Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford

Abt 1274 - 1314  (~ 40 years)

• Name	Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford  [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Suffix	1st Baron de Clifford
  Born	Abt 1274	Herefordshire, England   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Buried	1314	Shap, Westmorland, England   [5]
  Died	24 Jun 1314  [5]
  Notes	Robert de Clifford, 1st Baron de Clifford, also 1st Lord of Skipton (c. 1274-1314), was an English soldier who became first Lord Warden of the Marches, defending the English border with Scotland. He was born in Clifford Castle, Herefordshire, and was married there in 1295 to Maud de Clare, eldest daughter of Thomas de Clare, Lord of Thomond and Juliana FitzGerald. Robert de Clifford and Maud de Clare had three children. A son of Roger de Clifford the younger (d.1282) and his wife Isabella de Vieuxpont, he inherited the estates of his grandfather, Roger de Clifford the elder, in 1286. He then obtained through his mother (d.1291) part of the extensive land of the Viponts. He was summoned to parliament as a baron in 1299. In 1308 he acquired on the death of his mother's sister Idonea the remainder of the Vipont lands and thus became one of the most powerful barons of his age. During the reigns of Edward I and Edward II, Clifford was a prominent soldier from an early age. In 1296 he was sent with Henry Percy to quell the Scots who asked for terms at Irvine. He was appointed Governor of Carlisle. During the reign of the first king, he was styled Warden of the Marches and then, during the reign of the second, Lord Warden of the Marches, being the first holder of this office. In 1298 he fought with Edward I at the Battle of Falkirk in which William Wallace was defeated, for which he was rewarded with Governorship of Nottingham Castle. He won great renown at the siege of Caerlaverock Castle in 1300. After the death of Edward I in 1307 and along with the Earls of Lincoln, Warwick and Pembroke he was appointed counsellor to Edward II. In the same year the new king appointed him as Marshal of England, and in this capacity he probably organised Edward's coronation on 25 February 1308. On 12 March he was relieved on the marshalcy, Nottingham Castle and his forest justiceship, but on 20 August he was appointed captain and chief guardian of Scotland. In 1310 Edward also granted him Skipton Castle and the Honour of Skipton in Craven. He took part in 1312 with the Earl of Lancaster in the movement against Edward's favourite, Piers Gaveston, besieging him at Scarborough Castle. Clifford was killed on 24 June 1314 fighting at the Battle of Bannockburn. and was buried at Shap Abbey in Westmoreland. His son Roger succeeded him as the 2nd Baron de Clifford. Daughter Idonia married Henry de Percy, 2nd Baron Percy, 9th Baron Percy and 2nd Baron Percy of Alnwick. See The House of Clifford Ch.12. On page 55 it mentions a poem that describes Robert's grandmother as Isabel De Bigod, Dau. of Hugh le Bigod, Earl of Norfolk; yet on page 51 it describes his ancestors which does not include Isabel De Bigod. Inherited the his mother's half of the Vipont estates in 1291 and following the Died of his aunt Idonea in 1308 he was able to reunite the two halves of the Vipont estates under the Clifford name. Robert was very active against the Scots from a very early age and in 1296/7 along with Henry Percy he was ordered to invade Scotland. Scots, who were camped at Irvine, quickly asked for terms rather than fight the combined cavalries of Percy and Clifford. Robert was appointed Governor of Carlisle, captain and guardian of the Scottish marches and of the county of Cumberland. Lord Clifford took part in the battle of Falkirk that saw King Edward I's decisive victory over William Wallace and was rewarded with the governorship of Nottingham Castle. Robert was present at the death of Edward I in 1307 and along with the Earls of Lincoln, Warwick and Pembroke he was appointed counsellor to Edward II and in the same year the new King appointed him as the Justiciar of England South of the Trent. In 1310 Edward II granted him Skipton Castle and the Honour of Skipton in Craven. Robert Clifford had promised the dying Edward I that he would not let Piers Gaveston lead the new King astray so in May 1312, along with the Earl of Lancaster, he besieged Scarborough Castle where Gaveston had taken refuge. Gaveston soon surrendered and was executed without trial. Robert was appointed Governor of Norham Castle in 1314 as he mustered men for what was to become know as the battle of Bannockburn. King Edward's army was defeated on 24th Jun 1314 and among the English dead was Robert 1st Lord Clifford. By his wife, Maud De Clare, Robert left three children, Roger, Robert and Idoine.
  Person ID	I4973	Bosdet Genealogy
  Last Modified	16 May 2013

  
  

  Father	Roger Clifford,   b. 1221,   d. 1285  (Age 64 years)
  Relationship	Natural
  Mother	Isabella de Vieuxpont,   d. 1291
  Relationship	Natural
  Family ID	F2392	Group Sheet

  
  

  Family	Maud de Clare,   b. Abt 1276,   d. Abt 1326  (Age ~ 50 years)
  Married	03 Nov 1295	Herefordshire, England   [2, 6]
  Children	1. Robert Clifford, 3rd Baron Clifford,   b. 05 Nov 1305,   d. 20 May 1344  (Age 38 years)
  Family ID	F1887	Group Sheet

  
  

• Sources

  [S174] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_de_Clare,_Lord_of_Thomond. [S172] Dictionary of National Biography, (Name: Smith, Elder & Co; Location: London; Date: 1885-1900;). [S392] Tudor Place, (Location: www.tudorplace.com.ar;), http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/NEVILLE5.htm. [S174] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_de_Clifford,_1st_Baron_de_Clifford. [S368] Notes and Queries, (Name: Oxford University Press; Date: 1862;). [S174] Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliana_FitzGerald.