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Birth:          ABT 1092 of Gloucester, England
Death:          24 Dec 1143 Forest of Dean
Cause of Death: accidently shot by arrow
Burial:         Llanthony Priory, Gloucester, England

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_of_Gloucester,_1st_Earl_of_Hereford
Miles FitzWalter of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford, Lord of Brecknock (died 24 
December 1143) was High Sheriff of Gloucester and Constable of England.[a]
Biography[edit]

Miles was the son and heir of Walter of Gloucester, hereditary castellan of Gloucester 
and sheriff of Gloucester, by Berta, his wife.[1] Miles' grandfather, Roger de Pitres, 
had been sheriff from about 1071, then was succeeded by his brother Durand, the 
Domesday sheriff, before 1083.[2] Durand was succeeded by his nephew Walter of 
Gloucester, c.?1096, who was sheriff in 1097 and in 1105–1106.[2] Walter was in 
favour with Henry I, three of whose charters to him are extant.[3] Walter held the post 
of a Constable of England. Early in 1121 his son Miles was given the hand of Sibyl, 
daughter of Bernard de Neufmarché, the conqueror of Brecknock, with the reversion 
of her father's possessions.[3] In the Pipe Roll of 1130 Walter is found to have been 
succeeded by his son,[4] having died in or around 1126.[5]

Miles was (from 1128 at least) sheriff of Gloucestershire, a justice itinerant, and a 
justice of the forest,[6] and by 1130 was sheriff of Staffordshire.[5] He had also 
(though the fact has been doubted) been granted his father's office of constable by a 
special charter.[7] In conjunction with Pain Fitzjohn, sheriff of Herefordshire and 
Shropshire, he ruled the whole Welsh border "from the Severn to the sea".[8]

On his accession, King Stephen set himself to secure the allegiance of these two 
lords-marchers, who at length, on receiving a safe-conduct and obtaining all they 
asked for, did him homage.[8] It was at Reading that they met the king early in 1136.
[b] Miles is next found attending the Easter court at Westminster as one of the royal 
constables,[9] and, shortly after, the Oxford council in the same capacity.[10] He was 
then despatched to the aid of the widow of Richard fitz Gilbert de Clare, who was 
beleaguered in her castle by the Welsh and whom he gallantly rescued.[11]

Meanwhile, Miles had married his son and heir, Roger, to Cecily, daughter of Pain 
Fitzjohn, who inherited the bulk of her father's possessions.[12] In the same year 1136 
Miles transferred the original house of Augustinian canons at Llanthony Priory, 
Monmouthshire to a site on the south side of Gloucester, which they named Llanthony 
Secunda.[13][14]

Two years later (1138) Miles received, in his official capacity, King Stephen at 
Gloucester in May.[15] He has been said to have renounced his allegiance a few 
weeks later,[16] but careful investigation will show that he was with Stephen in 
August (1138) at the siege of Shrewsbury, and that his defection did not take place till 
1139.[17]

In February 1139 Stephen gave Gloucester Abbey to Miles's kinsman Gilbert Foliot at 
his request.[18] In the summer of 1139, however, he joined his lord, Robert, Earl of 
Gloucester, in inviting Empress Matilda to England.[19] On her arrival Miles met her at 
Bristol, welcomed her to Gloucester, recognised her as his rightful sovereign, and 
became thenceforth her ardent supporter. She at once gave him St. Briavels Castle 
and the Forest of Dean.[17]

Miles's first achievement on behalf of Matilda was to relieve Brian Fitz Count who was 
blockaded in Wallingford Castle.[20] In November (1139) he again advanced from 
Gloucester and attacked and burnt Worcester.[21] He also captured the castles of 
Winchcombe, Cerne, and Hereford.[22] Meanwhile, he was deprived by Stephen of his 
office of constable.[23] He took part in the victory at Lincoln (2 February 1141),[24] 
and on the consequent triumph of the empress he accompanied her in her progress, 
and was one of her three chief followers on her entry (2 March) into Winchester.[25] 
He was with her at Reading when she advanced on London,[26] and on reaching St. 
Albans Matilda bestowed on him a house at Westminster.[27] He was among those 
who fled with her from London shortly after, and it was on his advice, when they 
reached Gloucester, that she ventured back to Oxford.[28] There, on 25 July 1141, 
she bestowed on him the town and castle of Hereford and made him earl of that shire,
[29] as well as the forests of the Hay of Hereford and Trinela[30] in avowed 
consideration of his faithful service. With singular unanimity hostile chroniclers testify 
to his devotion to her cause.[22] He even boasted that she had lived at his expense 
throughout her stay in England.[31]

