Hugh Bardulf facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hugh Bardulf
Modern day view of Old Sarum, where Bardulf had custody of the castle, which no longer exists.
Royal justice
In office c. 1185 – c. 1203
Baron of the Exchequer
In office c. 1185 – c. 1203
Personal details
Died	before 1203
Spouse	Mabel
Occupation	Judge and administrator

Hugh Bardulf (died around 1203) was an important English official and judge during the Middle Ages. He was known for being very good at law. He also helped manage the country's money. Hugh Bardulf worked for three different kings of England during his long career.

He started working for King Henry II of England. He was a steward, a high-ranking helper in the king's household. Hugh also served as a judge and a sheriff (a royal official in charge of a county) under King Henry. He continued as a sheriff when Henry's son, Richard I, became king.

Later, Hugh Bardulf was briefly called a traitor. This happened because he was a supporter of Richard's younger brother, John, who rebelled against King Richard. But Hugh was quickly forgiven and went back to serving the king. He continued to work for King Richard and then for King John. Hugh Bardulf died sometime before the year 1203. His brother, Robert Bardulf, became his heir.

Who Was Hugh Bardulf's Family?

Historians have different ideas about Hugh Bardulf's family. Some believe he was the son of Hamelin Bardulf. Hamelin was a tenant, meaning he held land from a powerful lord named Hugh Bigod in Suffolk.

Other historians, like Ralph V. Turner and John Horace Round, think Hugh was the son of another Hugh Bardulf who died around 1176. They say his mother was Isabel, possibly from the Twist family in Lincolnshire. The younger Hugh got land in Waddington, Lincolnshire, in the mid-1140s. He held this land from Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester, a powerful earl.

Hugh Bardulf's Work for the King

Hugh Bardulf started working at King Henry II's court in 1181. He was a steward, a key role in the royal household. He kept this job throughout King Henry's reign, which ended in 1189. He might have even kept it during the next king's reign too.

From about 1185 until 1203, Hugh Bardulf was a royal judge almost every year. He usually traveled around the country to hear legal cases. This was called being a "justice of eyre." He did not often sit as a judge in Westminster, the main court.

He also worked as a sheriff for many different counties. These included:

• Cornwall (1184–1187 and 1199–1200)
• Wiltshire (1187–1189)
• Somerset and Dorset (1188–1189)
• Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Leicestershire (1190–1191)
• Yorkshire (1191–1194)
• Westmorland (1191–1199)
• Northumberland (1194–1198)
• Cumberland (1198–1199)
• Devonshire (1199–1200)
• Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire (1200–1203)

In 1194, Hugh Bardulf was mentioned in official records. He was in charge of managing lands that the king had taken back. These lands had belonged to Osbert de Bayeux, an important church official.

Serving Kings Richard and John

When King Richard I took the throne in 1189, Hugh Bardulf was one of only five sheriffs who kept their jobs. Other important officials who also stayed on included Geoffrey fitzPeter and William Briwerre. However, Hugh did lose control of Salisbury Castle, which he had managed for King Henry. King Henry had also given Hugh a large estate called Brampton in Devonshire. But King Richard took Brampton back and gave Hugh the manor of Hoo in Kent instead.

Hugh Bardulf started out with King Richard I on the Third Crusade, a big religious war. But he turned back after a short time in Messina and returned to England. In England, he became part of the government. He worked under Hugh de Puiset, the Bishop of Durham, and William Longchamp, the Bishop of Ely, who were leading the country. Longchamp put Hugh in charge of Kenilworth Castle.

Later, Hugh Bardulf helped Walter de Coutances try to remove Longchamp from his powerful position. This made Longchamp very angry, and he officially banned Hugh from the church (called "excommunication"). In 1193, Hugh helped defend Doncaster against the forces of Prince John, King Richard's brother. John was rebelling against Richard while the king was away on the crusade.

However, Hugh Bardulf refused to attack a castle called Tickhill. This was because he was a "vassal" of John, meaning he had sworn loyalty to John. Because of this, he was called a traitor. He had to give up his job as sheriff of Yorkshire. But he was immediately given other sheriff jobs. On March 31, 1194, Hugh was put in charge of managing estates that King Richard had taken from rebels in northern England.

While King Richard was held captive in Germany in 1193, Hugh Bardulf received letters from the king. These letters urged him and other powerful men, like William Marshall, to support Hubert Walter to become the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Hugh Bardulf was also very good with money matters. He served as a "Baron of the Exchequer," which meant he was a financial judge. He held this role during the reigns of King Henry, King Richard, and King John. In 1196, he collected taxes in seven counties. Around 1197, Hugh was put in charge of the Jewish population in England, along with William of Sainte-Mère-Eglise, the Bishop of London. This job was likely an early version of the "Keeper of the Jews" role.

Hugh Bardulf continued to serve King Richard until the king died. Then he served King John. Hugh died sometime before late 1203, as records from that time show he was no longer alive.

Hugh Bardulf's Legacy

Hugh Bardulf was well-known for his legal knowledge. He was one of the few judges mentioned by name in Glanvill, an important early English law book. His long career as a judge helped keep things stable in the legal system during the time of the Angevin kings.

He remained good friends with Hubert Walter, who became Chancellor (a very high government official) when King John took the throne. Hugh even joked with Walter, saying, "We have never heard nor seen an archbishop become a chancellor, but we have seen a chancellor become an archbishop." This was a playful jab about Thomas Becket, a previous Archbishop of Canterbury who had also been a chancellor.

Hugh Bardulf married Mabel de Limesy in 1200. Mabel was the daughter of Gerard de Limesy. When Hugh died, his brother, Robert Bardulf, became his heir. Hugh Bardulf gave land to Barlings Abbey, enough to feed 500 sheep. Robert offered a large sum of money to receive his inheritance. Another powerful lord, William de Briouze, offered the same amount of money for the right to marry his son to Mabel, Hugh's widow.

After Hugh Bardulf died, a legal case was brought against his chaplain (a priest) and constable (an officer). They were accused of hearing a case that only Hugh, as a judge, should have heard. The people who brought the case said the two servants had made a wrong decision. The royal judges in Westminster agreed and gave the disputed property back to the people who had lost it.