Guy de Bryan, 1st Baron Bryan

Guy de Bryan, 1st Baron Bryan, KG (born before 1319, died 17 August 1390) was an English military commander and Admiral.

Origins
He was the son of Sir Guy de Bryan (d.1349) (alias de Brienne), of Walwyn's Castle in Pembrokeshire and Torbryan in Devon he was sometime before 1319.

Career
He served on the English side in the Second War of Scottish Independence and in France and Flanders during the Hundred Years' War. In 1341 he was made Warden of the Forest of Dean, in Gloucestershire, and Governor of St Briavel's Castle, the seat of the Warden, which offices he held until his death. In 1349 he was temporarily Keeper of the Great Seal of England, and in 1350 was granted an annuity of 200 marks for bearing the King's Standard against the French at Calais. From 25 November 1350 he was summoned to Parliament and may thereby be held to have been created Baron Bryan. On 1 March 1356 he was appointed Admiral of the West a post he held till 18 July 1360 under Edward III of England. In 1361 he was Ambassador to Pope Innocent VI. Following the death of Sir John Chandos on 31 December 1369 he was made a Knight of the Garter. On 3 May 1370 he was once again appointed Admiral of the West until 6 October 1372.

Marriages & progeny
He married twice and left issue by his second wife only:
 * Firstly, before 1348, to Joan Carew, daughter of Sir John Carew of Carew Castle, Pembrokeshire; without issue.
 * Secondly, before 10 July 1350, to Elizabeth Montagu (d. 31 May 1359), daughter of William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury (by his wife Catherine Grandison), and widow of Hugh le Despencer, Baron le Despencer and of Giles de Badlesmere, 2nd Baron Badlesmere. By his second wife he is known to have had at least five children, certainly three sons and a daughter, including:

Sons

 * Sir Guy de Bryan (d.1386), who predeceased his father by four years and married a certain Alice (still living 20 May 1409) and had issue
 * Sir William de Bryan (d.22 September 1395), died without issue
 * Philip de Bryan (d. pre-14 February 1388), died without issue

Daughters

 * Phillipe de Bryan, wife firstly of John Devereux, 2nd Baron Devereux, and secondly of Sir Henry le Scrope; without issue
 * Elizabeth de Bryan, wife of Sir Robert Lovel (second son of John Lovel, 5th Baron Lovel), by whom she had an only daughter:
 * Maud Lovell, the wife firstly of Sir Richard Stafford and secondly of John FitzAlan, 14th Earl of Arundel, and had issue by both husbands:
 * Avice Stafford (4 December 1423 – 3 June 1457), wife of James Butler, 5th Earl of Ormonde
 * Humphrey FitzAlan, 15th Earl of Arundel (30 January 1429 – 24 April 1438)
 * Margaret de Bryan, wife of Hugh de Courtenay (d.1374) (son of Sir Hugh Courtenay, KG, and grandson of Hugh de Courtenay, 2nd Earl of Devon); without issue

Death & burial
Bryan on 17 August 1390. He was buried with his second wife, who had died in 1359, in Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire.

Succession
His executrix was his daughter-in-law Alice and his co-heiresses were his granddaughters Phillipe (age 12) and Elizabeth (age 10). Any right to the Barony of Bryan is presumed to have become extinct on the death of his great-great-granddaughter Avice, Countess of Ormonde, in 1457.

Offices held

 * Warden of the Forest of Dean, 1341.
 * Governor of St Briavel's Castle, 1341.
 * Keeper of the Great Seal of England, 1349.
 * Admiral of the West, 1 March 1356 – 18 July 1360.
 * Ambassador to the Holy See, 1361.
 * Admiral of the West, 3 May 1370 - 6 October 1372.