Robert de Umfraville facts for kids
Sir Robert de Umfraville (born around 1363 – died 1437) was a brave knight in England during the late Middle Ages. He was part of a very important family from the northeast of England. His family had been powerful for hundreds of years and owned a lot of land. Sir Robert spent most of his life defending the border between England and Scotland, which was often at war.
Sir Robert fought for three English kings. He likely fought in the Battle of Otterburn in 1388. After King Richard II was removed from power, Sir Robert loyally served the new King Henry IV. He led many attacks and defended England against the Scots. He was also a skilled diplomat, helping to make peace treaties.
While most of his fighting was against Scotland, he also went to France with King Henry V in 1415. He might have even fought in the famous Battle of Agincourt. Sir Robert was known for his fighting skills. A writer of the time, John Hardyng, who worked for him, called him a perfect knight.
One time, Sir Robert led a campaign deep into Scotland. He destroyed the town of Peebles and its market. He brought back so much treasure that people called him "Robin Mendmarket."
Sir Robert was married but did not have children. His nephew, Gilbert, who was like a son to him, died in battle in 1421. Sir Robert continued to serve the king almost until the end of his life. He died in early 1437.
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Early Life and Family History
Robert de Umfraville was the youngest son of Sir Thomas de Umfraville, who passed away in 1387. His family had been very important in the relationship between England and Scotland for a long time. Since the 1100s, his ancestors were given large areas of land in Northumberland. This land was meant to protect England from "enemies and wolves" (meaning Scottish raiders).
The Umfraville family also had ancestors who were powerful Scottish lords called the Earls of Angus. They owned a huge amount of land in the Redesdale area, about 138,000 acres. However, because of the constant wars with Scotland and the rise of other powerful families, the Umfraville family's importance had started to decrease by the 1400s. When Robert's father died, Robert was still a child. He became a ward, meaning someone else looked after him and his property, under Ralph Neville, the Earl of Westmorland.
Starting His Knightly Career
Robert de Umfraville began his military career early. He started working on royal committees in Northumberland in the 1390s. The writer John Hardyng said that Sir Robert fought in the Battle of Otterburn in 1388. He fought under Henry "Hotspur" Percy, a famous knight. Hotspur was defeated and captured by the Scots in this battle.
After Otterburn, Hardyng says that Sir Robert led many raids into Scotland starting in 1390. These raids continued even after King Richard II was removed from the throne in 1399. Even with a new king, Sir Robert's duties stayed the same: serving the king, helping with local government, and defending the country.
In 1400, Sir Robert agreed to join King Henry IV's invasion of Scotland. This campaign did not achieve much, but Sir Robert later defeated a large Scottish army at Fulhope Law. This happened after the Scots tried to raid England. In 1401, he became the Sheriff of Northumberland. He might have also helped defeat the Scottish army at the Battle of Homildon Hill in 1403.
He continued to defend the border for the next ten years. Because he knew so much about local politics, he was asked to advise the king's son, John, Duke of Bedford. This was probably as a sub-warden, helping to guard the middle part of the border. In 1407, he attended the ceremony for the new Bishop of Durham, Thomas Langley, with his young nephew Gilbert de Umfraville. It is thought that John Hardyng started working for Sir Robert around this time.
Serving the King
King Henry IV liked Sir Robert de Umfraville's loyalty. The king promised him a payment of £40 every year for the rest of his life. At some point, the king also made him a knight. This was done to make sure Sir Robert stayed loyal to the king and not to the Percy family, who were his former lords and were becoming unhappy with the new king.
In 1404, King Henry told the Earl of Northumberland to give control of Berwick Castle to Sir Robert. The king's support for Sir Robert proved useful in 1405. When the Archbishop of York rebelled, Sir Robert convinced Ralph, Earl of Westmorland, to act quickly. They quickly gathered a force and stopped the rebellion. Because he helped defend the king, Sir Robert was made the keeper of Warkworth Castle for life that same year. He also received the lordship of Langley for life.
In 1408, the problems between the king and the Earl of Northumberland became very serious. The Earl rebelled but was defeated and killed. Sir Robert did not take part in the downfall of his old master. However, soon after, Sir Robert was chosen to join the Order of the Garter. This was a very high honor, showing how much the king respected him. Sir Robert was the only person who had worked for the Percy family that King Henry tried to keep on his side. He was a "border warlord with a perfect family background," and he received great rewards from the king. At the same time, his work as a diplomat with Scotland increased after the Percy family lost power.
Sir Robert de Umfraville was very close to his nephew Gilbert. Gilbert was the son of Robert's older brother, who had died in 1391. By 1413, Gilbert had married Anne, the daughter of Ralph, Earl of Westmorland. This made Sir Robert's position in the northeast even stronger. Sir Robert probably trained Gilbert in military skills. They spent years together on the border. For example, in 1408, they led a raid into Teviotdale together. Hardyng wrote that Sir Robert was like an "old dog" who loved to "unleash his pup" (meaning Gilbert) over the border.
