Richard Fitz Gilbert, 1st Lord of Clare

Notes:

Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_fitz_Gilbert

He was a Norman lord who participated in the Norman conquest of England in 1066. He was the son of Gilbert, Count of Brionne in Normandy. Gilbert was a guardian of the young duke William and when he was killed by Ralph de Wacy in 1040, his two older sons Richard and Gilbert fled to Flanders.

On his later return to Normandy Richard was rewarded with the lordship of Bienfaite and Orbec in Normandy. In 1066, Richard came into England with his kinsman William the Conqueror, and received from him great advancement in honour and possessions. Richard Fitz Gilbert is the earliest identifiable ancestor of the family, and is once referred to as Richard of Clare in the Domesday Book for Suffolk.

He was rewarded with 176 lordships and large grants of land in England, including the right to build the castles of Clare and of Tonbridge. Richard Fitz Gilbert received the lordship of Clare, in Suffolk, where parts of the wall of Clare Castle still stand. He was thus Lord of Clare. He served as Joint Chief Justiciar in William's absence, and played a major part in suppressing the revolt of 1075.

On the Conqueror's death, Richard and other great Norman barons, including Odo of Bayeux, Robert, Count of Mortain, William Fitz Osbern and Geoffrey of Coutances, led a rebellion against the rule of King William Rufus in order to place Robert Curthose on the throne. However, most Normans in England remained loyal. William Rufus and his army successfully attacked the rebel strongholds at Tonbridge, Pevensey and Rochester.

Richard married Rohese Giffard, daughter of Walter Giffard, Lord of Longueville and Agnes Flaitel, and they had the following children:

1. Roger Fitz Richard de Clare, received Norman lands and d. 1131, apparently without children.

2. Gilbert fitz Richard, d. 1115, succeeded his father as Earl of Clare.

3. Walter de Clare, Lord of Nether Gwent, d. 1138.

4. Isabel de Clare, d. 1088, m. Humphrey d'Isle.

5. Richard Fitz Richard de Clare, Abbot of Ely.

6. Robert Fitz Richard, Lord of Little Dunmow, Baron of Baynard, d. 1136.

7. Alice (or Adeliza) de Clare, d. 1138. m. Walter Tirel.

8. Rohese de Clare, d. 1121, m. (ca. 1088), Eudo Dapifer.

He was buried in St. Neot's Priory in 1091. His widow was still living in 1113. His lands were inherited by his son, Gilbert Fitz Richard.

Buried:
Grave location, biography, photo of church and coat of arms:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=89091104

Richard married Rohese de Giffard. Rohese (daughter of Walter de Giffard, 3rd Count of Longueville and Ermentrude Flaitel) was born ca 1034, Longueville, Île-de-France, France; died 1118, St. Neots, Cambridgeshire, England; was buried , St. Neots Priory, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Fitz_Richard

Gilbert, born before 1066, was the second son and an heir of Richard Fitz Gilbert of Clare and Rohese Giffard. He succeeded to his father's possessions in England in 1088 when his father retired to a monastery;his brother, Roger Fitz Richard, inherited his father's lands in Normandy. That same year he, along with his brother Roger, fortified his castle at Tonbridge against the forces of King William Rufus. But his castle was stormed, Gilbert was wounded and taken prisoner. However he and his brother were in attendance on King William Rufus at his death in August 1100. He was with Henry I at his Christmas court at Westminster in 1101.

In 1110, King Henry I took Cardigan from Owain ap Cadwgan and gave the Lordship of Cardigan, including Cardigan Castle to Gilbert Fitz Richard. Gilbert founded the Clunic priory at Stoke-by-Clare, Suffolk. He died in or before 1117.

About 1088, Gilbert married Adeliza/Alice de Claremont, daughter of Hugh, Count of Clermont, and Margaret de Roucy. Gilbert and Adeliza had at least eight children:

1. Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare, d. 1136.

