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 are said to have been married in 1148, though this hardly seems likely (ib., vi. 147). He was already married to Gunnor, daughter and heiress of Robert of Valognes (Rot. Curiæ Regis i. 157), from whom he inherited 30½ knight's fees, mainly situated in the north, so that his interests now became largely identical with the 'Aquilonares,' whom he afterwards led in the struggle against King John. He also acquired two knight's fees through her uncle Geoffry of Valognes, and about 1204 obtained livery of seisin of the lands of his own uncle, Geoffry de Lucy, bishop of Winchester (, Baronage i. 218).

In 1200 Robert Fitzwalter was surety for half the fine incurred by his brother, Simon Fitzwalter, for marrying without the royal license (Rotuli de Oblatis p. 111). In 1201 he made an agreement in the curia regis with St. Albans Abbey with respect to the wood of Northawe ('Ann. Dunst.' in Ann. Mon. iii. 28). He was now engaged in several other lawsuits. One of these sprang from his claim to the custody of the castle of Hertford as of ancient right (Rot. Curiæ Regis, ii. 185). But he withdrew this suit for a time, though in August 1202 he procured his appointment as warden of Hertford Castle by royal letters patent (Rot. Lit. Pat. i, 17 b).

Early in 1203 Fitzwalter was in attendance on King John in Normandy. In February and March he was with John at Rouen (Rot. Norm., pp. 74, 78, 80, 82; Hist. MSS. Comm. 9th Rep. i. 353). But he was now made joint-governor of Vaudreuil Castle (near the mouth of the Eure) with [q. v.], afterwards Earl of Winchester. After Easter King Philip of France took the field. The governors of Vaudreuil were so disgusted with John that they surrendered at the first summons. They thus incurred the derision of the whole French army, and Philip, disgusted at their cowardice, shut them up in close confinement at Compiègne (, pp. 143-4;, Hist. Major,ii. 482). There they remained until redeemed by the heavy ransom of five thousand marks. On 5 July John issued letters patent from Rouen to certify that they had surrendered the castle by his precept (Rot. Lit. Pat. i. 31). But at the end of November his cousin William of Albini was still engaged in selling some of Fitzwalter's lands to raise his ransom (ib. i, 37 b).

In October 1206 Fitzwalter witnessed the truce made between John and Philip Augustus at Thouars (Fœdera, i. 95, Record edit.) The misgovernment of John provoked his profound resentment, and in 1212 he entered into intrigues with [q. v.] and [q. v.] against the king. John's suspicions were aroused by private intelligence as he was preparing at Nottingham to march against his rebellious son-in-law, the Welsh prince. Most of the barons cleared themselves, but Fitzwalter and De Vescy, who were afraid to appear, were condemned to perpetual exile, p. 171). But John was so much alarmed that he shut himself up from his subjects, and abandoned his projected Welsh campaign. Eustace escaped to Scotland, and Robert took refuge in France ( ii. 207; 'Ann. Wav.' in ''Ann. Mon.'' ii. 268; 'Ann. Wig.' in ''Ann. Mon.'' iv. 400). John now seized upon Fitzwalter's estates, and on 14 Jan. 1213 destroyed Castle Baynard. He also demolished Robert's castle of Benington and his woods in Essex ('Ann. Dunst.' in Ann, Mon, iii. 35.

Fitzwalter remained in exile until John's submission to Innocent III. On 13 May 1213 John promised peace and security to him as part of the conditions of his reconciliation with Rome (, ii. 542), and on 27 May issued letters patent informing him that he might safely come to England (Rot. Lit. Pat. i. 99,) On 19 July his estates were restored (ib. i. 101). John also granted a hundred marks to his steward as compensation (Rot. Lit. Claus. i. 146), and directed a general inquest into his losses like those made in the case of the clerks who had suffered by the interdict. Fitzwalter, however, was a vigorous opponent of John's later measures. It was said that John specially hated him, Archbishop Langton, and Saer de Quincy (,ii.482). In 1215 Fitzwalter was the first mentioned in the list of barons who assembled in Easter week (April 19-26) at Stamford (ib. ii. 585; ii. 219). He accompanied the revolted lords on the march to Brackley in Northamptonshire (27 April). But John now formally refused to accept the long list of demands which they forwarded to him at Oxford. Thereupon the barons elected Fitzwalter their general, with the title of 'Marshal of the army of God and Holy Church.' They solemnly renounced their homage to John and proceeded to besiege Northampton. They failed there and at Bedford, where Fitzwalter's standard-bearer was slain. But the adhesion of London secured their success. On 17 May the lord of Baynard's Castle entered the city at the head of the 'army of God,' though the partisans of John still held out in the Tower. Fitzwalter and the Earl of Essex specially busied themselves with repairing the walls of London, using for the purpose the stones taken from the demolished houses of the Jews