| History |
Robert was born before 1125, the son of Robert II de Beaumont \'Le Bossu\', 2nd earl of Leicester, a staunch supporter of Henry II, and Amicie de Gael, dame de Breteuil et de Pacy-sur-Eure. He inherited large estates in England and Normandy from his father. Between 1155 and 1159 he married Peronelle de Grandmesnil, daughter of Hugues de Grandmesnil, seneschal of England. They had five children of whom two daughters, Amicie and Margaret, would have progeny.
When the revolt of Henry \'the Young King\' broke out in April 1173, his supporter Robert went to his castle at Breteuil in Normandy. The rebels\' aim was to take control of the duchy, but Henry II himself led an army to besiege the castle; Robert fled, and Breteuil was taken on 25 or 26 September that year.
Robert apparently went to Flanders, where he raised a large force of mercenaries and landed at Walton, Suffolk, on 29 September 1173. He joined forces with Hugh Bigod, 1st earl of Norfolk, and the two marched west, aiming to cut England in two across the Midlands and to relieve the king\'s siege of Robert\'s castle at Leicester. However they were intercepted by the king\'s supporters and defeated in battle at Fornham, near Bury St. Edmunds, on 17 October. Robert, along with his wife and many others, was taken prisoner. Henry II took away the earl\'s lands and titles as well.
He remained in captivity until January 1177, well after most of the other prisoners had been released. The king was in a strong position and could afford to be merciful; not long after his release Robert\'s lands and titles were restored, but not his castles. All but two of his castles had been destroyed, and those two (Mountsorrel in Leicestershire and Pacy in Normandy) remained in the king\'s hands.
Robert had little influence in the remaining years of Henry II\'s reign, but was restored to favour by Richard I. He carried one of the swords of state at Richard\'s coronation in 1189. In 1190 Robert went on pilgrimage to Palestine, but he died in Durazzo in Greece on his return journey. [1] |
Ellie Wood Keith Genealogy
Bef 1135 - 1190 (~ 55 years)
