General Notes

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From "A Baronial Family in Medieval England: The Clares, 1217-1314", byMichael Altschul, Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins press, 1965.

The Clares came to England with the Conqueror.  Like many other greatfamilies settled in England after the Conquest, they were related to thedukes of Normandy and had established themselves as important members ofthe Norman feudal aristocracy in the late tenth and early eleventhcenturies.

The origin of the family can be traced to Godfrey, eldest of theillegitimate children of Duke Richard I (the Fearless), the Conqueror'sgreat-grandfather. While the Duke granted Godfrey Brionne, he did notmake him a count. Godfrey's comital title derives from the grant of thecounty of Eu made to him after 996 by his half-brother, Duke Richard II.After Godfrey's death, Eu was given to William, another of Duke RichardI's bastard sons, and Gilbert, Godfrey's son, was left with only thelordship of Brionne. However, under Duke Robert I, father of William theConqueror, Gilbert assumed the title of count of Brionne while notrelinquishing his claim to Eu.  When Count William of Eu died shortlybefore 1040, Gilbert assumed the land and title, but he was assassinatedin 1040 and his young sons, Richard and Baldwin, were forced to fleeNormandy, finding safety at the court of Baldwin V, count of Flanders.When William the Conqueror married Count Baldwin's daughter, he restoredGilbert's sons to Normandy, although he did not invest them with eitherBrionne or Eu or a comital title.  William granted the lordships ofBienfaite and Orbec to Richard fitz Gilbert, and Le Sap and Meules toBaldwin.  While Gilbert's descendants later pressed a claim for Brionne,it was never restored.

Richard and Baldwin fitz Gilbert took part in the Norman conquest ofEngland, and both assumed important positions in the Conqueror's reign.Baldwin was made guardian of Exeter in 1068, and appears in the DomesdayBook as sheriff of Devon, lord of Okehampton and numerous other estatesin Devon, Dorset, and Somerset.  His sons William and Richard were alsosheriffs of Devon and participated in the abortive Norman penetration ofCarmarthen in the early twelfth century.

However, the lasting position of the family in England must be creditedto Baldwin's brother, Richard fitz Gilbert I.  He was regent of Englandjointly with William de Warenne during the Conqueror's absence in 1075,and he served in various other important capacities for the King.  KingWilliam rewarded his cousin well, granting him one of the largest fiefsin the territorial settlement.  The lordship centered on Clare (obviouslythe origin of the Clare family name), Suffolk, which had been animportant stronghold in Anglo-Saxon times.  The bulk of Richard fitzGilbert's estates lay in Suffolk, Essex, Surrey, and Kent, but comprisedholdings in various other counties in the southern and eastern parts ofthe kingdom as well.  In addition, King William arranged for Richard'smarriage to Rohese, sister of Walter Giffard, later earl of Buckingham,and her dowry, consisting of lands in Huntingdon and Hertford, becameabsorbed in the family inheritance.

After Richard's death, his extensive properties in Normandy and Englandwere divided between his two eldest sons.  The Norman fiefs of Bienfaiteand Orbec passed to Roger, while Gilbert, inherited the English honors ofClare and Tonbridge.

Part II
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While Gilbert fitz Richard I found himself at odds with the Conqueror'ssuccessor, William Rufus, he and other members of the family enjoyedgreat favor with Rufus' successor King Henry I.  Some have suggested thatHenry's largesse was due to the fact that Walter Tirel, husband ofRichard's daughter Adelize, shot the arrow which slew Rufus.  Proof ofthis is lacking, but with certainty the wealth and position of the Clarefamily increased rapidly during Henry's reign.  One of Rohese Giffardsbrothers (Walter) was made earl of Buckingham and another bishop ofWinchester.  Gilbert fitz Richard's brothers were also rewarded: Richard,a monk at Bec, was made abbot of Ely in 1100; Robert was granted theforfeited manors of Ralph Baynard in East Anglia; Walter, who foundedTintern Abbey in 1131, was given the great lordship of Netherwent withthe castle of Striguil in the southern march, territories previously heldby Roger, son of William fitz Osborn, earl of Hereford, who had forfeitedthem in 1075.  In 1110 Gilbert was granted the lordship of Ceredigion(Cardigan) in southwestern Wales, and immediately embarked upon anintensive campaign to subjagate the area.
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After Gilbert fitz Richard I died in 1117, his children continued toprofit from royal generosity and favorable connections.  His daughterswere all married to important barons; William de Montfichet, lord ofStansted in Essex, the marcher lord Baderon de Monmouth, and Aubrey deVere, lord of Hedingham in Essex and father of the first Vere earl ofOxford.  Of the five sons, little is known of two: Hervey, whom KingStephen sent on an expedition to Cardigan abt 1140, and Walter, whoparticipated in the Second Crusade of 1147.  Baldwin established himselfas an important member of the lesser baronage by obtaining theLincolnshire barony of Bourne through marriage.

