Roger Gray, 1st Baron Gray of Ruthin

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Representation of Roger Gray on the burial bream of Hugh Hastings, his wife's half-brother, in Elsing Church, Norfolk. Gray relies on a Sparr Ax , a long-handled Irish battle ax, which was an unusual weapon for the 14th century.

Roger Gray, 1st Baron Gray of Ruthin (also Baron Gray de Ruthyn ) (* around 1300 - 6 March 1353 ) was an English nobleman and military man.

Origin and heritage

Roger Gray was the only son of John Gray, 2nd Baron Gray of Wilton from his second marriage to Maud Basset . Between 1307 and 1319 his father transferred to him about two-thirds of his land holdings at the expense of his older half-brother Henry Gray , including all of the estates in Bedfordshire , most of the estates in Buckinghamshire , other estates in Huntingdon , Hertford and Chester, and the reign of Ruthin , a dominion of the Welsh Marches . After the death of her father in 1323, there was therefore a bitter inheritance dispute between the two half-brothers. In 1328 Henry Gray forcibly occupied Ruthin Castle , after which the Privy Council hired mediators to reach an agreement between the two. This could be achieved in June 1328, whereby the inheritance dispute was ended. After this settlement, Roger Gray received estates with about £ 850 annual income, while his brother Henry, in addition to the title of Baron Gray de Wilton, received only estates with an annual income of £ 283.

Service as military and politician

Roger Gray took part in the unsuccessful siege of Berwick in the war against Scotland in 1319 . In 1322 he took part in the unsuccessful campaign of King Edward II against Scotland. In 1323 and during the War of Saint-Sardos in 1325, he served as a soldier in Gascony in southwest France, which belonged to the English kings . During the reign of Edward III. he took part in other campaigns to Scotland in 1327, from 1334 to 1335 and 1342. However, he did not take part in the campaigns of Edward III. to France at the beginning of the Hundred Years War .

From 1322 Gray was regularly appointed to parliaments , which is why he is considered Baron Gray of Ruthin . In 1340 he accepted petitions for Parliament from Gascony and Ireland , Wales and Scotland. He also served regularly as a magistrate in Bedfordshire from 1332 to 1351 . 1326, 1337 and 1339 he exhibited in Bedfordshire levies and 1338 he supervised the preparation of the contingents in South East England. However, he was never appointed to the Privy Council and did not gain greater importance as a military or as a politician.

Family and offspring

Gray lived mainly in the Wrest manor in Bedfordshire, where his father had lived, and at Ruthin Castle. He could only expand his land holdings a little. His father had already agreed to marry Elizabeth Hastings , a daughter of John Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings and his wife Isabel de Valence , around 1311 . With Elizabeth Hastings, Gray had three sons and four daughters, including:

  • John Gray († 1349 or 1350) ∞ Agnes Montagu
  • Reynold Gray, 2nd Baron Gray of Ruthin ∞ Eleanor Lestrange († 1396)
  • Joan Gray ∞ Sir William Pattishall († 1359)
  • Julianne Gray († 1361) ∞ John Talbot of Richards Castle († 1355)
  • Maud Gray
  • Mabel Gray

Gray was able to negotiate advantageous marriages for several of his children. His eldest daughter John married Agnes, a daughter of William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury , his second son Reynold married Eleanor, the only daughter of John Lestrange, 2nd Baron Strange of Blackmere . His daughter Joan married the heir of John Pattishall and his daughter Julianne married John Talbot, a son of the Talbot family of Richard's Castle in Shropshire . His daughter Maud married a member of the Roche family , probably William Roche, 4th Baron Roche († uncertain: 1370). His daughter Mabel became a nun, but unlike his father, Gray was not a particularly generous supporter of the Church. He only sponsored the collegiate monastery St Peter founded by his father in Ruthin , where he wanted to be buried. Since his eldest son John had died before him with no male offspring, his second son Reynold became the heir to his lands and title. His son of the same name Reynold Gray, 3rd Baron Gray of Ruthin , as the grandson of Elizabeth Hastings, was able to successfully claim the legacy of John Hastings, 3rd Earl of Pembroke after 1389 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ R. Ian Jack: Gray family (per. 1325-1523). 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. ^ R. Ian Jack: Gray family (per. 1325-1523). 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
  3. ^ R. Ian Jack: Gray family (per. 1325-1523). 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
predecessor Office successor
New title created Baron Gray de Ruthin
1322-1353 		Reginald Gray
personal data
SURNAME Gray, Roger, 1st Baron Gray of Ruthin
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gray, Roger, 1st Baron Gray de Ruthyn
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English nobleman and military
DATE OF BIRTH around 1300
DATE OF DEATH March 6, 1353