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Reginald de Braose (19 September 1182 – 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.
The de Braoses were loyal to
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ...
Richard I but grew in power under King
John of England
John (24 December 1166 – 19 October 1216) was King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. He lost the Duchy of Normandy and most of his other French lands to King Philip II of France, resulting in the collapse of the Angevin E ...
. 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
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...
Princes of Wales.
''Magna Carta''
He supported his brother
Giles de Braose in his rebellions against King John. Both brothers were active against the King in the
Barons' War. Neither was present at the signing of ''
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, Berkshire, Windsor, on 15 June 1215. ...
'' in June 1215 because at this time they were still rebels who refused to compromise.
Restoration of royal favour
King John acquiesced to Reginald's claims to the de Braose estates in Wales in May 1216. Reginald became Lord of
Brecon
Brecon (; cy, Aberhonddu; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a market town in Powys, mid Wales. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the coun ...
,
Abergavenny,
Builth
Builth Wells (; cy, Llanfair-ym-Muallt) is a market town and community in the county of Powys and historic county of Brecknockshire (Breconshire), mid Wales, lying at the confluence of rivers Wye and Irfon, in the Welsh (or upper) part ...
and held other
Marcher Lord
A Marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales.
A Marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in Fran ...
ships but was also very much a vassal of the Welsh leader
Llewelyn Fawr, Prince of
Gwynedd
Gwynedd (; ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county and preserved county (latter with differing boundaries; includes the Isle of Anglesey) in the North West Wales, north-west of Wales. It shares borders with Powys, Conwy County B ...
who had become his father-in-law in 1215 when Reginald married Llywelyn's daughter,
Gwladus Ddu.
King
Henry III restored Reginald to favour and the Bramber estates (confiscated by King John) in 1217.
Welsh wars
At this seeming betrayal, Rhys and Owain, Reginald's Welsh nephews who were princes of
Deheubarth, were incensed and took
Builth
Builth Wells (; cy, Llanfair-ym-Muallt) is a market town and community in the county of Powys and historic county of Brecknockshire (Breconshire), mid Wales, lying at the confluence of rivers Wye and Irfon, in the Welsh (or upper) part ...
, except the castle.
Llywelyn Fawr also became angry and his forces besieged
Brecon
Brecon (; cy, Aberhonddu; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a market town in Powys, mid Wales. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the coun ...
. 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
John de Braose (born 1197 or 1198 – 18 July 1232), known as ''Tadody'' to the Welsh, was the Lord of Bramber and Gower.
Re-establishment of the de Braose dynasty
John re-established the senior branch of the de Braose dynasty.
His father w ...
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
Brecon (; cy, Aberhonddu; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a market town in Powys, mid Wales. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the coun ...
and was succeeded by his son by his first wife, Graecia Briwere (or Brewer), daughter of
William Brewer.
He was buried in Brecon Priory Church (now
Brecon Cathedral).
Reginald and Graecia had a son,
William de Braose, who was executed by
Llewellyn Fawr, King of Gwynedd, upon being caught in the bedchamber of
Joan, Lady of Wales
Joan, Lady of Wales and Lady of Snowdon, also known by her Welsh name often written as Siwan (said, approximately /''sɪuːan''/) (/92 – February 1237) was the illegitimate daughter of King John of England, and was the wife of Llywelyn the Gr ...
.
It may be that the
Matilda de Braose who was the wife of
Rhys Mechyll,
Prince of Deheubarth was the daughter of Reginald.
See also
*
House of Braose
References
Related Source
*''Complete Peerage'',
G. E. Cokayne, Vol 1 pp 21–22 for the family of Reginald
{{DEFAULTSORT:Braose, Reginald de
1228 deaths
Anglo-Normans
Norman warriors
Anglo-Normans in Wales
History of Swansea
Year of birth unknown
Feudal barons of Abergavenny
Feudal barons of Bramber
1182 births
People from Bramber