Sir Nicholas DE SEGRAVE 1st Baron Segrave ²⁰⁷⁰

   FamilySearch ID: LCZT-JZV

  General Notes:

Nicholas de Segrave was born circa 1238, the son of Gilbert de Segrave (d. 1254), a judge, and Amabil de Chaucombe, daughter and heiress of Robert de Chaucumb. His grandfather was the celebrated justiciar Stephen de Segrave. Nicholas was born in Segrave, Leicestershire. When his father died in October 1254, Nicholas was only sixteen years old, making him a royal ward. His lands were placed in the custody of the young Prince Edward. He came of age and received his inherited lands on [18 April] 1258. Early in his career, he was noted as a valette of the King in 1257, receiving a daily allowance for three horses and three grooms. He later married Matilda (or Maud) de Lucy, daughter of Sir Thomas de Lucy of Copeland. The couple had numerous children, including the heirs John Segrave, 2nd Baron Segrave (b. 1256, d. 1325), Nicholas Segrave, Knt. (d. 1321), who was Lord Marshal of England, Gilbert Segrave, Bishop of London, and their daughter Eleanor de Segrave (b. 1270, d. 1314), who married Alan la Zouche. Nicholas was appointed a Knight on [1 August] 1263.

The Tumultuous Barons' Wars (1261\endash 1267)
Nicholas was a prominent figure and strong partisan of Simon de Montfort, famously noted as one of the juniores pueri Angliæ (younger men of England) who actively opposed King Henry III. Though he swore before the King in September 1261 to remain loyal, he was quickly involved in the rebellion.

1262\endash 1263: He attended the rebel parliament in May 1262 and, despite his recent knighthood, took part in the spoiling of Peter of Aigueblanche, the Bishop of Hereford. He later agreed to submit disputes to the arbitration of St. Louis on 13 Dec. 1263. When, after the repudiation of St. Louis' award, fresh war broke out between the barons and the king, Segrave took a leading part in defending Northampton against Henry. He was one of the few who managed to escape from the great destruction that followed when Henry captured that town.

1264: At the opening of hostilities, he was with the baronial forces at the siege of Rochester in April 1264. At the Battle of Lewes on [14 May], he commanded the London contingent, which was routed by Prince Edward. Following Montfort's victory, Nicholas was granted the custody of Rockingham Castle and the King's forests between the bridges of Oxford and Stamford on [17 June] 1264, and he was among those called upon by the King to deliver custody of Prince Edward in [December] 1264. He was also summoned to Montfort's famous parliament in January 1265.

1265\endash 1267: The tide turned at the Battle of Evesham on [4 August] 1265, where Nicholas was wounded and taken prisoner. On [26 October], the King granted all his lands to his son, Edmund. Nicholas became one of the desperate 'disinherited,' holding out in the Isle of Ely in 1267. He eventually surrendered the Isle of Ely and fled to Southwark. He was pardoned and finally admitted into the King's peace on [1 July] 1267.

Loyal Service and Land Holdings
After his reconciliation, Nicholas served Edward I faithfully. On [12 May] 1270, he took the cross and received letters of protection for departing with the King and Prince Edward to the Holy Land.

Wales and Ireland: He was repeatedly summoned to serve in the Welsh campaigns in 1276, 1277, 1282, and 1283. On [28 June] 1283, he was summoned to Shrewsbury on the Welsh border to negotiate with David ap Griffith. In 1284, he was noted as going to Ireland.

Land Disputes and Holdings: Records from 1279 show him holding two carucates in demesne and a twenty-acre park called Franchehay with a vivary at Caludon. He was also involved in a major land dispute concerning common pasture in Caludon and Wyken from 1262, suggesting the origins of the Segrave tenure were found around the 1220s. In 1288, he and his wife Maud complained that she was assaulted and robbed at Eccleshale in Warwickshire.

Commissions and Scottish Service: Nicholas was engaged in various commissions between 1290 and 1294, and was in Scotland on the King's service on at least two occasions, serving as one of the judges in the great suit over the Scottish succession.

Peerage and Death
The culmination of his service was his elevation to the peerage. He was summoned to Parliament by writ on [24 June] 1295, directed to Niche de Segrave seniori, formally establishing him as the 1st Lord Segrave. Nicholas de Segrave died shortly thereafter, before [12 November] 1295, and was buried at Chaucombe Priory. His death marked the end of the Segrave family's tradition of legal service, as he had instead taught his children to "imitate the brave and associate with the nobles".

Nicholas married Matilda DE LUCY in 1256 in Barton Seagrave, , Northamptonshire, England.²⁰⁶⁹ (Matilda DE LUCY was born between 1234 and 1240 in , , Lincolnshire, England,²⁰⁷⁰ died between 1289 and 1337 in , , Northamptonshire, England ²⁰⁷⁰ and was buried in Chacombe Priory, Chacombe, Northamptonshire, England ²⁰⁷⁰.)