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Sir Robert de Ferrers

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Sir Robert de Ferrers

Birth
Tutbury, East Staffordshire Borough, Staffordshire, England
Death
1139 (aged 76–77)
Staffordshire, England
Burial
Merevale, North Warwickshire Borough, Warwickshire, England Add to Map
Memorial ID
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1st Earl of Derby, younger son of Henry de Ferrières and Bertha Roberts I'Aigle.

Husband of Hawise de Vitre, the daughter of Andre de Vitre and Agnes de Mortaigne. They had one son, Sir Robert Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby.

Sir Robert was born at Ferrieres, Normandy, France, and his family had the grant of Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire and 114 manors in Derbyshire as a result of his father's contribution to William the Conqueror's invasion of England in 1066.

Sir robert was a supporter of King Henry I. As part of his tenure of Duffield Frith in 1129-30, he is on record as having interests in lead mines at Wirksworth, and he granted the church of Potterspury, Northamptonshire, to Bernard the Scribe.

Later he supported King Stephen, taking Derbyshire men northwards to fight off an invasion of the Scots under King David I of Scotland. Little actual fighting took place, but Thurstan, Archbishop of York, won the Battle of the Standard on Stephen's behalf in 1138. Robert was rewarded by becoming the Earl of Derby.

He died in the following year, 1139 and was succeeded by his second but eldest surviving son Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby, regarded as Robert de Ferrers the Younger.
1st Earl of Derby, younger son of Henry de Ferrières and Bertha Roberts I'Aigle.

Husband of Hawise de Vitre, the daughter of Andre de Vitre and Agnes de Mortaigne. They had one son, Sir Robert Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby.

Sir Robert was born at Ferrieres, Normandy, France, and his family had the grant of Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire and 114 manors in Derbyshire as a result of his father's contribution to William the Conqueror's invasion of England in 1066.

Sir robert was a supporter of King Henry I. As part of his tenure of Duffield Frith in 1129-30, he is on record as having interests in lead mines at Wirksworth, and he granted the church of Potterspury, Northamptonshire, to Bernard the Scribe.

Later he supported King Stephen, taking Derbyshire men northwards to fight off an invasion of the Scots under King David I of Scotland. Little actual fighting took place, but Thurstan, Archbishop of York, won the Battle of the Standard on Stephen's behalf in 1138. Robert was rewarded by becoming the Earl of Derby.

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


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