Robert Corbet, lord of Alcester

ROBERT [I] Corbet

From Medlands:

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLISHNOBILITYMEDIEVAL3.htm#SibylC...

(-after 1124).  Domesday Book records that "Robert Fitz Corbet" held the manors of Woodcote, parish of Shrewsbury St Chad, and Longden, both in Shropshire[1815].  Henry I King of England granted the manor of Alcester, Warwickshire to Robert Corbet[1816].  "Rogerius filius Corbet, Robertus frater eius" subscribed the charter dated to [May 1121] under which Henry I King of England confirmed Shrewsbury abbey[1817].  A manuscript reciting the foundation of Shrewsbury abbey records donations including by "Robertus Corbeth" of “villam…Lochetonam”, with the consent of "filius eius Robertus"[1818].  "…Robto Corbet…" witnessed the charter dated to [1119/24] under which "David comes filii Malcolmi regis Scotorum" founded the monastery of Kelso[1819].  "…Robertus Corbet…" witnessed the charter, dated to the reign of Alexander I King of Scotland, under which "David predicti regis Scotie germanum…Cumbrensis regionis princeps" listed the lands of the church of Glasgow[1820].  "…Rob Corbet…" witnessed the undated charter under which David I King of Scotland donated property to "ecclesie sci Johis de castro de Rokesburg"[1821].  m [firstly] ---.  The name of Robert´s [first] wife is not known.  m [secondly] ---.  The name of Robert´s [second] wife is not known.  The fact of this second marriage is suggested by the difference in age between his two daughters, as explained below. 

===Robert & his [first] wife had one child:===

a) SIBYL Corbet

([1090/95]-after 1157).  The Complete Peerage deduces her parentage, relationship with King Henry, and her marriage from a charter, dated to [1163/75], of her son "Reginaldus, Henrici Regis filius, comes Cornubiæ" by which he granted property to "Willielmo de Boterell, filio Aliziæ Corbet, materteræ meæ" which he had granted to "Willielmo de Boterells in Cornubia, patri…predicti Willielmi" on his marriage, witnessed by "Nicholao filio meo…Herberto filio Herberti, Baldwino et Ricardo nepotibus meis, Willelmo de Vernun, Willielmo fratre meo…Hugone de Dunstanvill…"[1822].  The [1125/35] birth date range estimated for her son Herbert, born from this marriage, suggests that she married after her relationship with the king.  Lady of Alcester and Pontesbury.  The Pipe Roll of 1157 records a payment to "the mother of Earl Reginald" from an estate at Mienes, Sussex[1823].  Mistress ([1110/15]%29 of HENRY I King of England, son of WILLIAM I "the Conqueror" King of England & his wife Mathilde de Flandre (Selby, Yorkshire Sep 1068-Château de Lyon-la-Forêt, near Rouen 1 Dec 1135, bur Reading Abbey, Berkshire).  m ([1115/25]) HERBERT FitzHerbert, son of HERBERT FitzHenry & his first wife Emma de Blois (-before 1165).  

===Robert & his [second] wife had two children: ===

b) ROBERT [II] Corbet

(-after Jul 1141). "…Roberto Corbet…" is named as present at a second donation by “Mylo constabularius de Gloucestria” to Lanthony abbey, undated but following an earlier donation dated 1137[1824]. It is not known with certainty that this Robert Corbet was the son of the earlier Robert Corbet. However, the latter would have been very old at the time if the charter refers to him. A manuscript reciting the foundation of Shrewsbury abbey records donations including by "Robertus Corbeth" of “villam…Lochetonam”, with the consent of "filius eius Robertus"[1825]. "…Rob Corbet…" witnessed the charter dated [Jul 1141/Dec 1142] under which Empress Matilda permitted "Milon com Heref" to hold the castle and honour of Abergavenny, from "Bri fil com et Matild de Walengeford uxor sue"[1826]. The absence of any later reference either to Robert [II] or to any possible children suggests that he died childless, maybe before he married, which in turn would suggest that he may have been born from his father´s supposed second marriage. Another possibility is that he settled in Scotland, where Walter Corbet and his descendants are recorded from the end of the 12th century (see the document UNTITLED SCOTTISH NOBILITY).

c) ALICE Corbet
([1115/20]-). Eyton states that "Alice, daughter and eventual co-heir of Robert fitz Corbet married William Botterell of Cornwall", adding that the marriage must be dated to after 1140 as on her marriage her nephew Renaud Earl of Cornwall gave her property at "Cracunton and Bidun", both in Cornwall, which he assesses would only have been his after his installation as earl in that year[1827]. Renaud Earl of Cornwall issued a charter for William de Boterel which names his mother "matertere mee Aliz Corbet"[1828]. However, if this is correct, it is extremely unlikely that Alice could have been born from the same marriage of her father as her sister Sibyl. m (1140 or after) WILLIAM Boterel [I], son of --- (-[1165/75]). Military fee certifications in the Red Book of the Exchequer, in 1166, record that "Willelmus de Boterellis" held one knight´s fee from the bishop of Exeter in Devon and twelve knights´ fees from "comitis Reginaldi" in Cornwall[1829].

