Biography of Gerard Canville 1132-1214

Before 1132 [his father] Richard Camville [aged 21] and [his mother] Millicent Rethel were married.

In 1132 Gerard Canville was born to Richard Camville [aged 22] and Millicent Rethel.

In 1169 Richard de la Haie died. His daughter [his future wife] Nichola de la Haie [aged 19] inherited the office of hereditary Constable of Lincoln Castle.

In 1176 [his father] Richard Camville [aged 66] died.

Before 1178 Gerard Canville [aged 45] and Nichola de la Haie [aged 27] were married.

In 1178 [his son] Richard Camville was born to Gerard Canville [aged 46] and [his wife] Nichola de la Haie [aged 28]. He married before 1209 Eustachia Basset and had issue.

In or before 1184 William fitz Erneis and [his wife] Nichola de la Haie [aged 33] were married.

After the death of King Henry II [deceased] on 6th July 1189 [his wife] Nichola de la Haie [aged 39] and her husband Gerard Canville [aged 57] travelled to Barfleur to confirm her rights from the new King Richard [aged 31].

In 1191 regent Bishop William Longchamp removed the offices of High Sheriff of Lincolnshire and Constable of Lincoln Castle from [his wife] Nichola de la Haie [aged 41] and her husband Gerard Canville [aged 59].They refused to hand over the castle. While Camville stayed with Prince John at Nottingham, Nicola held out against a month-long siege. Having failed to take the castle, Longchamp reached a compromise with Camville and restored him to his two posts, but then had him excommunicated. When King Richard returned from crusade and captivity in 1194, he removed Camville from both posts.

In 1199 King John of England [aged 32] restored the offices of High Sheriff of Lincolnshire and Constable of Lincoln Castle to [his wife] Nichola de la Haie [aged 49] and her husband Gerard Canville [aged 67].

Before 1209 [his son] Richard Camville [aged 30] and [his daughter-in-law] Eustachia Basset [aged 28] were married.

In 1214 Gerard Canville [aged 82] died.

On 20th November 1230 [his former wife] Nichola de la Haie [aged 80] died at Swaton, Lincolnshire. She was buried at St Michael's Church, Swaton.

Chronicle of Roger de Hoveden. On the same day, the king dispossessed Gerard de Camville of Lincoln Castle [Map] and the Sheriffdom of Lincolnshire, as well as Hugh Bardolf of the Sheriffdom of Yorkshire, York Castle, Scarborough Castle [Map], and the custody of Westmorland. All of these properties were then put up for sale. As a result, when the chancellor negotiated to pay the king 1,500 marks upfront for the sheriffdoms of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire, along with an additional 100 marks annually from each county. Geoffrey, Archbishop of York, instead offered the king 3,000 marks for the sheriffdom of Yorkshire, along with an annual payment of 100 marks. Thus, the chancellor was dismissed, and the Archbishop of York won control of the sheriffdom, effectively becoming the king's servant and throwing himself into the king's power.

Fodem die rex dissaisivit Gyrardum de Camvilla de castello et vicecomitatu Lincolniensi, et Hugonem Bardolf de vicecomitatu Eboraci siræ, et de castello Eboraci, et de castello de Scardheburg, et de custodia de Westmerilande; et omnia supradicta exposuit venditioni. Unde factum est, quod cum cancellarius conventionasset, se daturum regi pro vicecomitatu Eboraci siræ, et pro vicecomitatu Lincolniensi, et pro vicecomitatu Nordhamtesiræ, mille et quingentas marcas in principio conventionis, et singulis annis de unoquoque prædictorum comitatuum centum marcas de incremento; Gaufridus Eboracensis archiepiscopus obtulit regi tria millia marcarum pro vicecomitatu Eboracensi, et singulis annis centum marcas de incremento: et sic abjecto cancellario, Eboracensis archiepiscopus obtinuit vicecomitatum Eboracensem, et ita facta est regis serviens, et præcipitavit se in potentias regis.