Katherine Mortimer, Countess of Warwick
Encyclopedia
Katherine Mortimer, Countess of Warwick (1314 – 4 August 1369) was the wife of Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick
KG, an English peer, and military commander during the Hundred Years War. She was a daughter and co-heiress of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March and Joan de Geneville, Baroness Geneville.
Sometime before 1355, she became an important figure at the royal court of King Edward III
.
, Shropshire
, England, in 1314, one of the twelve children and a co-heiress of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March and Joan de Geneville, Baroness Geneville. Her paternal grandparents were Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Baron Mortimer and Margaret de Fiennes, and her maternal grandparents were Sir Piers de Geneville, of Trim Castle
and Ludlow
, and Jeanne of Lusignan
.
Her father was de facto
ruler of England together with his mistress Isabella of France
, Queen consort of King Edward II
, until his eventual capture and execution by the orders of King Edward III, eldest son of Isabella and King Edward II. The latter had been deposed in November 1326, and afterwards cruelly murdered by assassins acting under the orders of Mortimer and Queen Isabella. Katherine was sixteen years old when her father was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn, London
on 29 November 1330.
, eldest son of Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick
and Alice de Toeni
. Their marriage required a Papal dispensation as they were related within the prohibited third and fourth degrees.
Beauchamp had succeeded to the earldom at the age of two, therefore Katherine was styled Countess of Warwick from the time of her marriage until her death. The marriage had been arranged in July 1318 in order to settle a quarrel between the two families over the lordship of Elfael, which was thus given to Katherine as her marriage portion.
For the term of his minority, Beauchamp's custody had been granted to Katherine's father, Roger Mortimer.
Katherine later became an important personage at the court of King Edward III. As a sign of royal favour she was chosen to stand as one of the godmothers, along with Queen Philippa of Hainault
, to the latter's granddaughter, Philippa, Countess of Ulster in 1355. This honour bestowed on Katherine is described by 19th century author Agnes Strickland
according to the Friar's Genealogy: "Her [Philippa, Countess of Ulster] godmother also was of Warwick Countess, a lady likewise of great worthiness".
. She lies alongside her husband, who died three months after her of the Black Death
. Their tomb with well-preserved, alabaster
effigies can be seen in the centre of the quire
. Katherine is depicted wearing a frilled veil with a honeycomb pattern and she is holding hands with Beauchamp. The sides of the tomb chest are decorated with figures of mourners, both male and female.
Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick
Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick, KG was an English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War...
KG, an English peer, and military commander during the Hundred Years War. She was a daughter and co-heiress of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March and Joan de Geneville, Baroness Geneville.
Sometime before 1355, she became an important figure at the royal court of King Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
.
Family and lineage
Katherine Mortimer was born at Ludlow CastleLudlow Castle
Ludlow Castle is a large, partly ruined, non-inhabited castle which dominates the town of Ludlow in Shropshire, England. It stands on a high point overlooking the River Teme...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, England, in 1314, one of the twelve children and a co-heiress of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March and Joan de Geneville, Baroness Geneville. Her paternal grandparents were Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Baron Mortimer and Margaret de Fiennes, and her maternal grandparents were Sir Piers de Geneville, of Trim Castle
Trim Castle
Trim Castle , Trim, County Meath, Ireland, on the shores of the Boyne has an area of 30,000 m². It is the remains of Ireland's largest Anglo-Norman castle...
and Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
, and Jeanne of Lusignan
Jeanne of Lusignan
Joan of Lusignan was a French noblewoman. She succeeded her uncle, Guy de la Marche, Knt., sometime in the period, 1310/13, as Lady of Couhe and Peyrat, but not as Countess of La Marche since after her sister, Yolande's death, it was annexed by Philip IV of France and given as an appanage to...
.
Her father was 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...
ruler of England together with 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...
, until his eventual capture and execution by the orders of King Edward III, eldest son of Isabella and King Edward II. The latter had been deposed in November 1326, and afterwards cruelly murdered by assassins acting under the orders of Mortimer and Queen Isabella. Katherine was sixteen years old when her father was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn, London
Tyburn, London
Tyburn was a village in the county of Middlesex close to the current location of Marble Arch in present-day London. It took its name from the Tyburn or Teo Bourne 'boundary stream', a tributary of the River Thames which is now completely covered over between its source and its outfall into the...
on 29 November 1330.
Marriage
On 19 April 1319, when she was about five years old, Katherine married Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of WarwickThomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick
Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick, KG was an English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War...
, eldest son of 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...
and 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...
. Their marriage required a Papal dispensation as they were related within the prohibited third and fourth degrees.
Beauchamp had succeeded to the earldom at the age of two, therefore Katherine was styled Countess of Warwick from the time of her marriage until her death. The marriage had been arranged in July 1318 in order to settle a quarrel between the two families over the lordship of Elfael, which was thus given to Katherine as her marriage portion.
For the term of his minority, Beauchamp's custody had been granted to Katherine's father, Roger Mortimer.
