The Earldom of Pembroke
Henry I held on to Pembroke for the rest of his life but, when he died in 1135, civil war broke out. His only legitimate heir had drowned in "white ship" and despite securing oaths of allegiance to his daughter Mathilda succession was disputed. The new king Stephen granted earldoms to gain support and : Pembroke was one of these. The Earldom of Pembroke was created in 1138.
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THE FIRST EARL Gilbert de Clare was created first Earl, a strong and powerful ruler loyal to the crown. The Earl was given palatinate powers “Neither had the king of England, as king only, anything to deal or meddle within the said county, but the Earls were free and absolute princes within themselves”. The Earl appointed Gerald's son William as steward of the castle and they were able to keep Pembroke intact in the Welsh rebellion. For his fighting prowess he was to earn the name "Strongbow" . |
RICHARD STRONGBOW 1148 Richard Strongbow became Earl and inherited his father's nickname. Together with the Geraldines of Pembroke, he led the conquest of Ireland 1169 in support of King Diarmid of Leinster. His success incurred the wrath of Henry II who later went to Ireland visiting Pembroke Castle en route. In 1171 the 400 strong English fleet was the largest gathering of warships in Milford Haven.
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ISABEL STRONGBOW 1176 , on the death of Strongbow, Pembroke castle was taken under crown control. Richard left an infant daughter Isabel and she became a royal ward, married at 16 to the greatest knight in the land, William Marshall. |
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WILLIAM MARSHALL William gained fame and fortune as a Tournament star, and Isobel with her accompanying inheritance was a reward for his service to the Crown. |
A great figure of the time, William spent little time in Pembroke but he has given us a lasting legacy. Under his direction, the castle was enlarged further to resemble its present form, with the addition the Great Keep or Donjon in 1200.
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WILLIAM DE VALENCE 1247 De Valence made Pembroke his main seat of power and took back much of the land lost to the Welsh during Prince Llewellyn ap Iorwerth’s rebellion. Following the end of the Welsh Wars of Independence, a period of calm descended on Pembroke and under de Valence's rule it prospered and grew in the ensuing peace . He made Pembroke Castle his main residence and embellished it further. On his death, he was succeeded by his son Aymer. He was declared Earl of Pembroke after the death of his mother Joan, who it would seem, played a major part in the administration of the Earldom. |
HASTINGS Aymer's death in 1324 with no issue, meant the passing of the Earldom to DeValence's sisters grandson, Lawrence Hastings. He did not spend much time in Pembroke, becoming a national hero fighting in the Hundred Years War when he captured the French fleet in 1347. |
THE END OF THE EARLDOM Lawrence Hastings left an infant son John to inherit the Earldom in 1350 on reaching age 21. His quest for glory in France ended in disaster and he was to die in captivity at only 29, again leaving an infant son, John Hastings II. He tragically died in a tournament at the age of 17, killed by his best friend, and with him died his title
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Pembroke Castle formally reverted to the Crown and was granted to a succession of people. These were years of decline but the castle was again garrisoned in 1405 when Pembrokeshire was invaded by the French allies of Owain Glyndwr. The army did not attack the castle and the war ended in defeat.
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