John Russell (knight) facts for kids
Sir John Russell (died around 1224) was an important knight who served two English kings. He worked for King John (1199–1216) and later for the young King Henry III (1216–1272). He was like a trusted helper or manager (steward) for King Henry III.
Sir John was in charge of several royal castles. These included Corfe and Sherborne in Dorset, and Peveril and Bolsover in Derbyshire. He also served as the Sheriff of Somerset in 1223-1224. He was given the royal land of Kingston Russell in Dorset. He held this land by a special agreement called "grand serjeanty," where he had to perform a specific service for the king.
Contents
Sir John's Marriage and Family
Before 1201, Sir John Russell married Rohesia (also known as Rose) Bardolf. She was the widow of Henry II de la Pomeroy, a powerful landholder from Devon. Rohesia was also the sister of Doun Bardolf, who controlled part of a large land area in Nottinghamshire.
Because Rohesia was the widow of a major landholder, the king had the right to decide who she could marry next. In 1201/1202, Sir John Russell agreed to pay the royal treasury 50 marks to marry her. He paid this amount over several years.
Rohesia brought with her a right to use one-third of her former husband's lands for the rest of her life. This led to a disagreement with her son, Henry de la Pomeroy Jr. The matter went to the royal court in 1200. Sir John and Rohesia, who were already married, sued Henry over some lands in Devon and Cornwall. They agreed that Sir John and Rohesia would keep lands called Ayscombe and Stockleigh Pomeroy, while Henry would get Upottery.
There was also a dispute about who had the right to choose the priest for Stockleigh Church. An abbey in France claimed they had this right. Sir John and Rohesia argued that she had already chosen a priest, and this choice was accepted. We don't know how this dispute ended.
After Sir John died in 1224, his widow Rohesia was allowed by the king to marry anyone she wished, as long as he was loyal to the crown. It seems this was just a way to give her freedom, and there are no records that she married again.
How Sir John Got Kingston Russell
The land of Kingston in Dorset was held by Sir John Russell directly from the king. He held it through a special service called "grand serjeanty." This meant he had to be the "Marshal of the Buttery" (in charge of the king's wine storage) at Christmas and Pentecost (a Christian holiday).
Records from 1211 show that John Russell held Kingston from the time of William the Bastard (William the Conqueror). It's not clear exactly when the Russell family first got Kingston. However, since Sir John was the first to become very well-known, he likely received it as a reward from King John.
Acquiring Little Bedwyn
In 1211, Sir John also gained control of the land of Little Bedwyn in Wiltshire. This land had been held by the crown since the 8th century. Sir John held it by another "grand serjeanty" agreement. For this land, he had to provide two bushels of wine for the king.
Becoming a Feudal Baron
James de Newmarch, a powerful landholder from North Cadbury, died in 1216. He left two daughters as his heirs. King John gave Sir John Russell the care (wardship) of the older daughter, Isabel. This was a very valuable gift because the Newmarch lands included many manors.
Sir John married his ward, Isabel, to his oldest son, Ralph Russell (died around 1250). This made Ralph a "feudal baron," meaning he held a large amount of land directly from the king. Before Ralph was old enough to serve in the army himself, Sir John was called upon to provide military service in his son's place.
Called for Military Service
Because he held part of the Newmarch lands, Sir John Russell had to provide one knight for the royal army each year. In 1218, he was called to join the king's army at Stamford. The army was going to attack Newark Castle, which was being held against King Henry III. Records show that "John Russell sent one knight for the land that belonged to James de Newmarch."
Serving King Henry III
Sir John Russell was an important person in King Henry III's court.
He was appointed as the king's steward. This meant he managed the king's household and supplies. For example, a royal order told the Sheriff of London to give "John Russell our steward" wax, almonds, and figs for the king's use.
At Christmas in 1217, King Henry III gave special robes to his knights. There were only seven of them because the king didn't have much money. Sir John Russell was likely one of these knights. The next year, in 1218, King Henry III ordered five of his knights, including John Russell, to receive "5 robes of green or burnet, namely a tunic and mantle with supertunics of fine linen."
Bringing Princess Joan Home
Sir John Russell played a key role in bringing Princess Joan, King Henry III's sister, back to England. Joan had been promised in marriage to Hugh X de Lusignan, a powerful lord in France. This was part of a deal to keep peace and gain Hugh's support.
However, after King John (Joan's father) died in 1216, Hugh X surprised everyone by marrying Joan's mother, Isabella of Angouleme, instead of Joan. Hugh then held Princess Joan as a hostage in France. He refused to send her back to England until he received certain lands that were part of Isabella's dowry (marriage gift).
To solve this problem, King Henry III's advisors decided to give Hugh some of Isabella's English lands. In return, King Henry sent a stern order on October 6, 1220. It commanded Hugh to bring Princess Joan to England. If he couldn't come himself, he had to release her in the town of La Rochelle to Sir John Russell, Ralph Gernun, and Godfrey de Craucumb. These three men were trusted knights of King Henry III.
Hugh received them kindly and handed Joan over to them. He said he was too ill to travel to England himself. This agreement brought Princess Joan back to England, but some land issues remained unresolved, leading to future conflicts.
Helping Arrange a Royal Marriage
One important reason King Henry III wanted his sister Joan back was to marry her to King Alexander II of Scotland. As part of a peace treaty signed in York on June 15, 1220, Henry promised to give Joan in marriage to Alexander if he could get her back. If not, he promised his second sister, Isabelle.
Sir John Russell was one of the important people who signed this agreement. He promised to make sure the marriage happened. The document states that Sir John Russell, along with other powerful lords and bishops, swore to ensure the agreement was carried out. This shows how much King Henry III trusted Sir John Russell.
Caring for Royal Castles
In 1224, Sir John Russell was put in charge of Corfe Castle and Sherborne Castle. He also oversaw the forests and the areas (sheriffdoms) of Somerset and Dorset. He took over these roles from Peter de Mauley, who had refused to give up the castles when the king asked. Sir John was given the town of Corsham in Wiltshire and its income to help him with these duties. He held these important positions until he died later that same year, in 1224.
|
