Richard Reynell (knight)

Sir Richard Reynell (died before 1213) (alias Reinell,[1] Reynolds, etc), of Pitney (anciently Pyttney, Peteneya, eyc) in the county of Somerset, Sheriff of Devon in 1191-4,[2] was a knight who lived during the successive reigns of Kings Henry II (1154-1189), Richard I (1189-1199) and John (1199-1216).

During the absence of King Richard I on crusade in the Holy Land, in 1191 he was given the custody of the royal fortresses of Exeter Castle in Devon and of Launceston Castle in Cornwall.

[3] These castles he stoutly defended against John, Count of Mortain, the king's younger brother, who in the monarch's absence endeavoured to usurp the sovereign power.

[4] He served as Sheriff of Devon from 1191-4.

[5] Following the death of King Richard I in 1199, the throne was inherited by his younger brother King John (1199-1216), who remembered the opposition he had received from Richard Reynell and deprived him of his estates at Pitney.