Thomas Basset (–1220), called Thomas Basset of Headington or Thomas Basset of Colinton, was an

Anglo-Norman Anglo-Norman may refer to: *Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066 *Anglo-Norman language **Anglo-Norman literature *Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 1066 ...

lord and royal counsellor to

King John of England 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 t ...

. Thomas was eldest son of Adeliza (née de Dunstanville) and Thomas Basset of

Headington Headington is an eastern suburb of Oxford, England. It is at the top of Headington Hill overlooking the city in the Thames valley below, and bordering Marston to the north-west, Cowley to the south, and Barton and Risinghurst to the east. ...

, Oxfordshire. When his brother Gilbert died in 1202, Thomas inherited the lordship of Headington as well as land at Colyton and Whitford in

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

. When Waleran de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Warwick died in 1204, his son Henry de Beaumont, 5th Earl of Warwick (then aged 12) was made a ward of Thomas'. Basset was an advisor of King John from the 1190s onwards. On one occasion he ate with the king when he was supposed to be fasting; as

penance Penance is any act or a set of actions done out of repentance for sins committed, as well as an alternate name for the Catholic, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession. It also plays a part ...

, he had to feed 20 paupers. He was

Constable of Dover Castle The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is a ceremonial official in the United Kingdom. The post dates from at least the 12th century, when the title was Keeper of the Coast, but may be older. The Lord Warden was originally in charge of the Cin ...

in 1202. Basset is notable as one of 27 ecclesiastical and secular magnates who had counselled John to accept the terms 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, on 15 June 1215. First drafted by t ...

in 1215 and is named in the preamble to the document; his younger brother

Alan Alan may refer to: People *Alan (surname), an English and Turkish surname * Alan (given name), an English given name **List of people with given name Alan ''Following are people commonly referred to solely by "Alan" or by a homonymous name.'' * ...

was also named among the counsellors on the charter. In 1217 Basset commanded at the Battle of Lincoln. In 1218 Thomas Basset was

High Sheriff of Oxfordshire The High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times. The word Sheriff evolved from 'shire-reeve'. The title of High Sheriff is therefore much olde ...

and

High Sheriff of Berkshire The High Sheriff of Berkshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times. The word Sheriff evolved from 'shire-reeve'. The title of High Sheriff is therefore much older ...

. Basset married Philippa, daughter of William Malbank, 3rd Baron of Wich Malbank and they had three daughters: *

Philippa Philippa is a feminine given name meaning "lover of horses" or " horses' friend". Common alternative spellings include ''Filippa'' and ''Phillipa''. Less common is ''Filipa'' and even ''Philippe'' (cf. the French spelling of '' Philippa of Guelder ...

, who married her foster-brother Henry de Beaumont, 5th Earl of Warwick; he died in 1229, and she married

Richard Siward Richard Siward (died 1248) was a distinguished 13th-century soldier, adventurer and banneret. He rose from obscurity to become a member of King Henry III's Royal Council and husband of Philippa Basset, the widowed countess of Warwick. Origins L ...

in 1236/7 *Joane or Juliana, who married John Biset, Chief Forester of England *Alice, who married William Malet, one of the barons named in Magna Carta. Basset endowed

Bicester Bicester ( ) is a historical market towngarden town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in Southern England that also comprises an eco town at North-East Bicester and self-build village aGraven Hill Its loca ...

Priory (founded by his brother Gilbert in 1183). He died in 1220 (before October, aged about 64) and his lands were divided amongst his daughters, his will being drawn up by

Peter des Roches Peter des Roches (died 9 June 1238) ( Latinised as ''Peter de Rupibus'' ("Peter from the rocks")) was bishop of Winchester in the reigns of King John of England and his son Henry III. He was not an Englishman, but rather a native of the Tourain ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Basset, Thomas Year of birth missing 1220 deaths 12th-century English people 13th-century English people High Sheriffs of Oxfordshire People from Headington