FITZROBERT, Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk John

Bef 1191 - 1241  (> 50 years)

 Set As Default Person

• Name	FITZROBERT, John  [1, 2, 3]
  Title	Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk
  Birth	Bef 1191	England
  Gender	Male
  Differentiator	Magna Carta Baron
  Magna Carta	1215
  	Magna Carta Baron
  Royalty & Nobility	Lord of Warkworth Castle, Northumberland; Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk
  Web Address	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_FitzRobert
  Web Address	https://frontlinestates.ltd.uk/john-fitzrobert/
  Web Address	https://magnacarta800th.com/schools/biographies/the-25-barons-of-magna-carta/john-fitzrobert/
  Web Address	https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Clavering-13
  Name	John de Clavering
  Residence	Warkworth Castle, Northumberland, England
  	Primary family property
  Title	Sheriff of Northumberland
  _MILT	1221
  	During the rebellion of William de Forz, John fought on the side of Henry III's forces in the siege of Bytham Castle, Lincolnshire
  Death	20 Feb 1241	England
  Person ID	I10320	My Genealogy | Laviolette Ancestry, Laviolette Ancestry
  Last Modified	4 Feb 2024

  
  

  Family	BALLIOL, Ada,   b. 1204, Baronage, Byker, Northumberland, England d. 29 Jul 1251, Stokesley, Yorkshire, England (Age 47 years)
  Marriage	1218	Warkworth, Northumberland, England
  Children	+ 1. FITZJOHN, Roger Clavering,   b. 1219, Warkworth, Northumberland, England d. 22 Jun 1249 (Age 30 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F7339	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	4 Feb 2024

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - Bef 1191 - England Residence - Primary family property - - Warkworth Castle, Northumberland, England Marriage - 1218 - Warkworth, Northumberland, England Death - 20 Feb 1241 - England  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  
  

  Histories

  The Magna Carta A Descendant's Journey Through History

  
  

  Albums

  Connections to the Magna Carta (6) Imagine finding out you're not just linked to a pivotal slice of history, but directly descended from both sides of it. That's my story. I'm a 25th great-grandchild of King John of England and also connected to 12 of the 25 barons who played a key role in the Magna Carta. This isn't just a chapter from a history book for me; it's a personal journey through my family's past. Few documents have resonated through the ages like the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta emerged from a period of tumult and tyranny. King John, my ancestor, often remembered more for his vices than virtues, was at the heart of this drama. His reign, marked by military failures, exorbitant taxation, and disputes with the Church, set the stage for a historic standoff between the crown and its subjects.

  
  

• Notes

  John FitzRobert, born around 1190 and dying in 1241, was a significant figure in the tumultuous period of English history surrounding the Magna Carta. He held estates across two regions of England: the far north along the Scottish border, and East Anglia and Essex. This geographical spread gave him ties with two main groups of barons who opposed King John in 1216. John's family had a long tradition of service to the Angevin monarchy. His grandfather, Roger FitzRichard, earned Henry II's favor through military prowess, receiving the castle of Warkworth in Northumberland and later the castle and feudal honor of Clavering in Essex. John's father, Robert, served as sheriff of Northumberland in 1203 and received various grants from King John. Robert expanded the great castle at Warkworth, with additions still visible today. Succeeding his father in 1212, John FitzRobert maintained his family's position in northern society, associating with notable figures like Eustace de Vesci, William de Mowbray, and Peter de Brus. He also had connections in East Anglia, where his great-grandfather had acquired estates through marriage to a daughter of Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk. John himself served as sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1213 and 1215. Despite his family's history of royal service, John joined the baronial cause relatively late. His high standing and strong ties in northern society led to his selection as one of the Twenty Five, a group of barons responsible for enforcing the Magna Carta. After the baronial defeat at Lincoln in 1216, he was among the first to submit to Henry III's minority government. He later served as sheriff of Northumberland from 1224 to 1227. John FitzRobert married twice. His first wife, Ada de Balliol, brought him the lordship of Barnard Castle in County Durham. His second wife was Cecily de Fontaines. When John died in 1240, the chronicler Matthew Paris described him as "a man of noble birth and one of the chief barons of the northern provinces of England." John FitzRobert's life was a blend of loyalty, rebellion, and political maneuvering. His involvement in the Magna Carta and the baronial rebellion against King John highlights his significant role in the struggle for rights and governance in medieval England. His legacy continued through his children, who maintained the family's prominence in English history.

  
  

• Sources

  [S1802] WikiTree, Record of Roger (Clavering) FitzJohn (aft. 1219 - bef. 1249). https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Clavering-12 [S1798] WikiTree: Thomas Dudley. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Dudley-129 [S1802] WikiTree, Record of John (Clavering) FitzRobert (bef. 1191 - bef. 1241). https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Clavering-13