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Robert Corbet, Lord of Alcester, was of Longden in Shropshire, and of Alcester in Warwickshire.

He was a Domesday tenant of Earl Roger in Shropshire in 1084.

See "My Lines"

( http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cousin/html/p63.htm#i8067 )

from Compiler: R. B. Stewart, Evans, GA

( http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cousin/html/index.htm )

Robert Corbet, Lord of Alcester was of Longden at Shropshire, England.2 He was fourth son of Corbet.3,4 He was of Alcester at Warwickshire, England.2 He was born circa 1060?. He was the son of Corbet de Normandie.1 Robert Corbet, Lord of Alcester was a Domesday tenant of Earl Roger in Shropshire in 1084.1

Caux Castle was built by Roger fitz Corbet (1050–1134) a domesday founder for his family, and is named for his homeland in Pays de Caux, Normandy, France, and was the seat of their Marcher Lordships granted under Roger de Montgomery (Roger de Montgomeri), Earl of Shrewsbury (Shropshire) and King William the Conqueror.

The early outer earthworks of the site are probably an Iron Age hillfort, while the later motte-and-bailey is of Norman construction.

Roger le Corbet (or Fitz Corbet) was granted several manors in Shropshire in 1069 by William the Conqueror as the Barony of Caus for his role in the Norman conquest and invasion of England. They were named after his Normandy estate in the Pays de Caux. The Corbets owed fealty to Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury to help control Welsh Marches with absolute control over their demesne. Caus Castle was built by Roger le Corbet in the late 11th century as a high motte with a very small summit on which stood a tower and a strongly defended inner bailey.

The castle was sufficiently important that the Crown took an interest in its maintenance. Henry II of England had it garrisoned in 1165. In 1198 Roger Corbet re-built the tower, keep and curtain wall in stone. During the late 12th century a town or borough was founded in the large outer Bailey. A royal grant of 50 marks was made in 1263 towards further building work, when D-shape towers were added to the curtain wall. On the death of Beatrice Corbet in 1347 Caus passed to the Earl of Stafford.

Caus was garrisoned by the Seneschal Griffith ap Ieuan ap Madoc ap Gwenwys against the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr in the 15th century, but following calls from Welsh graduates in law and students in the University of Oxford he changed sides and supported Glyndŵr. As a result his family lands and role at Caus Castle were forfeited in 1404, only to be restored by Henry V of England in 1419 after his sons Ieuan ap Griffith and Sir Gruffudd Vychan captured John Oldcastle for Lord Charlton of Powys.

On 10 Aug. 1443, at Caus Castle Sir Gruffudd Vychan pierced with a lance the heart of his master, Sir Christopher Talbot (1419–1443), son of John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, and the champion tilter of England. He was outlawed, a reward of 500 marks (£166 6s 8d) offered for his capture, and his lands were passed to John Sutton, 1st Baron Dudley, as the death of the young knight was not regarded as an accident. The Earl of Stafford rarely used the castle in the 15th and 16th centuries so that it decayed, and was finally deserted after it was destroyed in 1645.

Grazebrook's chart on page 133 indicates a older brother for Rogerus Corbet: "Robertus cognominatus Corbet flouit tempore Will's Conq. vt apparet in Registro abbathæ de Salop a◦ 1187 (witnessed the charter of Henry I. to the Abbey of Shrewsbury 1121; held fifteen manors in Salop (county Shropshire). Arms: Or, a raven sable, a label of two points azure (Grazebrook, 1623 Visit, p. 133).

This Robert Corbet had sons and a daughter: Robertus Corbet de Alcester in comn. Warr; Henricus ==Sibilla ==Henricus 1 Rex Anglae; and Alicia vx. Willelmi Botreaux. Three chart pages of descendants in Shropshire. This chart has three generations on page 133, continued pages 134 to 138.

Grazebrook states Robert FitzCorbet held 15 manors. In Hinde's Domesday, I found 12 in Shropshire alloted by Earl Roger Montgomery. Hinde's had about 31 for his brother Roger. Roger Corbet, however, held four or five jointly with Earl Roger Montgomery. Robert and Roger Corbet were in seizen together in Rorrington and The Marsh. Robert had Picot with him in Brompton, and an Ertein (pre-conquest holder) sharing Middleton. Brompton [Brantune] in Berrington; Choulton [Cautune]; Longdon [Langedune]; Marrington [Mentune]; Middleton [Mildetune] in Chirbury, Robert FitzCorbet and Ertein; Priest Weston [Westune]; Ratlinghope [Roetelingehope]; Rorrington [Roritune], Roger and Robert Corbet, sons of Corbet; The Marsh [Me(r)sse], Roger and Robert Corbet, sons of Corbet; Womerton [Umbruntune]; Woodcote [Udecote] in Bicton; Woolsaston [Ulestanestune] Robert FitzCorbet.

Keats-Rohan, K.S.B. Domesday People: A Prosopography of Persons Occuring in English Documents, 1066-1166. I Domesday Book. The Boydell Press, 1999. p. 400.