Robert Fitzharding

He became a burgess of the city and sufficiently wealthy to buy from Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester extensive manorial lands around Bristol to its south and west, including Redcliffe, Bedminster, Leigh, Portbury and Billeswick.

[2][7] In the conflict of the Anarchy, Bristol Castle was held by Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester for the Plantagenet cause against King Stephen.

[8] Following the victory and crowning of King Henry II, Fitzharding was rewarded by the king for his support with the grant of a feudal barony which comprised lands which had formerly been held at fee-farm from Stephen by Roger de Berkeley, including Berkeley Castle itself, which became the caput of the new barony.

[2][4][5][7] In 1153–54 Fitzharding received a royal charter from Henry II giving him permission to rebuild the castle at Berkeley.

[4] The previous castle was originally a motte-and-bailey built by William FitzOsbern shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066, and had been rebuilt in the 12th century by the dispossessed Roger de Berkeley and his father.

[2] Robert Fitzharding also owned a property in Gloucestershire where Beverston Castle (completed in 1229) would later be built by his grandson, Marice de Gaunt.

In 1153–54 Maurice married Alice, the first daughter of the dispossessed Roger de Berkeley, who was now a feudal baron of nearby Dursley.

[4] This double marriage contract, binding the son and heir of each man to marry a daughter of the other, was signed at the house of Robert FitzHarding in Bristol in the presence of Duke Henry and 16 witnesses.