, his step-mother, probably to enhance his status because she was the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor. The marriage was condemned by Asser in his Life of Alfred the Great: Once King Æthelwulf was dead, Æthelbald, his son, against God's prohibition and Christian dignity, and also contrary to the practice of all pagans, took over his father's marriage-bed and married Judith, daughter of Charles, king of the Franks, incurring great disgrace from all who heard of it. Judith was still childless when Æthelbald died in 860 after a reign of two and a half years, Elopement with Baldwin of Flanders Following Æthelbald's death, Judith sold her properties in Wessex and returned to France. According to the Chronicle of St. Bertin, her father sent her to the Monastery at Senlis, where she would remain "under his protection and royal episcopal guardianship, with all the honour due to a queen, until such time as, if she could not remain chaste, she might marry in the way the apostle said, that is suitably and legally." Presumably, Charles may have intended to arrange another marriage for his daughter. However, around Christmas 861, Judith eloped with Baldwin, later Count of Flanders. The two were likely married at the monastery of Senlis at this time. The record of the incident in the Annals depicts Judith not as the passive victim of bride theft but as an active agent, eloping at the instigation of Baldwin and apparently with her brother Louis the Stammerer's consent. Unsurprisingly, Judith's father was furious and ordered his bishops to excommunicate the couple. They later fled to the court of Judith's cousin Lothair II of Lotharingia for protection, before going to Pope Nicholas I to plead their case. The Pope took diplomatic action and asked Judith's father to accept the union as legally binding and welcome the young couple into his circle - which ultimately he did. The couple then returned to France and were officially married at Auxerre in 863. Baldwin was given the land directly south of the Scheldt, i.e.: the Country of Flanders (albeit an area of smaller size than the county which existed in the High Middle Ages) to ward off Viking attacks. Although it is disputed among historians as to whether King Charles did this in the hope that Baldwin would be killed in the ensuing battles with the Vikings, Baldwin managed the situation remarkably well. Baldwin succeeded in quelling the Viking threat, expanded both his army and his territory quickly, and became a faithful supporter of King Charles. The March of Baldwin came to be known as the County of Flanders and would come to be one of the most powerful principalities of France. Judith herself died in 870, when she was approximately 26 years old. Children By her third husband, Baldwin I of Flanders, Judith's children included: Charles (born after 863, died young) - ostensibly named for Judith's father, Charles the Bald Baldwin II - (c. 864/866 - 918). Succeeded his father as Count of Flanders. Married Ælfthryth, daughter of Alfred the Great Raoul (Rodulf) - (c. 869 - 896). Became Count of Cambrai around 888, and was killed by Herbert I of Vermandois in 896 | of Flanders, Judith (I4157)
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| 1477 | She was the daughter of Conrad, Roi de Jurane Bourgogne and Mathilde de France. She married, firstly, Eudes I, Comte de Blois, son of Thibaud I, Comte de Blois and Luitgarda de Vermandois, circa 983. She married, secondly, Robert II, Roi de France, son of Hugues de Paris, Roi de France and Adelaide de Poitou, in 996. She and Robert II, Roi de France were divorced in 1000 on the grounds of consanguinity. She was also reported to have died on 16 January 1016. | de Bourgogne, Bertha (I775)
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| 1478 | She was the daughter of Eberhard, Comte de Bettau. She married Henri II, Comte de Louvain, son of Lambert II, Comte de Louvain and Oda de Basse-Lorraine. Adela of Orthen, a daughter of Count Everard of Orthen (or Betuwe). | Orthen, Adela of (I604)
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| 1479 | She was the daughter of Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester and Joan of Acre. She married, firstly, John de Burgh, son of Richard de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster and Margaret de Burgh, on 30 September 1308 at Waltham Abbey, Essex, England. She married, secondly, Sir Theobald de Verdun, 2nd Lord Verdun, son of Theobald Verdun, 1st Lord Verdun and Margery de Bohun, on 4 February 1315/16. She married, thirdly, Roger d'Amorie, Lord d'Amorie in 1317. Her will (dated 25 September 1355) was probated on 3 December 1360. From 30 September 1308, her married name became de Burgh. She succeeded to the title of 11th Lady of Clare [feudal baron] on 24 June 1314.2 From 1316, her married name became de Verdon. From 4 February 1315/16, her married name became de Verdun. From 1317, her married name became d'Amorie. Elizabeth de Clare (16 September 1295 - 4 November 1360) was the heiress to the lordships of Clare, Suffolk in England and Usk in Wales. She was the youngest of the three daughters of Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford and Joan of Acre, and sister of Gilbert de Clare, who later succeeded as the 7th Earl. She