Alice FitzAlan (1378-1415)
Encyclopedia
Alice FitzAlan, Lady Cherleton (1378–1415) was an English noblewoman, being the daughter of Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel
. She was the wife of John Charleton, 4th Baron Cherleton
. She was also allegedly the mistress of Cardinal Henry Beaufort, by whom she had an illegitimate daughter, Jane Beaufort, though there is no real evidence to support this.
, Sussex in 1378, one of the seven children of Richard Fitzalan, 11th Earl of Arundel by his first wife Elizabeth de Bohun
. She had two brothers, including Thomas Fitzalan, 12th Earl of Arundel
, and four sisters, Lady Eleanor FitzAlan, Lady Elizabeth FitzAlan, Lady Joan FitzAlan
, and Lady Margaret FitzAlan. Her paternal grandparents were Richard Fitzalan, 10th Earl of Arundel
and Eleanor of Lancaster
, and her maternal grandparents were William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
and Elizabeth de Badlesmere
.
On 21 September 1397, her father was executed at Tower Hill
, Cheapside
for high treason against King Richard II of England
.
(25 April 1362 – 19 October 1401). According to popular belief, following her marriage she became the mistress of Cardinal Henry Beaufort, and bore him an illegitimate daughter, Jane Beaufort. In Philip Yorke's The Royal Tribes of Wales, he states that Cardinal Beaufort left an illegitimate daughter by Alice, daughter of Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel. Genealogist Douglas Richardson also confirms the affair between Alice and the Cardinal. Beaufort did indeed father an illegitimate daughter, Jane Beaufort, possibly before Henry took holy orders
on 7 April 1397, although the idea of Jane's mother being Alice Fitzalan is possibly a legend of Tudor-era descendants of Jane Beaufort and her husband Sir Edward Stradling. There is no late-14th/early-15th century documentation to support this affair at all, and the surviving documentation entirely discounts it. Jane and Sir Edward Stradling had three sons and a daughter, Katherine.
Alice's husband died on 19 October 1401, and she herself died before October 1415 at the age of about thirty-seven years.
Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel
Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel and 9th Earl of Surrey KG was an English medieval nobleman and military commander.-Lineage:...
. She was the wife of John Charleton, 4th Baron Cherleton
John Charleton, 4th Baron Cherleton
John Charleton , 4th Baron Cherleton, 4th Lord Charlton of Powys...
. She was also allegedly the mistress of Cardinal Henry Beaufort, by whom she had an illegitimate daughter, Jane Beaufort, though there is no real evidence to support this.
Family
Lady Alice was born in Arundel CastleArundel Castle
Arundel Castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England is a restored medieval castle. It was founded by Roger de Montgomery on Christmas Day 1067. Roger became the first to hold the earldom of Arundel by the graces of William the Conqueror...
, Sussex in 1378, one of the seven children of Richard Fitzalan, 11th Earl of Arundel by his first wife Elizabeth de Bohun
Elizabeth de Bohun
Elizabeth de Bohun, Countess of Arundel, Countess of Surrey was a member of the Anglo-Norman Bohun family, which wielded much power in the Welsh Marches and the English government...
. She had two brothers, including Thomas Fitzalan, 12th Earl of Arundel
Thomas FitzAlan, 12th Earl of Arundel
Thomas Fitzalan, 12th Earl of Arundel and 10th Earl of Surrey, KG was an English nobleman, one of the principals of the deposition of Richard II, and a major figure during the reign of Henry IV.-Lineage:...
, and four sisters, Lady Eleanor FitzAlan, Lady Elizabeth FitzAlan, Lady Joan FitzAlan
Joan Fitzalan
Joan FitzAlan, Countess of Hereford, Countess of Essex and Countess of Northampton , was the wife of the 7th Earl of Hereford, 6th Earl of Essex and 2nd Earl of Northampton. She was the mother of Mary de Bohun, the first wife of Henry of Bolingbroke who later reigned as King Henry IV, and Eleanor...
, and Lady Margaret FitzAlan. Her paternal grandparents were Richard Fitzalan, 10th Earl of Arundel
Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel
Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel and 8th Earl of Surrey was an English nobleman and medieval military leader.- Lineage :...
and Eleanor of Lancaster
Eleanor of Lancaster
Eleanor of Lancaster, Countess of Arundel was the fifth daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster and Maud Chaworth.-First marriage and issue:...
, and her maternal grandparents were William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG was an English nobleman and military commander.-Lineage:He was the fifth son of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan. He had a twin brother, Edward...
and Elizabeth de Badlesmere
Elizabeth de Badlesmere
Elizabeth de Badlesmere, Countess of Northampton was the wife of two English noblemen, Sir Edmund Mortimer and William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton...
.
On 21 September 1397, her father was executed at Tower Hill
Tower Hill
Tower Hill is an elevated spot northwest of the Tower of London, just outside the limits of the City of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Formerly it was part of the Tower Liberty under the direct administrative control of Tower...
, Cheapside
Cheapside
Cheapside is a street in the City of London that links Newgate Street with the junction of Queen Victoria Street and Mansion House Street. To the east is Mansion House, the Bank of England, and the major road junction above Bank tube station. To the west is St. Paul's Cathedral, St...
for high treason against King Richard II of England
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
.
Marriage and love affair
Sometime before March 1392 Alice married John Cherleton, 4th Lord CherletonJohn Charleton, 4th Baron Cherleton
John Charleton , 4th Baron Cherleton, 4th Lord Charlton of Powys...
(25 April 1362 – 19 October 1401). According to popular belief, following her marriage she became the mistress of Cardinal Henry Beaufort, and bore him an illegitimate daughter, Jane Beaufort. In Philip Yorke's The Royal Tribes of Wales, he states that Cardinal Beaufort left an illegitimate daughter by Alice, daughter of Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel. Genealogist Douglas Richardson also confirms the affair between Alice and the Cardinal. Beaufort did indeed father an illegitimate daughter, Jane Beaufort, possibly before Henry took holy orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
on 7 April 1397, although the idea of Jane's mother being Alice Fitzalan is possibly a legend of Tudor-era descendants of Jane Beaufort and her husband Sir Edward Stradling. There is no late-14th/early-15th century documentation to support this affair at all, and the surviving documentation entirely discounts it. Jane and Sir Edward Stradling had three sons and a daughter, Katherine.
Alice's husband died on 19 October 1401, and she herself died before October 1415 at the age of about thirty-seven years.