Edward le Despenser

Edward le Despenser
Spouse(s)	Anne Ferrers
Issue Edward le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer Hugh le Despenser Thomas le Despenser Henry le Despenser
Father	Hugh le Despenser the Younger
Mother	Eleanor de Clare
Born	1310
Died	1342 Morlaix, Brittany or Vannes, Brittany

Arms of Despencer: Quarterly 1st & 4th: Argent; 2nd & 3rd: Gules, a fret or, over all a ribbon sable

Edward le Despenser (1310–1342) was the third eldest son of Hugh le Despenser the Younger by his wife Eleanor de Clare.^[1]

His father is famous for being the favourite of Edward II of England, and consequently being executed for it. Through his mother, he was a great-grandson of Edward I of England.

Early life

Although his exact whereabouts before the execution of his father are unknown, it is believed that he was among the children living with their mother Eleanor during her imprisonment in the Tower of London (November 1326 - February 1328).^[2] He was clearly too young to be seen as a threat to Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer, unlike his older brother, Hugh (who was imprisoned by the two in 1327).

Marriage and children

After coming into his estates in November 1334, he soon married Anne Ferrers of Groby, (sister of Henry, Lord Ferrers). They had four surviving sons:

• Edward le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer - he inherited the Despenser estates from his paternal uncle Hugh.
• Hugh le Despenser
• Thomas le Despenser
• Henry le Despenser

Later life

Like a few of his brothers, Edward served in Edward III's military campaigns. In 1342, he accompanied his older brother Hugh to mainland Europe.^[2] Although they were originally heading for Gascony, they were diverted to Brest to aid King Edward's ally the Countess of Montfort in the Breton Civil War. On September 30, 1342, he and his brother's forces joined the English and helped achieve a victory against the French army at Morlaix. Unfortunately, Edward died during the battle.^[2] He was the highest-ranking English casualty there.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Edward le Despenser

16. Hugh le Despenser I               8.Hugh le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer                       4.Hugh le Despenser, 1st Earl of Winchester                             18. Philip Basset               9. Aline Bassett                       19. Hawise de Gray               2.Hugh Despenser the Younger                                   20. William de Beauchamp               10. William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick                       21. Isabel Mauduit               5. Isabella de Beauchamp                             22. John Fitzgeoffrey               11. Maud FitzJohn                       23. Isabel Bigod               1. Edward le Despenser                                         24. Gilbert de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford               12. Richard de Clare, 5th Earl of Hertford                       25. Isabel Marshal               6.Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford                             26. John de Lacy, 1st Earl of Lincoln               13. Maud de Lacy                       27. Margaret de Quincy, Countess of Lincoln               3.Eleanor de Clare                                   28. Henry III of England               14. Edward I of England                       29. Eleanor of Provence               7. Joan of Acre                             30. Ferdinand III of Castile               15. Eleanor of Castile                       31. Joan, Countess of Ponthieu

References

1. Lundy, Darryl. "The Peerage: Edward Despenser". Retrieved 19 October 2010.
2. Higginbotham, Susan. "Edward le Despenser". Retrieved 9 January 2011.