Person Page - 1288

     William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick (1237-1298) was an English nobleman and soldier, described as a “vigorous and innovative military commander”[1]. He was active in the field against the Welsh for many years, and at the end of his life campaigned against the Scots.

He was a close friend of Edward I of England, and was an important leader in Edward's invasion of Wales in 1277.[2][3] In 1294 he raised the siege of Conwy Castle, where the King had been penned in[4], crossing the estuary[5]. He was victorious on 5 March 1295 at the battle of Maes Moydog, against the rebel prince of Wales Madog ap Llywelyn[6]. In a night attack on the Welsh infantry, he used cavalry to drive them into compact formations, which were then shot up by his archers, and charged[7].

His father was William de Beauchamp of Elmley Castle, his mother, Isabel Mauduit, sister and heiress of William Mauduit, 8th Earl of Warwick.

He married Maud FitzJohn.¹

     5th Baron Beauchamp; 9th Earl of Warwick.

     Maud FitzJohn, Countess of Warwick (died 16/18 April 1301), was an English noblewoman and the eldest daughter of John FitzGeoffrey, Lord of Shere. Her second husband was William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick, a celebrated soldier. Through her daughter, Isabella, Maud was the maternal grandmother of Hugh the younger Despenser, the unpopular favourite of King Edward II of England, who was executed in 1326.

Maud was born in Shere, Surrey, England on an unknown date, the eldest daughter of John FitzGeoffrey, Lord of Shere, Justiciar of Ireland, and Isabel Bigod, a descendant of Strongbow and Aoife of Leinster. Maud had two brothers, Richard FitzJohn of Shere and John FitzJohn of Shere, and three younger sisters, Aveline FitzJohn, Joan FitzJohn, and Isabel FitzJohn. She also had a half-brother, Walter de Lacy, and two half-sisters, Margery de Lacy, and Maud de Lacy, Baroness Geneville, from her mother's first marriage to Gilbert de Lacy of Ewyas Lacy. The chronicle of Tintern Abbey in Monmouthshire names Matilda uxor Guidono comitis Warwici as the eldest daughter of Johanni Fitz-Geffrey and Isabella Bygod.[1] Her paternal grandparents were Geoffrey Fitzpeter, 1st Earl of Essex and Aveline de Clare. Her maternal grandparents were Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk and Maud Marshal.

Maud married her first husband, Gerald de Furnivalle, Lord Hallamshire on an unknown date. Sometime after his death in 1261, Maud married her second husband, the celebrated soldier, William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick. Upon their marriage, Maud was styled as Countess of Warwick.

Together William and Maud had at least two children.¹

     Hugh le Despenser (1262 – 27 October 1326), sometimes referred to as "the elder Despenser", was for a time the chief adviser to King Edward II of England.

He was the son of Hugh le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer (or Despenser), and Aliva Basset, sole daughter and heiress of Philip Basset. His father was killed at Evesham when Hugh was just a boy, but Hugh's patrimony was saved through the influence of his maternal grandfather (who had been loyal to the king).[1]

He married Isabella de Beauchamp, daughter of William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick and Maud FitzJohn.

He was created a baron by writ of summons to Parliament in 1295. He was one of the few barons to remain loyal to Edward during the controversy regarding Piers Gaveston. Despenser became Edward's loyal servant and chief administrator after Gaveston was executed in 1312, but the jealousy of other barons - and, more importantly, his own corruption and unjust behaviour - led to his being exiled along with his son Hugh Despenser the younger in 1321, when Edmund de Woodstoke replaced him as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.

Edward found it difficult to manage without them, and recalled them to England a year later, an action which enraged the queen, Isabella, the more so when Despenser was created Earl of Winchester. When Isabella and her lover, Roger Mortimer, led a rebellion against the king, they captured both Despensers —first the elder, later the younger. Queen Isabella interceded for Hugh the elder, but his enemies, notably Roger Mortimer and Henry, Earl of Lancaster, insisted both father and son should face trial and execution. The elder Despenser was hanged at Bristol on 27 October 1326.¹ 1st Earl of Winchester.

     Philip Basset (c.1185 - 19 October 1271) was the Justiciar of England.

