William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby
Encyclopedia
William I de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby (died 1190) was a 12th century English
Earl
who resided in Tutbury Castle
in Staffordshire
and was head of a family which controlled a large part of Derbyshire
known as Duffield Frith
. He was also a Knight Templar.
William was the son of Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby
and his wife, Margaret Peverel
. He succeeded his father as Earl of Derby
in 1162. He was married to Sybil, the daughter of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber
and Bertha of Hereford
.
William de Ferrers was one of the earls who joined the rebellion against King Henry II of England
led by Henry's eldest son, Henry the Younger
, in the Revolt of 1173–1174, sacking the town of Nottingham
. Robert de Ferrers II, his father, had supported Stephen of England
and, although Henry II had accepted him at court, he had denied the title of earl of Derby to him and his son. In addition, William had a grudge against Henry because he believed he should have inherited the lands of Peveril Castle
through his mother. These, King Henry had previously confiscated in 1155 when William Peverel fell into disfavour.
With the failure of the revolt, de Ferrers was taken prisoner by King Henry, at Northampton on the 31 July 1174, along with the King of Scots and the earls of Chester and Lincoln, along with a number of his Derbyshire underlings and was held at Caen
. He was deprived of his castles at Tutbury and Duffield and both were put out of commission (and possibly Pilsbury
.) In addition to defray the costs of the war Henry levied a so called "Forest Fine" of 200 marks.
He seems to have afterwards regained the confidence of Henry II., and he showed his fidelity to the next Sovereign, (King Richard I.)
, by accompanying him in his expedition to the Holy Land, and joined the Third Crusade
and died at the Siege of Acre in 1190.
He was succeeded by his son William de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
Earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
who resided in Tutbury Castle
Tutbury Castle
Tutbury Castle is a largely ruinous medieval castle at Tutbury, Staffordshire, England, in the ownership of the Duchy of Lancaster. It is a Grade I listed building...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked 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. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
and was head of a family which controlled a large part of Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
known as Duffield Frith
Duffield Frith
Duffield Frith was, in medieval times, an area of Derbyshire in England, part of that bestowed upon Henry de Ferrers by King William, controlled from his seat at Duffield Castle. From 1266 it became part of the Duchy of Lancaster and from 1285 it was a Royal Forest with its own Forest Courts.It...
. He was also a Knight Templar.
William was the son of Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby
Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby
Robert II de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby, a younger, but eldest surviving, son of Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby and his wife Hawise, succeeded his father as Earl of Derby in 1139...
and his wife, Margaret Peverel
Margaret Peverel
Margaret Peverell, Countess of Derby , was an English noblewoman who lived at Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire, England.-Family and marriage:...
. He succeeded his father as Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the end of the reign of Henry III and died in 1279...
in 1162. He was married to Sybil, the daughter of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber
William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber
William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber was a 12th-century Marcher lord who secured a foundation for the dominant position later held by the Braose family in the Welsh Marches. In addition to the family's English holdings in Sussex and Devon, William had inherited Radnor and Builth, in Wales, from...
and Bertha of Hereford
Bertha of Hereford
Bertha of Hereford, also known as Bertha de Pitres , was the daughter of Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford, and a wealthy heiress. She was the wife of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber to whom she brought many castles and Lordships, including Brecknock, Abergavenny, and...
.
William de Ferrers was one of the earls who joined the rebellion against King Henry II of England
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...
led by Henry's eldest son, Henry the Younger
Henry the Young King
Henry, known as the Young King was the second of five sons of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine but the first to survive infancy. He was officially King of England; Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou and Maine.-Early life:Little is known of the young prince Henry before the events...
, in the Revolt of 1173–1174, sacking the town of Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. Robert de Ferrers II, his father, had supported Stephen of England
Stephen 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...
and, although Henry II had accepted him at court, he had denied the title of earl of Derby to him and his son. In addition, William had a grudge against Henry because he believed he should have inherited the lands of Peveril Castle
Peveril Castle
Peveril Castle is a medieval building overlooking the village of Castleton in the English county of Derbyshire. Its site provides views across the Hope Valley and Cave Dale. The castle is named after its founder, William Peveril, who held lands in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire on behalf of the king...
through his mother. These, King Henry had previously confiscated in 1155 when William Peverel fell into disfavour.
With the failure of the revolt, de Ferrers was taken prisoner by King Henry, at Northampton on the 31 July 1174, along with the King of Scots and the earls of Chester and Lincoln, along with a number of his Derbyshire underlings and was held at Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. He was deprived of his castles at Tutbury and Duffield and both were put out of commission (and possibly Pilsbury
Pilsbury Castle
Pilsbury Castle was a Norman castle in Derbyshire near the present day village of Pilsbury, overlooking the River Dove.-Details:Pilsbury Castle occupies an area of high ground approximately 175 yards by 150 yards overlooking the River Dove, near the village of Pilsbury...
.) In addition to defray the costs of the war Henry levied a so called "Forest Fine" of 200 marks.
He seems to have afterwards regained the confidence of Henry II., and he showed his fidelity to the next Sovereign, (King Richard I.)
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
, by accompanying him in his expedition to the Holy Land, and joined the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
and died at the Siege of Acre in 1190.
He was succeeded by his son William de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby
William de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby
William II de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby was a favourite of King John of England. He succeeded to the estate upon the death of his father, William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby, at the Siege of Acre in 1190...
.