2. Gilbert Fitz Gilbert de Clare, d. 1148, 1st Earl of Pembroke.

3. Baldwin Fitz Gilbert de Clare, d. 1154, m. Adeline de Rollos.

4. 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 paid pensioner at St. Osyth's, Chich, Essex.

5. Hervey de Clare, Lord of Montmorency.

6. Walter de Clare, d. 1149.

7. Margaret de Clare, d. 1185, m. (ca. 1108), Sir William de Montfitchet, Lord of Stansted Mountfitchet.

8. Rohese de Clare, d. 1149, m. (ca. 1130), Baderon of Monmouth

Buried:
Grave location, biography, and historical drawing of the priory:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=159792533

Gilbert married Adeliza de Clermont. Adeliza (daughter of Hugh de Breteuilde, 4th Count of Clermont and Marguerite de Ramerupt, Dame de Roucy) was born ca 1058, Northamptonshire, England; died ca 1125, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Fitz_Gilbert_de_Clare

Richard was the eldest son of Gilbert Fitz Richard de Clare and Adeliza de Claremont. Upon his father's death, he inherited his lands in England and Wales.

Directly following the death of Henry I, hostilities increased significantly in Wales and a rebellion broke out. Robert was a strong supporter of King Stephen and was a royal steward at Stephen's great Easter court in 1136. He was also with Stephen at the siege of Exeter that summer and was in attendance on the king on his return from Normandy. At this point, Richard apparently demanded more land in Wales, which Stephen was not willing to give him.

In 1136, Richard had been away from his lordship in the early part of the year. He returned to the borders of Wales via Hereford in the company of Brian Fitz Count, but on their separating, Richard ignored warnings of the danger and pressed on toward Ceredigion with only a small force. He had not gone far when, on 15 April, he was ambushed and killed near Llanthony Abbey, north of Abergavenny. Today the spot is marked by the 'garreg dial' (the stone of revenge). He was buried in Tonbridge Priory, which he founded.

Richard married Alice, sister of Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester, by her having:

1. Gilbert Fitz Richard de Clare, d. 1153 (without issue), 1st Earl of Hertford.

2. Roger de Clare, d. 1173, 2nd Earl of Hertford.

3. Alice de Clare (Adelize de Tonbridge), m. (1) about 1133, Sir William de Percy, Lord of Topcliffe, son of Alan de Percy and Emma de Gant; (2) Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd, brother of Owain Gwynedd

4. Robert Fitz Richard de Clare, perhaps died in childhood

5. Rohese de Clare, m. Gilbert de Gant, Earl of Lincoln.

The Welsh won a crushing victory over the Normans at the Battle of Crug Mawr, just outside Cardigan. The town of Cardigan was taken and burnt, and Richard's widow, Alice, took refuge in Cardigan Castle, which was successfully defended by Robert Fitz Martin. She was rescued by Miles of Gloucester, who led an expedition to bring her to safety in England.

Buried:
Grave location, biography, and historical photos:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=63613455

Richard married Alice de Gernon. (daughter of Ranulf le Meschin, 3d Earl of Chester and Lucy of Bolingbroke) [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_de_Vere_II

The eldest son, another Aubrey de Vere, was later created Earl of Oxford, and his descendants held that title and the office that in later centuries was known as Lord Great Chamberlain until the extinction of the Vere male line in 1703.

Aubrey's wife Adeliza, daughter of Gilbert fitz Richard of Clare, survived her husband for twenty-two years. For most of that time she was a paid pensioner at St. Osyth's Priory, Chichester, Essex.

Their known children are:

1. Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford (married 1. Beatrice, countess of Guisnes, 2. Eufemia, 3. Agnes of Essex)

2. Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex (married 1. Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex, 2. Payn de Beauchamp)

3. Robert (married 1. Matilda de Furnell, 2. Margaret daughter of Baldwin Wake)

4. Alice "of Essex" (married 1. Robert of Essex, 2. Roger fitz Richard)

5. Geoffrey (married 1. widow of Warin fitz Gerold, 2. Isabel de Say)

6. Juliana Countess of Norfolk (married 1. Hugh Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk, 2. Walkelin Maminot)

7. William de Vere, Bishop of Hereford (1186-1198)

8. Gilbert, prior of the Knights Hospitaller in England (1195-1197)


9. a daughter (name unknown) who married Roger de Ramis.

