Gilbert Basset
Encyclopedia
Gilbert Basset was an English baronial leader during the reign of King Henry III
.
, baron
of Wycombe
. About 1231 he appears to have negotiated a truce with Llewellyn of Wales
on behalf of Henry III
. Alan Basset appears to have died in 1232, and Gilbert succeeded him in his barony. According to Dugdale
, he was made governor of St Briavels Castle and the Forest of Dean
. He married Isabel, daughter of William de Ferrers
and niece to the Earl of Pembroke
—a fact which helps to explain his intimate relations with the Earls Marshall
.
. When the barons were summoned to Oxford
in June 1233 and refused to meet with the king's Poitevin
relatives, he took a very prominent part in their councils; so much so that, according to Matthew Paris
, Henry's wrath was specially kindled against him. For this conduct Basset forfeited a certain manor
that he had received from King John; when he claimed it back from the king he was called a traitor, and threatened with hanging unless he left the court. At the same time Richard Suard, Gilbert's nephew by marriage, was seized by the king's orders and held captive—presumably as a hostage
for his uncle's conduct.
When, on the advice of Stephen Segrave, Henry summoned Gilbert Basset and the confederated nobles to meet him at Gloucester
in August 1233 and they refused to come, they were promptly outlawed, and orders were given for the destruction of the towns, castles, and parks belonging to them. In retaliation for this, Basset and Suard set fire to Stephen Segrave's villa of Alconbury
, though the king himself was then staying at Huntingdon
, some four miles distant.
was installed as Earl Marshal, the king received Hubert de Burgh
, Gilbert Basset, and Richard Suard amongst the number of his most familiar councillors. There does not seem to be any evidence that Gilbert Basset was estranged from the king when Richard Suard was once more banished in 1236; and, indeed, early in the next year he appears as distinctly on the king's side, when William de Raley
demanded an aid from the barons. On this occasion the rashness of his speech drew a well-merited rebuke from one of the magnates present.
, held at Lent
, of north against south ("Norenses et Australes"). The south won the day, but not before the contest had changed into a real battle. All the influence of the Papal legate
Oddone di Monferrato
was required to reconcile the contending parties. Four years later, on Easter 1241, Gilbert Basset figures as one of the two chief promoters of a grand tournament of foreigners against Englishmen. This engagement was, however, forbidden to take place by the king's orders.
upon his brother Fulk.
There does not appear to be any authority for Collins's
incidental statement that Gilbert Basset was justiciary.
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
.
Early life
Basset was the eldest son of Alan BassetAlan Basset
Alan Basset , was an English baron.Basset was a younger son of Thomas Basset of Hedendon, Oxfordshire. In favour alike with Richard I and with John, he received from the former the lordships of Woking and Mapledurwell, and from the latter those of Wycombe and Berewick...
, baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
of Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
. About 1231 he appears to have negotiated a truce with Llewellyn of Wales
Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great , full name Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, was a Prince of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually de facto ruler over most of Wales...
on behalf of Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
. Alan Basset appears to have died in 1232, and Gilbert succeeded him in his barony. According to Dugdale
William Dugdale
Sir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
, he was made governor of St Briavels Castle and the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
. He married Isabel, daughter of William de Ferrers
William de Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby
William III de Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby was an English nobleman and head of a family which controlled a large part of Derbyshire including an area known as Duffield Frith....
and niece to the Earl of Pembroke
William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke was a medieval English nobleman, and the son of the famous William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke.-Early life:William was born in Normandy probably during the spring of 1190...
—a fact which helps to explain his intimate relations with the Earls Marshall
Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
.
Conflict with the King
Gilbert Basset seems at once to have joined the popular party, then headed by Richard, Earl MarshallRichard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke was the brother of William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, whom he succeeded to the Earldom of Pembroke and Lord Marshal of England upon his brother's death on 6 April 1231....
. When the barons were summoned to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in June 1233 and refused to meet with the king's Poitevin
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
relatives, he took a very prominent part in their councils; so much so that, according to Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris was a Benedictine monk, English chronicler, artist in illuminated manuscripts and cartographer, based at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire...
