Biography of Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk 1245-1306

Paternal Family Tree: Bigod

1308 King Edward II and Isabella of France arrive in England

In 1243 [his father] Hugh Bigod Justicar (age 32) and [his mother] Joan Stuteville (age 27) were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Hugh Bigod 3rd Earl Norfolk and [his grandmother] Maud Marshal Countess Norfolk and Surrey (age 49).

Around 1245 Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk was born to Hugh Bigod Justicar (age 34) and Joan Stuteville (age 29).

In 1260 Hugh Despencer (age 36) and [his future wife] Aline Basset (age 39) were married. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

In 1266 [his father] Hugh Bigod Justicar (age 55) died.

In 1270 [his uncle] Roger Bigod 4th Earl Norfolk (age 61) died. His nephew Roger (age 25) succeeded 5th Earl Norfolk.

On 29 Oct 1271 Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk (age 26) and Aline Basset (age 50) were married. She the widow of Hugh Despencer. The difference in their ages was 24 years; she, unusually, being older than him. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

Before Jan 1273 Thomas Furnival 1st Baron Furnivall (age 13) and [his step-daughter] Joan Despencer Baroness Furnivall (age 15) were married. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 06 Apr 1276 [his mother] Joan Stuteville (age 60) died.

On 11 Apr 1281 [his wife] Aline Basset (age 60) died.

In 1290 Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk (age 45) and Alice Hainault Countess Norfolk were married. She by marriage Countess Norfolk. She the daughter of John Hainault II Count Hainault II Count Holland (age 43) and Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainault and Holland (age 38). She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.

Battle of Falkirk

                    On 22 Jul 1298 King Edward I of England (age 59) defeated the Scottish army led by William Wallace during the Battle of Falkirk at Falkirk [Map] using archers to firstly attack the Scottish shiltrons with the heavy cavalry with infantry completing the defeat.
                
                    John de Graham (age 31) and John Stewart of Bonkyll (age 52) were killed.
                
                    The English were described in the Falkirk Roll that lists 111 men with their armorials including:
                
                    Guy Beauchamp 10th Earl Warwick (age 26).
                
                    Walter Beauchamp (age 55).
                
                    Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk (age 53).
                
                    Humphrey Bohun 3rd Earl Hereford 2nd Earl Essex (age 49).
                
                    Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford (age 24).
                
                    [his former step-son] Hugh "Elder" Despencer 1st Earl Winchester (age 37).
                
                    William Ferrers 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby (age 26).
                
                    Thomas Berkeley 6th and 1st Baron Berkeley (age 52).
                
                    Maurice Berkeley 7th and 2nd Baron Berkeley (age 27).
                
                    Henry Grey 1st Baron Grey of Codnor (age 43).
                
                    Reginald Grey 1st Baron Grey of Wilton (age 58).
                
                    John Grey 2nd Baron Grey of Wilton (age 30).
                
                    John Mohun 1st Baron Dunster (age 29).
                
                    Simon Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 48).
                
                    Roger Mortimer 1st Earl March (age 11).
                
                    William Ros 1st Baron Ros Helmsley (age 43).
                
                    John Segrave 2nd Baron Segrave (age 42).
                
                    Nicholas Segrave (age 42).
                
                    Robert de Vere 6th Earl of Oxford (age 41).
                
                    Alan Zouche 1st Baron Zouche Ashby (age 30).
                
                    Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln (age 20).
                
                    Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 17).
                
                    [his uncle] John Warenne 6th Earl of Surrey (age 67).
                
                    Henry Percy 9th and 1st Baron Percy (age 25).
                
                    Hugh Courtenay 9th Earl Devon (age 21).
                
                    Richard Fitzalan 1st or 8th Earl of Arundel (age 31).
                
                    Henry Beaumont Earl Buchan (age 19).
                
                    John Capet II Duke Brittany (age 59).
                
                    Philip Darcy (age 40).
                
                    Robert Fitzroger.
                
                    Robert Fitzwalter 1st Baron Fitzwalter (age 51), or possiby a Roger Fitzwalter?.
                
                    Simon Fraser.
                
                    Aymer de Valence 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 23).
                
                    John Wake 1st Baron Wake of Liddell (age 30), and.
                
                    Henry Lacy 4th Earl Lincoln, Earl Salisbury (age 47).
                
                    William Scrope (age 53) was knighted.
                
                    John Moels 1st Baron Moels (age 29) fought.
                
                    John Lovell 1st Baron Lovel (age 44) fought.

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On 18 Oct 1298 Robert Artois II Count Artois (age 48) and [his sister-in-law] Margaret Hainault Countess Artois were married. She by marriage Countess Artois. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] John Hainault II Count Hainault II Count Holland (age 51) and [his mother-in-law] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainault and Holland (age 46). He the son of Robert Capet Count of Artois and Matilda Reginar Countess Saint Pol. They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.

