Robert de Beaumont

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Robert de Beaumont

Birth
France
Death
5 Jun 1118 (aged 68–69)
Leicester, Leicester Unitary Authority, Leicestershire, England
Burial
Les Preaux, Departement de l'Eure, Haute-Normandie, France Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
1st Earl of Leicester

Eldest son of Roger de Beaumont, Lord Pont Audemer and Adeline de Meulan. Grandson of Humphrey de Vielles and Aubreye de Haye, Waleran I Count de Meulent and his wife, Liegard. Older brother of Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick. Born between 1040 and 1050 at Normandy, France.

Husband of Elizabeth (Isabel) de Vermandois, daughter of Hughes Magnus and Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois. There was easily a thirty year difference in their ages. They were married in 1096 and had three sons and six daughters:
* Waleran IV de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Worcester, twin
* Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester, twin
* Hugh de Beaumont. 1st Earl of Bedford
* Emma de Beaumont
* Adeline, wife of Hugh de Montfort & Richard de Granville
* Aubree, wife of Hugh de Chateauneuf
* Agnes, a nun
* Maud, wife of William Lovell
* Isabel, wife of Sir Gilbert de Clare and Herve de Montgomery

Sir Robert de Beaumont, described as being "the wisest man in his time between London and Jerusalem", and aged over fifty was determined to marry Isabel, aged about eleven. Bishop Ivo dismissed their request based on their being within a few degrees of kindred. Isabel's father was able to sway Bishop Ivo, and saw his daughter married by April of 1096 when he left on a crusade.

"A powerful English and French nobleman, honored as one of the wisest men of his age. Chroniclers speak highly of his eloquence, his learning, and three kings of England valued his counsel."

He accompanied William the Conqueror to England in 1066, where his service earned him more than 91 lordships and manors. When his mother died in 1081, Robert inherited the title of Count of Meulan in Normandy, also the title of Viscount Ivry and Lord of Norton. He did homage to Philip I of France for these estates and sat as French Peer in the Parliament held at Poissy. At the Battle of Hastings Robert was appointed leader of the infantry on the right wing of the army.

He and his brother Henry were members of the Royal hunting party in the New Forest, when William Rufus received his mysterious death wound, 2 August 1100. He then pledged allegiance to William Rufus' brother, Henry I of England, who created him Earl of Leicester in 1107.

On the death of William Rufus, William, Count of Evereux and Ralph de Conches made an incursion into Robert's Norman estates, on the pretense that they had suffered injury through some advice that Robert had given to the King; their raid was very successful for they collected a vast booty.

In 1115, Isabel was either carried away or willingly abducted by William de Warrene, revealing they had been lovers for some time. They were unable to marry until the death of Sir Robert, which occurred in 1118. According to Henry of Huntingdon, Robert died of shame after "a certain earl carried off the lady he had espoused, either by some intrigue or by force and stratagem."
1st Earl of Leicester

Eldest son of Roger de Beaumont, Lord Pont Audemer and Adeline de Meulan. Grandson of Humphrey de Vielles and Aubreye de Haye, Waleran I Count de Meulent and his wife, Liegard. Older brother of Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick. Born between 1040 and 1050 at Normandy, France.

Husband of Elizabeth (Isabel) de Vermandois, daughter of Hughes Magnus and Adelaide, Countess of Vermandois. There was easily a thirty year difference in their ages. They were married in 1096 and had three sons and six daughters:
* Waleran IV de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Worcester, twin
* Robert de Beaumont, 2nd Earl of Leicester, twin
* Hugh de Beaumont. 1st Earl of Bedford
* Emma de Beaumont
* Adeline, wife of Hugh de Montfort & Richard de Granville
* Aubree, wife of Hugh de Chateauneuf
* Agnes, a nun
* Maud, wife of William Lovell
* Isabel, wife of Sir Gilbert de Clare and Herve de Montgomery

Sir Robert de Beaumont, described as being "the wisest man in his time between London and Jerusalem", and aged over fifty was determined to marry Isabel, aged about eleven. Bishop Ivo dismissed their request based on their being within a few degrees of kindred. Isabel's father was able to sway Bishop Ivo, and saw his daughter married by April of 1096 when he left on a crusade.

"A powerful English and French nobleman, honored as one of the wisest men of his age. Chroniclers speak highly of his eloquence, his learning, and three kings of England valued his counsel."

He accompanied William the Conqueror to England in 1066, where his service earned him more than 91 lordships and manors. When his mother died in 1081, Robert inherited the title of Count of Meulan in Normandy, also the title of Viscount Ivry and Lord of Norton. He did homage to Philip I of France for these estates and sat as French Peer in the Parliament held at Poissy. At the Battle of Hastings Robert was appointed leader of the infantry on the right wing of the army.

He and his brother Henry were members of the Royal hunting party in the New Forest, when William Rufus received his mysterious death wound, 2 August 1100. He then pledged allegiance to William Rufus' brother, Henry I of England, who created him Earl of Leicester in 1107.

On the death of William Rufus, William, Count of Evereux and Ralph de Conches made an incursion into Robert's Norman estates, on the pretense that they had suffered injury through some advice that Robert had given to the King; their raid was very successful for they collected a vast booty.

In 1115, Isabel was either carried away or willingly abducted by William de Warrene, revealing they had been lovers for some time. They were unable to marry until the death of Sir Robert, which occurred in 1118. According to Henry of Huntingdon, Robert died of shame after "a certain earl carried off the lady he had espoused, either by some intrigue or by force and stratagem."