John de Gisors facts for kids
John de Gisors (also known as Gisorz) (born around 1279, died 1351) was an important English politician. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the City of London in 1306 and 1310. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the Parliament, which is the main law-making body.
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Contents
Early Life and Family History
Not much is known about John de Gisors' early years. His family might have originally come from France. However, they had been important citizens in London for about 300 years. Many of his relatives had played big roles in running the city. They served as aldermen (city officials) and MPs.
Both John's father and grandfather were also named John. His father died in 1282, and his grandfather in 1296. John's father stayed loyal to King Henry III during a war in the 1260s. Both his father and grandfather were also elected as MPs for London.
Becoming a Wealthy Londoner
John de Gisors' exact birth year is not known. However, one historian thinks he was around 60 years old in 1339. This means he likely lived to be over 70. He became a very rich man through inheritance. He received valuable properties in London and Middlesex. This included a building called Gisor's Hall, which his father had built.
His father and grandfather were both "pepperers," which meant they traded spices. But John became a "vintner," meaning he traded wine. He also earned money from renting out properties. He probably lived in the area of St Martin Vintry in London. Some historians wonder how much wine he actually sold. One scholar suggests he mostly made money from renting out wine cellars to merchants from Gascony.
John de Gisors' Political Career
John de Gisors became an alderman for St Martin Vintry in 1306. This was a time of big political changes in London and across England. King Edward I died the next year. His son, Edward II, became king but was not very popular.
Dealing with the King and Merchants
John de Gisors gave up his alderman post in 1310. But he was elected Mayor in October 1311. This happened when the King was forced to give power to a group of powerful lords. De Gisors was presented to the King as was the custom.
This was a tense time for London. De Gisors was at the forefront of protecting London's freedoms. He worked to keep the city independent from both the King and the rebel lords. He defended the city's rights and resisted new taxes or investigations by royal officials. He might have supported the powerful Lancaster family. Between 1311 and 1312, he gave five of their chosen people the "freedom of the city." This was a special status for citizens.
When the King's son, Edward III, was born, de Gisors joined a big celebration. Many citizens walked through the city with torches. He even declared the next day a public holiday. However, de Gisors was also seen as unpopular by some. A French writer at the time said that "many people were imprisoned and impoverished" because of him.
Challenges and Conflicts
De Gisors' wine business was hurt by the King. The King gave special trading deals to merchants from Gascony. This upset Londoners, who felt they should have more control over trade. De Gisors had strong feelings against foreign merchants. As Mayor in 1312, he convinced the city council to pass rules to control trade. This caused arguments among the merchants themselves.
In June 1312, he stopped one of the King's officials from building a house. The King had given the official the land. De Gisors argued that if the house caught fire, it could spread to St Paul's Cathedral. London was also facing street violence. In September 1312, there was a rumor that royal guards planned to arrest de Gisors. An angry crowd surrounded the Guildhall (the city's main building). They refused to leave until they knew de Gisors was safe. The royal guards barely escaped. A historian described the relationship between the King and London as "delicate."
The next year, peace was made between de Gisors' group and other city leaders. To calm the citizens, de Gisors led a meeting of aldermen in 1311. For the first time, they wrote down that the mayor and aldermen were all responsible for the citizens. After this, there was a strong focus on controlling foreign merchants.
Facing Accusations
In 1314, de Gisors was elected as an MP again. By 1320, King Edward II felt strong enough to deal with his political opponents. De Gisors was one of them. The King sent his judges to the Tower of London. They heard accusations against the mayor.
One accusation was that de Gisors changed a date on a document. This allowed someone accused of a crime to be released. These kinds of accusations were enough for the King to take control of the mayor's office. The King arrested de Gisors and put his own official in charge. De Gisors was only released after he begged the King for mercy. He was fined and removed from his alderman position. Some historians believe the King used these old accusations as an excuse to take control of London's government.
However, by 1319, de Gisors was appointed to a group. Their job was to find Londoners who supported the King's enemies. This led to many accusations of unfair demands for money. It also led to the conviction of a man named Hamo de Chigwell. Some writers at the time felt the jury had personal reasons against him.
Supporting the Queen
This difficult treatment led de Gisors to join the King's enemies. These were led by the King's wife, Queen Isabella, and her ally, Roger Mortimer. Mortimer was put in the Tower of London in 1322. But in September 1323, de Gisors helped him escape to France. De Gisors owned the mill and warehouse where Mortimer hid before sailing away.
In October 1324, de Gisors was questioned about a woman's body found under a riverside dock. It was thought she probably just fell into the fast-flowing river. Three years later, Queen Isabella and her army returned to England. They entered London and put de Gisors in charge of the Tower. In this role, he led London's group to bring the captured King to Parliament in February 1327. This Parliament decided to remove the King from power. However, de Gisors lost his position by March. After this, he seems to have stepped away from public life and city affairs.
Personal Life and Family
John de Gisors' mother, Marjorie, passed away in July 1305. He had four brothers: Henry and Anketin, who both became aldermen and mayors of London, and Thomas and Richard. He also had four sisters: Beatrice, Mabel, Joanne, and Isabel.
John de Gisors was married twice. His first wife was Isabella, who might have died the year before him. His second wife was Alice. His heirs were his two granddaughters, Margaret and Felicia. He had three sons: Thomas, Edward, and Nichol, and one daughter, Jane. He lived longer than his eldest son, Thomas. Thomas had gone to live in France after a difficult event in 1326.
John de Gisors made his will on January 5, 1351. He passed away by January 19, when his will was officially approved. He left several religious books, including a two-volume missal (a book for church services), a breviary (a book of prayers), and a psalter (a book of psalms). He left £100 and property in 13 different areas to Alice. He also left money to St Martin's Vintry church to set up a special prayer service for his family.
Images for kids
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A petition to King Edward II mentioning John de Gisors.
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A damaged document, part of a petition to King Edward II.
