Robert de Ros (died 1227)

Robert de Ros
Baron of Helmsley Sheriff of Cumberland
Arms of Robert de Roos, Lord of Hamlake Castle Blazon: Gules, three water bougets argent.
Spouse(s)	Isabella Mac William
Issue Sir William Ros Robert de Ros Peter de Ros Sir Alexander de Ros
Father	Everard de Ros, Baron of Helmsley
Mother	Roese Trussebut
Born	ca. 1170/1172
Died	1227
Buried	Temple Church, London, England

Sir Robert de Ros, or de Roos of Helmsley, (ca. 1170/1172 – 1227), was the grandfather and ancestor of the Barons Ros of Helmsley that was created by writ in 1264. In 1215, Ros joined the confederation of the barons at Stamford. He was one of the twenty-five barons to guarantee the observance of Magna Carta, sealed by King John on 15 Jun 1215.

He was the son of Everard de Ros, Baron of Helmsley and Rohese Trusbut, daughter of William Trusbut of Wartre. In 1191, aged fourteen, he paid a thousand marks fine for livery of his lands to King Richard I of England. In 1197, while serving King Richard in Normandy, he was arrested for an unspecified offence, and was committed to the custody of Hugh de Chaumont, but Chaumont entrusted his prisoner to William de Spiney, who allowed him to escape from the castle of Bonville, England. King Richard thereupon hanged Spiney and collected a fine of twelve hundred marks from Ros' guardian as the price of his continued freedom.

When King John came to the throne, he gave Ros the barony of his great-grandmother's father, Walter d'Espec. Soon afterwards he was deputed one of those to escort William the Lion, his father-in-law, into England, to swear fealty to King John. Some years later, Robert de Ros assumed the habit of a monk, whereupon the custody of all his lands and Castle Werke (Wark), in Northumberland, were committed to Philip d'Ulcote, but he soon returned and about a year later he was High Sheriff of Cumberland.