Bertha of Hereford

Bertha of Hereford, also known as Bertha de Pitres (born c. 1130), was the daughter of Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford, and a wealthy heiress, Sibyl de Neufmarché.^[1] She was the wife of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber^[2] to whom she brought many castles and Lordships, such as Brecknock (including Hay Castle), and Abergavenny.

Bertha of Hereford
'Lady of Brecknock Lady of Abergavenny Lady of Hay Lady of Bramber'
Born	c. 1130 England
Died	unknown
Noble family	de Pitres
Spouse(s)	William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber
Issue	William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber Roger de Braose Bertha de Braose Sibyl de Braose Maud de Braose
Father	Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford
Mother	Sibyl de Neufmarché

Family

Bertha was born in England in about 1130. She was a daughter of Miles, Earl of Hereford (1097- 24 December 1143) and Sibyl de Neufmarché.^[3] She had two sisters, Margaret of Hereford,^[4] who married Humphrey II de Bohun, by whom she had issue,^[5] and Lucy of Hereford, who married Herbert FitzHerbert of Winchester, by whom she had issue.^{[citation needed]} Her brothers included Roger Fitzmiles, 2nd Earl of Hereford, Walter de Hereford, Henry Fitzmiles, William de Hereford, and Mahel de Hereford.^[6]

Bertha's paternal grandparents were Walter FitzRoger de Pitres, Sheriff of Gloucester and Bertha de Balun of Bateden,^[7] a descendant of Hamelin de Balun,^{[citation needed]} and her maternal grandparents were Bernard de Neufmarché, Lord of Brecon, and Nesta ferch Osbern.^[8] The latter was a daughter of Osbern FitzRichard of Richard's Castle, and Nesta ferch Gruffydd.^[9] Bertha was a direct descendant, in the maternal line, of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (1007- 5 August 1063) and Edith (Aldgyth), daughter of Elfgar, Earl of Mercia.^{[citation needed]}

Bertha's father Miles served as Constable to King Stephen of England. He later served in the same capacity to Empress Matilda after he'd transferred his allegiance. In 1141, she made him Earl of Hereford in gratitude for his loyalty. On 24 December 1143, he was killed whilst on a hunting expedition in the Forest of Dean.^[10]

Marriage and issue

Abergavenny Castle in Monmouthshire, Wales, was one of the castles Bertha of Hereford brought to her husband William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber

In 1150, Bertha married William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber (1112–1192), son of Philip de Braose, 2nd Lord of Bramber and Aenor, daughter of Judael of Totnes. William and Bertha had three daughters and two sons, including William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber.

In 1173, Bertha's brothers all having died without issue, she brought the Lordships and castles of Brecknock and Abergavenny, to her husband.^[10] Hay Castle had already passed to her from her mother, Sibyl of Neufmarche in 1165, whence it became part of the de Braose holdings.

In 1174, Bertha's husband became Sheriff of Hereford.

Bertha's children include

• William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber, (1144/1153- 11 August 1211, Corbeil),^[11] married Maud de St. Valery, daughter of Bernard de St. Valery, by whom he had 16 children.
• Roger de Braose or Reynold de Briouse
• Sibyl de Braose (died after 5 February 1227), married William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby (1136- 21 October 1190 at Acre on crusade), son of Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby and Margaret Peverel, by whom she had issue.
• Maud de Braose, married John de Brompton, by whom she had issue.^[12]

Legacy

Bertha died on an unknown date. She was the ancestress of many noble English families which included the de Braoses, de Beauchamps, de Bohuns and de Ferrers; as well as the Irish families of de Lacy and de Burgh.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Bertha of Hereford

Roger de Pitres Walter FitzRoger de Pitres Hamelin de Balun Eunice de Balun Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford Hamelin de Balun de Balun Bertha de Balun of Bateden Bertha of Hereford Thurcytel de Neufmarché Geoffrey de Neufmarché Papia of England Bernard de Neufmarché, Lord of Brecon Richard FitzGulbert, Seigneur de Hugleville Ada de Hugleville Ada de Hugleville Sibyl de Neufmarché Richard FitzScrob Osbern fitzRichard de Essex Nesta ferch Osbern Gruffydd ap Llywelyn of Wales Nest ferch Gruffydd Edith of Mercia

References

1. Bryant, Chris (7 September 2017). Entitled: A Critical History of the British Aristocracy. Random House. ISBN 978-1-4735-2551-1.
2. Pollock, M. A. (2015). Scotland, England and France After the Loss of Normandy, 1204-1296: "Auld Amitie". Boydell & Brewer Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84383-992-7.
3. Lundy 2010, p. 10257 § 102563 cites Cokayne 2000, p. 21.
4. Lundy 2011, p. 10257 § 102564 cites Cokayne 2000a, p. 457
5. Lundy 2006, p. 21390 § i213894 cites Cokayne 2000a, p. 457.
6. Lundy 2011, p. 10257 § 102564 cites Cokayne 2000, pp. 20, 21
7. Lundy 2004, p. 62 § 615 cites Cokayne 2000, p. 20
8. Lundy 2003, p. 10257 § 102565 cites Cokayne 2000, p. 20
9. Lundy 2008, p. 10257 § 102568 cites Weir 1999, p. 36
10. Round 1890, pp. 438–430.
11. Lundy 2010, p. 10257 § 102563 cites Cokayne 2000, p. 22.
12. Eyton's Antiquities of Shropshire, Vol 4, p 246

Sources

• Cokayne, George E (2000), The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, vol. I (new, 13 volumes in 14 (1910–1959; reprint in 6 volumes ed.), Gloucester, UK: Alan Sutton Publishing, pp. 20, 21, 22
• Cokayne, George E (2000a), The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, vol. VI (new, 13 volumes in 14 (1910–1959; reprint in 6 volumes ed.), Gloucester, UK: Alan Sutton Publishing, p. 457
• Dugdale, William, Sir (1894), "Lanthony Abbey, Gloucestershire: Num. II: Fundatorum Progenies", Monasticon Anglicanum, vol. 6, T.G. March, p. 134{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Lundy, Darryl (6 April 2003). "Sybil de Neufmarché". p. 10257 § 102565. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
• Lundy, Darryl (24 February 2004), Walter Fitz Roger de Pîtres], p. 62 § 615, retrieved 1 November 2012
• Lundy, Darryl (17 December 2006), Margaret of Gloucester, p. 21390 § i213894, retrieved 1 November 2012
• Lundy, Darryl (13 September 2008), Osbern FitzRichard, p. 10257 § 102568, retrieved 1 November 2012
• Lundy, Darryl (19 April 2010), Bertha of Hereford, p. 10257 § 102563, retrieved 1 November 2012
• Lundy, Darryl (17 May 2011), Miles of Gloucester, p. 10257 § 102564, retrieved 1 November 2012
• Round, John Horace (1890). "Gloucester, Miles de" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 21. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 438–430.
• Weir, Alison (1999), Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy, London, UK: The Bodley Head, p. 36