Biography of William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby 1168-1247

Paternal Family Tree: Ferrers

Maternal Family Tree: Ealdgyth Mercia 1024-1066

Before 1161 [his father] William Ferrers 3rd Earl of Derby (age 25) and [his mother] Sybil de Braose Countess Derby (age 3) were married. She by marriage Countess Derby. The difference in their ages was 21 years. He the son of Robert Ferrers 2nd Earl of Derby and Margaret Peverell Countess Derby.

In 1162 [his grandfather] Robert Ferrers 2nd Earl of Derby died. His son [his father] William Ferrers 3rd Earl of Derby (age 26) succeeded 3rd Earl Derby.

Around 1168 William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby was born to William Ferrers 3rd Earl of Derby (age 32) and Sybil de Braose Countess Derby (age 11).

Siege of Acre

In 1190 at the Siege of Acre Routrou Chateaudun IV Count Perche (age 55) and Raoul Coucy (age 55) were killed.

[his father] William Ferrers 3rd Earl of Derby (age 54) was killed. His son William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby (age 22) succeeded 4th Earl Derby. [his future wife] Agnes Gernon Countess Derby by marriage Countess Derby.

In or before 1193 William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby (age 25) and Agnes Gernon Countess Derby were married. She the daughter of Hugh de Kevelioc Gernon 5th Earl Chester and Bertrade Montfort Countess Chester. He the son of William Ferrers 3rd Earl of Derby and Sybil de Braose Countess Derby (age 35). She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

In 1193 [his son] William Ferrers 5th Earl of Derby was born to William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby (age 25) and [his wife] Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 25 Jul 1216 [his daughter] Sybil Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby (age 48) and [his wife] Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

Death of King John

                    On 19 Oct 1216 King John "Lackland" of England (age 49) died at Newark Castle [Map]. His son King Henry III of England (age 9) succeeded III King England.                

                    John Monmouth (age 34) was present.
                
                    On his deathbed, John appointed a council of thirteen executors to help Henry reclaim the kingdom and requested that his son be placed into the guardianship of William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke (age 70).                

                    King John's will is the earliest English royal will to survive in its original form. The document is quite small, roughly the size of a postcard and the seals of those who were present at the time would have been attached to it. Translation of the will taken from an article by Professor S.D. Church in the English Historical Review, June 2010:
                
                    I, John, by the grace of God king of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, count of Anjou, hindered by grave infirmity and not being able at this time of my infirmity to itemize all my things so that I may make a testament, commit the arbitration and administration of my testament to the trust and to the legitimate administration of my faithful men whose names are written below, without whose counsel, even in good health, I would have by no means arranged my testament in their presence, so that what they will faithfully arrange and determine concerning my things as much as in making satisfaction to God and to holy Church for damages and injuries done to them as in sending succour to the land of Jerusalem and in providing support to my sons towards obtaining and defending their inheritance and in making reward to those who have served us faithfully and in making distribution to the poor and to religious houses for the salvation of my soul, be right and sure. I ask, furthermore, that whoever shall give them counsel and assistance in the arranging of my testament shall receive the grace and favour of God. Whoever shall infringe their arrangement and disposition, may he incur the curse and indignation of almighty God and the blessed Mary and all the saints.
                
                    In the first place, therefore, I desire that my body be buried in the church of St Mary and St Wulfstan at Worcester. I appoint, moreover, the following arbiters and administrators: the lord Guala, by the grace of God, cardinal-priest of the title of St Martin and legate of the apostolic see; the lord Peter bishop of Winchester; the lord Richard bishop of Chichester; the lord Silvester bishop of Worcester; Brother Aimery de St-Maur; William Marshal earl of Pembroke; Ranulf earl of Chester; William earl Ferrers; William Brewer; Walter de Lacy and John of Monmouth; Savaric de Mauléon; Falkes de Bréauté.
                
                    The signatories were:
                
                    Guala Bicchieri (ca 1150 - 1227) Papal Legate.
                
                    Bishop Peter de Roches, Bishop of Winchester.
                
                    Richard le Poer (? - 1237), Bishop of Chichester.
                
                    Sylvester of Worcester, Bishop of Worcester.
                
                    Aimery de St-Maur (? -?1219), Master of the English Templars.
                
                    William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke (age 70).                

                    [his brother-in-law] Ranulf de Blondeville Gernon 6th Earl Chester 1st Earl Lincoln (age 46).
                
                    William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby (age 48).                

                    William Brewer (? - 1226), 1st Baron Brewer.
                
                    Walter de Lacy (ca 1172-1241) Lord of Meath.
                
                    John: (1182 - 1248) Lord of Monmouth.
                
