DE CLARE, Isabel

Other Events and Attributes:

• Books About: Dawn of the White Rose by Mary Pershall
• Books About: Ladies of the Magna Carta
• Books About: The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick
• Differentiator: Cambro-Norman-Irish noblewoman and one of the wealthiest heiresses in Wales and Ireland.
• Misc: After her brother Gilbert's death, Isabel became one of the wealthiest heiresses in the kingdom, owning besides the titles of Pembroke and Striguil, much land in Wales and Ireland.
• Misc: Allegedly spoke French, Irish and Latin.
• Relation to Me: 23 GGM
• Royalty & Nobility: 4th Countess of Pembroke
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_depictions_of_William_Marshal,_1st_Earl_of_Pembroke
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel_de_Clare,_4th_Countess_of_Pembroke

Family/Spouse: MARSHAL, William. William (son of MARSHAL, John Fitz Gilbert and SALISBURY, Sybil of) was born in 1147; died in 1219 in Caversham, Reading Borough, Berkshire, England; was buried in London, London, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. MARSHAL, Maud was born in 1192; died on 27 Mar 1248.
2. MARSHAL, Sibyl was born in 1201 in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales; died on 27 Apr 1245 in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales; was buried in Tintern, Monmouthshire, Wales.
3. MARSHAL, Walter was born in 1196; died on 24 Nov 1245 in Goodrich, Herefordshire, England; was buried in Tintern, Monmouthshire, Wales.
4. MARSHAL, William was born in 1190 in France; died on 6 Apr 1231 in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England; was buried in London, London, England.
5. MARSHALL, Eva was born in 1206 in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales; died in 1246 in Wickhambrook, Suffolk, England.
6. MARSHAL, Isabel was born on 9 Oct 1200 in Pembroke Castle, Pembrokeshire, Wales; died on 17 Jan 1240 in Berkhampstead Castle, Hertfordshire, England.
7. MARSHAL, Gilbert died on 27 Jun 1241; was buried in London, London, England.
8. MARSHAL, Anselm was born in Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales; died on 23 Dec 1245 in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales; was buried in Tintern, Monmouthshire, Wales.
9. Living

Other Events and Attributes:

• Books About: Strongbow: The Norman Invasion of Ireland
• Books About: The Irish Princess
• Differentiator: Welsh-Norman lord notable for his leading role in the Norman invasion of Ireland.
• Misc: He is vividly described by Giraldus Cambrensis as "His complexion was somewhat ruddy and his skin freckled; he had grey eyes, feminine features, a weak voice, and short neck. For the rest, he was tall in stature, and a man of great generosity and of court
• Relation to Me: 24 GGF
• Royalty & Nobility: 2nd Earl of Pembroke
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_de_Clare,_2nd_Earl_of_Pembroke
• Web Address: https://www.castlewales.com/is_clare.html
• Name: Strongbow: known as "Strongbow" for his skill and use of the long bow of the men of Gwent.
• Wars: Between 1135 and 1154; Richard and his father supported King Stephen in the civil war between Stephen and the Empress Matilda for the throne of England
• Wars: Between 1170 and 1175; Welsh-Norman lord notable for his leading role in the Norman invasion of Ireland.

Notes:

Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (1130 - 20 April 1176), also known as Richard FitzGilbert and commonly referred to by his nickname "Strongbow," was a notable Anglo-Norman lord with a profound impact on the history of Ireland. Born in Tonbridge, Kent, England, he was the son of Gilbert de Clare, 1st Earl of Pembroke, and Isabel de Beaumont. His life and actions played a pivotal role in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, marking him as a key figure in both English and Irish history.

Strongbow inherited his father's title and estates in 1148 but faced challenges in maintaining his position. Initially deprived of his earldom by King Henry II for siding with King Stephen against the Empress Matilda, he later regained favor and his titles. His life took a significant turn in 1167 when he met Diarmait Mac Murchada, the deposed King of Leinster, who sought his help to recover his kingdom. In exchange for his military support, Mac Murchada offered Strongbow his daughter Aoife in marriage and the succession to Leinster.

