William de Cantelou Steward to the Household of King John
- Marriage: Mesceline de Braci
- Died: 7 Apr 1239, Reading, Warwickshire, England 185,1009,1121
- Buried: 1239, Studely, Yorkshire, England 1009
 Another name for William was William de Cantilupe.
General Notes:
~ Rev. Robert Eyton, Antiquities of Shropshire, Vol. XI, p. 146, William de Cantilupe was married to Mascelina, daughter of Audult de Bracy. Willilliam died at a very great age on 7 Apr 1239. His son and heir, William II, was most likely his son by his wife Mascelina. 1121
Information about this person:
• Background Information. 185
William Cantilupe was living during the reign of King John. He was steward of the household, and one of the chief cousellors who remained faithful to John. William joined the Barons for a brief time, but returned his loyalty to King John, and was rewarded for his allegience. He received the forfeited lands of rebellious barons as a reward from the King. Included in this was Kenilworth Castle, which he made his principal residence. Henry III kept Catilupe in his office as Steward, and Catilupe continued to increase his land holding. He bought the wardship of the heirs of five great estates; matching one heiress with a brother, andother with a son and keeping a third for himself. He died in 1238, leaving five sons, William, Walter, John, Nicholas and Thomas.
~ The Battle Abbey Roll: with Some Account of the Norman Linages, Vol. I, p. 238
• Background Information. 1009
William de Cantelupe, first Baron Cantelupe, was the son of Walter de Cantelupe, and had the office of seneschal, or steward of the household, under John. He executed the office of sheriff for the counties of Warwick, Leicester, Worcester and Hereford during part of John's reign. He is especially mentioned by Wendover as one of John's "eveil cousellors," and was not one of the confederate barons in 1215. In the earlier portion of John's reign, he was one of the justiciars before whom fines were acknowledged; his name is among those who witnessed John's charter of freedom of election to sees and abbeys. He was in continual attendance on John, taking his side through the interdict and the civil war. After the entrance of the barons into London, and their threats against those who had not joined them, he seemed to waver [Wendover; Matt. Paris, ii 588]. On John's death, however, he took the side of the young Henry, was at the siege of Mountsorrel Castle, of the custody of which he had a grant, and at the relief of Lincoln. He was again made sheriff for the counties of Warwick and Leicester, and justice itinerant in Bedfordshire in 1218. He had custody of Kenilworth Castle, where he usually resided. In 1224, in joined Ranulf Blundevil, the earl of Chester, in his rising against Hubert de Burgh; but he submitted at Northampton and surrendered his castles with the other barons in opposition. He was with the king at the siege of Bedford Castle in 1224, and was one of those who signed the confirmation of the Magna Charta in 12376. He died at Reading in April 1239, and was buried at Studley, where he build a hospital.
[Sources cited by author: Annales Monast. i. 104, 112, iii. 31, 37, 100, 122, iv. 430; Matt. Paris, ii. 533, 588, 610, iii. 15, 18, 83; Dugdale's Baronage; Foss's Judges]
~ Rev. H. R. Luard, The Dictionary of National Biography, Vol. III, p. 906
William married Mesceline de Braci, daughter of Adulf de Braci and Unknown.
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