• Born: Abt 1130, Tunbridge, Kent, England ⁵²⁹
• Marriage (1): Aoife mac Morough Princess of Leinster on 26 Aug 1171 ^160,529
• Marriage (2): Unknown
• Died: 20 Apr 1176, Dublin, Ireland about age 46 ⁵²⁹

  Information about this person:

• Web Reference: Norman Invasion .
Dermot MacMurrough died in May 1171, and Strongbow established himself as lord of Leinster, after crushing a general revolt of the Leinster Irish and Ostmen. Fearing Stongbow's new found power in southwestern Ireland, King Henry II (of England) landed with a large army near Waterford on October 17, 1171.

• Background Information. ¹⁴¹
Rirchard FitzGilbert, probably styled also Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, attested his father's charters for Lewes and Southwark, and in his father's lifetime made a gift to the abbey of Foucarmont. He succeeded his father as Earl of Pembroke, and in 1153 he attested, as Earl of Pembroke, the treaty between Stephen and Henry, Duke of Normandy. In 1168, with the Earl of Arundel and other nobles, he escorted the Princess Maud to Germany for her marriage to the Duke of Saxony. It was probably in this year that he promised Dermot, the exiled King of Leinster, to help him to recover his kingdom, in return for the promise of his daughter in marriage and the succession to the Crown. About 2 years later that he sailed from Milford Haven. On 23 Aug. 1170 he landed near the Danish city of Waterford, which was captured. With Dermot, he marched on Dublin, the chief Danish stronghold, which also fell.

After the death of Dermot, circa 1 May 1171, there was a general rising of the Irish, and the King of Connaught besieged Strongbow in Dublin for nearly 2 months. He surprised the enemy by a sudden sortie and routed them. Marching to Wexford, he defeated O'Ryan, the local King, on the way, at the pass of Odrone. Meanwhile his conquests had aroused the jealousy of Henry II, and the Earl sent Raymond le Gros to place them all in the King's hands. Richard went over to meet Henry and agreed to surrender Dublin and the other coast towns and to do homage for the rest of Leinster. He then accompanied the King to Ireland, did homage and was granted Leinster in fee.

In 1173, Strongbow joined the King in Normandy, and he took part in the relief of Verneuil in Aug. Henry is said to have made him Constable of Gisors, and to have given him Wexford, with the custody of Waterford and Dublin. At Rouen, the King committed the custody of Ireland to him. In 1174, he invaded Munster, but he had to fall back on Waterford, where he was besieged unsuccessfully by the Irish. Eventually his supremacy in Leinster was undisputed, and he effected its subinfeudation among his supporters. Before the end of 1175 he was with the King in England.

Strongbow founded the priory of Usk, and probably the hospital of St. John at Kilmainham. He was a benefactor to the abbeys, of Foucarmont, Cormeilles, and Tintern, and the priory of Goldcliff, and in Dublin to the Abbey of St. Mary and to Holy Trinity (Christ Church Cathedral). He confirmed the foundation of St. Mary's Abbey, Dunbrothy, by his Uncle Hervey de Montmorency.

Richard de Clare, sometime around 26 Aug. 1171, at Waterford, married Aoife (a name converted into Eve), daughter and de facto heir of Dermot MacMurrough, King of Leinster, by Mor, daughter of Murtough O'Toole, Lord of Omurethy, and half-sister St. Laurence O'Toole, Archbishop of Dublin. He most likely died, 20 Apr. 1176, in Dublin, and was buried there in Holy Trinity (Christ Church Cathedral). His widow was styled the Countess of Ireland in 1185, but Countess of Strigoil in 1186. She remained at the King's disposal until his death, and probably died soon afterwards.

~ Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2nd Edition, Vol. X, (Pembroke), pp. 352-357, Vol. XIV, p. 521

Richard married Aoife mac Morough Princess of Leinster, daughter of Diarmait mac Murchadha rí Laigin na-nGall MacMurchada and Mor ingen Muirchertaig, on 26 Aug 1171 ¹⁶⁰.^,529 (Aoife mac Morough Princess of Leinster was born about 1115 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England and died after 1186.)