Gilbert Fitz Gilbert de Clare (6 January 1148), 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 ...
in 1138.He was called 'Strongbow' but his son Richard is much more readily associated with that nickname.
Life
Born at
Tonbridge
Tonbridge ( ) (historic spelling ''Tunbridge'') is a market town in Kent, England, on the River Medway, north of Royal Tunbridge Wells, south west of Maidstone and south east of London. In the administrative borough of Tonbridge and Mall ...
, Gilbert de Clare was the second son of Gilbert Fitz Richard de Clare and Alice de Claremont. He inherited no substantial land or wealth as his older brother inherited the family properties but was part of the powerful House of de Clare.
In 1136, he led an expedition against
Exmes
Exmes () is a former Communes of France, commune in the Orne Departments of France, department in north-western France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the new commune Gouffern en Auge.William III, Count of Ponthieu, and escaped the resulting melee only after suffering heavy losses.
Gilbert became an English Baron, inheriting the estates of his paternal uncles, Roger and Walter, which included the baronies and castles of Bienfaite and Orbec in
Normandy
Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy.
Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
Chepstow
Chepstow () is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the tidal River Wye, about above its confluence with the River Severn, and adjoining the western end of the ...
) and the lordship of Nether Gwent.
Welsh forces under Owain Gwynedd had severely defeated Norman settlers in 1136 near Cardigan Norman influence never fully recovered in West Wales, although the disruption following Gruffydd ap Rhys's death in 1137 allowed the Normans to partially recover their position and in 1138 Pembrokeshire became a county palatine with King Stephen creating him
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 ...
. At the same time Stephen gave him the
rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person ...
and castle of Pevensey in Sussex.
Gilbert fought on Stephen's side at the Battle of Lincoln on 2 February 1141, but after Stephen's defeat he was among those who rallied to
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 ...
when she recovered London in June, although he was at
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
when Stephen was recrowned late in 1141. He then joined Geoffrey's plot against Stephen, but when that conspiracy collapsed, he again adhered to Stephen, being with him at the siege of
Oxford
Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town.
The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
late in 1142. In 1147, he rebelled when Stephen refused to give him the castles surrendered by his nephew Gilbert, 1st Earl of Hertford, whereupon the King marched to his nearest castle and nearly captured him. However, the Earl appears to have made his peace with Stephen before his death the following year.
Family
He married Isabel de Beaumont, before 1130, daughter of Sir Robert de Beaumont, the first
Earl of Leicester
Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837.
History
Earl ...
, Count of Meulan, and Elizabeth de Vermandois. Isabel had previously been the mistress of King Henry I of England.
By her, Gilbert had:
* Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of PembrokeWilliam Dugdale had credited Gilbert, the first Earl of Pembroke, with a second son who was named Baldwin fitz Gilbert; but Round showed that this Baldwin was really his brother. See: CP: X, Appendix H, p. 100.
* Basilia de Clare, who married (1) Raymond FitzGerald (Raymond le Gros) and (2) Geoffrey FitzRobert.
* a daughter who married William Bloet.David Crouch, ''William Marshal; Court, Career and Chivalry in the Angevin Empire 1147-1219'' (London & New York: Longman, 1990), p. 139