Robert "Fursan" DE ROS, 1st Baron Ros of Helmsley
- Born: Between 1172 and 1173
- Married: Early 1191, Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland
- Died: Shortly before 23 Dec 1226, Helmsley Castle, North Ride Yorkshire, England
 Orthographic variation: DE ROOS
Research Notes:
The Liber Memorandorum Ecclesie de Bernewelle records that "Albreda de Harecurt" was mother of three sisters "Roysia, Hyllaria et Agatha", adding that Rohese was mother of "Robertus de Ros senior". A manuscript narrating the foundation of Rievaulx Abbey records that “Everardum de Roos” married “Rosam”, by whom he was father of “Robertum de Roos dictum Fursan”. The Rotuli de Dominabus of 1185 records “uxor Everardi de Ros que fuit filia Willelmi Trussebut…xxxv” and her land “in Strowestone”, adding that she had "ii filios, primogenitus est xiii annorum et terra eius est in custodia Ranulfi de Glanville".
The Red Book of the Exchequer, listing scutage payments in [1190/91], records "Robertus de Ros" paying "lx s x d" in Yorkshire. The Red Book of the Exchequer, listing scutage payments in [1194/95], records "Robertus de Ros" paying "vi l xviii s" in Yorkshire. The Red Book of the Exchequer records "Robertus de Ros" holding parts of one knight’s fee in "Hokintone" in Norfolk, Suffolk, and "baronium de Werc" with two knights’ fees in Northumberland, in [1210/12]. The Testa de Nevill includes a writ of King John dated 1212 which records "Robertus de Ros" holding "baroniam de Werke" in Northumberland which had been granted by King Henry I "vel datum per marritagium vel elemosinam vel aliquo modo".
Bailiff of the royal castellany of Bonneville sur Toques in Normandy. Sheriff of Cumberland 1213-1215. He was one of the barons appointed to enforce Magna Carta. He became a Templar, and retired from secular life in 1226. A manuscript narrating the foundation of Rievaulx Abbey records that “Robertum de Roos dictum Fursan” became “Templarius” and was buried "Londini". 1
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Robert de Ros, surnamed Fursan, in the 1st Richard I [1189], paid 1,000 marks fine to the crown for livery of his lands. In the 8th of the same reign [1197], being with the king in Normandy, he was committed to the custody of Hugh de Chaumont, for what offence appears not; with especial charge to the said Hugh, that he should keep him as safe as his own life; but Chaumont trusting William de Spiney with his prisoner, that person being corrupted, allowed him to escape out of the castle of Bonville. de Ros eventually gained nothing, however, by this escape, for Richard caused him nevertheless to pay 1,200 marks for his freedom, while he had the false traitor Spiney, hanged for his breach of faith. In the next reign, however, Robert de Ros found more favour, for upon the accession of King John, that monarch gave him the whole barony of his great-grandmother's father, Walter Espee, to enjoy in as large and ample a manner as he, the said Walter, ever held it. Soon after which he was deputed, with the bishop of Durham, and other great men, to escort William, King of Scotland into England, which monarch coming to Lincoln, swore fealty there to King John, upon the cross of Hubert, archbishop of Canterbury, in the presence of all the people. About the 14th of King John's reign [1213], Robert de Ros assumed the habit of a monk, whereupon the custody of all his lands, viz., Werke Castle, in the co. Northumberland, with his whole barony, was committed to Philip de Ulcote, but he did not continue long a recluse, for we find him the very next year executing the office of sheriff for the county of Cumberland. At the commencement of the struggle between the barons and John, this feudal lord took part with the king, and obtained, in consequence, some grants from the crown; but he subsequently espoused the baronial cause, and was one of the celebrated twenty-five appointed to enforce the observance of Magna Charter. In the reign of King Henry III he seems, however, to have returned to his allegiance, and to have been in favour with that prince, for the year after the king's accession, a precept was issued by the crown to the sheriff of Cumberland, ordering the restoration of certain manors granted by King John to de Ros. This feudal lord was the founder of the castle of Helmsley, otherwise Hamlake, in Yorkshire, and of the castle of Werke in Northumberland -- the former of which he bequeathed to his eldest son--the latter to the younger, with a barony in Scotland to be held of the elder by military service. In his latter days he became a Knight Templar, to which order himself and his predecessors had ever been munificently liberal, and dying in that habit, anno 1227, was buried in the Temple Church. Robert de Ros m. Isabel, natural dau. of William the Lion, King of Scotland, and widow of Robert de Brus, and had issue two sons, William, his successor; and Robert, Baron Ros of Werke. He was succeeded by his elder son. 2
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The count of Aumale, the earl Warenne, J. constable of Chester, the constable of Tickhill , Robert de Ros and Hugh de Balliol were summoned to come before the barons of the Exchequer at Trinity in 15 days to answer why they have hindered the sheriff of Yorkshire in taking the king’s pleas and doing as others ought to do and are accustomed to do in the same county to the king’s advantage, so that he has been and is unable to pay his farm and to answer for the debts of the king and other things for which he has summons.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 2 Hen. III, 52
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Henry de Boulogne gives the king 10 marks for having a writ to summon Gilbert de Gant , Gilbert son of Reinfrid, William of Romanby , and Robert de Ros before the itinerant justices in Yorkshire to answer him for the 200 marks that they owe him . He has the writ. Order to the sheriff of Yorkshire to take security from Henry for those 10 marks to the king’s use.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 3 Hen. III, 80
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Robert de Ros has made fine with the king by 50 marks for having custody of the land and heir of William son of Ralph , with the marriage of the heir, of which he is to render 25 marks to the king at Easter forthcoming in the seventh year and 25 marks at Michaelmas next following in the same year...
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 7 Hen. III, 78
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To the sheriff of Yorkshire . The king has taken the homage of William de Ros for the lands and fees which Robert de Ros, his father, held of the king in chief and which fall to William by hereditary right. Order that, having accepted security from William for rendering £100 to the king for his relief, he is to cause him to have full seisin without delay of the lands and fees that Robert held of the king in chief and that fall to him by inheritance in his bailiwick. He is also to cause the sheriff of Lincolnshire to know by his letters when he has accepted security from him for the aforesaid relief, whom the king has ordered that when the sheriff [of Yorkshire] signifies this to him, he is to cause William to have full seisin of the lands and fees that Robert held of the king in chief and that fall to him by inheritance in his bailiwick.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 11 Hen. III, 44
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Order to the sheriff of Yorkshire to place in respite the demand he makes by summons of the Exchequer from William de Ros for a debt of Robert de Ros, his father, until upon his account at the Exchequer of Michaelmas in the eleventh year.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 11 Hen. III, 321
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William de Ros and Robert, his brother, sons of Robert de Ros , have quitclaimed to the abbot and monks of Rievaulx the debt that they exacted from them in the name of their father for 250 marks, to be rendered to the executors of Robert’s testament at certain terms. Order to the sheriff of Yorkshire not henceforth to distrain the abbot by reason of the king’s order made to him at another time for distraining him for the aforesaid debt , because the king has betaken himself to his son and heir for the debt the same Robert de Ros owed to the king.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 12 Hen. III, 131
Marriage Information:
Robert married Isabel FITZ WILLIAM, daughter of William DE HUNTINGDON, "The Lion", King of Scotland, and [Isabel] AVENELL, in early 1191 in Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland. (Isabel FITZ WILLIAM was born in Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland and died in Yorkshire, England.)
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