Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick facts for kids

This is a picture of Henry de Beaumont's seal. It was made by J. Harvey Bloom.

Henry de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Warwick (also known as Henry de Newburgh) was an important Norman nobleman. He lived a long time ago and became very powerful in England. He passed away on June 20, 1119.

Who Was Henry de Beaumont?

Henry was the younger son of a man named Roger de Beaumont. His mother was Adeline of Meulan. Her father was Waleran III, who was a Count.

Henry's Early Life

Henry's father gave him a small area of land called Le Neubourg in Normandy. This place was about 12 kilometers from his father's main home, Beaumont-le-Roger. Henry and his family later took the name "de Newburgh" from this land. This name means "from the new town."

A historian named Orderic Vitalis wrote that Henry was with William the Conqueror in 1068. He supposedly took charge of Warwick Castle then. However, there isn't much proof for this story. We don't know a lot about what Henry did before 1088.

But we do know he helped William the Conqueror and his oldest son, Robert Curthose, make peace in 1081. This shows that the King trusted Henry a lot. In 1088, Henry also helped the King deal with a bishop named William de Saint-Calais. This bishop was accused of being a traitor.

Working for King William II

Henry gained a lot more land in England in 1088. This happened because he helped King William II stop a rebellion. As a reward, King William II made him the Earl of Warwick.

The land for his earldom came from different places. Most of it came from his older brother, Robert, Count of Meulan. This land was listed in the Domesday Survey of 1086. Henry also received large royal lands in Rutland. He also got the royal forest of Sutton, which became Sutton Chase. This was a very unusual way to create an earldom. It likely involved agreements between Henry's father, his brother, and the King.

Working for King Henry I

Henry became a close friend and companion of King Henry I. When King William II died suddenly in 1100, the important noblemen had to choose a new king. It was mostly because of Henry de Beaumont's advice that Henry, the Conqueror's fourth son, was chosen.

However, many noblemen were not loyal to King Henry I the next year. They wanted Henry's older brother, Robert Curthose, to become king instead. Henry de Beaumont and his brother Robert were among the few who stayed loyal to King Henry I. They were the King's most trusted advisors.

Around this time, Henry also became important in the Norman invasion of Wales. He gained control of the Lordship of Gower from Iestyn ap Gwrgant around 1107. Henry and his followers built or took over several castles in Wales. These included Swansea, Penrhys, Llanrhidian, Oystermouth, and Loughor.

Henry's Family

Before 1100, Henry married Margaret. She was the daughter of Geoffrey II of Perche. Henry and Margaret had two daughters and several sons:

• Roger, 2nd Earl of Warwick (born around 1102, died 1153). He became Earl after Henry.
• Robert de Neubourg (died 1159). He inherited land in Annebecq.
• Rotrou (died 1183). He became a bishop and then an archbishop. He was also a chief judge and manager in Normandy. In 1167, he led the funeral service for Empress Matilda. She was the daughter of Henry I and mother of Henry II.
• Geoffrey de Neubourg. He moved to England in 1137 and lived with his oldest brother, Earl Roger. He was often mentioned as "Geoffrey the earl's brother." After Roger died, he continued to live with Roger's son, Earl William. He was then called "Geoffrey the earl's uncle."
• Henry de Neubourg, also known as "Henry of Gower." He took back his family's lands in Wales around 1136. He held the lordship of Gower during the time of King Stephen.

Death

Henry joined the Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Préaux before he died. He passed away there as a monk on June 20, 1119. A picture from the 1700s shows his tomb in the abbey. His brother's and father's tombs were next to his. The abbey is now in ruins.

See also

• Ivo de Grandmesnil

Sources

• David Crouch "The Local Influence of the Earls of Warwick, 1088–1242: A Study in Decline and Resourcefulness", Midland History, xxi (1996), 1–23.