John Fitzalan, Lord of Oswestry

John Fitzalan, Lord of Clun and Oswestry (1200–1240 [ Cockayne, G. E., edited by the Hon. Vicary Gibbs & H. A. Doubleday, "The Complete Peerage", London, 1926, vol.v., p.392] ) in the Welsh Marches in the county of Shropshire.

Family

John succeeded his brother, William FitzAlan, Lord of Clun and Oswestry, who died in 1216 without issue. They were sons of William FitzAlan of Oswestry (d. c1210) and Isabel, daughter and heiress of Ingram de Say, who brought Clun to the marriage. The FitzAlans were descendants of Alan fitzFlaad, a Breton. [ Cockayne (1926) vol.v., p.391-2]

Royal conflicts

He was one of the feudal barons who became a target for the anger of King John of England, whose forces attacked Oswestry town and burned it in 1216. John Fitzalan was close to Llywelyn ap Iorwerth until 1217.

He was also a representative of the Crown in a dispute between King Henry III of England and the Welsh leader, Llywelyn the Great in 1226. In the same year he mediated between a neighbour, William Pantulf, Lord of Wem in Shropshire and Madog ap Gruffydd (died 1236), Lord of Powys and a cousin to Llywelyn ap Iorwerth.

In 1233/4 during the conflict between King Henry III, the Earl Marshal, and Llywelyn the Great, John Fitzalan sided firmly with the Crown and Oswestry was again attacked, this time by Welsh forces.

Marriage

He married Isabel, daughter of William d'Aubigny, 3rd Earl of Arundel and were parents of:

*John FitzAlan, Lord of Clun & Oswestry, who inherited "jure matris", in 1243, the castle and honour of Arundel and became "de jure" Earl of Arundel. [ Cockayne (1926) vol.v., p.392]

Notes

References

* Weis, Frederick Lewis, "Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700" p.149-28.
* D.C. Roberts "Some Aspects of the History of the Lordship of Oswestry", Thesis in the National Library of Wales.