William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
Encyclopedia
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex (1st Creation) (died 14 November 1189) was a loyal councilor of Henry II
and Richard I of England
.
He was the second son of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
and Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex
. After his father's death while in rebellion (1144), William grew up at the court of the Count of Flanders
. On the death of his elder brother Geoffrey in 1166, he became Earl of Essex
and returned to England, where he spent much time at the court of Henry II. He stayed loyal to the king during the Revolt of 1173–1174 known as the Revolt of the Young King.
In 1177 he became a crusader, in company with a companion of his youth, Count Philip of Flanders. Philip attempted to intervene in the court politics of the Kingdom of Jerusalem
but was rebuffed, and the two fought for the Principality of Antioch
at the siege of Harim. William returned to England in the fall of 1178.
In 1180 he married Hawise
, daughter and heiress of William, Count of Aumale, who had died the previous year. He gained possession of her lands, both in Normandy and in England, along with the title of Count of Aumale (or Earl of Albemarle
as it is sometimes called).
William fought in the wars against the French toward the end of Henry II's reign, and was at the deathbed of that king in 1189. He carried the crown at the coronation of Richard I and held the favor of the new king. Richard I appointed him one of the two chief justiciars of England. But William died at Rouen a few months later on a mission to Normandy, without issue. He was buried at Mortemar Abbey in Normandy, founded by his Mandeville ancestors.
He was initially succeeded by his elderly aunt, Beatrice de Say, née Mandeville, who passed her claim to her surviving son, Geoffrey de Say. Geoffrey contracted to pay an unprecedentedly large relief for the Mandeville inheritance, but he rapidly fell into arrears. Geoffrey Fitz Peter, the husband of Beatrice's granddaughter and namesake, Beatrice de Say, was a prominent man at court and used his position to push his wife's claim. She was the eldest daughter of Geoffrey de Say's elder brother. Eventually the estates and, later, the earldom, went to Geoffrey Fitz Peter
by right of his wife.
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...
and Richard I of England
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...
.
He was the second son of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
Geoffrey de Mandeville II, 1st Earl of Essex was one of the prominent players during the reign of King Stephen of England. His biographer, the 19th-century historian J. H...
and Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex
Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex
Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex was an Anglo-Norman noblewoman.-Life:She was daughter of Aubrey de Vere II and Adeliza/Alice of Clare. She married twice. Her first husband, Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex, became earl in 1140, and Rohese thereafter was styled countess...
. After his father's death while in rebellion (1144), William grew up at the court of the Count of Flanders
Count of Flanders
The Count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the position by the French revolutionaries in 1790....
. On the death of his elder brother Geoffrey in 1166, he became Earl of Essex
Earl of Essex
Earl of Essex is a title that has been held by several families and individuals. The earldom was first created in the 12th century for Geoffrey II de Mandeville . Upon the death of the third earl in 1189, the title became dormant or extinct...
and returned to England, where he spent much time at the court of Henry II. He stayed loyal to the king during the Revolt of 1173–1174 known as the Revolt of the Young King.
In 1177 he became a crusader, in company with a companion of his youth, Count Philip of Flanders. Philip attempted to intervene in the court politics of the Kingdom of Jerusalem
Kingdom of Jerusalem
The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Catholic kingdom established in the Levant in 1099 after the First Crusade. The kingdom lasted nearly two hundred years, from 1099 until 1291 when the last remaining possession, Acre, was destroyed by the Mamluks, but its history is divided into two distinct periods....
but was rebuffed, and the two fought for the Principality of Antioch
Principality of Antioch
The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the crusader states created during the First Crusade.-Foundation:...
at the siege of Harim. William returned to England in the fall of 1178.
In 1180 he married Hawise
Hawise of Aumale
Hawise, countess of Aumale was the daughter and heiress of William "the Fat" , Count of Aumale and Cicely, daughter and co-heiress of William fitz Duncan. She became countess of Essex as well by her marriage to the third earl of Essex, William de Mandeville.Hawise was countess in her own right...
, daughter and heiress of William, Count of Aumale, who had died the previous year. He gained possession of her lands, both in Normandy and in England, along with the title of Count of Aumale (or Earl of Albemarle
Earl of Albemarle
Earl of Albemarle is a title created several times from Norman times onwards. The word Albemarle is the Latinised form of the French county of Aumale in Normandy , other forms being Aubemarle and Aumerle...
as it is sometimes called).
William fought in the wars against the French toward the end of Henry II's reign, and was at the deathbed of that king in 1189. He carried the crown at the coronation of Richard I and held the favor of the new king. Richard I appointed him one of the two chief justiciars of England. But William died at Rouen a few months later on a mission to Normandy, without issue. He was buried at Mortemar Abbey in Normandy, founded by his Mandeville ancestors.
He was initially succeeded by his elderly aunt, Beatrice de Say, née Mandeville, who passed her claim to her surviving son, Geoffrey de Say. Geoffrey contracted to pay an unprecedentedly large relief for the Mandeville inheritance, but he rapidly fell into arrears. Geoffrey Fitz Peter, the husband of Beatrice's granddaughter and namesake, Beatrice de Say, was a prominent man at court and used his position to push his wife's claim. She was the eldest daughter of Geoffrey de Say's elder brother. Eventually the estates and, later, the earldom, went to Geoffrey Fitz Peter
Geoffrey Fitz Peter, 1st Earl of Essex
Geoffrey Fitz Peter, Earl of Essex was a prominent member of the government of England during the reigns of Richard I and John. The patronymic is sometimes rendered Fitz Piers, for he was the son of Piers de Lutegareshale, forester of Ludgershall.-Life:He was from a modest landowning family that...
by right of his wife.