The Annales Londonienses name "Robertum heredem suum generalem" as son of "Willelmum juniorem qui fuit comes de Ferrariis".
He succeeded his father in 1254 as Earl of Derby. He rebelled against King Henry III in 1263, defeating the royal forces at Chester in Nov 1264. He was sent to the Tower but pardoned 5 Dec 1265 only to rebel again within a few months. He was captured at Chesterfield 15 May 1266 and kept in Windsor Castle for nearly three years, his lands and honours being forfeited. 1
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Came of age in 1260, in which year he gave his younger brother, William de Ferrers, the manor of Bolton (in Great Bolton), Lancashire, together with all his lands in the wapentake of Leyland, Lancashire, including the manors of Bispham, Bolton, Bretherton, Charnock (in Charnock Richard), Chorley, Duxbury, Heath Charnock, Mawdesley, Shevington, and Welch Whittle, Lancashire. In 1262 he made a gift in free alms to the Prior and convent of St. Thomas by Stafford of the manor of Sueneshurst and the township of Pendleton (in Eccles), Lancashire, together with the advowson of Stowe by Chartley, Staffordshire. On the outbreak of the Barons' War in 1263, he joined the Barons and seized three of Prince Edward's castles. He captured Worcester 29 Feb 1263/4, and destroyed the town and Jewry. He lost his lands and earldom after the Battle of Chesterfield in 1266, because of his adherence to Simon de Montfort. His wife, Mary, was living 11 July 1266. Sometime in the period 1269-79, he made a gift in free alms to the Prior and convent of St. Thomas by Stafford for the souls of himself and his two wives, Mary and Eleanor, with his own body to be buried at St. Thomas, of two messuages in the town of Chartley, together with the advowson of Stowe by Chartley, Staffordshire. In 1275-6 he arraigned an assize of mort d'ancestor against Devorguille de Balliol touching a messuage in Repton, Derbyshire. In the same period he arraigned an assize of mort d'ancestor against the master of the hospital of St. Lazarus of Burton touching a messuage and land in Burrow-Ash, Derbyshire. In the same period he arraigned an assize of novel disseisin against Sampson de Dun' and another touching a tenement in Morley, Derbyshire. In 1276-7 Geoffrey de Skeftington arraigned an assize of novel disseisin against him and others touching a tenement in Breadsall, Derbyshire. In the same period Geoffrey de Skeftington arraigned an assize of novel disseisin against him and others touching a tenement in Morley, Derbyshire... 2
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27 Apr 1279, Westminster
To R. de Sandwyco, the king's steward. Order to cause dower to be assigned to Eleanor, late the wife of Robert de Ferrar[iis], tenant in chief, as she has taken oath before the king not to marry without his licence.
Calendar of the Close Rolls, 7 Edw. I, p. 527
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Inquisition Post Mortem 3
379. ROBERT EARL DE FERARIIS alias ROBERT DE FERARIIS, EARL OF DERBY.
Writ to Ralph de Sandwyco, the king's steward, on the complaint of Robert de Bures that a rent of 100s. from the manor of Certeleye given to him by the said earl had been unjustly detained by the king's steward after the earl's death, 20 Jan. 8 Edw. I. [1279/80]
STAFFORD. Inq. (undated.)
Cherteleg' manor. 100s. rent were given by charter to Robert de Buris and his heirs by the said earl, who took his homage the 10th June, 4 Edw. I, in the full court of Cherteleg', and he had peaceful seisin by the hands of the earl's bailiffs, but the said earl detained the said rent for a year and more before his death.
C. Edw. I. File 26. (4.)
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