is commonly referred to as Elizabeth de Burgh, due to her first marriage to John de Burgh. Her two successive husbands were Theobald II de Verdun (Of the Butler Family) and Roger D'Amory. First marriage She accompanied her brother Gilbert to Ireland for their double wedding to two siblings: the son and daughter of the Earl of Ulster. Elizabeth married John de Burgh on 30 September 1308. He was the heir to the Earl of Ulster, and Elizabeth could expect to be a countess in due course. She gave birth to their only child, a son, in 1312; he would become William Donn de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster. Only a year later, her husband John was unexpectedly killed in a minor skirmish. Now a widow, Elizabeth remained in Ireland until another family tragedy compelled her immediate return to England. Inheritance Her father had been one of England's wealthiest and most powerful nobles, and her mother was a daughter of King Edward I of England. When Elizabeth's only brother Gilbert, 7th Earl of Hertford was killed at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 aged only 23 and leaving no surviving issue, his property was equally divided between his three full sisters, Elizabeth, Eleanor and Margaret. This made Elizabeth one of the greatest heiresses in England. Her maternal uncle, King Edward II, recalled her to England so he could select a husband for her. She left Ireland for good in 1316, leaving behind her young son, William. Second marriage Edward II placed her in Bristol Castle, but his plans to marry her to one of his supporters were dashed in February 1316, when Elizabeth was abducted from Bristol by Theobald II de Verdun, the former Justiciar of Ireland. He and Elizabeth had been engaged before she was called back to England. She was Lady Verdun for only six months however, for Theobald died on 27 July 1316, at Alton, Staffordshire, of typhoid. He left behind three daughters from a prior marriage and Elizabeth, who was pregnant. She fled to Amesbury Priory, where she stayed under the protection of her aunt Mary de Burgh, who was a nun there, and where Theobald's posthumous daughter, Isabel de Verdun, named after the Queen, was born on 21 March 1317. Third Marriage Just a few weeks later after Isabel's birth, Edward II married Elizabeth to Sir Roger D'Amory, Lord D'Amory, Baron of Amory in Ireland. D'Amory had been a knight in her brother's service who rose to prominence as a favourite of Edward II. Now married to him, Elizabeth was caught up in the political upheavals of her uncle's reign. She gave birth to another daughter, Elizabeth, in May 1318. Roger was reckless and violent, and made a deadly enemy of his brother-in-law, Hugh the younger Despenser. D'Amory switched sides, joining the Marcher Lords led by Roger Mortimer and Thomas, Earl of Lancaster in the rebellion known as the Despenser War. He died in March 1322, having been captured by the royalist forces at the Battle of Boroughbridge where the rebels were soundly defeated. Elizabeth was taken and imprisoned at Barking Abbey with her children by the victorious faction. Loss and recovery of property At this time she became the victim of an elaborate plot by Hugh Despenser the younger with the help of King Edward II. It provides a good example of the abuse of power which eventually led to their downfall. Despenser had received Gower from the king, who had taken it from its previous holder, William de Braose. Elizabeth was forced to exchange Usk for Gower, which was less valuable. De Braose then undertook legal proceedings against her for possession of Gower, which were successful under pressure from the king. Finally, de Braose gave Gower to the Despensers. Elizabeth supported her friend Queen Isabella when she invaded England, and she benefited greatly from the reign of Isabella's son, King Edward III of England. In January 1327, after the fall of the Despensers, the lands they had taken were returned to her. Later life and legacy She took a vow of chastity after Roger's death, effectively removing herself from the aristocratic marriage market. She enjoyed a long and fruitful widowhood, becoming patroness of many religious houses. Elizabeth is best remembered for having used much of her fortune to found Clare College, Cambridge. The survival of many of her household records has been a boon to medieval scholars, particularly those focusing on medieval women; a study of Elizabeth by Frances Underhill, For Her Good Estate: The Life of Elizabeth de Burgh, is largely based upon these records. Her eldest daughter, Isabel de Verdun married Henry de Ferrers, 2nd Lord Ferrers of Groby, and her younger daughter, Elizabeth d'Amory, married John Bardolf, 3rd Lord Bardolf of Wormegay, Knight Banneret (1314-1363). Her son William, 3rd Earl of Ulster married Maud of Lancaster, by whom he had a daughter, Elizabeth de Burgh, 4th Countess of Ulster. William had been murdered in Ireland in 1333, twenty-seven years before her own death which took place on 4 November 1360. | de Clare, Elizabeth (I294)
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| 1480 | She was the daughter of Gilbert de Lacy and Isabel le Bigod. | de Lacy, Margaret (I4596)
