Geoffrey fitz Peter, earl of Essex

Also known as Geoffrey fitz Piers.

4th earl of Essex

Justiciar of England

Events

Date of Birth: unknown.

Place of Birth: unknown.

Date of Death: 2 October 1213.

Place of Death: unknown.

The date is given by West (ODNB). The Complete Peerage (5:125) gives the date as 14 October 1213.

Place of Burial: unknown.

The Complete Peerage (5:125) gives the place of burial as Shouldham Priory, Norfolk. West (ODNB) states that, although Geoffrey had founded Shouldham Priory, his place of burial is unknown.

Relationships

Father: Peter, forester of Ludgershall, Wiltshire.

This relationship is given by West (ODNB) and by the Complete Peerage (5:122).

Mother: Matilda (Maud).

This relationship is given by West (ODNB) and by the Complete Peerage (5:122).

Spouse: Beatrice de Say (died in or before 1197). Married in 1184 or 1185.

This relationship is given by West (ODNB) and by the Complete Peerage (5:123).

Spouse: Aveline (died between 1220 and 1225), a daughter of Roger de Clare, earl of Hereford, and widow of William de Munchensi. Married before 29 May 1205.

This relationship is given by West (ODNB) and by the Complete Peerage (5:125).

Children (by Beatrice):

Geoffrey de Mandeville (died 23 February 1216), earl of Essex, married (1) Matilda, daughter of Robert fitz Walter; married (2) Isabel, daughter of William fitz Robert, earl of Gloucester and divorced wife of king John of England, in January 1214.

William de Mandeville (died 8 January 1227), earl of Essex, married (1) Christine, daughter of Robert fitz Walter.

Henry, dean of Wolverhampton.

Maud (died 27 August 1236) married Henry de Bohun, earl of Hereford.

Children (by Aveline):

John fitz Geoffrey (about 1206 - 1258), justiciar of Ireland, married Isabel, the widow of Gilbert de Lacy.

Hawise.

Cecily married Savaric de Bohun.

References

Cokayne, George Edward, and Vicary Gibbs; et al. The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant [2nd ed.]. (London: St. Catherine Press, 1910-59) Volume 5.

West, F.J. “Geoffrey fitz Peter, fourth earl of Essex (d. 1213)” in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. (Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008).