Richard de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford (c. 1153–1217), feudal baron of Clare in Suffolk, and lord of Tonbridge in Kent and of Cardigan in Wales, was a powerful Anglo-Norman nobleman with vast landholdings in England and Wales.

Career

Richard was the son and heir of Roger de Clare, 2nd Earl of Hertford, 5th feudal baron of Clare, by his wife Maud de St Hillary, a daughter of James de St Hillary. More commonly known as the Earl of Clare, he had the majority of the Giffard estates from his ancestor, Rohese. He was present at the coronations of King Richard I at Westminster, 3 September 1189, and King John on 27 May 1199. He was also present at the homage of King William of Scotland as English Earl of Huntingdon at Lincoln.

Magna Carta

He sided with the Barons against King John, even though he had previously sworn peace with the King at Northampton, and his castle of Tonbridge was taken. He played a leading part in the negotiations for Magna Carta, being one of the twenty five sureties. On 9 November 1215, he was one of the commissioners on the part of the Barons to negotiate the peace with the King. In 1215, his lands in counties Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex were granted to Robert de Betun. He and his son were among the Barons excommunicated by the Pope in 1215. His coat of arms was: Or, three chevronels gules, adopted at the start of the age of heraldry c.1200-1215, and certainly borne by his son the Earl of Gloucester.

Marriage and issue

In about 1172 he married Amice Fitzwilliam, 4th Countess of Gloucester (c. 1160–1220), the second daughter and co-heiress of William Fitz Robert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester by his wife Hawise de Beaumont. At some time before 1198, Earl Richard and his wife Amice were ordered to separate by the Pope on the grounds of consanguinity, but later apparently reconciled their marriage with the Pope's agreement. By his wife he has issue as follows: