Biography of Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester 1373-1400
Paternal Family Tree: Despencer
On 15 Dec 1357 [his father] Edward Despencer 1st Baron Despencer, Baron Burghesh (age 22) was created 1st Baron Despencer.
On 05 Apr 1369 [his grandfather] Bartholomew "The Younger" Burghesh 2nd Baron Burghesh (age 41) died. He was buried at Lady Chapel Walsingham Priory. His daughter [his mother] Elizabeth Burghesh 3rd Baron Burghesh (age 27) succeeded 3rd Baroness Burghesh.
Before 1373 [his father] Edward Despencer 1st Baron Despencer, Baron Burghesh (age 37) and [his mother] Elizabeth Burghesh 3rd Baron Burghesh (age 30) were married. She by marriage Baroness Despencer. He by marriage Baron Burghesh. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King John "Lackland" of England.
On 22 Sep 1373 Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester was born to Edward Despencer 1st Baron Despencer, Baron Burghesh (age 38) and Elizabeth Burghesh 3rd Baron Burghesh (age 31). He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England.
On 11 Nov 1375 [his father] Edward Despencer 1st Baron Despencer, Baron Burghesh (age 40) died at Llanblethian. He was buried at Tewkesbury Abbey [Map]. His son Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 2) succeeded 2nd Baron Despencer.
Before 07 Nov 1379 Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 6) and Constance York Countess Gloucester (age 5) were married. She the daughter of Edmund of Langley 1st Duke York (age 38) and Isabella of Castile Duchess York (age 24). They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England. She a granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
Around 1388 Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 14) was appointed 80th Knight of the Garter by King Richard II of England (age 20).
On 30 Nov 1396 [his son] Richard Despencer 4th Baron Burghesh was born to Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 23) and [his wife] Constance York Countess Gloucester (age 22). He a great grandson of King Edward III of England.
On 29 Sep 1397 Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 24) was created 1st Earl Gloucester. [his wife] Constance York Countess Gloucester (age 23) by marriage Countess Gloucester.
In 1398 [his daughter] Elizabeth Despencer died.
In 1398 [his daughter] Elizabeth Despencer was born to Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 24) and [his wife] Constance York Countess Gloucester (age 24). She a great granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
In or before 1399 [his son] Edward Despencer died.
In or before 1399 [his son] Edward Despencer was born to Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 25) and [his wife] Constance York Countess Gloucester (age 24). He a great grandson of King Edward III of England.
In 1399 Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 25) Earl Gloucester forfeit. Some sources refer to this as 'degraded' although it isn't clear what the difference is?
On 17 Dec 1399 the conspirators met at Abbey House Westminster Abbey [Map] including Thomas Blount (age 47), Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 26), Thomas Holland 1st Duke Surrey (age 25), John Holland 1st Duke Exeter (age 47), Ralph Lumley 1st Baron Lumley (age 39), John Montagu 3rd Earl Salisbury (age 49), [his brother-in-law] Edward York 2nd Duke of York 1st Duke Albemarle (age 26), Bernard Brocas (age 45). They plotted to capture King Henry IV of England (age 32) at a Tournament in Windsor [Map] on the Feast of Epiphany hence the Epiphany Rising.
On 13 Jan 1400 Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 26) was beheaded at Bristol, Gloucestershire [Map].
Around 1400 [his son] Hugh Despencer was born to Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 26) and [his wife] Constance York Countess Gloucester (age 26). He a great grandson of King Edward III of England.
After 07 Jan 1400. Henry IV's (age 32) Parliament. Also, be it remembered that whereas Thomas Holland, formerly earl of Kent (deceased), John Holland, formerly earl of Huntingdon (age 48), John Montague, formerly earl of Salisbury (deceased), Thomas, formerly Lord Despenser (age 26), and Ralph Lumley (deceased), knight, recently rose up in various parts of England and rode in warlike manner, treacherously, against our lord the king (age 32), contrary to their allegiance, to destroy our said lord the king and other great men of the realm, and to populate the said realm with people of another tongue, they were seized and beheaded in their armed uprising by the loyal lieges of oursaid lord the king; and for that reason all the lords temporal present in parliament, by the assent of the king, declared and adjudged the said Thomas, John, John, Thomas, and Ralph to be traitors for their armed uprising against their aforesaid liege lord, and that they should forfeit as traitors all the lands and tenements that they held in fee simple on 5 January, the eve of the feast of the Epiphany of our lord Jesus Christ, in the first year of the reign of our aforesaid lord [1400], or after, as the law of the land requires, together with all their goods and chattels, notwithstanding the fact that they were killed during the said armed uprising without due process of law.
