Henry d'Essex
Encyclopedia
Henry of Essex or Henry d'Essex (died c. 1170) was a Norman
noble who held the honours of Rayleigh, Essex
, Haughley (by right of his 2nd wife Alice de Montfort), and the office of Constable of England during the reigns of Kings Stephen
and Henry II
. That office included the duty of holding the royal standard to indicate the location of the king.
Henry was the son and heir of Robert fitz Swein of Essex, who was favoured by King Edward the Confessor
and who built Rayleigh Castle
after 1066, and grandson of Swein, son of Robert FitzWimarc
.
Henry is mentioned in several chronicles, including the Chronicle of Jocelin of Brakelond. His influence at court was greatest during the reign of King Stephen
, but continued into the first years of Henry II
's reign. He served King Henry as sheriff of Buckinghamshire
from 1156 to 1159 and a justiciar as well as constable. Henry participated in the king's Toulouse campaign in the spring and summer of 1159.
After he dropped the royal standard in a Welsh ambush during Henry II's 1157 campaign into Wales, however, his political importance waned. At the Easter court of 1163, Henry was accused of treason for that act by a claimant to the Montfort estate. The two men fought a judicial duel a few months later. Jocelin details Henry's trial by battle with Robert de Montfort on Fry's Island
in the River Thames
at Reading
. Henry's body was carried senseless from the site of the duel by monks of nearby Reading Abbey
, but he revived and there took the Benedictine cowl. As a convicted traitor, however, his estates and offices were forfeit and his family disgraced.
Henry of Essex is thought to have died the same year as Becket, in 1170, at Reading Abbey.
. Agnes was betrothed in childhood to Geoffrey de Vere, brother of the first earl of Oxford, but later married Aubrey de Vere III
, first earl of Oxford, as his third wife.
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
noble who held the honours of Rayleigh, Essex
Rayleigh, Essex
Rayleigh is a market town and civil parish in the District of Rochford in Essex, England, located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea. It lies to the east of central London. It has a population of 30,196, having expanded rapidly in the 1960s.-Toponymy:...
, Haughley (by right of his 2nd wife Alice de Montfort), and the office of Constable of England during the reigns of Kings Stephen
Stephen
Stephen or Steven is a masculine first name, derived from the Greek name Στέφανος meaning "crown, garland", in turn from the Greek word "στέφανος", meaning "wreath, crown, honour, reward", literally "that which surrounds or encompasses". In ancient Greece a wreath was given to the winner of a...
and Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
. That office included the duty of holding the royal standard to indicate the location of the king.
Henry was the son and heir of Robert fitz Swein of Essex, who was favoured by King Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
and who built Rayleigh Castle
Rayleigh Castle
Rayleigh Castle was a masonry and timber castle built near the town of Rayleigh in Essex, England in the 11th century shortly after the Norman conquest...
after 1066, and grandson of Swein, son of Robert FitzWimarc
Robert FitzWimarc
Robert FitzWimarc was a kinsman of both Edward the Confessor and William of Normandy, and was present at Edward's death bed....
.
Henry is mentioned in several chronicles, including the Chronicle of Jocelin of Brakelond. His influence at court was greatest during the reign of King Stephen
Stephen
Stephen or Steven is a masculine first name, derived from the Greek name Στέφανος meaning "crown, garland", in turn from the Greek word "στέφανος", meaning "wreath, crown, honour, reward", literally "that which surrounds or encompasses". In ancient Greece a wreath was given to the winner of a...
, but continued into the first years of Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
's reign. He served King Henry as sheriff of Buckinghamshire
High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. One sheriff was appointed for both counties from 1125 until the end of 1575, after which date separate sheriffs were appointed...
from 1156 to 1159 and a justiciar as well as constable. Henry participated in the king's Toulouse campaign in the spring and summer of 1159.
After he dropped the royal standard in a Welsh ambush during Henry II's 1157 campaign into Wales, however, his political importance waned. At the Easter court of 1163, Henry was accused of treason for that act by a claimant to the Montfort estate. The two men fought a judicial duel a few months later. Jocelin details Henry's trial by battle with Robert de Montfort on Fry's Island
Fry's Island
Fry's Island, also known as De Montfort Island, is an island in the River Thames in England. The island is on the reach above Caversham Lock at Reading, Berkshire. The centre of Reading is to the south and the suburb of Caversham to the immediate north.Fry's Island is a natural island, the only...
in the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
at Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. Henry's body was carried senseless from the site of the duel by monks of nearby Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors...
, but he revived and there took the Benedictine cowl. As a convicted traitor, however, his estates and offices were forfeit and his family disgraced.
Henry of Essex is thought to have died the same year as Becket, in 1170, at Reading Abbey.
Arms of Henry of Essex
"Arms, Argent, an Orle Gules. Eodem anno, as in Madox's Exch. p.685 John de Bidun."Family
He married first a woman named Cecily, by whom he seems to have had two sons, Henry and Hugh. His second marriage to Alice de Montfort, widow of Robert fitz Bernard de Vere, produced at least one daughter, Agnes of EssexAgnes of Essex
Agnes of Essex, countess of Oxford was the daughter of Henry of Essex and his second wife. She was betrothed at age three to Geoffrey de Vere, brother of the first earl of Oxford, and turned over to the Veres soon thereafter...
. Agnes was betrothed in childhood to Geoffrey de Vere, brother of the first earl of Oxford, but later married Aubrey de Vere III
Aubrey de Vere III
Aubrey de Vere III was created Earl of Oxford by the empress Matilda in July 1141. He had inherited the barony of Hedingham on the death of his father Aubrey de Vere II in May 1141, when he was already Count of Guînes by right of his wife Beatrice. In 1139 and 1154 he was appointed High Sheriff...
, first earl of Oxford, as his third wife.