Richard FITZ GILBERT DE CLARE Lord of Clare, Bienfaite, Orbec and Tonbridge ^{1 2}

  General Notes:

Known as "de Bienfaite", "de Clare", and "de Tonbridge", he accompanied his reputed kinsman William, Duke of Normandy into England. He served at the Battle of Hastings, and assisted William in subduing the Anglo-Saxons.
He was rewarded with 176 lordships and large grants of land in England, including the right to build the castles of Clare and of Tonbridge. Richard Fitz Gilbert took the name Earl of Clare from one of his lordships in Suffolk, where parts of the wall of Clare Castle still stand.
He served as Joint Chief Justiciar in William's absence, and played a major part in suppressing the revolt of 1075.
On William's death, Richard and other great Norman barons, including Odo of Bayeux, Robert, Count of Mortain, William fitzOsbern and Geoffrey of Coutances, led a rebellion against the rule of William Rufus in order to place Robert Curthose on the throne. However, most Normans in England remained loyal. William Rufus and his army successfully attacked the rebel strongholds at Tonbridge, Pevensey and Rochester.

Richard married Rohese GIFFARD, daughter of Sir Walter GIFFARD Lord of Longueville and Ermengarde FLAITEL, in 1054. (Rohese GIFFARD was born circa 1034 and died in 1133.)