Buried:
Grave location, photos of priory, and biography:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=74171052

Adeliza married Aubrey de Vere, II. Aubrey was born ca 1085, Essex, England; died May 1141, London, England; was buried , Colne Priory, Earls Colne, Essex. England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_de_Clare,_2nd_Earl_of_Hertford

He was a powerful Norman noble during the 12th century England. He succeeded to the Earldom of Hertford when his brother Gilbert died without heirs. His other titles were 5th Lord of Clare, 5th lord of Tonbridge, 5th Lord of Cardigan.

Roger was a son of Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare and Alice de Gernon. In 1153, he appears with his cousin, Richard Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, as one of the signatories to the Treaty of Wallingford, in which Stephen recognizes Prince Henry as his successor.

He received from Henry II a grant of whatever lands he could conquer in South Wales. This is probably only an expansion of the statement of the Welsh chronicles that in about 1 June 1157 he entered Cardigan and captured the castles of Humfrey, Aberdovey, Dineir, and Rhystud. Rhys ap Gruffydd, the prince of South Wales, appears to have complained to Henry II of these encroachments. There constant skirmishes and battles between the Welsh and de Clare with King Henry II leading an army into Wales in 1165, resulting in Cardigan being overrun and the Norman castles burned.

Roger had been abroad for part of this time, and is found signing charters at Le Mans, probably about Christmas 1160, and again at Rouen in 1161. In July 1163 he was summoned by Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, to do homage in his capacity of steward to the archbishops of Canterbury for the castle of Tunbridge. His refusal, based on the grounds that he held the castle of the king and not of the archbishop, was supported by King Henry II.

Early in 1170 he was appointed one of a band of commissioners for Kent, Surrey, and other arts of southern England. His last known signature seems to belong to June or July 1171, and is dated abroad from Chevaillée. He appears to have died in 1173, and certainly before July or August 1174, when we find Richard, Earl of Clare, his son, coming to the king at Northampton.

Roger married Maud (Matilda) de St. Hilaire, daughter of James de St. Hilaire and Aveline. Together they had seven children:

1. Mabel de Clare, d. 1204, m. (c. 1175), Nigel de Mowbray.

2. Richard de Clare, b. c. 1153, Tonbridge Castle, Kent, England, d. 28 November 1217, 3rd Earl of Hertford

3. James de Clare

4. Aveline de Clare, d. 4 June 1225, m. [1] (c. 1204), Geoffrey IV Fitz Piers (Fitz Peter), 1st Earl of Essex. m. [2] Sir William Munchensy, (b. c. 1184), son of Warin de Munchensy and Agnes Fitz John.

5. Roger de Clare, d. 1241, Middleton, Norfolk, England.

6. John de Clare

7. Henry de Clare


Buried:
Grave location, biography, and abbey photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=60900403

Roger married Maude (Matilda) de St. Hilaire. Maude was born 1132, Buckenham, Norfolk, England; died 1193, Buckenham, Norfolk, England; was buried , Saint Peter And Saint Paul, Carbrooke, Norfolk, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Bigod,_1st_Earl_of_Norfolk

Bigod married firstly to Juliane de Vere (died c. 1199), probably born in Essex, England. She was the daughter of Aubrey de Vere II and Adeliza de Clare, the daughter of Gilbert Fitz Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Clare. The marriage was dissolved before 1156. They had one son, Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk. He married Ida de Tosny, and had children.

Juliane married Hugh I Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk. Hugh was born ca 1095, Norfolk, England; died 1176, Palestine. [Group Sheet]