William de Braose, 1st Baron Braose
William de Braose, 1st Baron Braose (* 1220, † January 6, 1291 ), was a Cambro -Norman nobleman and Baron of Bramber and Gower. He was the eldest son of John de Braose and his wife Margaret, a daughter of Llywelyn from Iorwerth.
William was 12 years old when his father died. The guardianship of him and his legacy took Peter de Rivaux, after his overthrow in 1234 of the king's brother, Richard of Cornwall. He was declared of age in 1241 and was ninth Baron of Bramber and Gower. With the neighboring Welsh prince Rhys Fychan, Lord of Dinefwr Castle in Ystrad Tywi, he led a long-standing border dispute. Rhys Fychan destroyed in 1252 a new castle, whose position can not be determined precisely, of William, in 1257 he raided and plundered it Gower. Because of this threat, he built his castles in Gower from, in addition to Loughor and Pennard Castle especially his main residence of Oystermouth Castle. Swansea Castle he had also continued to reinforce, but also expand by a magnificent building called New Castle. Another threat to his rule was the Earl of Warwick, who led a lawsuit against William to make the assignment of Gower by his ancestors in 1184 reversed. However, this method was William win in 1278.
From 1277 he had to participate in the conquest of Wales himself in the wars of Edward I. In December 1284 he was visited by the King in Oystermouth Castle, and Williams followers of Bramber and Gower fought against Llywelyn ap Gruffydd. In the rebellion of Rhys ap Maredudd, the insurgents were 1287 briefly Oystermouth Castle occupied, in return troops under his son William in January 1288 a leading role in the conquest of Newcastle Emlyn Castle, the last stronghold Rhys ap Maredudds. In April and May 1290, he was a Baron Braose Member of Parliament. He died on January 6, 1291 and was buried in the Priory of Sele.
He was married three times:
- In his first marriage with Alina, daughter of Thomas de Multon, Lord of Gilsland. The marriage produced his son and heir William de Braose emerged.
- In his second marriage with Agnes, daughter of Nicholas de Moeles, the manager of the royal castles of Cardigan and Carmarthen. By this marriage he acquired the manor of Woodlands in Dorset, he had a son with Agnes, Giles of Knolton and Woodlands.
- In his third marriage, he was married to Mary, a daughter of Robert de Ros, who had participated in the rebellion of the Barons 1264/65, but was pardoned after the Battle of Evesham of Prince Edward. From this marriage the children of Richard Tetbury, Tetbury of Peter, Margaret and William were born.
To the backward extending from his marriages hereditary claims he led several court cases. His eldest son William inherited Bramber and Gower, his son Giles from his second marriage inherited Woodlands, his son Richard inherited from his third marriage Tetbury.