Biography of Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford 1270-1325
1297 Marriage of Princess Elizabeth and John of Holland
1301 Edward II Created Prince of Wales
Around 1270 Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford was born.
On 30 Apr 1290 Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford (age 46) and [his future wife] Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 18) were married at Clerkenwell [Map]. She by marriage Countess Gloucester, Countess Hertford. The difference in their ages was 28 years. She the daughter of [his future father-in-law] King Edward I of England (age 50) and Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England (age 49). He the son of Richard de Clare 6th Earl Gloucester 5th Earl Hertford and Maud Lacy Countess Gloucester and Hertford. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.
In Jan 1297 Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 27) and Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 24) were married in secret greatly offending her father King Edward I of England (age 57) who had been planning to marry her to Amadeus V "Great" Savoy (age 47) in March. Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford was imprisoned at Bristol Castle, Gloucestershire [Map]; he was released in Aug 1297. She the daughter of King Edward I of England and Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England.
On 08 Jan 1297 John Gerulfing I Count Holland (age 13) and [his sister-in-law] Princess Elizabeth of Rhuddlan Countess Essex, Hereford and Holland (age 14) were married at Ipswich, Suffolk [Map]. She by marriage Countess Holland. The wedding was attended by her sister [his sister-in-law] Margaret Plantagenet Duchess Brabant (age 21), her father [his father-in-law] King Edward I (age 57), her brother [his brother-in-law] Edward (age 12) and her future second husband Humphrey Bohun 4th Earl Hereford 3rd Earl Essex (age 21). She the daughter of King Edward I of England and Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England. He the son of Floris Gerulfing V Count Holland and Beatrix Dampierre.
In Aug 1297 Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 27) was created 1st Earl Gloucester, 1st Earl Hertford. There is some uncertainty as to whether these creations existed, or were created for life only, since they do appear to have been inherited, or whether there is confusion around his having been married to [his wife] Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 25), the widow of the seventh Earl of the first creation Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford.
In Oct 1297 [his daughter] Mary Monthermer was born to Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 27) and [his wife] Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 25). She a granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
On 07 Feb 1301 [his brother-in-law] King Edward II of England (age 16) was created Prince of Wales by his father [his father-in-law] King Edward I of England (age 61); the first English heir to receive the title. He was created 1st Earl Chester the same day.
Before 09 Mar 1301 seven Earls and 96 Barons signed a letter to the Pope refuting the Pope's claim that Scotland was subject to the Pope's feudal overlordship. The letter was never sent. Those who signed include: John Warenne 6th Earl of Surrey (age 70), Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln (age 23), Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 31), Humphrey Bohun 4th Earl Hereford 3rd Earl Essex (age 25), Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk (age 56), Richard Fitzalan 8th Earl of Arundel (age 34), Guy Beauchamp 10th Earl Warwick (age 29), Aymer de Valence 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 26), William Leybourne 1st Baron Leybourne (age 59), Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 20), William Latimer 1st Baron Latimer of Corby (age 58), Edmund Hastings, John Hastings 2nd Baron Hastings 14th Baron Bergavenny (age 14), Edmund Mortimer 2nd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore (age 50), Fulk Fitzwarin 2nd Baron Fitzwarin (age 16), Henry Percy 9th and 1st Baron Percy (age 27), Robert Fitzwalter 1st Baron Fitzwalter (age 54), John Beauchamp 1st Baron Beauchamp Somerset (age 26), William de Braose 2nd Baron de Braose 10th Baron Bramber (age 41), John Botetort 1st Baron Botetort (age 36), Reginald Grey 1st Baron Grey of Wilton (age 61), John Moels 1st Baron Moels (age 32), Thomas Berkeley 6th and 1st Baron Berkeley (age 55), Robert de Vere 5th Earl of Oxford, John Strange 1st Baron Strange Knockin (age 48), Thomas Multon 1st Baron Multon (age 25), Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford (age 26), Walter Beauchamp (age 58), Alan Zouche 1st Baron Zouche Ashby (age 33), John Segrave 2nd Baron Segrave (age 45), William Ferrers 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby (age 29), Simon Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 51), Piers Mauley, Ralph Neville 1st Baron Neville of Raby (age 38), John Mohun 1st Baron Dunster (age 32), Roger Scales 1st Baron Scales, Thomas Furnival 1st Baron Furnivall (age 41), Hugh Bardolf 1st Baron Bardolf (age 41), Gilbert Talbot 1st Baron Talbot (age 24), William Deincourt 1st Baron Deincourt, Edmund Stafford 1st Baron Stafford (age 28), Walter Fauconberg 1st Baron Fauconberg (age 81).
