Stephen Devereux (c. 1191 – 1228) was a powerful Marcher Lord, and held Lyonshall Castle controlling an important approach to the border of Wales. As a key member of the retinue of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, he played a significant role in the Earl's support of King John during the First Barons' War, and during the minority of Henry III.
Birth and ancestry
Stephen Devereux was born about 1191, the eldest of three sons of Walter DevereuxEvelyn Philip Shirley. Stemmata Shirleiana. (Westminster: Nichols and Sons, 1873). page 103 and Cecilia de Longchamp. Cecilia was the daughter of Sir Hugh de Longchamp and sister to William de Longchamp, Lord Chancellor of England. His father, Walter, died in 1197, probably during the assault on the castle at Milly-sur-Thérain in France since he was in the retinue of William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber.Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 249 Braose was with Richard I as he campaigned to regain his territories lost while Richard was held captive by Leopold of Austria. Walter Devereux's lands passed into the King's hands. His sons were placed in the retinue of local lords for training as knights: Stephen Devereux with William Marshal, earl of Pembroke;Stephen Devereux is referred to as William Marshal's 'cousin.' In this context it indicates as belonging to the same extended family Nicholas Devereux with Walter de Lacy, Lord of Meath;The Deputy Keeper of Records. "Liber Feodorum. The Book of Fees Commonly Called Testa de Nevill, Reformed From the Earliest Mss; Part 1, AD 1198 - 1242." (London: Published by his Majesty's Stationery Office, 1920). Pages 631-2W. Holden Brook. "Lords of the Central Marches: English Aristocracy and Frontier Society, 1087-1265." (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008). Pages 101, 113, Calendar of Patent Rolls, Volume 5, page 53. 1340, November 14, Reading, membrane 24 & 25Nicholas Devereux would eventually become the Steward of Meath for Walter de Lacy, and inherit the Devereux manors of Chanston (Hereford) and East Leach (Gloucester). and John Devereux with William de Braose.Gabriel O'C Redmond. "An Account of the Anglo-Norman Family of Devereux, of Balmagir, County Wexford." (Dublin: Office of "The Irish Builder," 1891). Pages 5John Devereux would be granted the Decies (county Waterford). When William de Braose eventually fell out of favor with King John in 2010, John Devereux became part of the retinue of William Marshall with his brother, Stephen. Stephen's mother, Cecilia, launched a series of legal fights to preserve her dower rights and the Devereux properties.Two examples: Curia Regis Roll: Michaelmas Term, 9 John 1207. Cicely Devereux was fined 3 marks for mercy in the suit over Putley. The matter was eventually settled when the canons produced the charter that William Devereux had conferred on them, and demonstrated they had possessed the right of patronage for the previous 60 years. An arrangement was made where Cecilia released her own claims and the future rights of her heirs and assigns in the contested portion of the advowson, for which concession she was paid eight marks of silver with the privilege of having her obit celebrated in the Cathedral at the annual thanksgiving to benefactors. Curia Regis Roll: Michaelmas Term, 13 John, 1211, Membrane 6, Page 144. Gloucester— Cecilia Devereux seeks against William de Lechlade six and a half hides of land and 6 acres of land with the appurtenances in Lech (Leach) as her right and inheritance. And so William Devereux, the grandfather of the aforesaid Cicely, was seised in the time of King Henry the Lord's father, etc. And William comes and defends his right to hold in the Lord's name, and he puts forward his great assize of the Lord King and seeks to have his seisin recognized, as is aforesaid, whether he should have the greater right of holding than Cicely the land of William Devereux, her grandfather and by whom she herself stakes her claim of the land, he (William Devereux) gave his mother, Orenge. Cicely received a marriage-portion to hold of him if she held this in the Lord's name. Day is given them on the octave of St. Martin, and then come the fourth. etc.
Career
About 1199, Stephen Devereux was placed in the retinue of William Marshal for training as a knight, and over the years came ‘to be trusted for his cool-headed judgement’ and a member of the earl's inner circle.Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 298 In spring 1201, King Philip II of France began to confiscate England's possessions in France. In May, Devereux accompanied William Marshal to Normandy with 100 knights to counter a French invasion. King John abandoned Normandy in December 1203. Marshal tried to retain his Normandy estates at Longueville, and paid homage to King Philip for this purpose. This led to Marshal's falling out of favour with King John that festered over the next few years. In 1205, Stephen Devereux's uncle and namesake, Stephen de Longchamp, granted him the manor of Frome Herbert (Halmond), Rotuli Chartarum In Turri Londinensi Asservati: Pars 1. Ab anno MCXCIX ad annum MCCXVI, volume 1. Thoma Duffus Hardy. Printed by Command of His Majesty King William IV. 1837, page 156 with King John confirming it on 26 July. This probably was an attempt by John to subvert the loyalty of Stephen to William Marshal.
