John FitzGeoffrey, Lord of Shere

Notes:

Wikipedia

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

He was the son of Geoffrey Fitz Peter, 1st Earl of Essex and Aveline de Clare, daughter of Roger de Clare, 2nd Earl of Hertford and his wife Maud de Saint-Hilaire.

He was appointed Justiciar of Ireland, serving from 1245 to 1255. 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 and his wife Maud Marshal of Pembroke. They had six children, one being Maud who married William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick.

The children took the FitzJohn surname ("fitz" mean "son of").

1. John FitzJohn of Shere (?-1275). Married Margary, daughter of Philip Basset of Wycombe.

2. Richard FitzJohn of Shere (?-1297). Lord FitzJohn 1290.

3. Maud FitzJohn (?-16/18 April 1301). Married firstly to Gerard de Furnivalle, Lord of Hallamshire (?-1261). Married secondly to William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick, son of William de Beauchamp of Elmley, Worcestershire and his wife Isabel Mauduit.

3. Isabel. Married Robert de Vespont, Lord of Westmoreland (?-1264).

4. Aveline (1229?1274). Married Walter de Burgh, Earl of Ulster (1230?1271). Had chilftrn, including Richard de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster who in turn married Margaret de Burgh, by whom he had ten children.

5. Joan (?-4 April 1303). Married Theobald le Botiller. Had children, from whom descend the Butler Earls of Ormond.


Buried:
Grave location:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=69772937

John married Isabel Bigod. Isabel (daughter of Hugh II Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk and Maude Marshal, Countess of Norfolk, Countess of Surrey) was born ca 1210, Norfolk, England; died ca 1250, Norfolk, England; was buried , Shouldham Priory Shouldham, Norfolk, England. [Group Sheet]

1. Maude Fitzjohn, Countess of Warwick was born ca 1238, Surrey, England; died 16/18 April 1301, Worcestershire, England; was buried , Greyfriars, Worcester, Worcestershire, England.

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Fitz_Peter,_1st_Earl_of_Essex

He was a prominent member of the government of England during the reigns of Kings Richard I [the Lionheart] and John. The surname is sometimes rendered FitzPeter, for he was the son of Piers (Peter) de Lutegareshale, forester of Ludgershall.

He was from a modest landowning family that had a tradition of service in mid-ranking posts under Henry II. Geoffrey's elder brother Simon Fitz Peter was at various times High Sheriff of Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, and Bedfordshire. Geoffrey, too, got his start in this way, as High Sheriff of Northamptonshire for the last five years of Henry II's reign.

Around this time Geoffrey married Beatrice de Say, daughter and eventual co-heiress of William de Say II. This William was the elder son of William de Say I and Beatrice, sister of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex. This connection with the Mandeville family was later to prove unexpectedly important. In 1184 Geoffrey's father-in-law died, and he received a share of the de Say inheritance by right of his wife, co-heiress to her father. He also eventually gained the title of earl of Essex by right of his wife, becoming the 4th earl.

When King Richard I [the Lionheart] left on crusade, he appointed Geoffrey one of the five judges of the king's court, and thus a principal advisor to Hugh de Puiset, Bishop of Durham, who, as Chief Justiciar, was one of the regents during the king's absence. Late in 1189, Geoffrey's wife's cousin William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex died, leaving no direct heirs. His wife's inheritance was disputed between Geoffrey and Beatrice's uncle, Geoffrey de Say, but Geoffrey Fitz Peter used his political influence to eventually obtain the Mandeville lands (although not the earldom, which was left open) for himself.

He served as Constable of the Tower of London from 1198 to 1205. He also served as High Sheriff of Yorkshire from 1198 to 1201 and again in 1203 and as High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire from 1200 to 1205. On 11 July 1198, King Richard I [the Lionheart] appointed Geoffrey Chief Justiciar, which at that time effectively made him the king's principal minister. On his coronation day the new king ennobled Geoffrey as Earl of Essex.

King John granted Berkhamsted Castle to Geoffrey; the castle had previously been granted as a jointure palace to Queen Isabel prior to the annulment of the royal marriage. Geoffrey founded two hospitals in Berkhamsted, one dedicated to St John the Baptist and one to St John the Evangelist; the latter is still commemorated in the town with the name St John's Well Lane.

