page_title: Nicholas de Moels
section_title: Seneschal of Gascony
hierarchical_section_title: Nicholas de Moels / Career / Seneschal of Gascony
caption_attribution_description: English: Illumination by Matthew Paris in Chronica Majora (Royal 14 C VII f. 134v) depicting King Henry III and Queen Eleanor returning by sea from Gascony in 1243, with Nicholas de Moels, Seneschal of Gascony, in a small boat alongside. Source of caption: https://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/ILLUMIN.ASP?Size=mid&amp;IllID=43417
context_page_description: Nicholas de Moels of North Cadbury in Somerset, was an Anglo-Norman royal administrator and household knight of King Henry III. In this capacity he was assigned many and varied offices and duties, often of a temporary nature. He married a wealthy heiress which transformed him into a major landholder and feudal baron. In 1244 whilst serving as Seneschal of Gascony, he inflicted a defeat on the King of Navarre whom he took prisoner in the field.
context_section_description: Matther Paris wrote as follows concerning events in 1243:
  Unde cito post contigit quod cum rex a Burdegali recessurus custodemque quem senescallum vocant, ei idoneum, videlicet Nicholaum de Molis, providisset, jam jamque omnia ad custodiam terrae provide pro curasset, et ascensa nave, alta freti velificando versus Angliam jam sulcasset orta excogitati scismatis inter ipsos Wasconienses occasione rex missis galeis festinanter revocaretur et redire cogeretur ut exortus gravissimus conflictus ibidem sedaretur.
  Which may be translated as follows:
  "And it happened soon after, that when the king was about to leave Bordeaux, and had appointed Nicholas de Molis as a fit person to act as governor, whom they call seneschal, and had taken all precautions for the safety of the land, and had embarked, and was even ploughing the depths of the sea, sailing towards England, a furious quarrel having arisen among those Gascons, the king was hastily recalled by galleys sent after him, and compelled to return, that he might quell the great disturbance which had arisen".
  In September 1243 King Henry III left Gascony to return to England, having on 17 June 1243 appointed Nicholas de Moels as Seneschal of Gascony, as is related by Matthew Paris in his Chronica Majora, with a marginal illustration of the King and Queen on board a ship with a man in a small boat alongside, apparently de Moels seeing him off. The Latin text following the illustration is as follows:
  De reditu regis in Angliam de Pictavia et Wasconia. Eisdem quoque temporibus, scilicet circa festum Sancti Remigii, rex Angliae, dispositis in Wasconia disponendis commissaque custodia terrae Nicholao de Molis, militi strenuissimo et circumspecto, quem praefecit Wasconiae senescallum, naves ascendens, prospere velificando redeundo in Angliam, transfretavit et septimo kalendas octobris apud Portesmues applicuit.
  Translated as:
  "At that time also, namely about the feast of St. Remy, the King of England, having settled what was to be settled in Gascony, and having intrusted the government of the land to Nicholas de Molis, a very brave and prudent soldier, whom he created seneschal of Gascony, and taking ship, had a most pleasant voyage across the Channel, and returned into England; he landed at Portsmouth on the 25th of September".
  In 1244 in Gascony de Moels inflicted a defeat on the King of Navarre, capturing him in person on the battlefield, according to the Devonshire historian Tristram Risdon (d.1640). He was relieved of that office, with commendation for his service, in July 1245.
  The event is related as follows by Matthew Paris:
  Nicholaus de Moles senescallus Wasconiae contra regem Navariae dimicans ad votum triumphavit: Anni ipsius eodem tempore Nicholaus de Molis Wasconiae senescallus quem rex a Wasconia ibidem terrae suae custodem constituerat contra regem Navariae guerram viriliter continuans ad votum in quodam casu inito certamine triumphavit.
  Which may be translated:
  "Of the victory gained by Nicholas de Molis, seneschal of Gascony. About this time of the year, Nicholas de Molis, seneschal of Gascony, whom the king, on leaving that country, had appointed governor of that province, and who had been carrying on a fierce war against the king of Navarre, was favoured by fortune in one engagement, and gained a victory over him".
caption: De reditu regis in Angliam a Wasconia ("Concerning the return of the king to England from Gascony") King Henry III and Queen Eleanor returning by sea from Gascony in 1243, with Nicholas de Moels, Seneschal of Gascony, in a small boat alongside bidding him farewell.[1] Illumination by Matthew Paris (1200-1259) in Chronica Majora (Royal 14 C VII f. 134v)
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