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| 1481 | She was the daughter of Guillaume de Bourgogne, Comte de Bourgogne. She married Godefroi I de Louvain, Duc de Basse-Lorraine, son of Henri II, Comte de Louvain and Adele de Bettau, after 1121. Clementia of Burgundy (c. 1078 - c. 1133) was a Countess consort of Flanders by marriage. She acted as regent of Flanders while her husband was on crusade. Biography She was the daughter of William I, Count of Burgundy and a noblewoman named Stephanie. Pope Callixtus II was her brother. In 1097, she married Robert II, Count of Flanders and became Countess of Flanders. When he left to go on the First Crusade, she became regent of Flanders. They had three sons, but only Baldwin survived his father and succeeded him in 1111. Because of his young age, she was co-ruler with her son. After his death in 1119, she married Godfrey I, Count of Leuven and was perhaps the mother of Joscelin of Louvain. This second marriage made her stepmother to Adeliza of Louvain, Queen of England. | of Burgundy, Clementia (I3073)
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| 1482 | She was the daughter of Hildiun, Comte de Montdidier et Roucy. She married Hugues, Comte de Clermont circa 1065 at Picardie, France. She was also known as Margaret. | de Roucy, Margaret (I4565)
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| 1483 | She was the daughter of Hugh le Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk and Matilda Marshal. She married, firstly, Gilbert de Lacy, son of Walter de Lacy, Lord of Meath and Margaret de Braose, in 1225. She married, secondly, John fitz Geoffrey, Lord of Shere, son of Geoffrey fitz Piers, 3rd Earl of Essex and Aveline de Clare, before 12 April 1234. She died in 1250.2 Isabel Bigod, Lady of Shere (c. 1212-1250) was an English noblewoman, the only daughter of Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk. She was the wife of Gilbert de Lacy, of Ewyas Lacy, and John FitzGeoffrey, Lord of Shere. Family Isabel was born in Thetford, Norfolk in about 1212, the only daughter of Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk, a Magna Carta surety, and Maud Marshal (1192 - 27 March 1248). Her paternal grandparents were Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk and Ida de Tosny, a former mistress of King Henry II of England. Her maternal grandparents were William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke. She had four brothers including Roger Bigod, 4th Earl of Norfolk and Hugh Bigod. She also had two younger half-siblings John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey and Isabelle de Warenne, by her mother's second marriage to William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey. Isabel's father had died in 1225. Marriages and issue In 1225, the year of her father's death, Isabel married her first husband, Gilbert de Lacy, of Ewyas Lacy (c. 1202 - 25 December 1230). He was the son of Walter de Lacy, Lord of Trim Castle and Ludlow Castle, and Margaret de Braose. Gilbert and Isabel's chief residence was Ewyas Lacy in Herefordshire; however, they spent the last two years of their marriage on his father's estates in Ireland, where their youngest child, Maud was born, and Gilbert would shortly afterwards die. Together they had three children: Walter de Lacy (died early 1241) Margery de Lacy (1228, Ewyas Lacy, Herefordshire- 1256), married before 14 May 1244 John de Verdun, Lord of Westmeath by whom she had issue. Maud de Lacy (1230, Dublin, Ireland[3]- 11 April 1304 Trim Castle, Ireland), married firstly Pierre de Geneve, by whom she had issue; in 1252, she married secondly Geoffrey de Geneville, 1st Baron Geneville, Seigneur de Vaucouleurs, by whom she had two sons, Geoffrey de Geneville, and Sir Piers de Geneville, father of Joan de Geneville, 2nd Baroness Geneville. Gilbert died on 25 December 1230 at Trim Castle, in County Meath, Ireland leaving Isabel a widow at the age of eighteen with three small children. Sometime before 12 April 1234, Isabel married her second husband, John FitzGeoffrey, Lord of Shere, Justiciar of Ireland. The marriage produced six children: Richard FitzJohn of Shere (died 1297), married Emma John FitzJohn of Shere (died 1275), married Margery Basset Maud FitzJohn (died 16/18 April 1301), married firstly Gerald de Furnivalle, Lord of Hallamshire; she married secondly William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick, by whom she had issue. Aveline FitzJohn (died c. 20 May 1274), married Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster, by whom she had issue including Richard Og de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster. Joan FitzJohn (died 4 April 1303), married Theobald le Botiller (1242- 1285 of Thurles, Nenagh, by whom she had issue. Joan and Theobald were the ancestors of the Butler Earls of Ormond. Isabel FitzJohn, married Robert de Vispont, Lord of Westmoreland by whom she had two daughters. In early 1241, Isabel's eldest son by her first husband died. Upon the death of her former father-in-law, Walter de Lacy shortly afterwards on 24 February, the vast de Lacy estates and lordships were passed down to Margery and Maud, her daughters by Gilbert. Their marriages were personally arranged by King Henry III to ensure that the estates they inherited were retained in the hands of trusted servants of the Crown.[6] Isabel Bigod died in 1250. She was about thirty-eight years old. Her second husband John died eight years later. | le Bigod, Isabel (I937)
