The House of Mowbray () was an Anglo-Norman noble house, derived from

Montbray Montbray () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. The village has an ancient château which belongs to the commune and houses the town hall and the village nursery school. The village also has a church, a ba ...

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

and founded by Roger de Mowbray, son of

Nigel d'Aubigny Nigel d'Aubigny (''Neel d'Aubigny'' or ''Nigel de Albini'', died 1129), was a Norman Lord and English baron who was the son of Roger d'Aubigny and Amice or Avice de Mowbray. His paternal uncle William was lord of Aubigny, while his father was an ...

.Clay, C., & Greenway, D. E. (2013). Early Yorkshire Families (Vol. 135). Cambridge University Press.de Aragon, R. (1982). The growth of secure inheritance in Anglo-Norman England. ''Journal of Medieval History'', 8(4), 381-391.

Foundations

Coats of arms of Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk

Following the

Norman conquest of England The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Normans, Norman, Duchy of Brittany, Breton, County of Flanders, Flemish, and Kingdom of France, French troops, ...

Geoffrey de Montbray Geoffrey de Montbray (Montbrai, Mowbray) (died 1093), bishop of Coutances ( la, Constantiensis), also known as Geoffrey of Coutances, was a Norman nobleman, trusted adviser of William the Conqueror and a great secular prelate, warrior and adminis ...

bishop of Coutances The Roman Catholic Diocese of Coutances (–Avranches) (Latin: ''Dioecesis Constantiensis (–Abrincensis)''; French: ''Diocèse de Coutances (–Avranches)'') is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in France. Its mother church is the Cathe ...

, was granted some 280 English manors. His heir, his brother Roger's son, Robert de Mowbray,

Earl of Northumbria Earl of Northumbria or Ealdorman of Northumbria was a title in the late Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Scandinavian and early Anglo-Norman period in England. The ealdordom was a successor of the Norse Kingdom of York. In the seventh century, the Anglo-Saxo ...

, was forfeited and imprisoned for life on rebelling in 1095. His lands were confiscated and he was forced to divorce his wife, Matilda de L'Aigle, daughter of Richer, Lord of L'Aigle. His Mowbray lands would be granted to her new husband, a royal favourite,

. Nigel d'Aubigny was son of Roger d'Aubigny (of

Saint-Martin-d'Aubigny Saint-Martin-d'Aubigny () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. History The name of ''Aubigny'' is mentioned under diverse forms in Medieval Latin and in Old French : ''Albignio'' (11th century); ''Albigneio ...

) and with his brother

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

was an ardent supporter of

Henry I Henry I may refer to: 876–1366 * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry I the Long, Margrave of the ...

. The brothers were rewarded with great estates in England. William was made king's butler, and was father of

William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Arundel William d'Aubigny (c. 110912 October 1176), also known as William d'Albini, William de Albini and William de Albini II, was an English nobleman. He was son of William d'Aubigny and Maud Bigod, daughter of Roger Bigod of Norfolk. William fought ...

; Nigel was rewarded with marriage to the former the wife of the imprisoned Robert de Mowbray, and with the

escheat Escheat is a common law doctrine that transfers the real property of a person who has died without heirs to the crown or state. It serves to ensure that property is not left in "limbo" without recognized ownership. It originally applied to a ...

ed Norman

fief A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form ...

of her former husband, also being give a number of lands in England. After a decade of childless marriage, he would divorce Matilda and remarry in 1118 to Gundred de Gournay (died 1155), daughter of Gerard de Gournay, lord of Gournay. They had one son by that marriage,

Roger Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...

, who would inherit from his father the Mowbray lands in Normandy and take the Mowbray surname. Blason famille Mowbray, duc de Norfolk

Roger, a great lord with a hundred knight's fees, was captured with King Stephen at the battle of Lincoln, joined the rebellion against Henry II (1173), founded abbeys, and went on crusade. His grandson

, a leader in the rising against King John, was one of the 25 barons of the ''

Magna Carta (Medieval Latin for "Great Charter of Freedoms"), commonly called (also ''Magna Charta''; "Great Charter"), is a royal charter of rights agreed to by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. First drafted by the ...

'', as was his brother Roger, and was captured fighting against Henry III at the rout of Lincoln (1217).

