William FitzRobert 2nd Earl of Gloucester ^{3 4}

  General Notes:

WILLIAM FitzRobert, son of ROBERT Fitzroy Earl of Gloucester & his wife Mabel [Matilda or Sibylle] FitzRobert (23 Nov [1112]-23 Nov 1183, bur Keynsham Abbey, Somerset). His birth date is confirmed by the Annals of Waverley which record the death "in nocte Sancti Clementis" in 1183 of "Willelmus comes Glocestriæ", specifying that it was the same day he was born. The Chronica de Fundatoribus et Fundatione of Tewkesbury Abbey records that "comes Willielmus filius et hæres eiusdem" succeeded on the death of Robert Earl of Gloucester. He witnessed an agreement in 1128. He was imprisoned with his father at Rochester in Oct 1141 by the forces of King Stephen. Governor of Wareham 1144, during his father's absence in Normandy. He succeeded his father in 1147 as Earl of Gloucester. The Gesta Stephani Regis records that "Willelmus filius suus…senior…ætate" succeeded as Earl of Gloucester on the death of his father, dated from the context to [1147]. The Annals of Margan record that "comes Gloucestriæ Willelmus…et comitissa Hawysia" were captured "in castello Cardiviæ" by the Welsh in 1158. On his death, King Henry II took the honour of Gloucester and the Earldom into his own hands. Robert of Torigny records the death in 1183 of "Guillermus comes Gloecestriæ" leaving three daughters as his heirs. The Annals of Margan record the death "IX Kal Dec" in 1183 of "Willelmus comes Gloucestriæ". The Obituary of Lyre records the death 23 Nov of "Willelmus comes Glocestriæ". The Annals of Waverley record the death "in nocte Sancti Clementis" in 1183 of "Willelmus comes Glocestriæ", specifying that it was the same day he was born. The Chronica de Fundatoribus et Fundatione of Tewkesbury Abbey records the death in 1183 of "comes Willielmus Gloucestriæ" and his burial "apud Kenisham". The necrology of Lyre monastery records the death "23 Nov" of "Willelmus comes Glocestriæ".

m ([1150]) HAVISE de Beaumont, daughter of ROBERT de Beaumont[-le-Roger] Earl of Leicester & his wife Amice de Gaël et de Montfort ([after 1120]-24 Apr or 25 May 1197). The Chronica de Fundatoribus et Fundatione of Tewkesbury Abbey records that "comes Willielmus" married "Hawisia filia comitis Leicestriæ". The Annals of Margan record that "comes Gloucestriæ Willelmus…et comitissa Hawysia" were captured "in castello Cardiviæ" by the Welsh in 1158. The necrology of Lyre monastery records the death "25 May" of "Hawis comitissa Gloecestræ". The Annals of Tewkesbury record the death "VIII Kal Mai" in 1197 of "Hawisa comitissa Glocestriæ".

Earl William & his wife had four children: Robert, Mabel, Amice and Isabel.

[FMG/Medieval Lands]

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An undoubted Earl of Gloucester, perhaps the first authentic one, at any rate after the Conquest, is Robert FitzHamon's son-in-law, another Robert, who was an illegitimate son of Henry I and was so created 1122. The Earldom passed to his eldest son, William FitzRobert, and from him to John, later King John and husband from 1189 to 1199 (when he divorced her) of Isabel, the youngest of William FitzRobert's three daughters. On John's coming to the throne the title did not merge in the Crown for it was not his in his own right but in right of his wife.

[Burke's Peerage]

William married Hawise de Beaumont, daughter of Robert II de Beaumont 2nd Earl of Leicester and Amice de Gaël, about 1150.^{1 2} (Hawise de Beaumont died 24 Apr or 25 May 1197 ^{1 2}.)