Baron's Letter to the Pope

Before 09 Mar 1301 seven Earls and 96 Barons signed a letter to the Pope refuting the Pope's claim that Scotland was subject to the Pope's feudal overlordship. The letter was never sent. Those who signed include: [his uncle] John Warenne 6th Earl of Surrey (age 70), Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln (age 23), Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (age 31), Humphrey Bohun 4th Earl Hereford 3rd Earl Essex (age 25), Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk (age 56), Richard Fitzalan 1st or 8th Earl of Arundel (age 34), Guy Beauchamp 10th Earl Warwick (age 29), Aymer de Valence 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 26), William Leybourne 1st Baron Leybourne (age 59), Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 20), William Latimer 1st Baron Latimer of Corby (age 58), Edmund Hastings, John Hastings 2nd Baron Hastings 14th Baron Bergavenny (age 14), Edmund Mortimer 2nd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore (age 50), Fulk Fitzwarin 2nd Baron Fitzwarin (age 16), Henry Percy 9th and 1st Baron Percy (age 27), Robert Fitzwalter 1st Baron Fitzwalter (age 54), John Beauchamp 1st Baron Beauchamp Somerset (age 26), William de Braose 2nd Baron de Braose 10th Baron Bramber (age 41), John Botetort 1st Baron Botetort (age 36), Reginald Grey 1st Baron Grey of Wilton (age 61), John Moels 1st Baron Moels (age 32), Thomas Berkeley 6th and 1st Baron Berkeley (age 55), Robert de Vere 5th Earl of Oxford, John Strange 1st Baron Strange Knockin (age 48), Thomas Multon 1st Baron Multon (age 25), Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford (age 26), Walter Beauchamp (age 58), Alan Zouche 1st Baron Zouche Ashby (age 33), John Segrave 2nd Baron Segrave (age 45), William Ferrers 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby (age 29), Simon Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 51), Piers Mauley, Ralph Neville 1st Baron Neville of Raby (age 38), John Mohun 1st Baron Dunster (age 32), Roger Scales 1st Baron Scales, Thomas Furnival 1st Baron Furnivall (age 41), Hugh Bardolf 1st Baron Bardolf (age 41), Gilbert Talbot 1st Baron Talbot (age 24), William Deincourt 1st Baron Deincourt, Edmund Stafford 1st Baron Stafford (age 28), Walter Fauconberg 1st Baron Fauconberg (age 81).

In 1304 [his brother-in-law] John Beaumont Count Soissons (age 16) by marriage Count Soissons.

On 22 Aug 1304 [his father-in-law] John Hainault II Count Hainault II Count Holland (age 57) died. His son [his brother-in-law] William (age 18) succeeded I Count Hainault.

On 19 May 1305 [his brother-in-law] William Hainault I Count Hainault III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland (age 19) and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainault (age 11) were married. She by marriage Countess Zeeland, Countess Holland, Countess Avesnes, Countess Hainault. She the daughter of Charles Valois I Count Valois (age 35) and Margaret Capet Countess Valois. He the son of [his father-in-law] John Hainault II Count Hainault II Count Holland and [his mother-in-law] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainault and Holland (age 53). He a great x 4 grandson of King Stephen I England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

Before 12 Dec 1306 Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk (age 61) died. Earl Norfolk extinct. In 1302 Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk had surrendered his Earldom to King Edward I (age 67) and was recreated Earl Norfolk with the remainder "to the heirs of his body" effectively disinheriting his brother [his brother] John Bigod. Its not clear why he did so.

King Edward II and Isabella of France arrive in England

                    Close Rolls Edward II 1307-1313. 09 Feb 1308 King Edward II of England (age 23). Dover, Kent [Map]. To [his former wife] Alice, late wife of Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk and Marshall of England. Order to meet the king at Dover, Kent [Map] on his return from France with his consort about Sunday next after the Feast of the Purification of St Mary. Witnessed by Piers Gaveston 1st Earl Cornwall (age 24).
                
                    The like to:
                
                    Elizabeth, Countess of Hereford and Essex (age 25).
                
                    Henry de Lancastre (age 27).
                
                    Robert de Monte Alto.
                
                    Almaric de Sancto Amando[Ibid].
                
                    To R Archbishop of Canterbury (age 63). Order to attend the king's coronaion on Sunday next after the feast of St Valentine [14 Feb] at Westminster [Map], to execute what pertains to his office.
                
                    To the Sheriff of Surrey. Order to proclaim in market towns, etc., that no knight, esquire, or other shall, under pain of forfeiture, pressure to tourney or make jousts or bordices (torneare, justos seu burdseicas facere), or otherwise go armed at Croydon, Surrey [Map] or elsewhere before the king's coronation.