Roger de Roumare
Roger de Roumare
? – 1098
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Also known as Roger FitzGerold, Roger de Roumare was the 1st Baron of Kendal, and he followed his father as Lord of Bolingbroke.
Early Life and Marriage
Little is known of de Roumare prior to his marriage to Lucy of Bolingbroke. The marriage itself was tempestuous. De Roumare disapproved of his wife’s impulsive, independent nature and they often clashed over the issue of children. As a Nyridia, Lucy was unwilling to lose her powers to a future child and thus, refused to conceive.
In common with most upper-class men of the time, de Roumare had several mistresses with subsequent illegitimate children. However, unaware of his wife’s Hycathic status, he became increasingly frustrated at the lack of having a legitimate heir.
As a result, it is widely accepted by historical scholars and Hycathic experts, including Dr. Annette Lynton and Melanie Howe of the East Mercian Hycathic Salvation Program, that William de Roumare, Roger’s heir and purported legitimate offspring of his marriage, was in fact the child of his mistress, Elizabeth Stiles, daughter of a prominent local landowner. It is thought that his wife Lucy, seeking an acceptable solution to her refusal to bear children, used reverse psychology on Roger to cause him to believe it was his idea to adopt William and pass him off as their own.
Additionally, under the patriarchal system of the time, Lucy’s extensive lands had become the property of her husband upon her marriage, which meant that, should she desire to retain control of them after his death, she would require a legitimate heir.
Descendants
William inherited his father’s titles upon his death, becoming 2nd Baron of Kendal and Lord of Bolingbroke whilst still a baby. He would later go on to fight beside his adoptive mother at the Battle of Lincoln which ended the First Hycath War.
