Biography of Roger de Breteuil Fitzosbern 2nd Earl Hereford -1087

Maternal Family Tree: Ermesinde of Carcassonne 975-1058

Roger de Breteuil Fitzosbern 2nd Earl Hereford was born to William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford and Adelise Tosny Countess Hereford.

In 1067 [his father] William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford (age 47) was created 1st Earl Hereford.

Before 1071 [his father] William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford (age 51) and [his mother] Adelise Tosny Countess Hereford were married. She by marriage Countess Hereford. She the daughter of Roger "The Spaniard" Tosny and Adelaide or Godehildis Ramon.

Battle of Cassel

                    On 22 Feb 1071 Battle of Cassel was fought between uncle Robert "The Frisian" I Count Flanders (age 38) and nephew Arnulf III Count Flanders (age 16), supported by his mother Richilde Countess Flanders and Hainault and Philip "Amorous" I King France (age 18), over the succession of Flanders.                

                    Arnulf III Count Flanders (age 16) was killed. His brother Baldwin Flanders II Count Hainault (age 15) succeeded II Count Hainault. Robert "The Frisian" I Count Flanders (age 38) was appointed I Count Flanders.
                
                    [his father] William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford (age 51) was killed. His son Roger de Breteuil Fitzosbern 2nd Earl Hereford succeeded 2nd Earl Hereford.
                
                    Eustace Flanders II Count Boulogne (age 56) and his son Eustace Flanders III Count Boulogne fought for Robert. During the battle Robert "The Frisian" I Count Flanders (age 38) and Richilde Countess Flanders and Hainault were captured, and subsequently exchanged for each other.

Revolt of the Earls

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1075. This year King William (age 47) gave Earl Ralph (age 33) the [his sister] daughter of William Fitz-Osborne to wife. This same Ralph (age 33) was British on his mother's side; but his father, whose name was also Ralph, was English; and born in Norfolk. The king (age 47) therefore gave his son the earldom of Norfolk and Suffolk; and he then led the bride to Norwich [Map]. There was that bride-ale The source of man's bale. There was Earl Roger, and Earl Waltheof, and bishops, and abbots; who there resolved, that they would drive the king (age 47) out of the realm of England. But it was soon told the king (age 47) in Normandy how it was determined. It was Earl Roger and Earl Ralph (age 33) who were the authors of that plot; and who enticed the Britons to them, and sent eastward to Denmark after a fleet to assist them. Roger went westward to his earldom, and collected his people there, to the king's (age 47) annoyance, as he thought; but it was to the great disadvantage of himself. He was however prevented. Ralph (age 33) also in his earldom would go forth with his people; but the castlemen that were in England and also the people of the land, came against him, and prevented him from doing anything. He escaped however to the ships at Norwich [Map].⁹⁷ And his wife was in the castle; which she held until peace was made with her; when she went out of England, with all her men who wished to join her. The king (age 47) afterwards came to England, and seized Earl Roger, his relative, and put him in prison. And Earl Waltheof went over sea, and bewrayed himself; but he asked forgiveness, and proffered gifts of ransom. The king (age 47), however, let him off lightly, until he⁹⁸ came to England; when he had him seized. Soon after that came east from Denmark two hundred ships; wherein were two captains, Cnute Swainson, and Earl Hacco; but they durst not maintain a fight with King William (age 47). They went rather to York, and broke into St. Peter's minster, and took therein much treasure, and so went away. They made for Flanders over sea; but they all perished who were privy to that design; that was, the son of Earl Hacco, and many others with him. This year died the Lady Edgitha (age 49), who was the relict of King Edward, seven nights before Christmas, at Winchester; and the king (age 47) caused her to be brought to Westminster with great pomp; and he laid her with King Edward, her lord. And the king (age 47) was then at Westminster, at midwinter; where all the Britons were condemned who were at the bride-ale at Norwich. Some were punished with blindness; some were driven from the land; and some were towed to Scandinavia. So were the traitors of King William (age 47) subdued.

Note 97. Whence he sailed to Bretagne, according to Flor. S. Dunelm, etc.; but according to Henry of Huntingdon he fled directly to Denmark, returning afterwards with Cnute and Hacco, who invaded England With a fleet of 200 sail.

Note 98. i.e. Earl Waltheof.

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Flowers of History. 1075. Queen Edith (age 49) died on the fifth of April. The same year, king William (age 47) gave the [his sister] daughter of [his father] William, the son of Osbert, to earl Radolph (age 33), as his wife, and gave him also the government of Norfolk and Suffolk. This Radolph was of British extraction, on his mother's side, and his father was an Englishman. He was born in Norfolk, and there he celebrated his marriage, which was the cause of destruction to many persons. At that wedding there were present earl Roger and earl Waltheof; and many bishops and abbots; and they took counsel how to expel king William (age 47) from his kingdom. And this speedily became known to the king, who was in Normandy, and immediately the king returned to England, and took Waltheof, and Roger, who was his own kinsman, and threw them into prison. As to the rest who were present at the wedding, he deferred his determination.

In 1075 three Earls joined in rebellion against King William "Conqueror" I of England (age 47). The three Earls were: Roger de Breteuil Fitzosbern 2nd Earl Hereford, Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia (age 33) and Waltheof Northumbria 1st Earl of Northampton 1st Earl Huntingdon. The ostensible cause of their rebellion was William's (age 47) the marriage of [his sister] Emma Fitzosbern Countess East Anglia, daughter of [his father] William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford, with Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia (age 33). Possibly to do with she being Norman and he being British/English.

