John de Warenne (24/30 June 1286 - June 1347), 7th Earl of Surrey, was the last Warenne Earl of Surrey.
Life John was born on either 24 or 30 June 1286 and baptised on 7 November of that year.He was the son of William de Warenne, the only son of John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey. His mother was Joan, daughter of Robert de Vere, 5th Earl of Oxford. Warenne was only six months old when his father died.
John was still a minor when his grandfather died in 1304. Because of this his lands were taken into the custody of the Crown at the time,"Membrane 21d: 1305. Jan.1. Lincoln". Maxwell-Lyte, H.C. (1898). Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward I: Volume 4, 1301 - 1307. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.pp.344 - 345. Accessed via Internet Archive. Retrieved 11 July 2021."Membrane 14d: 1305. March.18. Westminster". Maxwell-Lyte, H.C. (1898). Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward I: Volume 4, 1301 - 1307. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.p.348. Accessed via Internet Archive. Retrieved 11 July 2021. and he was made a royal ward of his relative Edward I of England. He was given seisin of the lands of his inheritance from his grandfather, the late John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey, in April 1306."Membrane 16: 1306. April 7. Wolvesey". Maxwell-Lyte, H.C. (1908). Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward I: Volume 5, 1302 - 1307. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office.p.373. Accessed via Internet Archive. Retrieved 18 June 2021. On 6 June 1306, John was referred to as "the present earl of Surrey.""Membrane 20d: 1306. June 6. Westminster". Maxwell-Lyte, H.C. (1898). Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward I: Volume 4, 1301 - 1307. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.p.476. Accessed via Internet Archive. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
He was knighted on 22 May 1306 at Westminster Abbey along with 266 others, among which included the Prince of Wales, the future Edward II."The names of all the knights (267 in all) made at Whitsuntide, 34 Edward I, on the occasion of the knighting of Edward, prince of Wales, afterwards Edward II". Shaw, W.A; Burtchaell, G.D. (1906). The Knights of England. London: Sherratt and Hughes.p.111. Accessed via Internet Archive. Retrieved 08 July 2021. This chivalric celebration was named the Feast of the Swans. From that time onwards he was much engaged in the Scottish wars.
John was one of the great nobles offended by the rise of Edward II's favorite Piers Gaveston, and helped secure Gaveston's 1308 banishment. The two were somewhat reconciled after Gaveston's return the next year, but in 1312 Warenne was one of the nobles who captured Gaveston. He was however unhappy about Gaveston's execution at the behest of the earl of Warwick, which pushed him back into the king's camp.
The baronial opposition was led by the king's cousin Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, and he and Warenne became bitter enemies. Private war erupted between the two, and over the next few years Warenne lost a good part of his estates to Lancaster. In 1319, the King granted the Earl of Lancaster the towns of Conisboro and Sandal, along with the manors of Wakefield, Thorne, Hatfield, Sowerby, Braithwell, Fishlake, Dewsbury, and Halifax with their appurtenances, which were held of the King in capite, and which John de Warenne had previously held under Royal Grant. On May 17, 1326, these Yorkshire estates were then re-granted to Warenne, after the forfeiture of the Earl of Lancaster's estate in 1322.
Warenne was one of the four earls who captured the two Roger Mortimers, the uncle and the nephew. In 1322 he was one of the nobles who condemned to death the Earl of Lancaster.
Warenne and his brother-in-law Edmund Fitzalan, 9th Earl of Arundel, were the last two earls to remain loyal to Edward II after the rise to power of Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer. After Arundel's execution he went over to the queen's side, urging Edward II's abdication in 1327.
He was the guardian of his cousin Edward Balliol, and after Balliol lay claim to the Scottish throne, accompanied him on his campaign in Lothian. Balliol created Warenne earl of Strathern, but this was in name only for the properties of the earldom were held by the Scots.
Warenne died in 1347 at Conisbrough Castle. His burial took place at the Priory church of St Pancras, in Lewes. John gave instruction in his will that he wished to be buried in an arch at the church which he had prepared near the high altar."The Last Earl of Warenne And Surrey, And The Distribution of His Possessions". Fairbank, F.R. (1907). The Yorkshire Archaeological Journal vol.XIX. p.254. Accessed via Internet Archive. Retrieved 22 July 2021."Chapter Seventeen: A Disastrous Marriage and the End of a Dynasty". Connolly, S.B. (2021). Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey. Barnsley: Pen & Sword History. p.218. Retrieved 08 July 2021. The date of his death recorded in his inquisition post mortems, ranges from 28 - 30 June 1347."Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward III, File 86: JOHN DE WARENNA, earl of Surrey and Sussex". Sharp, J. E. E. S: Atkinson, E .G: O'Reilly, J .J: Morris, G .J.(1916). Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem: Volume 9, Edward III. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. pp.43-53. Accessed via Internet Archive. Retrieved 22 July 2021. He was succeeded as earl by his nephew Richard Fitzalan, who was also earl of Arundel.
