Robert Bealknap facts for kids

Sir Robert Belknap was an important English judge who lived a long time ago. He passed away on January 19, 1401.

Robert Belknap was born around or before the year 1330. He might have been born in Kent or Wiltshire, England. His father, John Belknap, was also a lawyer, and his mother's name was Alice.

Robert Belknap's Early Career

Robert Belknap is first mentioned in official records in June 1351. At that time, he was called a "clerk" from the area of Salisbury in Wiltshire. A clerk often meant someone who could read and write, and who worked for the church or government.

In 1353, he joined a group that was checking on Battle Abbey, an important religious building. After this, he worked on many other special groups, as shown in old government documents called patent rolls. These groups often dealt with legal matters like:

• Investigating crimes (called oyer and terminer)
• Checking on walls and ditches (important for land and water control)
• Making sure jails were run properly
• Managing sewers
• Keeping the peace

Most of his work was in Kent and other parts of southeastern England.

On May 18, 1362, he became a Justice of the Peace for Kent. This meant he helped keep law and order in the area. Around the same time, he started working as a legal advisor. In July 1362, he worked with a famous person named William of Wykeham to check on lands belonging to the Bishopric of Winchester. William of Wykeham was the bishop at that time.

From this point, Robert Belknap's career as a lawyer grew quickly. By 1371, he was hired as a lawyer by Westminster Abbey, a very important church. In 1374, he also started working for John of Gaunt, who was a powerful prince and the son of the king.

In July 1374, Robert Belknap was sent to Bruges, a city in Belgium, with John Wycliffe and John Gilbert. They went to discuss church matters with the Pope's representatives. He returned in September, and on October 10, he was given a very important job: he became the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. This meant he was the main judge in one of England's highest courts. On December 28 of that year, he was made a knight.

From 1375 to 1388, he helped Parliament by checking on petitions, which were requests from the public. In 1376, he helped investigate Richard Lyons in Essex and Sussex. Lyons was accused of stealing money.

Challenges During the Peasants' Revolt

After King Edward III died, Robert Belknap was reappointed as Chief Justice under the new king, Richard II. However, many people did not like him.

During the Peasants' Revolt, a big uprising of common people, Robert Belknap was in Essex holding a special court. The rebels were very angry about these courts. They forced him to promise he would not hold such courts again and even attacked him physically. When the rebels reached London, they demanded that 15 specific people, including Belknap, be put to death.

He also upset the people of London. He suggested that their claim to a special role at the king's coronation should be rejected. In response, the people of London put a model of his head on a water fountain in the marketplace. When King Richard walked by, the fountain would "vomit" wine from Belknap's head!

Belknap's Downfall and Exile

Robert Belknap's troubles grew when he gave advice to a special group created by Parliament on November 19, 1386. This group was set up to make changes to the government. The king and his advisors felt that this group was taking away the king's power.

On August 25, 1387, Belknap and other judges involved were called to Nottingham. They were asked if the parliamentary group was legal. If it wasn't, they were asked how the people who called for it should be punished. The judges said that the group was not legal and that those who supported it should be punished as traitors. It is said that Belknap did not want to sign these answers until he was threatened with death by powerful figures like Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland and Michael de la Pole.

In response, a group of powerful nobles called the Lords Appellant took control of the government on November 17. When the Merciless Parliament began on January 30, 1388, Robert Charleton became the new Chief Justice. Robert Belknap was arrested along with the other judges.

They were put on trial on February 27 because of the answers they gave about the legality of the parliamentary group. They were sentenced to death. However, many important people, including William Courtenay and Queen Anne, spoke up for them. Their sentence was changed. Instead of death, they lost all their property and titles, and were sent away to Drogheda, Ireland. This was called forfeiture and attainder.

At the time he was exiled, Robert Belknap owned many large estates in different parts of England, including Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Bedfordshire, and Oxfordshire.

His exile and the loss of his property were canceled in January 1397. Some of his lands were given back to him or his family in October 1399, when Henry IV became king. His wife, Juliana, was even allowed to go to court on her own to get back some lands. Robert Belknap died less than two years later, on January 19, 1401. He was buried in Rochester Cathedral.

Robert Belknap's Family

Robert Belknap was married twice. His first wife was Amy, who passed away before 1373. His second wife was Juliana Darset (who died in 1414). She was the daughter of John Darset and Elizabeth Phelipp.

Robert and Juliana had five known children:

• Thomas Belknap (who died before 1414)
• John Belknap
• Joan Belknap (who died before 1419). She married twice: first to Ralph Stonor, and second to Sir Edmund Hampden.
• Sir Hamon Belknap (who died before March 18, 1429). He was an important official in Normandy, France. He married Joan Boteler.
• Juliana Belknap (who died after 1417). She also married twice: first to Robert Avenel, and second to Nicholas Kymbell.

Robert Belknap was the great-grandfather of Sir Edward Belknap. Edward Belknap was a close advisor to King Henry VII and King Henry VIII. This connection comes through Sir Hamon Belknap's son, Sir Henry Belknap.

See also

• Belnap Family Organization