Albini, William de, Earl of Arundel d. 1221, and grandson of the preceding, also styled Earl of Sussex, was son of William, the second earl, whom he succeeded in 1196. He was a favourite of King John; he witnessed John's concession of the kingdom to the pope (15 May 1213), and, accompanying him to Runnymede (15 June 1215), became one of the sureties for his faithful observance of the charter; but on John's abandonment of Winchester to Louis (14 June 1216) he went over to the winning side. After the royalist victory at Lincoln he returned to his allegiance (14 July 1217), and shortly after acted as justiciar. In 1218 he set sail for the East, took part in the siege of Damietta (1219), and died in Italy on his way home, his son doing homage for his lands, 12 April 1221.

Sources:
     Vincent's Discovery of Brooke's Errors (1621), p. 22
     Dugdale's Baronage of England (1675), i. 120
     Dallaway's Rape of Arundel (new ed.), p. 118
     Tierney's Arundel (1834), i. 181-5
     Foss's Judges (1848), ii. 203
     Lansdowne MSS. 203, fol. 16, which contains a drawing of his seal.

Contributor: J. H. R. [John Horace Round]

Published: 1885