Henry de Grey
Sir Henry de Grey of Grays Thurrock, Essex (1155–1219) was a favourite courtier of King John of England. Family. Sir Henry was the son of John de Grey (born Thurrock, Essex, c. 1140 and married c. 1157) and probably a great-grandson of Anchetil de Greye (b. circa 1100) of Rotherfield Greys, a grandson of Domesday baron Anchetil de Greye (c. 1052 – 1086+). Sir Henry was the progenitor of the considerable number of noble houses bearing the name Grey or Gray; Sir Henry's descendants in the direct male line went on to be ennobled with  no less than eighteen peerages, including eleven substantive baronies, a viscountcy, four earldoms (Kent, Tankerville, Stamford and Grey), a marquessate and two dukedoms. Sir Henry's descendants through the female line are countless but include the Barons Audley, Barons Revelstoke, Barons Northbrook, Barons Howick, Barons Dacre, Barons Willoughby de Eresby, Earl of Lindsey, the Earls of Malmesbury, Earls of Westmoreland, Earls of Essex, Earls of Durham, Earls of Cromer, Earls of Elgin, Earls of Bridgewater, the Earls of Ashburnham, the Marquesses of Lindsey and the Dukes of Somerset, the Dukes of Ancaster, and the Aga Khans, amongst many others. Life . In 1195 he had been granted the Manor of Thurrock in Essex which later became known as Grays Thurrock (or simply Grays), which he bought from Isaac the Jew and his son Josce. To commemorate this connection, on 11 June 2013 (the 808th anniversary of the charter), a green Thurrock heritage plaque was unveiled to de Grey. Before 1201 he was also granted the Manor of Codnor, Derbyshire, and in 1216 was also granted by King Henry III of England the Manor of Grimston in Nottinghamshire. Marriage and issue. Around 1199 he married at Thurrock, Essex, Isolda Bardolf (Hoo, Kent , c. 1168 - bef. 18 June 1246), also known as Iseaude, sister and co-heiress of Robert Bardolf of Codnor in Derbyshire, and daughter of Hugh Bardolf of Codnor, Derbyshire (son of Hugo Bardol, born in 1125), and Isobel Aquillion, by whom he had these sons: After his death his widow remarried Reynold de Meurdre.