FITZWALTER, Baron of Little Dunmow Robert
1162 - Abt 1235 (73 years)
Set As Default Person 
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Name FITZWALTER, Robert [1, 2, 3] Title Baron of Little Dunmow Birth 1162 Dunmow Castle, Dunmow, Essex, England 
[1] Gender Male Differentiator Leader of the Magna Carta Barons; chosen by fellow barons to command the army and rebellion against King John Magna Carta 1215 Leader of the Magna Carta Barons; chosen by fellow barons to command the army and rebellion against King John Misc 1215 - Leader of the Magna Charta Barons; chosen by fellow barons to command the army and rebellion against King John Relation to Me 24 GGF Web Address https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Fitzwalter Web Address https://frontlinestates.ltd.uk/2060-2/ Web Address https://magnacarta800th.com/schools/biographies/the-25-barons-of-magna-carta/robert-fitzwalter/ Web Address https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Fitzwalter Web Address https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/FitzWalter-101 Residence Little Dunmow, Essex, England Primary family property Title Constable of Baynard's Castle Title Marshal of the Army of God and Holy Church _MILT 20 May 1217 Fitzwalter fought in the Second Battle of Lincoln, in which the baronial forces were thoroughly defeated. Fitzwalter himself was taken prisoner along with his son and most of the leaders of his party. _MILT Between 1219 and 1221 Fifth Crusade - Holy Land with Earl Saer of Winchester and Earl William d'Aubigny of Arundel. He departed from Genoa in August, shortly after the main force of the crusade left Brindisi, and arrived in Acre some time in September.[19] Before he arri Death Abt 9 Dec 1235 Little Dunmow, Essex, England [1] Burial Little Dunmow, Essex, England [1] Person ID I3150 My Genealogy | Laviolette Ancestry, Laviolette Ancestry Last Modified 4 Feb 2024
Father DE CLARE, Walter Fitz Robert, b. Abt 1124, Little Dunmow, Essex, England d. Abt 1198, Woodham Walter, Essex, England (Age 74 years) Relationship natural Mother DE LUCY, Maud, b. 1135, Diss, Norfolk, England d. 1175, Little Dunmow, Essex, England (Age 40 years) Relationship natural Marriage 1148 Little Dunmow, Essex, England Family ID F899 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 Living Children 1. Living + 2. ROBERT, Sir Walter Fitz, b. Abt 1204, England d. Abt 10 Apr 1258, Little Dunmow, Essex, England (Age 54 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]Family ID F1708 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 4 Feb 2024
Family 2 UNK, Rohese, b. 1180, Essex, England d. 4 Jan 1236, Dunmow, Essex, England (Age 56 years) Marriage 1203 Woodham Walter, Essex, England Children + 1. ROBERT, Sir Walter Fitz, b. Abt 1204, England d. Abt 10 Apr 1258, Little Dunmow, Essex, England (Age 54 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]Family ID F898 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 4 Feb 2024
Children 1. Living + 2. ROBERT, Sir Walter Fitz, b. Abt 1204, England d. Abt 10 Apr 1258, Little Dunmow, Essex, England (Age 54 years) [Father: natural]Family ID F1709 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 4 Feb 2024
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Event Map 
Birth - 1162 - Dunmow Castle, Dunmow, Essex, England 
Marriage - 1203 - Woodham Walter, Essex, England 
Residence - Primary family property - - Little Dunmow, Essex, England Death - Abt 9 Dec 1235 - Little Dunmow, Essex, England Burial - - Little Dunmow, Essex, England = Link to Google Earth
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Photos 
Histories 
The Magna Carta A Descendant's Journey Through History Baynard's castle FitzWalter 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.
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Notes - Robert FitzWalter, born around 1180 and dying in 1235, was a prominent figure in the baronial opposition against King John of England, playing a significant role in the events leading up to the Magna Carta. He was the son of Walter FitzRobert of Woodham Walter and Maud de Lucy. Robert FitzWalter was the leader of the Magna Charta Barons and their Army, styled "Marshal of the Army of God and the Holy Church.
Inheriting his father's estates in 1198, Robert became one of the wealthiest and most powerful English barons. His lands were spread across several counties, including the Barony of Little Dunmow in Essex and the Barony of Benington in Hertfordshire. His marriage to Gunnora de Valoines brought him additional lands and knight's fees.
Robert's early life was marked by controversy, particularly his and Saer de Quincy's surrender of the castle of Vaudreuil in Normandy to King Philip of France in 1203. This act, which occurred without resistance, led to accusations of cowardice and collusion with the enemy, though the true motives behind their actions remain unclear.
The relationship between Robert and King John deteriorated significantly in 1212. The exact reasons for this are not entirely clear, but chroniclers suggest various causes, including a personal dispute over rights in Binham Priory and a more serious accusation involving John's alleged attempt to seduce Robert's daughter Matilda. Additionally, Robert's ties with the Braose family, who were enemies of John, likely contributed to the tension.
Robert and Eustace de Vesci fled England in 1212, with Robert seeking refuge in France. They were reconciled with King John in 1213 as part of a general settlement with the Church, but Robert's relationship with the king remained strained.
By 1215, Robert emerged as a leader in the baronial opposition. He was present at the meeting at Bury St Edmunds, where the barons swore to compel John to confirm the coronation charter of Henry I. He played a key role in the rebellion, leading to the sealing of the Magna Carta. Robert was appointed as one of the Twenty Five barons responsible for enforcing the charter's provisions.
Following the rejection of the Magna Carta by King John, civil war ensued. Robert was instrumental in maintaining baronial control of London and played a significant role in the ensuing conflict. He was captured at the Battle of Lincoln in 1217 but was released following the conclusion of peace.
Robert later participated in the Fifth Crusade and returned to England to witness the final reissue of the Magna Carta in 1225. He died on 9 December 1235 and was buried at Dunmow Priory. His life was marked by his opposition to King John and his significant contribution to the Magna Carta, a cornerstone of English constitutional history.
- Robert FitzWalter, born around 1180 and dying in 1235, was a prominent figure in the baronial opposition against King John of England, playing a significant role in the events leading up to the Magna Carta. He was the son of Walter FitzRobert of Woodham Walter and Maud de Lucy. Robert FitzWalter was the leader of the Magna Charta Barons and their Army, styled "Marshal of the Army of God and the Holy Church.
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Sources - [S1413] Ancestry.com, UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012;).
- [S1797] Magna Carta Ancestry, (2011), Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, Royal Ancestry series, 2nd edition, 4 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham, (Salt Lake City, Utah: the author, 2011), volume II, page 40, 97, [Gov.] Thomas Dudley, #18.
- [S1798] WikiTree: Thomas Dudley.
- [S1413] Ancestry.com, UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012;).
