William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby

William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby († 1190 before Acre ) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman in the 12th century.

He was a son of Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby , and Margaret Peverel. When his father died in 1162, he inherited his father as Earl of Derby .

Because his mother's family were loyal supporters of King Stephen against the "Empress" Mathilda during the English Civil War (1135–1154) , William became his mother's inheritance from King Henry II , who was a son of the "Empress" withheld. For this reason, he joined the revolt of the eldest king's son, the young King Heinrich , in 1173 . He burned Nottingham down, but on July 31, 1174 he was captured together with the Scots King William I at Northampton . William had to buy his freedom dearly from King Henry II.

In 1189, William took the cross on the Third Crusade . Instead of marching with the main English army under King Richard the Lionheart , he joined an advance command of French knights. He died during the siege of Acre , as reported in the Annales de Margan and the Gesta of Abbot Benedict.

William de Ferrers was married to Sibyll de Braose, a daughter of William de Braose, 3rd Baron of Bramber and his wife Bertha de Hereford , their son William († September 22, 1247) inherited the title.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Compendium of the History of Nottinghamshire , in: The Gentleman's magazine 125 (1819), p. 212
2. ↑ Annales monastici: Annales de Margan (AD 1066-1232); Annales de Theokesberia (AD 1066-1263); Annales de Burton (AD 1004-1263) , ed. by Henry Richards Luard in: Rerum Britannicarum medii aevi scriptores 36 (1864), p. 21
3. ↑ Gesta Regis Henrici secundis et Gesta Regis Ricardi Benedicti abbatis , ed. by William Stubbs in: Rolls Series 49 (1867), Vol. 2, p. 148

predecessor	Office	successor
Robert de Ferrers	Earl of Derby 1162-1190	William de Ferrers