TALBOT (FAMILY). This is one of the few families in the English aristocracy which traces alike its descent and its surname from the Norman conquerors of England. The name of Richard Talbot occurs in Domesday Book as the holder of nine hides of land in Bedfordshire under Walter Giffard. There is no evidence that he came over to England with the Conqueror himself ; and, as he did not hold of the king in capite, it is clear that he was not a leader. Talbot being a personal nickname and not derived from a place, those who bore it were not of necessity connected, and the early pedigree is obscure. But a Geoffrey Talbot took part with the empress Maud against King Stephen; and a Hugh Talbot held the castle of Plessis against Henry I. for Hugh de Gournay, and afterwards became a monk at Beaubec in Nor mandy. RICHARD TALBOT, with whom the proved pedigree begins, obtained from Henry II. on his accession the lordship of Linton in Herefordshire, and from Richard I. the custody of Ludlow Castle. His descendants for some generations appear to have been wardens of various castles on the borders of Wales, and inter married with the great families of this region. Under Edward II. a Gilbert Talbot was head of the house, and invaded Scotland in the king's company, but afterwards took part with Thomas of Lancaster against the king. He, however, was pardoned, and obtained from Edward III. a confirmation of the grant of the manor of Linton and other lands, being also summoned to parlia ment as a baron (1331).
His son RICHARD, who married a daughter and co-heiress of John Comyn of Badenoch, laid claim to lands in Scotland in her right, and, when restrained from entering that country by land (Edward III. having then made an alliance with King
David), he joined in an expedition which invaded it by sea in the interests of Edward Baliol. Three years later he was taken prisoner, and redeemed for 2,000 marks, after which the king made him governor of Berwick. He took part also in Edward's wars against France, as did likewise his son Gilbert, who suc ceeded him. His wife brought him Goodrich Castle on the Wye, and at this time the family possessed lands in the counties of Oxford, Gloucester, Hereford and Kent. Gilbert's son Richard added to this inheritance by marrying the heiress of Lord Strange of Blackmere, and himself became under Richard II. one of the heirs of the earl of Pembroke, thus adding to his estates, lands in Berkshire, Wilts, Salop and Essex. Another Gilbert Talbot, grandson of the last, claimed to carry the great spurs at the coronation of Henry V., and had a commission to receive the sub mission of Owen Glendower and his adherents. He also dis tinguished himself in the invasion of Normandy. He left no male issue, and was succeeded by his brother John.
Hitherto the head of the house had borne the name of Lord Talbot ; but this John, after obtaining by marriage the title of Lord Furnival, was for his services created earl of Shrewsbury. (See SHREWSBURY, JOHN TALBOT, IST EARL OF.)