Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby

The funerary monument of Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby and his wife Margaret Peverel in the former Merevale Abbey

Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby (also Robert II de Ferrers ) († 1159 ) was an Anglo- Norman magnate .

Origin and marriage

Robert de Ferrers came from the Anglo-Norman Ferrers family . He was the eldest surviving son of Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby , the origin of his mother is not clear, she may have been Hawise from Brittany. After the death of his father in 1139, Robert inherited his title Earl of Derby and the extensive estates of the family, which were mainly in Derbyshire and the adjacent Midlands . Between 1120 and 1135 Robert Margaret (also Maud) married Peverel, a daughter of William Peverel . The Peverel family held the hereditary position of commanders of Nottingham Castle and were traditionally closely associated with the Ferrers family.

Life

In contrast to his father, who had been an important supporter of King Stephen of Blois , Ferrers did not play a major role in the war of succession to the throne, the so-called anarchy , but acted wait and see. When his father-in-law, William Peverel, was captured by the supporters of Empress Matilda at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141 , Ferrers presumably took control of parts of Nottinghamshire . In 1153, however, he was besieged by Stephen's opponent Heinrich Plantagenet in his headquarters at Tutbury Castle . After he surrendered, he had to switch sides and support Heinrich's claim to the throne. At this time, after her brothers had died prematurely, his wife was the heir to her father, who continued to be a supporter of King Stephen. When Heinrich Plantagenet occupied Peverel's Nottingham and Peverel's estates, he confiscated them and withheld his wife's inheritance from Ferrers.

What is most known of Ferrer's later life is his apparent piety and generosity towards the Church. He promoted Breedon Priory in Leicestershire , but most importantly he founded Merevale Abbey in Warwickshire in 1148 and Darley Abbey in 1154 . To do this, he made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

Family and offspring

With his wife Margaret de Peverel, Ferrers had several children including:

• William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby († 1190)
• Matilda (also Maud) de Ferrers ∞ Bertram de Verdon

Ferrers and his wife were buried at Merevale Abbey, where their funerary memorial is still preserved. His heir became his son William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby .

literature

• Michael Jones: The Charters of Robert II de Ferrers, Earl of Nottingham, Derby and Ferrers . In: Nottingham Medieval Studies 24 (1980), pp. 7-26

Web links

• Cracroft's Peerage: Derby, Earl of (E, c. 1138-forfeited 1266)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Michael Jones: Ferrers, Robert de, first Earl Ferrers (d. 1139). 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
2. ↑ Michael Jones: The Charters of Robert II de Ferrers, Earl of Nottingham, Derby and Ferrers . In: Nottingham Medieval Studies 24 (1980), p. 10
3. ↑ Michael Jones: Ferrers, Robert de, first Earl Ferrers (d. 1139). 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
4. ↑ Houses of Cistercian monks: Abbey of Merevale . In: William Page: A History of the County of Warwick, Vol. 2. Victoria County History, London 1908, p. 75. Retrieved August 3, 2016 . 
5. ↑ Houses of Austin canons: The abbey of Darley . In: William Page: A History of the County of Derby, Vol. 2. Victoria County History, London 1907, p. 46. Retrieved August 3, 2016 . 

predecessor	Office	successor
Robert de Ferrers	Earl of Derby 1139-1159	William de Ferrers