De Mandeville

1. Maud De Mandeville, Lady Costow: Born about 1138, of Rycott, Oxfordshire, England; Died England; Married England; Piers De Lutegareshale: Born about 1134, Cherhill, Wiltshire, England; Died before 1198. (See Fortescue)

2. Geoffrey, Baron De Mandeville, Earl of Essex, Constable of the Tower of London: Born of Great Waltham, Essex, England; Died 1144, England; Married about 1119 England?; Rohese De Vere, Countess of Essex: Born about 1103, of Hedingham, Essex, England; Died after 21 Oct 1166 England. After King Stephen was captured at the battle of Lincoln, Geoffrey used his position as constable of the Tower of London to secure the "protection" of Constance of France, sister to the King of France and wife of Eustace, King Stephen's son and heir.

From this point his power and his importance rapidly increased, chiefly owing to his control of the Tower. He also exercised great influence in Essex, where lay his chief estates and strongholds of Pleshey and Saffron Walden. On the arrival of Empress Maud in London in June 1141, he was won over to her side by an important charter confirming him in the earldom of Essex, creating him sheriff, justice, and escheator of Essex, and granting him the estates, knight's fees, and privileges. He deserted her cause, however, on her expulsion from London, seized her adherent the bishop, and was won over by Stephen's Queen to assist he in the siege of Winchester. Shortly after the liberation of King Stephen, Geoffrey was elevated from the status of Baron to Earl of Essex at Christmas 1141, by King Stephen in order to secure his services in the war with Empress Maud. (The charter of his creation as Earl of Essex survives and is the earliest surviving creation charter now extant.) This charter pardoned his treason, and tripled the grants made to him by the Empress. He now became sheriff and justice of Hertfordshire and London and Middlesex, as well as Essex, thus monopolizing all administration and judicial power within these three counties. Early in the following year he was dispatched by Stephen against Ely to disperse the Bishop's knights, a task which he accomplished with vigor. His influence was now so great that the author of the Gesta Stephani described him as surpassing all the nobles of the land in wealth and importance, acting everywhere as King, and more eagerly listened to and obeyed than the King himself. Another contemporary writer speaks of him as the foremost man in England. His ambition, However, was still unsatisfied, and he aspired by a fresh treason to play the part of king-maker. He accordingly began to intrigue with the Empress, who was preparing to make a new effort on behalf of her cause. Meeting her at Oxford some time before the end of June 1142, he extorted from her a new charter filled with concessions even more extravagant than those he had wrung from Stephen. But the ill-success of her cause was unfavorable to his scheme, and he remained, at least outwardly, in allegiance to the King. His treasonable intentions, however, could not be kept secret, and Stephen, who already dreaded his power, was warned that he would lose his crown unless he mastered the Earl. It was not until the following year, 1143, that he felt himself strong enough to do this. At St. Albans, Probably about the end of September, Geoffrey, who was attending Stephen's court, was openly and publicly accused of treason by some of his jealous rivals, and, on treating the charge with cynical contempt, was suddenly arrested by the King after a struggle. Under the threat of being hanged, he was forced to surrender his castles of Pleshey, Saffron Walden, and above all the Tower of London, the true source of his power. He was then set free "to the ruin of the realm" in the words of the Gesta Stephani.

Rushing forth from the King's presence "like a vicious and riderless horse, kicking and biting" in his rage, the Earl burst into revolt. With the help of his brother-in-law, William De Say, and eventually the Earl of Norfolk, he made himself master of the fenland, the old resort of rebels. Advancing from Fordham, he secured, in the absence of Bishop Nigel, the Isle of Ely, and pushing on from there seized Ramsey Abbey, which he fortified and made his headquarters. From this strong position he raided forth with impunity, burning and sacking Cambridge and other smaller places. In the end, Geoffrey was publicly excommunicated for his many outrages. Stephen marched against him, but in vain, for the Earl took refuge in the fens. The King fortified Burwell in Kent, which threatened Geoffrey's communications. He attacked Burwell in August 1144 and while doing so was wounded in the head. The wound proved fatal, and the Earl died at Mildenhall in Suffolk about the middle of September, excommunicate for his desecration of church property. His corpse was carried by some Templars to the Old Temple in Holborn, where it remained unburied for twenty years. At last in 1163, his son and namesake having made reparations for his sins, Pope Alexander pronounced his absolution, and his remains were interred at the New Temple.

Rohese's Parents, Grandparents and Great-Grandparents--

• I. Alberic II De Vere, Earl of Oxford, Chief Justice of England, Lord High Chamberlain of England: Born about 1082, of Hedingham, Essex, England; Died 15 May 1141, London, Middlesex, England; Married about 1102, of Suffolk, England; Adeliza (Alice) De Clare: Born about 1077, of Essex, England; Died about 1163, England. Alberic II was in high favor with Henry I. He was killed while trying to control a peasant riot in London.
• Adeliza's Parents--
  • A. Gilbert Fitz Richard De Clare, Earl of Hertford and Clare: Born about 1065, of Clare, Suffolk, England; Died 1114/1117, England; Married before 1076, England; Adeliza De Clermont: Born about 1058, of Northamptonshire, England; Died England; (See Clermont)

• Alberic's Parents--
  • i. Alberic I De Vere: Born about 1030, Hedingham, Essex, England; Died 1088; Buried Colne Priory; Married, probably, England or France; Beatrice (Beatrix) De Gand: Born about 1040, of Bourboucy, France. Alberic, at the time of the General Survey of England possessed numerous lordships in England. He had his principal residence at Hedingham Castle, in Essex. He became a monk in the latter days of his life and was buried in Colne Priory which he had founded.
  • Beatrice's Parents--
    • a. Henry, Castellan De Gand: Born about 1005, of Bourboucy, France; Married probably France or England; Sibilla Manasses: Born about 1005, of Bourboucy, France. Henry may have been castelan of Bourbourg.
  • Alberic's Father--
    • 1). Alphonso, Count of Ghesnes: Born about 1000, of Hedingham, Essex, England; Married Probably, England.

Geoffrey's Parents--

3. William De Mandeville, Constable of the Tower of London: Born about 1054, of Great Waltham, Essex, England; Died about 1130, England; Married about 1083, England?; Margaret De Rie: Born about 1088, Rycott, Oxford, England; Died England.

Margaret's Parents and Grandparents--

• I. Eudo "le Dapifer" De Rie: Born about 1063, of Normandy, France; Died after 12 July 1080; Married about 1088 England?; Rohese Fitz Richard De Clare: Born 1067, Tunbridge, Kent, England; Died 1121, England. Eudo was Steward to William the Conquerer.
• Eudo's Father--
  • A. Hubert (Humbert) De Rie: Born about 1038, of Normandy, France.

• Rohese's Parents--
  • i. Richard "De Tonbridge" Fitz Gilbert, De Clare, Lord de Bienfaite: Born about 1024, of Bienfaite, Normandy, France; Died about 1090, St. Neots, Huntingdonshire, England; Married about 1054, England; Rohese Giffard: Born 1034 , Longueville, Normandy, France; Died after 1133. (See Gifford)

William's Parents--

4. Geoffrey De Mandeville, Constable of the Tower of London: Born about 1053, of Rycott, Oxford, England; Died after 1085, Westminster Abbey, Westminster, Middlesex, England; Married about 1049, England?; Adeliza De Balts: Born about 1040, of Rycott, Oxford, England; Died Westminster Abbey, Middlesex, England. Geoffrey was a companion of William the Conqueror when he invaded England and thereby obtained many valuable manors in a dozen counties. Most of his lands were composed of the forfeited estates of Esgar (Asgar) the Staller.