Lords Mowbray

William's grandson Roger de Mowbray (1266–1298), was summoned to parliament by Edward I, by which act he is held to have become the first Lord Mowbray. He was father of

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

(1286–1322), a warrior and warden of the Scottish March, who, joining in

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 ...

's revolt, was captured at

Boroughbridge Boroughbridge () is a town and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is north-west of the county town of York. Until a bypass was built the town lay on t ...

and hanged. His wife, a Braose heiress, added

Gower Gower ( cy, Gŵyr) or the Gower Peninsula () in southwest Wales, projects towards the Bristol Channel. It is the most westerly part of the historic county of Glamorgan. In 1956, the majority of Gower became the first area in the United Kingdom ...

South Wales South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...

and the Bramber lordship in Sussex to the great possessions of his house. Their son John de Mowbray, 3rd Baron Mowbray (d. 1361) was father, by

Joan of Lancaster Joan of Lancaster ( – 7 July 1349) sometimes called Joan Plantagenet after her dynasty's name, was the third daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster and Maud Chaworth. Royal family ties Joan of Lancaster was born c. 1312 at Grosmont Castl ...

, a daughter of

Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster Henry, 3rd Earl of Leicester and Lancaster ( – 22 September 1345) was a grandson of King Henry III of England (1216–1272) and was one of the principals behind the deposition of King Edward II of England, Edward II (1307–1327), his first c ...

, of John, Lord Mowbray (c. 1328–1368), whose fortunate alliance with the heiress of

John de Segrave, 4th Baron Segrave John Segrave, 4th Baron Segrave (4 May 1315 – 1 April 1353) was an English peer and landowner in Leicestershire and Yorkshire. His family title of Baron Segrave is drawn from a village now spelled Seagrave, which uses a coat of arms imitated f ...

, by the heiress of Edward I's son Thomas, earl of Norfolk and marshal of England, crowned the fortunes of his race. In addition to a vast accession to their lands, the earldom of Nottingham and the marshalship of England were bestowed on them by Richard II, and the dukedom of Norfolk followed. The 1st duke left two sons, of whom Thomas the elder was only recognized as earl marshal. Beheaded for joining in

Scrope Scrope (pronounced "scroop") is the name of an old English family of Norman origin that first came into prominence in the 14th century. The family has held the noble titles of Baron Scrope of Masham, Baron Scrope of Bolton, and for a brief time, t ...

's conspiracy against Henry IV (1405), he was succeeded by his brother John, who was restored to the dukedom of Norfolk in 1424. His son John, the third duke, was father of John, 4th and last duke, who was created earl of Warenne and Surrey in his father's lifetime (1451). At his death (1481) his vast inheritance devolved on his only child Anne, who was married as an infant to Edward IV's younger son Richard (created duke of Norfolk and earl of Nottingham and Warenne), but died in 1481. The next heirs of the Mowbrays were then the Howards and the Berkeleys, representing the two daughters of the first duke. Between them were divided the estates of the house, the Mowbray dukedom of Norfolk and earldom of Surrey being also revived for the Howards (1483), and the earldom of Nottingham (1483) and earl marshalship (1485) for the Berkeleys. Both families assumed the baronies of Mowbray and Segrave, but Henry Howard was summoned in his father's lifetime (1640) as Lord Mowbray, which was deemed a recognition of the Howards' right; their co-heirs, from 1777, were the Lords Stourton and the Lords Petre, and in 1878 Lord Stourton was summoned as Lord Mowbray and Segrave. The former dignity is claimed as the premier barony, though De Ros ranks before it. Lord Stourton's son claimed, but unsuccessfully, in 1901–1906 the earldom of Norfolk (1312), also through the Mowbrays. Of the Mowbray estates the castle and lordship of Bramber is still vested in the dukes of Norfolk. The current Baron of Mowbray is James Stourton, 28th Baron Mowbray, 29th Baron Segrave and 25th Baron Stourton (2021–present).

Notable Mowbray family members

Henry Prince of Wales receiving or presenting a book - detail

, lord of Mowbray (d.1129) * Roger de Mowbray, lord of Mowbray (d.1188) *

William de Mowbray William de Mowbray (–), lord of Thirsk and Mowbray, was a Norman Lord and English noble who was one of the twenty-five executors of '' Magna Carta''. He was described as being as small as a dwarf but very generous and valiant. Family origin W ...

, lord of Mowbray (d.ca.1224) *

Roger de Mowbray, 1st Baron Mowbray Roger de Mowbray, 1st Baron Mowbray (1254 – 21 November 1297), was an English peer and soldier. The son of another Roger de Mowbray, and grandson of William de Mowbray, he served in the Welsh and Gascon Wars. He was summoned to the Parliamen ...

(d.1298) *

John de Mowbray, 2nd Baron Mowbray John (I) de Mowbray, 2nd Baron Mowbray (4 September 1286 – 23 March 1322) was the son of Roger de Mowbray, 1st Baron Mowbray. Lord of the manors of Tanfield and Well, Yorkshire. De Mowbray served in the Scottish wars of Edward I. The ...

(d.1322) * John de Mowbray, 3rd Baron Mowbray (d.1361) *

John de Mowbray, 4th Baron Mowbray John (III) de Mowbray, 4th Baron Mowbray (24 June 1340 – 19 October 1368) was an English peer. He was slain near Constantinople while en route to the Holy Land. Family John de Mowbray, born 25 June 1340 at Epworth, Lincolnshire, was the son o ...

(d.1368) * John Mowbray, 1st Earl of Nottingham, 5th Baron Mowbray (d.1383) *

Thomas Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk, KG (22 March 136622 September 1399) was an English peer. As a result of his involvement in the power struggles which led up to the fall of King Richard II, he was banished and died in exile in Venice. B ...

, Earl of Nottingham and Norfolk, Baron Segrave and 6th Baron Mowbray (d.1399) *

Thomas Mowbray, 4th Earl of Norfolk Thomas de Mowbray, 4th Earl of Norfolk, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 8th Baron Segrave, 7th Baron Mowbray (17 September 1385 – 8 June 1405), English nobleman and rebel, was the son of Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk, and Lady Elizabeth F ...

, Earl of Nottingham, Baron Segrave and 7th Baron Mowbray (d.1405) * John Mowbray, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, Earl of Norfolk, Baron Segrave and 8th Baron Mowbray (d.1432) * John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, Earl of Nottingham and Norfolk, Baron Segrave and 9th Baron Mowbray (d.1461) *

John Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk, (18 October 144414 January 1476), known as 1st Earl of Surrey between 1451 and 1461, was the only son of John de Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk and Eleanor Bourchier. His maternal grandparents were William B ...

, Earl of Nottingham, Norfolk, Surrey and Warenne, Baron Segrave and 10th Baron Mowbray (d.1476) *

Anne de Mowbray, 8th Countess of Norfolk Anne de Mowbray, 8th Countess of Norfolk, later Duchess of York and Duchess of Norfolk (10 December 1472 – c. 19 November 1481) was the child bride of Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, one of the Princes in the Tower. She died at the age ...

, Baroness Segrave and 11th Baroness Mowbray (d.1481)

Tree of House of Mowbray

Notes

References

*''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'', Oxford University Press: :* Hugh M. Thomas, “Mowbray, Sir Roger (I) de (d. 1188)”, 2004 :* James Tait, revised by Hugh M. Thomas, “Mowbray, William de (c.1173–c.1224)”, online version, October 2005 :* Rowena E. Archer, “Mowbray, John (I), second Lord Mowbray (1286–1322)”, online version, January 2008 :* Rowena E. Archer, “Mowbray, John (II), third Lord Mowbray (1310–1361)”, 2004 :* Rowena E. Archer, “Mowbray, John (III), fourth Lord Mowbray (1340–1368)”, online version, January 2008 :* Rowena E. Archer, “Mowbray, John (V), second duke of Norfolk (1392–1432)”, online version, January 2008 :* Rowena E. Archer, “Mowbray, Thomas (II), second earl of Nottingham (1385–1405)”, online version, January 2008 Attribution: *{{EB1911 , first=John Horace , last=Round , wstitle=Mowbray , volume=18 , page=948

External links

Coat-of-arms, Mowbray
St James' Church, High Melton,

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

, Flickr.com Mowbray Anglo-Normans Mowbray family

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...