Roger de Breteuil Fitzosbern 2nd Earl Hereford forfeit Earl Hereford and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

After 1087 Roger de Breteuil Fitzosbern 2nd Earl Hereford died.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1088. In this year was this land much stirred, and filled with great treachery; so that the richest Frenchmen that were in this land would betray their lord the king, and would have his brother Robert king, who was earl in Normandy. In this design was engaged first Bishop Odo, and Bishop Gosfrith, and William, Bishop of Durham. So well did the king by the bishop [Odo] that all England fared according to his counsel, and as he would. And the bishop thought to do by him as Judas Iscariot did by our Lord. And Earl Roger was also of this faction; and much people was with him all Frenchmen. This conspiracy was formed in Lent. As soon as Easter came, then went they forth, and harrowed, and burned, and wasted the king's (age 32) farms; and they despoiled the lands of all the men that were in the king's (age 32) service. And they each of them went to his castle, and manned it, and provisioned it as well as they could. Bishop Gosfrith, and Robert the peace-breaker, went to Bristol, and plundered it, and brought the spoil to the castle. Afterwards they went out of the castle, and plundered Bath, and all the land thereabout; and all the honor¹¹² of Berkeley they laid waste. And the men that eldest were of Hereford, and all the shire forthwith, and the men of Shropshire, with much people of Wales, came and plundered and burned in Worcestershire, until they came to the city itself, which it was their design to set on fire, and then to rifle the minster, and win the king's (age 32) castle to their hands. The worthy Bishop Wulfstan, seeing these things, was much agitated in his mind, because to him was betaken the custody of the castle. Nevertheless his hired men went out of the castle with few attendants, and, through God's mercy and the bishop's merits, slew or took five hundred men, and put all the others to flight. The Bishop of Durham did all the harm that he could over all by the north. Roger was the name of one of them;¹¹³ who leaped into the castle at Norwich, and did yet the worst of all over all that land. Hugh also was one, who did nothing better either in Leicestershire or in Northamptonshire. The Bishop Odo being one, though of the same family from which the king (age 32) himself was descended, went into Kent to his earldom, and greatly despoiled it; and having laid waste the lands of the king (age 32) and of the archbishop withal, he brought the booty into his castle at Rochester. When the king (age 32) understood all these things, and what treachery they were employing against him, then was he in his mind much agitated. He then sent after Englishmen, described to them his need, earnestly requested their support, and promised them the best laws that ever before were in this land; each unright guild he forbade, and restored to the men their woods and chaces. But it stood no while. The Englishmen however went to the assistance of the king (age 32) their lord. They advanced toward Rochester, with a view to get possession of the Bishop Odo; for they thought, if they had him who was at first the head of the conspiracy, they might the better get possession of all the others. They came then to the castle at Tunbridge; and there were in the castle the knights of Bishop Odo, and many others who were resolved to hold it against the king (age 32). But the Englishmen advanced, and broke into the castle, and the men that were therein agreed with the king (age 32). The king (age 32) with his army went toward Rochester. And they supposed that the bishop was therein; but it was made known to the king (age 32) that the bishop was gone to the castle at Pevensea. And the king (age 32) with his army went after, and beset the castle about with a very large force full six weeks. During this time the Earl of Normandy, Robert, the king's (age 32) brother, gathered a very considerable force, and thought to win England with the support of those men that were in this land against the king (age 32). And he sent some of his men to this land, intending to come himself after. But the Englishmen that guarded the sea lighted upon some of the men, and slew them, and drowned more than any man could tell. When provisions afterwards failed those within the castle, they earnestly besought peace, and gave themselves up to the king (age 32); and the bishop swore that he would depart out of England, and no more come on this land, unless the king (age 32) sent after him, and that he would give up the castle at Rochester. Just as the bishop was going with an intention to give up the castle, and the king (age 32) had sent his men with him, then arose the men that were in the castle, and took the bishop and the king's (age 32) men, and put them into prison. In the castle were some very good knights; Eustace the Young, and the three sons of Earl Roger, and all the best born men that were in this land or in Normandy. When the king (age 32) understood this thing, then went he after with the army that he had there, and sent over all England. and bade that each man that was faithful should come to him, French and English, from sea-port and from upland. Then came to him much people; and he went to Rochester, and beset the castle, until they that were therein agreed, and gave up the castle. The Bishop Odo with the men that were in the castle went over sea, and the bishop thus abandoned the dignity that he had in this land. The king (age 32) afterwards sent an army to Durham, and allowed it to beset the castle, and the bishop agreed, and gave up the castle, and relinquished his bishopric, and went to Normandy. Many Frenchmen also abandoned their lands, and went over sea; and the king (age 32) gave their lands to the men that were faithful to him.

Note 112. i.e. jurisdiction. We have adopted the modern title of the district; but the Saxon term occurs in many of the ancient evidences of Berkeley Castle.

Note 113. i.e. of the conspirators.

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Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1102. In this year at the Nativity was the king Henry (age 34) at Westminster, and at Easter in Winchester, Hampshire [Map]. And soon thereafter arose a dissention between the king (age 34) and the Earl Robert of Belesme (age 46), who held in this land the earldom of Shrewsbury, that his father, Earl Roger, had before, and much territory therewith both on this side and beyond the sea. And the king (age 34) went and beset the castle at Arundel [Map]; but when he could not easily win it, he allowed men to make castles before it, and filled them with his men; and afterwards with all his army he went to Bridgenorth, and there continued until he had the castle [Map], and deprived the Earl Robert (age 51) of his land, and stripped him of all that he had in England. And the earl (age 51) accordingly went over sea, and the army afterwards returned home. Then was the king (age 34) thereafter by Michaelmas at Westminster; and all the principal men in this land, clerk, and laity.

Ancestors of Roger de Breteuil Fitzosbern 2nd Earl Hereford -1087