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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Fitzrobert,_2nd_Earl_of_Gloucester2nd Earl of Gloucester
Lineage
His father was an illegitimate son of King
Henry I of England, thus William was a nephew of the
Empress Maud and a cousin of King
Stephen, the principal combatants of the English
Anarchy period.
Early career
In October 1141, William looked after the Baronial estates, when his father fell into the hands of partisans at
Winchester. His father was exchanged for King Stephen, and during his father's absence in
Normandy in 1144 he served as Governor of
Wareham. In 1147, he overthrew
Henry de Tracy at
Castle Cary.
In 1154 he made an alliance with
Roger de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford, by which they agreed to aid each other against all men except
Henry II of England.
He was Lord of the manor of
Glamorgan, as well as
Caerleon, residing chiefly at
Cardiff Castle. It was there that in 1158 he and his wife and son were captured by the Welsh Lord of
Senghenydd,
Ifor Bach and carried away into the woods, where they were held as prisoners until the Earl redressed Ivor's grievances.
Relationship with King Henry II
In 1173 the earl took the King's part against his sons, but thereafter he appears to have fallen under suspicion, for the following year he submitted to the King, and in 1175 surrendered to him
Bristol Castle. Because his only son and heir Robert died in 1166, Earl William made John, the younger son of King
Henry II, heir to his earldom, in conformity with the King's promise that John should marry one of the Earl's daughters, if the Church would allow it, they being related in the third degree.
Earl William was present in March 1177 when the King arbitrated between the Kings of Castile and Navarre, and in 1178, he witnessed Henry's charter to Waltham Abbey. But during the King's struggles with his sons, when he imprisoned a number of magnates of whose loyalty he was doubtful, Earl William was among them.
Family and children
He was married
Hawise de Beaumont of Leicester, daughter of
Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester and
Amica de Gael and had children:
1. Robert FitzRobert .
2. Hadwisa/Avisa of Gloucester . Married
[1] Geoffrey FitzPiers,
Earl of Essex de Mandeville, son of
Piers de Lutegareshale and
Lady Maud de Mandeville of Costow.
3. Mabel FitzRobert of Gloucester ; married 1.
Amaury V de Montfort 2.
Gruffudd ap Ifor Bach.
4. Amice FitzRobert, Countess of Gloucester . Married
Richard de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford.
5. Isabel of Gloucester . She was married three times:
1. Prince John 2. Geoffrey FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex.
3. Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent.
The earl died on his birthday in 1183; his wife Hawise survived him. Since their only son, Robert, predeceased his father, their daughters became coheirs to the Gloucester inheritance.