GILBERT, Richard Fitz

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: 8th richest landowner in England, with lands centered on two locations – lands in Kent and Surrey grouped around Tonbridge and lands in Essex and Suffolk grouped around Clare
• Relation to Me: 27 GGF
• Royalty & Nobility: 1st Lord of Clare

Family/Spouse: GIFFARD, Rohese. Rohese (daughter of Living and Living) died after 1113. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Alice

Family/Spouse: DE VERE, Aubrey II. Aubrey (son of DE VERE, Aubrey I and Living) was born in 1085; died in May 1141 in London, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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.

Family/Spouse: 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:

• Royalty & Nobility: 2nd Earl of Hertford, 5th Lord of Clare, 5th Lord of Tonbridge, 5th Lord of Cardigan

Notes:

Birth:
Tonbridge Castle

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: English noble involved in the succession conflict between King Stephen and Empress Matilda in the mid-twelfth century.
• Royalty & Nobility: 1st Earl of Oxford
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_de_Vere,_1st_Earl_of_Oxford

Notes:

Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford, and his third wife, Agnes of Essex, had a marriage that was as dramatic as it was significant in medieval England. Born around 1115, Aubrey was a noble involved in the succession conflict between King Stephen and Empress Matilda. He became the Earl of Oxford in 1141 and was a benefactor to several religious houses.

Aubrey's first marriage to Beatrice, daughter of Henry, Constable of Bourbourg, was short-lived, possibly due to her poor health. His second marriage to Euphemia ended with her death in 1154. It was his third marriage to Agnes of Essex, daughter of Henry of Essex, a royal constable, that brought a whirlwind of drama.

Agnes, born in 1151, was initially betrothed to Geoffrey de Vere, Aubrey's brother. However, in a twist of fate, she rejected Geoffrey and married Aubrey around 1163, when she was about twelve years old. Their marriage coincided with a dramatic turn in Agnes's family fortunes. Her father, Henry of Essex, was accused of treason and lost a judicial duel, leading to his disgrace and the forfeiture of his lands and offices.

Following this scandal, Aubrey sought to annul his marriage to Agnes, possibly due to her family's fallen status. Agnes, confined in one of Aubrey's castles, appealed to the Bishop of London and then to Pope Alexander III. The Pope ruled in her favor, establishing the canon law requirement of consent by females in betrothal and marriage. Despite this, Aubrey continued to refuse to cohabit with her.

The couple's estrangement was a matter of public and ecclesiastical concern. In 1171 or 1172, the Pope directed the Bishop of London to order Aubrey to restore Agnes to her conjugal rights or face excommunication. Eventually, the marriage was reconciled, and they had four sons, including two future Earls of Oxford, and a daughter.

Together, Aubrey and Agnes founded a Benedictine priory for nuns near their castle at Castle Hedingham in Essex around 1190. Aubrey died on 26 December 1194 and was buried at Colne Priory. Agnes survived him and later paid the crown for the right to remain unmarried. She died sometime after 1212 and was buried alongside Aubrey.

Their marriage, marked by ecclesiastical intervention, legal battles, and reconciliation, reflects the complex interplay of personal relationships, political fortunes, and religious norms in medieval England. The story of Aubrey and Agnes de Vere is a testament to the turbulent and often unpredictable nature of aristocratic life in the 12th century.

Aubrey married ESSEX, Agnes of in 1162. Agnes (daughter of ESSEX, Henry of and Living) was born in 1151; died after 1212. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]