Robert (Ferrers) de Ferrers (abt. 1068 - 1139)

Born about 1068 in Normandy, France

Ancestors

Husband of Hawise (Vitré) Ferrers — married about 1102 in England

Descendants

Died 1139 at about age 71 in Staffordshire, England

Biography

Name

Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby ^[1]

1068 Birth

Wikipedia reports Robert I de Ferrers' birth as approximately 1068 in Derbyshire, England. ^[2] Brown agrees on the place but places the birth two years earlier in 1066. ^[1] Logic would suggest that 1066 being the time of the Battle of Hastings, one might expect that in that year Robert's father was engaged in conflict while his mother remained in Normandy, while by 1068, the family was relocated in Derbyshire.

Parents

Cawley states that Robert de Ferrers was the son of Henri, Seigneur de Ferrières et de Chambrais, and his wife Bertha. ^[3]

Wikipedia adds that Robert I de Ferrers was a younger son of Henry de Ferrières and provides Robert's mother with the full name Bertha l'Aigle.^[2]

Robert's father, born in Ferrières, Normandy, France accompanied William the Conqueror during his invasion of England. The family was rewarded with a grant of Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire and 114 manors in Derbyshire. ^[2]

Some popular genealogies show Robert being born in Normandy but christened at "Charterley, Staffs". There are two problems with this. First, infants were typically baptized as soon after birth as possible, so birth on one side of the Channel and baptism on the other is unlikely. Secondly, there is no place named Charterley in Staffordshire or elsewhere. Chartley Castle was not built until 1220. Some Ferrers were Lords of Chartley but only after the family received Chartley through the marriage of William de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby, to Agnes of Chester, sister & heir of Ranulph Blundeville, who died without issue.

Siblings

Robert had two brothers:

1. William was Robert's elder brother; his main interests were in France. He joined Robert Curthose and was captured at Tinchebrai. ^[2]
2. Engenulf died shortly after his father and so Robert succeeded to his estates in 1088.^[2]

1087 Marriage to Hawise

Robert married Hawise, who was acknowledged as mother by Robert, Count of Nottingham, when he donated property to Tutbury Priory in 1141. Cawley notes that according to Domesday Descendants, "there is no convincing evidence as to Hawise's identity".^[3]

Cawley notes that the Complete Peerage identifies Hawise as Hawise de Vitré, daughter of André [I] Seigneur de Vitré & his wife Agnès de Mortain, but cites no supporting evidence. ^[3]

By contrast, Europäische Stammtafeln identifies Robert's wife as Hawise de Laval, daughter of Guy [II], Seigneur de Laval & his second wife Cecilia, although the primary source on which this is based has not yet been identified.

Brown ^[1] provides more detail: the marriage took place in about 1087 at Vitre, Bretagne, the groom was Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby, aged 21 and son of Henry and Bertha, the bride was Hawise de Vitre, daughter of Andre de Vitre and Agnes de Mortaigne, and she was born about 1069 at Vitre. These dates, while unproven, appear to be reasonable estimates, and are used here.

1101 Succeeded Father

In 1101 Robert succeeded his father in the greater part of his English possessions, and Robert subsequently donated property to Tutbury Priory. ^[3]

Henry's only surviving son, Robert, succeeded to his possessions in England, except Oakham and Lechlade, which, with those in Normandy, were inherited by Henry, son of either Engenulf or William, Robert's elder brothers. ^[4]

Arms

Robert de Ferrers had arms, described as follows: The first shield, on the west of the hall, bears the the arms of Ferrars of Baddesley Clinton—Gules, seven mascles conjoined or 3.3.1, a canton ermine, and label of three points azure; impaling Hampden, argent a saltier gules, between four eaglets displayed azure. The inscription under it does not refer to these arms, being: “ Henry of Ferrers, Lord of Ferrers in Normandy, came into England at the Conquest, and was Lord of Tutbury." ^[5]

Tutbury Priory

Donations to Tutbury Priory

Robert, Earl Ferrars, made donations to Tutbury Priory. The donations refer to Robertus comes de Ferrariis, Henrici patris mei (father) ^[6]

The donations were confirmed later with a recital of descent: "I find also a confirmation made, per Rob'tum de Ferrariis, filium et haeredem [son and heir] nobilis viri Will'i de Ferrariis, comit. Derbies, Deo, et beatee Mariae, et ecclesie de Tutburie, et monachis ibidem Deo servientibus, de omnibus queecunque Hen. de Ferrariis fundator ejusdem ecclesiae, seu Engenulf de Ferrariis, vel Rob. de Ferrariis, vel al. Rob. de Ferrariis, vel Will'us de Ferrariis, vel al. Will'us de Ferrariis, avus suus, vel Will'us de Ferrariis, pater suus, sive aliquis antecessorum suorum dederunt." ^[7]

