William Giffard, third duke of Northumberland

William Giffard
Duke of Northumberland Earl of Essex
Predecessor	William
Successor	Robert
Born	10 October 1128 Colchester, Essex, England
Died	26 August 1174 (aged 47) London, England
Buried	Waltham Abbey
Noble family	Giffard
Spouse(s)	Seaxburh Hlotheresdohtor (m. 1144)
Father	William, duke of Northumberland
Mother	Seva de Gael

William Giffard (10 October 1128 - 26 August 1174), third duke of Northumberland and fourth earl of Essex, was a prominent Anglo-Norman nobleman of the 12th century.

Early life

Giffard was born at Colchester Castle, the seat of the earldom of Essex, on 10 October 1128. His father William, duke of Northumberland, was then engaged in a rebellion against King William II. In January 1129 the king's forces captured Colchester and the three-month old heir to Northumberland was taken into William II's custody. After the execution of his father on 12 April 1129, the king recognized the infant William Giffard (IV) as duke of Northumberland and took him to Westminster to be raised as a royal ward.

Little is known of Giffard's early years. In 1133 the five-year old duke was taken with William II during the king's yearlong visit to Normandy. After William II's return to England in 1135 it is unclear if Giffard remained a royal ward or was given over to the custody of another individual, perhaps the bishop of Waltham. In January 1141 the duke, now aged twelve, attended the meeting of William II with Malcolm IV of Scotland at Roxburgh as one of "the illustrious barons of the realm of England".

In 1144 Giffard married Seaxburh, a daughter of Hlothere, earl of Chester, and the widow of Cenfus, earl of Surrey (d. 1139). At their wedding Giffard was sixteen while his wife was perhaps in her early thirties. The union was destined to be childless.

Career

In October 1148 Giffard was appointed steward of England by William II. In March 1149 he sat as a royal justiciar during the treason trial of Edward, earl of Northampton. In January 1151 he was named as one of the noblemen who accompanied William II at the king's great entry into Westminster. Giffard attended the Magnum Concilium held at Tottenham in December 1153, when he wore his red robes of state as steward. In February 1154 he secured the dying William II's confirmation of several of his charters.

Giffard suffered a sharp fall from favor after William II's death on 25 March 1154. The new king, William III, dismissed him from the stewardship in April 1154, following which he retired to Essex. In 1156 a Venetian diplomat reported that Giffard had joined forces with Alienora, duchess of Lancaster and Norfolk, to raise an army of 5,000 men against the king. This was mere speculation, but William III's death on 15 March 1157 allowed Giffard's return to high politics. On 18 March, just three days after his father's death, William IV appointed Giffard as a daily councilor and granted him the prestigious court office of master of the horse.

Giffard's return to political prominence after 1157 was threatened by his feud with Queen Ælfrida. In 1160 the queen unsuccessfully lobbied William IV to expel the duke from court. In September 1161, after accusations of treason were laid against Giffard, he was dismissed from the royal council and ordered to confine himself to his own estates. In December 1161 he appeared before William IV himself at Westminster Palace and defended himself against a charge of treason "with his own voice", ultimately securing an acquittal.

Giffard's break with William IV in 1161 seems to have brought on a mental breakdown in the duke, described as "a fretful and deceitful man" according to the later Waltham chronicler. In 1163 Giffard suffered a nervous collapse and withdrew into seclusion, according to the same chronicler not leaving his bedchamber once in three years. During the period of Giffard's incapacity the king appointed Eastmund, mayor of Maldon, to administer the affairs of Essex, while Duchess Seaxburh was named to administer the rest of the duchy until her husband's recovery. Giffard remained mentally disturbed until October 1166, when he had recovered sufficiently to resume control over his own affairs.

The duke's restoration to health in 1166 occasioned his reconciliation with the king. In March 1169 he entertained William IV at Colchester. Giffard's return to power was complete by 5 August 1170, when he was appointed as chancellor of England after the death of William IV's brother Tancred, duke of Cumbria. In December 1170 Giffard sat as chancellor during the Westminster trial of Alienora, duchess of Lancaster. In October 1172 Giffard led an English embassy to Rome, where he presented gifts to Pope Urban II. He had returned to England by May 1173, when he sat as chancellor at Winchester to pass the sentence of forfeiture upon Fredesende, countess of Perche.

Succession

Giffard died in London on 26 August 1174 and was buried at Waltham Abbey on 16 September. He died without children, ending the line of the first duke of Northumberland. The succession to the duchy of Northumberland passed to his second cousin Robert Giffard, count of the Vexin, a grandson of Hamelin Giffard (d. 1099), second son of William, first earl of Essex.