Hubert de Burgh

Hubert de Burgh (towards 1165 - May 12th 1243), Count de Kent, Retributive of England and Ireland, was one of the most influential men of England under the reigns of Jean and Henri III.

Biography

Birth and family

Burgh is resulting from a family of the minor nobility which one knows few things. He would be an younger brother of Guillaume de Burgh (about 1160? - 1204), lord of Connaught, Geoffroy de Burgh, bishop of Ely, and Thomas de Burgh, lord of the manor of Norwich. However, the relations between Hubert, Guillaume and his other brothers never were clearly clarified; it is possible that they were brothers or half-brothers, but it can as well be a question cousins. The relations between Hubert de Burgh and the last of the Burgh, counts d' Ulster and lords of Connaught, are not completely clear, because they go down from Guillaume de Burgh.

Youth

It is a minor officer with the service of prince Jean in 1197; it becomes its chamberlain the following year, function which it occupies until Jean becomes king in 1199.

Honors granted by Jean

In the first years of the reign of Jean, the royal favor largely enriches Burgh, which receive the honor of Corfe (in the Somerset) in 1199, and three castles important in the kingdom by Gwent in 1201 (castles of Grosmont, Skenfrith and Llantilio). It becomes also High Shérif Dorset, Somerset, Herefordshire and Berkshire, like lord of the manor of the castles of Launceston and Wallingford.

The following year, of Burgh is named constable Château of Dover and receives the load of Falaise, in Normandy. It is quoted as like having be named Lord Warden of Five-Ports in 1215 and, although it is not established that it occupied into same this office and the functions of police force of the Château of Dover after the war of the barons, it seems to have occupied the two functions lasting one rather long period.

Capture of Arthur

After Jean captured his nephew Arthur of Brittany, his/her niece Aliénor and their allies in 1202, of Borough becomes their geôlier.

There exist several accounts on its behavior in this role, in particular on its complicity in the death of Arthur. Thus, the king would have given the order to Burgh to burst the eyes to him, which this one would have refused to do. This version appears in King John of Shakespeare. However, veracity of these accounts forever been able to be established.

Chinon

In 1203, it obtains the guard of the Château of Chinon, in Touraine, a key of the defense of the valley of the the Loire. De Burgh is named whereas the remainder of the possessions of the Plantagenêts fall to the hands from king de France. Chinon is besieged during one year, before falling finally in June 1205.

During this year, it is trapped with Chinon. Two following years, when he becomes prisoners of the French, of Burgh the majority of its possessions and its functions lose. The reasons of this disgrace were lengthily discussed. After its return in England, in 1207, it acquires new grounds and new offices. Among them, there are the castles of Lafford and Sleaford, as well as functions in the Lincolnshire. However, it is probable that from Borough the essence of its time in the English possessions to France passes, where it is Sénéchal Poitou.

The French invasion

Burgh remains honest towards the king during the rebellion of the barons, at the end of the reign of Jean. The Magna Carta mentions it as one of those which advise with the king to sign the charter, and it is one of the 25 guarantors of its execution.

Burgh plays a prominent part in the defense of England vis-a-vis the invasion of the prince Louis de France, wire of Philippe-Auguste. The primary goal of Louis is to seize the castle of Dover, which is with the load of Burgh. The castle resists a seat prolonged during the summer and, at the end of 1216, Louis withdraws himself. The next summer, Louis cannot continue without reinforcements of France. Burgh joins together a small fleet which demolishes an important French force with the battles of Dover and with the Bataille of Sandwich, which leads finally to the complete withdrawal of the French of England.

Regent of Henri III

After the death of Guillaume the Marshal in 1219, Burgh becomes in fact regent of England. At this station, it creates for itself many enemies and of rivals.

When Henri III is declared major in 1227, Burgh is created Count de Kent and remains one of the most influential people of the Court. But, in 1232, its enemies, who plot against him, end up obtaining the loss of its office and its imprisonment. Two years after, in 1234, Edmund Rich, archbishop of Canterbury negotiates a reconciliation.

Died

He dies in 1243 in Banstead, in the Surrey, in England.

Marriages and descent

De Burgh married with three recoveries:

(1) Beatrice de Warrenne, with whom it had two wire, Jean and Hubert. The elder one inherited the fields but neither of the title of count nor other titles.
(2) Isabelle de Gloucester, ex-wife of the king Jean of England (about 1217)
(3) the Marguerite princess of Scotland, girl of the king Guillaume Ier of Scotland (1221), with which he had a girl, Marguerite (v. 1222-1237), called " Megotta" , which married Richard de Clare, 6th Count d' Hertford and 2nd Count de Gloucester.

Before all these marriages, it was promised in marriage to Jeanne, girl of Guillaume de Reviers, but engagement was broken in 1200.

See too

Family of Borough

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