Despite initial hesitations from King Henry II, Strongbow embarked on the Irish campaign in 1170. His forces, including Welsh archers, played a crucial role in the capture of key Irish towns such as Wexford, Waterford, and Dublin. These victories were instrumental in establishing Norman rule in Ireland. In 1171, following Mac Murchada's death, Strongbow claimed the kingship of Leinster through his marriage to Aoife, further solidifying his influence in the region.

Strongbow's relationship with King Henry II was complex. After initial tensions and Henry's intervention in Ireland, Strongbow surrendered some of his conquests to the English king but retained significant lands and power. He supported Henry II in the Revolt of 1173-74 as a reward for his reinstatement in Leinster. His military campaigns in Ireland continued, including a notable defeat in Munster and subsequent victories that re-established his dominance.

Richard de Clare's marriage to Aoife MacMurrough produced notable offspring, including Isabel de Clare, who became the 4th Countess of Pembroke. Upon Strongbow's death in 1176, his vast estates and influence passed to his daughter and her husband, William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke.

Strongbow's legacy is marked by his military prowess, strategic marriages, and significant role in the Norman conquest of Ireland. His actions had lasting impacts on the political landscape of Ireland and the relationship between England and Ireland. Buried in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Strongbow remains a figure of both historical significance and legend, remembered for his role in shaping the course of Irish history.

Note that this Richard de Clare born in 1130 is not the same Richard de Clare, Magna Carta Baron, born in 1153. However, they were 1st cousins 1X removed.

Buried:
Christ Church Cathedral: the effigy there, said to be his, isn't. His was destroyed in a roof collapse in 1562. The effigy in queston is that of an unknown knight.

Died:
From some type of infection in his leg or foot.

Richard + MACMURROUGH, Aoife. Aoife (daughter of MACMURROUGH, Dermot and O'TOOLE, Mor) was born in 1145; died in 1188. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Books About: The Irish Princess by Elizabeth Chadwick
• Royalty & Nobility: Princess of Leinster
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aoife_MacMurrough
• Web Address: https://groups.google.com/g/soc.genealogy.medieval/c/hki_hNDwY8I
• Web Address: https://www.nationalgallery.ie/explore-and-learn/conservation-and-research-projects/strongbow-aoife/characters
• Web Address: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/MacMurrough-4
• Name: Eva of Leinster
• _MILT: Notably, this Irish princess is sometimes referred to as Red Eva (Aoife Rua) and is known to have led troops in battle, showcasing her leadership and martial prowess.

Notes:

Aoife MacMurrough, also known as Eva of Leinster, was a prominent Irish noblewoman born around 1145. She was the daughter of Dermot MacMurrough, the King of Leinster, and his second wife, Mor O'Toole. Aoife's life was deeply intertwined with the significant historical events of her time, particularly the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland.

Raised in the royal household of Leinster, Aoife was educated in the law of the land and was literate in Church-Latin. Her privileged upbringing ensured that she was well-prepared for the roles she would later assume. In 1170, following her father's request for assistance from the Anglo-Normans, Aoife was married to Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, known as Strongbow. This marriage was not only a political alliance but also a fulfillment of Brehon law, which required mutual consent for marriage, indicating Aoife's agreement to the union.

The marriage to Strongbow brought Aoife into the forefront of the Norman invasion of Ireland. Under Anglo-Norman law, this union gave Strongbow succession rights to the Kingdom of Leinster. Aoife herself played a significant role in this new era of Irish history. She is sometimes referred to as Red Eva (Aoife Rua) and is known to have led troops in battle, showcasing her leadership and martial prowess.

Aoife and Strongbow had two children: Gilbert de Clare, who inherited the title of Earl of Pembroke but died young, and Isabel de Clare, who became a significant figure in her own right. Through Isabel, Aoife's descendants included much of the European nobility, including all the monarchs of Scotland since Robert I and those of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom since Henry IV.

After Strongbow's death in 1176, Aoife did not remarry. She devoted herself to raising their children and defending their territory. Aoife's death is believed to have occurred around 1188. She was buried in Tintern Abbey, Monmouthshire, alongside her father-in-law, Gilbert FitzGilbert de Clare.

