James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley 1394-1463

Paternal Family Tree: Berkeley

Before 1394 [his father] James Berkeley [aged 38] and [his mother] Elizabeth Bluet were married.

In 1394 James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley was born to James Berkeley [aged 39] and Elizabeth Bluet at Berkeley Castle [Map]. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward I of England.

On 13th June 1405 [his father] James Berkeley [aged 50] died.

On 9th April 1410 James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 16] and Unamed St John were married.

In 1415 James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 21] and Daughter Stafford Baroness Berkeley were married.

On 13th July 1417 [his uncle] Thomas Berkeley 10th and 5th Baron Berkeley, Baron Lisle [aged 65] died. His daughter Elizabeth [aged 31] succeeded 4th Baroness Lisle of Kingston Lisle in Oxfordshire. Baron Berkeley extinct. His nephew James [aged 23] succeeded 11th Baron Berkeley Feudal,

Before 1419 Henry Ferrers [aged 24] and [his future wife] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 18] were married. She the daughter of Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk and [his future mother-in-law] Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk [aged 52]. They were fourth cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

On 20th October 1421 James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 27] was created 1st Baron Berkeley by writ of summons. [his wife] Daughter Stafford Baroness Berkeley by marriage Baroness Berkeley.

In 1424 James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 30] and Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 24] were married. She by marriage Baroness Berkeley. She the daughter of Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk and Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk [aged 58]. They were half third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

In 1425 [his daughter] Elizabeth Berkeley was born to James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 31] and [his wife] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 25]. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

William of Worcester's Chronicle of England

William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.

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In 1426 [his son] William Berkeley 1st Marquess Berkeley was born to James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 32] and [his wife] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 26] at Berkeley Castle [Map]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England. He married (1) 1466 his third cousin Elizabeth West 3rd Baroness Berkeley, daughter of Reginald West 6th Baron De La Warr 3rd Baron West and Margaret Thorley Baroness De La Warr Baroness West (2) November 1468 his fifth cousin Joan Strangeways 3rd Viscountess Berkeley, daughter of Thomas Strangeways and Katherine Neville Duchess Norfolk (3) 1486 his third cousin twice removed Anne Fiennes Marchioness Berkeley.

In 1429 [his son] James Berkeley was born to James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 35] and [his wife] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 29]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England.

In 1432 [his daughter] Alice Berkeley was born to James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 38] and [his wife] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 32]. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

In 1435 [his son] Maurice Berkeley 3rd Baron Berkeley was born to James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 41] and [his wife] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 35] at Berkeley Castle [Map]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England. He married before 1467 Isabel Meade 3rd Baroness Berkeley and had issue.

In 1435 [his son] Thomas Berkeley was born to James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 41] and [his wife] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 35]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England.

In 1438 [his daughter] Isabel Berkeley was born to James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 44] and [his wife] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 38]. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

On 18th May 1445 William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 73] died at Woodham Ferrers, Essex. His granddaughter [his step-daughter] Elizabeth [aged 26] succeeded 6th Baroness Ferrers of Groby. Edward Grey Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 30] by marriage Baron Ferrers of Groby.

In 1452 John Talbot 1st Viscount Lisle [aged 26] stormed and took James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 58] and his sons prisoner at Berkeley Castle [Map].

Before 25th July 1457 James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 63] and Joan Talbot Baroness Berkeley [aged 35] were married. She by marriage Baroness Berkeley. The difference in their ages was 28 years. She the daughter of John "Old Talbot" Talbot 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and Maud Neville 6th Baroness Furnivall. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

Before 2nd May 1462 John Bourchier 6th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 24] and [his step-daughter] Elizabeth Ferrers 6th Baroness Ferrers Groby [aged 43] were married. He by marriage Baron Ferrers of Groby. He the son of Henry Bourchier 2nd Count of Eu 1st Earl Essex [aged 58] and Isabel York Countess Eu and Essex [aged 53]. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy

The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.

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On 22nd October 1463 James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 69] died at Berkeley Castle [Map]. He was buried at St Augustine's Abbey, Bristol [Map]. His son William [aged 37] succeeded 12th Baron Berkeley Feudal, 2nd Baron Berkeley.

William ap Thomas "Blue Knight of Gwent" Herbert and [his mother] Elizabeth Bluet were married.

