Roger de Bussy was a medieval Anglo-Norman nobleman during the reigns of King

Stephen of England Stephen (1092 or 1096 – 25 October 1154), often referred to as Stephen of Blois, was King of England from 22 December 1135 to his death in 1154. He was Count of Boulogne '' jure uxoris'' from 1125 until 1147 and Duke of Normandy from 1135 u ...

and King

Henry II of England Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin king ...

. Roger was the son of William de Bussy, who held lands at Old Wardon in

Bedfordshire Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council wa ...

and William's wife Hawise, the sister of

Walter Espec Walter Espec (died 1153) was a prominent military and judicial figure of the reign of Henry I of England. His father was probably William Speche (William Espec), who joined William the Conqueror in the Norman conquest of England. The senior Spe ...

. He had brothers Jordan and William,Keats-Rohan ''Domesday Descendants'' pp. 356-357 with William likely the eldest as he was his father's heir, as well as heir to part of the lands of his uncle Walter Espec.Sanders ''English Baronies'' p. 133 Roger held some lands in

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

near

Steeple Barton Steeple Barton is a civil parish and scattered settlement on the River Dorn in West Oxfordshire, about east of Chipping Norton, a similar distance west of Bicester and south of Banbury. Most of the parish's population lives in the village of ...

, perhaps as a vassal of John de St John. Roger was with King Stephen at

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...

in 1149, where he was noted as an adherent of the royal party in the

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

between Stephen and his cousin

Matilda Matilda or Mathilda may refer to: Animals * Matilda (chicken) (1990–2006), World's Oldest Living Chicken record holder * Matilda (horse) (1824–1846), British Thoroughbred racehorse * Matilda, a dog of the professional wrestling tag-team The ...

. He gave lands at Barton in Oxfordshire to

Colchester Abbey St John's Abbey, also called Colchester Abbey,Ashdown-Hill, John (2009) Mediaeval Colchester's Lost Landmarks. Published by The Breedon Books Publishing Company Limited. () was a Benedictine monastic institution in Colchester, Essex, founded in 1 ...

, the grant of which was confirmed by Stephen.Amt ''Accession of Henry II'' p. 56 footnote 70 The

Treaty of Wallingford The Treaty of Wallingford, also known as the Treaty of Winchester or the Treaty of Westminster, was an agreement reached in England in the summer of 1153. It effectively ended a civil war known as ''the Anarchy'' (1135–54), caused by a dispute o ...

in 1153 noted that Roger had custody of

Oxford Castle Oxford Castle is a large, partly ruined medieval castle on the western side of central Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. Most of the original moated, wooden motte and bailey castle was replaced in stone in the late 12th or early 13th century and ...

, and that he had sworn fealty to Duke Henry, who became King Henry II in 1154. Roger's brother Jordan was noted as holding

Lincoln Castle Lincoln Castle is a major medieval castle constructed in Lincoln, England, during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress. The castle is unusual in that it has two mottes. It is one of only ...

and was likewise a vassal of Henry's. In the treaty, both brothers swore to hand over their castles to Henry when Stephen died and Henry inherited the kingdom of England.King ''King Stephen'' p. 288 Both men also handed over hostages, to ensure their fulfillment of the treaty terms. The treaty does not make clear whether or not Roger actually controlled Oxford Castle at the time.Amt ''Accession of Henry II'' p. 56 After the accession of King Henry, both Roger and his brother Jordan appear in the royal records as receiving money in 1156 and 1157 from the

Sheriff of Yorkshire The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere o ...

.Amt ''Accession of Henry II'' p. 56 footnote 71

Citations

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bussy, Roger de 12th-century English people Norman warriors Anglo-Normans