Royal Historical Event: The Death of Strongbow

On April 20th, 1176 Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke – who is more commonly known by his nickname ‘Strongbow’ – died in Dublin. Strongbow is best remembered for his pivotal role in the Norman Invasion of Ireland.

It is believed that Richard de Clare was born around 1130 in Tonbridge, Kent and was the eldest son of Gilbert de Clare, 1st Earl of Pembroke and Isabel de Beaumont. The de Clare family were a Cambro-Norman family who had settled in southern Wales following the Norman conquest of England. During the Anarchy, Gilbert de Clare supported King Stephen, which later alienated him from Henry II.

Following the death of his father, Richard sought to reverse his family’s fortunes and seek the King’s favour. An opportunity arose in 1168 when the deposed Irish King of Leinster appealed to Henry II for assistance in reclaiming his Kingdom. Henry II permitted Strongbow to lead a force into Leinster and Diarmuid, the King of Leinster also offered Strongbow the hand of his daughter Aoife in marriage.

Strongbow landed in Ireland with 200 knights and 1,000 soldiers in August 1170 and thus began the Norman Invasion of Ireland. Also accompanying Strongbow was his brother-in-law Raymond Fitzgerald, who was married to his sister Basilia de Clare.

The Normans quickly took Waterford city where Strongbow later married Aoife of Leinster, by whom he had several children. He then took the cities of Wexford and Dublin and a year later, Henry II arrived in Ireland with a larger army and cemented his own rule in Leinster.

As a reward for his services, Henry II named Strongbow the Justiciar of Ireland and also granted him the city of Waterford and other castles. In 1173, Henry II summoned Strongbow to defend Normandy during the rebellion of Henry’s sons. By 1174 he was back in Ireland putting down various rebellions by the Irish Kings and Lords. Strongbow was present in England in 1175 for the signing of a peace treaty between King Henry II of England and the High King of Ireland.

However the treaty did not last long and fighting again erupted in Ireland and Strongbow returned to Dublin. Here he died in April 1176 of an ‘infection of the foot’ and was buried with much pomp at Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin with many notables present including the venerated Archbishop Laurence O’Toole.

Very little is known about Strongbow’s widow Aoife after his death, but it is assumed that the Princess died in 1188. Strongbow was succeeded by his only son, Gilbert de Clare, as 3rd Earl of Pembroke, and following his death in 1185, Strongbow’s daughter Isabel de Clare became the 4th Countess of Pembroke and was herself later married off to William the Marshal in 1189 by order of Richard the Lionheart.

Filed under Historical Royals
Tagged Aoife of Leinster, Biography, Richard de Clare Earl of Pembroke.