Person:Eustace fitz John (1)

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Eustace fitz John (died 1157), Constable of Chester, was a powerful magnate in northern England during the reigns of Henry I, Stephen and Henry II. From a relatively humble background in South East England, Eustace made his career serving Henry I, and was elevated by the king through marriage and office into one of the most important figures in the north of England. Eustace acquired a great deal of property in the region, controlled Bamburgh Castle, and served jointly with Walter Espec as justiciar of the North.

After Henry I's death in 1135, Eustace became involved in the Anarchy, the warfare between the supporters of Stephen and his rival the Empress Matilda, the latter led by Matilda's uncle David, King of Scotland. He surrendered Alnwick Castle and Malton Castle temporarily to David, while Bamburgh was taken by Stephen. Eustace became a supporter of David, fighting and suffering defeat at the Battle of the Standard in 1138. He maintained most of his lands in the north, however, and from around 1144 became one of the main followers of Ranulf II, Earl of Chester, through whom he gained even more land. Eustace subsequently founded three religious houses and died on a campaign with Henry II in 1157.

Genealogical notes. 1. He was Constable of Chester in right of his 2nd wife, Agnes. She was the "fitz Nigell", and was hereditary Constable in her own right. Eustace's ancestors had no connection with the Constableship, or the barony of Halton. The invention of "John fitz Nigell" as Eustace's father was superfluous.

2. The Constableship of Knaresborough was not a hereditary fee. It was in the King's demesne and was farmed out. Eustace farmed it, that is, he paid the King an agreed fixed sum for the right to collect the revenues over a fixed term. His ancestors had no interest in Knaresborough, and he was not related to the previous farmer, Serlo de Burgh. His father was not therefore "John de Burgh", as shown in many old books, and his ancestors were not called Burgh.

1. ↑ Eustace fitz John, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 EUSTACE FitzJohn, in Cawley, Charles. Medieval Lands: A prosopography of medieval European noble and royal families.