Family On 15 March 1305, King Edward I of England offered John the marriage of his granddaughter Joan of Bar, Countess of Surrey, which he "willingly accepted.""Membrane 18d: 1305. March 15. Westminster". Maxwell-Lyte, H.C. (1908).Calendar of The Close Rolls. Edward I. Vol.V 1302-1307. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office.p.321. Accessed via Internet Archive. Retrieved 09 July 2021. She was a daughter of count Henry III of Bar, and Eleanor of England, Countess of Bar, the eldest daughter of king Edward I of England.
John's father was a first cousin of Edward I of England which meant that himself and his bride to be were second cousins once removed. They were both descended from Isabella of Angoulême. A dispensation was granted from Pope Clement V in order for the marriage to take place, due to them being related within the fourth degree of kindred."Chapter 6: Illegitimate children not used as substitute heirs: The marital difficulties and illegitimate children of Earl Warenne". Matthews, H.S. (2013). Illegitimacy and English Landed Society c.1285-c.1500. A thesis presented to Royal Holloway, University of London in Fulfilment of the Requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. p.153. Retrieved 09 July 2021. They were married on 25 May 1306, in the royal chapel of Westminster Palace."Chapter Seventeen: A Disastrous Marriage and the End of a Dynasty". Connolly, S.B. (2021). Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey. Barnsley: Pen & Sword History. p.207. Retrieved 08 July 2021. Joan (or Jeanne"Chapter Sixteen: The Last Earl". Connolly, S.B. (2021). Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey. Barnsley: Pen & Sword History. p.188. Retrieved 09 July 2021.) was only around 10 years old at the time of the marriage. "His wife when they married was a child, and half his own age; it is not wonderful that the marriage was not a success." - "The Last Earl of Warenne And Surrey, And The Distribution of His Possessions". Fairbank, F.R. (1907). The Yorkshire Archaeological Journal vol.XIX. p.264. Accessed via Internet Archive. Retrieved 10 July 2021. After marriage, the couple lived in Yorkshire on John's estates. Sometimes they lived at Sandal Castle, while the rest of the time they lived at Conisbrough Castle. There were soon indicators that this marriage may not be a happy one, when in 1309 king Edward II of England granted leave for John to make any person he wished heir to the lands that he held. But he requested surety that any heir which he may have by his wife Joan was not to be disinherited."1309: Aug. 16. Langley". Maxwell-Lyte, H.C. (1927).Calendar of Chancery Warrants Preserved In The Public Record Office. 1244 - 1326. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office.p.296. Accessed via Hathitrust. Retrieved 14 July 2021. John and his wife did not have any children. He tried on several occasions to divorce Joan but was not successful.
Warenne had a relationship with Maud de Nerford, with whom he had several illegitimate children, one of whom included Sir Edward de Warren."Chapter 6: Illegitimate children not used as substitute heirs: The marital difficulties and illegitimate children of Earl Warenne". Matthews, H.S. (2013). Illegitimacy and English Landed Society c.1285-c.1500. A thesis presented to Royal Holloway, University of London in Fulfilment of the Requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. pp.160 - 162. Retrieved 27 June 2022.Fairbank, F.R (1907)."The Last Earl of Warenne And Surrey, And The Distribution of His Possessions". In The Yorkshire Archaeological Journal vol.XIX. p.248. Retrieved 27 June 2022. He was living openly with Maud by 1311."Chapter 6: Illegitimate children not used as substitute heirs: The marital difficulties and illegitimate children of Earl Warenne". Matthews, H.S. (2013). Illegitimacy and English Landed Society c.1285-c.1500. A thesis presented to Royal Holloway, University of London in Fulfilment of the Requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. p.151. Retrieved 15 July 2021. In 1313 the King arranged for his yeoman William Aune to take Joan from Conisbrough Castle, and bring her to him."Membrane 16: 1313. May 7. Windsor". Maxwell-Lyte, H.C. (1898).Calendar of The Patent Rolls. Edward II. 1313-1317. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.p.12. Accessed via Internet Archive. Retrieved 17 July 2021. Edward II of England then paid all Joan's expenses while she lodged at the Tower of London.