Biography of William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber 1144-1211

Paternal Family Tree: Braose

Maternal Family Tree: Ealdgyth Mercia 1024-1066

Before 1144 [his father] William de Braose 3rd Baron Bramber (age 28) and [his mother] Bertha Gloucester Baroness Bramber were married. She by marriage Baroness Bramber Feudal. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Miles Gloucester 1st Earl Hereford and [his grandmother] Sibyl Neufmarché Countess Hereford.

In 1144 William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber was born to William de Braose 3rd Baron Bramber (age 29) and Bertha Gloucester Baroness Bramber.

Around 1166 William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber (age 22) and Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber (age 11) were married.

Abergavenny Massacre

Around 25th December 1175, Christmas, William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber (age 31) invited the local Welsh nobles to his Christmas court at Abergavenny Castle [Map] as an act of reconciliation. Seisyll ap Dyfnwal Gwent and his elder son Geoffrey Gwent were murdered. William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber and his men then rode to Seisyll's home. There his younger son Cadwalladr Gwent (age 7) was murdered and his wife captured.

In 1179 [his father] William de Braose 3rd Baron Bramber (age 64) died. His son William (age 35) succeeded 4th Baron Bramber Feudal, 6th Baron Abergavenny Feudal Creation. [his wife] Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber (age 24) by marriage Baroness Bramber Feudal and Baroness Abergavenny Feudal Creation.

Around 1185 Loretta de Braose Countess Leicester was born to William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber (age 41) and Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber (age 30). She married 1196 Robert Beaumont 4th Earl of Leicester, son of Robert Beaumont 3rd Earl of Leicester and Petronilla Grandesmil Countess Leicester.

In 1187 Walter Devereux's (age 14) lands (including two castles), following the death of his father, were held by the Crown and placed under the care of William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber (age 43).

In 1189 [his son-in-law] Gruffydd ap Rhys Dinefwr Prince Deheubarth and [his daughter] Maud de Braose were married. They were half fourth cousin twice removed.

In 1192 William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber (age 48) was appointed High Sheriff of Hertfordshire.

Around 1196 [his son-in-law] Robert Beaumont 4th Earl of Leicester and [his daughter] Loretta de Braose Countess Leicester (age 11) were married. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. He the son of Robert Beaumont 3rd Earl of Leicester and Petronilla Grandesmil Countess Leicester (age 61).

Around 1200 John Devereux (age 7) was trained for knighthood in the retinue of William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber (age 56).

Battle of Mirebeau

On 1st August 1202 King John of England (age 35) defeated the army of his nephew Arthur Plantagenet 3rd Duke Brittany (age 15) and Hugh X of Lusignan V Count La Marche (age 19) which was besieging John's mother Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England (age 80) at Mirebeau Castle. King John of England took Arthur Plantagenet 3rd Duke Brittany 1187-1203's army by surprise capturing most. Arthur Plantagenet 3rd Duke Brittany and, probably, his sister Eleanor "Fair Maid of Britanny" 4th Countess of Richmond (age 18), both of whom arguably had better claims to the throne than King John of England were captured.

Arthur Plantagenet 3rd Duke Brittany was imprisoned by William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber (age 58) at Falaise Castle [Map].

All About History Books

The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

In or before 1205 [his son] John de Braose and [his daughter-in-law] Amabel de Limesey were married.

In 1205 [his son] John de Braose died.

In 1206 [his son] William de Braose and [his daughter-in-law] Maud de Clare (age 22) were married. She the daughter of Richard Clare 3rd Earl Hertford (age 53) and Amice Fitzrobert Countess Hertford.

In 1210 [his son] William de Braose was starved to death at Corfe Castle, Dorset [Map].

In 1210 [his wife] Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber (age 55) starved to death at Corfe Castle, Dorset [Map].

On 29th December 1210 [his daughter] Maud de Braose died.

On 9th August 1211 William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber (age 67) died at France. His sonGiles de jure 7th Baron Abergavenny Feudal Creation, 5th Baron Bramber Feudal. He died before he could take possession of his lands.

Eleanor Braose was born to William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber and Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber. She married 1227 Hugh Mortimer.

Bishop Giles de Braose 7th Baron Braose 5th Baron Bramber was born to William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber and Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber.

Margaret de Braose was born to William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber and Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber. She married Walter Lacy Lord Meath and had issue.

All About History Books

The Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough, a canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: "In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed." Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

Before 1160 Reginald de Braose 8th Baron Abergavenny 6th Baron Bramber was born to William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber and Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber. He married (1) 1215 Graecia Briwere and had issue (2) 1215 Gwladus verch Llewelyn "Dark Eyed" Aberffraw, Llewellyn "The Great" Aberffraw and Joan Plantagenet.

Maud de Braose was born to William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber and Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber. She married 1189 Gruffydd ap Rhys Dinefwr Prince Deheubarth and had issue.

John de Braose was born to William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber and Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber. He married 1205 Amabel de Limesey.

William de Braose was born to William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber and Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber. He married 1206 Maud de Clare, daughter of Richard Clare 3rd Earl Hertford and Amice Fitzrobert Countess Hertford, and had issue.

Flandrina Braose was born to William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber and Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber.