The following is a Chronology of events relating to the
de Warenne family and Conisbrough Castle. It is by no means a complete
Chronology and has many gaps. If you discover other pieces of
information that you consider should be included, please Email us at
info@conisbroughcastle.org.uk
Saxon Period
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1000-04
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The lands of Kyningesburg were granted by
Wulfric Spott, one of the ministers of King Edward, to Eltheim,
another Saxon nobleman.
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Harold II, 1066 (10 months)
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1066
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King Harold II lost the estates of
Kyningesburg (which he then owned) along with the rest of
England, to the Normans.
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Norman Period
William I, 1066 - 1087 (21 years)
William:
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the first Earl Warenne
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1069
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The Great Northern Rising was put-down by
William the Conqueror. As a result, the lands of the north
of England were parcelled up and given by the King to his loyal
followers. This is probably the date that William de
Warenne became the first Earl of Conisbrough.
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1075
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Whilst he was the joint Chief Justiciar,
William and Gundrada (his wife and daughter of King William I),
visited the monastery of Cluny during a pilgrimage to Rome.
|
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1079
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William established the first Cluniac
monastery in England at Lewes.
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1085
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William's wife Gundrada died in childbirth at
Castle Acre (Norfolk) in May of that year, she was buried in the
chapter house at the Cluniac Abbey of St. Pancras in Lewes.
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1086
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The Domesday Survey records that the Honour of
Conisbrough was a large estate centred on the burh, and some
twenty eight vills (small townships) belonged to it.
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William II, 1087 - 1100 (13 years)
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1088 May
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William was created Earl of Surrey, making him
one of the wealthiest men in England.
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1088 24th June
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The first Earl de Warenne died from wounds
received at the siege of Pevensey Castle. He was buried
next to his wife at St. Pancras Abbey.
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William:
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the second Earl Warenne
|
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1088
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The first Earl was succeeded by his son
William.
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Henry I, 1100 - 1135 (35 years)
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1101
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William joins with the King's brother Robert
Curthose in an unsuccessful invasion of England, Robert claims
the crown, but the English support Henry.
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1103
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William de Warenne is pardoned by Henry I.
|
| 1106 |
William distinguished himself at
the battle of Tenchebrai during Henry I conquest of Normandy
against Robert Curthose. |
|
1107
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The lands of Sandal near Wakefield were
granted to William by the King.
|
|
1118
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William married Isabel, widow of Robert de
Beaumont, count of Meulun.
|
| 1119 |
William at the battle of Brémule
with Henry I, Walter Gifford and Roger fitz Richard against King
Louis VI of France. |
| 1121 |
William grants the churches in
the honours of Conisbrough and Wakefield to the abbey of St.
Pancras in Lewes. |
Stephen, 1135 - 1154 (19 years)
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1138
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The second Earl Warenne died.
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William:
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the third Earl Warenne
|
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1138
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William succeeds his father to become the
third Earl.
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1141
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William de Warenne fought at the battle of
Lincoln in February of that year, when King Stephen was captured
by supporters of the Empress Matilda.
|
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1146
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William joined his step brother Waleran, count
of Meulun to take part in the Second Crusade.
|
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1147
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The third Earl de Warenne was killed by the
Turks near Laodicea in what is now Syria, leaving no male heir,
having only a daughter, Isabel.
|
William:
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the fourth Earl Warenne
|
|
1148 ?
|
The de Warenne heiress Isabel was married to William de
Blois, the younger son of King Stephen there by becoming the
fourth Earl Warenne.
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Henry II, 1154 -1189 (35 years)
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1159
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The fourth Earl William died without issue
(having no children) leaving the estates in the hands of his
widow, Isabel and the King.
|
Hamelin:
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the fifth Earl Warenne
|
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1163
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Henry II arranged another marriage for the
widowed Isabel, to his illegitimate half brother Hamelin
Plantagenet son of Geoffrey of Anjou.
|
|
1180
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Hamelin ordered the building of stone castles
at Conisbrough and Sandal.
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Richard I, 1189 - 1199 (10 years)
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1189
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Hamelin and Isabel jointly founded an
endowment for a priest for the chapel of St. Philip and St.
James within the castle at Conisbrough.
|
John, 1199 - 1216 (17 years)
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1199
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Hamelin attended the coronation of his nephew
King John.
|
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1200
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Hamelin travelled to Lincoln to witness the
King of Scotland's oath of homage.
|
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1201
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King John visited the new castle at
Conisbrough, granting a market charter for the town during his
visit.
|
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1202
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Hamelin died and was buried at Lewes Priory.
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William:
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the sixth Earl Warenne
|
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1202
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Hamelin and Isabel's son William became the
sixth Earl Warenne.
|
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1203
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Isabel de Warenne died and was buried next to
her husband Hamelin.
|
|
1204
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Earl William lost his Norman lands following
their conquest by Philip Augustus the King of France. By
way of compensation, William was granted lands at Grantham and
Stamford in Lincolnshire by King John.
|
|
1215
|
William was one of the few nobles still loyal
to King John, and was one of the councillors by whose advice the
King issued Magna Carta. William is one of only four
barons named in the document as standing with the King at the
signing of the charter at Runnymede.
|
|
1216
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William was appointed Warden of the Cinque
Ports, but soon after, William deserted King John in favour of
Louis of France.
|
Henry III, 1216 - 1272 (56 years)
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1217
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William de Warenne swears unquestioned support
to the young Henry III.
|
|
1225
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William married Matilda, daughter and
co-heiress of William the Marshall Earl of Pembroke.
|
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1231
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William and Matilda's only son, John is born.
|
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1239
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The sixth Earl Warenne died.
