Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex
Encyclopedia
Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex (c. 1110-1167 or after) was an Anglo-Norman noblewoman.
and Adeliza/Alice of Clare. She married twice. Her first husband, Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
, became earl in 1140, and Rohese thereafter was styled countess. The couple had at least three children: Geoffrey III, 2nd Earl of Essex
, William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
, and Robert. The first two became earls of Essex. Her husband Earl Geoffrey rebelled against King Stephen
in late 1143. Rohese's whereabouts are unknown; their eldest son seems to have been sent to Devizes
, a stronghold of the supporters of the Empress Matilda
. When Earl Geoffrey died an excommunicate rebel in 1144, his widow remarried swiftly. Her second husband, Payn de Beauchamp, lord of Bedford, had opposed King Stephen earlier in the reign. The couple founded a double monastery at Chicksands
, Bedfordshire
, for nun
s and canons
of the Gilbertine Order
. They had one son, Simon de Beauchamp II. The countess was widowed a second time in 1155 or 1156. She gained the guardianship of her minor son. When he was near his majority, Countess Rohese worked with Simon to convert the secular canons of St. Paul's, Bedford, to regular canons and moved them to Newnham
, Bedfordshire.
According to the Walden Chronicle, when the countess's eldest son, Geoffrey de Mandeville III, earl of Essex, died in 1166, Countess Rohese was at Chicksands
Priory enjoying a visit by her sister Alice of Essex. One member of the entourage who was escorting the earl's body to Walden Abbey, founded by her first husband, rode to Chicksands and informed Rohese of her son's death. He suggested that she send knights to seize the earl's body for burial at Chicksands. She rejected that suggestion, but when she later attended her son's funeral at Walden, she did seize the altar goods and other objects that her son had given to Walden and gave them to Chicksands
Priory.
The countess almost certainly spent the remainder of her life at Chicksands, although probably without joining the religious community as a nun. She witnessed a charter of her son Earl William in 1170, the last evidence of her life which can be dated, and when she died she was buried in the Chicksands chapter house.
She is sometimes confused with another, contemporary 'Countess Rohese,' who was the wife of Gilbert de Gant, Earl of Lincoln
. While Earl Geoffrey's eldest son Ernulf de Mandeville is sometimes listed as the child of Countess Rohese, there is strong evidence that he was the earl's illegitimate son, born before Geoffrey's marriage to Rohese.
Life
She was daughter of Aubrey de Vere IIAubrey de Vere II
Aubrey de Vere II — also known as "Alberic[us] de Ver" — was the second of that name in England after the Norman Conquest, being the eldest surviving son of Alberic or Aubrey de Vere who had followed William the Conqueror to England in or after 1066.Their lineage is probably Norman, possibly...
and Adeliza/Alice of Clare. She married twice. Her first husband, Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville II, 1st Earl of Essex was one of the prominent players during the reign of King Stephen of England. His biographer, the 19th-century historian J. H...
, became earl in 1140, and Rohese thereafter was styled countess. The couple had at least three children: Geoffrey III, 2nd Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex was an English nobleman. He was the son of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex and Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex. He inherited the Earldom of Essex from his father after his elder brother was disinherited. He died childless and was succeeded by...
, William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex was a loyal councilor of Henry II and Richard I of England.He was the second son of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex and Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex. After his father's death while in rebellion , William grew up at the court of the Count of...
, and Robert. The first two became earls of Essex. Her husband Earl Geoffrey rebelled against King Stephen
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
in late 1143. Rohese's whereabouts are unknown; their eldest son seems to have been sent to Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
, a stronghold of the supporters of the Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda , also known as Matilda of England or Maude, was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry to survive to adulthood...
. When Earl Geoffrey died an excommunicate rebel in 1144, his widow remarried swiftly. Her second husband, Payn de Beauchamp, lord of Bedford, had opposed King Stephen earlier in the reign. The couple founded a double monastery at Chicksands
Chicksands
Chicksands is a village in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England and part of the civil parish of Campton and Chicksands . It is on the River Flit. Nearby places are Shefford and Campton....
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, for nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s and canons
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of the Gilbertine Order
Gilbertine Order
The Gilbertine Order of Canons Regular was founded around 1130 by Saint Gilbert in Sempringham, Lincolnshire, where Gilbert was the parish priest...
. They had one son, Simon de Beauchamp II. The countess was widowed a second time in 1155 or 1156. She gained the guardianship of her minor son. When he was near his majority, Countess Rohese worked with Simon to convert the secular canons of St. Paul's, Bedford, to regular canons and moved them to Newnham
Newnham, Bedford
Newnham is an electoral ward and area within the town of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.The boundaries of Newnham are approximately Goldington Road to the north, the River Great Ouse to the south and east, with Denmark Street and George Street to the west....
, Bedfordshire.
According to the Walden Chronicle, when the countess's eldest son, Geoffrey de Mandeville III, earl of Essex, died in 1166, Countess Rohese was at Chicksands
Chicksands
Chicksands is a village in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England and part of the civil parish of Campton and Chicksands . It is on the River Flit. Nearby places are Shefford and Campton....
Priory enjoying a visit by her sister Alice of Essex. One member of the entourage who was escorting the earl's body to Walden Abbey, founded by her first husband, rode to Chicksands and informed Rohese of her son's death. He suggested that she send knights to seize the earl's body for burial at Chicksands. She rejected that suggestion, but when she later attended her son's funeral at Walden, she did seize the altar goods and other objects that her son had given to Walden and gave them to Chicksands
Chicksands
Chicksands is a village in the Central Bedfordshire district of Bedfordshire, England and part of the civil parish of Campton and Chicksands . It is on the River Flit. Nearby places are Shefford and Campton....
Priory.
The countess almost certainly spent the remainder of her life at Chicksands, although probably without joining the religious community as a nun. She witnessed a charter of her son Earl William in 1170, the last evidence of her life which can be dated, and when she died she was buried in the Chicksands chapter house.
She is sometimes confused with another, contemporary 'Countess Rohese,' who was the wife of Gilbert de Gant, Earl of Lincoln
Earl of Lincoln
Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the Peerage of England.-Earls of Lincoln, First Creation :*William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Lincoln and 1st Earl of Arundel Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the Peerage of England.-Earls of Lincoln, First...
. While Earl Geoffrey's eldest son Ernulf de Mandeville is sometimes listed as the child of Countess Rohese, there is strong evidence that he was the earl's illegitimate son, born before Geoffrey's marriage to Rohese.
Sources
- Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom by G. E. Cokayne, vol. X:Appendix J:116