FitzGilbert, Sir Knight Richard de Clare
1030 - 1091 (60 years)-
Name FitzGilbert, Richard Title Sir Knight Suffix de Clare Birth 30 Oct 1030 Brionne, Eure, Haute-Normandie, France 
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] Gender Male Military 1066 [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] Norman conquest of England Appointments / Titles Tonbridge, Kent, England [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] 1st Earl of Tonbridge Appointments / Titles France [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] Lord of Bienfaite Appointments / Titles Between 1066 and 1091 Clare, Suffolk, England 1st Lord Appointments / Titles 1075 [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] Regent of England FSID M9L6-6YN [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] Occupation Joint Chief Justiciar of England [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] Death 15 Mar 1091 St. Neots, Huntingdonshire, England [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] Burial Aft 15 Mar 1091 St Neots Priory, St. Neots, Huntingdonshire, England [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] Person ID I25354 The Thoma Family Last Modified 20 Sep 2023
Family Giffard, Rohese, b. 13 Apr 1034, Longueville, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France d. 7 Jan 1113, Clare Castle, Clare, Suffolk, England (Age 78 years) Children 1. FitzRichard, Gilbert, b. 1066, Tonbridge, Kent, England d. 1117, Tonbridge, Kent, England (Age 51 years) [natural]2. FitzRichard, Lord Robert de Clare, b. 1075, Tonbridge Castle, Tonbridge, Kent, England d. 10 Apr 1136, Little Dunmow, Essex, England (Age 61 years) [natural]Family ID F9252 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 20 Sep 2023
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Event Map 
Birth - 30 Oct 1030 - Brionne, Eure, Haute-Normandie, France 
Appointments / Titles - 1st Earl of Tonbridge - - Tonbridge, Kent, England 
Appointments / Titles - 1st Lord - Between 1066 and 1091 - Clare, Suffolk, England 
Death - 15 Mar 1091 - St. Neots, Huntingdonshire, England 
Burial - Aft 15 Mar 1091 - St Neots Priory, St. Neots, Huntingdonshire, England = Link to Google Earth
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Notes - Richard fitz Gilbert (before 1035–c. 1090) was a Norman lord who participated in the Norman conquest of England in 1066, and was styled "de Bienfaite", "de Clare", and of "Tonbridge"[n 1][1] from his holdings.[2][3]
Biography
He was the son of Gilbert, Count of Brionne in Normandy[2] (fitz was a variant spelling of filz > French fils, that means "son"). Gilbert was a guardian of the young duke William and when Gilbert was killed by Ralph de Wacy in 1040, his two older sons Richard and Gilbert fled to Flanders.[4] On his later return to Normandy Richard was rewarded with the lordship of Bienfaite and Orbec in Normandy.[4] In 1066, Richard came into England with his kinsman William the Conqueror, and received from him great advancement in honour and possessions.[2]
The Dictionary of National Biography and other sources are vague and sometimes contradictory about when the name de Clare came into common usage, but what we do know is that Richard fitz Gilbert (of Tonbridge), the earliest identifiable progenitor of the family, is once referred to as Richard of Clare in the Suffolk return of the Domesday Book.[5]
Rewards
He was rewarded with 176 lordships and large grants of land in England, including the right to build the castles of Clare and of Tonbridge. Richard fitz Gilbert received the lordship of Clare, in Suffolk, where parts of the wall of Clare Castle still stand.[6] He was thus Lord of Clare. Some contemporaneous and later sources called him Earl of Clare, though many modern sources view the title as a "styled title".
He served as Joint Chief Justiciar in William's absence, and played a major part in suppressing the revolt of 1075.
Rebel baron
On the Conqueror's death, Richard and other great Norman barons, including Odo of Bayeux, Robert, Count of Mortain, and Geoffrey of Coutances, led a rebellion against the rule of William Rufus in order to place Robert Curthose on the throne. However, most Normans in England remained loyal. William Rufus and his army successfully attacked the rebel strongholds at Tonbridge, Pevensey and Rochester.[7]
Death and succession
He was buried in St. Neot's Priory in 1091. His widow was still living in 1113. His lands were inherited by his son, Gilbert fitz Richard.
Marriage
Richard married Rohese Giffard, daughter of Walter Giffard, Lord of Longueville and Agnes Flaitel,[3] and they had at least the following children:
Roger fitz Richard de Clare, received Norman lands and d. 1131.[3] Wife unknown, daughter Joanna married Gilbert de Neville.[8]
Gilbert fitz Richard, d. 1115, succeeded his father as Earl of Clare.[3]
Walter de Clare, Lord of Nether Gwent, d. 1138.[3]
Richard fitz Richard de Clare, Abbot of Ely.[3]
Robert fitz Richard,[3] Lord of Little Dunmow, Baron of Baynard, d. 1136.[9]
Godfrey
Alice (or Adeliza) de Clare, d. 1138. m. Walter Tirel.[3][10]
Rohese de Clare, d. 1121, m. (ca. 1088), Eudo Dapifer.[3]
Isabel de Clare, d. 1088, m. Humphrey d'Isle.[3]
Avice de Clare, m. Robert de Stafford / Tosny.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_fitz_Gilbert
- Richard fitz Gilbert (before 1035–c. 1090) was a Norman lord who participated in the Norman conquest of England in 1066, and was styled "de Bienfaite", "de Clare", and of "Tonbridge"[n 1][1] from his holdings.[2][3]
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