Philip was the son of Alan Basset of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire and his wife, Alice, the daughter of Stephen Gray. He inherited the manor of Wycombe and served as the Justiciar of England between the two terms served by his son-in-law, Hugh le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer.[3] He served during the period that Henry III regained control of the government from the Barons.¹

     Sir Hugh (1223 – 4 August 1265) was an important ally of Simon de Montfort during the reign of Henry III. He served briefly as Justiciar of England in 1260 and as Constable of the Tower of London.

Hugh Le Despenser, chief justiciar of England, first plays an important part in 1258, when he was prominent on the baronial side in the Mad Parliament of Oxford. In 1260 the barons choose him to succeed Hugh Bigod as Justiciar, and in 1263 the king was further compelled to put the Tower of London in his hands.

He was the son of Hugh le Despenser I and was summoned to Parliament by Simon de Montfort Hugh was summoned as Lord Despencer Dec. 14, 1264 and was Chief Justiciar of England and a leader of the baronial party, and so might be deemed a baron, though the legality of that assembly is doubtful. He remained allied with Montfort to the end, and was present at the Battle of Lewes. He was killed fighting on de Montfort's side at the Battle of Evesham in August, 1265. He was slain by Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Wigmore; this caused a feud to begin between the Despenser and Mortimer families.

By his wife, Aline Bassett, he was father of Hugh the elder Despenser. She was the daughter of Philip Basset, who had also served as Justiciar.¹ 1st Baron le Despencer.

     Sir Hugh le Despenser (died 1238) was a wealthy land owner in the East Midlands of England, as well as High Sheriff of Berkshire. He was probably the son of a Thomas Despencer and the brother of Thomas who died before Oct 1218, and the brother of Rohaise who married Stephen de Segrave. It is said that he married a daughter of Saier de Quincy (-1219) and Margaret de Beaumont (-1234). Hugh and his unconfirmed wife probably had at least three children; Pernell who married Geoffrey Savage, an unknown daughter who married Roger St. John; and Sir Hugh (-1265)

He was a descendant of a noble family who came to England from the same location and same time as William The Conquerer. This family, which had the sirname of De Albetot became the Stewards of William The Conquerer.

He held eleven manors in England: in Leicestershire, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Rutland. His son was Hugh le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer and his descendants were the infamous Despensers that were favourites of Edward II.

Hugh le Despencer I is reported to have been instrumental in the repairs to Porchester castle in 1232. This castle was first used by Romans in the 3rd century. Sir Hugh had this ever-evolving castle updated to include a new forebuilding to the keep, portcullises to the gate houses and the repairs to the wall and hall were complete.¹

     Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick KG (14 February 1313? – November 13, 1369) was an English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War.

He was born at Warwick Castle, Warwickshire, England to Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick and Alice de Toeni.

Thomas Beauchamp fought in all the French wars of King Edward III: commanded at the Battle of Crecy: was guardian of the sixteen-year-old Black Prince: fought at Poitiers in 1356 and at the Siege of Calais where he died of plague. It was he who began to rebuild the Collegiate Church of Saint Mary, in Warwick out of money received from the ransom of a French Archbishop.

He married Katherine Mortimer, daughter of the 1st Earl of March. They had five sons and ten daughters:[1]

Guy (d. 28 April 1360). He had two daughters who by entail were excluded from their grandfather's inheritance: Elizabeth (d. c.1369), and Katherine, who became a nun
Thomas (1337x9–1401) who succeeded his father as earl and inherited most of his property
Reinbrun, (d. 1361); he was named for a character in Guy of Warwick
William (c.1343–1411), who inherited the honour of Abergavenny. Married Joan FitzAlan.
Roger (d. 1361)
Maud (d. 1403), who married Roger de Clifford, 5th Baron Clifford
Philippa de Beauchamp who married Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford
Alice (d. 1383), who married first John Beauchamp, 3rd Baron Beauchamp and then Sir Matthew Gournay
Joan, who married Ralph Basset, 4th Baron Basset de Drayton
Isabell (d. 1416) who married first John le Strange, 5th Baron Strange, and then William de Ufford, 2nd Earl of Suffolk. After the latter's death she became a nun.
Margaret, who married Guy de Montfort and after his death became a nun.
Elizabeth, married Thomas de Ufford KG
Anne, married Walter de Cokesey
Juliana
Katherine, became a nun at Shouldham.¹ 11th Earl of Warwick.