As "Earl Miles" he now accompanied her to Winchester,[32] and on the rout of her 
forces on 14 September 1141 he escaped, with the greatest difficulty, to Gloucester, 
where he arrived "exhausted, alone, and with scarcely a rag to his back".[33] 
Towards the end of the year he was in Bristol making a grant to Llanthony Priory in the 
presence of the Empress Matilda and the Robert, Earl of Gloucester.[34] In 1142 he is 
proved by charters to have been with the Empress at Oxford and to have received her 
permission to hold Abergavenny Castle of Brian Fitz Count.[35] It is probably to the 
summer of this year that he made a formal deed of alliance with the Earl of Gloucester, 
and as a hostage for the performance of which he gave the Earl his son Mahel.[17]

In 1143 his pressing want of money wherewith to pay his troops led him to demand 
large sums from the church lands. Robert de Bethune, Bishop of Hereford, withstood 
his demands, and, on the Earl invading his lands, excommunicated him and his 
followers, and laid the diocese under interdict.[36] The Earl's kinsman, Gilbert Foliot 
(Abbot of Gloucester),[37] appealed to the legate on his behalf against the bishop's 
severity.[38] On Christmas-eve of this year (1143) the Earl was slain while hunting by 
an arrow shot at a deer.[39] A dispute at once arose for possession of his body 
between the canons of Llanthony and the monks of Gloucester. The case was heard 
before the bishops of Worcester, Hereford, and St. David's, and was terminated by a 
compromise on 28 December. The Earl was then buried in the chapter-house at 
Llanthony.[40] Miles was succeeded by his son and heir, Roger.[17]

With his death in 1143, Miles was succeeded by his son and heir, Roger.[17] Roger 
died without an heir twelve years later in 1155 so the Earldom of Hereford became 
extinct, but the shrievalty of Hereford and Gloucester passed to his brother Walter. On 
the death of the latter and two other brothers without issue the family possessions 
passed to their sisters, Bertha through her marriage bringing Abergavenny to Braose, 
but Margaret, the eldest sister, taking the bulk (Liber Niger) to the Bohuns afterwards 
(1199), in recognition of their descent from Miles, earls of Hereford, and constables of 
England.[41]

Assessment[edit]

John of Salisbury classes him with Geoffrey de Mandeville and others who were non 
tam comites regni quam hostes publici. The charge is justified by his public policy; but 
the materials for appraising his personal character do not exist.[42]

Family[edit]

In 1121, Miles married Sibyl de Neufmarché, daughter of Bernard de Neufmarché, Lord 
of Brecon and Nest, granddaughter of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn.[43] Miles and Sybil's 
children where:
1.Margaret of Hereford,[5][44] married Humphrey II de Bohun, by whom she had issue.
2.Bertha of Hereford,[45] married William de Braose before 1150, by whom she had 
issue.
3.Roger Fitzmiles, 2nd Earl of Hereford.[46] Hereditary Sheriff of Gloucestershire until 
1155.
4.Walter de Hereford[46] died after 1159 in the Holy Land. He was hereditary Sheriff 
of Gloucestershire in 1155–1157 and High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1155–1159.
5.Henry Fitzmiles Henry of Hereford,[44] died 12 April 1165. He succeeded to the title 
of Baron Abergavenny in 1141/42.
6.William de Hereford.[44] He died before 1160 without issue.
7.Mahel de Hereford,[44] died October 1165 at Bronllys Castle, Breconshire, Wales, 
mortally hurt when a stone dropped from the tower during a fire; died without issue. 
Buried at Llanthony Priory.
8.Lucy of Gloucester,[47] married Herbert FitzHerbert of Winchester, Lord 
Chamberlain, by whom she had issue. Buried at Llanthony Priory.

Parents
FITZ ROGER Walter "of Gloucester" (ABT 1065 - ABT 1129)
DE BALLON Emma (ABT 1070 - )

Siblings
OF GLOUCESTER Miles (ABT 1092 - 24 Dec 1143)

Marriage To DE NEUFMARCHE Sybil (ABT 1100 - 1143)
    m. 1121 

Notes

Parents
DE NEUFMARCHE Bernard (ABT 1050 - ABT 1125)
VERCH OSBORN Nest (ABT 1079 - )

Children by DE NEUFMARCHE Sybil ABT 1100 - 1143
OF HEREFORD [DE GLOUCESTER] Margaret (ABT 1122 - 6 Apr 1197)
DE GLOUCESTER Bertha (ABT 1130 - )
FITZ WALTER Lucy "of Hereford" (ABT 1142 - AFT 1219)

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