Ralph de Monthermer, 1st Baron Monthermer, Earl of Hertford, Earl of Gloucester, Earl of Atholl (c. 1270 - 5 April 1325)
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Ralph was a knight in the household of Joan of Acre, daughter of King Edward I of England. After the death of Joan's husband Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford in 1295, Ralph and Joan fell in love. They were secretly married in January 1297. King Edward was enraged by his daughter's marriage to a commoner. He had Monthermer thrown in prison, and Joan had to plead for the release of her husband. According to the St. Albans chronicler, she told her father, "No one sees anything wrong if a great earl marries a poor and lowly woman. Why should there be anything wrong if a countess marries a young and promising man?" With the intervention of Antony Bek, Bishop of Durham, the King relented, and released Monthermer from prison in August 1297. The king even allowed Monthermer to hold the titles of Earl of Gloucester and Earl of Hertford, during Joan's lifetime. The titles had been taken from Joan's six year old son Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Hertford, and were returned to the boy upon Joan's death (1307).
Ralph then held no title, for two years, until he was summoned to parliament and made 1st Baron Monthermer (1309).
In 1306 Ralph warned Robert the Bruce, then at the English court, of the danger posed by King Edward. During a convivial evening Edward had let slip that he intended to arrest Robert the next morning. Ralph warned Robert by sending him the sum of twelve pence and a pair of spurs. Robert took the hint and he and his squire quickly departed the English court for Scotland. After the Battle of Bannockburn (1314), at which Ralph fought and was captured, Robert, now the victorious King of Scots, discharged the debt by releasing Ralph without ransom, but not before first entertaining him at table. Sir Marmaduke Tweng, also captured, joined them and was also then released without ransom.
Joan died in childbirth with their fourth child, who was stillborn, on 7 April 1307. She and the child were buried together, on 23 April 1307, at the manor house of Clare in Suffolk, England.
Ralph and Joan had four children;