     Katherine Mortimer was born at Ludlow Castle, Shropshire, England, in 1314, one of the twelve children and a co-heiress of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March and Joan de Geneville, Baroness Geneville. Her paternal grandparents were Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Baron Mortimer and Margaret de Fiennes. Her maternal grandparents were Piers de Geneville, of Trim Castle and Ludlow, and Jeanne of Lusignan.

Her father was de facto ruler of England together with his mistress Isabella of France, Queen consort of King Edward II, until his eventual capture and execution by the orders of King Edward III, eldest son of Isabella and King Edward II. The latter had been deposed in November 1326, and afterwards cruelly murdered by assassins acting under the orders of Mortimer and Queen Isabella. Katherine was sixteen years old when her father was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn, London on 29 November 1330.

On 19 April 1319, when she was about five years old, Katherine married, by Papal dispensation, Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick, eldest son of Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick and Alice de Toeni.[1] He had succeeded to the earldom at the age of two, upon his father's death. For the term of his minority, his custody had been granted to Katherine's father, Roger Mortimer.[2] Katherine and Thomas had fifteen children:[3]

Guy de Beauchamp (died 28 April 1360), married Philippa de Ferrers, daughter of Henry de Ferrers, 2nd Lord Ferrers of Groby and Isabel de Verdun, by whom he had two daughters.[4]
Thomas de Beauchamp, 12th Earl of Warwick (16 March 1339- 1401), married Margaret Ferrers, daughter of William Ferrers, 3rd Lord of Groby and Margaret de Ufford, by whom he had issue, including Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick.
Reinbrun de Beauchamp
William de Beauchamp, 1st Baron Bergavenny (c. 1343- 8 May 1411), on 23 July 1392, married Lady Joan FitzAlan, daughter of Richard Fitzalan, 11th Earl of Arundel and Elizabeth de Bohun, by whom he had a son Richard de Beauchamp, 1st Earl of Worcester, and a daughter, Joan de Beauchamp, 4th Countess of Ormond. Queen consort Anne Boleyn was a notable descendant of the latter.
Roger de Beauchamp (died 1361)
Maud de Beauchamp (died 1403), married Roger de Clifford, 5th Baron Clifford, by whom she had issue, including Thomas de Clifford, 6th Baron Clifford.
Philippa de Beauchamp, married Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford, by whom she had nine children.
Alice Beauchamp (died 1383), married firstly John Beauchamp, 3rd Baron Beauchamp of Somerset, and secondly Sir William Gournay.[5]She died childless.
Joan de Beauchamp, married Ralph Basset, 3rd Baron Basset of Drayton. She died childless.
Isabella de Beauchamp (died 29 September 1416), married firstly John le Strange, 5th Baron Strange, and secondly, William de Ufford, 2nd Earl of Suffolk. Upon the latter's death, she became a nun. She died childless.
Margaret de Beauchamp, married Guy de Montfort, and after his death, she became a nun. She died childless.
Elizabeth de Beauchamp, married Thomas de Ufford KG,
Anne de Beauchamp, married Walter de Cokesey.
Juliana de Beauchamp
Katherine de Beauchamp, became a nun at Shouldham.

Katherine Mortimer died on 4 August 1369 at the age of about fifty-five. Two years before her death, in 1367, Katherine was a legatee in the will of her sister Agnes de Hastings, Countess of Pembroke.[6] Katherine was buried in St. Mary's Church, Warwick, Warwickshire. She lies alongside her husband, who died three months after her of the Black Death. Their well-preserved effigies can be seen in the centre of the quire. They are depicted holding hands.¹

     10th Earl of Warwick.

     Alice de Toeni, Countess of Warwick (26 April 1284 – 1 January 1324/25) was a wealthy English heiress and the second wife of Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick (1272 – 12 August 1315), an English nobleman in the reign of Kings Edward I and Edward II. He was one of the principal opponents of Piers Gaveston, a favourite of Edward II. Alice married three times; Guy was her second husband.

