Bertha DE PITRES

Other Events:

• Fact: ; Heiress of Brecon
• FamilySearch ID: LRGN-LN7
• Name: Bertha FITZMILES
• Name: Bertha OF HEREFORD
• _UID: 6E462D7C9B434AD69E957B057F051400A67C

Notes:

Bertha of Hereford, also known as Bertha de Pitres (born c. 1130), was the daughter of Miles de Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford, and a wealthy heiress, Sibyl de Neufmarch?. She was the wife of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber to whom she brought many castles and Lordships, such as Brecknock (including Hay Castle), and Abergavenny.

Family
Bertha was born in England in about 1130. She was a daughter of Miles, Earl of Hereford (1097- 24 December 1143) and Sibyl de Neufmarch?. She had two sisters, Margaret of Hereford, who married Humphrey II de Bohun, by whom she had issue, and Lucy of Hereford, who married Herbert FitzHerbert of Winchester, by whom she had issue. Her brothers included Roger Fitzmiles, 2nd Earl of Hereford, Walter de Hereford, Henry Fitzmiles, William de Hereford, and Mahel de Hereford.

Bertha's paternal grandparents were Walter FitzRoger de Pitres, Sheriff of Gloucester and Bertha de Balun of Bateden, a descendant of Hamelin de Balun, and her maternal grandparents were Bernard de Neufmarch?, Lord of Brecon, and Nesta ferch Osbern. The latter was a daughter of Osbern FitzRichard of Richard's Castle, and Nesta ferch Gruffydd. Bertha was a direct descendant, in the maternal line, of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (1007- 5 August 1063) and Edith (Aldgyth), daughter of Elfgar, Earl of Mercia.

Bertha's father Miles served as Constable to King Stephen of England. He later served in the same capacity to Empress Matilda after he'd transferred his allegiance. In 1141, she made him Earl of Hereford in gratitude for his loyalty. On 24 December 1143, he was killed whilst on a hunting expedition in the Forest of Dean.

Marriage and issue
In 1150, Bertha married William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber (1112? 1192), son of Philip de Braose, 2nd Lord of Bramber and Aenor, daughter of Judael of Totnes. William and Bertha had three daughters and two sons, including William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber.
In 1173, Bertha's brothers all having died without issue, she brought the Lordships and castles of Brecknock and Abergavenny, to her husband. Hay Castle had already passed to her from her mother, Sibyl of Neufmarche in 1165, whence it became part of the de Braose holdings.
In 1174, Bertha's husband became Sheriff of Hereford.

Bertha's children include
1. William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber, (1144/1153- 11 August 1211, Corbeil), married Maud de St. Valery, daughter of Bernard de St. Valery, by whom he had 16 children.
2. Roger de Braose or Reynold de Briouse
3. Sibyl de Braose (died after 5 February 1227), married William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby (1136- 21 October 1190 at Acre on crusade), son of Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby and Margaret Peverel, by whom she had issue.
4. Maud de Braose, married John de Brompton, by whom she had issue.

Legacy
Upon the childless death of Roger in 1155, the Earldom of Hereford fell into abeyance until 1199 when King John bestowed the title on Henry de Bohun, Sibyl's grandson through her eldest daughter, Margaret. As her sons all died without legitimate offspring, Sibyl's three daughters became co-heirs to the Brecon honour, with Bertha, the second daughter, passing Sibyl's inheritance on (through marriage) to the de Braoses, thereby making them one of the most powerful families in the Welsh Marches.[42][43]
Bertha died on an unknown date. She was the ancestress of many noble English families which included the de Braoses, de Beauchamps, de Bohuns and de Ferrers; as well as the Irish families of de Lacy and de Burgh.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertha_of_Hereford

Bertha married William DE BRAOSE about 1148 in Hereford, Herefordshire, England. William (son of Philip de BRAOSE, Lord of Briouze and Bramber and Lady Aenor DE TOTNES, Countess of Barnstaple and Briouze) was born in 1112 in Brecon, Breconshire, Wales; died in 1179 in Bramber Castle, Sussex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
2 _PREF Y

1. Sybil DE BRAOSE was born about 1147 in Br Amber, Sussex, England; died after 8 Feb 1226-1227 in England.
2. Bertha DE BRAOSE was born about 1151 in Br Amber, Sussex, England; died on 19 Nov 1200 in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales.
3. Lord Of Bramber William DE BRAOSE, Lord Of Bramber was born about 1153 in Br Amber, Sussex, England; died on 9 Aug 1211 in Corbeil, Marne, France.
4. Engeram DE BRAOSE was born in 1154 in Bramber, Sussex, , England; died in 1210.
5. Reginald DE BRAOSE was born in 1155 in Bramber, Sussex, England; died in 1225 in Stringston, Somerset, England.
6. John de BRAOSE was born about 1158 in Bramber Castle, Sussex, England; died in 1229 in Bramber Castle, Sussex, England.
7. Roger de BRAOSE was born about 1159 in Bramber, Sussex, England; died in 1225 in England, UK.

Other Events:

• FamilySearch ID: 9CX7-S59

Miles married Sibyl DE NEUFMARCH?, Countess of Hereford. Sibyl was born in 1096 in Brecon Castle, Brecon, Wales; died on 24 Dec 1143 in Llanthony Secunda Priory, Hempsted, Gloucestershire, England; was buried after 24 Dec 1143 in Llanthony Secunda Priory, Hempsted, Gloucestershire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• FamilySearch ID: 934P-KGV