Gilbert Middleton facts for kids
Gilbert Middleton was an English knight who lived a long time ago. He owned land in a place called Northumberland. He became famous for leading a rebellion and was later executed for going against the king. He died in 1318.
Gilbert's Early Life
Gilbert Middleton was the son of a man also named Gilbert. His grandfather, Richard of Middleton, was a very important person called the Lord Chancellor. This meant he was a chief advisor to the king.
Gilbert's father passed away by 1291. At that time, Gilbert was still a child. He was placed under the care of a royal helper named William Felton. In 1300, when Gilbert became an adult, he joined the English army. He took part in the English invasion of Scotland.
A Knight in Royal Service
By 1313, Gilbert had become a knight who worked for the king. He was part of the soldiers protecting Berwick Castle. In 1315, he was moved to Alnwick Castle. He continued to serve the king in early 1317, receiving payment for himself and his group of followers.
The Rebellion
On September 1, 1317, something unexpected happened. Gilbert Middleton attacked a group of important people. This group included Louis de Beaumont, who was chosen to be the bishop of Durham. His brother, Henry de Beaumont, was also there, along with two cardinals. Cardinals are very high-ranking leaders in the church. The cardinals were Gaucelin de Jean and Luca Fieschi.
Gilbert captured the Beaumont brothers and held them at Mitford Castle. However, he let the cardinals go free. Other knights who worked for the king, like John de Lilburne, Walter Selby, and Goscelin d'Eyville, joined Gilbert in his rebellion.
On October 17, Louis de Beaumont was also set free. The rebels forced the church leaders of Durham to pay them 500 marks. A mark was a type of money back then. They claimed this payment was for something Gilbert said the church had done wrong to him.
Capture and Execution
In December of that year, William Felton, the son of Gilbert's former guardian, managed to capture Mitford Castle. He used a clever trick to capture Gilbert.
No one is completely sure why Gilbert rebelled. Some people thought he might have been secretly working with the Scots, who were still at war with England. Others believed that a powerful noble, Earl Thomas of Lancaster, might have been involved in the plan too.
Gilbert was sent by sea to London. On January 26, 1318, he was put on trial in front of the king for going against the country. Because he was a knight who worked for the king, and because his victims included important church leaders on a special mission, he was found guilty. He was executed for his actions.
