Robert de Ros
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert de Ros, or de Roos of Helmsley
, (ca. 1170/1172 – 1227), was the grandfather and ancestor of the Barons Ros of Helmsley
that was created by writ in 1264. In 1215, Ros joined the confederation of the barons at Stamford
. He was one of the twenty-five barons to guarantee the observance of the Magna Carta
, signed by King John on 15 Jun 1215.
and Roese Trussebut, daughter of William Trussebut of Warter. In 1191, aged fourteen, he paid a thousand marks fine for livery
of his lands to King Richard I of England
. In 1197, while serving King Richard in Normandy
, he was arrested for an unspecified offence, and was committed to the custody of Hugh de Chaumont, but Chaumont entrusted his prisoner to William de Spiney, who allowed him to escape from the castle of Bonville, England. King Richard
thereupon hanged Spiney and collected a fine of twelve hundred marks from Ros' guardian as the price of his continued freedom.
When King John
came to the throne, he gave Ros the barony of his great-grandmother's father, Walter d'Espec. Soon afterwards he was deputed one of those to escort William the Lion, his father-in-law, into England
, to swear fealty to King John. Some years later, Robert de Ros assumed the habit of a monk
, whereupon the custody of all his lands and Castle Werke (Wark
), in Northumberland
, were committed to Philip d'Ulcote, but he soon returned and about a year later he was High Sheriff of Cumberland
.
When the struggle of the barons for a constitutional government began, de Ros at first sided with King John, and thus obtained some valuable grants from the crown, and was made governor of Carlisle; but he subsequently went over to the barons and became one of the celebrated twenty-five "Sureties" appointed to enforce the observance of Magna Carta
, the county of Northumberland
being placed under his supervision. He gave his allegiance to King Henry III
and, in 1217-18, his manors were restored to him. Although he was witness to the second Great Charter and the Forest Charter, of 1224, he seems to have remained in royal favour.
, Scotland, Ros married Isabella Mac William (Isibéal nic Uilliam), widow of Robert III de Brus
. Isabella was the illegitimate daughter of William the Lion, King of Scots by the daughter of Richard Avenel.
Issue with Isabella:
He erected Helmsley or Hamlake Castle
in Yorkshire
, and of Wark Castle
in Northumberland. Sir Robert is buried at the Temple Church
under a magnificent tomb.
Helmsley Castle
Helmsley Castle is a medieval castle situated in the market town of Helmsley, North Yorkshire, England.-History:...
, (ca. 1170/1172 – 1227), was the grandfather and ancestor of the Barons Ros of Helmsley
Baron de Ros
The title of Baron de Ros of Helmsley is the most ancient baronial title in the Peerage of England. The title of Baron de Ros of Helmsley is the most ancient baronial title in the Peerage of England. The title of Baron de Ros of Helmsley is the most ancient baronial title in the Peerage of England....
that was created by writ in 1264. In 1215, Ros joined the confederation of the barons at Stamford
Stamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
. He was one of the twenty-five barons to guarantee the observance of the Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
, signed by King John on 15 Jun 1215.
Life
He was the son of Everard de Ros, Baron of HelmsleyEverard de Ros
Everard de Ros was the lord of Hamlake and seems to have been very wealthy, as in 1176 he paid the then large sum of five hundred and twenty-six pounds as a fine for his lands, and other large amounts subsequently. He was the son of Robert de Ros and Sybil de Valoines. Everard de Ros married Rose...
and Roese Trussebut, daughter of William Trussebut of Warter. In 1191, aged fourteen, he paid a thousand marks fine for livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
of his lands to King Richard I of England
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
. In 1197, while serving King Richard in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, he was arrested for an unspecified offence, and was committed to the custody of Hugh de Chaumont, but Chaumont entrusted his prisoner to William de Spiney, who allowed him to escape from the castle of Bonville, England. King Richard
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
thereupon hanged Spiney and collected a fine of twelve hundred marks from Ros' guardian as the price of his continued freedom.
When King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
came to the throne, he gave Ros the barony of his great-grandmother's father, Walter d'Espec. Soon afterwards he was deputed one of those to escort William the Lion, his father-in-law, into England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to swear fealty to King John. Some years later, Robert de Ros assumed the habit of a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
, whereupon the custody of all his lands and Castle Werke (Wark
Wark on Tweed
Wark on Tweed is a village in the English county of Northumberland. It lies about south west of Berwick-upon-Tweed...
), in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, were committed to Philip d'Ulcote, but he soon returned and about a year later he was High Sheriff of Cumberland
High Sheriff of Cumberland
The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
.
When the struggle of the barons for a constitutional government began, de Ros at first sided with King John, and thus obtained some valuable grants from the crown, and was made governor of Carlisle; but he subsequently went over to the barons and became one of the celebrated twenty-five "Sureties" appointed to enforce the observance of Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
, the county of Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
being placed under his supervision. He gave his allegiance to King Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
and, in 1217-18, his manors were restored to him. Although he was witness to the second Great Charter and the Forest Charter, of 1224, he seems to have remained in royal favour.
Marriage and issue
In early 1191, in Haddington, East LothianEast Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
, Scotland, Ros married Isabella Mac William (Isibéal nic Uilliam), widow of Robert III de Brus
Robert III de Brus
Robert III de Brus was the oldest son of Robert de Brus, 2nd Lord of Annandale.He predeceased his father, and so did not inherit the lordship of Annandale, which passed to his brother, William de Brus, 3rd Lord of Annandale...
. Isabella was the illegitimate daughter of William the Lion, King of Scots by the daughter of Richard Avenel.
Issue with Isabella:
- Sir William de Ros (b. before 1200 - d. ca. 1264/1265), father of Robert de Ros, 1st Baron de RosRobert de Ros, 1st Baron de RosRobert de Ros, 1st Baron de Ros of Helmsley, was an English nobleman.He was grandson to Sir Robert de Ros and Isabel, an illegitimate daughter of William I of Scotland by Isabel Avenal. He was son to Sir William de Ros Robert de Ros, 1st Baron de Ros of Helmsley, (c. 1213 – 13 May 1285) was...
. - Sir Robert de Ros (ca. 1223 - 13 May 1285), was Chief JusticeLord Chief Justice of England and WalesThe Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary and President of the Courts of England and Wales. Historically, he was the second-highest judge of the Courts of England and Wales, after the Lord Chancellor, but that changed as a result of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005,...
of the Kings BenchCourt of King's Bench (England)The Court of King's Bench , formally known as The Court of the King Before the King Himself, was an English court of common law in the English legal system...
. He married Christian Bertram; from which Elizabeth Ros (d.1395), wife of William Parr of Kendal (1350 - c.1404) descended. The two were ancestors of Queen consort Catherine ParrCatherine ParrCatherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
. - Sir Alexander de Ros (d. ca. 1306), he fathered one child with an unknown wife, William.
- Peter de Ros
He erected Helmsley or Hamlake Castle
Helmsley Castle
Helmsley Castle is a medieval castle situated in the market town of Helmsley, North Yorkshire, England.-History:...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, and of Wark Castle
Wark on Tweed
Wark on Tweed is a village in the English county of Northumberland. It lies about south west of Berwick-upon-Tweed...
in Northumberland. Sir Robert is buried at the Temple Church
Temple Church
The Temple Church is a late-12th-century church in London located between Fleet Street and the River Thames, built for and by the Knights Templar as their English headquarters. In modern times, two Inns of Court both use the church. It is famous for its effigy tombs and for being a round church...
under a magnificent tomb.