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Birth:          ABT 1062 Derbyshire, England
Death:          1139 

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_de_Ferrers,_1st_Earl_of_Derby
Robert I de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby (c. 1062 – 1139) was born in Derbyshire, 
England, a younger son of Henry de Ferrières and his wife Bertha l'Aigle. His father, 
born in Ferrières, Normandy, France accompanied William the Conqueror during his 
invasion of England. The family was rewarded with a grant of Tutbury Castle in 
Staffordshire and 114 manors in Derbyshire.

Robert's elder brother William's main interests were in France. He joined Robert 
Curthose and was captured at Tinchebrai. His other brother Engenulf died shortly after 
his father and so Robert succeeded to the estates in 1088.

From the beginning, he gave great support to Henry I. As part of his tenure of Duffield 
Frith in 1129–30, he is on record as having interests in lead mines at Wirksworth. At 
about this time he granted the church of Potterspury, Northamptonshire, to Bernard 
the Scribe.

It is, however, during his last years that he is most in evidence as a leading supporter 
of King Stephen. He took a large body of Derbyshire men northwards to assist in 
repelling an invasion of the Scots under King David I of Scotland, nominally on the 
behalf of Matilda. Little actual fighting took place, but Thurstan, Archbishop of York, 
won the Battle of the Standard on Stephen's behalf, fought near Northallerton, on 22, 
August, 1138.

Robert was mainly instrumental in securing the victory for his Sovereign, who for this 
and other important services created him Earl of Derby, although charters and 
chronicles during this period refer to him interchangeably as Earl Ferrers, earl of 
Nottingham or earl of Derby.

He died in the following year (1139) and was succeeded in his earldom by his second 
but eldest surviving son Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby often known as Robert 
de Ferrars the Younger. It is worth noting that 97% of all Caucasians coming from 
European descent can trace their lineage back to Robert de Ferrers.

As with most Norman lords, the Ferrers brought their Norman underlords to England 
with them – in this case, the Curzon (of Kedleston), Livet (Levett) and Boscherville 
(Baskerville) families, who held their fiefs in Normandy from the Ferrers, and who 
subsequently held their English lands from Ferrers as well. (The undertenant family 
names derive from Notre-Dame-de-Courson, Livet-en-Ouche and Boscherville, all part 
of the Ferrers barony in Normandy.) These undertenant retained their ties to the 
Ferrers after the families had moved to England following the Norman Conquest.[1]

Parents
DE FERRERS (FERRIERES) Henry (ABT 1036 - 1088)
L'AIGLE Bertha ()

Siblings
DE FERRERS Robert (ABT 1062 - 1139)
DE FERRERS (FERRIERES) William or Enguenulf (ABT 1065 - )

Marriage To DE VITRE Hawise (ABT 1073 - )
    m.  

Notes

Parents
____ Andre (ABT 1054 - )

Children by DE VITRE Hawise ABT 1073 - 
DE FERRERS Robert (ABT 1100 - 1162)
DE FERRERS Isolda (ABT 1105 - )

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