Roger de Lacy (1170-1211)

Roger de Lacy
Coat of arms of Roger de Lacy, recorded by Matthew Paris in Chronica Majora.
Born	1170
Died	1211
Title	6th Baron of Pontefract
Tenure	after 1194 – 1211
Other titles	7th Lord of Bowland Lord of Blackburnshire 7th Baron of Halton
Predecessor	Albreda de Lisours
Successor	John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln
Spouse(s)	Maud de Clere
Parents	John FitzRichard Alice Filia Roger fitz Richard

Roger de Lacy (1170–1211), 6th Baron of Pontefract, 7th Lord of Bowland, Lord of Blackburnshire, 7th Baron of Halton and Constable of Chester (formerly Roger le Constable) was a notable English soldier, crusader and baron in the late 12th and early 13th centuries.

Roger de Lacy was also known as Roger FitzJohn (son of John, constable of Chester) and during the time that he was hoping to inherit his grandmother's de Lisours lands as Roger de Lisours. He was the son of John FitzRichard (son of Richard), Baron of Halton, Lord of Bowland, Lord of Flamborough and Constable of Chester. Roger became Baron of Pontefract on the death of his paternal grandmother Albreda de Lisours (-aft.1194) who had inherited the Barony in her own right as 1st-cousin and heir to Robert de Lacy (-1193), 4th Baron of Pontefract. In agreements with his grandmother Roger adopted the name of de Lacy, received the right to inherit the Barony of Pontefract and its lands, and the lands of Bowland, and Blackburnshire. He gave up all claims to his grandmother's de Lisours lands. He also gave his younger brother Robert le Constable the Flamborough lands that he had inherited from his father. He married Maud (or Matilda) de Clere (not of the de Clare family).

Robert de Lacy failed to support King Henry I during his power struggle with his brother and the King confiscated Pontefract Castle from the family during the 12th century. Roger paid King Richard I 3,000 marks for the Honour of Pontefract, but the King retained possession of the castle. He joined King Richard for the Third Crusade.

At the accession of King John of England, Roger was a person of great eminence, for we find him shortly after the coronation of that prince, deputed with the Sheriff of Northumberland, and other great men, to conduct William, King of Scotland, to Lincoln, where the English king had fixed to give him an interview. King John gave de Lacy Pontefract Castle in 1199, the year he ascended the throne.