Isabella de Beauchamp
Encyclopedia
Isabella de Beauchamp, Lady Kidwelly, Lady Despenser (died before 30 May 1306), was an English noblewoman and wealthy heiress. She married twice; firstly to Sir Patrick de Chaworth, Lord of Kidwelly, by whom she had a daughter, Maud Chaworth
. Her second husband was Hugh le Despenser, Earl of Winchester, by whom she had four children, including Hugh the younger Despenser
. Her second husband and eldest son were both executed in 1326 by the orders of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, and his mistress, Isabella of France
, Queen-consort of King Edward II
. The couple were de facto
rulers of England at the time. Isabella de Beauchamp had been dead for over twenty years at the time of their executions.
, England. She was the only daughter of William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick
and Maud FitzJohn
. She had a brother, Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick
who married Alice de Toeni
, by whom he had seven children. Her paternal grandparents were William de Beauchamp of Elmley Castle
and Isabel Maudit, and her maternal grandparents were Sir John FitzGeoffrey
, Lord of Shere, and Isabel Bigod
.
, South Wales. The marriage produced one daughter:
Following Patrick's death in 1286, Isabella had in her possession four manors in Wiltshire
and two manors in Berkshire
, assigned to her until her dowry should be set forth along with the livery of Chedworth in Gloucestershire
and the Hampshire
manor of Hartley Mauditt which had been granted to her and Sir Patrick in frankmarriage by her father.
That same year 1286, she married secondly Sir Hugh le Despenser without the King's licence for which Hugh had to pay a fine of 2000 marks
. He was created Lord Despenser by writ of summons to Parliament
in 1295, thereby making Isabella Lady Despenser.
Together Hugh and Isabella had four children:
Isabella died sometime before 30 May 1306. Twenty years later, her husband and eldest son, favourites of King Edward II
, were both executed by the orders of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March and Queen Isabella. The couple were by that time the de facto rulers of England, and along with most of the people in the kingdom, they had resented the power both Despensers wielded over the King.
As her husband had been made Earl of Winchester in 1322, Isabella was never styled as the Countess of Winchester.
Maud Chaworth
Maud de Chaworth was an English noblewoman and wealthy heiress. She was the only child of Patrick de Chaworth. Sometime before 2 March 1297, she married Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, by whom she had seven children...
. Her second husband was Hugh le Despenser, Earl of Winchester, by whom she had four children, including Hugh the younger Despenser
Hugh the younger Despenser
Hugh Despenser, 1st Lord Despenser , also referred to as "the younger Despenser", was the son and heir of Hugh le Despenser, Earl of Winchester , and Isabella daughter of William, 9th Earl of Warwick.-Titles and possessions:Hugh Despenser the younger was knight of Hanley Castle, Worcestershire,...
. Her second husband and eldest son were both executed in 1326 by the orders of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, and his mistress, Isabella of France
Isabella of France
Isabella of France , sometimes described as the She-wolf of France, was Queen consort of England as the wife of Edward II of England. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving daughter of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre...
, Queen-consort of King Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
. The couple were de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
rulers of England at the time. Isabella de Beauchamp had been dead for over twenty years at the time of their executions.
Family
Isabella was born on an unknown date in WarwickshireWarwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England. She was the only daughter of William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick
William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick
William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick was an English nobleman and soldier, described as a “vigorous and innovative military commander”...
and Maud FitzJohn
Maud FitzJohn
Maud FitzJohn, Countess of Warwick was an English noblewoman and the eldest daughter of John FitzGeoffrey, Lord of Shere. Her second husband was William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick, a celebrated soldier...
. She had a brother, Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick
Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick
Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick was an English magnate, and one of the principal opponents of King Edward II and his favourite Piers Gaveston. Guy de Beauchamp was the son of William de Beauchamp, the first Beauchamp earl of Warwick, and succeeded his father in 1298...
who married Alice de Toeni
Alice de Toeni
Alice de Toeni, Countess of Warwick was a wealthy English heiress and the second wife of Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick , an English nobleman in the reign of Kings Edward I and Edward II. He was one of the principal opponents of Piers Gaveston, a favourite of Edward II...
