William d'Aubigny (aft 1146)

For other men of the feudal period with the same name, see William Albini.

William d'Aubigny - William d'Albini or William d'Aubeney, Lord of Belvoir, (died May 1, 1236) was prominent during the baronial rebellions against King John. He stayed neutral at first, only joining the rebels after the early success in taking London in 1215. He was one of the 25 sureties or guarantors of the Magna Carta. In the war that followed the signing of the charter, he held Rochester for the barons, and was imprisoned (and nearly hanged) after John captured the castle. He became a loyalist on the accession of Henry III, and was a commander at the Second Battle of Lincoln in 1217.

In 1168, William was a minor when he succeeded his father William 'the Breton' d'Aubigny, Lord of Belvoir. He married and had 4 sons by Margaret de Umfreville, daughter of Odinel of Umfreville. Margaret (or Margery) died September 20 (year unknown). Her burial ground is in Belvoir Priory. William remarried but had no issue by his second wife, Agatha Truessebut, Widow of Hamo Fitz Hamo, daughter of William Trussebut, Baron of Hunsingore, Yorkshire.

William fought in Normandy in 1192 and 1194. In 1201, when the Barons refused to follow their Sovereign into France, King John demanded that their castles should be given up to him as security for their allegiance, beginning with William d'Albini; and therewith Belvoir Castle, instead of which d'Albini gave him his son, William, as a hostage. In 1215, he joined the revolt of Barons against the king in First Barons' War, and led forces sent by the Barons to hold Rochester castle. Reinforcements from London were blocked by fire ships and after 2 months William and his men were captured. It was John's intention to hang all of them, but was persuaded by advisors that few of the rebel Barons would surrender if this precedent were set. William was spared, but one underling was hung and some defenders had hands and feet cut off.

Possessions and Titles
William D'Aubenney, of Belvoir and Bottesford, Leicestershire, Uffington, Woolsthorpe, and Wyville, Lincolnshire, Stoke Albany, Northamptonshire, Sheriff of Warwickshire and Leicestershire, of Rutland, and of Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire, son and heir of Earl William d'Aubeney, of Belvoir and Leicestershire.

Children

 * Nicholas was clerk, Rector of Bottesford, Lincolnshire.
 * Son William left only daughters on his death. One of them was Isabel, a co-heiress, who married Robert de Ros, 1st Baron de Ros (c. 1212-1301).

Documentation notes

 * Unless indicated otherwise, data is from:
 * "Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families", By Douglas Richardson. P. 28. Online
 * "The Magna Charta Barons and Their American Descendants" by Charles Henry Browining. P289. Online