John Gray, 1st Baron Gray of Rotherfield
John Gray, 1st Baron Gray of Rotherfield KG (born October 29, 1300 in Rotherfield Grays , Oxfordshire , † between September 1 and 20, 1359 in Rotherfield Grays) was an English nobleman, military man and courtier.
origin
John Gray came from a line of the extensive Anglo-Norman family Gray . He was the eldest son of Sir John Gray and his wife Margaret Oddingsells. When his father died in 1311, he became the heir of his possessions, which were mainly in Oxfordshire and Yorkshire .
Military service and feud with William la Zouche
After coming of age in 1321, Gray began a military career. In 1322, 1323 and 1327 he took part in campaigns to Scotland, for which he served in 1325 during the War of Saint-Sardos in Gascony . Before 1330 he was knighted. After the fall of Edward II and the execution of his favorite Hugh le Despenser in 1326, Gray tried to marry his rich widow Eleanor . This led to a bitter feud with William la Zouche, 1st Baron Zouche of Mortimer . On January 26, 1329, the king convened a commission to investigate Grey's claim that Zouche had kidnapped his wife Eleanor from Hanley , Worcestershire . In Parliament on Michaelmas 1331, the two opponents were admonished to keep the peace, but in early 1332, in the presence of the king and the privy council, there was an argument between the two, in which Gray drew the dagger against his opponent. Both were then imprisoned in the Tower of London , but while Zouche was soon released, Gray stayed in the Tower and his possessions came under royal administration. He was probably released a little later, but the argument between the two continued. Gray finally turned to the Pope, who on May 15, 1333 instructed Bishop Roger Northburgh of Lichfield and Coventry to resolve the dispute. In court, Gray could not call any witnesses for his allegation, so that the marriage between Zouche and Eleanor was ultimately confirmed and Gray came away empty-handed.
Further military service and career as a courtier
Gray subsequently resumed his military career, serving in Scotland during the Second Scottish War of Independence in 1335. From 1338 he was invited to Parliament and council meetings as Baron Gray of Rotherfield . In 1340 he helped collect the tax on the Ninth in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire , but over the next few years he continued to serve primarily as a soldier. In addition to serving in Scotland, he also took part in the campaigns of Edward III during the Hundred Years War . to Flanders and France. He fought in 1346 in the king's division at the Battle of Crécy and then took part in the siege of Calais in the wake of William de Clinton, 1st Earl of Huntingdon . For his services he received permission from the King on December 10, 1346 to fortify his mansions in Rotherfield Grays, later Grays Court , and in Sculcoates near Hull . After 1347 he served frequently at the royal court. He was one of the founding members of the Order of the Garter and before 1348 became the Knight of the King's Chamber . He took part in several tournaments and was steward of the Royal Household in December 1349 , which he remained until his death. This made him one of the king's closest entourage. In 1355 he took part in a campaign to France, and in early 1356 he accompanied the king to Scotland.
Through his two marriages, Gray acquired further estates in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire , Sussex and Gloucestershire . The focus of his possessions, however, remained his estates in Oxfordshire, where he also took over some local offices. In 1337 he donated a piece of land in the outskirts of the city to the Franciscan branch in Oxford . He died, probably suddenly, between September 1st and 20th, 1359, after he had guaranteed a loan from the king to Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel , on July 6th .
Marriages and offspring
Gray was married twice. In his first marriage he was married to Katherine, a daughter and partial heir of Brian Fitzalan, 1st Baron Fitzalan of Bedale , Yorkshire, before March 1, 1312 . With her he had at least two children:
His wife probably died before 1329, as he tried to marry Despenser's widow Eleanor around that time. After 1343 he married Avice, daughter of John Marmion, 2nd Baron Marmion . With her he had two at least two other sons:
- John Marmion
- Robert Marmion
His heir became his son John Gray from his first marriage.
Web links
- Henry Summerson: Gray, John, first Lord Gray of Rotherfield (1300-1359). In: Henry Colin Gray Matthew, Brian Harrison (Eds.): Oxford Dictionary of National Biography , from the earliest times to the year 2000 (ODNB). Oxford University Press, Oxford 2004, ISBN 0-19-861411-X , ( oxforddnb.com license required ), as of 2004
- John de Gray, 1st Lord Gray (of Rotherfield) on thepeerage.com , accessed June 15, 2016.
Individual evidence
- ^ Michael Altschul: A baronial family in medieval England. The Clares . The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore 1965, p. 47
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| New title created |
Baron Gray of Rotherfield 1338-1359 |
John Gray |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Gray, John, 1st Baron Gray of Rotherfield |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Gray, Sir John |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English nobleman, military man and courtier |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 29, 1300 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Rotherfield Grays |
| DATE OF DEATH | between September 1, 1359 and September 20, 1359 |
| Place of death | Rotherfield Grays |