Gilbert FitzRichard de Clare, 1st Earl of Hertford (–1152),

feudal baron A feudal baron is a vassal holding a heritable fief called a ''barony'', comprising a specific portion of land, granted by an overlord in return for allegiance and service. Following the end of European feudalism, feudal baronies have largely be ...

of Clare in Suffolk, was created

Earl of Hertford Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the Peerages in the United Kingdom, peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ...

by King

Stephen Stephen or Steven is an English given name, first name. It is particularly significant to Christianity, Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; he is w ...

Career

Gilbert was the eldest son of

Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare Richard fitz Gilbert de Clare (died 15 April 1136) 3rd feudal baron of Clare in Suffolk, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. A marcher lord in Wales, he was also the founder of Tonbridge Priory in Kent. Life Richard was the eldest son of Gilbert F ...

and Adeliza.George Edward Cokayne, ''The Complete Peerage; or, a History of the House of Lords and all its Members from the Earliest Times'', eds. H. A. Doubleday; Howard de Walden, Vol. VI (London: The St. Catherine Press, Ltd., 1926), pp. 498–499 His mother Adeliza was the daughter of Ranulf le Meschin, 3rd Earl of Chester and Countess Lucy as well as the sister of

Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester Ranulf was a masculine given name in Old French and Old Occitan, and is a masculine given name in the English language. ''Ranulf'' was introduced into England by the Norman conquest or alternatively is said to have been introduced to Scotland and ...

. Gilbert, who was born before 1115, succeeded his father to the honor of Clare including

Tonbridge Castle Tonbridge Castle is a 13th century castle situated in Tonbridge, Kent, England. Early history Following the Norman Conquest, Richard Fitz Gilbert was granted land in Kent to guard the crossing of the River Medway. He erected a simple Motte-a ...

on 15 Apr. 1136. Gilbert was created

about 1138, possibly about the same time his

uncle An uncle is usually defined as a male relative who is a sibling of a parent or married to a sibling of a parent, as well as the parent of the cousins. Uncles who are related by birth are second-degree relatives. The female counterpart of an un ...

was created

Earl of Pembroke Earl of Pembroke is a title in the Peerage of England that was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title, which is associated with Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in West Wales, has been recreated ten times from its origin ...

.George Edward Cokayne, ''The Complete Peerage; or, a History of the House of Lords and all its Members from the Earliest Times'', ed. Vicary Gibbs, Vol. III (London: The St. Catherine Press, Ltd., 1913), p. 244 He was a supporter of King Stephen for a time, but seems to have joined the

Empress Matilda Empress Matilda (10 September 1167), also known as Empress Maud, was one of the claimants to the English throne during the civil war known as the Anarchy. The daughter and heir of Henry I, king of England and ruler of Normandy, she went to ...

at some point. When the king took Ranulf de Gernon, the Earl of Chester, prisoner the Earl gave his nephew Geoffrey as a guarantor for his liberation and good conduct.

Second rebellion

In 1147, Ranulf de Gernon rebelled against King Stephen again. The king, in turn, seized Gilbert and held him prisoner until he agreed to surrender all his castles.Paul Dalton; G. Graeme; J. White, ''King Stephen's Reign: (1135–1154)'' (Woodbridge, UK; Rochester, NY: Boydell Press, 2008), pp. 88–89 After doing so the Earl of Hertford was released, but then joined his uncle Ranulf's rebellion. Gilbert, Earl of Pembroke, who up to this time had remained loyal to Stephen, then demanded his nephew Gilbert's castles 'maintaining that they were his by hereditary right'. When Stephen refused, Gilbert the Earl of Pembroke also joined Ranulph's rebellion. Stephen then confiscated his castles as well. Not long after, however, the king reconciled with both Gilberts, however, Ranulf de Gernon joined Henry of Anjou (later Henry II of England). Gilbert died unmarried and without issue in 1152 and was buried at

Clare Priory Clare Priory is a religious house in England, originally established in 1248 as the first house of the Augustinian Friars in England. It is situated on the banks of the River Stour, a short distance away from the medieval village of Clare, Suffo ...

. He was succeeded by his brother Roger de Clare.I.J. Sanders, ''English Baronies; A Study of their Origin and Descent 1086–1327'' (Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1960), p. 35

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hertford, Gilbert De Clare, 1st Earl Of Clare, Gilbert Fitz Richard de Gilbert 1110s births People of The Anarchy Earls of Hertford Peers created by King Stephen