, Henry's wrath was specially kindled against him. For this conduct Basset forfeited a certain manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
that he had received from King John; when he claimed it back from the king he was called a traitor, and threatened with hanging unless he left the court. At the same time Richard Suard, Gilbert's nephew by marriage, was seized by the king's orders and held captive—presumably as a hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
for his uncle's conduct.
When, on the advice of Stephen Segrave, Henry summoned Gilbert Basset and the confederated nobles to meet him at Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
in August 1233 and they refused to come, they were promptly outlawed, and orders were given for the destruction of the towns, castles, and parks belonging to them. In retaliation for this, Basset and Suard set fire to Stephen Segrave's villa of Alconbury
Alconbury
Alconbury is a village in the English county of Cambridgeshire.-Geography:It is in the district of Huntingdonshire and gives its name to RAF Alconbury. It is near to the point where a major north/south road, the A1, crosses the only major east/west road: the A14...
, though the king himself was then staying at Huntingdon
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was chartered by King John in 1205. It is the traditional county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire district council. It is known as the birthplace in 1599 of Oliver Cromwell.-History:Huntingdon...
, some four miles distant.
Reconciliation
After Richard Marshal's death Henry received both Basset and Suard into his favour, and gave them the kiss of peace towards the end of May 1234. At the same time their estates were restored to them. When, a few days later, Richard Marshal's brother GilbertGilbert Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke
Gilbert Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke was the third son of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Isabel de Clare, 4th Countess of Pembroke, the daughter of Richard de Clare....
was installed as Earl Marshal, the king received Hubert de Burgh
Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent
Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent was Earl of Kent, Justiciar of England and Ireland, and one of the most influential men in England during the reigns of John and Henry III.-Birth and family:...
, Gilbert Basset, and Richard Suard amongst the number of his most familiar councillors. There does not seem to be any evidence that Gilbert Basset was estranged from the king when Richard Suard was once more banished in 1236; and, indeed, early in the next year he appears as distinctly on the king's side, when William de Raley
William de Raley
William de Raley was a medieval judge, administrator and bishop.-Life:In 1212 Raley was presented with the church of Bratton Fleming, with his occupation being described as "clerk". He is known to have served as a clerk of the bench in 1214, and again from 1219 to 1229...
demanded an aid from the barons. On this occasion the rashness of his speech drew a well-merited rebuke from one of the magnates present.
Other ventures
In the same year Basset's name appears as having taken part in a great tournamentTournament (medieval)
A tournament, or tourney is the name popularly given to chivalrous competitions or mock fights of the Middle Ages and Renaissance . It is one of various types of hastiludes....
, held at Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
, of north against south ("Norenses et Australes"). The south won the day, but not before the contest had changed into a real battle. All the influence of the Papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
Oddone di Monferrato
Oddone di Monferrato
Oddone di Monferrato was an Italian papal diplomat and Cardinal. He was of the noble house of Monferrat, son of Marquis Guglielmo VI de Monferrato.He was created Cardinal in 1227...
was required to reconcile the contending parties. Four years later, on Easter 1241, Gilbert Basset figures as one of the two chief promoters of a grand tournament of foreigners against Englishmen. This engagement was, however, forbidden to take place by the king's orders.
Death
In the autumn of the same year Basset met with his death. While going out to hunt, his horse tripped on a root and threw its rider, who was taken up in a kind of paralysis ("dissipatis ossibus et nervis dissolutis"), from which he never recovered. Before the end of August his only son, Gilbert, also died, leaving the Basset estates to devolveDevolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
upon his brother Fulk.
Fulk Basset
Fulk Basset was archbishop of Dublin, and was the elder brother of John de Sandford who was also archbishop at one time.He is called Fulk de Sandford and also Fulk Basset owing to his relationship to the Bassets...
There does not appear to be any authority for Collins's
Arthur Collins (antiquarian)
Arthur Collins was an English antiquarian, genealogist, and historian. He is most known for his work Peerage of England.-Personal life:...
incidental statement that Gilbert Basset was justiciary.