Marmaduke Thweng - 1st Baron Thweng

Marmaduke Thweng was an English Nobleman, remembered as a brave and chivalrous knight who fought with Edward I during the First War of Scottish Independence.

Marmaduke was born around 1248 in Kilton, Yorkshire, England. He was the son of Sir Marmaduke Thweng and Lucy de Brus.

Marmaduke married Isabel de Ros, daughter of William de Ros of Ingmanthorpe, in 1273. They had six children together: William, Marmaduke, Robert, Lucia, Margaret, and Katherine.

In 1295, he fought with King Edward I in Gascony. Two years later, he achieved a bit of fame at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. During this battle, over 100 English knights and several thousand infantry were trapped on the far side of the bridge, caught in the bottleneck forced by the Scots as the English tried to cross. Despite the chaos, Marmaduke managed to fight his way back across the bridge, becoming the only English knight to do so and survive the battle.

After the battle, William FitzWarin and Marmaduke Thweng became castellans of Stirling Castle. John de Warrene, 6th Earl of Surrey, appointed them. Their time as castellans was brief. The Scots soon besieged the castle and starved the garrison into surrender. FitzWarin and Thweng were then taken captive and held at Dumbarton Castle.

In 1307, Marmaduke was summoned to Parliament, where he was created 1st Baron Thweng.

Several years later, in 1314, the English were defeated at the Battle of Bannockburn. Thweng reportedly did not flee. Instead, he sought out Robert the Bruce and surrendered to him. The Bruce recognized him and, in a display of respect, entertained Thweng and another captive, Ralph de Monthermer, at his table. He then released both men without ransom.

Marmaduke Thweng died on April 23rd, 1323, at Kilton, in Yorkshire, England. After his death, his three sons succeeded him to the barony in turn. The eldest, William, married but died childless; the other two sons became clergymen and died unmarried and without issue. Consequently, the barony fell into abeyance among the heirs of his three daughters.