Sir Edward LE DESPENSER

Edward married Anne DE FERRERS on 20 Apr 1335 in Groby. Anne (daughter of Sir William FERRERS and Ellen SEGRAVE) died on 08 Aug 1367. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Sir Edward LE DESPENSER, K.G. was born on 24 Mar 1335/6 in Essendine; was christened on 24 Mar 1335/6; died on 11 Nov 1375 in Llanblethian, co. Glamorgan; was buried in Tewkesbury Abbey.
2. Henry LE DESPENSER was born between 1341 and 1342; died on 23 Aug 1406; was buried in Norwich Cathedral.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Baron Despenser

Notes:

Name:
He was summoned to Parliament from 29 July 1314 by writs directed 'hugoni le Despenser juniori'. he was disinherited and exiled on 19 Aug 1321. He took refuge in the Cinque Ports, and engaging in piracy, with the King's connivance did considerable damage. After the battle of Boroughbridge, he received large grants of the lands forfeited by the rebels. He accompanied the King in his flight to Wales in October 1326, and with the King was captured near Llantrisant, co. Glamorgan, on 16 Nov 1326. Hugh Le Despenser, Lord Le Despenser, was taken to Hereford, tried, without being allowed to speak in his own defence, condemned to death as a traitor, and hanged on 24 Nov 1326, buried some years afterwards at Tewkesbury Abbey.

Hugh married Alianor DE CLARE after 14 Jun 1306 in Westminster. Alianor (daughter of Sir Gilbert DE CLARE, Knt. and Joan (of Acre) Of ENGLAND) was born between Oct and Nov 1292 in Caephilly Castle, Glamorganshire, Wales; died on 30 Jun 1337 in Tewkesbury, Gloucesteshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Eleanor

Other Events and Attributes:

• Also Known As: Baron Despenser
• Fact: 1st Earl of Winchester

Notes:

Hugh and his father were beheaded in 1326. Both father and son were loyal to the king, Edward II, the young Despenser being his especial favorite. This engendered great jealousy on the part of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, cousin-german to the King, and first prince of the blood, the most opulent and powreful subject in England, possessed in his own right of no less than 6 earldoms, who raised an army against the king and was joined by many of the barons who wre dissatisfied with King Edward. In the civil war which followed, Lancaster was defeated and captured and condemned by court-martial and beheaded. The two Despencers were condemned to death by the rebellious barons whithout trial, or witness, or accusation, or answer.

Excerpts from Blood Royal: Hugh was hanged on a gallows 50 feet high, 24 Nov 1326. His head was set up on London Bridge, 4 Dec., and his quarters in four different places (towns). Some years afterwards his bones were collected, and bur. in Tewkesbury Abbey. The permit for his bones to be collected and buried was given on 15 Dec 1330.

Hugh married Isabel DE BEAUCHAMP in 1286. Isabel (daughter of William DE BEAUCHAMP and Lady Maud FITZ JOHN) was born in Warwick, England; died about 30 May 1306 in Elmley Castle, Worcestershire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: 6th Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, Earl of Clare

Notes:

Gilbert was also known as the 7th Earl of Hertford, and the 3rd Earl of Gloucester, commonly called the Red, married Alice, daughter of Guy, Earl of Angoulesme, the King's half-brother, from whom he was divorced. In the battle of Lewes was one of the commanders against King Henry III, the King being taken prisoner; afterwards returned to the Royal party and was one of the chief generals on that side at the battle of Evesham where the barons were vanquished and their leader, Montfort, Earl of Leicester, was slain.

Name:
Gilbert De Clare 'the red', Knt., Baron of Clare, Suffolk, 9th Earl of Clare, 3rd Earl of Gloucester, 6th Earl of Hertford, son and heir of Richard de Clare and Maude de Lacy. He was born at Christ Church, co Hants on 2 Sep 1243.

He was married first to Alice De Lusignan, daughter of Hughes XI de Lusignam and Yolande de Bretagne. They had two daughters, and were divorced, his wife Alice said to have become hypochondriacal in 1271. At the death of King Henry III on 16 Noc 1272, the Earl took the lead in swearing fealty to Edward I, who was then in Sicily returning from the Crusade. He was Joint Guardian of England during the King's absence. Proposals for his marriage to the King's daughter were made as early as may 1283. Their daughter Margaret is probably the daughter born at Caerphilly Castle in October 1292, her mother having been purified there on 23 November following the birth of a daughter.

Gilbert married Joan (of Acre) Of ENGLAND about 30 Apr 1290 in Westminster Abbey. Joan (daughter of Edward I "Longshanks"Of ENGLAND and Countess of Ponthieu Eleanor of CASTILE) was born in 1272 in Acre, Palestine; died on 23 Apr 1307 in Clare, Sufolk, England; was buried in Clare Priory. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Joan, also known as Princess Joan Plantaganet, who was the 8th in direct descent from William The Conqueror.
Was betrothed to Hartmann (drowned 1281/December 1282) son of Emperor Rudolf.