, by whom he had seven children. Her paternal grandparents were William de Beauchamp of Elmley Castle
Elmley Castle
Elmley Castle is a village and civil parish in Worcestershire, in England, United Kingdom. It is located on the north side of Bredon Hill 4 kilometres south east of Pershore in the local government district of Wychavon.- Amenities and history :...
and Isabel Maudit, and her maternal grandparents were Sir John FitzGeoffrey
John FitzGeoffrey
John FitzGeoffrey, Lord of Shere and Justiciar of Ireland was an English nobleman.John FitzGeoffrey was the son of Geoffrey Fitz Peter, 1st Earl of Essex and Aveline de Clare, daughter of Roger de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford and his wife Maud de Saint-Hilaire. He was Justiciar of Ireland...
, Lord of Shere, and Isabel Bigod
Isabel Bigod
Isabel Bigod, Lady of Shere was an English noblewoman, the only daughter of Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk. She was the wife of Gilbert de Lacy, of Ewyas Lacy, and John FitzGeoffrey, Lord of Shere.- Family :...
.
Marriages and issue
Sometime before 1281, she married firstly Sir Patrick de Chaworth, Lord of Kidwelly in CarmarthenshireCarmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, South Wales. The marriage produced one daughter:
- Maud ChaworthMaud ChaworthMaud de Chaworth was an English noblewoman and wealthy heiress. She was the only child of Patrick de Chaworth. Sometime before 2 March 1297, she married Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, by whom she had seven children...
(2 February 1282- 1322), married Henry, 3rd Earl of LancasterHenry, 3rd Earl of LancasterHenry , 3rd Earl of Leicester and Lancaster was an English nobleman, one of the principals behind the deposition of Edward II of England.-Family and lineage:...
, by whom she had seven children.
Following Patrick's death in 1286, Isabella had in her possession four manors in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and two manors in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, assigned to her until her dowry should be set forth along with the livery of Chedworth in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
and the Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
manor of Hartley Mauditt which had been granted to her and Sir Patrick in frankmarriage by her father.
That same year 1286, she married secondly Sir Hugh le Despenser without the King's licence for which Hugh had to pay a fine of 2000 marks
Marks
Marks , also spelled Marx, named after Karl Marx, is a town in Saratov Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Saratov. Population: It was founded in 1767 as a Volga German community called Baronsk . It was soon renamed Yekaterinenshtadt , after Catherine the Great. In 1918, it was granted town...
. He was created Lord Despenser by writ of summons to Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
in 1295, thereby making Isabella Lady Despenser.
Together Hugh and Isabella had four children:
- Hugh le Depenser, Lord Despenser the YoungerHugh the younger DespenserHugh Despenser, 1st Lord Despenser , also referred to as "the younger Despenser", was the son and heir of Hugh le Despenser, Earl of Winchester , and Isabella daughter of William, 9th Earl of Warwick.-Titles and possessions:Hugh Despenser the younger was knight of Hanley Castle, Worcestershire,...
(1286- executed 24 November 1326), married Eleanor de ClareEleanor de ClareEleanor de Clare was the wife of the powerful Hugh Despenser the younger. She was born in 1292 at Caerphilly in Glamorgan, Wales. She was the eldest daughter of Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford and 7th Earl of Gloucester, and Joan of Acre, daughter of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile; thus...
, by whom he had issue. - Aline le Despenser (died before 28 November 1353), married Edward Burnell, Lord Burnell
- Isabella le Despenser (died 4/5 December 1334), married firstly as his second wife, John de Hastings, Lord Hastings, by whom she had three children. Their descendants became the Lords Hastings; she married secondly as his second wife, Sir Ralph de Monthermer, 1st Baron MonthermerRalph de Monthermer, 1st Baron MonthermerRalph de Monthermer, 1st Baron Monthermer, Earl of Hertford, Earl of Gloucester, Earl of Atholl -Biography:Ralph was a knight in the household of Joan of Acre, daughter of King Edward I of England. After the death of Joan's husband Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford in 1295, Ralph and Joan...
. - Philip le Despenser (died 1313), married as her first husband Margaret de Goushill, by whom he had issue.
Isabella died sometime before 30 May 1306. Twenty years later, her husband and eldest son, favourites of King Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
, were both executed by the orders of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March and Queen Isabella. The couple were by that time the de facto rulers of England, and along with most of the people in the kingdom, they had resented the power both Despensers wielded over the King.
As her husband had been made Earl of Winchester in 1322, Isabella was never styled as the Countess of Winchester.