Aoife MacMurrough's life represents a fascinating blend of Irish tradition and the new Anglo-Norman influence. Her marriage to Strongbow was a turning point in Irish history, leading to significant political and cultural changes. Her legacy is reflected not only in the historical records but also in her descendants, who played pivotal roles in the shaping of European history.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: He started out without land and wealth of his own but was closely related to very powerful men, specifically his uncles Walter de Clare and Roger de Clare.
• Relation to Me: 25 GGF
• Royalty & Nobility: 1st Earl of Pembroke
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_de_Clare,_1st_Earl_of_Pembroke
• Name: Strongbow
• _MILT: 1136; Led an expedition against Exmes and burned parts of the town, including the church of Notre Dame, but was interrupted by the forces of William III, Count of Ponthieu, and escaped the resulting melee only after suffering heavy losses.

Gilbert married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Relation to Me: 25 GGF
• Royalty & Nobility: King of Leinster

Dermot + O'TOOLE, Mor. Mor (daughter of Living and Living) was born in 1114; died in 1191. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Relation to Me: 25 GGM
• Royalty & Nobility: Queen-consort of Leinster as the principal first wife of King Diarmait Mac Murchada.
• Name: Mór Ní Thuathail

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: He was a powerful Anglo-Norman baron who was granted the Lordship of Cardigan, in Wales c. 1107-1111.
• Relation to Me: 26 GGF
• Royalty & Nobility: 2nd Lord of Tonbridge, Lord of Cardigan
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Fitz_Richard

Gilbert + Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: One of the very few proven Companions of William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, and was revered as one of the wisest men of his age.
• Royalty & Nobility: 1st Earl of Leicester; Count of Meulan
• Wars: 1066; In the Battle of Hastings, Fought alongside William the Conqueror, his cousin

Notes:

Powerful Norman nobleman, one of the very few proven Companions of William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, and was revered as one of the wisest men of his age. Chroniclers spoke highly of his eloquence, his learning, and three kings of England valued his counsel. He was granted immense land-holdings in England (mainly in the Midlands) by William the Conqueror and by Henry I and was created Earl of Leicester.

At the Battle of Hastings he served as leader of the infantry on the right wing of the Norman army, as evidenced in the following near contemporary account by William of Poitiers: 'A certain Norman, Robert, son of Roger of Beaumont, being nephew and heir to Henry, Count of Meulan, through Henry's sister Adeline, found himself that day in battle for the first time. He was as yet but a young man and he performed feats of valour worthy of perpetual remembrance. At the head of a troop which he commanded on the right wing he attacked with the utmost bravery and success"

He and his brother Henry were members of the Royal hunting party in the New Forest in Hampshire when King William II Rufus (1087-1100) was shot dead accidentally by an arrow on 2 August 1100. He pledged allegiance to William II's brother, King Henry I (1100-1135), who created him Earl of Leicester in 1107.

Robert + VERMANDOIS, Elizabeth of. Elizabeth (daughter of VERMANDOIS, Hugh I of and VERMANDOIS, Adelaide of, daughter of HUGH, I) was born in 1085; died in 1131. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Relation to Me: 28 GGM
• Royalty & Nobility: Countess of Leicester

Notes:

Third daughter of Hugh Magnus and Adelaide of Vermandois and as such represented both the Capetian line of her paternal grandfather Henry I of France, and the Carolingian ancestry of her maternal grandfather Herbert IV of Vermandois. As the wife of two Anglo-Norman magnates, Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leicester and William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, she is the ancestress of hundreds of well-known families down to the present time.

Elizabeth is reputed to have had an affair and left her first husband when he was near death. The historian James Planché claimed (1874) that the Countess was seduced by or fell in love with a younger nobleman, William de Warenne. There is no evidence that her second husband, William II de Warenne, second earl of Surrey, was that lover and only later rumors that she had a lover at all during her first marriage. William had sought a royal bride in 1093, but failed in his attempt to wed Matilda of Scotland also known as Edith, who later married Henry I,. He obtained a bride of royal blood when he married Elizabeth in 1118, very soon after the death of Earl Robert. Elizabeth survived her second husband William to later die 1131.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Royalty & Nobility: King of Leinster

Notes:

Died:
Died in battle while fighting Domnall Gerrlámhach, the King of Dublin

Living + Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]