Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ros, Robert de (d.1274)
ROS, ROBERT de, Baron Ros of Wark (d. 1274), was the second son of Robert de Ros (d. 1227) [q. v.], and inherited from him the lordship of Wark and a barony in Scotland. He is very liable to be confused with his nephew and contemporary, Robert de Ros of Helmsley or Hamlake and Belvoir (d. 1285) [see under Ros, William de, second Baron Ros]. He is first mentioned as being in the king's hands as a hostage on 13 Feb. 1207 (Patent Rolls, p. 59 b). He was associated with the justices of the bench by a writ dated 6 July 1234, and in the month of August of that year was appointed a justice on three itinera. In 1237 he was constituted chief justice of the forests in the northern counties, and was still filling that office on 24 Sept. 1242 (‘Rôles Gascons,’ ed. Michel, in Coll. de Documents Inédits, i. 16). About that time he seems to have retired to his Scottish barony, and in 1244 concurred in sending the king of Scotland's treaty of peace with Henry III to Innocent IV for confirmation. In 1252, on the marriage of Henry III's daughter Margaret to Alexander III of Scotland, the king of England appointed Robert, who seems at the time to have held the office of marshal of his household, one of the guardians of the young queen (Matt. Paris, Hist. Maj. v. 272). Three years later the king accused Robert and his co-guardians of ill-treating the queen. A certain physician named Reginald, to whom she is said to have confided her troubles, died mysteriously, not without suspicion of poison, after remonstrating with and threatening the guardians. Henry went towards Scotland with an army, and sent Richard, earl of Gloucester, and John Mansel to make inquiries. They entered Edinburgh Castle in the guise of simple men-at-arms of Robert de Ros, and gained access to the queen, who complained that she was in a sort of imprisonment. She was not allowed to travel through her kingdom, have a special household, or even choose her own bed-chamber women, ‘nor was she allowed to live with her husband as his wife.’ The royal emissaries brought this separation to an end, and summoned Robert and his companions to answer for their conduct. They pleaded the extreme youth of the king and queen (ib. v. 504). The wealth of Robert and his fellows also excited the cupidity of the needy and extravagant Henry III. Though the earl marshal took his part, Wark and others of Robert's lands were seized and his movable property confiscated and sold. A fine of one thousand marks was imposed on him, but was afterwards remitted (ib. v. 530, 569). Henry's treatment of him bore its natural fruits, and in the barons' war we find him on the anti-royalist side. He and others on 4 March 1263 promised to observe any truce granted by ‘dominus Edwardus’ (Royal Letters of Henry III, i. 244). On 13 Dec. of the same year he was one of the barons who agreed to submit to the arbitration of St. Louis (Stubbs, Select Charters, 6th edit. p. 407). In 1264 a Robert de Ros helped to hold Northampton against Henry III (Contin. Gerv. Cant. ii. 234; Wykes, iv. 166). He died between 20 Nov. 1273 and 20 Nov. 1274.
He married Margaret, daughter and sole heiress of Peter de Brus, and left a son Robert, who was still a minor at his father's death.
[Foss's Judges of England, ii. 458; Roberts's Calendarium Genealogicum, i. 211, 230; Baker's Northamptonshire, i. 269; Dudgale's Baronage of England, i. 546; Chron. de Melsa, ii. 128; Annales de Burton, i. 337; Matt. Paris's Historia Major, and Wykes in Annales Monastici, vol. iv. loc. cit.]