Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn

Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn (c. 1362 – September 30, 1440), succeeded to the title on his father Reginald's death in July 1388.

Lineage

Reginald was the eldest son of Reginald Grey, 2nd Baron Grey de Ruthyn and Alianore Le Strange of Blackmere. His paternal grandparents were Roger Grey, 1st Baron Grey de Ruthyn and Elizabeth de Hastings. His maternal grandparents were John Le Strange, 2nd Baron Strange of Blackmere and Ankaret Le Botiller. His youngest sister Ida de Grey, who married Sir John Cockayne, was an ancestress of Anne Boleyn and Mary Boleyn.

Marriage

Grey married firstly in 1378, Margaret de Ros, daughter of Thomas de Ros, 5th Baron de Ros and Beatrice Stafford. By her he had six children:
*Sir John Grey (c. 1387 – 1439), who predeceased his father. He married Constance Holland, the daughter of Elizabeth Plantagenet and John Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter by whom he had issue.
*Margaret Grey (d. aft. May 1426), married William Bonville, 1st Lord Bonville. These were the great-grandparents of Cecily Bonville who married Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset,a descendant of Reginald Grey by his second marriage.
* Edmund Grey (born 1389)
* Thomas Grey (born 1391)
* Catherine Grey (born 1392), married George Lucy, Baron Lucy
* Elizabeth Grey (born 1393), married firstly Robert Poynings, 5th Baron Poynings, by whom she had two sons, and secondly Sir George Browne, by whom she had five children.

Grey married secondly on 7 February 1415, Joan de Astley, daughter of Sir William de Astley, 5th Baron Astley and Catherine de Willoughby. By her he had another five children, including:

* Sir Edward Grey, Baron Ferrers of Groby (c.1415/1416- 18 December 1457), married Elizabeth Ferrers of Groby and had five children including John Grey, 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby, the first husband of Elizabeth Woodville.
* Alice Grey, married Sir John Knyvett
* Elizabeth Grey, married Sir William Calthorpe, by whom she had issue.
* Reginald Grey (died after 24 January 1485).
* Robert Grey (born 1419), married Eleanor Lowe, by whom he had issue [www.Tudorplace.com.ar/Grey3]

Early career

In 1410 after a long dispute, the younger Reginald won the right to bear the arms of the Hastings family. He enjoyed the favour both of Richard II and Henry IV, and his chief military exploits were against the Welsh, during the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr.

Rebellion of Owain Glyndwr

Reginald de Grey was responsible for issuing and enforcing royal demands in the Northern March, such as calling the local nobility and gentry and their men to Royal and military service, for example against the Scots as at this time. He was already in a long running legal dispute with Glyndwr, claiming a tranche of Glyndwr's land as his own. Under King Richard II the case had been found in favour of Glyndwr, but on the usurpation of King Henry IV of England Lord Grey seized the land.

Glyndwr responded in law early in 1400 but his case was not granted a hearing, instead it was asked of Glyndwr that he grant Lord Grey further concessions. De Grey also delayed summoning Glyndwr's quota or levy of men for service in Scotland until the last moment, making it impossible for Glyndwr to respond as requested or even send an explanation for his absence and the lack of his levy. Such an act as refusal or failure to respond to an order of the King was deemed a treasonous act. Glyndwr's estates were deemed forfeit until he could prove his loyalty or receive due punishment.

De Grey now invited Glyndwr to a reconciliation meeting, but arrived with a large force, attempting to surround Glyndwr and clearly showing his intent. Glyndwr escaped with his life and went into hiding, confirming himself a traitor in English eyes. King Henry confiscated the estates of Glyndwr's supporters, and granted them to John Beaufort, his half-brother.

The rebellion spread after initial successes for the Welsh and by 1402 it was gathering momentum. Lord Grey was captured by Glyndwr's forces in an ambush near Ruthin in January. A ransom of 10,000 marks was asked for him and Lord Grey was asked to swear an oath never to bear arms against Glyndwr again. King Henry IV sent eleven knights to treat with Glyndwr and then complied with the ransom, ordering the selling of a manor in Kent to raise the monies in mid 1402.

Lord Grey then would have been expected to repay the amount over time as best he could and any outstanding debt would be borne by his family.

The family did in fact sell the Lordship to King Henry VII in 1508 when their fortunes and favour declined.

Hundred Years War

Grey was a member of the Council which governed England during the absence of Henry V in France in 1415; he later fought against the French in the Hundred Years War in 1420 and 1421. He had been previously a Governor of Ireland.

References

* [http://www.thepeerage.com/p17619.htm#i176189 thePeerage.com]
* [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wHZcIRMhSEMC&pg=PA379&lpg=PA379&dq=ruthin+1402&source=web&ots=2Dx6wn4z3I&sig=dOAOC7yOsSGgP4-__wpvV7bc6-Q&hl=en#PPA379,M1 Magna Carta Ancestry by D Richardson and K G Everingham, ISBN:0806317590, page 379 as retrieved from Google books]
* www.Tudorplace.com.ar/Grey3