Biography of Hugh Despencer 1st Baron Despencer 1308-1349

After 14th July 1306 [his father] Hugh "Younger" Despencer 1st Baron Despencer (age 20) and [his mother] Eleanor Clare Baroness Zouche Mortimer (age 13) were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford and [his grandmother] Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 34). He the son of [his grandfather] Hugh "Elder" Despencer 1st Earl Winchester (age 45) and [his grandmother] Isabella Beauchamp. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England. She a granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

In 1308 Hugh Despencer 1st Baron Despencer was born to Hugh "Younger" Despencer 1st Baron Despencer (age 22) and Eleanor Clare Baroness Zouche Mortimer (age 15). He a great grandson of King Edward I of England.

After 15th September 1317 [his step-father] William Zouche 1st Baron Zouche Mortimer (age 52) and [his mother] Eleanor Clare Baroness Zouche Mortimer (age 24) were married. The difference in their ages was 27 years. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford and [his grandmother] Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford.

Around 1328 Giles Badlesmere 2nd Baron Badlesmere (age 13) and [his future wife] Elizabeth Montagu Baroness Badlesmere and Despencer (age 4) were married. She the daughter of [his future father-in-law] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury (age 27) and [his future mother-in-law] Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury (age 24).

Close Rolls Edward III 1329. 15th December 1328. Gloucester. To Roger de Mortuo Mari, earl of March, justice of Wales. Order to cause Hugh (age 20) son of [his father] Hugh le Despenser, the younger, who is imprisoned in his custody by the king's order, to come to Bristol, there to be delivered by indenture to Thomas de Gournay, constable of Bristol castle, for custody in prison there, an enjoined by the king. By K.

Mandate in pursuance to the said constable.

On 30th June 1337 [his mother] Eleanor Clare Baroness Zouche Mortimer (age 44) died.

On 15th November 1338 Hugh Despencer 1st Baron Despencer (age 30) was created 1st Baron Despencer by writ of summons.

Before 27th April 1341 Hugh Despencer 1st Baron Despencer (age 33) and Elizabeth Montagu Baroness Badlesmere and Despencer (age 17) were married. She by marriage Baroness Despencer. She the daughter of William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury (age 40) and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury (age 37).

In 1349 Hugh Despencer 1st Baron Despencer (age 41) died. Baron Despencer extinct.

Before 10th July 1350 Guy de Bryan (age 31) and [his former wife] Elizabeth Montagu Baroness Badlesmere and Despencer (age 26) were married. She the daughter of [his former father-in-law] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and [his former mother-in-law] Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury.

On 31st May 1359 [his former wife] Elizabeth Montagu Baroness Badlesmere and Despencer (age 35) died. Monument in Tewkesbury Abbey [Map].

Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke [-1360]. In the year of our Lord 1343, the 18th year of King Edward of England, the king sent military aid¹ to John de Montfort, Duke of Brittany. His wife and children were in the king's custody, signalling the strength of their alliance. A notable English force was dispatched to assist Montfort, including: Earl of Northampton, Earl of Oxford, Hugh Despenser, Richard Talbot, knight, William Kyllesby, cleric, Each was placed in command of significant numbers of troops and archers.

Anno Domini MCCCXLIIIJ, regis Anglie XVIIJ, in auxilium domini Johannis de Monte forte, ducis Britannie, cuius uxor et filii in custodia regis manserunt, fuerunt missi comes Norhamptonie et comes Oxonie, dominus Hugo Despenser, dominus Ricardus Talebot, milites, et dominus Willelmus Kyllesby, clericus, singulis prefectis magnis copiis armatorum et sagittariorum.

Note 1. Stow Annales 374.

It is somewhat remarkable that this is the only event that Baker notices in the campaign in Brittany of 1342. But it is quite evident that he has received special knowledge regarding the battle from someone who had been present. Murimuth also obtained detailed information of the earl of Northampton's movements from the latter's despatches, and appears to have written an account of them and to have inserted it in his chronicle (Murimuth 126, 127.

Northampton was appointed the king's lieutenant and captain in Brittany on the 20th July 1342 (Rymer's Fœdera 2.1205). According to Murimuth 125.

He relieved Brest; marched on Morlaix, which he unsuccessfully assaulted; and fought and defeated Charles of Blois on the 30th September. Morice, History de Bretagne (1750), 1.260.

The English, who were under supreme command of Robert of Artois, adopted Bruce's tactics at Bannockburn in digging concealed trenches on their front, into which the French fell and suffered great slaughter. Charles of Blois, however, was not so badly beaten but that he could afterwards blockade the English, who only escaped with difficulty.

Of Northampton's companions here named: John de Vere, who succeeded his uncle as earl of Oxford in April 1331, was born in 1313, served in the French wars, being one of the chief commanders both at Crecy and at Poitiers, and died on the 24th January 1360; Hugh Despenser, son of the younger Despenser who was executed in 1326, was summoned to parliament in 1338, and died in 1349; Richard Talbot was also a baron by writ in 1331, and died in 1356; William Kildesby, the king's clerk and keeper of the privy seal, was archbishop elect of York in 1340, but was set aside in favour of William de la Zouch.