On 26 Jul 1400 [his daughter] Isabel Despencer Countess Warwick and Worcester was born to Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester and [his former wife] Constance York Countess Gloucester (age 26) some six months after her father had been beheaded during the Epiphany Rising. She a great granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
On 29 Nov 1416 [his former wife] Constance York Countess Gloucester (age 42) died at Reading Abbey [Map].
Kings Wessex: Great x 11 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 7 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 13 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 8 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings England: Great x 3 Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 9 Grand Son of Malcolm III King Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 7 Grand Son of Louis VII King Franks
Kings France: Great x 8 Grand Son of Louis "Fat" VI King France
Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh Despencer
Great x 3 Grandfather: Hugh Despencer
Great x 2 Grandfather: Hugh "Elder" Despencer 1st Earl Winchester 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip Basset 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Aline Basset 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Hawise Reginar
Great x 1 Grandfather: Hugh "Younger" Despencer 1st Baron Despencer 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Beauchamp
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Beauchamp 9th Earl Warwick
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Maudit
Great x 2 Grandmother: Isabella Beauchamp Baroness Monthermer
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Fitzgeoffrey
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Fitzjohn Countess Warwick
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Bigod
GrandFather: Edward Despencer Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Gilbert Clare 5th Earl Gloucester 4th Earl Hertford 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard de Clare 6th Earl Gloucester 5th Earl Hertford 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Marshal Countess Cornwall, Gloucester and Hertford
Great x 2 Grandfather: Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Lacy Earl Lincoln
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Lacy Countess Gloucester and Hertford 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Quincy 3rd Countess Lincoln and Pembroke 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Eleanor Clare Baroness Zouche Mortimer Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Henry III of England Son of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: King Edward "Longshanks" I of England Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor of Provence Queen Consort England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Ferdinand III King Castile III King Leon Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Dammartin Queen Consort Castile and Leon
Father: Edward Despencer 1st Baron Despencer, Baron Burghesh 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Ferrers 5th Earl of Derby 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Agnes Gernon Countess Derby 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Ferrers 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger de Quincy 2nd Earl Winchester
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Quincy Countess Derby 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Helen Galloway Countess Winchester 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Ferrers 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh Despencer
Great x 3 Grandfather: Hugh Despencer
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Despencer 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip Basset 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Aline Basset 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Hawise Reginar
GrandMother: Anne Ferrers 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Gilbert Segrave
Great x 3 Grandfather: Nicholas Segrave 1st Baron Segrave
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Segrave 2nd Baron Segrave
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud de Lucy
Great x 4 Grandmother: Nichole Cantilupe
Great x 1 Grandmother: Ellen or Margaret Segrave Baroness Ferrers Groby
Great x 2 Grandmother: Christiana Plessey Baroness Segrave
Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Burghesh 1st Baron Burghesh
Great x 1 Grandfather: Bartholomew "The Elder" Burghesh 1st Baron Burghesh
Great x 3 Grandfather: Gunselin Badlesmere
Great x 2 Grandmother: Maud Badlesmere Baroness Burghesh
Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Fitzbernard
GrandFather: Bartholomew "The Younger" Burghesh 2nd Baron Burghesh 5 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John "The Botiller" Verdun
Great x 3 Grandfather: Theobald Verdun 1st Lord Verdun
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret "Lady of Dulek" Lacy
Great x 2 Grandfather: Theobald Verdun 2nd Lord Verdun
Great x 4 Grandfather: Humphrey Bohun
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margery Bohun Lady Verdun
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor de Braose
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Verdun Baroness Burghesh 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 1st Baron Mortimer of Wigmore Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund Mortimer 2nd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore 2 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud de Braose
Great x 2 Grandmother: Maud Mortimer Lady Verdun 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Fiennes
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Fiennes 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Blanche Beaumont 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Mother: Elizabeth Burghesh 3rd Baron Burghesh 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John de Weyland
Great x 1 Grandfather: Richard de Weyland 3 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John "Tadody aka Fatherless" Braose 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard de de Braose Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margred verch Llewellyn Aberffraw Baroness Clifford Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary de de Braose 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Le Rus
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Le Rus
GrandMother: Cecily Weyland Baroness Burghesh 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England