Against the king's wishes, William Marshal and Devereux traveled in early 1207 to Ireland to secure the earl's lands and title to Leinster. In late summer, John summoned Marshal to return to England. Marshal held council with his wife and leading men, including Stephen, and all believed the summons to be a trick to allow the Justiciar of Ireland, Meiler FitzHenry, to seize key fortresses and drive Marshal from Ireland.Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 301 Marshal decided to comply with the summons, but only bring 2 knights of his retinue with him: John Marshal and Henry Hose. The earl prepared his defenses, assigning John of Earley as guardian of south-west Leinster (Ossory, including county Kilkenny and Wexford) with Stephen Devereux to advise him, and Jordan of Sauqueville as guardian of north-east Leinster (Carlow, Wicklow, and Kildare).Paul Meyer. “L’Histoire de Guillaume le Marechal, Comte de Striguil et de Pembroke, Regent D’Angleterre de 1216 a 1219.” (Paris: Libraire de la Societe de l’Histoire de France, 1901). Page 186 to 187Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 302
William Marshal arrived in Wales in late 1207, and in his absence from Ireland the king's Justiciar launched assaults on his lands across Leinster.Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 303 In England, Marshal arrived at court to find that King John had bought off his allies with lands and offices, and he was isolated and unable to determine the state of his lands in Ireland. The Justiciar delivered three letters in January 1208 summoning John of Earley, Jordan de Saqueville, and Stephen Devereux to appear before the king in England within 15 days, or suffer the loss of all their lands.Paul Meyer. “L’Histoire de Guillaume le Marechal, Comte de Striguil et de Pembroke, Regent D’Angleterre de 1216 a 1219.” (Paris: Libraire de la Societe de l’Histoire de France, 1901). Page 189 to 190Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 306 The three decided to stand fast for their lord, William Marshal, and sent to seek aid from Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster, to resist the forces assaulting them.Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 307 According to the History of William Marshal Stephen Devereux said that "The king might do as he pleased with their English lands, rather than they be shamed before God in giving up their charges;" and together they said "Let us not complain of the game if we lose land and honour; better that than to lose land, honour and the love of our lord."David Crouch. William Marshal, 3rd Edition. (New York: Routledge, 2016). Page 129-30
On 20 February 1208, King John sent a letter to Marshal telling him "I want you to know that I have delivered to you the lands I confiscated from John of Early, which he held from you. I took away his lands because more than two months ago I instructed him to come to me and he did not do so. I very much want you to produce both him and the others I summoned before me, as is right and proper. I need them here for my own business, and I will keep their lands until they surrender to me." Shortly afterward, John told William Marshal that his pregnant wife was besieged in Kilkenny castle, and that a bloody battle had been fought there causing the death of Stephen Devereux and John of Earley.Paul Meyer. “L’Histoire de Guillaume le Marechal, Comte de Striguil et de Pembroke, Regent D’Angleterre de 1216 a 1219.” (Paris: Libraire de la Societe de l’Histoire de France, 1901). Page 191 to 192Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 304 The truth came out a few weeks later. Marshal's forces were victorious, and this prompted a reconciliation with King John. William Marshal rewarded his loyal knights with lands, and Devereux received the castles of Balmagir and Selskar in county Wexford.Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 311Gabriel O’C. Redmond. "An Account of the Anglo-Norman Family of Devereux, of Balmagir, County Wexford." (Dublin: Office of "The Irish Builder," 1891). Pages 4 to 5A pedigree of the Devereux of Ballybarne (Kilrush), County Wexford, indicates their family descended from the ‘ancient family of Devereux of Balmagir in that county, who settled there in the reign of King John’ (1199-1216)
By the summer of 1208, William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber, had fallen out of favour with King John and fled to his friend, William Marshal in Ireland.Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 312 The king's men seized Braose's lands, and tracked him to Leinster. Marshal denied knowledge of the charges against Braose, and refused to turn him over claiming he was under the protection of his hospitality.Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 313 Braose was escorted to Meath where he took sanctuary with Walter de Lacy. John seized Braose's lands, and replaced him as sheriff of Hereford with his mercenary commanders. Among these lands were the estates of the Stephen Devereux including his castle at Lyonshall, Hereford. This at first was given over to Walter de Lacy who placed Lyonshall in the hands of Miles Pichard, but on discovering that Braose was in Meath, the king seized the de Lacy lands in Ireland.Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 314Bernard. The Picards of Pychards; of Stradewy (now Tretower) Castle, and Scethrog, Brecknockshire. (London: Golding and Lawrence, 1878). page 15-16, 23Thomas Duffus Hardy. Rotuli litterarum patentium in Turri londinensi asservati. Volume 1. Part 1. (London: Commissioners on the Public Records, 1835). Page 91 John raised a great army to bring to Ireland, and William Marshal rushed to England to renew his submission and vow no further support for de Braose. John's force landed in Waterford, and marched north. Walter de Lacy submitted, but his brother Hugh de Lacy resisted and was defeated. Hugh de Lacy fled to Scotland, and William de Braose fled to France and died. William Marshal was again in disfavor, and the king's wrath fell also on his followers. John of Earley, Jordan of Saqueville, and Geoffrey of Saqueville were imprisoned,Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 315 and Devereux found all his estates back in the king's hands.