My direct ancestor was a Knights Templar who signed the Magna Carta

[link to www.brookfieldpublishing.com]

More info on the Baron.

Roos erected the Castles of Helmsley, or Hamlake, in Yorkshire, and of Werke, in Northumberland. He was a member of the Order of Knights Templar. He died in 1226/7 and was buried "in his proper habit" in the Knights' Church, or the New Temple in London, where his tomb may be seen. His effigy is described by Gough, in "Sepulchral Monuments," as "the most elegant of all the figures in the Temple Church, representing a comly young knight in mail, and a flowing mantle with a kind of cowl; his hair neatly curled at the sides; his crown appears shaved. His hands are elevated in a praying posture, and on his left arm is a short, pointed shield charged with three water-bougets. He has on his left side a long sword, and the armor of his legs, which are crossed, has a ridge, or a seam up the front, continued over the knee. At his feet is a lion, and the whole figure measures six feet two inches." He married Isabel, daughter of William the Lion, King of Scotland, and widow of Robert Bruce.

Tis the truth. So suck it up buttercup.

You can never be certain whom all of your ancestors were. What is great-great grandma had an affair but didn't tell her husband? The whole branch beforehand is then incorrect.

Very cool Op!

Thanks, I thought it was a fascinating tidbit about the family.

He even kinda looks like me, lol.

Again.

I can only take what is written in the bible as truth. There is no way of knowing who grandma was knocking boots with.

But...as it is written I descended from Baron de Roos.

Yeah, but my bible says I am related to him, and you're not. Which of our bibles is correct?? Only one can be the true word.

So what?

Well my family bible has our family tree written in it.
The records have been kept for centuries and handed down over the generations. Now each of us has been given a copy of the family tree.

It really is interesting to discover what one's lineage is.

To you it"s "so what"

to me it's

cool, look at what I found when I shook the family tree.

you bragging or complaining...jk. family trees are fun.

The jury is still out on that!!



If you descend from a Knights Templar does that give one special powers??

Last Edited by Madame X on 02/07/2012 12:29 PM

That is so cool. My family goes back to the Battle of hastings, so we are likely VERY distantly related :o)

5 stars to counter the on star bandit & for a fun thread

Why can't everyone have fun with this. I am directly descended from the Howards, aka Dukes of Norfolk. I am just glad they had a chance to reproduce before having their heads chopped off or I would not be here, lol!

Thanks for the 5*.

Interesting and thought provoking idea, 6 degrees of separation, perhaps we are indeed related.

It is fun to trace one's roots.

This side of the family is easy to do, just have to read the entries.
Now, my mothers side is a different story.

in all probability, he's my direct ancestor too.

Interesting another long lost relative.

i don't think you get what I'm saying

No I guess I don't. Can you spell it out for me?

Yup, good thing., wait, what, they chopped their heads off????


Also good thing the Knights were not celibate or I wouldn't exist either.

I hope you don't think you are "special" because of that.

Since this man died in 1227, it's likely that he has MILLIONS of descendants living today.

Imagine that he had just one son. This one son, had 2 sons. That's two grandsons.

Imagine that each of the two grandsons had 3 children each. That's 6 great-grandchildren.

Now, can you calculate how many descendants of those 6 great-grandchildren are living today?



Let's try to do some math...

Imagine 30 years per generation.

30 years x 25 generations = 750 years.

1227 + 750 years = 1977



25 generations.

If the number of descendants doubles at each generation, that's 2^25 descendants.


2^10 = 1024

2^11 = 2048

2^12 = 4096

2^13 = 8192

2^14 = 16384

(...)

2^25 = 33,554,432

33 million descendants.

You are just ONE among 33 million descendants of that man.

You are not special.

how many great great grandparents do you have? assuming a generation of 20 years

16?

how long ago were they living?

about 80 years ago?

well, 160 years ago, you had 16 x 16 great...........grandparents, right?

that's 256 direct ancestors over 160 years

now go back 320 years. you had 256 x 256 direct ancestors

that's 65536

ok, now go back 640 years, still a good few hundred years after the magna carter, 65536 x 65536

that's 4 and a quarter billion. obviously, there weren't that many around back then, which means we're all incestuous bastardos!



we're all related.

No, I don't think I am SPECIAL, well maybe just a little.

Family history is just a lot of fun to delve into.

Lighten up people, it's just interesting and fun to find out one is related to someone as cool as de Roos. I know I will never have a tomb like the one he has.

:deRoos:

Last Edited by Madame X on 02/07/2012 01:01 PM

well done to you for establishing it, anyway.

Anyone who lived in Europe around the year 1300 AD is probably an ancestor of everyone who is alive today in all of Europe and the Americas.

de Roos is a Dutch name OP.
Did you know that?
If he signed the Magna Carta there might be hope for Holland as well, to be freed from their slaverey.

What do you mean by "signing?"
Did he compose the Magna Carta?
Or just put his autograph under it with a bunch of others who agreed?

I'm curious what the difference is between direct and indirect ancestors?

Yes I know it is a Dutch name, my father immigrated from Holland after the war.

The descendants moved to the northern area of Holland where my relatives hail from.

As far as I know he helped draft the Magna Carta and was one of the signees.

That is interesting, OP, and puts a personal light on history.

My mother was descended from King Neil of Ireland through one line and King Duncan of Scotland (the one allegedly murdered by Macbeth) in another. My father was descended largely from poor Yorkshire and Cornish peasants. If both sides of the family had ever met centuries ago, it would have been a hell of a fight. But that's the beauty of America....