                    Savaric de Mauléon (? - 1236) Seneschal of Poitou from 1205.
                
                    Falkes de Bréauté (? - 1226) Seneschal of Cardiff Castle.

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Before 1218 [his daughter] Bertha Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby (age 49) and [his wife] Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

Before 1220 [his son-in-law] John Vipont (age 10) and [his daughter] Sybil Ferrers (age 3) were married. She the daughter of William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby (age 51) and Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

Before 1226 [his son] William Ferrers 5th Earl of Derby (age 33) and [his daughter-in-law] Sibyl Marshal (age 24) were married. She the daughter of William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke and Isabel Clare Countess Pembroke. He the son of William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby (age 57) and Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 05 Feb 1228 [his mother] Sybil de Braose Countess Derby (age 71) died.

Chronica Majora. After 13 Jan 1237. The king, in great alarm, and desiring to conciliate the good-will of the barons, then and thenceforth submitted himself to the advice of his liege and natural subjects, contrary to what he had formerly done. Moreover, with to the report that he was endeavouring, by means of a warrant from the pope, to invalidate the grants he had formerlymade and confirmed to them by charter, the king said that it was false; and if such a thing had been suggested to him, he declared it to be of no effect, and that he altogether renounced such a purpose; and besides this he, with a calm countenance and of his own free will, promised from that time inviolably to observe the rights of the great charter, towards all the liege subjects of his kingdom. And because he seemed to be not entirely free from the sentence which the archbishop Stephen and all the bishops of England had pronounced against all violators of the aforesaid charter; which he by ill advice had in a measure violated himself, he ordered the aforesaid sentence to be publicly renewed against all gainsayers and violators of the said chai-ter; so that by this, if he himself, through any malice, should by any chance fail to observe it, he would be more deeply involved in that sentence, and the result of tliis proceeding was, that by his words he wonderfully conciliated the hearts of all his hearers towards himself It was also determined that it would be harsh to remove from the king the councillors he at present had, as if they were wicked; they therefore strengthened their number by the addition of some other nobles, appointing the Earl Warrenne, William (age 69) Ferrers, and John Fitz-Geoffrey (age 32) as additional ones; and the king, as he had formerly done at Windsor, made them swear that they would in no wise, for presents or by any other means, deviate from the path of truth, but would give him, the king, good advice, and what was for the benefit of the kingdom. On these conditions a grant of the thirtieth part of all moveable property in the kingdom was made to the king, to replenish his treasury, saving, however, to every one his silver and gold, his horses and arms, which would be devoted for the public advantage; which thirtieth part was to be collected throughout each county in the following manner and form:-Four trustworthy knights were to be chosen, besides one clerk, whom the king would appoint; and these knights, together with the clerk, having taken an oath of fealty to the king, were to collect the money, which, when collected, was to be placed in some convent, sacred house, or castle, so that if the king should endeavour to retract his promises, the property of each should be restored to him, and a correct distribution made. The archbishop of Canterbury and his bishops and clergy first agreed to this; and on this condition, the thirtieth part of all moveable property in the kingdom was granted to the king, to be collected throughout the whole kingdom in general from every prelate and knight according to the tenement of his barony. It was, however, often annexed to the conditions, that the king would then and thenceforth reject the advice of foreigners (who were always friends to themselves, and not to the kingdom, and generally wasted its wealth instead of increasing it), and of all unnatural advisers, and would abide by the counsel of his liege and natural subjects. The council then thus broke up, not however before a great deal of secret anger and discontent was excited, because it was with great difficulty that they could turn the king's mind to their wholesome counsel, and induce him to comply with the advice of those from whom he held all earthly honour; and each returned to his home.

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In 1238 [his son] William Ferrers 5th Earl of Derby (age 45) and [his daughter-in-law] Margaret Quincy Countess Derby were married. She the daughter of Roger de Quincy 2nd Earl Winchester (age 43) and Helen Galloway Countess Winchester. He the son of William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby (age 70) and Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. They were first cousin twice removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

In 1247 William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby (age 79) died. His son [his son] William Ferrers 5th Earl of Derby (age 54) succeeded 5th Earl Derby. [his daughter-in-law] Margaret Quincy Countess Derby by marriage Countess Derby.

[his son] Ranulph Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby and Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

[his son] Robert Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby and Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

Thomas Furnival and [his daughter] Bertha Ferrers were married. She the daughter of William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby and Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

[his son] Thomas Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby and Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

[his son] Hugh Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby and Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

Ralph Bigod and [his daughter] Bertha Ferrers were married. She the daughter of William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby and Agnes Gernon Countess Derby. He the son of Hugh Bigod 3rd Earl Norfolk and Maud Marshal Countess Norfolk and Surrey. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.