After the accession of King John, Geoffrey continued in his capacity as the king's principal minister until his death on 14 October 1213.

By his first wife, Beatrice de Say, daughter of William de Say and heiress of the Mandeville Earls of Essex, he had the following children:

1. Geoffrey FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex.

2. William FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex.

3. Henry, Dean of Wolverhampton.

4. Maud Fitzgeoffrey, who married Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford.

With his second wife, Aveline, daughter of Roger de Clare, 2nd Earl of Hertford, he had the following children:

1. John Fitzgeoffrey, Lord of Shere and Justiciar of Ireland.

2. Cecily Fitzgeoffrey.

3. Hawise Fitzgeoffrey.

Geoffrey's first two sons died without children. The earldom had been associated with their mother's Mandeville heritage, and the earldom was next granted to the son of their sister Maud and her husband Henry De Bohun instead of their half-brother John.


Buried:
Grave location, biography, and tomb effigy:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=63276113

Geoffrey married Aveline de Clare, Countess of Essex. Aveline (daughter of Roger de Clare, 2nd Earl of Hertford and Maude (Matilda) de St. Hilaire) was born ca 1178; died 1225, Norfolk, England; was buried , Shouldham Priory Shouldham, Norfolk, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aveline_de_Clare,_Countess_of_Essex

She was a daughter of Roger de Clare, 2nd Earl of Hertford and his wife, Matilda de St. Hilaire. Aveline married twice. Her first husband, William de Montchaney, died in 1204. She was married by 29 May 1205, to Geoffrey Fitz Peter (Piers), Earl of Essex, as his second wife. She was widowed a second time on 14 October 1213.

King John granted the royal right over her remarriage to her step-brother, William, Earl of Arundel, along with the guardianship of her children by William de Montchesney/Munchanesy, on 7 May 1204. Soon after her second marriage she paid the crown for the wardship of John de Wahulle and custody of his land.

In her second widowhood, Countess Aveline made gifts to Holy Trinity, London, for the soul of Geoffrey Fitz Peter (Piers), part of whose body was buried there. She was buried in Shouldham Priory, founded by Geoffrey fitz Peter in 1198, alongside the rest of her husband's body.

By her first husband,William de Montchaney:

1. William de Montchaney died without heirs before 1213

2. Warin de Montchaney (b. 1192, d. July 1255); inherited Dec. 1213

3. Alice de Montchaney, married (1) John de Wahulle, (2) William de Breauté

By her second husband, Geoffrey Fitz Peter (Piers):

1. John Fitz Geoffrey (d. 1258), Lord of Shere

2. Hawise Fitz Geoffrey

3. Cecily Fitz Geoffrey


Buried:
Grave location and biography:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GScid=2381929&GRid=150286184&

Notes:

Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Fitz_Peter,_1st_Earl_of_Essex

Piers de Lutegareshale, was the forester of Ludgershall. This area is northeast of Salisbury, in Wiltshire, England.
His job would have been to prevent poaching in the forest by the peasants in the land around Ludgershall Castle. The castle was probably first built in the late 11th century by Edward of Salisbury, Sheriff of Wiltshire. By about 1100 it had come into the possession of the Crown, and John the Marshal (died 1165) is recorded as the king's castellan.
Piers may have been present when in 1141 the Empress Maud took refuge in Ludgershall Castle as she fled from King Stephen's army.

Piers was a modest landowning family that had a tradition of service in mid-ranking posts under Henry II. His son Simon Fitz Peter was at various times High Sheriff of Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, and Bedfordshire. His other son, Geoffrey, too, got his start in this way, as High Sheriff of Northamptonshire for the last five years of Henry II's reign.

Geoffrey married Beatrice de Say, an heiress and the sister of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex. This connection with the Mandeville family was to prove important as Geoffrey eventually become the Earl of Essex.

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/Roger_de_Clare,_2nd_Earl_of_Hertford

Roger de Clare 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 church photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=63614045

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. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

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

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.