1260 Destruction of Priory

"Robert de Ferrars, the last Earl of Derby, confirmed all the benefactions of his ancestors by charter, but by him the priory was pulled down in the year 1260, and was not rebuilt till the year 1307, no doubt by the Earl of Lancaster." ^[8]

1129 Lead Mines, Wirksworth

As part of his tenure of Duffield Frith in 1129–30, Robert is on record as having interests in lead mines at Wirksworth. ^[2]

In the period 1131-1135, "Robt. de Ferrars, the Earl of Derby, paid £80 bl. for the farm of Wirksworth. Henry de Ferrars, probably a grandson of Wachiline, was excused a payment of 2s. Danegeld."^[9]

1129 Grant of Church

At about this time he granted the church of Potterspury, Northamptonshire, to Bernard the Scribe.^[2]

1135 Charter

In the period 1135-1139, "Robert de Ferrariis" drafted a charter "addressed to all his barons and men and all sons of the church, clerk and lay". ^[10]

1135 Surrender of Walkelin Maminot

Robert's son-in-law, Walchelin Maminot was himself an early convert to Stephen, but, linked to Robert of Gloucester in both Kent and the March, he was closely blockaded in Dover Castle by sea and land by forces commanded by the queen. He was eventually talked over by his father-in-law, Robert de Ferrers, who had witnessed both the defeat of the Scots and the fall of Shrewsbury, and who had then joined Queen Mathilda in Kent to convince Walchelin of the futility of further resistance. Apparently Ralph Louvel of Castle Cary was also brought to surrender by threats and persuasion rather than force." ^[11]

1138 Battle of the Standard

Robert de Ferrieres, 3rd son of Henry, succeeded to the greater part of his father's possessions in England. ^[12]

In 1138, he was one of the commanders at the Battle of the Standard, and was, for his services, created Earl of Derby by King Stephen, shortly afterwards. He married Hawise, daughter of André, Seigneur de Vitré in Brittany, by Agnes, daughter of Robert, Count of Mortain. He died in 1139." ^[12]

"Robert de Ferrers, having contributed, at the head of the Derbyshire men, to King Stephen's victory over King David of Scotland at Northallerton (commonly called the battle of the Standard), was created by that monarch Earl of Derby. ^[13]

It is, however, during his last years that he is most in evidence as a leading supporter of King Stephen. He took a large body of Derbyshire men northwards to assist in repelling an invasion of the Scots under King David I of Scotland, nominally on the behalf of Matilda. Little actual fighting took place, but Thurstan, Archbishop of York, won the Battle of the Standard on Stephen's behalf, fought near Northallerton, on 22, August, 1138.^[2]

Robert was mainly instrumental in securing the victory for his Sovereign, who for this and other important services created him Earl of Derby, although charters and chronicles during this period refer to him interchangeably as Earl Ferrers, earl of Nottingham or earl of Derby.^[2]

1138 Earl of Derby

After the battle of the Standard in August 1138, King Stephen created him Earl of Derby.^[3]

He was created 1st Earl of Derby in 1138. ^[14]

1139 Death

Robert, the heir in England, died in 1139, the year after his services as commander of the Derbyshire men in the Battle of the Standard, had been rewarded by King Stephen with the Earldom of Derby."^[4]

Earl Robert de Ferrers died in 1139 ^{[3] [1] [14]} and was succeeded by his son, Robert de Ferrers, as 2nd Earl of Derby." ^[13] Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby, his second but eldest surviving son, often known as Robert de Ferrars the Younger.^[2]

He died in Tutbury, Staffordshire, England and was buried in the Abbey of Meervale, Warwickshire, England ^{[citation needed]}

1139 Division between England and Normandy

The lands in Normandy were eventually inherited by Henry de Ferrieres, his nephew (son and heir of one of his brothers, Engenulf or William). ^[12]

The line thus endowed continued in Normandy as Seigneurs de Chambrais until the sixteenth century. ^[4]

Henry, who was living in 1136, held Oakham, co. Rutland, and Lechlade, co. Gloucester (a manor held by his grandfather Henry at the Domesday Survey). ^[12]

Lechlade and Oakham were the marriage portion of Isabel, Henry's grand-daughter, who married Roger Mortimer. ^[4]

The custom observed by peers of the realm on their first visit to Oakham of giving a horse shoe to be nailed on the castle gate, is, no doubt, a tribute to this ancient ownership. ^[4]

