Giles de Braose

Infobox bishopbiog
name =Giles de Braose


religion =
See =Diocese of Hereford
Title = Bishop of Hereford
Period = 1200–1215
Predecessor = William de Vere
Successor =Hugh de Mapenor
ordination =
bishops =
post =
date of birth = before 1176
place of birth =
date of death =17 November 1215
place of death =Gloucester, buried Hereford Cathedral

Giles de Braose (or Giles de Bruse) was an early medieval Bishop of Hereford and Baron Abergavenny. He was a middle son and key member of a powerful family of Marcher Lords with extensive land holdings in Wales and in the Welsh Marches, his father William de Braose, 7th Baron Abergavenny [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=34422 British History Online Bishops of Hereford] accessed on October 26, 2007] was a powerful Norman Lord, close to both King Richard I and subsequently King John of England.Oxford Dictionary of National Biography under Briouze [Braose] , William (III) de] His mother was Maud of St Valery.Holden "King John and the Braoses" "Albion" p. 12] His education and early career are unknown.

Bishop of Hereford

Giles de Braose was elected as Bishop of Hereford in about September 19 1200 and consecrated on September 24 1200. He was also granted custody of the castle of Bishop's Castle in southern Shropshire.Holden "King John and the Braoses" "Albion" p. 5] His father was enjoying Royal favour at this time and at the peak of his powers. Giles died about November 17, 1215.Fryde "Handbook of British Chronology" p. 250]

Giles was probably responsible for the building of the tower of Brecon Cathedral and is depicted in a window in the north aisle. He may also have then been responsible for the building of the tower of Hereford Cathedral as his alabaster effigy can be seen there today and he holds a tower on his chest.

Exile

When his father fell from favour with King John and fled in hiding, and an interdict was issued by the Pope, Giles was also forced into exile in France in 1208, leaving England along with other Bishops.

Welsh alliance and English loyalty

On his return in 1213 Giles de Braose was able to forge alliances with the Welsh leader Llywelyn the Great, join with his brother Reginald de Braose and also before his death in 1215, and supported by Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton, negotiate with King John and agree to pay fines to make sure of regaining the lands and titles enjoyed by his father. He died within a month of the ratification of these terms and before he could come into the lands and titles fully himself, but his brother Reginald de Braose seized them after Giles' death by force and held them until after the death of King John, making terms with the Crown in 1217 and the new child King Henry III of England.

It appears that in 1215, Giles had custody of his father's lands, along with his nephew John,#tag:ref|John was the son of Gile's brother William.|group=notes as in March of that year a fine was recorded against Giles for the custody of the estates, and on 10 May 1215 a writ was issued allowing Giles to have the case judged. However, while Giles returned to the king's faction by autumn of 1215, Reginald did not.Holden "King John and the Braoses" "Albion" pp. 13-14]

Giles de Braose died at Gloucester and is buried under the south aisle in Hereford Cathedral.

Notes

Footnotes

References

* [http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=34422 British History Online Bishops of Hereford] accessed on October 26, 2007
* Barrow, Julia ‘Briouze, Giles de (c.1170–1215)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004
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Persondata
NAME=Braose, Giles de
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Giles de Bruse
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Bishop of Hereford
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=1215
PLACE OF DEATH=Gloucester