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| 1484 | She was the daughter of John Pennington and Isabel Broughton. Widow of Salkeld at marriage to Walter. | Pennington, Elizabeth (I2638)
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| 1485 | She was the daughter of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, Prince of North Wales and Joan. She married, firstly, John the Scot, 10th Earl of Huntingdon, son of David of Scotland, 9th Earl of Huntingdon and Matilda of Chester, in 1222. She married, secondly, Robert de Quincy, Lord of Ware, son of Saher de Quency, 1st Earl of Winchester, before 5 December 1237. An inquest post mortem was held for her on 10 November 1253. She was also known as Helen of North Wales. | ap Llywelyn, Helen (I4599)
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| 1486 | She was the daughter of Louis IV d'Outre-Mer, Roi de France and Gerberge von Sachsen.1 She married Conrad, Roi de Jurane Bourgogne, son of Rudolph II, Roi de Jurane Bourgogne, in 964.1 She was a wife of the King Conrad. A Carolingian, she was born to King Louis IV of France and his wife, Gerberga of Saxony. Matilda married Conrad of Burgundy in 964. As her dowry, the young Queen brought her husband the city of Vienne, which her brother Lothar had ceded her. Her children were: Bertha of Burgundy (967 - 16 January 1016), married Robert II of France Matilda of Burgundy (born 969), possibly married Robert, Count of Geneva Rudolph III of Burgundy (971 - 6 September 1032) Gerberga of Burgundy (born 965) Matilda died on 27 January 992. | of France, Matilda (I793)
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| 1487 | She was the daughter of Richard I de Beaumont, Vicomte de Beaumont and Luce de l'Aigle. Ermengarde de Beaumont ( c. 1170-1233/1234), was a Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Scotland. Life Ermengarde was born c. 1170 to Richard I, Viscount de Beaumont-le-Vicomte, de Fresnay et de Ste-Suzanne (died aft. 1199, bur. Etival), and wife (m. bef. 1177) Lucie de l'Aigle (died aft. 1217), daughter of Richard II de l'Aigle. Her father was the son of Roscelin, Viscount de Beaumont (died ca. 1176) and wife (m. 1122) Constance or Maud FitzRoy, illegitimate daughter of King Henry I of England. She married William I of Scotland at Woodstock Palace on 5 September 1186. They had four children: Margaret of Scotland (1193-1259). Married Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent. Isabella of Scotland (1195-1253). Married Roger Bigod, 4th Earl of Norfolk. Alexander II of Scotland (1198-1249). Marjorie of Scotland (1200-1244). Married Gilbert Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke. She died on 12 February 1233/1234, and was buried at St Edward of Balmerino Abbey, Fife. | de Beaumont, Ermengarde (I2787)
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| 1488 | She was the daughter of Robert II, Roi de France and Constance d'Arles. She married, firstly, Richard III, 5th Duc de Normandie, son of Richard II, 4th Duc de Normandie and Judith de Bretagne, in January 1027. She married, secondly, Baldwin V de Lille, Comte de Flandre, son of Baldwin IV, Comte de Flandre and Ogive de Luxembourg, in 1028. She gained the title of Comtesse d'Auxerre. She was a nun before 1079. Adèle of France or Adela of Flanders, known also as Adela the Holy or Adela of Messines; (1009 - 8 January 1079, Messines) was the second daughter of Robert II (the Pious), and Constance of Arles. As dowry to her future husband, she received from her father the title of Countess of Corbie. Her family She was a member of the House of Capet, the rulers of France. As the wife of Baldwin V, she was Countess of Flanders from 1036 to 1067. She married first 1027 Richard III Duke of Normandy (997 †1027). They never had children. As a widow, she remarried in 1028 in Paris to Baldwin V of Flanders (1012 †1067). Their children were: Baldwin VI of Flanders (1030-1070) Matilda of Flanders (1032-1083). In 1053 she married William, Duke of Normandy, the future king of England Robert I of Flanders (1033-1093) Political influence Adèle’s influence lay mainly in her family connections. On the death of her brother, Henry I of France, the guardianship of his seven-year-old son Philip I fell jointly on his widow, Ann of Kiev, and on his brother-in-law, Adela's husband, so that from 1060 to 1067, they were Regents of France. Battle of Cassel (1071) When Adela's third son, Robert the Frisian, was to invade Flanders in 1071 to become the new count (at that time the count was Adela's grandson, Arnulf III), she asked Philip I to stop him. Philip sent troops in order to aid Arnulf, being among the forces sent by the king a contingent of ten Norman knights led by William FitzOsborn. Robert's forces attacked Arnulf's numerically superior army at Cassel before it could organize, and Arnulf himself was killed along with William FitzOsborn. The overwhelming triumph of Robert made Philip invest him with Flanders, making the peace. A year later, Philip married Robert's stepdaughter, Bertha of Holland, and in 1074, Philip restored the seigneurie of Corbie to the crown. Church influence Adèle had an especially great