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Umfraville

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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the name of an English baronial family, derived from Amfreville in Normandy. Members of this family obtained lands in Northumberland, including Redesdale and Prudhoe, from the Norman kings, and a later member, Gilbert de Umfraville (d. 1245), married Matilda, daughter of Malcolm, earl of Angus, and obtained this Scottish earldom. Gilbert's son, Gilbert, earl of Angus (c. 1244-1307), took part in the fighting between Henry III. and his barons, and in the Scottish expeditions of Edward I. His son, Robert, earl of Angus (1277-1325), was taken prisoner by the Scots at Bannockburn, but was soon released, though he was deprived of the earldom of Angus and of his Scottish estates. His son and heir, Gilbert de Umfraville (1310-1381), claimed the earldom, which he hoped to gain by helping Edward Baliol to win the Scottish crown, but he failed, and on his death without issue the greater part of his English estates passed to his niece, Eleanor, the wife of Sir Henry Talboys (d. 1370), while others, including Redesdale, Harbottle and Otterbourne, came to his half-brother, Sir Thomas de Umfraville (d. 1386). Sir Thomas's son, another Sir Thoiiias de Umfraville (1362-1391), left a son, Gilbert de Umfraville (1390-1421), who fought on the Scottish border and in France under his warlike uncle, Sir Robert de Umfraville (d. 1436). Although not related in blood he appears to have inherited the estates in Lincolnshire of the Kyme family, and he was generally known as the earl of Kyme, though the title was never properly conferred upon him. In 1415 he fought at Agincourt; he was afterwards sent as an ambassador to Charles VI. of France, and arranged an alliance between the English and the Burgundians. He was killed at the battle of Bauge on the 22nd of March 1421. His heir was his uncle Sir Robert, who died on the 29th of January 1436, when the male line of the Umfraville family became extinct. The chronicler John Hardyng was for many years in the service of Sir Robert, and in his Chronicle he eulogizes various members of the family.