Richard fitz Gilbert DE TONEBRUGE, 1st Earl of Clare

Notes:

Because the Richard's father was not married to his mother Herleva, Richard became known as Richard FitzGilbert. The term 'Fitz' was used to show that a child was illegitimate son of the father. He was the founder of the House of Clare in England, first Lord of Clare.

Richard Fitzgilbert of Tonebruge, a lawyer and Chief Justice of England, born before 1035, was the founder of the House of Clare in England, first Lord of Clare. He was the eldest son of Gislebert, Count of Eu and Brionne, a descendant of Emperor Charlemagne. He accompanied Duke William into England, and later held one hundred and seventy-six lordships or manors. At the time of the General Survey, which was towards the close of King William's reign, he is called Ricardus de Tonebruge, from his seat at Tonebruge (now Tunbridge), in Kent, which town and castle he obtained from the archbishop of Canterbury, in lieu of the castle of Brion; at which time he enjoyed thirty-eight lordships in Surrey, thirty-five in Essex, three in Cambridgeshire, with some others in Wilts and Devon, and ninety-five in Suffolk, among those was Clare, whence he was styled Richard de Clare; and that place in a few years afterwards becoming the chief seat of the family, his descendants are said to have assumed thereupon the title of Earls of Clare (Burke, pg. 118-119). He married Rohese Giffard of Bolebec, daughter of Walter (Gautier) Giffard de Bolebec, Earl of Buckingham and Earl of Longueville, in Normandy, granddaughter of Osborne de Bolebec, a noble Norman, living in the time of Richard, Duke of Normandy, and granddaughter of his wife, Aveline, sister of Gunnora, Duchess of Normandy. According to Burke, pp. 230-231, he was granted for his gallant services at the battle of Hastings, the title of Earl of Buckingham. At the time of the General Survey, he was sent with Remigius, Bishop of Lincoln, and others, into Worcestershire, and some other counties, to value the lands belonging to the crown, as well as to private individuals in these parts. He himself possessed at that time two lordships in Berkshire; one in Wilts; one in Somersetshire; one in Huntingdon; five in Cambridgeshire; nine in Oxfordshire; nine in the co. of Bedford; three in Suffolk; twenty-eight in Norfolk; an forty-eight in Buckinghamshire; in all one hundred and seven. In 1089, he adhering to William Rufus, fortified his mansions in Normandy, for that king, and became chief general of his army there; yet in some years afterwards (1102), he sided with Robert Curthose (Courthouse), against King Henry I. The earl married Agnes Flaitell, daughter of Gerard Flaitell, and sister of William Flaitell, Bishop of Eureux. They had three children: Walter, his successor, 2nd Earl of Buckingham, who d.s.p; Rohais (Rohese), named above; and Isabel Giffard, who married Richard Granville or Grenville, progenitor of the house of Grenville, Dukes of Buckingham. According to Crispin and Macary, "Falaise Roll" pg. 22, Rohese was the daughter of Walter (Gautier) Giffard, brother of Berenger and Osberne (Osborne), who contributed 30 vessels and 100 men to the fleet for the Conquest as well as the horse on which William the Conqueror rode at the Battle of Hastings. He was awarded the earldom of Buckingham for his services. "Rohesia married Richard de Bienfaite, eldest son of Gilbert, Count of Brionne, from which union sprung the great house of Clare.")

Richard married Rohese GIFFARD, de Bolebec in England. Rohese (daughter of Walter Giffard DE BOLEBEC and Agnes FLAITELL) was born in 1034 in Longueville, Normandy, France; died after 1113. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Walter de Clare, who having license from the king to enjoy all he could conquer in Wales, possessed Nether-Went.

Notes:

Roger de Clare, an eminent soldier in the reign of Henry I when his estates devolved upon his eldest brother's son, Gilbert.

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Richard de Clare, a monk of Bec, in Normandy, and last abbot of Ely.

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Gilbert de Clare of Tonebruge, 2nd Earl of Clare, was born before 1066. He resided at Tonebruge and inherited all of his father's lands in England. He joined in the rebellion of Robert de Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland, against the king, but observing the William Rufus upon the point of falling into an ambuscade, he relented, besought pardon, and saved his royal master. We find him subsequently, however, again in rebellion, in the same reign, and fortifying and losing his castle at Tunbridge. He married in 1113, Adeliza Clermont, daughter of Hugh de Clermont, 2nd Count of Clermont, and his wife, Marguerita, daughter of Hildwin IV., Count of Montidier and Lord of Rouci and Ramere, and his wife, Adela, Countess of Rouci, great granddaughter of Hugh Capet and his wife, Adela.

Gilbert married Adeliza (Adelaide) DE CLERMONT about 1090 in England. Adeliza (daughter of Hugh Creil 2ND COUNT DE CLERMONT and Marguerita DE ROUCY) was born about 1074 in Clermont, Northamptonshire, England; died after 1124 in England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Robert de Clare de Tonebruge, Steward to King Henry I., received from that monarch the Barony of Dunmow in Essex, as also the honor of Bynard's Castle, in the city of London, both of which came into the possession of the crown by the forfeiture of William Baynard. This Robert married in 1112, Maud of St. Liz, Lady of Bradham daughter of Simon St. Liz, 1st Earl of Huntingdon. She married (2) Saier de Quincy. She died in 1140. Robert de Clare and Maud had two sons.

Adeliza married Alberic DE VERE. Alberic (son of Alberic (Aubrey) I DE VERE and Beatrix de (Gand) GHISNES) died on 15 May 1141 in Essex, England; was buried in Colne Priory, Essex, England. [Group Sheet]

Gilbert married Isabel Beaumont DE MEULAN before 1130 in Tonbridge, Kent, England. Isabel (daughter of Count Robert de Beaumont OF MEULAN and Isabel (Elizabeth) DE VERMANDOIS) was born about 1112 in Leicester, Leicestershire, England; died about 1172 in England. [Group Sheet]

Rohesia married Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex about 1090. Geoffrey died in Sep 1144; was buried in Temple Church, Temple District, City of London, Greater London, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Aubrey de Vere, born before 1120, third Baron by tenure, of Kensington, Count of Ghisnes, for his fidelity to the Empress Maud, was confirmed by that princess in the office of Great Lord Chamberlain, and all his father's territorial possessions. He had likewise other important grants with the Earldom of Cambridge, provided that dignity was not vested in the King of Scots, but if it were, then he was to have his choice of the Earldoms of Oxford, Berkshire, or Dorsetshire, all which grants being ratified by King Henry II., he was created Earl of Oxford, with the usual grant to earls, of the third penny of the pleas of the county. In the 12th year of King Henry II., on the levy of the aid for portioning the king's daughter, the Earl of Oxford certified his knight's fees to be in number twenty-eight, for which he paid 20 pounds, and in the 2nd year of King Richard I., he paid a fine of 500 marks to the king, "for the sister of Walter de Bolebec, to make a wife for his son." In four years afterwards he contributed 30 pounds, 2 shillings, and 6 pence for the knight's fees he then held, towards the sum at that time raised for the ransom of the king. The earl married (1) Euphamia Cantilupe, daughter of William de Cantilupe, by whom he had no issue, and (2) Lucia Abrincis, daughter and heiress of William de Abrincis.

Richard married Aoiffe MAC MURROUGH OF LEINSTER on 26 Aug 1171 in Waterford Cathedral, Waterford, Ireland. Aoiffe (daughter of Dairmont Mac Murrough KING OF LEINSTER and More O'TOOLE) was born about 1135; died in 1177. [Group Sheet]