Biography of William de Braose -1210

Paternal Family Tree: Braose

William de Braose was born to [his uncle] William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber and [his mother] Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber.

Around 1166 [his uncle] William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber (age 22) and [his mother] Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber (age 11) were married.

Abergavenny Massacre

Around 25th December 1175, Christmas, [his uncle] William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber (age 31) invited the local Welsh nobles to his Christmas court at Abergavenny Castle [Map] as an act of reconciliation. Seisyll ap Dyfnwal Gwent and his elder son Geoffrey Gwent were murdered. William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber and his men then rode to Seisyll's home. There his younger son Cadwalladr Gwent (age 7) was murdered and his wife captured.

In 1179 [his grandfather] William de Braose 3rd Baron Bramber (age 64) died. His son [his uncle] William (age 35) succeeded 4th Baron Bramber Feudal, 6th Baron Abergavenny Feudal Creation. [his mother] Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber (age 24) by marriage Baroness Bramber Feudal and Baroness Abergavenny Feudal Creation.

In 1190 Robert Beaumont 3rd Earl of Leicester died. His son [his future brother-in-law] Robert succeeded 4th Earl of Leicester. [his sister] Loretta de Braose Countess Leicester (age 5) by marriage Countess of Leicester.

Around 1196 [his brother-in-law] Robert Beaumont 4th Earl of Leicester and [his sister] Loretta de Braose Countess Leicester (age 11) were married. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. He the son of Robert Beaumont 3rd Earl of Leicester and Petronilla Grandesmil Countess Leicester (age 61).

In 1197 [his son] John "Tadody aka Fatherless" Braose 8th Baron Bramber was born to William de Braose and [his future wife] Maud de Clare (age 13). He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England. He married 1219 his half fourth cousin Margred verch Llewellyn Baroness Clifford, daughter of Llewellyn "The Great" Aberffraw and Joan Plantagenet, and had issue.

In 1200 [his brother] Bishop Giles de Braose 7th Baron Braose 5th Baron Bramber was appointed Bishop of Hereford.

In 1206 William de Braose and Maud de Clare (age 22) were married. She the daughter of Richard Clare 3rd Earl Hertford (age 53) and Amice Fitzrobert Countess Hertford.

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy

The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.

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In 1210 William de Braose was starved to death at Corfe Castle, Dorset [Map].

In 1210 William de Braose was imprisoned at Corfe Castle, Dorset [Map].

In 1210 [his mother] Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber (age 55) and her son William de Braose were captured at Galloway.

In 1210 William de Braose was imprisoned at Windsor Castle [Map].

In 1210 [his mother] Maud "Lady of Hay" St Valery Baroness Bramber (age 55) starved to death at Corfe Castle, Dorset [Map].

In 1213 [his former wife] Maud de Clare (age 29) starved to death.