FITZWALTER, Baron of Little Dunmow Robert

FITZWALTER, Baron of Little Dunmow Robert

Male 1162 - Abt 1235  (73 years)

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  • Name FITZWALTER, Robert  [1, 2, 3
    Title Baron of Little Dunmow 
    Birth 1162  Dunmow Castle, Dunmow, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Gender Male 
    Differentiator Leader of the Magna Carta Barons; chosen by fellow barons to command the army and rebellion against King John 
    Magna Carta 1215 
    Leader of the Magna Carta Barons; chosen by fellow barons to command the army and rebellion against King John 
    Misc 1215 
    - Leader of the Magna Charta Barons; chosen by fellow barons to command the army and rebellion against King John 
    Relation to Me 24 GGF 
    Web Address https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Fitzwalter 
    Web Address https://frontlinestates.ltd.uk/2060-2/ 
    Web Address https://magnacarta800th.com/schools/biographies/the-25-barons-of-magna-carta/robert-fitzwalter/ 
    Web Address https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Fitzwalter 
    Web Address https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/FitzWalter-101 
    Residence Little Dunmow, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Primary family property 
    Title Constable of Baynard's Castle 
    Title Marshal of the Army of God and Holy Church 
    _MILT 20 May 1217 
    Fitzwalter fought in the Second Battle of Lincoln, in which the baronial forces were thoroughly defeated. Fitzwalter himself was taken prisoner along with his son and most of the leaders of his party. 
    _MILT Between 1219 and 1221 
    Fifth Crusade - Holy Land with Earl Saer of Winchester and Earl William d'Aubigny of Arundel. He departed from Genoa in August, shortly after the main force of the crusade left Brindisi, and arrived in Acre some time in September.[19] Before he arri 
    Death Abt 9 Dec 1235  Little Dunmow, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Burial Little Dunmow, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Patriarch & Matriarch
    DE BOULOGNE, Rohese,   b. 1104, Epsom, Surrey, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1176, London, London, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years)  (Grandmother) 
    Person ID I3150  My Genealogy
    Last Modified 15 Jul 2024 

    Father DE CLARE, Walter Fitz Robert,   b. Abt 1124, Little Dunmow, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt 1198, Woodham Walter, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 74 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Mother DE LUCY, Maud,   b. 1135, Diss, Norfolk, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1175, Little Dunmow, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 40 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Marriage 1148  Little Dunmow, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F899  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Living 
    Children 
     1. Living
    Family ID F1708  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 15 Jul 2024 

    Family 2 UNK, Rohese,   b. 1180, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Jan 1236, Dunmow, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 56 years) 
    Marriage 1203  Woodham Walter, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. ROBERT, Sir Walter Fitz,   b. Abt 1204, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt 10 Apr 1258, Little Dunmow, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 54 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    Family ID F898  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 15 Jul 2024 

    Children 
     1. Living
    Family ID F1709  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 15 Jul 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 1162 - Dunmow Castle, Dunmow, Essex, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 1203 - Woodham Walter, Essex, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Primary family property - - Little Dunmow, Essex, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - Abt 9 Dec 1235 - Little Dunmow, Essex, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Little Dunmow, Essex, England Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Seal of Robert Fitzwalter
    Magna Carta British Library
    One of four surviving copies of the 1215 Magna Carta. This copy is one of two held at the British Library. It came from the coll
    Signing of The Magna Carta
    Magna Carta Ancestry Cover
    800px-Hertford_Castle

    Documents
    Robert Fitzwalter - Wikipedia
    Robert Fitzwalter - Wikipedia
    Little Dunmow - Wikipedia
    Little Dunmow - Wikipedia
    Marshal of the Army of God and Holy Church - Wikipedia
    Marshal of the Army of God and Holy Church - Wikipedia
    Robert Fitzwalter _ Magna Carta Trust 800th Anniversary _ Celebrating 800 years of democracy
    Robert Fitzwalter _ Magna Carta Trust 800th Anniversary _ Celebrating 800 years of democracy
    Hertford Castle - Wikipedia
    Hertford Castle - Wikipedia

    Histories
    The Magna Carta A Descendant's Journey Through History
    The Magna Carta A Descendant's Journey Through History
    Baynard's castle
    Baynard's castle
    FitzWalter History
    FitzWalter History

    Albums
    Connections to the Magna Carta
    Connections to the Magna Carta (6)
    Imagine finding out you're not just linked to a pivotal slice of history, but directly descended from both sides of it. That's my story. I'm a 25th great-grandchild of King John of England and also connected to 12 of the 25 barons who played a key role in the Magna Carta. This isn't just a chapter from a history book for me; it's a personal journey through my family's past.

    Few documents have resonated through the ages like the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta emerged from a period of tumult and tyranny. King John, my ancestor, often remembered more for his vices than virtues, was at the heart of this drama. His reign, marked by military failures, exorbitant taxation, and disputes with the Church, set the stage for a historic standoff between the crown and its subjects.

  • Notes 
    • Robert FitzWalter, born around 1180 and dying in 1235, was a prominent figure in the baronial opposition against King John of England, playing a significant role in the events leading up to the Magna Carta. He was the son of Walter FitzRobert of Woodham Walter and Maud de Lucy. Robert FitzWalter was the leader of the Magna Charta Barons and their Army, styled "Marshal of the Army of God and the Holy Church.

      Inheriting his father's estates in 1198, Robert became one of the wealthiest and most powerful English barons. His lands were spread across several counties, including the Barony of Little Dunmow in Essex and the Barony of Benington in Hertfordshire. His marriage to Gunnora de Valoines brought him additional lands and knight's fees.

      Robert's early life was marked by controversy, particularly his and Saer de Quincy's surrender of the castle of Vaudreuil in Normandy to King Philip of France in 1203. This act, which occurred without resistance, led to accusations of cowardice and collusion with the enemy, though the true motives behind their actions remain unclear.

      The relationship between Robert and King John deteriorated significantly in 1212. The exact reasons for this are not entirely clear, but chroniclers suggest various causes, including a personal dispute over rights in Binham Priory and a more serious accusation involving John's alleged attempt to seduce Robert's daughter Matilda. Additionally, Robert's ties with the Braose family, who were enemies of John, likely contributed to the tension.

      Robert and Eustace de Vesci fled England in 1212, with Robert seeking refuge in France. They were reconciled with King John in 1213 as part of a general settlement with the Church, but Robert's relationship with the king remained strained.

      By 1215, Robert emerged as a leader in the baronial opposition. He was present at the meeting at Bury St Edmunds, where the barons swore to compel John to confirm the coronation charter of Henry I. He played a key role in the rebellion, leading to the sealing of the Magna Carta. Robert was appointed as one of the Twenty Five barons responsible for enforcing the charter's provisions.

      Following the rejection of the Magna Carta by King John, civil war ensued. Robert was instrumental in maintaining baronial control of London and played a significant role in the ensuing conflict. He was captured at the Battle of Lincoln in 1217 but was released following the conclusion of peace.

      Robert later participated in the Fifth Crusade and returned to England to witness the final reissue of the Magna Carta in 1225. He died on 9 December 1235 and was buried at Dunmow Priory. His life was marked by his opposition to King John and his significant contribution to the Magna Carta, a cornerstone of English constitutional history.

  • Sources 
    1. [S84] Ancestry.com, UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012;).

    2. [S1797] Magna Carta Ancestry, (2011), Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, Royal Ancestry series, 2nd edition, 4 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham, (Salt Lake City, Utah: the author, 2011), volume II, page 40, 97, [Gov.] Thomas Dudley, #18.

    3. [S1798] WikiTree: Thomas Dudley.


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