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DE MORTEYN, Sir John

DE MORTEYN, Sir John

Male 1274 - 1346  (72 years)

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  • Name DE MORTEYN, John  [1] 
    Title Sir 
    Birth 1274  Tillsworth, Bedfordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    _MILT 1296 
    Participated in the campaign against Berwick-upon-Tweed 
    _MILT 1 Mar 1296  Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Summoned for military service against the Scots, mustering at Newcastle upon Tyne 
    Royalty & Nobility 22 May 1306  Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Knight: John was knighted alongside Edward, the Prince of Wales, and about 300 others, including notable figures like Piers Gaveston and Roger Mortimer, on 22 May 1306 at Westminster. This event was described as the greatest since King Arthur's coronation at Caerleon. 
    _MILT 20 Jan 1307 
    Returned as Knight of the Shire for Bedford to Parliament at Carlisle 
    Civil 1324 
    Appointed Constable of Rockingham Castle and steward of the forest of Rockingham 
    Web Address https://www.moreteynemanor.co.uk/about-us/ 
    Web Address https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Morteyn-2 
    Death 1346  Bedfordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    Person ID I17571  My Genealogy
    Last Modified 4 Feb 2024 

    Father DE MORTEYN, John,   b. 1260, Tillsworth, Bedfordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt 1296 (Age 36 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Mother GOBION, Joan,   b. 1248, Horton, Hardingstone, Northamptonshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1312, Tillsworth, Bedfordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 64 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Family ID F12899  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family DE ROTHWELL, Joan,   b. 1283, Tillsworth, Bedfordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt 1305, Buckinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 22 years) 
    Children 
    +1. DE MORTEYN, Lucy,   b. Abt 1305, Bedfordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 8 Mar 1361, Twyford, Buckinghamshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age > 56 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    Family ID F12898  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 4 Feb 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google Maps_MILT - Summoned for military service against the Scots, mustering at Newcastle upon Tyne - 1 Mar 1296 - Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsRoyalty & Nobility - Knight: John was knighted alongside Edward, the Prince of Wales, and about 300 others, including notable figures like Piers Gaveston and Roger Mortimer, on 22 May 1306 at Westminster. This event was described as the greatest since King Arthur's coronation at Caerleon. - 22 May 1306 - Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 1346 - Bedfordshire, England Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Manor of Marston Morteyne    		Manor of Marston Morteyne

    Albums
    Knights and Nobility    		Knights and Nobility (3)
    Royals are/were the monarchs and their immediate family. See the following Wiki article re: royalty: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_family

    Nobles are/were the highest social class and generally held land or an office in exchange for allegiance and services to a monarch or higher-ranking nobleman. See the following Wiki article re: nobility: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobility

    Nobility and Knights: Understanding Their Roles and Distinctions

    Nobility is a broad social class that includes individuals holding titles, typically hereditary but sometimes granted by a monarch. Positioned immediately below royalty, this class encompasses ranks such as dukes, earls, and counts in the British system. While it's rare for commoners to ascend into nobility, history has seen such occurrences due to factors like wealth, military prowess, or royal favor.

    Knights represent a distinct class within the nobility. They were essentially professional cavalrymen, often of high birth, who achieved their privileged military status after undergoing rigorous training as a page and squire. The journey to knighthood involved several stages:

    As a Page: A young boy would start learning about horses, hunting, and weaponry.

    Becoming a Squire: Around age 14, showing potential, he would assist a full knight, honing his skills with weapons and armor.

    Knighthood: Between ages 18 and 21, he could be knighted by a lord or another knight, typically in an elaborate initiation ceremony.

    Knights were renowned as the most-feared and best-protected warriors on medieval battlefields. They were expected to uphold the chivalric traditions of bravery, strength, skill in battle, respect for women, defense of the weak and poor, and generosity. Off the battlefield, knights were known for their chivalry, often wealthy and of high status. Their roles extended to guarding a baron and his castle, fighting in wars for their sovereign and the Church, and participating in medieval tournaments.

  • Notes 
    • Sir John de Morteyn, born in 1274 in Tillsworth, Bedfordshire, England, was a knight and a trusted servant of the English crown during the reigns of Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III. His life was marked by significant military and civic contributions.

      John de Morteyn's military service began at the age of 22 when he was summoned on 1 March 1296 to perform military service against the Scots, mustering at Newcastle upon Tyne. He participated in the campaign against Berwick-upon-Tweed, where Edward I ordered his army to take the town, resulting in the massacre of 7,500 people.

      Inheriting the manor of Marston Morteyn after his father's death in 1296, John became a significant landholder. He was again summoned for military service against the Scots on 24 June 1301, mustering at Berwick-upon-Tweed.

      John was knighted alongside Edward, the Prince of Wales, and about 300 others, including notable figures like Piers Gaveston and Roger Mortimer, on 22 May 1306 at Westminster. This event was described as the greatest since King Arthur's coronation at Caerleon.

      On 20 January 1307, Sir John de Morteyn was returned as Knight of the Shire for Bedford to Parliament at Carlisle. He was also appointed a Commissioner of the Peace for Bedford.

      In 1324, John was appointed Constable of Rockingham Castle, Northamptonshire, and given the stewardship of the forest of Rockingham. His duties included overseeing royal grants, assisting in the execution of traitors, keeping state prisoners in custody, paying garrisoned soldiers, and defending the possessions of the Church.

      John de Morteyn was involved in various commissions of array, responsible for raising soldiers for the defense of the realm, especially against threats from France. He was also involved in legal matters as a Commissioner of oyer and terminer, investigating and determining court cases.

      In his later years, John de Morteyn faced a conspiracy by the Augustinian prior of Dunstable, John of Cheddington, who accused him of supporting Henry, Earl of Lancaster. John successfully defended himself, and the prior was imprisoned.

      Sir John de Morteyn passed away in 1346 at about the age of 72 in Bedfordshire, England.

  • Sources 
    1. [S1747] Gary Boyd Roberts, The Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants, (Name: Genealogical Publishing Company; Location: Baltimore, Maryland; Date: 2018;), Volume II; pgs 857-858.

    2. [S2709] Frederick Lewis Weis, Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700; Eighth Edition, (Date: 2004;), Lines 41-43; pages 49-52.


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