William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber facts for kids

Arms attributed to this William de Braose by Matthew Paris

William de Braose, also known as William de Briouze, was the 4th Lord of Bramber. He lived from about 1144/1153 to August 9, 1211. William was a very powerful noble during the time of King John of England. He was a favorite of the king for a while.

At the height of his power, William de Braose controlled many important lands. These included Gower, Abergavenny, Brecknock, Builth, Radnor, Kington, Limerick, Glamorgan, Skenfrith, Briouze in Normandy, Grosmont, and White Castle.

William de Braose's Family

William de Braose was a very important member of the de Braose family. His story shows how powerful nobles could rise and fall quickly. His sudden fall from power, especially with King John, is a famous example of the king's unpredictable actions.

William was the son of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber. His mother was Bertha of Hereford. Bertha was the daughter of Miles of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford.

The Abergavenny Incident

In 1175, William de Braose was involved in a serious event known as the Abergavenny Massacre. He invited several Welsh leaders to a Christmas feast at Abergavenny Castle. He said it was for peace and a new beginning. However, during the feast, his men attacked and killed the Welsh leaders.

One of the main Welsh leaders involved was Seisyll ap Dyfnwal. William blamed Seisyll for the death of his uncle, Henry. This event made the Welsh people very angry with William. They even called him the "Ogre of Abergavenny."

Despite this, some people, like the writer Gerald of Wales, spoke well of William. They said he was religious and generous to local churches.

William de Braose also held important government jobs. From 1192 to 1199, he was the sheriff of Herefordshire. In 1196, he became a traveling judge for Staffordshire. He also fought alongside King Richard I of England in Normandy in 1195. In 1199, he was with King Richard when the king was badly hurt at Châlus. After Richard's death, William supported King John's claim to the throne. He helped the new king by making various royal grants.

The Mystery of Arthur of Brittany

In 1203, William de Braose was put in charge of Arthur of Brittany. William had captured Arthur himself the year before at the Battle of Mirebeau. Arthur was a young duke and a rival to King John for the throne.

Arthur later disappeared and was believed to have died. William de Braose was suspected of knowing what happened to Arthur. However, there was never any clear proof. William was with King John in Normandy when Arthur was imprisoned. After Arthur's disappearance, William continued to serve King John in a war against King Philip II of France in 1204.

A King's Favorite

William de Braose was greatly favored by King John early in his reign. King John gave him many lands and titles. He granted William all the lands he could conquer from the Welsh in Radnorshire. He also gave him control over Limerick in Ireland, except for the city itself. William also gained possession of Glamorgan castle and the Lordship of Gower with its castles.

In 1206, after serving in France, King John gave William de Braose three important castles in Gwent. These were Skenfrith Castle, Grosmont Castle, and White Castle. Some historians believe these gifts were to ensure William's silence about Arthur's disappearance. At this point, William was one of the most powerful nobles in England.

Falling Out with the King

Soon after reaching the peak of his power, William de Braose fell out of favor with King John. The exact reasons are not fully clear. King John said that William owed him money from his estates. However, the king's actions were much harsher than just collecting a debt.

King John seized William's lands in England, in Sussex and Devon. He also sent an army to Wales to take over William's lands there. The king also sought William's wife, Maud de St. Valery. It is said that Maud had openly expressed her belief that King John had caused Arthur of Brittany's death.

William fled to Ireland, then returned to Wales. King John continued to hunt him. In Wales, William allied himself with the Welsh Prince Llywelyn the Great. He helped Llywelyn in his rebellion against King John.

In 1210, William de Braose escaped from Wales disguised as a beggar and went to France. Sadly, his wife Maud and their eldest son, William, were captured by King John's forces. William de Braose died the next year, in August 1211, in Corbeil, France. He was buried in the Abbey of St. Victor in Paris.

His wife, Maud, and eldest son, William, were reportedly killed by King John. They may have been starved to death while imprisoned in Windsor Castle and Corfe Castle in 1210.

William's dramatic fall from power worried other nobles. It showed them how cruel King John could be. This event likely played a part in the baronial uprisings that happened in the years that followed.

The de Braose Family After William

William de Braose's eldest son, also named William, married Maud de Clare. This younger William was captured with his mother and died in prison in 1210. He had four sons: John, Giles, Philip, and Walter. They were also imprisoned but were released in 1218. John, the eldest, was said to have been raised secretly in Gower by a Welsh ally. When he was released, his uncle Giles de Braose looked after him. This helped John's branch of the family survive and continue to have power.

William's middle son, Giles de Braose, was the Bishop of Hereford from 1200 until his death in 1215. He had been exiled in France but made peace with King John. He also formed alliances with the Welsh leader Llywelyn the Great. Giles died in 1215 before he could fully regain his family's lands.

William's third son, Reginald de Braose, took back his father's lands and titles by force after Giles died. Reginald eventually made peace with the new young king, Henry III of England, in 1217. However, this angered Llywelyn the Great, who had an agreement with Giles. As a result, the Welsh attacked de Braose lands in Brecon, Abergavenny, and Gower. Abergavenny Castle had to be rebuilt. Reginald de Braose died in 1228.

William's eldest daughter, Matilda (or Maud), married a powerful Welsh prince named Gruffydd ap Rhys II. Another daughter, Margaret, married Walter de Lacy, a powerful noble in Ireland.

William de Braose in Stories

The story of William de Braose's wife, Maud de St. Valery, and her conflict with King John, appears in several novels. One example is Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine. This book tells Maud's story by having a modern woman travel back in time to the 12th century.

Images for kids

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  Coat of arms attributed to William as it appears in Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library MS 16 II (Chronica Majora). The arms are inverted to signify William's death.