Sir Roger de Mortimer 6th Baron of Mortimer of Wigmore

  General Notes:

~Per Weis' Ancestral Roots. . . 27:29, 28:29, 67:29, 77:29, 6th boron Mortimer of Wigmore. ¹⁶⁰

  Information about this person:

• Background Information. ⁸¹⁴
According to Sir Christopher Banks, Roger de Mortimer was famous for the tournament he held at Denilworth, during the reign of Edward I, where he entertained one hundred knights and as many ladies for three days, the "like whereof had never before been known in England."

Roger de Mortimer died about 10 Edward I. He was married to coheiress, Maud, one of the daughters of William de Braose, of Brecknock, and wife Eve, one of the sisters and coheirs of Anselum Mareschall the last of his name as Earl of Pembroke. Roger and Maud had serveral sons, the eldest, Sir Ralph, died in the lifetime of his father. Edmund was his successor, son Roger was lord of Chirke, son Sir William died without children, and son Sir Geffery died "vitâ patris."

~Baronia Anglica Concentrata, Vol. I, pp. 335-336

• Background Information. ¹⁴¹
Roger de Mortimer, son and heir, a minor at his father's death, is said to have been born at his father's castle of Cwmaron. He had livery of his inheritance 26 Feb 1246/7. At Whitsuntide 1253, was made a knight by the King at Winchester. He was serving in Gascony in 1253, and 1254, and from 1255 to 1264 was chiefly occupied with his duties on the March, opposing the successes of his cousin Llewelyn ap Griffith, who was gradually uniting all the Welsh chieftains under his leadership. In the disputes between the King and the Barons in 1258, Mortimer at first took the Barons' side, and was one of the twelve chosen by them to act with twelve chosen by the King, and one of the twenty-four appointed to treat about an aid for the King.

In October 1258, Roger attested the King's proclamation for the observance of the Provisions of Oxford, and in Apr 1259 was sworn of the King's Council. The "Provisions" drawn up by the Barons in that year directed that Roger de Mortimer and Philip Basset should accompany the Justiciar. On 11 June of that year he was appointed one of the commissioners to demand satisfaction from Llewelyn for breaches of the truce, which on 25 June was prolonged for one year. He was present at the confirmation of the treaty with France, 21 July 1259. On 19 May 1260 the Council of Magnates appointed him constable of Hereford Castle. On 17 July following he arrived in London to attend a Council, and on that day Llewelyn's men took Builth Castle, of which Mortimer had custody for Prince Edward.

In December 1260, Roger had a license to take game and to fish along the Thames and its tributaries. In December 1261 he was commanded to send his seal, if he were unable to come in person, to have it affixed to the writing made of peace between the King and the Barons. The whole of the years 1262 and 1263 he spent in fighting Llewelyn with varying success. On 3 Dec 1263 he was one of the armed nobles with the King when Henry demanded, and was refused, entry to Dover Castle. In January following. he attested, on the King's side, the submission of the quarrel between Henry and the Barons to Louis, King of France. On 6 April 1264 he was with the King at the taking of Northampton, and captured a number of prisoners. In May was with the King at Lewes, but fled from the field to Pevensey. He and others who had fled were allowed to return home, giving hostages that they would come to Parliament, when summoned, and stand trial by their peers. Mortimer and the other Lords Marchers did not attend Montfort's "Parliament" at Midsummer 1264, but were constrained to make peace with him in August.

In September Mortimer, as constable of Cardigan, was ordered to give up the castle to Guy de Brien, Montfort's nominee. The Marchers again broke the truce, but before Christmas Montfort and Llewelyn finally reduced them to submission. Soon afterwards Roger and the others were banished to Ireland for a year, but did not go. In December he had safe conduct to see the King and Prince Edward, who was at Kenilworth. In June 1265, he was among the "rebels holding certain towns and castles throughout the land, and raising new wars." Later in the same month he contrived the plan, and furnished the swift horse, by means of which Prince Edward escaped from Hereford Castle and came to Wigmore, where he and Roger de Clifford rode out to meet him and drove off his pursuers. At Evesham, on 4 August 1265, Mortimer commanded the rearguard, and after Montfort's death his head was sent to Mortimer's wife at Wigmore. Mortimer was liberally rewarded, receiving, among other grants, the "county and honor" of Oxford with lands forfeited by Robert de Vere.

In September 1265, he was at the Parliament at Winchester. From Easter 1266 to Michaelmas 1267 he was sheriff of Hereford. On 4 May 1266 he, with Edmund the King's son, and others, was given power to repress the King's enemies. On 15 May, the Welsh at Brecknock, defeated him and he barely escaped. He took part in the siege of Kenilworth in June 1266. In February 1266/7 he quarreled with Gloucester over the treatment of the "disinherited," whom Gloucester favored. He was present at the Council at Westminster, 12 Feb 1269/70.

Shortly before Prince Edward sailed for the Holy Land, August 1270, Roger was made one of the trustees for the Prince's estates during his absence on the Crusade. On 12 Sep 1271 he was summoned to "Parliament" at Westminster. In December 1272 he put down a threatened rising in the North, and the following February was sent to Chester to inquire into complaints against Reynold de Grey, justice there. In 1274 and 1275, he sat as a justice. He was one of the magnates having large interests in Ireland present in Parliament at Westminster, 19 May 1275, who granted the same export duties on wool and hides in their ports in Ireland as had been granted by the lords in England.

In October following Roger was chief assessor of a subsidy in Salop and Staffs. On 12 Nov 1276 he was one of the magnates at Westminster who gave judgment against Llewelyn. Four days later was appointed "captain" of Salop and Stafford and Hereford and the Marches against the Welsh prince. In 1279, he held a splendid tournament at Kenilworth. On 27 Oct 1282 the King ordered, "as a special favor which has never been granted before," that if Roger should die during his present illness, the executors of his will should not be impeded by reason of his debts to the Exchequer.

Roger married, in 1247, Maud, eldest daughter and coheir of William de Braose, by Eve, sister and coheir of Walter Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, Marshal of England, daughter of William, 4th Earl of Pembroke, Marshal of England. Roger died shortly before 30 Oct 1282, at Kingsland, Hereford, and was buried at Wigmore, being aged about 50, and in harness to the end. His widow Maud had various instructions during the Welsh wars, as had other barons of the March. In 1292 she had protection, as staying in Wales on the King's service. She died shortly before 23 March 1300/ 1, when the writ to the escheator issued

In 1303, a further inquisition was taken on the lands of Roger and Maud. They had issue male: Ralph, the eldest son, dvp.; Edmund, the 2nd son, succeeded his father; Roger "of Chirk" called erroneously, son and heir of Dame Maud de Mortimer in 1270; William, who was hostage for his father in Aug 1264, and married Hawise, daughter and heir of Robert de Muscegros, and dsp. shortly before June 1297. In 1300 Hawise had license to marry John, son of Robert de Ferrières. Roger and Maud had daughters Margaret, who was to married Robert de Vere, and Isabel, married John Fitz Alan.

~Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2nd Edition, (Mortimer of Wigmore), Vol. IX. pp. 276-681, Vol. XIV, p. 488

Roger married Maud de Braose, daughter of William de Braose Lord Brecknock, Abergavenny. Baron of Braiose and Eve Marshall of Pembroke, about 1247 ^141,160.^,528 (Maud de Braose was born about 1226 in Breconshire, Wales and died before 23 Mar 1301 in Wales.)