Robert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Leicester
Encyclopedia
Robert de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Leicester (died circa 21 October 1204) was an English
nobleman, the last of the Beaumont earls of Leicester. He is sometimes known as Robert FitzPernel.
Robert was the eldest surviving son of Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester
and Petronilla, who was either a granddaughter or great-granddaughter of Hugh de Grandmesnil
. As a young man, he accompanied King Richard I
on the Third Crusade
, and it was while the crusading forces rested at Messina
, Sicily
that Robert was invested with the Earldom of Leicester
in early 1191. (His father had died on his way to the Holy Lands in 1190.)
Robert's newly-gained estates included a large part of central Normandy
. He held castles at Pacy, Pont-Saint-Pierre and Grandmesnil. Earl Robert also was lord of the vast honor of Breteuil, but the family castle there had been dismantled after the 1173-1174 War. On his return from the crusade, he turned his attentions to the defense of Normandy from the French
. After defending Rouen
from the advances of Philip II of France
, he attempted to retake his castle of Pacy. He was captured by forces of the French king and remained imprisoned for 3 years. Later, King John would bestow the new fortress and lordship of Radepont (the land of Radepont was traded to King John by the seigneur du Neubourg for lands and revenues in the pays de Caux) upon the earl.
Sometime after his release in 1196 he married Loretta de Braose
, daughter of William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber
. They had no children, and Robert's death in 1204 brought the end of the Beaumont male line.
In the year of his death Normandy was lost to the French; Earl Robert attempted to come to an independent arrangement with King Philip of France, in which he would hold his land in Normandy as a liege-vassal of the Kings of France, and his lands in England as a liege-vassal of the Kings of England. In any event, Robert died that year, but his great English estates were divided between the heirs of his two sisters. The eldest sister, Amicia, had married the French baron
Simon de Montfort, and their son, also named Simon de Montfort
, inherited half the estate as well as the title of Earl of Leicester. The younger sister, Margaret, had married Saer de Quincy
, and they inherited the other half. Three years later Saer was created Earl of Winchester
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
nobleman, the last of the Beaumont earls of Leicester. He is sometimes known as Robert FitzPernel.
Robert was the eldest surviving son of Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester
Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester
Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester was an English nobleman, one of the principal followers of Henry the Young King in the Revolt of 1173–1174 against his father Henry II...
and Petronilla, who was either a granddaughter or great-granddaughter of Hugh de Grandmesnil
Hugh de Grandmesnil
Hugh de Grandmesnil , also known as Hugh or Hugo de Grentmesnil or Grentemesnil, is one of the very few proven Companions of William the Conqueror known to have fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Subsequently he became a great landowner in England.He was the elder son of Robert of...
. As a young man, he accompanied King Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
on the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
, and it was while the crusading forces rested at Messina
Messina, Italy
Messina is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, Italy and the capital of the province of Messina. It has a population of about 250,000 inhabitants in the city proper and about 650,000 in the province...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
that Robert was invested with the Earldom of Leicester
Earl of Leicester
The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:...
in early 1191. (His father had died on his way to the Holy Lands in 1190.)
Robert's newly-gained estates included a large part of central Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. He held castles at Pacy, Pont-Saint-Pierre and Grandmesnil. Earl Robert also was lord of the vast honor of Breteuil, but the family castle there had been dismantled after the 1173-1174 War. On his return from the crusade, he turned his attentions to the defense of Normandy from the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After defending Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
from the advances of Philip II of France
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
, he attempted to retake his castle of Pacy. He was captured by forces of the French king and remained imprisoned for 3 years. Later, King John would bestow the new fortress and lordship of Radepont (the land of Radepont was traded to King John by the seigneur du Neubourg for lands and revenues in the pays de Caux) upon the earl.
Sometime after his release in 1196 he married Loretta de Braose
Loretta de Braose
Loretta de Braose, Countess of Leicester, was a daughter of William de Braose, lord of Bramber in Sussex and Radnor, Abergavenny and Brecon in Wales and his wife, Maud de St. Valery. Loretta was one of at least five daughters and four sons who survived to adulthood.-Marriage:She married Robert,...
, daughter of William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber
William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber
William de Braose, , 4th Lord of Bramber , court favourite of King John of England, at the peak of his power, was also Lord of Gower, Abergavenny, Brecknock, Builth, Radnor, Kington, Limerick, Glamorgan, Skenfrith, Briouze in Normandy, Grosmont, and White Castle.-Lineage:William was the most...
. They had no children, and Robert's death in 1204 brought the end of the Beaumont male line.
In the year of his death Normandy was lost to the French; Earl Robert attempted to come to an independent arrangement with King Philip of France, in which he would hold his land in Normandy as a liege-vassal of the Kings of France, and his lands in England as a liege-vassal of the Kings of England. In any event, Robert died that year, but his great English estates were divided between the heirs of his two sisters. The eldest sister, Amicia, had married the French baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
Simon de Montfort, and their son, also named Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester
Simon IV de Montfort, Seigneur de Montfort-l'Amaury, 5th Earl of Leicester , also known as Simon de Montfort the elder, was a French nobleman who took part in the Fourth Crusade and was a prominent leader of the Albigensian Crusade...
, inherited half the estate as well as the title of Earl of Leicester. The younger sister, Margaret, had married Saer de Quincy
Saer de Quincy, 1st Earl of Winchester
Saer de Quincy, 1st Earl of Winchester was one of the leaders of the baronial rebellion against King John of England, and a major figure in both Scotland and England in the decades around the turn of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.Saer de Quincy's immediate background was in the Scottish...
, and they inherited the other half. Three years later Saer was created Earl of Winchester
Earl of Winchester
Earl of Winchester was a title that was created three times in the Peerage of England during the Middle Ages. The first was Saer de Quincy, who received the earldom in 1207/8 after his wife inherited half of the lands of the Beaumont earls of Leicester. This creation became extinct in 1265 upon the...
.