The Sangréal lineage in its descent through the de Lacy family later passed to Henry's half sister Aubrey who had married Robert de Lizours. They had a daughter named Albreda who married Roger FitzEustace. It was the husband of Albreda de Lacy who later changed his name back to the name of his wife thus carrying on the second deLacy line. So it came about that Rogers de Lacy's great-grandaughter Alice de Lacy married Thomas Plantagenet - the Earl of Lancaster.
Thomas Earl of Lancaster held these estates of Pontefract under the King Edward II. Later Thomas rebelled against the king because he was upholding unfair taxes against the people. Thomas Earl of Lancaster later allied with the Scots under Robert Bruce of Scotland, but was defeated at the battle of Boroughbridge in 1322. "Lancaster was paraded on an old horse through the streets of Pontefract with a friar's hood on his head and given many insults. Initially he was to be hanged, drawn and quartered but this was reduced to beheading because of Lancaster's royal blood. At his execution he was made to kneel towards Scotland before being beheaded as a traitor. The remnants of Lancaster's army were declared "Contrariants", many escaping to the protection of the local Barnsdale Forest Ninety five barons and knights were made prisoners at Pontefract and tried for high treason. [It is possible that William de Miggeley was one of these judges] Some were executed here at the same time whilst others were taken to York and executed later. Robert de Clifford of Skipton was hung in chains at York castle. Edward II then held a Parliament at York, reversing sentences that were previously passed by rebel barons against the Despensers.." Although the descendants of Thomas Earl of Lancaster and Alice de Lacy are not recorded it is my speculation that their daughter was an adopted niece, Marian de Lacy who upon the death of her foster father, became epoused to one of Lancaster's Scottish comrades. i.e. Robert Hood a descendant in exile for the title of Earl of Huntington. This title originally belonged to the grandson of David 1st of Scotland. What does this mean in terms of the Sangréal? Going back to the introduction to the Sangréal website we are told that the Sangréal represents an inherent 'Grail Code' of public service. It is when the Lineage is usurped by powermongering kings like Edward II and Prince John (lackland) that the true 'Grail Champion' must appear. In this case the Sangréal lineage has fallen to the adopted niece of Alice de Lacy who is called (under speculation) Marion and is none other than the Maid Marian of the Robin Hood legends. Indeed her aunt Alice had already been abducted by Edward II's men and held prisioner. It was Thomas Earl of Lancaster as 'Grail Knight' who sets out to rescue her in exactly the same tradition as the abduction of Arthur's queen Guinevere by Maelwas in the Arthurian Grail Legends. Only this time it is historical fact! "Thomas's wife Alice de Laci abducted whilst travelling in Dorset. This led Thomas to lay seige to Conisbrough and Sandal Castle [1317] both seats of the Warrenes'. " Now following the capture and death of Thomas Earl of Lancaster the role of 'Grail Champion' must fall to a sucessor. Who better than one of Thomas's close comrades of the Scottish Sangréal line at the Battle of Boroughbride, Robert Earl of Huntington "The greatest evidence indicating the true origins of the balladeer's legend begins with a reference to Roberte Hood in 1318 who is summoned to fight in the army against Scotland, but he did not appear and was so fined. However in 1322 Robert Hode was again summoned to fight for Thomas Earl of Lancaster, who was in rebellion with other barons and Robert de Bruce against the king, Edward II. This time there appears to have been no fine so presumably he joined the fateful force. The loss of the Battle of Boroughbridge in 1322 against the king's forces led to the Lancastrian army taking to the forests, of which one in particular, Barnsdale Forest, south of Thomas of Lancaster's seat, Pontefract, was ostensibly a major attraction" refIf you would like to discuss this theme further then please visit The Knight of the Green Chapel for a group exploring Robin in the context of the Green Man archetype.