interest in Baldwin V’s church-reform politics and was behind her husband’s founding of several collegiate churches. Directly or indirectly, she was responsible for establishing the Colleges of Aire (1049), Lille (1050) and Harelbeke (1064) as well as the abbeys of Messines (1057) and Ename (1063). After Baldwin’s death in 1067, she went to Rome, took the nun’s veil from the hands of Pope Alexander II and retreated to the Benedictine convent of Messines, near Ypres. There she died, being buried at the same monastery. Honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, her commemoration day is 8 September. Adèle of France or Adela of Flanders[a], known also as Adela the Holy or Adela of Messines; (1009 - 8 January 1079, Messines), she was the Countess of Normandy (January 1027-August 1027), Countess of Flanders (1028-1067) Life Adèle was the second daughter of Robert II (the Pious), and Constance of Arles. In January 1027 she married Richard III Duke of Normandy. The marriage was short-lived for on 6 August of that same year Richard III suddenly died. Adela secondly married Baldwin V, Count of Flanders in 1028. Adèle’s influence lay mainly in her family connections. On the death of her brother, Henry I of France, the guardianship of his seven-year-old son Philip I fell jointly on his widow, Ann of Kiev, and on his brother-in-law, Adela's husband, so that from 1060 to 1067, they were Regents of France. When Adela's third son, Robert the Frisian, was to invade Flanders in 1071 to become the new count (at that time the count was Adela's grandson, Arnulf III), she asked Philip I to stop him. Philip sent troops in order to aid Arnulf, being among the forces sent by the king a contingent of ten Norman knights led by William FitzOsborn. Robert's forces attacked Arnulf's numerically superior army at Cassel before it could organize, and Arnulf himself was killed along with William FitzOsborn. The overwhelming triumph of Robert made Philip invest him with Flanders, making the peace. A year later, Philip married Robert's stepdaughter, Bertha of Holland, and in 1074, Philip restored the seigneurie of Corbie to the crown. Adèle had an especially great interest in Baldwin V’s church-reform politics and was behind her husband’s founding of several collegiate churches. Directly or indirectly, she was responsible for establishing the Colleges of Aire (1049), Lille (1050) and Harelbeke (1064) as well as the abbeys of Messines (1057) and Ename (1063). After Baldwin’s death in 1067, she went to Rome, took the nun’s veil from the hands of Pope Alexander II and retired to the Benedictine convent of Messines, near Ypres. There she died, being buried at the same monastery. Honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, her commemoration day is 8 September. Family She married first 1027 Richard III Duke of Normandy (†1027). They had no children. She married secondly, Baldwin V of Flanders. Their children were: Baldwin VI of Flanders (c. 1030-1070). Matilda of Flanders (c. 1032-1083). In c. 1053 she married William, Duke of Normandy, the future king of England. Robert I of Flanders (c. 1035-1093) | of France, Adela Countess of Flanders (I2100)
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| 1489 | She was the daughter of Rudolph II, Roi de Jurane Bourgogne and Berthia of Swabia. | of Italy, Adelaide (I1501)
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| 1490 | She was the daughter of Sir Henry Curwen and Mary Fairfax. She married, firstly, Deemster William Christian, son of Deemster William McCrystyn and unknown Samsbury, circa 1576 at Kirk Lezayre, Isle of Man. She married, secondly, Sir William Fairfax in 1581. She died on 29 November 1624 at Ronaldsway, Malew, Isle of Man. | Curwen, Mabel (I844)
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| 1491 | She was the daughter of Sir Nicholas Fairfax and Jane Palmes. She married Sir Henry Curwen, son of Sir Thomas Christopher Curwen and Agnes Strickland, circa 1549 at Workington, Cumberland, England.1 She died at Workington Hall, Cumberland, England.1 | Fairfax, Mary (I2632)
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| 1492 | She was the daughter of Sir Theobald de Verdun, 2nd Lord Verdun and Maud de Mortimer. She married, firstly, Sir William le Blount, 1st and last Lord Blount, son of Sir Walter le Blount and Joan Sodington, before 20 February 1326/27. She married, secondly, Sir Mark Husee, son of Henry Husee, 2nd Lord Husee, before 18 October 1339. She married, thirdly, Sir John Crophill before 10 September 1355. From before 20 February 1326/27, her married name became le Blount. On 30 October 1328 she and her first husband had livery of her lands. On 26 March 1332 she and her first husband again had livery of her lands. On 15 December 1337 she had livery of Weobley Castle, Herefordshire. From before 18 October 1339, her married name became Husee. On 1 March 1343/44 she and her second husband had livery of her lands. From before 10 September 1355, her married name became Crophill. Queen consort Catherine Parr is a descendant of Margaret de Verdun by her marriage to Sir Thomas de Crophull. | de Verdun, Margery (I2160)
