Third Generation  

6. 1st Earl Robert de FERRERS of Derby [123566] (Henry of Ferrières-Saint-Hilaire and Chambray (Sir)², Walkelin de Ferrières-Saint-Hilaire (Seigneur)¹) was born on 9 Jul 1062 in Tutbury Staffordshire England and died on 1 Jun 1139 in Chartley Staffordshire England at age 76.

General Notes: Wikipedia says of this Robert,
Robert I de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby (c. 1068 \endash 1139) was born in Derbyshire, England, a younger son of Henry de Ferrières and his wife Bertha (perhaps l'Aigle). His father, born in Ferrières, Normandy, France accompanied William the Conqueror during his invasion of England. The family was rewarded with a grant of Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire and 114 manors in Derbyshire.

Robert's elder brother William's main interests were in France. He joined Robert Curthose and was captured at Tinchebray. His other brother Engenulf died shortly after his father and so Robert succeeded to the estates in 1088.

From the beginning, he gave great support to Henry I. As part of his tenure of Duffield Frith in 1129\endash 30, he is on record as having interests in lead mines at Wirksworth. At about this time he granted the church of Potterspury, Northamptonshire, to Bernard the Scribe.

It is, however, during his last years that he is most in evidence as a leading supporter of King Stephen. He took a large body of Derbyshire men northwards to assist in repelling an invasion of the Scots under King David I of Scotland, nominally on the behalf of Matilda. Little actual fighting took place, but Thurstan, Archbishop of York, won the Battle of the Standard on Stephen's behalf, fought near Northallerton, on 22 August 1138.

Robert was mainly instrumental in securing the victory for his Sovereign, who for this and other important services created him Earl of Derby, although charters and chronicles during this period refer to him interchangeably as Earl of Ferrers, Earl of Nottingham or Earl of Derby.

He died in the following year (1139) and was succeeded in his earldom by his second but eldest surviving son Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby, often known as Robert de Ferrers the Younger.

As with most Norman lords, the Ferrers brought their Norman underlords to England with them \endash in this case, the Curzon (of Kedleston), Livet (Levett) and Boscherville (Baskerville) families, who held their fiefs in Normandy from the Ferrers, and who subsequently held their English lands from Ferrers as well. (The undertenant family names derive from Notre-Dame-de-Courson, Livet-en-Ouche and Boscherville, all part of the Ferrers barony in Normandy.) These undertenant retained their ties to the Ferrers after the families had moved to England following the Norman Conquest.

Robert married Countess Hawise de VITRE of Derby [123567]. Hawise was born about 17 Jun 1069 in Vitré Ille-et-Vilaine Bretagne France and died about 1 Jun 139 in Brittany France aged about -930.

Children from this marriage were:

   13    i. William de FERRERS [123568] was born in 1088 in Derby Derbyshire England and died before 1139 in London Middlesex England.

+ 14    ii. Sir Robert de FERRERS 2nd Earl of Derby [122636] was born on 27 May 1090 in Derbyshire England and died about 1160 in Warwickshire England aged about 70.

   15    iii. Walcheline de FERRERS [123569] was born about 1092 in Oakham Derby Derbyshire England and died before 1139.

   16    iv. Maud de FERRERS [123570] was born about 1096 in Derbyshire England and died in 1150 in Farnham Royal Buckinghamshire England aged about 54.

   17    v. Isabella de FERRERS [123571] was born in 1105 in Tutbury Staffordshire England and died in 1123 in Shelford Nottinghamshire England at age 18.

   18    vi. Hawise de FERRERS [123572] was born about 1112 in Tutbury Staffordshire England and died in 1139 in England aged about 27.

   19    vii. Petronella de FERRERS [123573] .