Fulk FitzWarin
Encyclopedia
Fulk FitzWarin (c. 1160 – 1258) was an English
nobleman turned outlaw
from Whittington Castle
in Shropshire
. The historical Fulk, or Fulk III FitzWarin, was a Marcher Lord who rebelled against King John
from 1200 to 1203 over his familial right to the estate of Whittington. After his death he was the subject of an "ancestral romance", Fouke le Fitz Waryn, which contains a highly embellished account of his life and family history. The bulk of the narrative is concerned with his period as an outlaw, which has various similarities to the later legends of Robin Hood
.
for the Empress Matilda
during the civil war between the latter and King Stephen
.
The family had long been struggling to retain the manor of Whittington, which the crown had deprived them of. After his father's death in 1197 Fulk III paid a fine of £100 for his inheritance of the manor, probably as a feudal relief
, yet King John granted it instead to Meurig, son of the Welsh nobleman Roger of Powys. This action caused Fulk III to rebel against King John between 1200 and 1203. He was assisted in his rebellion by 52 followers including his brothers William, Phillip and John and by the family's tenants and allies in the Marches. Hubert de Burgh was sent by the king with 100 knights to counter Fulk's rebellion, but the matter was apparently settled amicably as in October 1204 Fulk had recovered Whittington on payment of a fine of 200 marks. The family likewise struggled over a long period to retain the manor of Alveston
in Gloucestershire.
Between 1221 and 1226 Fulk III founded Alberbury Priory which he granted to the Augustinian canons of Lilleshall
but later transferred it to the Order of Grandmont
Fulk III married firstly Matilda le Vavasour, daughter of Robert le Vavasour. She was the widow of Theobald Butler, the brother of Archbishop Hubert Walter. He married secondly Clarice d'Auberville. He had 2 sons and 4 daughters:
Fulk III lived to a great age and some time before his death in 1258 handed over control of much of his responsibilities to his son and heir Fulk IV. In 1252 he made his will which stated his wish to be buried at his foundation of Alberbury Priory.
", extant in a miscellaneous manuscript containing English
, French
and Latin
texts, which is based on a lost verse romance. A 16th century summary of a Middle English version has also been preserved. The work is part of the Matter of England
. According to the tale, as a young boy, Fulk was sent to the court of King Henry II
, where he grew up with the future King John
. John became his enemy after a childhood quarrel during a game of chess. As an adult, Fulk was stripped of his family's holdings, and took to the woods as an outlaw. The story may in fact also have confused aspects of the lives of two Fulk FitzWarins, Fulk I(d.1171) and Fulk II (d.1197), father and son. The romance of Fulk FitzWarin has been noted for its parallels to the Robin Hood
legend.Fouke le Fitz Waryn, edited by Stephen Knight and Thomas H. Ohlgren, originally published in Robin Hood and Other Outlaw Tales, Kalamazoo, Michigan: Medieval Institute Publications, 1997. It is also similar to that of other medieval outlaws such as Eustace the Monk
and Hereward the Wake
.
Fulk Fitzwarin II is depicted in the stained glass window at St Laurence Church, Ludlow
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
nobleman turned outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
from Whittington Castle
Whittington, Shropshire
Whittington is a village in north west Shropshire, England.The civil parish of Whittington has a population of 2,490 as of the 2001 census. The village of Whittington is in the centre of the parish, and two smaller villages, Hindford to the north-east and Babbinswood to the south, are also within...
in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
. The historical Fulk, or Fulk III FitzWarin, was a Marcher Lord who rebelled against King John
King John
The Life and Death of King John, a history play by William Shakespeare, dramatises the reign of John, King of England , son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine and father of Henry III of England...
from 1200 to 1203 over his familial right to the estate of Whittington. After his death he was the subject of an "ancestral romance", Fouke le Fitz Waryn, which contains a highly embellished account of his life and family history. The bulk of the narrative is concerned with his period as an outlaw, which has various similarities to the later legends of Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
.
History
Fulk III was the son of Fulk II FitzWarin (died 1197) by Hawise le Dinan, daughter and co-heiress of Josce de Dinan, the holder of Ludlow CastleLudlow Castle
Ludlow Castle is a large, partly ruined, non-inhabited castle which dominates the town of Ludlow in Shropshire, England. It stands on a high point overlooking the River Teme...
for the Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda , also known as Matilda of England or Maude, was the daughter and heir of King Henry I of England. Matilda and her younger brother, William Adelin, were the only legitimate children of King Henry to survive to adulthood...
during the civil war between the latter and King Stephen
Stephen, King of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
.
The family had long been struggling to retain the manor of Whittington, which the crown had deprived them of. After his father's death in 1197 Fulk III paid a fine of £100 for his inheritance of the manor, probably as a feudal relief
Feudal relief
Feudal Relief was a one-off "fine" or form of taxation payable to an overlord by the heir of a feudal tenant to licence him to take possession of his fief, i.e. an estate-in-land, by inheritance...