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| 1493 | She was the daughter of Walter Giffard, Lord of Longueville and Agnes Ermentrude Fleitel. She married Richard fitz Gilbert, son of Gilbert, Comte de Brionne and Gunnora d'Aunou, circa 1054. She was living in 1113. | Giffard, Rohese (I173)
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| 1494 | Sheriff of Bedford. In Domesday Book, Adeliza's English dower lands were recorded separately from her husband Hugh's; they included manors in Bedfordshire which Hugh had acquired by exchange with Ralph Taillebois. Principal heir was his son-in-law, Hugh de Beauchamp; another heir was Ranulf (brother of Ilger), husband of his niece. | de Taillebois, Ralph (I3372)
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| 1495 | Sheriff of Cumberland. | Lowther, Sir Hugh (I5119)
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| 1496 | Sheriff of Northumberland (1389-97), Governor of the Castle of Newcastle, Constable of York Castle. | Eure, Sir Ralph (I5758)
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| 1497 | Sheriff of Yorkshire, Governor of Berwick then York, Lord Musgrave. | de Musgrave, Sir Thomas Sheriff of Yorkshire (I5136)
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| 1498 | Shot himself accidently and died. | Bosdet, Durrell (I52)
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| 1499 | Sibyl de la Bere was the daughter of Sir John de la Bere. | de la Bere, Sibyl (I2172)
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| 1500 | Sibyl de Neufmarché, Countess of Hereford, suo jure Lady of Brecknock (c. 1100 - after 1143), was a Cambro-Norman noblewoman, heiress to one of the most substantial fiefs in the Welsh Marches. The great-granddaughter of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, king of Wales, Sibyl was also connected to the nobility of England and Normandy. Sibyl inherited the titles and lands of her father, Bernard de Neufmarché, Lord of Brecon, after her mother, Nest ferch Osbern, had declared her brother Mahel to have been illegitimate. Most of these estates passed to Sibyl's husband, Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford, as her dowry. Their marriage had been arranged personally by King Henry I of England in the spring of 1121. Sibyl, with her extensive lands, was central to the King's plans of consolidating Anglo-Norman power in south-east Wales by the merging of her estates with those of Miles, his loyal subject on whom he relied to implement Crown policy. As an adult, Sibyl lived through King Stephen's turbulent reign, known to history as the Anarchy, in which her husband played a pivotal role. Following Miles' accidental death in 1143, Sibyl entered a religious life at Llanthony Secunda Priory, Gloucestershire, England, which she had endowed up to six years previously. Sibyl is buried at the priory, founded by Miles in 1136. Family Ancestry Sibyl was born in about 1100 in Brecon Castle, Brecon, Wales, the only daughter of Marcher Lord Bernard de Neufmarché, Lord of Brecon, and Nest ferch Osbern. Nest was the daughter of Osbern FitzRichard and Nest ferch Gruffydd. Sybil's maternal great-grandparents were Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, king of Wales, and Ealdgyth (Edith of Mercia). Ealdgyth, the daughter of Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia, was briefly Queen consort of England by her second marriage to Harold Godwinson, the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, who was killed at the Battle of Hastings. Sibyl's father, Bernard, was born at the castle of Le Neuf-Marché-en-Lions, on the frontier between Normandy and Beauvais. Bernard was a knight who had fought under English kings William I, William Rufus and Henry I. According to historian Lynn H Nelson, Bernard de Neufmarché was "the first of the original conquerors of Wales". He led the Norman army at the Battle of Brecon in 1093, during which Rhys ap Tewdwr was killed. Kingship in Wales ended with Rhys' death, and allowed Bernard to confirm his hold on Brycheiniog, becoming the first ruler of the lordship of Brecon. The title and lands would remain in his family's possession until 1521. The name Neufmarché, Novo Mercato in Latin, is anglicised into 'Newmarket' or 'Newmarch'. Inheritance Sibyl had two brothers, Philip, who most likely died young, and Mahel. Nest had Mahel disinherited by swearing to King Henry I of England that Mahel had been fathered by another man. According to Giraldus Cambrensis, this was done out of vengeance when Mahel had multilated Nest's lover, a knight whose identity is not disclosed. In the 19th century, Bernard Bolingbroke Woodward proposed that, after Bernard's death, Nest "disgraced herself with an intrigue" with one of his soldiers. Mahel, who had by this time inherited Bernard's estates, disapproved of the liaison to such an extent that he killed Nest's lover. Nest's revenge was to have Mahel disinherited by claiming that Bernard was not Mahel's father. The maritagium (marriage charter) arranged by King Henry in 1121 for the marriage between Sibyl and her future husband Miles, however, makes it clear that Bernard was still alive when it was written; showing Bernard Bolingbroke Woodward's version of the story to diverge from the known facts. Author Jennifer C. Ward suggests that, although the marriage charter recorded that King Henry was acting at the request of Bernard, Nest, and