Alice de Toeni was born on 26 April 1284[citation needed] in Flamsted, Hertfordshire, the only daughter of Ralph VII de Toeni, Lord Toeni of Flamsted (1255–1295) and his wife, Mary, about whom nothing is known except that she was born in Scotland. Alice's paternal grandparents were Roger V de Toeni, Lord Flamsted and Alice de Bohun. The latter was a daughter of Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford and Maud de Lusignan. Alice had an older brother Robert de Toeni, Lord Toeni of Flamsted (4 April 1276 – 1309), who married Maud, the daughter of Malise, 6th Earl of Strathearn, but died childless in 1309. Upon his death, Alice became his heir. Her inheritance included manors in Essex, Worcestershire, Wiltshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and the Welsh Marches.

In 1300, when Alice was sixteen, she married her first husband, Sir Thomas Leybourne (died May 1307), son of Sir William Leybourne, by whom she had one daughter: Juliana de Leybourne (1303/1304–1367), married firstly, John, Lord Hastings, by whom she had issue, secondly Thomas le Blount, and thirdly, William Clinton.

On 28 February 1310, less than three years after the death of her first husband, Alice married secondly Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick, the only son of William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick and Maud FitzJohn. He had been previously married to Isabel de Clare, the daughter of Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester and Alice de Lusignan of Angouleme, but the marriage, which had produced no children, was annulled. Guy had already distinguished himself in the Scottish Wars and was one of the Ordainers, who sought to restrict the powers of the King. Guy de Beauchamp was one of the chief adversaries of Piers Gaveston, King Edward's favourite, who often referred to Guy as The Mad Hound, due to the Earl's habit of foaming at the mouth when angry.[1] In 1312, Guy de Beauchamp captured Gaveston and took him to his principal residence Warwick Castle where Gaveston was held prisoner and afterwards murdered.

Alice and Guy had two sons and five daughters:

Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick (14 February 1313/1314 – 13 November 1369), married Katherine Mortimer, by whom he had fifteen children.
John de Beauchamp, Lord Beauchamp KG (1315 – 2 December 1360), carried the royal standard at the Battle of Crecy
Elizabeth de Beauchamp (c. 1316 – 1359), married in 1328, Thomas of Astley, 3rd Lord Astley, by whom she had a son William of Astley, 4th Lord Astley.
Maud de Beauchamp (died 1366), married Geoffrey de Say, 2nd Lord Say, by whom she had issue.
Isabella de Beauchamp, married John Clinton.
Emma de Beauchamp, married Rowland Odingsells.
Lucia de Beauchamp, married Robert de Napton.
Following the sudden death of Guy de Beauchamp at Warwick Castle on 28 July 1315, which was rumoured to have been caused by poisoning, Alice married thirdly on 26 October 1316, William la Zouche de Mortimer, 1st Lord Zouche de Mortimer (see Baron Zouche), by whom she had a son and daughter:[2]

Alan la Zouche de Mortimer. (born 15 September 1317), participated in the Battle of Crécy, and died shortly afterwards.
Joyce la Zouche de Mortimer (born 1318)

Alice de Toeni died on 1 January 1324/25.[3] The de Toeni lands and manors passed to her eldest son Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick.

Her widower, Lord Zouche, later abducted and married Eleanor de Clare, widow of Hugh Le Despenser, the Younger. Lord Zouche had been one of Le Despenser's captors and had led the siege of Caerphilly Castle.¹

     John FitzGeoffrey, Lord of Shere and Justiciar of Ireland (1205? in Shere, Surrey – 23 November 1258. He was the son of Geoffrey Fitz Peter, 1st Earl of Essex and Aveline de Clare, daughter of Roger de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford & his wife Maud de Saint-Hilaire. He was Justiciar of Ireland. He was not entitled to succeed his half-brother as Earl of Essex in 1227, the Earldom having devolved from his father's first wife. He was the second husband of Isabel Bigod, daughter of Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk & his wife Maud Marshal of Pembroke. They had six children, one being Maud who married William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick.¹

     1st Baron Wigmore.

     Maud de Braose, Baroness Wigmore (1224- 1300/23 March 1301)[1] was a noble heiress and a member of the powerful de Braose family which held many lordships and domains in the Welsh Marches. She was the wife of Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Wigmore, a celebrated soldier and Marcher baron. A staunch Royalist during the Second Barons' War, it was she who devised the plan to rescue Prince Edward (the future King Edward I of England) from the custody of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester.[2]

Maud was born in Wales in 1224, the second eldest daughter and co-heiress of Marcher lord William de Braose, Lord Abergavenny and Eva Marshal.

