Geoffrey de Mandeville 1st Earl of Essex

     Geoffrey de Mandeville 1st Earl of Essex was the son of William de Mandeville and Margaret de Rie.¹ About 1119 in England Geoffrey married Rohese de Vere, daughter of Aubrey II de Vere Justiciar of England and Alice de Clare.^2,1 Geoffrey de Mandeville 1st Earl of Essex was created the 1st Earl of Essex between June 1140 and December 1140.¹ In February 1141, he deserted the King and joined with the Empress Maud, and thereby received not only a confirmation as Earl of Essex, but a more extensive charter, and the hereditary Constableship of the Tower. However, within two months, he deserted the Empress and again went over to the King. In 1142, he drove the rebels from the Isle of Ely, but soon after the King took ill, and once more he received recognition from the Empress Maud.¹ In October 1143, he was accused of treason, which he denied, but he was soon arrested at St. Albans and imprisoned. To avoid being hanged, he forfeited all his castles. Upon release however, he revolted, seized and fortified the Abbey of Ramsey, sacked Cambridge, and ravaged the fen country. By August 1144, he was besieging Burwell Castle in Cambridgeshire. With the heat of the day, he removed his headpiece, and was mortally wounded by an arrow.¹ He was killed on Thursday, 14 September 1144 in Mildenhall, Suffolk, England.¹ He was buried in 1163 in New Temple Church, Holborn,, London, England. The Knights Templers could not bury him after his death as he was under excommunication. Once he was absolved in 1163, they buried him in the church yard.¹