Katherine later became an important personage at the court of King Edward III. As a sign of royal favour she was chosen to stand as one of the godmothers, along with Queen Philippa of Hainault
Philippa of Hainault
Philippa of Hainault, or, Philippe de Hainaut was the Queen consort of King Edward III of England. Edward, Duke of Guyenne, her future husband, promised in 1326 to marry her within the following two years...
, to the latter's granddaughter, Philippa, Countess of Ulster in 1355. This honour bestowed on Katherine is described by 19th century author Agnes Strickland
Agnes Strickland
Agnes Strickland was an English historical writer and poet.-Biography:The daughter of Thomas Strickland of Reydon Hall, Suffolk, Agnes was educated by her father, and began her literary career with a poem, Worcester Field, followed by The Seven Ages of Woman and Demetrius...
according to the Friar's Genealogy: "Her [Philippa, Countess of Ulster] godmother also was of Warwick Countess, a lady likewise of great worthiness".
Issue
Katherine and Beauchamp together had fifteen children:- Guy de Beauchamp (died 28 April 1360), married Philippa de Ferrers, daughter of Henry de Ferrers, 2nd Lord Ferrers of Groby and Isabel de VerdunIsabel de VerdunIsabel de Verdun, Lady Ferrers of Groby was an heiress, who was related to the English royal family as the eldest daughter of Elizabeth de Clare, herself a granddaughter of King Edward I of England...
, by whom he had two daughters. - Thomas de Beauchamp, 12th Earl of WarwickThomas de Beauchamp, 12th Earl of WarwickThomas de Beauchamp, 12th Earl of Warwick, KG was an English medieval nobleman, and one of the primary opponents of Richard II.- Birth and Marriage:...
(16 March 1339- 1401), married Margaret Ferrers, daughter of William Ferrers, 3rd Lord of Groby and Margaret de Ufford, by whom he had issue, including Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of WarwickRichard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of WarwickRichard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, Count of Aumale, KG was an English medieval nobleman and military commander.-Early Life:...
. - Reinbrun de Beauchamp
- William de Beauchamp, 1st Baron Bergavenny (c. 1343- 8 May 1411), on 23 July 1392, married Lady Joan FitzAlan, daughter of Richard Fitzalan, 11th Earl of ArundelRichard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of ArundelRichard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel and 9th Earl of Surrey KG was an English medieval nobleman and military commander.-Lineage:...
and Elizabeth de BohunElizabeth de BohunElizabeth 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...
, by whom he had a son Richard de Beauchamp, 1st Earl of Worcester, and a daughter, Joan de Beauchamp, 4th Countess of Ormond. Queen consort Anne BoleynAnne BoleynAnne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
was a notable descendant of the latter. - Roger de Beauchamp (died 1361)
- Maud de Beauchamp (died 1403), married Roger de Clifford, 5th Baron Clifford, by whom she had issue, including Thomas de Clifford, 6th Baron Clifford.
- Philippa de BeauchampPhilippa de BeauchampPhilippa de Beauchamp was the daughter of Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick and Katherine Mortimer.On or before 1 March 1350 she married Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford, son of Ralph de Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford and Margaret Audley, Baroness Audley.Philippa and Hugh had seven...
, married Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of StaffordHugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of StaffordHugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford, KG was the eldest son of Ralph Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford and Margaret de Audley.Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford succeeded to the title of 3rd Lord Audley circa 1358...
, by whom she had nine children. - Alice Beauchamp (died 1383), married firstly John Beauchamp, 3rd Baron Beauchamp of Somerset, and secondly Sir William Gournay. She died childless.
- Joan de Beauchamp, married Ralph Basset, 3rd Baron Basset of Drayton. She died childless.
- Isabella de Beauchamp (died 29 September 1416), married firstly John le Strange, 5th Baron Strange, and secondly, William de Ufford, 2nd Earl of Suffolk. Upon the latter's death, she became a nun. She died childless.
- Margaret de Beauchamp, married Guy de Montfort, and after his death, she became a nun. She died childless.
- Elizabeth de Beauchamp, married Thomas de Ufford KG,
- Anne de Beauchamp, married Walter de Cokesey.
- Juliana de Beauchamp
- Katherine de Beauchamp, became a nun at Shouldham.
Death and effigy
Katherine Mortimer died on 4 August 1369 at the age of about fifty-five. Two years before her death, in 1367, Katherine was a legatee in the will of her sister Agnes de Hastings, Countess of Pembroke. Katherine was buried in St. Mary's Church, Warwick, 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...
. She lies alongside her husband, who died three months after her of the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
. Their tomb with well-preserved, alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
effigies can be seen in the centre of the quire
Quire (architecture)
Architecturally, the choir is the area of a church or cathedral, usually in the western part of the chancel between the nave and the sanctuary . The choir is occasionally located in the eastern part of the nave...
. Katherine is depicted wearing a frilled veil with a honeycomb pattern and she is holding hands with Beauchamp. The sides of the tomb chest are decorated with figures of mourners, both male and female.