Roger Clifford, 5th Baron Clifford facts for kids
Roger de Clifford (born July 10, 1333 – died July 13, 1389) was an important English nobleman. He was known as the 5th Baron de Clifford. His father was Robert de Clifford, 3rd Baron de Clifford. Roger became the head of his family's estates and titles in 1350, after his older brother, Robert de Clifford, 4th Baron de Clifford, passed away. The Clifford family was a powerful group in the northern parts of England.
Contents
Roger's Life and Times
Early Military Career
Roger de Clifford started his military career very young, around the age of twelve, in 1345.
In August 1350, he fought in a sea battle against the Spanish near Winchelsea. Later, in 1355, he joined his father-in-law, Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick, on a military trip to Gascony, a region in France. Roger served in Gascony again in 1359 and 1360. He also took part in a French expedition in 1373 with John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster.
Roger was good at hiring soldiers. For example, in 1369, he hired Richard le Fleming and his group for a year. He also hired Sir Roger de Mowbray. Roger himself was hired with his company of nearly eighty men by Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March, in 1379.
Defending Ireland
Roger de Clifford also had lands in Ireland. In 1361, he was asked to help Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence, with an important expedition to Ireland. He was told he would lose his Irish lands if he did not help. He received a similar request to defend his lands in Ireland in 1368.
Protecting the Scottish Borders
Roger's most important work was defending the border between England and Scotland. In July 1370, he was made one of the leaders, called "wardens," of the western border areas. He had also helped defend the northern borders much earlier, in 1356.
He helped to agree on a peace treaty with Scotland in 1369. Between 1380 and 1385, he was the warden of both the eastern and western border areas five different times.
In August 1385, Roger joined King Richard II on an expedition against Scotland. He brought sixty armed men and forty archers with him. His last duty on the border was in October 1388, when he was ordered to plan defenses for the Scottish border regions. In May 1388, he also went with Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel, on a naval trip to Brittany.
Important Political Roles
Roger de Clifford held several important government jobs. He was the hereditary High Sheriff of Westmorland from 1350 until he died in 1389. A sheriff was like a chief law enforcement officer for a county.
In 1377, he was also made High Sheriff of Cumberland and the governor of Carlisle. He had checked the walls of Carlisle the year before and found them to be weak. He was given these two jobs again when King Richard II became king.
Roger was also appointed a "commissioner of array" in 1372. This meant he helped gather soldiers to fight against the Scots. In 1373, he was part of a group of commissioners who helped fix problems with peace treaties and settle arguments along the border. He had been on a similar group in 1367.
Serving in Parliament
Roger de Clifford was called to attend almost every parliament meeting from 1356 to 1388. He often helped to review petitions, which were requests or complaints, in many parliaments from 1373 to 1377.
In 1374, he was chosen to help solve a disagreement between Henry de Percy and William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, about who owned Jedworth Forest. In 1381, he was part of a committee that talked with the House of Commons, which is one of the parts of the English Parliament.
Family and Legacy
Death and Successor
Roger de Clifford passed away on July 13, 1389. He owned a lot of land, mainly in Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmorland, but also in other counties. His son, Thomas de Clifford, 6th Baron de Clifford, took over his titles and lands.
Marriage and Children
Roger de Clifford married Maud (who died in 1403). She was the daughter of Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick. They had several children:
- Thomas de Clifford, 6th Baron de Clifford (died around 1391)
- William Clifford, who was the Governor of Berwick (died in 1419)
- Margaret, who married Sir John Melton
- Katherine, who married Ralph, Lord Greystock
- Philippa, who married William Ferrers, 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby
Some historical records mention a third son, Sir Lewis Clifford, but it is more likely that Lewis was Roger's brother, not his son.
