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Sunday, July 17, 2011

Baron Hugh le Despenser & Countess Aline Basset

11819496. Baron Hugh le Despenser & 11819497. Countess Aline Basset

10/28/1216, Henry III, age 9, crowned king of England.

1223, Hugh born in Rhyshall, Yorkshire, England, 23638992. Hugh le Despenser.

~1241, Aline born in England, d/o 23638994. Sir Philip Basset & 23638995. Hawise de Louvain.

2/23/1238, Grant, for faithful service done by Hugh le Despenser, to Hugh, his son  and heir, that by the counsel of his friends he may marry where it shall seem best. …. (S) CPRs.

1238, Hugh heir to his father.

~1241, Hugh le Despenser to … Demise of the [lands] and marriage of the heirs of Geoffrey le Alwage … (S) UKNA.                                                                           

[––Hugh & Aline––]

~1255, Hugh married Aline. (S) A Gen. of the Wives of the Am. Presidents, P98.

11/7/1255, Appointment of Hugh le Despenser to keep the castle and manor of Harestan in Derbyshire for 5 years … (S) CPRs.

2/19/1257, Protection with clause for the following, gone with R. earl of Cornwall, [king] elect of the Romans, to Almain … Hugh le Despenser } for 1 year from Michaelmas. (S) CPRs.

1257, Hugh accompanied King Richard to Germany.

5/27/1257, Pope Alexander IV crowned Richard “King of the Romans” at Aachen.

6/1258, Hugh one of 12 representatives elected by the Barons at Oxford to the “Council of 24”; and confirmed as Constable of Castle Harestan.

2/11/1259, Commission to Peter de Monte Forti, Hugh le Despenser, Roger de Clifford, … touching contentions which have arisen between James de Audithele and Roger de Somery … (S) CPRs.

1260, Hugh appointed Chief Justiciar of England.

7/6/1260, Commission to Henry de Bathonia … Afterwards H. de Bathonia died and in his place was appointed Hugh le Despenser, justiciary of England, by the same words. (S) CPRs.

7/15/1261, … by order of Hugh le Despenser, sometime justicary of England. (S) CPRs.

12/7/1261, Notification that the king has made peace with the barons, and they are not to be charged with anything unless any of the following have not put his seal to the said peace withing 15 days, … [Roger Bigod] the earl Marshal, [Simon de Montfort] the earl of Leicester, [John (23639780)] the earl of Warenne, Roger de Mortymer (4997432), Hugh le Despenser (11819496), William Bardolf (243382144), John de Burgo, Henry de Hastinges (11820100), John le Fiz John, Robert de Vespont, William de Muntchenesy, John le Fiz Alezn (47279552), Nicholas de Segrave (121688174), Geoffrey de Lucy. (S) CPRs.

6/20/1262, Hugh le Despenser to deliver the castle of Haverstan to Geoffrey de Childewik. (S) CPRs.

1263, Hugh joined other barons and Simon de Montfort in revolt and sacked the king’s residence at Isleworth.

6/29/1263, the Manor of Isleworth hosted a gathering of Simon de Montfort’s rebellious noblemen who held a conference with the King that sowed the seeds for England’s first true Parliament.

7/15/1263, Hugh again appointed Justiciar of England [and the last Justicar – holding title to both Chief Justice and Commander and Chief of the forces], and also assigned as Constable of the Tower of London. He was known to have imprison the King’s judges, pillaged foreign merchants, and extorted money from Jews.

9/23/1263, Mandate to Nicholas de Criollis … Teste, H. le Despenser, justicary of England. (S) CPRs.

10/5/1263, Mandate to Hugh le Despenser, justicary of England and constable of the Tower of London, … (S) CPRs.

5/13/1264, At the battle of Lewes, Hugh captured Marmaduke Thwenge, and forced his wounded father-in-law to surrender. He was then made Governor of 6 castles including Oxford and Nottingham.

9/16/1264, Power to H. bishop of London, Hugh le Despenser, the justicary [of England], Charles, count of Anjou, … to exam and amend the form of the peace between the king [Henry III of England] and the barons … the king wills that peace shall be made between him and the earl of Leicester … directed to … Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester and Hertford, John fitz John, John de Burgo the elder, … Henry de Hastinges, Gilbert of Gaunt and the rest of the barons and magnates of England. (S) CPRs.

12/14/1264, Hugh summoned to Simon de Montfort’s parliament.

2/16/1265, Prohibition to Simon de Monte Forti, earl of Leicester, Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester, Robert de Veer, earl of Oxford, Hugh le Despenser, justiciary of England, … going … to Dunstaple to tourney there, upon pain of forfeiture of all lands, … (S) CPRs.

2/25/1265, On this Wednesday … the king received his seal … in the presence of Hugh le Despenser, justiciary of England … (S) CPRs.

8/4/1265, Hugh killed in the battle of Evesham, Worcester. Because of his age, Hugh was advised to leave the battle by the Earl of Leicester [Simon de Montfort – also killed]. He refused, and was slain by Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Wigmore. This caused a feud to begin between the Despenser and Mortimer families.

[––Aline––]

Aline released the royalist prisoners in her charge and went to live with her father.

10/5/1265, Grant, for life, in consideration of the service of Philip Basset, to Alina late the wife of Hugh le Despenser, daughter of the said Philip, of the manors of … late of the said Hugh … (S) CPRs.

1265-66, Grant by Henry III to Philip Basset of lands, etc, late of Hugh le Despenser, a rebel, in [many places] (S) UKNA.

1271, Aline married 2nd Roger le Bigod, 7th Earl of Norfolk, Marshall of England.

10/1271, Alaina’s father died.

11/6/1271, IPM of Philip Basset. He died on the morrow of SS. Simon and Jude last. Aline his daughter, wife of Roger Bygod earl of Norfolk, marshal of England, late the wife of Sir Hugh le Despensir, … is his heir. … (S) CIsPM.

11/16/1272, Edward I ascended to the throne while on crusade.

3/12/1279, IPM of John le Bretun. Wilts: Nethercote in the hundred of Blakegrave. A messuage … held of Roger Bygot, earl of Norfolk and marshal of England, in chief by reason of Aline his wife, daughter and heir of Philip Basset. (S) CIsPM.

1/4/1280, Acceptance of a demise and grant made to Hugh de Essex, … by Roger le Bygod, earl of Norfolk and marshal of England and Alina his wife, daughter and heir of Philip Basset. (S) CPRs.

1281, Aline died.

4/11/1281, Order to Richard de Holebrok, the king's steward, to take into the king's hand the lands late of Aline la Despensere, countess of Norfolk, deceased, tenant in chief. (S) CFRs.

(S) DNB, Stephen, 1893, P413. (S) The Lives of the Chief Justices of England, Campbell, 1874. (S) Magna Carta Ancestry, P87.

Children of Hugh and Aline:

i. Eleanor le Despenser (30420929), born ~1259 in England.

ii. Hugh le Despencer (5909748), born 3/1/1261 in England.

iii. Joan le Despenser (47280223), born by 1265 in England.


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