General Notes

BIOGRAPHY: Robert FitzWalter, Surety, 3rd Lord of Dunmow Castle, upon the scutage assessment of Scotland, in the 13th of King John, 1212, had the king's special writ of acquittal for 63 1/2 knight's fees, which were of his own proper inheritance, and a 3rd part which he had acquired by marriage. But the next year, on account of conspiracies with the barons against King John to keep his promises in the matter of proposed statutes, he was forced to flee with his family into France in order to avoid being arrested upon the first disposition of the barons to revolt.

BIOGRAPHY:  He was charged soon with treason and rebellion and his house in London, called Baynard's Castle, was demolished by order of King John. "The primary occasion for these discontents," says Dugdale (Sir Wm. Dugdale, 1605-1686, noted English antiquary, who published History of Warwickshire and History of English Peerage, and was Norrey King-at-arms), "is by some thus reported, viz., that this Robert FitzWalter, having a very beautiful daughter, called Maud, residing at Dunmow Castle, and King John frequently solicited her chastity, but never prevailing, grew so enraged that he caused her to be privately poisoned. She was buried at the south side of the quire at Dunmow between two pillars there."

BIOGRAPHY: Tradition has thus assigned this disgraceful act on the part of King John as the principal cause of his enmity for Robert FitzWalter, which was no less than an attempt to obtain Maud for one of his concubines. But whether this is the truth or not, FitzWalter's opposition seemed to be dominated by the desire for the Magna Charta, and his feelings and conduct were engulfed in the agitated sea of history which opened at this period. To endeavor to win him over to his side King John pretended to admire FitzWalter's skill, prowess and valour at a tournament, which took place in Normandy, in France, and making this an excuse, restored to him the whole of his forfeited estates and permitted him to repair his Castle of Baynard in London and other fortresses and constituted him Governor of Hertford Castle in 1214-15. But FitzWalter's heart was still in the cause of the barons and he was soon in open opposition to the king, while his high rank, tried courage and acknowledged abilities soon gave him a lead amongst his compeers.

BIOGRAPHY: We find him, therefore, among the first commissioners nominated to treat with the king when it was agreed that the City of London should be delivered up to the barons and twenty-five of those powerful chiefs should be chosen to govern the realm. The insurrectionary lords subsequently assembled at St. Edmondsbury, and there pledged themselves by solemn oath at the high altar that if the king refused to confirm the laws and liberties granted by Edward the Confessor they would withdraw their allegiance from him and seize upon his fortresses. After which, forming themselves into a regular army, they appointed FitzWalter leader of the barons and General of their army, under the title of "Marshal of the Army of God and the Holy Church," and, under his command, they eventually extorted the "Great Charters of Freedom" from King John on the plains of Runnemede, when FitzWalter was elected one of the celebrated twenty-five appointed to see to the faithful observance of those laws.

BIOGRAPHY: After the granting of the Magna Charta, when King John endeavored to elude his promises, FitzWalter was one of the committee of the baronial party, which went to France to invite the Dauphin to accept the throne of England, and on this Prince's coming he, with William de Mandeville and William de Huntingfield, both Sureties, reduced the Counties of Essex and Suffolk to the authority of the Dauphin. Upon the accession of Henry III, after the Battle of Lincoln, and the Royal Army was victorious, FitzWalter was made a prisoner with the majority of the barons. And then finding the Dauphin, whom they had attempted to put on the throne. a useless political factor, they dropped him and returned to their allegiance and engaged a ship and took the Dauphin back to France. In 1218 FitzWalter was allowed to assume the cross and join a crusade. When he took part in the siege of Damietta he returned and died a peaceful death in 1234 and was buried before the high altar of Dunmow Priory. Notwithstanding his enmity to Kings John and Henry III, and the frequent confiscations of his property, FitzWalter died possessed of an extensive estate.

BIOGRAPHY: He married 1st Gunora, daughter and heiress of Robert, 2nd Lord of Valoines, by his wife Roesia, daughter of William, 5th feudal Baron of Blount, 2nd Rose or Roese. By 1st wife he had Walter, his successor, Maud, or Matilda, and Christian. Maud, who was poisoned by King John, through her persecution and romantic death, has been the subject of many plays, poems and popular tales, her name appearing under that of "Matilda, the Fair," "Malkin or Maid Marion," "the Queen of the Mays," "Sherwood Forest, Mistress of Robin Hood," or "Robert, Earl of Huntingdon." (Cokayne's Complete Peerage, Vol 6, p. 650, says that Robin Hood, otherwise Robin Fitzoath, the famous forest outlaw, popularly ennobled in legend as Earl of Huntingdon, never possessed that Earldom, or any other title of dignity.)