Roger
de Clare, the youngest son of Richard de Clare, and the brother of
Gilbert de Clare, was born in about 1118. He married Matilda, daughter
of James de St. Hilary.
Roger
succeeded to his older brother's estates in 1152. He also became the
5th Earl of Clare and the 3rd Earl of Hertford.
In
1156 Roger received from Henry
II a
grant of whatever lands he could conquer in South Wales. Later that
year he entered Cardigan and took the castles of Humfrey, Aberdovey,
Dineir and Rhystud. Seven years later Prince Rhys and his Welsh Army
attempted to win back this land. His early success resulted in a fresh
English invasion.
Soon after inheriting his
estates Roger came into conflict with Thomas
Becket,
the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Becket argued that some of the manors in Kent should come under his
control. Roger disagreed and refused to give up this land. Becket
sent a messenger to see Roger with a letter asking for a meeting.
Roger responded by forcing the messenger to eat the letter.
In 1164, Becket was involved
in a dispute over land. Henry
II ordered Becket
to appear before his courts. When Becket refused, the king confiscated
his property. Henry also claimed that Becket had stolen £300
from government funds when he had been Chancellor. Becket denied the
charge but, so that the matter could be settled quickly, he offered
to repay the money. Henry refused to accept Becket's offer and insisted
that the Archbishop should stand trial. When Henry mentioned other
charges, including treason, Becket decided to run away to France.
Becket eventually agreed
to return to England. However, as soon as he arrived on English soil,
he excommunicated (expelled from the Christian Church) the Archbishop
of York and other leading churchmen who had supported Henry while
he was away. Henry, who was in Normandy at the time, was furious when
he heard the news and supposedly shouted out: "Will no one rid
me of this turbulent priest?" Four of Henry's knights, Hugh de
Morville, William de Tracy, Reginald Fitz Urse, and Richard Ie Bret,
who heard Henry's angry outburst decided to travel to England to see
Becket.
On the way to Canterbury the four knights stopped at Bletchingley
Castle to see Roger
of Clare.
When the knights arrived
at Canterbury Cathedral on 29th December 1170, they demanded that
Becket pardon the men he had excommunicated. When Becket refused,
they hacked him to death with their swords.
Roger de Clare died in
1173. His son, Richard of Clare, inherited his estates.
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