William de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William II de Ferrers (also spelled "de Ferrer"), 4th Earl of Derby [b~1168 d 1247] was a favourite of King John. William was a Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire for seven weeks in 1194, after the attack and siege by King Richard's forces upon Nottingham on the 28th March 1194, a year in which John Major the Scottish Chronicler says Robin Hood was outlawed. Ferrers led the forces loyal to King Richard and was aided by Earl David Ceannmhor. William II was a patron of at least 2 abbeys and 4 priories. He supported the canopy at King Richard's coronation on 17th April 1194 and in 1215 took the cross. He was bailiff of the Peak Forest and warden of the Peak Castle [Peveril Castle] and Bolsover Castle from 13th Aug 1216 to June 1222. [i.e. the grant was made in the final year of King John] He was a Crusader from May 1214 to July 1220. He remained faithful to each king - Richard, John, Henry III. He was married to Agnes De Kevelioch for 55 years. He was present at the Siege of Lincoln.
