John de Braose facts for kids

Coat of arms of John's grandson, William de Braose (1260–1326).

John de Braose was an important English nobleman who lived in the 13th century. He was known for helping his family, the de Braose dynasty, regain their power and lands after a difficult period. He became the Lord of Bramber and the Lord of Gower.

John's life was full of challenges from a young age, especially because of his family's troubles with the King of England. Despite these difficulties, he managed to rebuild his family's standing and secure their future.

Rebuilding the Braose Family

John de Braose played a key role in bringing his family, the de Braose dynasty, back to power. He was the eldest son of William de Braose and Maud de Clare. His father, William, was the first son of William de Braose, who was the 4th Lord of Bramber, and Maud de St. Valery.

John's mother, Maud de Clare, was born around 1184. Her father was Richard de Clare, the 3rd Earl of Hertford, who lived at Tonbridge Castle in Kent. John had three younger brothers named Giles, Phillip, and Walter.

Facing Royal Troubles

John's family faced serious problems with King John of England. In 1210, the King took away John's grandfather's lands. His grandmother, Maud de St. Valery, was also captured by the King's forces.

She was held in Corfe Castle along with John's father, William. Sadly, both his grandmother and father died while imprisoned. This happened because John's grandfather had disagreed with the King and even joined forces with Llywelyn the Great, a powerful Welsh leader. Because of these sad events, John was given the nickname Tadody, which means "fatherless" in the Welsh.

Hiding and Imprisonment

When his family lost the King's favor, young John de Braose had to be hidden. He was first kept safe in Gower, a region in Wales. For some time, his uncle Giles de Braose, who was the Bishop of Hereford, looked after him.

However, in 1214, John and his younger brother Philip were taken into custody. They remained imprisoned until after King John passed away in 1216. The throne then went to Henry III. John was finally set free in 1218.

A Welsh Marriage and New Lands

Swansea Castle, an important power center in Gower.

In 1219, John de Braose made an important marriage. He married Margaret ferch Llywelyn, who was born around 1202 in the Kingdom of Gwynedd. Margaret was the daughter of Llywelyn Fawr, the powerful leader of Wales.

As part of their marriage, John received the Lordship of Gower as her dowry. This was a gift of land and wealth, given with Llywelyn's approval. This marriage helped John gain significant influence and property.

In 1226, another of John's uncles, Reginald de Braose, sold him the important honor of Bramber. John gained even more lands and titles when this uncle passed away a few years later in 1228. Around the 1220s, John also created a deer park called Parc le Breos in the Gower Peninsula.

John and his Welsh wife, Margaret, had three sons. Their eldest son and heir was William de Braose. They also had two younger sons named John and Richard. Richard was born around 1225 in Stinton, Norfolk, and passed away before June 1292. He was buried in Woodbridge Priory, Suffolk.

John's Death and Family Legacy

In 1232, John de Braose tragically died at the age of 34. He was killed in a fall from his horse on his land in Bramber, Sussex. After his death, his widow, Margaret, soon remarried to Walter III de Clifford.

John's eldest son, William de Braose, took over his title as Lord of Bramber. William was born around 1224 and passed away in 1291 in Findon, Sussex. John's younger son, also named John, became the Lord of the manor of Corsham in Wiltshire. He later also became Lord of Glasbury on Wye.

The eldest son, William de Braose (who lived from about 1224 to 1291), also had a son named William de Braose. This younger William died shortly before May 1, 1326. Another person named William de Braose became the Bishop of Llandaff, but it's not certain if he was part of this specific branch of the family.

Over time, the family name de Braose changed. In the Middle Ages, between 1200 and 1400, it became known as de Brewes.

See also

• House of Braose