Maud had three sisters, Isabella, wife of Prince Dafydd ap Llywelyn; Eve, wife of William de Cantelou; and Eleanor, wife of Humphrey de Bohun.

Her paternal grandparents were Reginald de Braose and Grecia de Briwere. Her maternal grandparents were William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke, daughter of Strongbow and Aoife of Leinster.

On 2 May 1230, when Maud was just six years old, her father was hanged by orders of Llewelyn the Great, Prince of Wales for alleged adultery with the latter's wife, Joan, Lady of Wales.¹ Baroness Wigmore.

     Lord Abergavenny. William de Braose (c. 1197 – 2 May 1230) was the son of Reginald de Braose by his first wife, Grecia de Briwere (born 1186) from Stoke in Devon. He was an ill-fated member of a powerful and long lived dynasty of Marcher Lords.

William de Braose was born in Brecon, probably between 1197 and 1204. The Welsh, who detested him and his family name, called him Gwilym Ddu, Black William. He succeeded his father in his various lordships in 1227, including Abergavenny and Builth.

William married Lady Eva Marshal, daughter of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke. They had four daughters.¹ In 1230 Adultery. At Easter 1230, William de Braose, 10th Baron Abergavenny, who was Llywelyn's prisoner at the time, was discovered with Joan in Llywelyn's bedchamber. William de Braose was hanged at Aber Garth Celyn on 2 May 1230; the place was known as 'Gwern y Grog' and the incident remembered down the generations by the local community. A recent suggestion that the execution might have taken place at Crogen near Bala rests on the suggestion that 'Crogen' and 'Crokein' are one and the same: there is however no further eveidence in the area to lend this substance.

Joan was placed under house arrest for twelve months after the incident. She was then, according to the Chronicle of Chester, forgiven by Llywelyn, and restored to favour. She may have given birth to a daughter early in 1231.

     Eva Marshal, Lady Abergavenny (1203-1246) was a Cambro-Norman noblewoman and the wife of the powerful Marcher lord William de Braose, Lord Abergavenny. She was the granddaughter of Strongbow and Aoife of Leinster.

She held de Braose lands and castles in her own right following the public hanging of her husband by the orders of Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales.

Lady Eva was born in 1203, in Pembroke Castle, Pembrokeshire, Wales, the fifth daughter[1] and tenth child of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke. Her paternal grandparents were John Marshal and Sibyl of Salisbury. Her maternal grandparents were Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, known to history as Strongbow and Aoife of Leinster.

Lady Eva was the youngest of ten children, having had five older brothers and four older sisters. Eva and her sisters were described as being handsome, high-spirited girls.[2]From 1207 to 1212, Eva and her family lived in Ireland.

Sometime before 1221, she married Marcher lord William de Braose, who in June 1228 succeeded to the lordship of Abergavenny, and by whom she had four daughters. William was the son of Reginald de Braose and his first wife Grecia de Briwere. He was much hated by the Welsh who called him Gwilym Ddu or Black William. From 1228 onward, Eva was styled as Lady Abergavenny.

Eva's husband, Lord Abergavenny was publicly hanged by Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales on 2 May 1230 after being discovered in the Prince's bedchamber together with his wife Joan, Lady of Wales. Several months later, Eva's eldest daughter Isabella married the Prince's son, Dafydd ap Llywelyn, as their marriage contract had been signed prior to Lord Abergavenny's death. Prince Llywelyn wrote to Eva shortly after the execution, offering his apologies, explaining that he had been forced to order the hanging due to the insistence by the Welsh lords. He concluded his letter by adding that he hoped the execution would not affect their business dealings.[3]

Following her husband's execution, Eva held de Braose lands and castles in her own right. She is listed as holder of Totnes in 1230, which she held until her death. It is recorded on the Close Rolls (1234-1237) that Eva was granted 12 marks by King Henry III of England to strengthen Hay Castle. She had gained custody of Hay as part of her dower.