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John:
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the seventh Earl Warenne
|
|
1239
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The sixth Earl's son John was 8 years old at
the time of his father's death. Although he was made the seventh
Earl Warenne, his estates were held in his minority by his
mother, Matilda.
|
|
1247
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Earl John married Alice de Lusignan, half
sister to Henry III.
|
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1256
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Alice died but not before giving John a son,
William, and two daughters.
|
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1258
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John de Warenne supported Henry III in his
quarrel with the barons led by Simon de Montfort. John is
angered firstly by the Provisions of Oxford and then by the
truce made with Llywelyn ap Gruffydd.
|
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1261
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John transferred his allegiance to de Montfort.
|
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1263
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John changed sides again giving his support to
Henry III and Price Edward at the siege of Rochester Castle.
|
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1264
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John fought alongside Henry III at the battle
of Lewes after giving hospitality to his King the preceding
night. Upon the King's defeat, John went into exile in
France and Flanders.
|
|
1265
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John returned to England and joined Prince
Edward before the battle of Evesham which led to the death of de
Montfort.
|
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1268
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John de Warenne received a pardon from the
King.
|
|
1270
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John was rebuked by Walter Giffard, archbishop
of York, for the severity of his exactions upon his Yorkshire
Tenants; this may coincide with building work at Conisbrough and
Sandal.
|
Edward I, 1272 - 1307 (35 years)
|
1278
|
Earl John resisted the application of the
statute Quo Warranto (Who Holds?) by stating that:- his
lands were gained by his ancestors by the sword and that he
(John) would defend them with his sword against all who might
desire to seize them.
|
|
1282-84
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John took a leading role in the campaigns
leading to the conquest of Wales, he was rewarded with the
border lordships of Bromfield and Yale. The building of
Holt castle near Chester was begun.
|
|
1285
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John de Warenne took a prominent part at the
negotiating table in the attempted conquest of Scotland.
|
|
1286
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John's only son William was ambushed and
killed at a tournament held at Croydon.
|
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1297
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John lost the battle of Stirling Bridge to the
Scot, William Wallace.
|
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1298
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John is at the successful (for the English)
battle of Falkirk.
|
|
1300
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Earl John attended the successful action at
Caerlaverock Castle.
|
|
1304
|
The seventh Earl de Warenne died in his London
Home and was buried at Lewes Priory.
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John:
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the eighth Earl Warenne
|
|
1304
|
The eighteen year old John succeeded his
grandfather to become the eighth Earl Warenne.
|
|
1306
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The young Earl entered into full occupation of
his lands and was given in marriage, King Edward I's ten year
old granddaughter Joan de Barr.
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Edward II, 1307 - 1327 (20 years)
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1312
|
John was instrumental in the capture of Piers
Gaveston at Scarborough Castle, but the subsequent execution at
the hands of the Earls of Warwick, Lancaster, Hereford and
Arundel incensed the Earl of Surrey and he made his peace with
Edward II.
|
|
1313
|
John separated from his wife to live in
adultery with Maude de Nerford, a gentleman's daughter from a
village near Castle Acre in Norfolk. John began a series
of efforts to obtain a divorce from Joan.
|
|
1316
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After many unsuccessful attempts it seemed
that divorce would be allowed, but once again judgement went
against him. Earl John was also excommunicated in this
year for adultery and for openly maintaining a mistress.
|
|
1317
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John de Warenne was sufficiently unwise to
become involved in the marital affairs of Thomas, Earl of
Lancaster. John helped Lancaster's wife Alice to elope
from her husband. Enraged, Lancaster seized Conisbrough
and Sandal.
|
|
1318
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Lancaster captured de Warenne's lands of
Bromfield and Yale.
|
|
1322
|
Lancaster led the rebellion of the Northern
Barons, he was captured at the battle of Boroughbridge and held
captive at his own castle at Pontefract. One of those
presiding over Lancaster's trial for treason was non other than
John de Warenne. Lancaster was found guilty and executed
outside the walls of Pontefract Castle.
|
|
1326
|
As a reward for his support of Edward II
against queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer, John regained his
lands, but the King only granted him the use of them during the
Earl's lifetime, after which they would revert back to the
Crown.
|
Edward III, 1327 - 1377 (50 years)
|
1327
|
John loses his lands of Sandal and Conisbrough
yet again to the Crown.
|
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1334
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de Warenne regained his Yorkshire holdings.
|
|
1336
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John is made Earl of Strathearn by the Baliol
king of Scotland as a reward for his help.
|
|
1347
|
John, the eighth and last Earl de Warenne died
leaving no legitimate heirs. His estates and the Earldom of
Surrey reverted back to the Crown.
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