, yet King John granted it instead to Meurig, son of the Welsh nobleman Roger of Powys. This action caused Fulk III to rebel against King John between 1200 and 1203. He was assisted in his rebellion by 52 followers including his brothers William, Phillip and John and by the family's tenants and allies in the Marches. Hubert de Burgh was sent by the king with 100 knights to counter Fulk's rebellion, but the matter was apparently settled amicably as in October 1204 Fulk had recovered Whittington on payment of a fine of 200 marks. The family likewise struggled over a long period to retain the manor of Alveston
Alveston
Alveston is a commuter village of roughly 3000 people about south of Thornbury, South Gloucestershire and approximately north of Bristol, England. Alveston is twinned with Courville sur Eure, France. It has two hotels, a variety of small shops, several parks and fields, two churches and a...
in Gloucestershire.
Between 1221 and 1226 Fulk III founded Alberbury Priory which he granted to the Augustinian canons of Lilleshall
Lilleshall
Lilleshall is a village in Shropshire, England.It lies between the towns of Telford and Newport, on the A518, in the Telford and Wrekin borough and the Wrekin constituency....
but later transferred it to the Order of Grandmont
Fulk III married firstly Matilda le Vavasour, daughter of Robert le Vavasour. She was the widow of Theobald Butler, the brother of Archbishop Hubert Walter. He married secondly Clarice d'Auberville. He had 2 sons and 4 daughters:
- Fulk IV FitzWarin(d.1264, drowned at the Battle of LewesBattle of LewesThe Battle of Lewes was one of two main battles of the conflict known as the Second Barons' War. It took place at Lewes in Sussex, on 14 May 1264...
) - Fulk Glas of Alberbury
- Hawise, wife of William Pantulf, a Marcher Lord
- Joan
- Eva
- Mabel
Fulk III lived to a great age and some time before his death in 1258 handed over control of much of his responsibilities to his son and heir Fulk IV. In 1252 he made his will which stated his wish to be buried at his foundation of Alberbury Priory.
Romance of Fouke le Fitz Waryn
The biography of Fulk III survives in a French prose "ancestral romanceRomance (genre)
As a literary genre of high culture, romance or chivalric romance is a style of heroic prose and verse narrative that was popular in the aristocratic circles of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They were fantastic stories about marvel-filled adventures, often of a knight errant portrayed as...
", extant in a miscellaneous manuscript containing English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
texts, which is based on a lost verse romance. A 16th century summary of a Middle English version has also been preserved. The work is part of the Matter of England
Matter of England
Matter of England, "romances of English heroes" and "romances derived from English legend" are terms that 20th century scholars have given to a loose corpus of Medieval literature that in general deal with the locations, characters and themes concerning England, English history or English cultural...
. According to the tale, as a young boy, Fulk was sent to the court of King Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
, where he grew up with the future King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
. John became his enemy after a childhood quarrel during a game of chess. As an adult, Fulk was stripped of his family's holdings, and took to the woods as an outlaw. The story may in fact also have confused aspects of the lives of two Fulk FitzWarins, Fulk I(d.1171) and Fulk II (d.1197), father and son. The romance of Fulk FitzWarin has been noted for its parallels to the Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
legend.
Eustace the Monk
Eustace the Monk was a mercenary and pirate, in the tradition of medieval outlaws.-Early life:Eustace was born a younger son of Baudoin Busket, a lord of the county of Boulogne...
and Hereward the Wake
Hereward the Wake
Hereward the Wake , known in his own times as Hereward the Outlaw or Hereward the Exile, was an 11th-century leader of local resistance to the Norman conquest of England....
.
Fulk Fitzwarin II is depicted in the stained glass window at St Laurence Church, Ludlow
St Laurence Church, Ludlow
St Laurence's Church, Ludlow is a parish church in the Church of England in Ludlow.-Background:The parish church was established as a Norman place of worship in association with the founding of Ludlow in the 11th century AD. This parish church in Shropshire, England contains an extensive set of...
.
Further reading
- Meisel, Janet. Barons of the Welsh Frontier: the Corbet, Pantulf and FitzWarin Families, 1066-1272, 1980.
- GEC Complete Peerage, Vol 5, pp.495- et seq. for barony by writ granted to Fulk V FitzWarin(d.1315), son of Fulk IV(d.1264).
External links
- Fouke le Fitz Waryn at TEAMS Middle English Texts
- L'Histoire de Foulques FitzWarin, A Treatise on the Law of Landlord and Tenant, as Administered in Ireland, John Smith Furlong, 1845
- Wright, Thomas, (Ed.) The History of Fulk FitzWarin, an Outlawed Baron, in the Reign of King John. Edited from a Manuscript Preserved in the British Museum, with an English Translation and Illustrative Notes, London, 1855, Printed for the Warton Club. pp.1-183 text, pp.183-231 notes.