Richard de Clare Earl of Hertford

  General Notes:

Weis' Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700, 8th Edition, 63:27, richard de Clare, son of Roger de Clare and Maud St. Hilary, daughter of James de St. Hilary, Earl of hertford and Cloucester, magna Charta Surety, 1215, m. Amice, Countess of Cloucester. ¹⁶⁰

  Noted events in his life were:

• Dates & Events.
On 9 Nov 1215, Richard was one of the commissioners on the part of the Barons to negotiate the peace with the King.

• Background Information. ¹⁴¹
Richard de Clare, Earl of Hertfor, but, like his father and uncle, more generally known as Earl of Clare, son and heir, had a grant of a moiety of the Giffard estates. He was present at the coronation of Richard I at Westminster, 3 Sep 1189. In 1191 he was one of the eleven appointed by the Chancellor to determine, with eleven chosen on the part of Prince John, the questions between them. In 1193 he was enjoined, with others, by the Chancellor to accompany him on his return to the King, then a prisoner in Germany.

Richard had acquittance in 1194/95 as being with the King in the army in Normandy. On the accession of King John, in 1199, he was one of those of whom Archbishop Hubert and the partisans of the King entertained most doubt, and he received a summons to Northampton, where an oath was taken that King John. This oath would restore to every man his right, if they would keep peace with him, and they swore accordingly. He was present at the coronation of King John at Westminster, 27 May 1199, and at the homage of William, King of Scotland, at Lincoln. He sided, with the Barons against King John, and his castle of Tonbridge was taken. He played a leading part in the negotiations for Magna Carta, and was one of the 25 Barons guardians thereof. On 9 Nov 1215 he was one of the commissioners on the part of the Barons to treat of peace with the King. On 4 Mar 1215/6 his lands in the counties of Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex were granted to Robert de Betun, and, soon after his lands in other counties. He and his son were among the Barons excommunicated by Pope Innocent III in 1216.

Richard married Amice, 2nd daughter and coheir and eventually sole heir of William Ritz Robert, Earl of Gloucester, by Hawise, daughter of Robert de Beaumont, Earl of Leicester. They appear to have been separated (perhaps pending a dispensation) prior to 1200. He died between 30 October and 28 November 1217. She is stated to have died 1 January 1224/5, before which date she appears to have been recognized as Countess of Gloucester.

~Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2nd Edition, (Hertford), Vol. VI, pp. 501-503

Richard married Amice fila William Fitz Robert Countess of Gloucester, daughter of William Fitz Robert Earl of Gloucester and Hawise de Beaumont, before 1182 ¹⁴¹.^,160 (Amice fila William Fitz Robert Countess of Gloucester was born in 1160 and died on 1 Jan 1224-1225.)