On 04 Oct 1301 [his son] Thomas Monthermer 2nd Baron Monthermer was born to Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 31) and [his wife] Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 29) at Ham Stoke, Wiltshire. He a grandson of King Edward I of England.
On 14 Nov 1302 Humphrey Bohun 4th Earl Hereford 3rd Earl Essex (age 26) and [his sister-in-law] Princess Elizabeth of Rhuddlan Countess Essex, Hereford and Holland (age 20) were married. She by marriage Countess Essex, Countess Hereford. Westminster Abbey [Map]. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] King Edward I of England (age 63) and Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England. He the son of Humphrey Bohun 3rd Earl Hereford 2nd Earl Essex and Maud Fiennes Countess Essex and Hereford. They were third cousins.
In 1304 [his son] Edward Monthermer was born to Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 34) and [his wife] Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 31). He a grandson of King Edward I of England.
After 14 Jul 1306 [his future brother-in-law] Hugh "Younger" Despencer 1st Baron Despencer (age 20) and [his step-daughter] Eleanor Clare Baroness Zouche Mortimer (age 13) were married. She the daughter of Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford and [his wife] Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 34). He the son of [his future father-in-law] Hugh "Elder" Despencer 1st Earl Winchester (age 45) and Isabella Beauchamp Baroness Monthermer. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England. She a granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
On 23 Apr 1307 [his wife] Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 35) died at Clare, Suffolk [Map].
Scalaronica 1307. [10 May 1307]. Hearing of this, Aymer de Valence marched against him, when the said Robert de Brus encountered the said Aymer de Valence at Loudoun, and defeated him, and pursued him to the castle of Ayr;1 and on the third day [after] the said Robert de Brus defeated Rafe de Monthermer (age 37), who was called Earl of Gloucester because [his former wife] Joan (deceased) the King's daughter and Countess of Gloucester had taken him for husband out of love [for him].
Note 1. Battle of Loudoun Hill, May 1307.
On 04 Mar 1309 Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 39) was created 1st Baron Monthermer by writ of summons.
Before 1310 John Hastings 13th Baron Bergavenny 1st Baron Hastings (age 47) and [his future wife] Isabel Despencer Baroness Hastings and Bergavenny were married. She by marriage Baroness Hastings, Baroness Bergavenny Feudal Creation. She the daughter of [his future father-in-law] Hugh "Elder" Despencer 1st Earl Winchester (age 48) and Isabella Beauchamp Baroness Monthermer. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.
Around 1313 Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 43) and Isabel Despencer Baroness Hastings and Bergavenny were married. She by marriage Baroness Monthermer. She the daughter of Hugh "Elder" Despencer 1st Earl Winchester (age 51) and Isabella Beauchamp Baroness Monthermer. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.
In 1324 Eleanor of Woodstock Plantagenet (age 5) was placed into the care of her cousin [his former step-daughter] Eleanor Clare Baroness Zouche Mortimer (age 31). She was subsequently placed into the care of Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 54) (he had formerly been married to her aunt [his former wife] Joan of Acre and [his wife] Isabel Despencer Baroness Hastings and Bergavenny with her younger sister Joan of the Tower (age 2) at Pleshey Castle [Map].
On 05 Apr 1325 Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 55) died. Earl Gloucester, Earl Hertford extinct. His son [his son] Thomas Monthermer 2nd Baron Monthermer (age 23) succeeded 2nd Baron Monthermer.
In 1334 [his former wife] Isabel Despencer Baroness Hastings and Bergavenny died.
John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish Nation Book 4 Chapter 114. As the said John's accusations were repeated, at length, one night, while the wine glittered in the bowl, and that king was hastening to sit down with his secretaries, he talked over Robert's death in earnest, - and shortly determined that he would deprive him of life on the morrow. But when the Earl of Gloucester, who was Robert's true and tried friend in his utmost need, heard of this, he hastily, that same night, sent the aforesaid Robert, by his keeper of the wardrobe, twelve pence and a pair of spurs. So the keeper of the wardrobe, who guessed his lord's wishes, presented these things to Robert, from his lord, and added these words: "My lord sends these to you, in return for what he, on his side, got from you yesterday." Robert understood, from the tokens offered him, that he was threatened by the danger of death; so he discreetly gave the pence to the keeper of the wardrobe, and forthwith sent him back to the Earl with greeting in answer, and with thanks.
Then, when twilight came on, that night, after having ostentatiously ordered his servants to meet him at Carlisle [Map], with his trappings, on the evening of the following day, he straightway hastened towards Scotland, without delay, and never stopped travelling, day or night, until he was safe from the aforesaid king's spite. Tor he was under the guidance of One of whom it is written: - "There is no wisdom, no foresight, no understanding against the Lord, who knoweth how to snatch the good from trial, and mercifully to deliver from danger those that trust in Him.".