Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk

Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk
Arms adopted by Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk, at the start of the Age of Heraldry c.1200-1215 (dropped post-1269 by Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk): Or, a cross gules
Spouse(s)	Ida de Tosny
Noble family	Bigod family
Father	Hugh Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk
Mother	Juliana de Vere
Born	c. 1144/1150
Died	1221

Roger Bigod (c. 1144/1150 – 1221) was the son of Hugh Bigod, 1st Earl of Norfolk and his first wife, Juliana de Vere. Although his father died 1176 or 1177, Roger did not succeed to the earldom of Norfolk until 1189 for his claim had been disputed by his stepmother for her sons by Earl Hugh in the reign of Henry II. Richard I confirmed him in his earldom and other honours, and also sent him as an ambassador to France in the same year. Roger inherited his father's office as royal steward. He took part in the negotiations for the release of Richard from prison, and after the king's return to England became a justiciar.

During the Revolt of 1173–74, Roger remained loyal to the king while his father sided with the king's rebellious sons. Roger fought at the Battle of Fornham on 17 October 1173, where the royalist force defeated a rebel force led by Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester.

In most of the years of the reign of King John, the earl was frequently with the king or on royal business. Yet Roger was to be one of the leaders of the baronial party which obtained John's assent to Magna Carta, and his name and that of his son and heir Hugh II appear among the twenty-five barons who were to ensure the king's adherence to the terms of that document. The pair were excommunicated by the pope in December 1215, and did not make peace with the regents of John's son Henry III until 1217.

Around Christmas 1181, Roger married Ida, apparently Ida de Tosny (or Ida de Toesny), and by her had a number of children including:

Many historians, including Marc Morris have speculated that the couple had a third daughter, Alice, who married Aubrey de Vere IV, Earl of Oxford as his second wife. If so, the marriage would have been well within the bounds of consanguinity, for the couple would have been quite closely related, a daughter of the second earl of Norfolk being first cousin once removed to the second earl of Oxford.