the barons, it was probable he had put considerable pressure on the Neufmarchés to disinherit Mahel in favour of Sibyl and, thereby, Miles. Nevertheless, whatever the timing or reason, the outcome of Nest's declaration was that Sibyl (whom Nest acknowledged as Bernard's child) became the sole lawful heiress to the vast lordship of Brecon, one of the most important and substantial fiefs in the Welsh Marches. Henry's maritagium referred specifically to Sibyl's parents' lands as "comprising Talgarth, the forest of Ystradwy, the castle of Hay, the whole land of Brecknock, up to the boundaries of the land of Richard Fitz Pons, namely up to Brecon and Much Cowarne, a vill in England"; the fees and services of several named individuals were also granted as part of the dowry. This made her suo jure Lady of Brecknock on her father's death, and one of the wealthiest heiresses in south Wales. Marriage Sometime in April or May 1121, Sibyl married Miles (or Milo) FitzWalter de Gloucester, Sheriff of Gloucester and Constable of England. The marriage was personally arranged by King Henry I, to whom Miles was a trusted royal official. A charter written in Latin (the maritagium), which dates to 10 April/29 May 1121, records the arrangements for the marriage of Sibyl and Miles. Historian C. Warren Hollister found the charter's wording telling, noting that "the king gave the daughter as if he were making a grant of land": "Know that I [King Henry I] have given and firmly granted to Miles of Gloucester Sibyl, daughter of Bernard de Neufmarché, together with all the lands of Bernard her father and of her mother after their deaths … ". Her parents' lands would be conveyed to Miles after their deaths or earlier during "their life if they so wish". Henry also commanded that the fief's tenants were to pay Miles liege homage as their lord. By arranging a series of matrimonial alliances, similar to that between Sibyl and Miles, King Henry I of England transformed "the map of territorial power in south-east Wales". Such arrangements were mutually advantageous. Hollister describes Miles' marriage to Sibyl as having been a "crucial breakthrough in his career". The new lords, in similar positions to Miles, were the King's own loyal vassals, on whom he could rely to implement royal policy. Sibyl's father died sometime before 1128 (most probably in 1125), and Miles came into possession of her entire inheritance, which when merged with his own estates, formed one honour. Issue Together Sibyl and Miles had eight children: Margaret of Hereford (1122/1123- 6 April 1197), married Humphrey II de Bohun, by whom she had issue. She received the office of constable of England and exercised lordship of Herefordshire as a widow until her death. Roger Fitzmiles, 2nd Earl of Hereford (before 1125- 22 September 1155). Roger's marriage settlement with Cecily FitzJohn (her first marriage), daughter of Payn FitzJohn and Sibyl de Lacy, was ratified by King Stephen in 1137. The marriage was childless as were Cecily's subsequent marriages. Walter de Hereford (died 1159/60), whether he married is unknown; however, Walter departed for Palestine on Michaelmas 1159, and died shortly afterwards without leaving legitimate issue. Henry Fitzmiles (died c.1162), married a woman named Isabella, surname unknown; Henry died without legitimate issue. Mahel de Hereford (died 1164), no record of marriage; died without legitimate issue. William de Hereford (died 1166), no record of marriage; died without legitimate issue. Bertha of Hereford (c.1130-), married William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber, by whom she had issue. Lucy of Hereford, Lady of Blaen Llyfni and Bwlch y Dinas (died 1219/20), married Herbert FitzHerbert of Winchester, by whom she had issue. The Anarchy After Henry I's death in 1135, the throne of England was seized by Stephen of Blois, a grandson of William I of England. Henry's daughter, Empress Matilda (Maud), also claimed the throne, and had the support of the Marcher Lords. On the death of her husband, the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V, in 1125, Matilda had returned to England for the first time in 16 years. At the insistence of her father, the barons (including Stephen) swore to uphold Matilda's rights as his heir. Matilda married Geoffrey of Anjou in 1128. They lived together in France, having three sons; the eldest of whom was to become King Henry II of England. Initially, Miles supported Stephen. In about 1136, Stephen granted Sibyl's husband the entire honour of Gloucester and Brecknock; afterward appointing him Constable of England, whereby Miles became known as one of Stephen's "henchmen". Llanthony Priory had been established near Crucorney, in the Vale of Ewyas, in 1118; Wales' earliest Augustine monastery. Miles' father, Walter de Gloucester, had retired there by 1126. The unrest that had been simmering in Wales during the last years of Henry's reign, boiled over in 1135 on his death. The area around the priory returned to Welsh rule, coming under such “hostile mollestation†from the Welsh that the non-Welsh canons decided to leave. Miles established a new Priory for them in Gloucester, England, which they called Llanthony Secunda, in 1136. Sometime after 1137, Sibyl, together with her husband, made a further