Bryan FitzAlan, Lord FitzAlan

Sir Bryan FitzAlan, Baron FitzAlan Knt., (d. June 1, 1306) was Lord of the Manor of Bedale in Richmondshire, Askham Bryan in the Ainsty, Bainton, Heworth &c., in Yorkshire, Bicker and Graby in Lincolnshire, a J.P., and High Sheriff of Yorkshire, &c. He was appointed a Guardian of Scotland on June 13, 1291, [ "Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford, 1904.] [ Cockayne, G. E., edited by the Hon. Vicary Gibb & H. A. Doubleday, "The Complete Peerage", London, 1926, vol.v, p.393] and was brother-in-law to King John of Scotland.

Family

He was the son of Sir Alan FitzBryan, Knt., Lord of the Manor of Bedale, &c., (who was slain shortly before May 17, 1276 by Payn de Keu of Brandesburton in self-defence) and his spouse, Agnes, (who was still alive in July 1267) said to be a daughter of Sir Randolph FitzHenry of Ravensworth in Richmondshire. The family claim direct descent from Conan II, Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond. [ Cockayne (1926) vol.v., p.393] [ Burke, John, "History of The Commoners of Great Britain, and Ireland", London, 1835, vol.II, p.583n.]

On the Wednesday before St. Martin, 1290, he founded by charter, at Bedale, a chantry which he appropriated to Jervaulx Abbey to pray for the souls of the late Countess of Richmond, of Alan his father and Agnes his mother, Muriel his (first) wife, and Thomas, Robert, and Theobald, his sons, &c. [ Cockayne (1926) p.394n]

On September 20, 1291, he had a licence to crenellate his house at Killerby, near Cayton, in the wapentake of Pickering Lythe. [ "Patent Rolls" 19 Edward I, m.4]

cotland

Sir Bryan was on the King's service in Wales in 1277 and 1287. On May 1, 1285, being about to go beyond the seas on pilgrimage, he had Letters of Protection from the Crown for two years. He was Constable of both Roxburgh Castle and Jedburgh castle from August 4, 1291 to November 18, 1292, and those of Dundee and Forfar from 1290 until the same day. He was present at the assemblies held at Berwick-upon-Tweed in October and November 1292 during the discussions surrounding the Great Cause. As a Guardian of Scotland he was one of those commanded November 18, 1292 to give sasine of the Kingdom of Scotland to John de Balliol. [ Cockayne (1926) vol.v., p.392-3]

On July 12, 1297 he was appointed Captain for the defence of Northumberland and, on October 18th following, a Keeper of the Scottish Marches in that county. He was constituted Keeper of Scotland, at a salary of 2,000 marks a year, on August 18, 1297. He served at the Battle of Falkirk on July 22, 1298, and was at the siege of Caerlaverock Castle in July 1300. [ Cockayne (1926) vol.v., p.393]

Peerage

Sir Bryan was summoned for Military Service from April 6, 1282 to November 7, 1302, to a Military Council on June 14, 1287, and to attend upon the King at Salisbury January 26, 1298. He was summoned to parliament from June 24, 1295 to January 22, 1305 by Writs directed to "Briano filio Alani" whereby he is held to have become Lord FitzAlan. As "Brianus filius Alani domins de Bedale" he took part in the Barons' Letter to the Pope, dated February 12, 1300. [ Cockayne (1926) vol.v., p.394]

Death

Lord FitzAlan was buried in Bedale Church next to his first wife. Upon his death any hereditary peerage created by the Writ of 1295 is held to be in "abeyance". [ Cockayne (1926) vol.v., p.394]

Marriage

He married twice: (1) Muriel (surname unknown), who died before November 8, 1290 and is buried in Bedale Church, and (2) before July 2, 1297, Maud (or Matilda) (still living April 10, 1340) who was buried in the Church of the Black Friars at York. [ Cockayne (1926) vol.v., p.395] This second wife was a daughter of John de Balliol (d. 1269), Lord of Barnard Castle, by his spouse Devorguilla (d. 1290) daughter of Alan, Lord of Galloway (d. 1234). Devorguilla was a great-great-granddaughter of King David I of Scotland. [ Burke, Sir Bernard, Ulster King of Arms, "Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages", London, 1883, p.504] .

Of Lord FitzAlan's sons by his first marriage nothing is known, but it appears they were all dead by 1290. His daughters by his second marriage were his co-heirs in his landed estates. They were also co-heiresses to his brother, Theobald. [ Cockayne (1926) vol.v., p.395]

The Lordship of the Manor of Bedale passed via the eldest daughter:

* Agnes, (b. 1298) whose marriage was granted on May 10, 1306 (when she was aged just 8) to Sir Miles de Stapleton of Carlton, Yorkshire for his younger son: Sir Gilbert Stapleton, Knt., (d. 1321). Their great-great-grandson, Sir Miles Stapleton of Bedale, also held the feudal barony of Ingham, Norfolk. [ Burke's "Commoners" (1835), vol.II, p.208] [ Norcliffe, Charles Best, of Langton, MA., editor, "The Visitation of Yorkshire in the years 1563-64" by William Flower, Esq., Norroy King of Arms, London, 1881, p.294n, states: "This Gilbert's wife's mother was daughter of John Baliol and Devorguil of Galloway."] [ Foster, Joseph, "The Dictionary of Heraldry - Feudal Coats of Arms and Pedigrees", London, , p.180-1, 1989 reprint of 1902 original. ]

* Katherine (1300 - d. before August 7, 1328) married Sir John de Grey, 1st Baron Grey of Rotherfield, K.G. (October 9, 1300 - September 1, 1359).

Notes

References

*"Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford, 1904. (Entry).
*Foster, Joseph, editor, "The Visitation of Yorkshire 1584/5" by Robert Glover, Somerset Herald, plus that made in 1612 by Richard St.George, Norroy King of Arms, London, 1875, pps: 294 and 332, where Sir Bryan's Arms are given as: "Barry of eight Or and Gules".
*Richardson, Douglas, "Plantagenet Ancestry", Baltimore, Md., 2004, pps: 554 and 682. ISBN 0-8063-1750-7