Walter III of CLIFFORD (1190-1263)

Individual Events and Attributes

Individual Note

Walter III de Clifford (died 1263) was a Welsh Marcher Lord during the reign of King John of England. Walter II de Clifford (c. 1160 - 17 January 1221) was a Welsh Marcher Lord and High Sheriff in England, son of Walter I de Clifford (1113–1190). Walter became Sheriff of Herefordshire and was a close associate of William de Braose. In March 1208 he held back from William's rebellion, but did not do enough to check it. As a result King John dismissed him from his Marcher barony of Clifford and made his son Walter III de Clifford de facto lord instead. Walter had married Agnes Cundy of Kent before 1175. He was succeeded by his sons, Walter III de Clifford and Roger Clifford who founded the line of Northumbrian Cliffords.

[edit] FamilyWalter III de Clifford was born before 1190, the son of Walter II de Clifford and Agnes Cundy. He died before 20 December 1263. He had at least four brothers, Roger, Giles, Richard and Simon, as well as sisters, Maud, Basilia and Cecilia.

[edit] HistoryHe took over Clifford barony in 1208 on the disgrace of his father, Walter II de Clifford, who appeared disloyal to King John of England who was then in dispute with Walter's lord for Bronllys, William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber.

Walter's first marriage proved barren and he married Margaret, the daughter of Prince Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, late in life during 1232. During baronial discontent he rebelled against King Henry III in 1233 and surrendered after Clifford Castle had been reduced by the king. He then joined the king, defending Bronllys Castle in a war against his father-in-law, Llywelyn ab Iorwerth who was at the time besieging nearby Brecon. Twenty years later he nearly rebelled again in a dispute with the king over his Marcher franchises during which he forced a royal messenger to eat a royal writ, which included the wax seal.

He left one daughter Maud as heiress, a granddaughter of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, who married firstly William de Longespee, Earl of Salisbury, and secondly Sir John Clifford of Brimsfield.