Pain fitzJohn

Who is Pain fitzJohn?

Pain fitzJohn was an Anglo-Norman nobleman and administrator, one of King Henry I of England's "new men", who owed their positions and wealth to the king. Pain's family originated in Normandy, but there is little to suggest that he had many ties there, and he appears to have spent most of his career in England and the Welsh Marches. A son of a minor nobleman, he rose through ability to become an important royal official during Henry's reign. In 1115 he was rewarded with marriage to an heiress, thereby gaining control of the town of Ludlow and its castle, which he augmented with further acquisitions.

Although later medieval traditions described Pain as a chamberlain to King Henry, that position is not securely confirmed in contemporary records. He did hold other offices though, including that of sheriff in two counties near the border between England and Wales. In his capacity as a royal justice Pain also heard legal cases for the king throughout much of western England.

After King Henry's death in 1135 Pain supported Henry's nephew, King Stephen, and was with the new king throughout 1136. In July 1137 Pain was ambushed by the Welsh and killed as he was leading a relief expedition to the garrison at Carmarthen. His heirs were his daughters, Cecily and Agnes. Cecily married the son of one of Pain's close associates, Miles of Gloucester. Pain was generous in his gifts of land to a number of monastic houses.