Henry was father of Walkelin, who was father of (1) Henry, Seigneur de Chambres in 1202, (2) Hugh, of Lechlade, who dsp. in 1204, having m. Margaret, daughter and heir of Hugh de Say of Richard's Castle, and (3) Isabel (d. before 31 May 1252), who m., 1stly, Roger de Mortemer of Wigmore (d. 24 June 1214), and 2ndly, Piers fitz Herbert of Blaen Llyfni (d. 1 June 1235). Isabel inherited Lechlade, and also Oakham, which her eldest brother, Henry, had lost at the time of the conquest of Normandy. ^[12]

Henry was the ancestor of the seigneurs of Ferrieres and Chambrais, the last of whom, Jean, dspm. in 1504. A custom quite recently existed that a peer of the realm, the first time he passed through Oakham, should give a horse-shoe to be nailed upon the castle-gate; a toll or privilege dating, no doubt, from the time of the ancient lords of that town." ^[12]

1140 Gift to Church of Savigny

c. 1140, "Robert earl Ferreres gives to the church of Savigny constructed in honour of the Holy Trinity 40 solidates of land at Piria." ^[15]

Issue

Assuming Robert was born 1062 and Hawise was born 1086, assume they were not married earlier than her 16th birthday, or 1102. Brown suggests 1087 as the wedding date, which is too early if Hawises was born 1086. Children are shown born beginning in 1105, when she would have been 19, and continuing until she was 1118, when she would have been 32. These estimated birth years are realistic although unproved.

Group A

1. Agnes, born Berkshire 1105. Married Paynel ^[16]
2. Isabel, born Staffordshire 1105. Married Robert de Caus ^[16] Her parentage and marriage are recorded in Domesday Descendants, which does not cite the corresponding source reference. She married Robert de Cauz. ^[3]
3. Unknown, born 1110, Married Maminot^[16]
4. Robert, born Staffordshire 1118^[16] Child of Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby and Hawise de Vitre.^[3] Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby+1 b. c 1090, d. 1162 ^[14]

Group B

1. William, child of Robert de Ferrers and his wife Hawise,who d. s. p.^[13]
2. Robert, child of Robert de Ferrers and his wife Hawise,his successor^[13]
3. Walcheline, child of Robert de Ferrers and his wife Hawise,of Okeham; ^[13]
4. Isolda, child of Robert de Ferrers and his wife Hawise,m. to Stephen de Beauchamp^[13]
5. Maud, child of Robert de Ferrers and his wife Hawise,m. to Bertram de Verdon. ^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Richard Glanville-Brown, Milton, Ontario, Canada, downloaded 17 August 2005. Cited by Darryl Lundy. The Peerage Last edited 8 Feb, 2018. Accessed Feb 17, 2018 jhd
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9} Wikipedia: Robert_de_Ferrers,_1st_Earl_of_Derby Accessed Feb 17, 2018 jhd
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7} Charles Cawley, Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, Medieval Lands Database. English Nobility Medieval Robert Ferrers Accessed July 9, 2017. jhd
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} Eleanor Swift, M.A.[https://www.le.ac.uk/lahs/downloads/SwiftVolume20.pdf A Ferrers Document of the Twelfth Century]
5. ↑ Birmingham Archaeological Society. Transactions and Proceedings Volumes 14-17, p.90
6. ↑ Monasticon Anglicanum: Volume 3 and Volume 5
7. ↑ A Survey of Staffordshire: Containing the Antiquities of that County, page 525
8. ↑ An historical description of Tutbury Castle and Priory, with some account of the town and neighbourhood, p 69 [1]
9. ↑ Extracts (with notes) from the Pipe Rolls for the counties of Nottingham and Derby : from the earliest period to the end of the reign of King Edward I, p 9 [2]
10. ↑ Calendar of documents preserved in France, illustrative of the history of Great Britain and Ireland.[3]Vol 1. A.D. 918-1206, p. 203
11. ↑ David Croush. The Reign of King Stephen: 1135-1154, p 79
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5} George E. Cokayne. The Complete Peerage London, St. Catherine's Press, 1916. (transcribed by Dave Utzinger) Volume IV, page 191
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6} Sir Bernard Burke, Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages, Burke's Peerage, Ltd., London, 1883, Verdon, Earls of Derby , p. 196
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2} Darryl Lundy. The Peerage Accessed Feb 17, 2018 jhd
15. ↑ "La Manche: Part 2," in Calendar of Documents Preserved in France 918-1206, ed. J Horace Round (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1899), 281-308. British History Online, accessed March 24, 2017, [4].
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3} Wikitree Data File, Not otherwise sourced

See also:

• Michel L. Call, "Royal Ancestry Bible."
• Phillips, Weber, Kirk and Staggs Families of the Pacific Northwest, by Jim Weber, rootsweb.com
• Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 18 [5]
• Deering, Charles. Nottinghamia Vetus et Nova (George Ayscough & Thomas Willington, Nottingham, 1751) Page 200