The raids continued, with another one soon after on Jedburgh. Sir Robert's service to the king was not just on the northern border or on land. In 1410, he became a lieutenant to Sir Thomas Beaufort, the Admiral of the Seas. After the Scots burned Roxburgh, Sir Robert commanded ten ships and 600 men. He destroyed Scottish ships and captured 13 or 14 others. Because of these successes, he became the captain of Roxburgh. By this time, the king's treasury owed Sir Robert £666 for his naval expedition. Two years later, Bishop Langley paid Sir Robert 100 marks to fix the walls of Berwick Castle, which were in bad condition.
Service in France and Return
King Henry IV died in March 1413, and his son, Henry V, became king. The new king soon focused on England's claim to the French throne. By early 1415, war with France was certain. Just before the English army was supposed to leave Southampton, the king heard about a plot against him. A few days later, Sir Robert de Umfraville was called to see the king. Some historians think King Henry might have suspected Sir Robert was involved. He might have thought Sir Robert still felt loyal to the Percy family, who the plotters wanted to bring back to power. Perhaps because of this, Sir Robert was also removed from his position as captain of Roxburgh at the same time.
However, Sir Robert had valuable military experience. King Henry later confirmed his yearly payment of £40. Sir Robert was present at the siege of Harfleur in France and possibly at the Battle of Agincourt. He must have cleared his name in the king's eyes. The next year, he agreed to serve the king in Normandy until 1417. That year, he returned to Northumberland and went back to border duty.
Sir Robert's return was well-timed. The Duke of Albany attacked Berwick in 1417. This attack broke the existing peace agreement. On August 3, Sir Robert was told that Albany planned to invade England with a huge army of 60,000 men and attack Berwick. Some historians think Sir Robert might have even encouraged the Scots to raid the border, just so he could destroy them.
He spent the next two years leading fierce attacks into southern Scotland. This reached its peak in 1419 when he attacked the town of Peebles. He burned it to the ground on market day. This brought him a lot of treasure and earned him the nickname "Robin Mendmarket." Hardyng wrote that Sir Robert wanted to make a name for himself in the war against the Scots, showing that not all the glory was earned by those fighting in France.
Later Years and Legacy
Sir Robert was married by 1419 to a woman named Isabella. Not much else is known about her. In the same year, he and his wife joined a religious group in Durham. Sir Robert also seemed to be friends with the Prior of Durham, John Wessington. They dined together, and Sir Robert trusted Wessington with important family documents. In 1428, he was allowed to give his manor of Farnacres, near Newcastle, to be used for a special chapel. This chapel was meant to pray for the souls of himself, his wife, Kings Henry IV and V, and all members of the Order of the Garter.
In 1421, Sir Robert became the executor for his nephew Gilbert after Gilbert died in the terrible English defeat at the Battle of Baugé. From Gilbert, Sir Robert inherited the Redesdale and Kyme estates and £400. He had already lost his lordship of Langley in 1414 when the second Earl of Northumberland got his property back. Sir Robert spent much of the rest of his military career with this Henry Percy in the East March. He was both a warrior and a diplomat. For example, in 1425, he was sent to King James of Scotland to help with ongoing talks.
His duties also included administrative work. He presided over the Warden's Marcher Court, helped negotiate temporary peace agreements, and attended peace conferences. He also helped keep the peace in his home county. He said he wanted to see "good rest and peace to be had in the country." He was involved in a major case between two fighting families, the Herons and the Manners, between 1428 and 1431. Sir Robert supported William Heron's wife, Isabel, after Heron was killed. Sir Robert's friend, Prior Wessington, helped settle the dispute.
Sir Robert de Umfraville was known as one of the "most famous warriors of his time." In 1426, the royal council, on behalf of the young King Henry VI, thanked him for his "great and notable services." Hardyng called Sir Robert "a jewel for a king" and a "vision of the ideal knight." He was brave and wise in war, generous to his followers, and a protector of justice.
Sir Robert received his last order to arrange a peace agreement with Scotland in March 1436. He died on January 27, 1437, without leaving a will. He was buried in Newminster Abbey, where his wife, who died less than two years later in 1438, was also buried.
Since Sir Robert and Isabella had no children, and Gilbert had died, his estates went to a distant relative, Sir William Tailboys. However, historians wonder how much these lands were actually worth. His manors around Redesdale covered over 25,000 acres. But because of the constant war in the region, these lands were likely damaged and not worth much. It's possible that the only lands that were worth their full value were Gilbert's lands in Lincolnshire, which could have been worth up to £400 a year. Sir Robert de Umfraville's place in the Order of the Garter was taken by Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, in 1438.
Images for kids
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The overgrown ruins of Newminster Abbey, where Sir Robert was buried.