endowment to Llanthony Secunda. Miles transferred his allegiance to Empress Matilda, on her return to England in 1139. According to Professor Edmund King, Miles' decision to support Matilda was guided by expediancy rather than principle, and the necessity of joining forces with Matilda's illegitimate half-brother, the powerful Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester, who was the overlord of some of Miles' fiefs. Stephen stripped Miles of the title 'Constable of England' in punishment for having deserted him. On 25 July 1141, in gratitude for his support and military assistance and, according to historian R.H.C. Davis, possibly to compensate Miles for having appeared to have lost the constableship, Matilda invested him as 1st Earl of Hereford. He also received St. Briavels Castle and the Forest of Dean. At the time Matilda was the de facto ruler of England, Stephen having been imprisoned at Bristol following his capture the previous February after the Battle of Lincoln. Sibyl was styled Countess of Hereford, until Miles' unexpected death over two years later. In 1141, Miles received the honour of Abergavenny from Brien FitzCount, the (likely illegitimate) son of Duke Alan IV of Brittany. This was in appreciation of the skilled military tactics Miles had deployed which had spared Brien's castle of Wallingford during King Stephen's besiegement in 1139/1140. Matilda gave her permission for the transfer. During the Anarchy, which the period of Stephen's reign as King of England was to become known, life was greatly disrupted in her husband's lands. Sibyl would have doubtless suffered as a result, especially after Miles' decision to support Matilda's claim to the throne and to oppose Stephen. When Matilda was defeated at Winchester in late 1141, Miles was compelled to return to Gloucester in disgrace: "weary, half-naked and alone". In November of that same year, Stephen was released from prison and restored to the English throne. Sibyl's distress would have been heightened in 1143 after the Bishop of Hereford, Robert de Bethune placed an interdict upon Hereford, blocked all the cathedral's entrances with thorns, and excommunicated Miles. In order to raise money to pay his troops and to assist Matilda financially, Miles had imposed a levy on all the churches in his earldom, an act which the bishop had regarded as unlawful. When the bishop protested and threatened Miles with excommunication, Miles in response, sent his men to plunder the diocese of its resources. In retaliation against Miles' earlier attacks on the royalist city of Worcester and the castles of Hereford and Wallingford, King Stephen bestowed the title "Earl of Hereford" on Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester; Miles, however, never surrendered the earldom nor the title to Robert de Beaumont. Widowhood and death While on a deer-hunting expedition in his own Forest of Dean, Sibyl's husband was accidentally shot in the chest by an arrow which killed him on 24 December 1143. He had been involved in legal proceedings against the bishop's jurisdiction when he died. Their eldest son, Roger succeeded him in the earldom. In protest against his father's excommunication, Roger remained an outspoken enemy of the Church until close to the end of his life when he entered a Gloucester monastery as a monk. After her husband's death, Sibyl entered a religious life at Llanthony Secunda Priory, Gloucester, which she had previously endowed. Sibyl was buried in the same priory, the dates of death and burial unrecorded. Sibyl's legacy Upon the childless death of Roger in 1155, the Earldom of Hereford fell into abeyance until 1199 when King John bestowed the title on Henry de Bohun, Sibyl's grandson through her eldest daughter, Margaret. As her sons all died without legitimate offspring, Sibyl's three daughters became co-heirs to the Brecon honour, with Bertha, the second daughter, passing Sibyl's inheritance on (through marriage) to the de Braoses, thereby making them one of the most powerful families in the Welsh Marches. The Brecknock lordship would eventually go to the de Bohuns, by way of Eleanor de Braose. Eleanor, a descendant of Sibyl's through Bertha of Hereford, married Humphrey de Bohun, son of the 2nd Earl of Hereford. Eleanor and Humphrey's son, Humphrey de Bohun, succeeded his grandfather to the titles in 1275. Through the advantageous marriages of her daughters, Sibyl was an ancestress of many of England and Ireland's noblest families including among others, the de Bohun's, de Beauchamps, Mortimers, Fitzalans, de Burghs, de Lacy's, and Bonvilles. Four of her descendants, Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford, Elizabeth de Burgh, 4th Countess of Ulster, Eleanor de Bohun, and Mary de Bohun married into the English royal family, while another, Anne Mortimer was the grandmother of Yorkist kings Edward IV and Richard III. By way of Edward's daughter, Elizabeth of York, every monarch of England and, subsequently, the United Kingdom, from Henry VIII up to and including Elizabeth II, descended in a direct line from Sibyl de Neufmarché, as did the various royal sovereigns of Europe who shared a common descent from Mary, Queen of Scots. | de Neufmarché, Sybil (I1301)
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