She died in 1246 at the age of forty-three. Eva was the direct ancestress of Anne Boleyn, Mary Boleyn, and Jane Seymour; and she has numerous descendants in the 21st century.¹

     Eleanor de Braose (c.1228- 1251) was a Cambro-Norman noblewoman and a wealthy co-heiress of her father, who was the powerful Marcher lord William de Braose, Lord Abergavenny, and her mother, Eva Marshal, a granddaughter of Strongbow. Her husband was Humphrey de Bohun, by whom she had three children, including Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford.

Eleanor was born in Brecknock, Breconshire, Wales in about 1228. She was the youngest daughter and co-heiress of the powerful Marcher lord William de Braose, 10th Lord Abergavenny, and Eva Marshal, both of whom held considerable lordships and domains in the Welsh Marches and Ireland. She had three older sisters, Isabella de Braose, Maud de Braose, Baroness Wigmore, and Eve de Braose, wife of William de Cantelou. A manuscript which narrates the descent of the founders of Llanthony Abbey names Isabella, Matildis, Eve et Alianore as the four daughters of Willielmis de Brews quartus and his wife Evam filiam domini Willielmis Mareschalli.[1] The document clearly shows that Eleanor was the youngest of the four girls.

Her paternal grandparents were Reginald de Braose, Lord Abergavenny and Grecia de Briwere. Her maternal grandparents were William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke, daughter of Strongbow and Aoife of Leinster.

When Eleanor was about two years old, her father - known to the Welsh as Gwilym Ddu (Black William) - was hanged on the orders of Llewelyn the Great, Prince of Wales for alleged adultery with Llewelyn's wife, Joan, Lady of Wales. Following the execution, her mother held de Braose lands and castles in her own right.

On an unknown date after August 1241, at Brecknock, Breconshire, Eleanor married as his first wife,[2] Humphrey de Bohun, the son of Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford and Maud de Lusignan. The marriage took place after the death of Humphrey's mother, Maud.

Together Humphrey and Eleanor had three children.¹

     Reginald de Braose (died June 1228) was one of the sons of William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber and Matilda, also known as Maud de St. Valery and Lady de la Haie. Her other children included William and Giles.[1]

The de Braoses were loyal to King Richard I but grew in power under King John of England. The dynasty was in conflict with King John towards the end of his reign and almost lost everything.

Reginald de Braose was a scion of the powerful Marcher family of de Braose, helped manage its survival and was also related by marriage to the Welsh Princes of Wales.

Contents [hide]
1 Magna Carta Rebel
2 Royal Acquiescence & Welsh Vassal
3 Welsh Conflict
4 Notes
5 References


[edit] Magna Carta Rebel
He supported his brother Giles de Braose in his rebellions against King John. Both brothers were active against the King in the Baron's War. Neither was present at the signing of Magna Carta in June 1215 because at this time they were still rebels who refused to compromise.

[edit] Royal Acquiescence & Welsh Vassal
King John acquiesced to Reginald's claims to the de Braose estates in Wales in May 1216. Reginald became Lord of Brecon, Abergavenny, Builth and held other Marcher Lordships but was also very much a vassal of the Welsh leader Llewelyn Fawr, Prince of Gwynedd who became his father-in-law in 1215 [2]when Reginald married Llywelyn's daughter, Gwladus Ddu, known as Black Gwladys due to her raven hair.

Henry III restored Reginald to favour and the Bramber estates (confiscated by King John) in 1217.

[edit] Welsh Conflict
At this seeming betrayal, Rhys and Owain, Reginald's Welsh nephews who were Princes of Deheubarth, were incensed and they took Builth, except the castle. Llywelyn Fawr also became angry and his forces besieged Brecon. Reginald eventually surrendered to Llewelyn and gave up Seinhenydd (Swansea).

By 1221 they were at war again, with Llewelyn again laying siege to Builth. The siege was relieved by King Henry III's forces. From this time on Llewelyn tended to support the claims of Reginald's nephew John de Braose concerning the de Braose lands in Wales.

Reginald was a witness to the re-issue of Magna Carta by King Henry III in 1225.

He died two or three years later in 1227 or 1228 in Brecon and was succeeded by his son by his first wife, Grecia de Briwere, the ill-fated William de Braose, Lord Abergavenny. He is buried at Brecon Cathedral. His daughter Matilda de Braose was the wife of Rhys Mechyll, Prince of Deheubarth.¹