Gilbert Middleton (died 1318) was an English knight with lands in

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land ...

who rebelled and was executed for treason. Gilbert was a son of Gilbert of Middleton and grandson of the Lord Chancellor Richard of Middleton. His father was dead by 1291, when he was still a minor. He was placed under the wardship of the royal squire William Felton. In 1300, he attained his majority and took part in the English invasion of Scotland. By 1313, Gilbert was a knight of the royal household in the garrison at

Berwick Castle Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England. History The castle was commissioned by the Scottish King David I in the 1120s. It was taken by the English forces under the terms of the Treaty of Falaise in 11 ...

. In 1315, he was posted to

Alnwick Castle Alnwick Castle () is a castle and country house in Alnwick in the English county of Northumberland. It is the seat of the 12th Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman conquest and renovated and remodelled a number of times. It is a G ...

. He was still in the royal service in early 1317, when he received wages for himself and his retinue. On 1 September 1317, however, he attacked a party that included the bishop-elect of Durham, Louis de Beaumont; his brother,

Henry de Beaumont Henry de Beaumont (before 1280 – 10 March 1340), '' jure uxoris'' 4th Earl of Buchan and ''suo jure'' 1st Baron Beaumont, was a key figure in the Anglo-Scots wars of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, known as the Wars of Scottish Ind ...

; and two cardinals,

Gaucelin de Jean Gauscelin de Jean (died 3 August 1348) was a French cardinal. He was born at Cahors in the family related (by the marriage alliance) to the family of Pope John XXII. From 1312 he was archdeacon of Paris. Pope John XXII shortly after his election to ...

and

Luca Fieschi Luca Fieschi ( – 31 January 1336) was a Genoese nobleman and Roman Catholic cardinal from 1300. A member of the Fieschi family and a relative of the Plantagenets, he held benefices in England and Italy. Although politically a Guelph, he was ch ...

. He imprisoned the Beaumonts in

Mitford Castle Mitford Castle is an English castle dating from the end of the 11th century and located at Mitford, Northumberland. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building, enlisted on 20 October 1969. The castle is also officially on ...

, but let the cardinals go. Gilbert was joined in rebellion by fellow household knights

John de Lilburne Sir John de Lilburne of West Lilburn (1279-1355) was a knight who held numerous political and military offices during the first half of the 14th Century. A member of the Lilburn family of Northumberland, Sir John took part in Gilbert Middleton, ...

, Walter Selby and Goscelin d'Eyville. On 17 October, Louis de Beaumont was also freed. The rebels extorted 500

marks Marks may refer to: Business * Mark's, a Canadian retail chain * Marks & Spencer, a British retail chain * Collective trade marks, trademarks owned by an organisation for the benefit of its members * Marks & Co, the inspiration for the novel ...

from the bishopric of Durham for an alleged "transgression committed against" Gilbert. In December, William Felton, the son of Gilbert's former guardian, captured Mitford Castle and Gilbert by subterfuge. The motives for Gilbert's rebellion remain uncertain. He may have been acting with the connivance of the Scots, still at war with England. Earl

Thomas of Lancaster Thomas of Lancaster, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl of Derby, ''jure uxoris'' 4th Earl of Lincoln and ''jure uxoris'' 5th Earl of Salisbury (c. 1278 – 22 March 1322) was an English nobleman. A member of the House of Pl ...

, too, may have been in on the plan. Gilbert was sent by sea to

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, where he was tried before the king for treason on 26 January 1318. In part because of his status as a household knight and the status of his victims—cardinals on a diplomatic mission—he was hanged, drawn and quartered.

Notes

Bibliography

* * * * {{refend 1280s births 1318 deaths Medieval English knights English rebels People executed under the Plantagenets by hanging, drawing and quartering