Richard fitz Gilbert II, the eldest and heir, was allowed to marryAdeliz, sister of Ranulf des Gernons, earl of Chester, thus acquiringlands in Lincoln and Northampton as her marriage portion.  He tried toconsolidate the gains made by his father in Cardigan, but was killed inan ambush in 1136 and the lordship was soon recovered by the Welsh.

Of Gilbert fitz Richard I' sons, Gilbert was the only one to achieve anygreat prominence, being the founder of the great cadet branch of thefamily and the father of one of the most famous men in English history.Gilbert fitz Gilbert de Clare  was high in the favor of Henry I, perhapsbecause his wife Isabell, daughter of Robert de Beaumont, count of Meulanand earl of Leicester, was one of Henry's favorite mistresses.  WhenGilbert's uncle Roger died without heirs, Henry granted Gilbert thelordships of Bienfaite and Orbec in Normandy.  When another uncle,Walter, lord of Netherwent in South Wales,  died without issue in 1138,King Richard? gave Gilbert this lordship in addition to the lordship ofPembroke, which had been forfeited by Arnulf of Montgomery in 1102.Gilbert was also created earl of Pembroke in 1138.  At his death in 1148,he was succeeded by his son Richard fitz Gilbert, aka "Strongbow" who ledthe Norman invasion of Ireland and obtained the great lordship ofLeinster in 1171.
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Part III
Thus, in just two generations, the cadet branch of the Clares became oneof the most important families in England.  Strongbow was Earl ofPembroke, Lord of Netherwent,and Lord of Leinster being the most powerfulof the marcher and Anglo-Irish magnates under King Henry II.  Strongbowd. in 1176 and son Gilbert d. abt. 1185, ending the male line.  In 1189,the inheritance passed to Strongbow's dau. Isabel and her husband,William Marshal.

Meanwhile, the senior side prospered.  After Richard fitz Gilbert II d.in 1136, Clare, Tonbridge, and other estates passed to the eldest sonGilbert fitz Richard II, who was created Earl of Hertford by KingStephen.  Gilbert d. probably unmarried in 1152, when his younger brotherRoger inherited the estates and comital title.  Roger resumed thecampaign against the Welsh in Cardigan where, after 8 years, he wasdefeated in 1165.

However, Roger did add some lands and nine knights' fees through hismarriage to Maud, daughter and heir of the Norfolk baron James de St.Hillary.  Roger d. in 1173 and his widow, Maud, conveyed the remainder ofthe inheritance to her next husband, William de Aubigny, earl of Arundel.The Clare estates along with the earldom passed to Roger's son, Richard,who for the next 4 decades until he d. in 1217, was the head of the greathouse of CLARE, adding immensely to the wealth, prestige, and landedendowment of his line.
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Part IV:
Roger's son Richard, hereinafter Richard de CLARE acquired half of theformer honor of Giffard in 1189 when King Richard I, in need of money forthe Third Crusade, agreed to divide the Giffard estates between Richardde CLARE and his cousin Isabel, Strongbow's dau. based on their claims todescendancy to Rohese Giffard.  Richard de CLARE obtained Long Crendon inBuckingham, the caput of the Giffard honor in England, associated manorsin Buckingham, ambridge, and bedfordshire, and 43 knights' fees, inaddition to some former Giffard lands in Normandy.  When Richard deCLARE's mother Maud d.  in 1195, he obtained the honor of St. Hilary.Maud's 2nd husband, William de Aubigny, earl of Arundel, who had held St.Hilary jure uxoris, d. in 1193, and despite the fact he had a son andheir, the honor reverted to Maud and after her death escheated to thecrown.  Richard de CLARE offered Đ360 and acquired it.  The honor laterbecame absorbed into the honor of CLARE and  lost its separate identity.
Richard de CLARE's most important act, however, was his m. to Amicia, 2nddau. and eventual sole heir to William earl of Gloucester.  TheGloucester inheritance included the earldom and honor of Gloucester withover 260 knights' fees in England, along with the important marcherlordships of Glamorgan and Gwynllwg.  It was not easy though!!

