Robert de Ros

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Sir Robert de Ros or Roos of Fursan (1177 – 11 December 1226) was the fourth baron by tenure of Hamlake manor (later associated with the barony of de Ros).

He was the son of Everard de Ros and Rose Trusbut. In 1191, aged fourteen, he paid a thousand marks fine for livery of his lands to King Richard I of England. Also that year, he married Isabella, sister of William the Lion, King of Scots (Isabella not to be confused with William I's daughter Isabella who married Roger Bigod, 4th Earl of Norfolk). In 1197, while serving King Richard in Normandy, he was arrested for an unspecified offence, and was committed to the custody of Hugh de Chaumont, but Chaumont entrusted his prisoner to William de Spiney, who allowed him to escape from the castle of Bonville. King Richard thereupon hanged Spiney and collected a fine of twelve hundred marks from Ros' guardian as the price of his continued freedom.

When King John came to the throne, he gave Ros the barony of his great-grandmother's father, Walter d'Espec. Soon afterwards he was deputed one of those to escort William the Lion, his brother-in-law, into England, to swear fealty to King John. Some years later, Robert de Ros assumed the habit of a monk, whereupon the custody of all his lands and Castle Werke, in Northumberland, were committed to Philip d'Ulcote, but he soon returned and about a year later he was High Sheriff of County Cumberland.

When the struggle of the barons for a constitutional government began, de Ros at first sided with King John, and thus obtained some valuable grants from the crown, and was made governor of Carlisle; but he subsequently went over to the barons and became one of the celebrated twenty-five "Sureties" appointed to enforce the observance of Magna Carta, the county of Northumberland being placed under his supervision. He gave his allegiance to King Henry III and, in 1217-18, his manors were restored to him. Although he was witness to the second Great Charter and the Forest Charter, of 1224, he seems to have remained in royal favour.

He erected Helmsley or Hamlake Castle in Yorkshire, and of Werke in Northumberland. Sir Robert is buried at the Temple Church under a magnificent tomb. Among his children was Sir William de Ros.

[edit] Controversy

There is a difference in genealogies. It is unverified whether Robert was married to William I's (alleged) sister Isabella, or if he was the second husband of William's daughter Isabel. Genealogies provided below.

While "Fursan" is given as a location for Robert de Ros (sometimes also Roos) most use the term "furfan" to designate a title within the Templars essentially equivalent to grandmaster or head priest. This title also further refers to the resulting aura resembling a "fan" / "Furry fan". Some would also use the term "Kingmaker".

[edit] See also