Robert de Ros (died 1227)

Sir Robert de Ros, or de Roos of Helmsley, (ca. 1170/1172 – 1227), was the grandfather and ancestor of the Barons Ros of Helmsley that was created by writ in 1264. In 1215, Ros joined the confederation of the barons at Stamford. He was one of the twenty-five barons to guarantee the observance of Magna Carta, sealed by King John on 15 Jun 1215.

Life

He was the son of Everard de Ros, Baron of Helmsley and Rohese Trusbut, daughter of William Trusbut of Wartre. In 1191, aged fourteen, he paid a thousand marks fine for livery of his lands to King Richard I of England. In 1197, while serving King Richard in Normandy, he was arrested for an unspecified offence, and was committed to the custody of Hugh de Chaumont, but Chaumont entrusted his prisoner to William de Spiney, who allowed him to escape from the castle of Bonville, England. King Richard thereupon hanged Spiney and collected a fine of twelve hundred marks from Ros' guardian as the price of his continued freedom.

When King John came to the throne, he gave Ros the barony of his great-grandmother's father, Walter d'Espec. Soon afterwards he was deputed one of those to escort William the Lion, his father-in-law, into England, to swear fealty to King John. Some years later, Robert de Ros assumed the habit of a monk, whereupon the custody of all his lands and Castle Werke (Wark), in Northumberland, were committed to Philip d'Ulcote, but he soon returned and about a year later he was High Sheriff of Cumberland.

When the struggle of the barons for a constitutional government began, de Ros at first sided with King John, and thus obtained some valuable grants from the crown, and was made governor of Carlisle; but he subsequently went over to the barons and became one of the celebrated twenty-five "Sureties" appointed to enforce the observance of Magna Carta, the county of Northumberland being placed under his supervision. He gave his allegiance to King Henry III and, in 1217–18, his manors were restored to him. Although he was witness to the second Great Charter and the Forest Charter, of 1224, he seems to have remained in royal favour.

Marriage and issue

In early 1191, in Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland, Ros married Isabella Mac William (Isibéal nic Uilliam), widow of Robert III de Brus. Isabella was the illegitimate daughter of William the Lion, King of Scots by the daughter of Richard Avenel.

Issue with Isabella:

• Sir William de Ros (b. before 1200 – d. ca. 1264/1265), father of Robert de Ros, 1st Baron de Ros. and Sir William de Roos of Helmsley, Yorkshire (whose daughter, Ivette de Roos, married Sir Geoffrey le Scrope, K.B. of Masham, Yorkshire.
• Sir Robert de Ros (ca. 1223 – 13 May 1285), was Chief Justice of the Kings Bench. He married Christian Bertram; from which Elizabeth Ros (d.1395), wife of Sir William Parr of Kendal (1350 – c.1404) descended. The two were ancestors of Queen consort Catherine Parr.
• Sir Alexander de Ros (d. ca. 1306), he fathered one child with an unknown wife, William.
• Peter de Ros

He erected Helmsley or Hamlake Castle in Yorkshire, and of Wark Castle in Northumberland. Sir Robert is buried at the Temple Church under a magnificent tomb.

Controversy

While "Fursan" is given as a location for Robert de Ros (sometimes also Roos) most use the term "furfan" to designate a title within the Templars essentially equivalent to grandmaster or head priest. This title also further refers to the resulting aura resembling a "fan" / "Furry fan". Some would also use the term "Kingmaker".