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Birth:          ABT 1095 of Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, England
Death:          1177 Thetford, Norfolk, England
Burial:         Thetford Abbey, Norfolk, England

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Bigod,_1st_Earl_of_Norfolk
Hugh Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk (1095–1177) was the second son of Roger Bigod (also 
known as Roger Bigot) (d. 1107), sheriff of Norfolk and royal advisor, and Adeliza, 
daughter of Robert de Tosny.

Early Years[edit]

After the death of his elder brother William, who perished without issue in the sinking 
of the White Ship on 26 November 1120, Hugh was allowed to inherit his brother's 
office of royal steward and many estates in East Anglia. He also succeeded his aunt 
Albreda, heiress of her brother Berengar de Tosny, with lands in Yorkshire and in 
Normandy.[1] Hugh became Constable of Norwich Castle in 1122.

During King Stephen's reign[edit]

Hugh initially supported Stephen of Blois as king of England. On the death of Henry I 
in 1135, his nephew Stephen usurped the throne, despite the oath Stephen and the 
barons had sworn to accept Henry's daughter Empress Matilda as his successor. It 
was Bigod who asserted that, in his last days, Henry I had named Stephen to become 
king at the expense of his daughter Matilda.[2] Civil war resulted when, in 1139 
Matilda, commanded the military strength necessary to challenge Stephen within his 
own realm.

King Stephen had the initial support of the English barons, but in 1136 he was 
stricken with sickness and the report of his death was quickly spread abroad. Hugh 
Bigod seized and held Norwich castle. Stephen, quickly recovering, laid siege to the 
city and Hugh was compelled to surrender.[3] In February 1141 Bigod fought on 
Stephen's side in the First Battle of Lincoln, after which the Earl deserted the 
captured king. In July of that year he was granted the earldom of Norfolk by the 
Empress Matilda but he appears to have assumed a position of armed neutrality during 
the civil war, rather than actively siding with the supporters of the empress.[4]

He supported his first wife's brother-in-law, Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex, 
during his rebellion against King Stephen in 1143-44.[5] During the disagreement 
between King Stephen and Archbishop Theobald in 1148, Hugh Bigod sided with the 
archbishop and received him in his stronghold, Castle of Framlingham, but joined with 
others in negotiating a reconciliation between the king and archbishop.

Rise of King Henry II[edit]

Five years later, in 1153, when Henry, Duke of Normandy, soon to be King Henry II (r. 
1154–89), landed in England to assert his claim to the throne, Bigod held out in 
Ipswich against Stephen's forces, while Henry II, on the other side, laid siege to 
Stamford. Both places fell to Stephen. In the critical state of his fortunes, however, 
Stephen was in no position to punish the rebel earl. Negotiations between the two 
parties resulted in Henry's recognition as Stephen's heir and Hugh eluded retaliation.

On Henry II's accession in December 1154, Bigod received confirmation of the 
possession of his earldom and office of royal steward by a charter issued apparently in 
January of the next year. The first years of the new reign were spent in restoring order 
to the shattered kingdom, and in breaking the power of the independent barons, which 
had grown out of control during King Stephen's reign.

It was not before long that Bigod became agitated under the rule of law initiated by 
Henry. He grew restless with measures such as the scutage, a fee paid by vassals in 
lieu of military service, which became the central feature of Henry II's military system 
of operation by 1159. The Earl showed signs of resistance, but was at once put down. 
In 1157 Henry II marched into the eastern counties and received the earl's 
submission.

After this incident Hugh Bigod makes no significant appearances in the chronicles for 
some time; he is named among those who had been excommunicated by Becket, in 
consequence of his retention of lands belonging to the monastery of Pentney in 
Norfolk.

The revolt of 1173[edit]

Main article: Revolt of 1173–1174

In 1173 the young Crown Prince Henry (also known as Henry the Young King), raised 
a revolt against his father, Henry II. This gave Hugh Bigod yet another chance for 
rebellion, along with the league of the English barons and the kings of France and 
Scotland in his favour. He at once became a leader in the cause, perhaps eager to 
revive the feudal power, which Henry II had curtailed. In addition to the fact that the 
inevitable conflict, as far as England was concerned, centred round his possessions. 
The custody of Norwich Castle was promised by the young prince as his reward.

The king's energy and good fortune were equal to the occasion. While he held in 
check his rebel vassals in France, the loyal barons in England defeated his enemies 
there. Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester (d.1190) landed at Walton, in 
Suffolk, on 29 September 1173 and marched to Framlingham, joining forces with Hugh. 
Together they besieged and took the castle of Hagenet in Suffolk on 13 October, held 
by Randal de Broc for the crown. But the Earl of Leicester was defeated and taken 
prisoner setting out from Framlingham at the Battle of Fornham, near Bury St Edmunds, 
Suffolk, by the justiciar, Richard de Luci and other barons. These then turned their 
arms against Earl Hugh, who, not being strong enough to fight, opened negotiations 
with his assailants. It is said he bought them off, and at the same time secured a safe 
passage home for the Flemings in his service.

Final days[edit]

Though defeated and compelled to surrender his castles, Bigod kept his lands and his 
earldom, and lived at peace with Henry II until his death reportedly in 1177 in 
Palestine.[6]

It should be noted, however, that on 1 March 1177, his son Roger Bigod appealed to 
the king on a dispute with his stepmother. Hugh being dead at the time of Roger's 
appeal, the date of his father's death is fixed 'ante caput jejunii', (i.e. before 9 March). 
If, then, he died in Palestine, his death must have taken place in the preceding year, 
1176, to allow time for the arrival of the news in England. Henry II took advantage of 
Roger's appeal to seize upon the late Earl's treasure. Earl Hugh had possessed vast 
estates, which he inherited, and was also the recipient of the third penny of judicial 
fines levied in the county of Norfolk by right of his earldom.

Marriage and family[edit]

Bigod married firstly to Juliane de Vere (died c. 1199). She was the daughter of Aubrey 
de Vere II and Adeliza de Clare, the daughter of Gilbert Fitz Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl 
of Clare. The marriage was dissolved before 1156. They had one son:
Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk (born c. 1144-5). He married Ida de Tosny, had 
issue.

Bigod married secondly Gundreda (c.1135-1200), daughter of Roger de Beaumont, 2nd 
Earl of Warwick. They had two children:
Hugh Bigod (b. c. 1156)
William Hugh Bigod (b. 1168)

Parents
BIGOD Roger (1060 - 15 Sep 1107)
DE TOSNY Adeliza (ABT 1070 - 1135)

Siblings
BIGOD Maud (Mary) (ABT 1085 - )
BIGOD Cecily (ABT 1090 - )
BIGOD Jane (ABT 1093 - )
BIGOD Hugh (ABT 1095 - 1177)
BIGOD Gunnora (ABT 1096 - )

Marriage To DE VERE Juliana (ABT 1108 - 1200)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
DE VERE Aubrey II (ABT 1082 - 15 May 1141)
DE CLARE Adeliza (ABT 1079 - ABT 1163)

Children by DE VERE Juliana ABT 1108 - 1200
BIGOD Isabel (ABT 1134 - )
BIGOD Roger (ABT 1150 - 2 Jul 1221)

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