William d. 1183, leaving 3 daughters.  The eldest, Mabel, m. Amaury deMontfort, count of Evreux, while the second, Amicia m. Richard de CLARE.King Henry II meanwhile arranged the m. of the youngest Isabel, to hisson John, count of Mortain, in 1189.  When John became King in 1199, hedivorced Isabel to m. Isabelle of Angoulême, but, he kept the 1st Isabelin his custody.  Then in 1200, John created Mabel's son Amaury earl ofGloucester.  In addition, Richard de CLARE and his son Gilbert were givena few estates and 10 fees of the honor of Gloucester of Kent; otherwise,John kept the bulk of the honor, with the great lordships of Glamorganand Gwynllwg.  Mabel's son Amaury d. without issue in 1213  Shortlythereafter, John gave the 1st Isabel in marriage to Geoffrey deMandeville, earl of Essex, who was also created earl of Gloucester.  WhenGeoffrey died, the inheritance was assigned to Hubert de Burgh, thejusticiar.  Hubert m. Countess Isabel shortly before her daeth in Oct.1217, however, he did not retain the estates, since they passed toAmicia, now recognized as countess of Gloucestire, and her husbandRichard de CLARE, despite the fact Richard and Amicia had been separatedsince 1200.
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Part V:

Richard outlived Isabel by several weeks and by 28 Nov 1217, he was dead,leaving Gilbert, aged 38, as the sole heir to the Clare and Gloucesterestates and title.  Gilbert de CLARE assumed the title of earl ofGloucester and Hertford and was charged Đ350 relief for the honors ofClare, Gloucester, St. Hilary and his half of the old Giffard barony. Hecontrolled some 456 knights fees, far more than any other, and it did notinclude some 50 fees in Glamorgan and Gwynllwg.

By a remarkable series of fortuitous marriages and quick deaths, theClares were left in 1217 in possession of an inheritance which in termsof social prestige, potential revenues, knights' fees, and a lastingposition of great importance among the marcher lords of Wales. They wereprobably the most successful family in developing their lands and powerduring the 12th century and in many ways the most powerful noble familyin 13th century England.  By 1317, however, the male line of Claresbecame extinct and the inheritance was partitioned.  Between 1217 and1317 there were four Clare generations.
Gilbert de CLARE, b. abt 1180 had a brother Richard/Roger and a sisterMatilda.  Richard accompanied Henry III's brother, Richard of Cornwall,to Gascony in 1225-26 and was never heard from again.  Matilda wasmarried to William de Braose (d. 1210 when he and his mother were starvedto death by King John), eldest son of the great marcher baron William deBraose (d. 1211), lord of Brecknock, Abergavenny, Builth, Radnor, andGower, who was exiled by King John.  Matilda returned to her father andlater (1219) sued Reginald de Braose, second son of William, for thefamily lands, succeeding only in recovering Gower and the Sussex baronryof Bramber.

Gilbert de CLARE, earl of Gloucester and Hertford from 1217 to 1230, m.Oct. 1214 his cousin Isabel, daughter and eventual co-heiress of WilliamMarshal (d 1219), earl of Pembroke.  Gilbert and Isabel had three sonsand two daughters, with the eldest son and heir Richard, b. 4 Aug 1222,thus only 8 when his father died.  In 1243, Richard de CLARE came of ageand assumed the estates and titles of his father until he d. 15 July1262.  His brother William, b. 1228 held lands of Earl Richard inHampshire and Norfolk for the service of a knight's fee.  In June 1258,during a baronial reform program, William was granted custody ofWinchester castle.  A month later he died, reportedly by poisonadministered by the Earl Richard's seneschal- a steward or major-domo.Walter de Scoteny, in supposed collaboration with Henry III's Poitevinhalf-brothers, who strongly opposed the baronial program and EarlRichard's participation in it.

Earl Gilbert's daughters were very well placed.  Amicia, b. 1220, wasbetrothed in 1226 to Baldwin de Reviers, grandson and heir to William deReviers, earl of Devon (d 1217).  Baldwin was only a year or two olderthan Amicia and Earl Gilbert offered 2,000 marks to the King for themarriage and custody of some Reviers estates during Baldwin's minority.The marriage must have been consummated around 1235, since Baldwin's sonand heir (Baldwin) was b. the next year.  After Baldwin d. in 1245,Amicia (d 1283) controlled the lands of her son (d. 1262) and was givenpermission to marry a minor English baron, Robert de Guines/Gynes, uncleof Arnold III, Count of Guines.

Earl Gilbert's other daughter, Isabel b. 1226, m. 1240 the Scots baronRobert Bruce, lord of Annandale (d 1295), and by him was the grandmotherof the hero of Bannockburn. Her marriage was probably arranged by hermother Isabel and uncle, Gilbert Marshal who gave her the Sussex manor ofRipe as a marriage portion.

Isabel Marshal outlived Earl Gilbert de CLARE by ten years, during whichtime she was busy. In 1231 she m. Richard of Cornwall, to the displeasureof Richard's brother King Henry III, who was trying to arrange anothermatch for Richard.  She d 1240, after 4 children by Richard, only one ofwhich lived past infancy.  According to the Tewkesbury chronicle, shewished to be buried next to her 1st husband, but Richard of Cornwall hadher buried at Beaulieu Abbey in Hampshire, although as a pious gesture heallowed her heart to be sent to Tewkesbury.