The life
Rohesia inherited the de Verdun estates after her father's death and secured legal possession in the 1230s. Widowhood gave her a measure of independence: she paid to protect her inheritance and avoid another imposed marriage. Castle Roche became a formidable expression of that authority. Her later religious foundation at Grace Dieu in England adds another dimension to her life beyond the warrior image of folklore. Stories of a workman thrown from a castle window reveal how her reputation developed; they are not proof of a documented murder.
A lasting legacy
A major female figure in the region's medieval story, reinterpreted in Dundalk's public art.
Follow the sources
Research checked 17 October 2026.