Welcome New Member Pamela Lohbeck, who joined on 5 December.
Project Profile of the Month: Robert de Umfreville
Robert de Umfreville, born in the late 1270s, lost an earldom.
His father Gilbert was a baron of northern England, and Earl of Angus in Scotland. His mother Elizabeth was from the Comyn family who played a leading role in Scottish politics. He married Lucy Kyme whose mother Joan was from the powerful Bigod family and was descended from the two Bigod Magna Carta Surety Barons. In 1307 his father’s death made him Earl of Angus and a substantial landowner in both England and Scotland.
It was Robert`s misfortune to be living at a critical time in Anglo-Scottish relations. Edward I and Edward II were endeavouring to impose their authority on Scotland and it must have appeared at first that they would succeed. Like his father, Robert supported them. In 1308 Edward II made him joint lieutenant of Scotland and joint Guardian of much of the southern part of the country. He was also given major responsibility for safeguarding Northumberland.
And then came the disastrous defeat of Edward II's army in the 1314 Battle of Bannockburn. Robert fought in the battle, was captured soon after, and was held prisoner for a few months. A large ransom was likely to have been paid for his release. His English lands were ravaged, and he put in a petition for "sustenance for his estate and for his castle of Prudhoe [in Northumberland] as his English and Scottish lands are entirely destroyed by the Scots", and for wage arrears for soldiers he had retained on the marches with Scotland.
Not surprisingly, Robert the Bruce confiscated his Scottish lands, and he was no longer recognised in Scotland as Earl of Angus. In the way of international politics, the deprivation of his title was not accepted in England, and he continued to be referred to as Earl in some English records.
Robert remained a major figure in northern England, and stayed loyal to Edward II. In 1322 he was one of the peers who passed judgement on the rebel Thomas of Lancaster. He died in February or early March 1325.
Team News
The trail development team badged the following trail in December 2022:
