WILLIAM DE MANDEVILLE, 3RD EARL OF ESSEX

'William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex (1st Creation)' (d. 14 November, 1189) was a loyal councilor of Henry II and Richard I of England.
He was the second son of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex and Rohese de Vere. After his father's rebellion and death, William grew up at the court of the Count of Flanders. On the death of his elder brother Geoffrey in 1166 he became Earl of Essex, and returned to England, where he spent much time at the court of Henry II. He stayed loyal to the king during the 1173 rebellion of the king's sons.
In 1177 he became a crusader, in company with a companion of his youth, Philip of Flanders. Philip attempted to intervene in the court politics of the Kingdom of Jerusalem but was rebuffed, and the two fought for the Principality of Antioch at the siege of Harim. William returned to England in the fall of 1178.
In 1180 he married Hawise, daughter and heiress of William, Count of Aumale, who had died the previous year. He gained possession of her lands, both in Normandy and in England, along with the title of Count of Aumale (or Earl of Albemarle as it is sometimes called).
William fought in the wars against the French towards the end of Henry II's reign, and was with the king at the end of his life in 1189.
He carried the crown at the coronation of Richard I, and retained his place in the new court. Richard appointed him one of the two chief justiciars of England.Powicke ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 69 But William died a few months later on a mission to Normandy, without issue.
He was initially succeeded by his elderly aunt, Beatrice de Say, née Mandeville, who passed her claim to her surviving son, Geoffrey de Say. He contracted to pay an unprecedented relief for the Mandeville inheritance, but rapidly fell into arrears. Geoffrey Fitz Peter, the husband of his niece, Beatrice de Say, was a prominent man at court and used his position to push his wife's claim. Eventually the estates and, later, the earldom, went to Geoffrey Fitz Peter by right of his wife.

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★ Powicke, F. Maurice and E. B. Fryde ''Handbook of British Chronology'' 2nd. ed. London:Royal Historical Society 1961