Richard FitzAlan, 1st Earl of Arundel

Richard FitzAlan, 1st Earl of Arundel (3 February 1267 – 9 March 1302) was an English nobleman and soldier who fought in the Welsh wars of 1288 to 1294.

Lineage

Arms of d'Aubigny, Earls of Arundel, as blazoned in Charles's Roll of Arms (13th century), for Hugh d'Aubigny, 5th Earl of Arundel (d.1243): Gules, a lion rampant or. These arms were adopted by the family of Fitzalan, successors in the Earldom of Arundel; They were recorded as the arms of Richard FitzAlan, 8th Earl of Arundel (1266–1302) in the Falkirk Roll, Glover's Roll and in the Caerlaverock Poem (1300) and are shown on his seal on the Barons' Letter, 1301. They are today shown in the 4th quarter of the arms of the Duke of Norfolk, of the family of Fitz-Alan Howard, who holds the subsidiary title Earl of Arundel He was the son of John Fitzalan III and Isabella Mortimer, daughter of Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Wigmore and Maud de Braose. His paternal grandparents were John Fitzalan II and Maud le Botiller. Their family seat was Arundel Castle.

Richard was feudal Lord of Clun and Oswestry in the Welsh Marches. In 1289 he was created Earl of Arundel.

He was knighted by King Edward I of England in 1289.

Fighting in Wales, Gascony and Scotland

He fought in the Welsh wars, 1288 to 1294, when the Welsh castle of Castell y Bere (near modern-day Towyn) was besieged by Madog ap Llywelyn. He commanded the force sent to relieve the siege and he also took part in many other campaigns in Wales; also in Gascony in 1295-97; and furthermore in the Scottish wars of 1298-1300.

Marriage and children

He married sometime before 1285, Alice of Saluzzo (also known as Alesia di Saluzzo), daughter of Thomas I of Saluzzo in Italy. Their issue: Edmund Fitzalan, 2nd Earl of Arundel. John, a priest. Alice Fitzalan, married Stephen de Segrave, 3rd Lord Segrave. Margaret Fitzalan, married William le Botiller (or Butler), great-grandson of the Welsh prince Gruffydd II ap Madog, Lord of Dinas Bran Castle. Eleanor FitzAlan, married Henry de Percy, 1st Baron Percy.

Burial

Richard and his mother are buried together in the sanctuary of Haughmond Abbey, long closely associated with the FitzAlan family.