Ancestors of James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley 1394-1463

Great x 4 Grandfather: Maurice Berkeley 5th Baron Berkeley

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Berkeley 6th and 1st Baron Berkeley Great Grandson of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabella Plantagenet Baroness Berkeley Granddaughter of King John of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Maurice Berkeley 7th and 2nd Baron Berkeley 2 x Great Grandson of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Ferrers 5th Earl of Derby 3 x Great Grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Ferrers Baroness Berkeley 4 x Great Granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Quincy Countess Derby 3 x Great Granddaughter of King David I of Scotland

Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Berkeley 8th and 3rd Baron Berkeley 3 x Great Grandson of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Zouche

Great x 3 Grandfather: Eudo Zouche

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Bisset

Great x 2 Grandmother: Eva Zouche 9 x Great Granddaughter of Hugh I King of the Franks

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Cantilupe

Great x 3 Grandmother: Millicent Cantilupe 8 x Great Granddaughter of Hugh I King of the Franks

Great x 4 Grandmother: Eva de Braose 7 x Great Granddaughter of Hugh I King of the Franks

Grandfather: Maurice Berkeley 9th and 4th Baron Berkeley 4 x Great Grandson of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 1st Baron Mortimer of Wigmore Great Grandson of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund Mortimer 2nd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore 2 x Great Grandson of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud de Braose 7 x Great Granddaughter of Hugh I King of the Franks

Great x 2 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 1st Earl March 3 x Great Grandson of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Fiennes 10 x Great Grandson of King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Fiennes 4 x Great Granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Blanche Beaumont 3 x Great Granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Mortimer Baroness Berkeley 4 x Great Granddaughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Geoffrey Geneville 1st Baron Geneville 8 x Great Grandson of Hugh I King of the Franks

Great x 3 Grandfather: Piers Geneville 9 x Great Grandson of Hugh I King of the Franks

Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Lacy Baroness Geneville 8 x Great Granddaughter of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd

Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Geneville Baroness Mortimer 2nd Baroness Geneville 6 x Great Granddaughter of King David I of Scotland

Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh XII of Lusignan VII Count of La Marche III Count Angoulême 4 x Great Grandson of King David I of Scotland

Great x 3 Grandmother: Jeanne Lusignan 5 x Great Granddaughter of King David I of Scotland

Great x 4 Grandmother: Jeanne Fougères Countess Lusignan Countess La Marche and Angoulême

father: James Berkeley 2 x Great Grandson of King Edward I of England

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 Grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip Basset 2 x Great Grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Aline Basset 3 x Great Granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Hawise Reginar 10 x Great Granddaughter of King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons

Great x 1 Grandfather: Hugh "Younger" Despencer 1st Baron Despencer 5 x Great Grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Beauchamp 8 x Great Grandson of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Beauchamp 9th Earl Warwick 7 x Great Grandson of Hugh I King of the Franks

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Maudit 6 x Great Granddaughter of Hugh I King of the Franks

Great x 2 Grandmother: Isabella Beauchamp 8 x Great Granddaughter of Hugh I King of the Franks

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Fitzgeoffrey

Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Fitzjohn Countess Warwick 8 x Great Granddaughter of Hugh I King of the Franks

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Bigod 7 x Great Granddaughter of Hugh I King of the Franks

Grandmother: Elizabeth Despencer Baroness Berkeley Great Granddaughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Gilbert Clare 5th Earl Gloucester 4th Earl Hertford 2 x Great Grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard de Clare 6th Earl Gloucester 5th Earl Hertford 3 x Great Grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Marshal Countess Cornwall, Gloucester and Hertford 6 x Great Granddaughter of Hugh I King of the Franks

Great x 2 Grandfather: Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford 4 x Great Grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Lacy Earl Lincoln 10 x Great Grandson of King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons

Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Lacy Countess Gloucester and Hertford 4 x Great Granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Quincy 3rd Countess Lincoln and Pembroke 3 x Great Granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Eleanor Clare Baroness Zouche Mortimer Granddaughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Henry III of England son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: King Edward I of England son of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor of Provence Queen Consort England Great Granddaughter of Alfonso II King Aragon

Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ferdinand III King Castile III King Leon Great Grandson of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon

Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England 2 x Great Granddaughter of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon

Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Dammartin Queen Consort Castile and Leon 2 x Great Granddaughter of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon

James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley 3 x Great Grandson of King Edward I of England

mother: Elizabeth Bluet

James Berkeley 11th and 1st Baron Berkeley 1394-1463