General Notes

His name was changed to de Montbray by royal command, presumably that ofHenry I. He acquired from his father vast areas of land, the Montbrayestates in Normandy plus others in the English midlands and Yorkshire. Inthe centre was Axholme in Lincolnshire, ultimately the base of Mowbraypower. Roger's own life was on his Yorkshire lands at Thirsk castle inthe area still known as the Vale of Mowbray. Under the guidance of hismother he became a generous benefactor to the church. In 1146 he was inNormandy defending his title to the castle of Bayeaux. Induced to joinKing Louis VII of France to the Holy Land. His services to the crusadingmovement were valued by the Knights Hospitallers so highly that later, in1335, they proclaimed the Mowbrays should be treated 'beyond the seas' asthose to whom they were most obliged, discounting the king himself.
In 1186 Roger crusaded for a second and final time. When the extension ofthe truce between Saladin and Guy de Lusignan allowed the crusaders toreturn home, Roger and Hugh de Beauchamp chose to remain in Jerusalem 'inthe services of God'. In Saladin's great victory on 6 July 1187 he wastaken prisoner with King Guy, was redeemed in the following year by theKnights Templar, but did not long survive his liberation. Tradition hasit that he was buried at Tyre, an old warrior of nearly seventy years.Burke's states he was buried at Sures, with 'some authorities say hereurned to England and after living fifteen years longer, was buried inthe abbey of Byland.
Source: David Mowbray  http://www.mowfam.freeserve.co.uk/index.htm